Read each scenario:
Scenario 1: While children are working on an art project in the classroom, the teacher overhears Amanda say, “Boys can’t use the pink paper!” Not wanting to escalate the situation, the teacher ignores the comment. A few minutes later, the teacher sees Amanda grab a piece of pink paper out of Miguel’s hands. Miguel begins to cry. The teacher intervenes by asking Amanda to apologize to Miguel for hurting his feelings.
Scenario 2: When dropping off his daughter at the day care center, a father approaches the coordinator with a complaint. “My daughter tells me that she is getting picked on by some of the other children because of the way she speaks. They call her a baby. Now, she doesn’t want to come here in the morning.” He is clearly upset. The coordinator responds by stating, “I have not seen or heard any of this happen to your child. You know, we spend a great deal of time talking to the children about how to respect each others’ differences. We have a very accepting environment here. There is really no need for you to worry. I’m sure it will all work itself out.”
Use the follow questions to address each scenario:
How effectively did the early childhood professional respond to the given situation? Where do the responses fall short? Identify references and examples from the reading to support your ideas.
What might the early childhood professional have said or done to improve the quality of the interactions and better promote an anti-bias learning environment?
The, rewrite the above scenarios in such a way that the early childhood professional facilitates positive interactions with children and families that exemplify ways to build respectful, supportive anti-bias learning communities. Include an explanation of any follow-up actions, activities and/or discussions that might also be helpful for each situation.
The textbook “Anti-Bias Education for Young Children and Ourselves” reference chapters 1 and 2
