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Infant & Toddler Group Care

Self-Awareness & Cultural Perceptions

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Learning ObjectivesParticipants will be able to:

• Examine their own cultural beliefs.

• Discuss caregiving practices that may be subject to cultural conflicts between the teacher and parent.

• Implement the culturally responsive caregiving process of acknowledge, ask, and adapt when negotiating cultural conflicts.

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Ground Rules• What behaviors do

you think are respectful in the training setting?

• How can we ensure that we and others maintain dignity and self-respect?

• What ground rules can we agree upon for this session?

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Revisiting Handout #20: Defining a Cultural ContextPull out your completed Handout #20 from the prior session.

In small groups, discuss the following:

• What are similarities and differences among group members?

• Identify the values underlying particular practices.

• Reflect on how these values influence one’s present beliefs and actions.

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Essential Connections: Key 6 – Uncover Your Cultural

Beliefs

Essential Connections: Ten Keys to Culturally Sensitive Child Care, 1993.

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Large Group Discussion:

After watching the video clip, do you have any further thoughts about either your or other group members’ responses to Handout #20?

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Essential Connections: Key 7 – Be Open to the Perspectives of Others

Essential Connections: Ten Keys to Culturally Sensitive Child Care, 1993.

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Dyad Discussion:

• Reflect on a past cultural difference in caregiving beliefs or practices that really surprised or upset you.

• Share this experience with a partner.

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Essential Connections: Key 8 – Seek Out Cultural and

Family Information

Essential Connections: Ten Keys to Culturally Sensitive Child Care, 1993.

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Small Group Discussion:

• What format/process do you use to gather initial family information?

• How often is the information updated?

• What if something new comes up? How do you seek the family’s perspective?

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Essential Connections: Key 9 – Clarify Values

Essential Connections: Ten Keys to Culturally Sensitive Child Care, 1993

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Dyad or Small Group Discussion: Clarifying Values • Clarify expectation of parent and teacher.

• Teacher needs to respect parent’s perspective.

• Need to have a true dialogue/partnership with parent.

• Together, parent and teacher determine what is best for the child.

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Essential Connections: Key 10 – Negotiate Cultural

Conflicts

Essential Connections: Ten Keys to Culturally Sensitive Child Care, 1993.

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Define Terms:

Culturally repressive: Behavior shows no recognition of the validity of a different belief or practice, and there is no desire to discuss the difference.

Culturally responsive:Behavior acknowledges differences with respect; there is a desire to gain understanding and a resolution, if needed.

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The Steps for Culturally Responsive CareStep 1: Acknowledge differences. Recognize the

existence of different cultural assumptions.

Step 2: Ask for information. Get information about the parent’s and your cultural values and beliefs so you can solve the problem together.

Step 3: Adapt through negotiation. Use information gathered to resolve conflicts caused by cultural differences and find the most effective way to support each child’s growth.

Developing Culturally Responsive Caregiving Practices: Acknowledge, Ask and Adapt, Louise Derman-Sparks

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Activity: Handout #37, Assessing Cultural ResponsivenessScenario #1: A Baby is Crying

• Read the situation and each response, along with the rating for each response in the article.

• How would you rate each response -- repressive or responsive?

• Compare your rating with the one in the article. Discuss your rating with a partner.

Developing Culturally Responsive Caregiving Practices: Acknowledge, Ask and Adapt, Louise Derman- Sparks

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Activity: Is it a developmental issue, or a cultural difference? Scenario: A toddler refuses to use a

spoon.• With a partner, outline the steps you will

take to determine if the reason the toddler refuses to use a spoon is a cultural difference or a developmental issue.

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Skills Needed to Become Culturally Responsive to Families:• Being able to name our values and beliefs.

• Listening to or being willing to learn from others.

• Gathering information

• Communicating and creating dialogues

• Collaborating and negotiating

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Remember: being culturally responsive is an ongoing process. Every new situation, new child and family, new child care setting, requires that you use the responsive process of Acknowledge, Ask and Adapt.

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Revisit the Learning ObjectivesParticipants will be able to:

• Examine their own cultural beliefs.

• Discuss caregiving practices that may be subject to cultural conflicts between the teacher and parent.

• Implement the culturally responsive caregiving process of acknowledge, ask, and adapt when negotiating cultural conflicts.