June 17, 2016
I cannot believe how fast this class has gone by! I have learned so much about bias in the classroom, the impact of culture in relationships, and the role of siblings of children with disabilities in the family structure.
My key takeaways from this class were:
1) the impact of reading Anne Fadiman's book on Lia and her family's experiences. I was not only struck by impact of her condition on her family and individuals that she came in contact with but also the journey in which her family had to complete in order to arrive in the United States. I think of all the families that are making a dangerous journey now from the Middle East and from the African nations to find a better life for their families.
2) Reading Derman-Sparks & Edwards text, Anti-Bias Education for Young Children and Ourselves (2010) encouraged me to think about what I could do in my own classroom. I think I would like to incorporate some of the ideas mentioned in the text. I really liked the idea of the anti-bias homework. Next school year I plan on having the students complete a monthly assignment incorporating some of Derman-Sparks & Edwards ideas. Some of the ideas are sharing a favorite book, recipe or music that the family likes. I really would like to be able to incorporate the family interests and involvement more next year.
3) My major assessment focused on the relationships and responsibilities of siblings of children with disabilities. Reading the research and conducting interviews was something that I really enjoyed. After reading the different studies influenced the type of questions that I asked my two interviewees. This allowed me to choose specific topics of interest.
I cannot believe how fast this class has gone by! I have learned so much about bias in the classroom, the impact of culture in relationships, and the role of siblings of children with disabilities in the family structure.
My key takeaways from this class were:
1) the impact of reading Anne Fadiman's book on Lia and her family's experiences. I was not only struck by impact of her condition on her family and individuals that she came in contact with but also the journey in which her family had to complete in order to arrive in the United States. I think of all the families that are making a dangerous journey now from the Middle East and from the African nations to find a better life for their families.
2) Reading Derman-Sparks & Edwards text, Anti-Bias Education for Young Children and Ourselves (2010) encouraged me to think about what I could do in my own classroom. I think I would like to incorporate some of the ideas mentioned in the text. I really liked the idea of the anti-bias homework. Next school year I plan on having the students complete a monthly assignment incorporating some of Derman-Sparks & Edwards ideas. Some of the ideas are sharing a favorite book, recipe or music that the family likes. I really would like to be able to incorporate the family interests and involvement more next year.
3) My major assessment focused on the relationships and responsibilities of siblings of children with disabilities. Reading the research and conducting interviews was something that I really enjoyed. After reading the different studies influenced the type of questions that I asked my two interviewees. This allowed me to choose specific topics of interest.