Creating Affirming Environments-My own family child care home

“Relationships and interactions with children and families, the visual and material environment, and the daily curriculum all come together to create the anti-bias learning community” (Derman-Sparks & Olsen Edwards, 2010, p.51). Reflecting on this statement from our text helped me see what pieces are essential in the development of an early childhood setting that makes every child and family feel respected and welcome.

My Family Child Care Home will include the following, but is not limited to:

1.       Photographs, books, posters, dolls, puzzles, puppets, dramatic play clothing, and other supplemental materials that are reflective of children and staff represented in my classroom. Also other less dominant cultures so that children will become familiar with others that are different from their own culture, race/ethnicity, socio-economic status, family structure, abilities, etc.

2.       Occasional snacks, meals, and music that reflect various cultures. This will allow children and families to share their culture, connect with others, and also form a way for children to notice and start respecting differences amongst people.

3.       A family bulletin board that will reflect all children and staff in our community. The family bulletin board is a way to share our personal family experiences amongst children, family, and staff to create diversity in the child care home.

4.       Notes, progress reports, handouts, etc. in child’s home language. I will respect the child and families home language and find ways to accommodate them appropriately as they transition into an English speaking child care home.

5.       Incorporate the child and families traditions and honor holidays/traditions reflected in the facility. Acknowledging and showing interest to learn something new about others shows respect and makes families feel like they belong in our school family.

6.       Incorporate a curriculum that teaches children about respecting others, acknowledging fairness vs non fairness, diversity, and ways to connect with others. A curriculum that teaches respect of oneself and others will help start the connection of creating an anti-bias education.

7.       Respecting children’s feelings and offering them a place to express them appropriately. Incorporating a safe place to feel comforted at any time of the day (drop offs, tantrums, etc.) helps teach children how to resolve conflicts and work with others in appropriate ways.

8.       “Teaching to strength” will be a principle incorporated for teacher’s to use inside the classrooms. “And if we spend as much time thinking about what kind of a learner is this child, where are their strengths, where are their interests, where are their natural motivations, as we spend thinking about where could they go next” (Laureate Education Inc., 2011).  When we scaffold for our children we start at where the child is but offer temporary support that will help build that child’s educational or social need to their particular greatest potential (zone of proximal development).

References:

Derman-Sparks, L., & Olsen Edwards, J. (2010). Anti-bias education for young children and ourselves. Washington, D.C.: National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).

Laureate Education, Inc. (2011). Strategies for working with diverse children. Baltimore, MD: Author