Children are not aware that there are proper ways to discuss things and times to say something. Children form negative viewpoints from those around them such as their parents. As young children they see the differences but do not understand them or really cognitively account for them. It is the ideas and viewpoints of the adults they are around that allows for them to take on the opinions and insight they learn. When I was a child at the grocery store children would point to me and say 'Why does she have that thing on her eye' or 'Whats wrong with her eye' or 'Why does she have an eye patch.' Children do not know the appropriate behavior and reasoning for things, they have to learn it. The parents gave various responses. One ignored their child's inquiry, one told them to hush; that it was inappropriate and another tried to give a valid explanation and told her child to come ask me. I have several eye problems and had to wear an eye patch to help correct my lazy eye.
Depending on the response the parent made would communicate a different message. The child who was ignored and hushed would most likely keep pestering/ask again later and think I was weird and different and that there was something wrong with me. They might feel that curiosity is inappropriate and deter them from wanting to learn.
The child who was given a real explanation and told to come ask me would see that the topic of differences was acceptable and that there was nothing wrong with me. They would become more accepting of others and not be afraid of differences.
An anti-biased educator would explain in an appropriate manner what the issue is and why it is and be supportive of the difference and also tie in the similarities between the individuals or the situation. An anti-biased educator would take the opportunity to expand on the diversity and how beneficial it is.
Rica, thanks for sharing. I agree that it is best to not ignore a child who is curious and does not know and give them a simple direct answer to their question. However, I am not sure that I agreed with the parent who asked their child to come ask you (to me that was a little to insensitive) but I felt like that child would benefit most in the future in undestanding that differences are okay amongst society and that it is natural to ask and get answers.
ReplyDeleteRica,
DeleteI think your statement of encouraging the child to ask questions is a great way to show children excepts and that it is okay to wonder and learn new things. The parents that hushed their children are encouraging them to be judge mental and not excepting of others differences. We could all think like children , as adults we would all get all be more excepting and understanding of others.