The module made me think more closely about culture. I thought I was pretty aware of culture. But know I see that my beliefs impact not only the materials in my home for children but the conversations I have with parents. The ten questions to consider in the first section were very helpful. They are a reminder to stop, think, and talk with the parents instead of jumping to conclusions or assuming that they are wrong.
When children come into my home I try to make them feel welcome and like they belong there. I have to come up with additional meaningful and respectful ways for the children to relate to others that are different from them. I don’t often have a great deal of diversity in my home. But it might be time to recruit more diverse families.
Encouraging different languages is important. Learning even a few phrases in other languages shows that I have respect for those languages.
I need to ask families and children about their traditions so I can use some of those traditions. I can invite families to bring in things to help us learn about their traditions.
The butterfly story was interesting. I had gardens for many years however I never thought of butterflies as a detriment to the garden. But I enjoyed the story.
I plan to pay more attention and ask more questions about culture.