Application-Interview : The Influence of Culture in Infant/Toddler
Programs
Step 1: Plan
• Think about what you have been learning about culture and culturally responsiveness practices related to eating/feeding, sleeping, attachment and separation, and socialization, play, and language in an infant/toddler program
• Review the interview questions listed under Step 2.
• Schedule a time to interview an infant/toddler professional for approximately 1 hour. (This interview may be done in person or by phone. It is recommended that you use a laptop while interviewing and if you are recording the interview, be sure to ask permission.)
Step 2: Implement
• The goal of this interview is to deepen your understanding of this professional and his or her infant/toddler program with regard to culture and culturally responsive practices, specifically eating/feeding, sleeping, attachment and separation, and socialization, play, and language. Using the following questions, conduct your interview and record his or her responses. You are encouraged to amend these questions and/or add questions of your own as time permits.
Differing perspectives with regard to any or all of these areas that have been worked through successfully? If so, please share an example.
In Conclusion
What could the program improve on in terms of working effectively with families and/or providing culturally responsive care and education? What would you, as a professional, like to improve on?
Step 3: Reflect
Write at least 2 pages addressing the following:
• Identify the type of program and your interviewee's role in the program.
• Summarize each section of your interview.
• Reflect by comparing and contrasting the program's and interviewee's philosophies and practices with the information presented .
Learning Resources.
What insights did you gain about how the program and person work with families?
What insights did you gain about how the program and person recognize the influence of culture and honors diverse perspectives?
What suggestions might you make, citing the Learning Resources, to help make this program more culturally responsive?
Note: When writing about your experience, do not use actual names.
Reminders:
• Try to remain nonjudgmental. Your role is to listen not correct or instruct.
• At the conclusion, thank the person for his or her time.
2. How does the program learn about families' beliefs, values, and expectations with regard to emotional expression and regulation? How do you and your colleagues incorporate families' beliefs, values, and expectations into program practices? If you don't, why not?
3. How does the program learn about family preferences with regard to the language(s) their children are exposed to? How do you and your colleagues incorporate families' preferences into program practices?
4. How does the program learn about how and when families use nonverbal communication versus verbal communication at home? How does this affect communication with infants/toddlers in this program?
5. What are the program's goals with regard to socialization for infants/toddlers? How does the program learn about and incorporate families' goals with regard to socialization?
6. What are the program's strengths and areas in need of improvement with regard to communicating with families about their home culture,language, and perspectives on play and socialization?
7. Have there been any situations related to differing perspectives with regard to any or all of these areas that have been worked through successfully? If so, please share an example.
Attachment and Separation
1. How does the program help each family enter the room when they arrive? Or how do you typically enter the family's home when you arrive? Does this vary family-to-family? If so, why? In what ways? What about when it is time for the family or you to leave?
2. How have families differed in their perspectives about when their child should be with family members or other people as opposed to experiencing a greater degree of separateness? How have you worked with families when their perspective is different than yours or the program's?
3 Have you had any conflicts with families or had any assumptions that have been dispelled with regard to separation and attachment? If so, please describe them.
In Conclusion
o What could the program improve on in terms of working effectively with families and/or providing culturally responsive care and education? What would you, as a professional_ like to improve on?
4. How does the program communicate with families about feeding and sleeping practices? How does this knowledge inform practices within the program?
5. Have any conflicts arisen with families as a result of differing expectations with regard to schedules, feeding practices, sleeping practices, etc.? If so, how were those conflicts resolved?
Play, Socialization, and Language
1. How does the program learn about families' views on play? How do you and your colleagues incorporate those views into program practices? If you don't, why not?
2. How does the program learn about families' beliefs, values, and expectations with regard to emotional expression and regulation? How do you and your colleagues incorporate families' beliefs, values, and expectations
Reminders:
• Try to remain nonjudgmental. Your role is to listen not correct or instruct.
• At the conclusion, thank the person for his or her time.
General
1.Tell me about the overall philosophy, approach, and services of this infant/toddler program.
2. What are your thoughts about the ways that cultural diversity is reflected in this program?
3. How do you and your colleagues learn about families' values, beliefs, and expectations for their children? What are the program's policies or practices for including family preferences and thinking?
Scheduling, Routines, Eating, and Sleeping
1. How does the program approach the issue of schedules, including schedules within the program and coordination of schedules with families?
2. What are some of the key routines in your program? How do you and your colleagues learn from families about their home routines and incorporate that knowledge into program practices? If you don't, why not?
3. How does the program learn about families' preferences with regard to feeding, diaperingitoileting, and sleeping? How do you and your colleagues incorporate information about home practices into program practices? If you don't, why not?
4. How does the program communicate with families about feeding and sleeping
Application: The Influence of Culture in Infant/Toddler Programs
Culture has been described as an iceberg. The tip of the iceberg (perhaps 10% of the overall mass of ice) represents those aspects of culture that are clearly visible and easy to observe, such as the foods, music, stories, and customs of a particular group.
The remaining 90% of the iceberg that exists beneath the surface represents those aspects of culture that are typically unconscious and difficult to see, which includes values, beliefs, and expectations about the care and education of children during the first three years of life.
Differences in these unconscious, hard-to-see aspects of culture can result in conflicts between professionals and families and/or discontinuity in the care of infants and toddlers (Gonzalez-Mena, as cited in Laureate Education Inc., 2006).
One way that an infant/toddler professional can begin to recognize these differences and consciously address them is by analyzing ordinary, everyday interactions, which are shaped by culture and convey individuals' values, beliefs, and expectations.
This is an important step for a professional to take, because "subtleties of interaction within relationships make up the developmental process, and the empowering elements in relationships are precisely what we want to ensure for children.
As practitioners, we must become better at understanding cultural messages in order to ensure their continuity, provide for their consistency, and intervene to prevent any potential disruptions in the process" (Gonzalez-Mena, 2008, p. 98).
In this Application Assignment, you will begin to engage in the process of "seeing beneath the surface" by talking to an infant/toddler professional about his or her culture and culturally responsive practices and those of the program he or she works in related to eating/feeding, sleeping, attachment and separation, play, socialization, and language.
You will also reflect on the ways the information you gained from the interview relate to the insights and learning you have gleaned from this course.