Application: Reflective Journal

Ramsey states, "Socioeconomic status is 'an encompassing structure•it relates to virtually every aspect of human psychological development and across a considerable period of time'" (as cited in Gottfried, Gottfried, Bathurst, Guerin, & Parramore, 2003, p. 204)

There is no doubt that race and socioeconomic status are complicated and far-reaching forces in all of our lives, including the lives of young children. For this Application Assignment, you will have an opportunity to consider your own relationship with each of these important areas of diversity by continuing to write in your Reflective Journal.

Part 1:

• For the first portion of your journal entry this week, read over the responses you wrote in Week 1 to the question: Who Am I? Then add at least three additional responses to this question in relation to your knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about race, racial groups, and/or socioeconomic class.

Part 2:

• For the second portion of your journal entry, review the questions below. Select three or more to write about.
  
  
• • What are my early memories of my racial identity? How has it changed?
  • How do I feel about my racial group? Am I proud? Ambivalent? Do I sometimes wish (or have wished) that I belonged to another group?
  • How do I feel about people from other racial groups? What assumptions to I have? Do I have close friends and neighbors in other racial groups, or is my social network racially homogeneous? Would I like to have close friends of racial groups other than my own? Why or why not? What assumptions about racial groups do I have?
  • What are my assumptions about why some people are affluent and others are poor? Do I think it is fair? Inevitable?
  • What do I assume about the race, gender, education, and character of people in different jobs? What images come to mind when I hear that someone is a sanitation worker? A doctor? An assembly-line worker? An executive? A chambermaid? A manager?
  • Who or what do I blame for disparities in wealth and opportunity? Poor people? Wealthy people? The system? What do I think needs to be changed? Do I want to be a part of that change? If so, in what ways?

    Required Resources 
    

    Course Text: Ramsey, P.  G. (2015). Teaching and learning in a diverse world: Multicultural education for young children (4^th ed.). New York: Teachers College Press.

    • Chapter 4, "The Context of Race"  (pp. 65-79, up to "Learning and Challenging What Children Know, Think, and Feel about Race”
    • Chapter 5, The Context of Economic Class and Consumerism" (pp. 84-102, up to "Learning and Challenging What Children Know, Think, and Feel about Social Class and Consumerism")

     

    • Web Article: Hidden Bias: A Primer About Stereotypes and Prejudices
      http://www.tolerance.org/activity/test-yourself-hidden-bias

    • Note: This article connects you with the "Race Test" and the "Gender Test" you took last week. This week, click on and read about the four topics listed on the left-hand side of the page:
      
      

      • About Stereotypes and Prejudices
      • About Hidden Bias
      • The Effects of Prejudice and Stereotypes
      • What You Can Do About Unconscious Stereotypes and Prejudices

    Optional Resources
    
    

     

    • Web Article: What if All the Children Are White? Historical and Research Background
      http://journal.naeyc.org/btj/200511/DermanSparksBTJ1105.pdf
      
      
    • Article: With New Eyes: Ideas for More Effective Teaching in a Multicultural Environment (PDF)
      
    • Web Site:Understanding Prejudice
      http://www.understandingprejudice.org/
       
      This assignment is due tomorrow @ 12pmest
      APA please
      All orginal work Please