Transcript Mean Age Expectations in Months for Milestone Attainment

Culturally and Linguistically
Competent Services In
Early Childhood Programs
“Most cultural exploration begins with
the annoyance of being lost.”
Edward T. Hall, Beyond Culture, 1976
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Agenda/Objectives
School Readiness Symposium
Ready At Five, April 18, 2005
Raise awareness of the cultural context
of family and community
 Reflect upon personal cultural journey
 Explore ethnographic strategies for
learning about culture
 Identify resources for continued learning
and practice implementation
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Hepburn,GUCCHD
April 2005
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The 7 Habits of Highly Effective
Culturally and Linguistically
Competent Programs
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Offer parents opportunities for sharing
cultural perspectives
Staff represents diversity of community
and/or appreciates diversity
Cultural continuity present in care
Honor languages spoken by children in care
Traditions, customs, and home lives of
children reflected in setting
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April 2005
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Curriculum or program helps children
understand/appreciate differences
 Teachers prepared to help children
understand differences
Hepburn,GUCCHD
April 2005
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School Readiness

Ready Child
– Physically well
– Trusting and selfconfident
– Eager to learn
– Good communication
– Knowledge base
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Ready Schools
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Family-centered
Child-focused
State-of-the art practices
Culturally competent
Hepburn,GUCCHD
April 2005

In Maryland
– Maryland Model for School
Readiness
– Work Sampling System
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•
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Staff development
Assessment
Instruction
Family communication
Collaboration/coordination
among programs
– Increasing Diversity
– Promising Practices
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Staff Challenges and Strengths

What are the challenges of preparing
staff for working with diverse children
and families?
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What are staff qualities and strengths
that support working toward cultural
and linguistic competence?
Hepburn,GUCCHD
April 2005
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The Cultural Context of
Family and Community
A child’s “first world”
 Foundation of relationships
 Parent belief systems and
modes of parent-child interaction
 Learning and language development
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Generational transfer
 Child rearing practices
 The role of community
Hepburn,GUCCHD
April 2005
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The Power of Family Context

What did your family customarily
do for you when you were sick
and had a cold as a child?
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What do you do now
when you or your children
have a cold today?
Hepburn,GUCCHD
April 2005
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The Cultural Context of
Family and Community

Identity Formation

Child Development
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Language
Hepburn,GUCCHD
April 2005
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The Cultural Context of
Family and Community
As a group, read the scenario related to your
table’s developmental issue and identify:
Cultural connections that support the child’s
development in the context of family and community.
2. Challenges that caregivers or providers may face in
understanding the cultural context.
3. Potential pitfalls if the cultural context is not
recognized and supported.
1.
Hepburn,GUCCHD
April 2005
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Identity Formation
Alejandra
Five year-old Alejandra is excited as her family prepares for a
visit from her Abuelitos (grandparents) from Mexico. Her mother
and Tias (aunts) stay up late the night before, peeling garlic,
roasting chiles, toasting sesame and peanuts to make delicious
mole (a spicey sauce) for their parents. Breathing in the spices
makes Alejandra feel a little thrill – she already recognizes these
as smells of a special occasion. Her father picks some of the
plumpest nopales (cactus leaves) he has grown in the backyard
for a salad. Alejandara’s mother hands her a bowl of washed
tomatoes to take to her father. They have invited all their
relatives and friends to tomorrow’s gathering in honor of their
parents.
Pulido-Tobiassen, D. & Gonzalez-Mena, J. A Place to Begin, California Tomorrow, 1999
Hepburn,GUCCHD
April 2005
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Identity Formation
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Cultural Connections
• Sense of belonging, and family
• Self esteem
• Self-worth
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Challenges
• Unusual foods
• Language
• Lifestyle and relationships
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Potential Pitfalls
• Decline to eat foods others find strange
• Struggle with words / shift to English only
• Separate self from family
Hepburn,GUCCHD
April 2005
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Child Development
Nadia
Tatiana, from Russia prefers to spoon feed her 20-month old
daughter Nadia for her meals. She believes that children eat
better when fed by adults; it is an important time for parents and
children to interact together; and less food is wasted then when
she tries on his own. She is in no hurry for her daughter to feed
herself. She values and enjoys the interdependence and
connections with her, just as her parents did with each of their
children. She knows she will grow up to be independent soon
enough and these family ties must last a lifetime.
Pulido-Tobiassen, D. & Gonzalez-Mena, J., A Place to Begin, California Tomorrow, 1999
Hepburn,GUCCHD
April 2005
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Child Development

Cultural Connections
• Family closeness and inter-dependence
• Developmental expectations
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Challenges
• Developmentally appropriate practices
• Independence
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Potential Pitfalls
• Parental sense of inadequacy
• Conflict over food
• Experience loss in separation
Hepburn,GUCCHD
April 2005
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Mean Age Expectations in
Months for Milestone Attainment
Task
Training Cup
Use Utensils
Wean
Sleep Alone
Dress Self
Play Alone
Anglo Puerto
Rican
12.0
17.1
17.7
26.5
16.8
18.2
13.8
14.6
38.2
44.2
25.0
24.8
Filipino
21.9
32.4
36.2
38.8
39.2
12.3
Carlson, V & Harwood, R. Bulletin of Zero to Three 1999-2000
Hepburn,GUCCHD
April 2005
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Language
Rosario and Juanita
My husband and I arrived to this country from El Salvador five
years ago. My husband is a bus-person at a café downtown. I
just started cleaning houses during the day. My elderly neighbor
who is also Salvadorenã will take care of the children, Rosario
and Juanita, until I can find child care. If I was in my country,
someone in my family would take care of the children. The
language we speak at home is Spanish. I want a program
where my children will continue to speak Spanish and where I
know that they will be understood.
Pulido-Tobiassen, C. & Gonzalez-Mena, J., A Place to Begin, California Tomorrow, 1999
Hepburn,GUCCHD
April 2005
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Language
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Cultural Connections
• Cultural continuity/familiarity
• Parental trust
• Maintaining home language
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Challenges
• Meeting parental expectations
• Spanish speaking staff
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Potential Pitfalls
• Loss of home language
• Disconnect or isolation from/of family
Hepburn,GUCCHD
April 2005
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Cultural and Linguistic
Continuity
Provision of services in family’s preferred
language
 Adapt early care practices/routines to match
or accommodate those practiced in the home
 Interpersonal actions that reflect the child’s
culture
 Teaching and learning strategies familiar to
the child
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Chang, H. & Pulido, D., Bulletin of Zero to Three, Oct-Nov 1994. Day, M. & Parlakian, R.,
Hepburn,GUCCHD How Culture Shapes Social-Emotional Development, Zero to Three, 2004.
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April 2005
Essential Skills for Providers
“Recognizing what we have done in the past is
a recognition of ourselves. By conducting a
dialogue with our past, we are searching how
to go forward.”
Kiyoko Takeda, 1987
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My Personal Cultural Journey
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It is universal – we all have a culture
We learned our culture through our
experiences and interactions with others
We share norms for behavior with specific
cultural groups
We adapt to the environment through new
experiences
Our personal culture impacts all we do
Understanding our own “worldview” is
important
Hepburn,GUCCHD
April 2005
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Influence on Practice

Two Staff Members = Two Worldviews
Viewer’s Guide:
1. What cultural values or perspectives were expressed?
2. What influence could this have on their practices in caring for
children?
3. What is the potential for conflict?
4. What are the implications for the program?
Essential Connections: Ten Keys to Culturally Sensitive Child Care
The Program for Infant Toddler Caregivers
WestEd and California Department of Education (1993)
Hepburn,GUCCHD
April 2005
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Influence on Practice: Juliann
My Culture
Personal
Children are free to
explore
Dress for work and
dress for play
Professional
Child development
Hepburn,GUCCHD
April 2005
My Values
My Practice
Independence
Curiosity and
learning for self
Comfort and fun
Active play with
grandchildren
Don’t mind getting
dirty
Dress for comfort
Clothes match
activity
Developmentally
appropriate practice
Play is child’s work
Freedom to explore
Encourage free play
and exploration
Provide variety of
activities
Think Juliann
should wear play
clothes
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Ethnographic Strategies for
Learning About Culture
Reading and research
 Interviewing
 Cultural informant
 Participant observer
 Cultural broker
 Parent involvement

Lynch, E. & Hanson, M., Developing Cross-Cultural Competence: A guide for working with
Hepburn,GUCCHD
children and their families, Second edition, Fourth printing, 2002
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April 2005
Dialoguing Differences
R - Reflect
Listen and let the other person know you
are accepting his or her thoughts/feelings
E - Explain
Put your own thoughts and feelings into
words – “Here’s what I think…feel…”
R - Reason
Provide your reason for what you think and
feel – but not to “over-rule” the other person
U - Understand
Try to see the difference from both points of
view – understand yourself and the other
N - Negotiate
When both parties are clear about the
issues, begin to look for solutions together
Pulido-Tobiassen, D. & Gonzalez-Mena, A Place to Begin, California Tomorrow, 1999.
Hepburn,GUCCHD
April 2005
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Dialoguing Differences
A – Acknowledge
Recognize the existence of different
cultural assumptions in a particular
aspect of caregiving, let the parent know
you need to discuss the issue, and
acknowledge need to talk together.
A – Ask
Gather information by asking about the
parent or family view and feelings about
the issue. Ask yourself about your own
cultural beliefs and feelings.
A – Adapt
Use the information to problem-solve
and communicate with family, negotiate
solutions, and reach agreement on the
best action to take.
A Guide to Culturally Sensitive Care, WestEd, 1995.
Hepburn,GUCCHD
April 2005
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Dialoguing Differences:Samples
Gordito – “little fat one”
 Separation – “let her walk”
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Viewer’s Guide:
1.
2.
3.
4.
What steps in the dialogue process can be observed?
Did both parties reach a mutual understanding? Explain.
Did the parties negotiate a decision or plan? Explain.
What other questions might have been asked?
Essential Connections: Ten Keys to Culturally Sensitive Child Care
The Program for Infant Toddler Caregivers, WestEd and California Department
of Education (1993)
Hepburn,GUCCHD
April 2005
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Toolkit: Resources for
Continued Learning
Building Culturally & Linguistically
Competent Services to Support
Young Children, Their Families, and
School Readiness
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Toolkit Contents
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Rationale and Definitions
Planning and Implementation
Learning about Family and Community
The Early Care and Education Environment
Early Learning: Language and Literacy
Family Friendly Communication
Training: Provider and Personnel Preparation
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Key Questions for Communities
What Parent, Providers, and Administrators Can Do
Guides, Tip Sheets, and Checklists
Annotated Resources
Hepburn, K., The Annie E. Casey Foundation, 2004
Hepburn,GUCCHD
April 2005
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Embrace Diversity
Kathy Seitzinger Hepburn
Georgetown University Center for Child and Human Development
[email protected]
Hepburn,GUCCHD
April 2005
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