You have learned some strategies for positive interactions to support children’s identity and to prevent and respond to bias. Creating a respectful classroom community where differences are welcomed is an important way also to help adults unlearn some of their implicit biases.
Unfortunately, there may be times when adults in your program make comments that indicate explicit bias. Every adult has the right to their own thoughts and opinions and to be treated with respect. But if an adult makes a biased statement that is counter to your program’s values and can harm children or groups, you have a duty to speak up.
For specific situations, you can follow your program procedures and ask your administrator for guidance. But you will use the same strategies you have learned elsewhere in the first two Advancing Equity Modules:
Practice mindfulness to remain calm and nonjudgmental.
Acknowledge the statement and share your program’s policies and values. “In this program…..”
In this lesson, we will learn some strategies to prevent stereotyping and to respond when children’s statements indicate stereotypes or bias.
What is a stereotype?
Watch this short video to learn more about stereotypes. Video must be watched entirely in order to progress through the course. You do not need to watch recommended videos at the end.
A stereotype is an oversimplified generalization about a group that assumes all members of a group share the same characteristic. Some common stereotypes you may hear from adults are “men don’t go into early childhood” and “girls like dramatic play better than blocks”.
How is this different from a bias?
A bias is attitudes or stereotypes that are often a prejudiced outlook to something or someone and tend to favor one group over another. A bias often results in unfair treatment and can harm children. An example of a bias could be “Boys shouldn’t play dress-up in the dramatic play area.”
In this lesson, you will learn some simple strategies for culturally responsive interactions that show respect and support each child’s positive identity development.
To provide culturally responsive interactions, it is helpful to understand how noticing similarities and differences supports children’s development and learning.
Children begin noticing similarities and differences among people at a very young age. They use this information to learn about categories and patterns and to help make sense of their world.
Noticing similarities and differences is also an important way children construct their identity and how they see and treat others. Research shows that talking about differences with children decreases bias.
Children as young as 6 months notice differences in skin color.
Toddlers at age 2 begin to notice and comment on gender labels.
3-year olds notice and ask questions about their own and others’ characteristics, such as physical abilities, language spoken, and physical characteristics.
4-year olds can show an awareness of family structure differences.
You can support children’s learning by encouraging them to observe and talk about differences they notice in people, places, and objects; and by sharing information. We will talk more about this later in this course.
In Awareness and Respect, you learned how showing respect supports a child’s positive identity development. Our interactions with children can have a big impact on their development and how they view themselves and others.
In this lesson, you will learn more about children’s identity development, including how positive identity development supports social emotional development and the importance of reflecting on a child’s unique background.
A key principle of NAEYC’s Code of Ethical Conduct is that we shall care for and educate children in positive emotional and social environments that are cognitively stimulating and support each child’s culture, language, ethnicity, and family structure. Foundational knowledge in supporting children’s identity development through positive interactions that reflect and welcome each child’s unique background helps teachers develop trusting relationships and ensure their behavior communicates the importance of each child.
In this training, we will focus on the topic of culturally responsive interactions for children. We will continue to reflect on our attitudes, beliefs, and biases as we learn strategies to provide positive interactions that support children’s development and welcome each child’s unique background.
We shall care for and educate children in positive emotional and social environments that are cognitively stimulating and that support each child’s culture, language, ethnicity, and family structure.
Training Objectives
Explain the importance of supporting each child’s identity and development through positive interactions that reflect the child’s family, background, and culture.
Describe strategies for supportive interactions and preventing/responding to stereotyping or bias.
Reflect on current interactions, own background, and biases, and create a plan for future growth.
Workplace Objectives
Participants will provide positive, emotionally supportive interactions that reflect and welcome each child’s unique background, prevent and respond to stereotyping or bias, and implement an improvement goal.
Now that we’ve reviewed the summary of the Learner Characteristics Inventory, its purpose, and what it measures, let’s examine how to answer questions in the LCI.
Congratulations!!! You have completed the requirements for ECE 060: Introduction to the Kentucky All STARS Standards.
Do you need credit for this course on your ECE-TRIS record?
If so, mark yes and complete the Information Form. While this course does not count towards annual clock hour requirements, if you mark “yes” verification of completion will be added to ECE-TRIS. If you mark “no” verification will not be added to your ECE-TRIS record.
Your ECE-TRIS record will be updated within 10 calendar days of completing this course. You must click submit the ECE-TRIS information form to complete the course.
Be introduced to the Kentucky All STARS standards.
Gain a better understanding of Kentucky All STARS and the standards.
Know what resources and supports are available through All STARS.
Workplace Objectives
Participants will be able to reflect on their own program and identify standards that their program currently is meeting and standards that their program may need additional resources to meet.
Your Child Care Aware (CCA) Coaches are available to provide support and resources as you work towards your All STARS rating. Reach out to your Coach for additional assistance or questions. You can find a list of all of the CCA Coaches on their website at https://www.childcareawareky.org/about-child-care-aware/coaches/.
Technical assistance offered by Child Care Aware Coaches is collaborative and relationship-based. They offer assistance and support designed for professionals working in early care and education (ECE) including child care providers and trainers. Coaches work with you free of charge. Four different coaching types offer personalized TA based on your needs and goals.
Health and Safety Coaches Technical assistance related to child care licensing standards, and establishing and maintaining licensing for providers.
Professional Development Coaches Technical assistance related to professional development and scholarships (college and non-college) for existing and potential early care and education scholars.
Quality Coaches Technical assistance related to achieving and maintaining a rating in Kentucky All STARS, Tiered Quality Rating and Improvement System. Providing Developmentally Appropriate Practices (DAP) to increase the level of quality care provided for young children.
Training Coaches Technical assistance to current and recruitment of potential early care and education trainers to ensure that technical assistance for current credentialed trainers on instructional design, training development and delivery including required observations for credential renewal. Recruitment of prospective early care and education trainers to ensure that training needs are met in the region.
The Learner Characteristics Inventory investigates the true learning characteristics of students participating in alternate assessments based on alternate academic achievement standards. The instrument was intended to verify questions that extend our knowledge of the assessment population to ensure that 1) the test is designed for the intended population, and 2) the intended population is participating in the test. The students participating in the alternate assessment represent a highly diverse population with varying levels of communication and other complex characteristics that impinge on the assessment design and the interpretations we want to make about the assessment results. The LCI is designed to enhance the demographic data collection for the test and, when used appropriately, provide additional data to consider in the evaluation for alternate assessment.
Congratulations! You have finished all the requirements for FET 380: Building Your First Online Course (part 1) (3 hours). A few final steps before you can access your certificate.
Don’t forget.
This is the first part of a two part training series. Part 2 will focus on the actual building of your training in your chosen LMS. A course facilitator will be in touch with you before you are able to register for the second course.
ECE-TRIS Information Form
If you need credit for this course to be entered into your ECE-TRIS professional training record, please mark yes and complete the form.
If you mark “no” no credit will be entered into ECE-TRIS.
Hopefully, by now, you have a better understanding of what is needed to start building your first online training. Do not feel overwhelmed if you do not remember all the details or there are still things you are confused about; as you start the process you will become more and more confident.
If you plan to participate in Part 2, start thinking now about new or existing trainings that you might want to convert into an On Demand training.
Coping with death is challenging no matter the circumstances. The death of an individual under guardianship presents some unique challenges to social workers, case managers, and other social service professionals. While working with vulnerable populations, there is a high likelihood you will encounter the loss of an individual at some point. The individuals we serve under guardianship are not “just clients”. They are valued and important to us; they have shared their stories, and dreams, and trusted us; and can make a deep impact on our hearts.
Factors That May Affect Coping
The details and circumstances surrounding the loss.
For example, the experience of the death of a 90-year-old receiving hospice services may be different from the experience of the unexpected death of a 20-year-old from suicide or violence. Both are difficult but different experiences.
The length of time you have known and worked with the individual.
Your experience and working relationship with each of your individuals will vary, so you may not grieve the same way for every individual who passes away, and that’s ok.
It may be your first experience with an individual’s death.
You should not feel guilty if you do not grieve the loss of an individual under guardianship the same as other staff, or in different ways for different individuals.
You may already be grieving another loss at the time an individual under guardianship passes away.
It can be difficult to continue to perform job duties while simultaneously dealing with your own personal losses which may include loss of health, finances, self-esteem, family members, significant others, friendship, a job, a pet, or more.
When dealing with the loss of an individual under guardianship it is important to recognize your feelings, take care of yourself, and reach out for help and support. Secure needed emotional support from your supervisor or co-workers who have experienced the loss of an individual. Allow yourself time, grace, and patience, as grief is a process, not an event.
Quiet reflection may help to think about your individual strengths and accomplishments and perhaps what you learned from them.
These are only a few suggestions. Based on your experience, you may have others that have helped you in the past.
Kentucky Employee Assistance Program (KEAP)
KEAP is a program for state employees to help with personal and work-related concerns.
KEAP is dedicated to helping employees find resources for personal concerns such as family issues, emotional distress, substance misuse, financial concerns or job stress challenges.
Services are confidential and are available to all state employees and their dependents.
There is no cost for information or referral services.
NOTE: KEAP Services are not available to temporary or contract employees. These employees should contact their employing agency for resources.
Communicating the loss of an individual to family members can be very challenging. The guardianship division employs a staff person who conducts family searches so that known family members can be contacted in the event of individual death or other emergency circumstances. Once family members have been located, their contact information is documented in KYGFIS under the individual’s information. There are times when no family can be found. Family searches should not wait until an individual is near death or has passed away.
During the completion of the annual report, staff should verify individual contacts in KYGFIS, to ensure family members’ or significant others’ names and contact information are current. The guardianship nurses are key at end of life in the work they do on behalf of individuals with medical professionals and guardianship staff.
Guardianship staff may ask their supervisor for approval to attend a funeral of an individual under guardianship that has passed away.
Communicating With The Individual’s Family
As the guardian, you will be the point of contact with the family when an individual is at end of life or has passed away. Informing them of an individual’s death typically happens via phone call.
Start by identifying yourself and explain you are calling to tell them or inform them that their family member has died or passed away. Give them a moment to take in what you said. You could follow this by telling them additional information like when, where, what time, the death occurred, and the cause of death. Staff should have this information ready before they speak with the family.
Important Things to Remember When Speaking with Families:
When informing the family, speak slowly and gently, using plain and simple language.
You may feel grief along with the family but take a deep breath and stay composed, genuine, and responsive.
The term “passed away” is often used and is generally understood to mean a person has died. If this term is used, the person delivering the message must say “passed away” and NOT “passed on” or “passed.” These phrases can be very confusing to the person receiving the message.
Do not skirt around the issue or bring up unrelated conversation, which may also be confusing and more upsetting to the family.
A simple, “I’m sorry for your loss” can be very meaningful; or I know how much you loved or cared about him/her (if you know this to be true).
Avoid euphemisms such as “they have passed or passed on, we lost them, they are gone, or they are in a better place now”.
This news is overwhelming, so you may have to repeat what you have said. Again, give them a chance to gather their thoughts and respond.
Concentrate your efforts on listening carefully and with compassion.
Avoid telling them about your own experiences, comparing their grief to yours, or telling them how to grieve.
When an individual passes away, it is crucial to remember that your relationship with the individual is still a professional one, and their privacy must be respected. This can be challenging when a grieving family is asking questions or demanding specific information.
Everyone’s experience with grief is different, so let them grieve in their own way. Don’t judge, criticize, or dispute their responses. Some may respond in sadness, and others in anger or both.
