Required Resources

• Course Text: Ramsey, P. (2004). Teaching and learning in a diverse world: Multicultural education for young children (3rd ed.). New York: Teachers College Press
  • Chapter 2, “We are all Learning” (pp. 16–33, up to “Guidelines for Challenging Children’s Assumptions and Expanding their Perspectives”)
  • Part II: “Contexts of Learning” (pp. 67–68)
• Special instruction: On page 68, the author states, “Before turning to the next five chapters, ask yourself, ‘Who am I?’ and write down the answers as quickly as possible.” Do this activity now. The list you create will be incorporated as part of your Reflective Journal Assignment at the end of this week.

• Book Excerpt: 
     
    Gonzalez-Mena, J. (2008). Perceiving and responding to differences. Ch. 1 in Diversity in Early Education Programs: Honoring Differences (5th Ed.). Columbus, Ohio: McGraw- Hill.
   
      Copyright © 2008 by McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Reproduced with permission of McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. in the format electronic usage via Copyright Clearance Center.
• 
       Note: Be sure to read and reflect on the first five Focus Questions on page 8. Though there is a reference to early childhood educators and education in one of these questions and throughout the text, this reading provides valuable information and “food for thought” for professionals who work with young children and their families in a wide variety of roles and important thinking as we strive to understand ourselves as individuals.
• Web Site: Understanding Prejudice: Implicit Association
• 
       Note: Take these tests before participating in the Discussion for this week.

Optional Resources

• Book: Darling-Hammond, L., French, J., & Garcia-Lopez, S. P. (2002). Learning to teach for social justice. New York: Teachers College Press.
   
   
• Book: Derman-Sparks, L. (1989). Anti-bias curriculum: Tools for empowering young children. Washington, DC: NAEYC.
   
   
• Book: Wolpert, H. (2005). Start seeing diversity: The basic guide to an anti-bias classroom. St. Paul, MN: Redleaf Press.

Application: Reflective Journal

Throughout this course, you will be creating a Reflective Journal and required to write at least one entry at the conclusion of each week. The purpose of this journal is to help you make connections between your personal experiences and the important ideas presented in your coursework, articulate your perspectives and assumptions, and gain a better understanding of yourself. In the process of reflecting on your learning and writing about your thoughts, you may also become more insightful about how you developed attitudes and beliefs about different kinds of diversity, and how your attitudes and beliefs may relate to and affect the children and families with whom you will work as a professional in the early childhood field.
 
  Your journal entry for this week will help you begin to understand who you are and articulate a dynamic and personal definition of culture and your cultural framework.
 
    Part 1:

Review the responses you wrote earlier this week to the following question: Who am I? Add any other responses that come to mind at this point in the course.
 
  Part 2:

Then summarize your current thinking with regard to:

1. How your life has been influenced by at least five of the following aspects of diversity:

• Race
• Gender
• Age
• Abilities and disabilities
• Language
• Social class, including status and economic level
• Ethnicity and national origin
• Religion and/or spiritual practice
• Original geographic location of your family, where you grew up, and your present location (if different)
• Sexuality, including sexual orientation

2. Your personal definition of culture/cultural framework
   
    Assignment length: 2–3 pages