Evaluating Impacts on Professional Practice

“Classism”

“No one is unaffected by economic class issues, including those in the early childhood profession. Class status deeply affects staff and programs.” (Sparks and Edwards 2010 p.110)

Several years ago, before I completed by Bachelors degree, I was working as a teacher’s assistant in a two year old classroom. I was only 21 at the time and had taken a break from school to figure out what I really wanted to do with my life. I was extremely happy working with young children and was trying to decide whether to go back to school for elementary education or early childhood.

I had just returned to work after a 5 day vacation to Cancun, Mexico and I was very tan. One of my students Mom entered the classroom to pick him up. She looked at me and said “Where did you go? You are so tan?” I smiled and said “I just got back from Cancun.” She looked at me with a puzzled look on her face and said “How did you afford a trip like that working at a place like this?” She said it very matter of fact and didn’t wait for my response, just picking up her son and leaving the room. I can remember feeling very small. I knew that I was working for an upper class pre-school that catered to higher income families, but didn’t think that meant I would have to be belittled by the parents. Higher income families reflect social attitudes about income and professionalism and may not treat staff with respect or recognize that they are educated and have a high level of skill. (Sparks and Edwards 2010)

If I had of let my feelings toward one parent change my feelings about all of the parents that I worked with, I would have been doing them and my students an injustice. I am not happy to say that I have seen teachers have a bad experience with a child’s parent and then alter their relationship with the child. They want to avoid further contact with the child’s parents, so they try to keep their distance from the child. In these situations, the child looses out. Children’s interactions with their teachers are the heart of anti-bias curriculum. (Sparks and Edwards 2010) Teachers should look past parent’s actions and focus on their students. Remember that children are innocent and not a part of their parent’s actions. They depend on us to grow and learn.

References

Derman-Sparks, L., & Olsen Edwards, J. (2010). Anti-bias education for young children and ourselves. Washington, D.C.: National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).