Blog Assignment: Creating Affirming Environments

 Week 2 Blog – Creating Affirming Environments

How people are treated when they first come into my Family Child Care Home sets the stage for how relationships will develop over time. Although it may be easy to talk theoretically about valuing diversity, it’s another thing to demonstrate in the  Family Child Care Home. Diversity refers to more than ethnicity and culture—it includes religious beliefs, sexual orientation, ability status, and even child-rearing practices. Diversity broadens our worldview. 

According to Derman-Sparks and Olsen Edwards (2010), an environment rich in anti-bias materials invites exploration and discovery and supports children's play and conversations in both emergent and planned activities. It alerts children to which issues and people the teacher thinks are important and unimportant. Just like adults, children are affected by their environments. It is our job to ensure my Family Child Care Home and other learning spaces for children make them feel welcome, secure, and ready to learn. The learning environments and materials should be organized yet flexible and responsive to children's changing needs. This will help maximize children's engagement and learning.

The Importance of Inclusive Environments and Materials

Biased language. Watch for language that may send stereotypical messages. We may call children "baby girl," "big boy," or "cutie" rather than their given names. Do we comment equally on girls' and boys' appearances and accomplishments? Do we praise African American boys for their athleticism more than their academic achievements? Do we comment on children's size (e.g., "He's going to be a football player")? Do we encourage girls and boys to play sports or lift weights?

Stereotypical play opportunities. Are children encouraged to play in stereotypical ways (e.g., girls with dolls and boys with trucks)? Do boys and girls get equal access and encouragement for playing "house," woodworking, music, science, active or messy play?

Biased materials. Do posters, photos, and displays represent the children in the family childcare and the broad range of human experiences? Are there any stereotypical images (i.e., Native Americans in "war paint")? Are men and women portrayed equally in images of physical, intellectual, and service professions? Are there respectful images of people with disabilities? Are there books in a variety of languages? Do books represent real-world experiences?

Moreover, we can ask families to share their favorite recipes and then have those recipes on lunch menus. Display photographs of families throughout the program. Include items that reflect the families and others not only in the living room but in common areas. These are small gestures that can make a big difference. When someone walks into my Family Child Care Home, can they tell who “lives there” and what they are like?

Designing a responsive and developmentally appropriate family child care environment takes thoughtful reflection and careful planning. The environment includes safety concerns, furniture, materials (e.g., toys, games, equipment), food preparation and serving area, schedule and routines, and a family welcoming area. The careful choices we make as family child care providers affect the positive experiences that families and children have in our homes every day.

Reference

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.