Discussion: Working with children and families
Today's early childhood settings are filled with children from all corners of the world. As you have been learning early childhood professionals who work with children and families who are immigrants require knowledge, understanding and sensitives along with strategies to best promote healthy child development and growth and to ensure fair equitable learning environments.
*Reflect on this week's media segment in which three early childhood professionals discuss their thoughts and experiences in working with children and their families who are immigrants. Laureate Education, Inc. (2011). Strategies for working with diverse children; Learning about fairness: Culture, language, and economic class. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 6 minutes.
Early childhood educators Leslie Cheung and Eric Hoffman share their thoughts on how to truly honour families in order to help children internalize respect and interact with fairness and equity.
*At least one specific idea, experience, and/or challenge presented by the practitioners in the media segment that you found to be particularly noteworthy, insightful,or helpful as it relates to working with families and children who are immigrants.
*A summary of three aspects of cultural dissonance a child from transnational family might experience. In your summary, compose a brief scenario that illustrates one of these aspects in the context of an authentic transnational family.
*One joy and one challenge that you might experience while working with immigrant and/or transnational families.