Creating Affirming Environments

“An environment rich in anti-bias materials invites exploration and discovery and supports children's play and conservations in both emergent and planned activities” (Derman-Sparks & Olsen Edwards, 201, p. 42).


If I were to open a Family Child Care Home, these are the ways that I would strive to ensure that every child and family feels welcome and respected:


Visual Environment: The visual environment would reflect the family culture and daily lives of the children in the program. Both children and families benefit from seeing themselves represented in the learning environment. Creating an environment that portrays the diversity within the classroom allows families and children to feel welcome and comfortable in the learning environment. Bulletin boards would reflect the unique identities of each child. I would invite families of the children in the program to donate materials and pictures that portray their culture and identity of their family.


Materials: The toys and learning materials would also represent the culture and daily lives of the children in the program. It is important that the materials present within the classroom non-stereotypically reflect the children in the program. It is also important to help counter the harm of invisibility within children's lives by providing plentiful images and representations of themselves in the visual environment, dolls, books, puzzles, toys, and learning manipulatives. It is important to avoid including just one picture, doll, object or book to represent a particular child's unique culture. “Having only one risks teaching or reinforcing overgeneralizations and stereotypical thinking” (Derman-Sparks & Olsen Edwards, 2010, p. 45).


Books: A large library is essential in any early learning environment. I would make sure to have a large library that represents the culture, heritage, religion, race, ethnicity, gender, and economic status of the children in the program. I would also include books that provide children with a view of diversity prevalent in our world.


Dolls: I would make sure to include the use of persona dolls. Some of the persona dolls would reflect the specific children and families in the program and others would introduce the children to new kinds of diversity. Persona dolls help children to relate and learn about additional aspects of diversity not represented in the program.


Learning Games/Puzzles: Puzzles made from family photos of the children in the program would be plentiful in the program. Learning materials would be differentiated and geared towards the unique learning styles of the children in the program. Materials would be looked at closely to avoid bringing in materials that offer generalizations and stereotypes of a particular group or individual.


Routine: I would create a routine that is conducive to the needs of each child and their family. An agenda would be posted each day to inform parents of daily happenings in the classroom. A quiet time and space for children to nap/rest would be included in the environment. According to Adriana Castillo, napping and quiet spaces are an essential part of the learning environment. (Laureate Education, n.d.). Meals and snacks would also represent the children in the classroom. Familiar foods would be served as well as foods that introduce the children to new tastes, traditions and cultures.




References:

Derman-Sparks, Louise & Edwards, Julie Olsen.  2010.  Anti-bias education for young children and ourselves.  National Association for the Education of Young Children.  Washington, DC. 

Laureate Education.  n.d.  Welcome to an anti-bias learning community transcript.