There will be a built on ramp for any person that may be confined to a wheelchair or have any other disability. Upon entering in my family childcare home, the parents will be greeted by a staff member or myself. “Children must feel safe, loved, and nurtured to develop the basic trust they need for healthy development” (Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2010, p.52). There will be a notebook for the parents to sign in and sign out before entering and exiting the facility. In the front entrance on the left side of the wall will be a bulletin board full of information such as lesson plan, daily schedule, acti
vities, upcoming events, and any other pertinent information that the par
ents need to be aware of. The information will be written in various languages that
is presented in the family childcare home. This will help families to feel like their home language is vital. There will also be a bigger board that will display pictures of each family. Under each child’s family picture will be a small tray with their name on it and a tray with my name on it as well. These trays will be for correspondence and other documents to exchange between parents and myself.
There will be a calming/safe place area that will be for the children that may have a hard time transitioning from their parent in a more content way. Sometimes parents do not have a lot of time to comfort their crying child, but the same time the parents want to know that their child is in good hands and feels comfortable leaving them in their emotional state. In this area there will be a sofa, with pillows, books, and stuffed animals. This is vital because it will serve as a way for the children to express their emotions in a more constructive way. For instance, a child may be upset and crying, the teacher/educator will not stop the child from crying, but will allow him or to express their emotions. Eventually the child will stop crying and calm down, and will join the class when they are ready (Laureate Education, Inc., 2011).
There will be another room that will be set up for group or rug time. The room will be painted in a bright color with educational and learning tools posted on the walls as well.
This is where the students and the teachers will come together and go over their good morning songs, read stories, meet and greet, and also have small conversations. Parents will be allowed to sit in during this time if they wish to do so. In the media segment Castillo talks about the importance of circle or group time because it is an important part of their day where the children are allowed to converse with one another and the parents can participate as well and this will generate a partners
hip between the parents and educators (Laureate Education, Inc., 2011). There will be two book cases that will have books that represents different ethnicities, cultures, genders, families, and disabilities. This will allow children to see themselves and others
that are portrayed in the books. There will also be pictures of the same thing displayed in this room as well. The children will learn how to count, say their shapes and colors in Spanish as well as any other language that may be represented in the class. This will support all the children and help them to appreciate one another home languages.
There will be a large room that will serve the interest areas that will be the learning centers. The interest areas that will be represented are blocks, music, dramatic play, manipulatives, art, reading and writing, sand/water, and math/discovery. Each center will be developmentally appropriate for each group that will be in the class. All shelves and containers will be labeled and have a picture to go with it so each child knows what is what and where it belongs. The shelves will be at the appropriate height for each age group. 
In the block center will be foam blocks, wooden blocks, cardboard blocks, soft blocks, community workers, people with disabilities, and animals. In the dramatic play area will have a diverse mixture of dolls that will include race, ethnicities, gender, and religions if possible. I will include dolls that will have physical challenges that include but not limited to dolls in wheel chairs, hearing impaired or wearing leg braces (Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2010). Children should be exposed to the differences in people because when they become a part of the real world they will see people with disabilities and not be alarmed because they were introduced to it in their class. There will be dress up clothes that will include different community workers, different cultures, props for both genders. “Cooking tools and empty food containers from the children’s families are included, as well as plastic food from various cultures” (Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2010, p. 52). In the manipulative center or table top toys will be blocks, legos and puzzles. Derman-Sparks and Edwards (2010) states “these must be separated from their packaging, which often portrays stereotypes” (p. 52). In the art center there will be a variety of art supplies ranging from different colors of construction paper, glue sticks, popsicle sticks, different types of paint (watercolor, finger, tempera), paint brushes, modeling clay play dough, to magazines, crayons, and markers. In the reading and writing center will be paper, pencils, dry erase boards, an easel, books, flash cards, letter tiles, and other appropriate materials. The sand/water will have items that will pertain to the theme for the week or month whether it is a beach theme, under the sea theme, or zoo theme. The math/discovery center will have pictures, magnifying gla
sses, money, dominos, file folder games, farm animals, dinosaurs, bear counters and so much more. In the music area will be music of various cultures,
streamers, different instruments, CD’s that represents the
children’s home language, drums, and maracas. This area is important because each child be exposed to music of and from their own culture (Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2010).
The educational and learning setting would also contain a strengths-based viewpoint of educating, that develops the knowledge that the children already have upon entering into the program and what th
ey are avid about. Topics such as social justice and diversity will be taught along with, conflict management and resolution, and learning how to perceive one’s own thinking. In learning about different cultures and religions family traditions, holiday traditions, and celebrations will not be the only way to learn about the different cultures and religions that are represented within in the class and those that are not in the class. In doing this, it is an excellent way for teachers to avoid the tourist curriculum. “In a tourist curriculum, instead of making diversity a normal part of the on
going, daily curriculum, activities about “other” cultural groups occur only once in a while, to celebrate a holiday, to enjoy a special food, or to welcome a one-time guest” (Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2010, p. 48). I will also display in the
classroom a designated spot were families can bring in different items that represent their family and culture (Laureate Education, Inc., 2011).
Off from the kitchen will be a room set up for the children to eat their breakfast, lunch, and snack. The children will be eating nutri
tional food and the appropriate serving. Children will have the opportunity to explore and be introduced to n
ew foods from different cultures. This is a great way to get children to eat food that is different from their culture and what they are used to eating. Different pictures of foods will be
displayed around the room along with different cookware and utensils that different cultures use.
The rationality of my choice would be that I will be making the invisible visible in a sense that children and their families who rarely see their culture represented will have that opportunity in my family childcare home. Every family will be represented within the class and that will help and incorporate the feel of belonging and establishing a partnership and relationship. No one will be excluded but included. “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 & Edwards, 2010, p. 51).
References
Derman-Sparks, L., & Edwards, J.O. (2010). Anti-bias education for young children and ourselves. Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children
Laureate Education, Inc., (2011). Strategies for working with diverse children: Welcome to anti-bias learning community. Baltimore, MD: Author
the classroom setting. In doing this it can help enclose the gap between educators and families, help educate other families and children, bring the community in unity, and use as a teaching instrument in realizing and understanding accepting everyone. My overall hope is to make each family feel loved, valued, comfortable, and respected within the classroom in learning who they are and also let them know that I am teachable as well.
field related to diversity, equity, and social justice would be to educate and provide teachers with more courses and/or training in diversity. As early childhood professionals we need to stay abreast on current trends as well as new notions or concepts so that we can edify our students to the finest of our abilities and to their fullest potential. I will also like to stay up-to-date in anti-bias education and see it incorporated more into classrooms. In staying current on the latest trends and issues of the world, I will be able to not only educate myself, but my students and fellow colleagues as well.
I would like to say thank you to my colleagues for all of your support throughout this course through the discussion boards, and blog post. Not only have you helped me grow as an individual, mother, and educator, you have helped me grow as a person. I appreciate all of the comments that were posted on my discussion posts as well as blog, I read each and every comment and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your feedback. This has not been an easy journey for me but because of your support, I have been able to strive a little further. May we continue to learn and grow together as we move into our next course. I pray for your future success as you continue your educational journey at Walden University.
himself. The teacher told me that she told him that it was not nice and that, we do not talk about our friends like that. I was asked to speak with him on the phone and I did. I asked him why would he pick on someone who was different from him. I let him know that what he did was wrong and although this was something that he was not use to, it is normal and that it may be other times he may see something similar. I told him next time instead of picking just let the teacher know and she can take care of the little boy. Because of his behavior he had to move his clip down from green to yellow. His teacher let me know that this type of behavior was not acceptable. This encounter put me in the waking up part of Harro (2008) Cycle of Liberation due to the fact that my son knew better to do what he did but yet he did. Children should be exposed to different pictures of children and older people that has a disability so that when they see one in person they will not be so alarmed. As educators it is our job to ensure that every child is depicted in the class in some kind of way be it through pictures, books, and/or toys. Derman-Sparks and Edwards (2010) states “all children need teachers who make sure that people with disabilities are visible in their learning environment: in pictures and posters on the wall, in toys and books, in program staff, and in their community” (p. 125).
with one leg. She said they were not picking but were curious and inquisitive as to why the man was like that and why was he standing and holding a sign. “Children’s behaviors such as staring or pointing at a person with a disability are not uncommon and usually indicate curiosity” (Derman-Sparks, & Edwards, 2010, p. 129). She said she told them that she did not know why he only had one leg or why he was on the corner. However, she did tell them that sometimes in life we fall short and situations come up to where we are unable to keep things that we once owned. She let them know that he was homeless because of the sign that he was holding that said “homeless, please help. God Bless.”
In this day and time, we are so caught up in the traditional ways of how a family should be formed which is with the mom, dad, child(ren) and maybe a pet. Some people fail to realize or even accept that there are foster homes, children living with their grandparents, group homes, legal custodianship, single mom or dad and then families that are made up of the LGBT community. Many of these families are more acceptable than those that are from a LGBT family. There are more books that represent the traditional families more so those that relate to gay and lesbian families. There are some books that are out that can be read to children to help them 
understand that some children have two moms or two dads. In the stores especially in the toy department everything is separated by gender. There is the fighting, legos, swords, boy colored toys for the boys and the pink, dolls, Barbie cars, tutu’s, and other “girlie” things for the girls to play with. Even at the center that I work at, the owner’s husband told one little boy in my class to “take off the dress because he was a boy and not a girl and little boys do not wear girl’s clothes.” I was confused because I thought we were supposed to let children play freely and with their imagination. As educators we should “not allow teasing about “not acting like a [girl/boy]”. To bully a child into acting as she or he is “supposed” to regarding gender roles. Work with children to create and live the classroom rule “Everyone gets to be different! Everyone is safe here.” (Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2010, p. 98). The safety, education and self-expression should be the ultimate goal.
child or children in their center that has this type of family. Every child and their family should be represented throughout the classroom to help them feel welcome. What better way to teach children about the different types of families than through books? If we do not teach our children or incorporate books into the classroom how will they be able to know that the family that they are living in is accepted and they will not be picked on because their parents are gay or lesbian? Sanders and Mathis (2013) states that “Classroom discussion must include talking about LGBT themes; if 
not, silence regarding LGBT characters or themes in a text only reinforces the idea that homosexuality should be kept hidden” (p.4). Homosexuality should be discussed in reading such books as Mommy, Mama, and Me and Daddy, Papa, and Me to give the children a deeper understanding on their developmental level as to what a gay and lesbian family consist of. No matter what type of family our children are raised in, it should not affect us as educators to put our bias to the side. It is best to teacher the children now because sooner later they will meet a child whose family is not like theirs in that they may have a mommy and daddy while the other child might have two daddies or two mommies. If we include the books in our daily conversations, it would not be new to the children if there was a student and their family to come to the center whose family is of the LGBT community.
meant no harm by it. Then I heard my son who was about three at the time say the same exact words and I realized then that this is not what I wanted my son to hear. I used the 
word out of context and meant no harm by them but when I heard it from the mouth of my son I felt offended after I heard him say it to another child. We have to be careful as to what we say around children because they are like sponges and soak everything up. Saying these words can have a negative influence on all children because they would in return say the words that they hear and think nothing of it. Derman-Sparks and Edwards (2010) mentions that “such slurs reflect biases against people who are gay or lesbian; however even teasing another child as being “girlie” or “acting like a boy” are hurtful. Young children may not understand the full significance of the words but do know they are put-downs” (p. 99).
over the past eight weeks. It was a wonderful and enlightening experience in learning about the different effective means of education, collaboration strategies, and listening styles and they will be beneficial to me as I continue to come in contact and work with families, young children, and colleagues in my future endeavors.
have brought to this course, and I hope that we can continue to keep in touch as we continue our educational and professional journey at Walden University and thereafter. Hopefully we can keep in contact through email, blogs, and of course Facebook.
consequently. From creative brainstorming to visualizing the overall project, lesson plans and crafts, we were vastly stirred and openly devoted to accomplishing our goals. Because the team had clear established norms, it was very normal and straightforward to perform under these situations.
that seem like it meant leaving forever, so instead we said see you later. O’ Hair et al (2015) mentions that “members may opt out to maintain friendships even if they will no longer be working together” (p.249). Even though we all have embarked on different career paths, we still keep in contact with one another. Occasionally we link up for lunch, dinner or go out to just talk and let our hair down.
discussions. I believe that adjourning from my Walden colleague group will involve apprehending lessons learned, as we share our hopes and goals for the future (Abudi, 2010). Adjourning is essential to teams and groups because it allows everyone to converse about the task or vision that was completed and recap the situations they may have faced. And in some cases there are lasting relationships built. Adjournment is a merriment of what was achieved.
phone because I was in my class busy at the time. So when I found out that they had called I was mad because I said why would you tell me to give them my work number if I cannot call? I was really mad because this was a time where another student had hurt my son and made him bleed and they were calling to let me know. I was mad and I was yelling that it did not make sense that I could not have my phone and that this was the only place that I have worked to that took my phone away and give it to me on my lunch and when I get ready to go home. Needless to say I did not like this idea neither did my co-workers.
her class in the front because everybody always fussing at her about something. She went on and on about I can tell the parents whatever I want to because I do not know what is going on in your room because I stay in my room with my door closed. She got so mad to the point she was going to walk out the door because she did not like when someone fussed at her. I was just trying to let her know that she could talk to parents better than what she did. We want families to trust us with their child and ensure that they are safe in our care.
us, the employees to voice our opinion about the cellphone situation. Had I been more compassionate or empathetic towards him I would have known that the reason why he was so uptight was that he had a lot going on at the time and he had deadlines that he had to meet and things he had to get fix before the week was out. Now that I know from the readings I will be able to handle situations a lot better.
and acknowledging the situation at hand. Through reciprocal interactions each individual will be heard equally. In being responsive each person will have an opportunity to look within themselves to see how they view things and voice their opinions on how to make things better (Corso, 2007). In using this at the staff meeting, everyone will be heard and the situation can be rectified and handled before things get worse than what they already escalated to.
you to see the situation from a different perspective and “keep your eyes on what is truly important” (The Third Side, n.d.). The steps are as follow:
my church family, I am more calm and mellow and we talk about God and how good he is, I help clean the church, I watch how I talk with my pastor and first lady who also happens to be my aunt and uncle through marriage. Although they are my relatives, I look to them as my spiritual leaders first then my relatives. When talking to my pastor I can talk to him about anything and know that he will keep it to himself. I speak to him in humbleness and truth.
and then I get lost because I do not understand what they are saying. I do not stop them because eventually they will realize that I am lost by my nonverbal cues such as facial expressions and body language.
others as they themselves would like to be treated”. What may be appropriate and accepted in one culture may be not be acceptable in another. Therefore, I need to be mindful of my behavior and the language that I speak.
Dionna' s blog 