Defining AntiBias in the Classroom & FactsInterpretationForm.pdf

.docx
Facts Interpretation Date _04/23/2023__ Facts/Interpretation Form Something special was happening today if everyone was dressed the same. This is the time where the teacher usually has the children have quiet reading time, but decided instead for me to read to them since they were more likely to pay attention to me since it would have been the second time I have read to them. Since the teacher specifically chose this book for me to read, I assumed it had something to do with what was going to happen today since the last time I read she just told me to choose a book to read. All the other preschool classes were already outside waiting while the teachers were setting up the tables and the powder stuff. It seemed like they were waiting on us. I did participate as well, the teacher gave me a extra white shirt to wear. Throwing the powder around was what most children were doing as well as throwing the balloons. Having everyone work to together to clean up, not just the children, was showing them the responsibility of cleaning up after yourself. This is a great way to transition into learning about new cultures and traditions of people from other countries. The children make their way into the classroom all wearing white shirts with some coming in with white shorts, pants, skirts, or dresses. After the children came in, they got to play in centers until 8:45. At 8:45, the teacher told everyone to start cleaning up to get ready for a.m. snack. Once things were cleaned up, they went to their table where they are assigned, and the teacher went to go get the snack. Today they were eating Froot loops with or without milk depending on which child wanted it. All the children ate the Froot loops and majority asked for seconds and thirds. At 8:55, the teacher told everyone to start cleaning up and throw away their trash and those who had to use the bathroom, to go use the bathroom and wash their hands and go sit on the carpet for circle time. While the children were making their way to the carpet and sitting down, the teacher came to ask if I wanted to read them a book while they clean the tables and chairs and sweep the floor. I agreed and the teacher gave me the book Festival of Colors. I read the book and asked some questions to the children, but they were quieted by the teacher, so I kept reading until I finished. After the story was finished, the teacher came over and proceeded to do circle time. Circle time was over around 9:20 and everyone lined up to get ready to go outside. We walked along the side of wall outside the classroom until we reached the short, gated fence and waited until the teacher opened the gate and let the children run out. Outside, you can see short tables sat out and sensory tables that had bowls of different colored powders and squirt bottles and you could hear the Disney music playing off the speakers. Once our class was released into the playground area, that is when everyone started tossing, throwing, and squirting the powder around. There were clouds of color everywhere, blue, green, pink, red, orange, yellow, and purple. Everyone was covered in some sort of color. This went on until 10:45 and that's when everyone was picking up the balloons and bottles off the ground. Slowly each class was brought inside to wash their hands and face and get the powder the best they could out of their hair. Once everyone was inside and cleaned, the teacher asked if everyone enjoyed playing and what they thought about it.
Maylecia St Romain Dr. Kim Reynolds HDFS 2403 23 April 2023 Defining Anti-Bias Behavior in the Classroom Anti-bias education is more than just conducting activities about diversity and rights (though this is where many new anti-bias educators begin). To be effective, anti-bias education must serve as a foundational perspective that pervades everything that occurs in an early childhood program, including interactions with children, families, and teachers, and informs how you put the curriculum together each day. Some instructors and parents are unsure if they should encourage children to "notice" and learn about cultural differences. They may believe that teaching simply on similarities is ideal, fearing that discussing differences may lead to bias. While well-intended, this issue stems from a misunderstanding of the roots of prejudice. Bias is not created by differences. Prejudice teaches children prejudice, not learning about human variety. The way individuals react to differences promotes prejudice and fear as is explained from NAEYC, discussing anti-bias in the classroom and at home with families. While completing my observations at Parker-Chase Preschool of Carrollton, I noticed a lot of anti-bias being presented in the classroom even though the classroom was not that diverse. In the morning time, the children come in with their parents and they have little conversations with the parents and the children while the children are getting settled in. The teachers seemed to treat the children
relatively in the same manner although they did have one student on the autism spectrum that they already have a way to help the child feel welcome in the classroom. Like letting the child get up and walk around or draw on the portable whiteboard during circle time and at the end of circle time have the child show the other children what they have drawn and have them guess what the child drew. I think that really encourages the child's self-esteem and confidence and teaches the other children inclusion and how to accept children who are different or learn differently from themselves. When it comes to cultural behaviors, cultural equity, or whether the classroom is encouraging anti-bias behaviors, cultural identity and multicultural education I have observed some things take place in the classroom during these observations in the preschool classroom I was in. I would say that they have pictures of the children's families around the classroom, and I am not sure if they were doing any cultural activities during the school year or if they were doing such activities the days I was not present to observe. With cultural identification and multicultural education, on one of the days I was observing, the whole preschool grade level participated in the Festival of Colors otherwise known as Holi outside. The children and teachers wore all white and they had made their own balloons and squirt bottles filled with colored powder that felt like it had the consistency of cornstarch and chalk powder mixed. The children and teachers participated in "gently" throwing the balloons and squirting the powder at each other while Disney music was playing in the background. Before that, I read the book called Festival of Colors by Surishtha Sehgal and Kabir Sehgal to the children. I also observed the diverse assortment of books that represent different cultures and the materials and foods used in the dramatic play center. I am not sure what further could be done about expanding on this section of education because I do not know what activities or lessons, they teach the children about when it comes to these things. When it comes to Parker-Chase Preschool of Carrollton, their mission is to provide the children and teachers with a positive, non-pressured, non-judgmental school environment. With their curriculum, they base it on having the knowledge of all the stages children go through and where they
Uploaded by mstromain147 on coursehero.com