Perspectives on Diversity and Culture

In  regards to the aspects of culture and diversity, after speaking with my mother, my oldest child (13 years old), and a former co-teacher, I found that the perspective of culture and diversity correlates. Most of the answers paralleled culture and diversity to the point they were one of the same. One example (from their viewpoint) that seemed universal among all the answers was "culture is who you are" and deals mostly with race, gender, and one's community. Before participating in this course, I would have agreed with their observations of culture and diversity and would have found it hard to truly reflect on the subject. 

But, as I have learned through my Reflective Journal submissions, there is so much more beyond the layers of a person that truly defines their understanding of culture and diversity. It is so much more than one's race, gender, religion, family culture, etc. In my personal opinion, it is one's values, experiences, physical characteristics, and social identities that make up his/her concept of culture and diversity. This concept was one of the aspects that had been omitted from their understanding of this topic.

Thinking about other people's definitions of culture and diversity has influenced my own thinking about these topics by allowing me to see how universal this subject is. It was interesting to me to realize that culture and diversity almost seems like a taboo topic and nobody really discusses it in depth; yet, it affects each and everyone of us on a daily basis. Whether it's how we approach one another or our perspective on the community in which we live, this topic is undeniably widespread and deeply rooted.

My Family Culture

Imagine the following:

A major catastrophe has almost completely devastated the infrastructure of your country. The emergency government has decided that the surviving citizens will be best served if they are evacuated to other countries willing to take refugees. You and your immediate family are among the survivors of this catastrophic event. However, you have absolutely no input into the final destination or in any other evacuation details. You are told that your host country’s culture is completely different from your own, and that you might have to stay there permanently. You are further told that, in addition to one change of clothes, you can only take 3 small items with you. You decide to take three items that you hold dear and that represent your family culture...


The three items that I would choose to take with me to represent my family culture would be the wooden spoon and fork set, a djembe, and chakra stones.

The wooden spoon and fork is a traditional item in most African-American homes or kitchens

 and represents having good health and a prosperous family. The set can, also, be interpreted as family strength since the time the family is actually gathered together is at meal time. The oversizing is to emphasize that strength for all that visit the home to see. I grew up with this exact set in the kitchen of my childhood home!

A djembe or jembe, is a musical instrument that is a rope-tuned skin-covered goblet drum played with bare hands, originally from West Africa. The drums has always been the "keeper of the beat". Your heart is like a drum that keeps the beat of your spirit. The sound of the drum is used to communicate, both physically (through playing) and spiritually (when you allow the beat to engulf your soul). 

                                                     



The last item that I would bring with me on my journey would be chakra stones. My family and I are deeply into energy and strengthening the mind, body, and spirit. Chakra stones are used to cleanse and strengthen certain energy centers found within the body and are an important part of spiritual and mental growth. 
                             

 In arriving into this foreign land, if I were told that I could only keep one personal item and have to give up the other two items I brought with me, I would feel devastated, but would keep the chakra stones. All three items make up a significant part of my identity. Although, I would have a hard time parting with any of these 3 items, I would know that I carry the special memories of  them all and in these memories I would have them with me always. 

When I Think of Research...

When I first began this journey on Building Research Competencies, I was overwhelmed with thoughts of collecting data, graphs, tables, and scientific terminology! But at the end of it all, I can confidently say that I have thoroughly enjoyed learning about the foundations of research and how it pertains to the early childhood field! One insight that I have gained is how detailed and complex research can be. From the various methods used to collect and analyze data to the criteria needed to ensure the validity of the study, I now have a full awareness that scientific projects require a variety of perspectives and considerations before the study even begins!

Of course there were some challenges! One of the challenges that I encountered was trying to understand the various terminology found in research and grasp how to apply certain methods to a study. But, using the Understanding Research Chart was an extreme help because it allowed me to review certain terms and then redefine those terms in my own words for better understanding. It is my personal opinion that the chart allowed further appreciation of the concepts and terms found within a particular chapter. This as well as the course, Building Research Competencies has modified my perceptions of an early childhood professional by giving me more insight on the process and methods used within research. I am more excited and have discovered a new-found passion for the early childhood field because of the in-depth knowledge I have gained about research and how it can be used to benefit and further the early childhood field, its learners, families, and community as a whole!

Research Around the World

The website I chose to further explore was the European Early Childhood Education Research Association (www.eecera.org). Some of the current international research topics that can be found on this site are: A socio-cultural perspective on children's early language: a family study and Interacting with children in preschool: a crossroad in early childhood education. From what I could find on the site as an example of current international research topics, these two articles are the most recent.

In exploring this international early childhood website, a new insight that I gained was exploring The Korea Institute of Child Care and Education which was a link found on the site. This organization conducts five different research projects. Major, Occasional, General, Cosigned, and Joint research projects. Under each category, there are several projects that have been conducted. The KICCE has 12 "projects" that guide their work:

- Strengthening basic research on long-term childcare Policy
- Suggesting transformative paradigm for cooperative childcare policy
- Strengthening strategic researches for the integration and implementation of childcare and education
- Constructing the role as a hub for research on ECEC policy
- Expanding research on future-oriented ECEC Policy
- Strengthening international networks and cooperation for improving research ability
- Strengthening research on child care support policies for solving blind spots
- Developing a customized research development system for ECEC policies specifically for the policy customers
- Offering people-friendly childcare policy information and communication system
- Strengthening organizational specialty and multidisciplinary research capabilities
- Establishing a reasonable evaluation and reward system
- Building a strong sense of community within the organization

Other noteworthy information that I found on this website was they have certain requirements that are outlined for potential partners of the this organization and is considered "Criteria for Acceptance as an EECERA Partner and for Linked Organization Websites":

Partner Organisations and those wishing to exchange 'links' with EECERA's website should:

- have aims and values congruent with EECERA's aims and values,
- have an established, sustained interest in research, policy and practice related to young children and families,
- have a transparent financial and management infrastructure,
- be non-profit making,
- be focused, primarily, on developing public services,
- not be affiliated or primarily financed by politically orientated bodies or individuals.

EECERA encourages links to its site where organisations can demonstrate these criteria.

I find the above information noteworthy because it highlights the integrity this organization (EECERA) has towards the people and children that it serves. Such guidelines secure that whomever takes interest in partnering with this website will uphold the same values and desires to advance the children, families, and the early childhood field.

Research that Benefits Children and Families---Uplifting Stories

When I was fourteen months old, I was diagnosed with severe asthma. Between my diagnosis and my 17th birthday, I had been hospitalized 46 times, on life-support 4 different occasions, and had doctors tell my parents that I wasn't going to make on 2 different occasions. I can remember my mom telling me that all the doctors that had treated me over my life (before I turned 18) had never seen an asthma case as severe as mine. So it was my pediatrician's thought that I spend a month in Denver, Colorado at the National Jewish Health (an academic medical research facility specializing in respiratory, cardiac, and allergic disorders).

My mother consented with my pediatrician's idea. Her thought was this would be the perfect opportunity to find the root of my severe attacks.  I was 10 years old when we left for Denver, Colorado. My first time on a plane and the first time I had ever slept a night without my mother. During this month visit, I underwent sleep tests, variations of medications and dosages, therapy, and even a test where I had a thin tube inserted into my nose that had a balloon on the end which was blown up once inside my lungs. The purpose of this test was to measure my air capacity. I had another test which involved a thin tube that  was inserted into my nose that I had to wear for 24 hours and this test was conducted to measure my acid reflux.

Writing this brings back so many horrible memories. I hated every minute of it. I use this as an example of research that benefits children and families because although I endured through these tests, it was for the benefit of my overall respiratory health and so that my parents could have peace of mind that they would never have another doctor approach them with the words, "We don't think she's going to make it".  I highlight this experience because it shows how research can be looked as a "horrible experience" to one but the greatest gift to another. With this experience, can it be said that research had a thin line between barbaric and life-saving?

My Personal Research Journey Part 2

The topic that I have chosen for the simulation is cognitive development. I have chosen this topic because it is my personal opinion that a strong foundation in cognitive development is the core of a successful academic future as well as assists one in obtaining his/her greatest potential. As adults, we are continuously enhancing our cognitive development through continuing education, training, word searches, etc. With this understanding, it intrigues me to know how early can cognitive development began. We know (through research) that it begins in the womb but I'm curious to know how early. 

Some insights that I have gained so far from constructing the research chart is the various research methods and how each method has its own terminology. I will be using The Developing Person Through Childhood by Kathleen Stassen Berger as one of my resources for my simulation. I used this textbook for a previous course and found it had a plethora of information on prenatal development, including cognitive development. Are there any other resources that should be considered with this particular simulation?

My Personal Research Journey

For my research simulation I chose to focus on cognitive development because it is my professional perspective that a child’s cognitive development sets the foundation for academic success in the future which is my professional reason for choosing these three subtopics. If a child is offered the opportunity and resources to build a strong cognitive foundation, then learning basic skills for becoming a healthy, accomplished adult can be achieved. The first of three related subtopics for cognitive development in early learning would be:

1. Ways to foster cognitive development during the prenatal stages.

2. The home environment and how it affects and/or influences cognitive development in toddlers.

3. Cognitive development and parents’ perspective on child development.

So far, with this simulation process, I am aware that conducting "high quality" research for the topic I chose is going to take a considerable amount of time and require me to work on my organization and time management skills in order to have a credible product at the end of this process. I feel so overwhelmed right now because it seems as if this will require a lot of reading and various evaluations of different methods...I am completely new to this area of the early childhood field! But, I am curious as to if I will find an answer to my subtopics in relation to cognitive development. So I guess...here we go!