Open Discussion Forum

  • 1.  What is our role as educators???

    Posted 05-30-2020 06:34 PM
    Please read the article linked below and consider what role we play as educators of these and all children...

    https://www.allmomdoes.com/2020/05/11/when-my-beautiful-black-boy-grows-from-cute-to-a-threat/



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    Tara Hurdle
    NAEYC Affiliate Advisory Council member
    NAAEYC-Past President
    Nashville, TN
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  • 2.  RE: What is our role as educators???

    Posted 06-01-2020 12:41 PM
    Thank you for sharing this article. It is true that people don't know about black families having "the talk". It is very much not an experience had by people who are not black. It took me being a teacher and having a black co-worker to make me realize this was a very real issue black mothers. I have a little one here which is her son and I have been to his baby shower 1st and 2nd birthday. He will be turning 3 in July and I already see her trying to ask him to please behave himself a bit more than the other mothers at my school do. It makes me sad to think that it may only be because she is trying to ingrain in him to be well behaved when he's just being a little kid and testing boundaries like everyone else. But his life experience isn't going to be like everyone else. He is going to have a day where the joy in his eyes may leave because of how he will have to hyper-realize how society sees him for having a rich amount of melanin in his skin. I have never had bad relationships with black people and was raised by a grandmother who was inclusive and celebrated diversity like I do. But it still takes more to understand the needs of those communities. That should not be a cross to bare alone. We need to come to help one another, because no matter how strong a community is, if there is pain and suffering, we must come together with our brothers and sisters to create a cultural shift in the awareness that we can give our children so that their futures can be made new.

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    Crystal Peralta Palacios
    Azusa CA
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  • 3.  RE: What is our role as educators???

    Posted 06-02-2020 07:34 AM
    Thank you, Tara, for posting the article.  Those who don't know Embrace Race can find their site here.  They have a lot of good information about talking with children about race.    https://www.embracerace.org
    I agree--what does calm look like now, especially for Black people of color?  What should calm look like during this time?  
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    Aren Stone
    she/her/hers
    Child Development Specialist
    The Early Years Project
    Cambridge, MA
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  • 4.  RE: What is our role as educators???

    Posted 06-02-2020 01:35 PM
    Hey Aren, thank you for continuing the dialogue and for sharing that link.

    Tara

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    Tara Hurdle
    NAEYC Affiliate Advisory Council member
    NAAEYC-Past President
    Nashville, TN
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  • 5.  RE: What is our role as educators???

    Posted 06-02-2020 12:13 AM
    We have to be calm when reopen

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    Michelle Fanwick
    Teacher
    Palo Alto Commuity Child Care
    Palo Alto CA
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  • 6.  RE: What is our role as educators???

    Posted 06-02-2020 12:22 AM
    What does calm look like and is "calm" subjective?


    Thanks,
    Tara

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    Tara Hurdle
    NAEYC Affiliate Advisory Council member
    NAAEYC-Past President
    Nashville, TN
    ------------------------------