Families, Culture and Early Years Environments ECS Year 2 Early Childhood in a Diverse Society

What do we mean by a community? Family School Village Town Racial grouping Language group Faith group

Watching and listening to infants and toddlers, I have come to the view that being part of a culture is a need human beings are born with – that culture, whatever its contents, is a natural function. (Trevarthen, 1995, p. 5)

Service provision for young children from particular groups of the community and parenting practices. Inclusion and Diversity: Children at risk (Ofsted, 2000 in Bruce, 2006) Girls and boys Minority ethnic and faith groups Travellers, asylum-seekers and refugees Pupils who need support to learn English as an additional language. Pupils with special needs Children who are gifted and talented Children who are looked after by the local authority Sick children, young carers and those whose families are under extreme stress.

Identity Think about: How old you were, when you first became aware of your race or ethnicity? How different racial/ethnic groups were viewed in your family or community? How different racial/ethnic groups were viewed in your schooling? Has anything changed since then?

Identity Think about: The groups or communities you belong to. Does everyone perceive you in the same way? Do the different communities have the same values? Do you behave the same way in different communities? How and why?

Identity Think about: The different aspects of your identity What contributes to them? How do they affect how you are seen by others? Identify one aspect of your identity that you like and … One that you would change. Why?

Identity formation… is multifaceted: social class, gender, ethnicity, dis/ability, religion, language. Identifying ourselves as one thing we simultaneously distance ourselves from something else. We all have an ethnic/racial, linguistic, gendered and cultural identity.

Identity Race & ethnicity “Race”: understood as referring to physical characteristics in peoples; “Ethnicity”: understood as the cultural characteristics of a group, who may have developed their own language, religion, social customs and family practices over time and space; A child is born with “racial” characteristics but acquires ethnic/cultural characteristics (including language in early childhood).

Identity Gender Biologically; Socially constructed Sexual characteristics are fixed. Gender identity is constructed, gender markers, differential treatment, expectations. Gender specific characteristics often go unchallenged Women drivers Male mathematicians Gendered nature of caring

Identity How children acquire a cultural identity? Develop self-identity from birth, through interactions with others Parents, media, school, perceived cultural heritage (‘hidden curriculum’). ‘11 month old felt excluded. In excluded situation the child made more attempts to interact with peers (showing off, interposing body, naming toys, smiling)’ (Tremblay & Nadel, 1996) Construct their own understandings of physical and cultural differences They can identify “race” categories by the age of 3 Adopt “current adult prejudices” on race Learn the effect of racist name-calling from other children

Defining Family and Values The concept of "family values" is rooted in each individual culture thus making the values different for different societies. In addition, cultures change over time in response to economic, political, and cultural developments. Therefore, "family values" vary from household to household, from country to country, and from generation to generation. Gillis, John R. A World of Their Own Making: Myth, Ritual, and the Quest for Family Values. New York: Basic Books, 1996.

Family as a community Nuclear family Extended family Single parent family Who are the parents/carers Being a parent Different parenting and child rearing styles and practices Family values

Defining Family and Values What does family time mean to you? What are your traditional family values? How do you determine your family values? Whose definition(s) of family and values is/are valid? Why? Who has the power or authority to define family and values?

How do we ‘practice’ respect? It is a ‘value’ that we can construct when we interact with each other. In a multi-cultural environment we should make clear what we understand/expect from the others. We are still learning about ‘respect’.

School as a community Children Parents and carers Teachers and educators Support staff Volunteers and helpers Others?

Service provision for young children from particular groups of the community and parenting practices. Inclusion and Diversity: Children at risk (Ofsted, 2000 in Bruce, 2006) Girls and boys Minority ethnic and faith groups Travellers, asylum-seekers and refugees Pupils who need support to learn English as an additional language. Pupils with special needs Children who are gifted and talented Children who are looked after by the local authority Sick children, young carers and those whose families are under extreme stress.

Policy framework Every Child Matters (2005) Every child is able to: Be healthy Enjoy and achieve Stay safe Make a positive contribution Achieve economic well-being

Policy framework National Curriculum (2000) Inclusion is one of the four national standards: Teaching to respond to pupils’ needs Suitable learning challenges to be established Overcoming of barriers to assessment and learning. Entitlement to the curriculum

Policy framework Curriculum Guidance for the Foundation Stage (2000) Birth to Three matters (2002) Early Years Foundation Stage (2007) Developmentally appropriate practice Individual needs Partnership with parents/carers Acknowledging and respecting linguistic and cultural diversity

Inclusive Practice Inclusion for girls and boys Think about how your setting: Promotes inclusion and anti-discriminatory practice taking into account: Strategies for supporting individual children. Working with parents. Whole-school policies and practices.

Involving Parents and Families A parent who is in employment is not always able to participate in a parental involvement scheme that requires attendance on a regular basis. A parent who has English as an additional language may not feel confident in being in a totally English-speaking environment. In some cultures, including some members of the white working- class culture, the tradition may be to deliver one's child to the school or playgroup and leave the rest to the professionals who work there. Home visit before the child joins the nursery or playgroup can help cement initial relationships with reluctant parents. The home visitor must be mindful not to draw stereo types from a person's home and thus label the child and its family on the strength of a snapshot picture.

Recommendations for Working With Young Children To support and validate the experiences of children, their families and practitioners To reinforce connection to cultural roots To celebrate both similarities and differences in children’s lives To stretch children’s awareness and empathy Bisson (1997)

How do we ‘practice’ respect It is a ‘value’ that we can construct when we interact with each other. In a multi-cultural environment we should make clear what we understand/expect from the others. We are still learning about ‘respect’.

Respect—for children, parents and teacher Gonzalez-Mena (2001) describes the essential requirements for providing culturally competent care as: Respect—for children, parents and teacher Parents and teachers understanding that each may have different perspectives on early childhood education Parents, teachers and caregivers understanding that the values embedded in an early childhood education programme may differ from family values Parents and teachers finding ways to accommodate the differences, and for teachers and parents to create ‘ongoing dialogues’ with each other

Identities and Values Families and communities often have shared sets of values. What does the term “British values” mean to you? Are these values the same for every group in British society? Making assumptions