THE CARE IN CAREGIVING

This file is based on a report from a Parent-Teacher Conference provided by Donna Tuttle, administrator of Abidah’s preschool. Tuesday, October 1st Abidah lives in a household with her mother, father, paternal grandmother, and her three older brothers. Her three siblings are in school and have varying levels of English proficiency, depending on how long they were in school in Egypt. The family legally emigrated from Egypt to the United States after the violent uprisings that occurred in Egypt during 2012 and 2013. During that year, Abidah was not in any sort of educational program. In Egypt, her father worked as an engineer, and her mother was a college professor of literature. Both parents are well educated and speak some English, but both feel more comfortable conversing with their children in Arabic. Abidah’s grandmother has always lived in Abidah’s household and is the main caregiver for all four of the family’s children. In Egypt, there were also aunts, uncles, and cousins who were very involved in the family’s daily life. Abidah was very close with a few of her other female cousins and appears to mourn the loss of having them in her day-to-day life. Abidah’s parents have stated that all of their children were read to frequently at home in Egypt, and that the older children helped the younger children with their school work. When they came to America, they were forced to leave most of their possessions behind, including all of Abidah’s toys and books. They are currently trying to build up a new library for her, in both Arabic and English, but are having trouble finding age-appropriate literature in Arabic. Additionally, the comfort level and quality of life of the family has decreased somewhat since they left Egypt—both parents were professionals with good salaries, and the household was big enough that each child had his or her own room. Now Abidah must share a room with her youngest brother, which is quite a change for her. Both parents are working part-time and trying to secure better paying jobs, but it is difficult because of language barriers and issues with their visas. THE CARE IN CAREGIVING

Abidah’s parents have expressed that they believe strongly in the value of the American education system and would like to enroll her in school next year. They have also stated that they would like Abidah to be bilingual, and that, if it is recommended, they will attempt to speak more English in the house. This is problematic, however, as Abidah’s grandmother, and primary caregiver, speaks no English. They have also stated that they trust the early childhood care center to know the best practices for helping Adibah prepare to enter school next year. In Egypt, Abidah enjoyed watching children’s television shows, singing, playing games with her young cousins, and being read to at night before bed. Somewhat surprisingly, she is described as a very independent child with a bold and courageous attitude. ©2014 Walden University 1 Administrator’s Letter September 30th Dear Caregiver Guru: I am writing to your website to request a formal recommendation, in culturally-responsive practices, for a teacher at our early childhood care center. The teacher is responsible for one of the 4-year-old groups at our center. Last week she came to me with concerns about a recently immigrated child in her group, Abidah, who seems to be having difficulty integrating into her new environment. There have also been some miscommunications between the teacher and Abidah’s grandmother, who appears to be her primary caregiver, and speaks very little English. Upon hearing the teacher’s retelling of the events of the past week, and reading her weekly updates on Abidah, I believe she could benefit from learning more culturally responsive ways to partner with families and promote healthy child development. I have asked Abidah’s parents to come to the center to discuss her new situation. Linda, Abidah’s teacher, and I hope this may allow us to understand her experiences as a newcomer to the United States and as a dual-language learner. I will send over notes ahead of time to further inform you of the situation. These notes will assist you in making your recommendation to the teacher, Linda, as to how to better support Abidah’s learning and development. Best, Dora Tuttle Administrator at Big World Child Center ©2014 Walden University 1 Four Weekly Progress Reports on Abidah, Age 4, from Her Teacher Week 1: Friday, September 7 Abidah was introduced to the group on Tuesday of this week. She was brought into the early childhood care center by her grandmother, who does not speak English, and seemed cautious about speaking to me, so I was unable to communicate very much with her. I realize she is probably not used to professional women, and perhaps she will warm up to me over time. They seem very close, and I noticed that Abidah wanted to be carried around instead of walking on her own like the other children in the group do. I mentioned to the grandmother that Abidah should be more independent by this age, but, as I stated earlier, she did not seem to understand what I was trying to tell her. Some of the other kids have had trouble pronouncing “Abidah,” so we have taken to calling her “Abbie.” She is a sweet girl, quite shy, and I worry about her ability to pick up English due to her lack of interaction with other English speakers outside of the center. She wears a headscarf, like her grandmother, which the other children seem interested in to a point but not in a way that is distracting to the group. THE CARE IN CAREGIVING

Week 2: Friday, September 14 Abbie is still quite shy but has discovered another little boy in the classroom who speaks Arabic at home, although he is a fluent English speaker. Having been born in America, he can converse with Abbie and she seems to feel comfortable around him. I would like to encourage him to speak to her only in English, but I will give her another week to become more comfortable in the center. I plan on asking these children if they would like to talk to the class together about what makes their culture and life at home unique compared to the rest of the children in the center. I think it would be very interesting for the kids to realize that there are other very different cultures out there in the world, and especially in the United States! What a great opportunity to teach an early lesson about diversity. Abbie’s grandmother continues to drop her off at school, and I still have yet to meet her actual parents. I am hopeful that they will come in soon so I can address some issues I would like them to work on at home. I would recommend that they speak English in the home as much as possible, so that Abbie may develop more confidence and proficiency in it. Because she is still so young, it is my feeling that she could easily become fluent in English by the time she enters school next year. Week 3: Friday, September 21 Abbie has gained some confidence in the past week, but I am concerned about her eating habits. She does not seem to enjoy many of the foods the other children eat. I am curious as to what she is fed at home and if she is getting a well-rounded diet. I know she does not eat pork, and we have made an effort to provide substitutes for Muslim (and Jewish) children in the center when hot dogs, for instance, are served. However, it seems more problematic than just that one food. I may ask her grandmother to bring specially prepared meals going forward. She also is learning to eat with utensils, which does not seem to be practiced in her home. Some of the other children make fun of her for eating with her hands, and I simply tell them that Abbie’s family does things differently because of where they come from. Once again, I see this as an educational experience for the entire group—Abbie helps them learn about diversity in a very personal way. ©2014 Walden University 1 Week 4: Friday, September 28 At the beginning of this week, I asked the children to bring something from their home to class that reminded them of a fun trip they went on or their favorite place to go on the weekends with their family. On Thursday, when the children were supposed to bring in their objects, Abbie came in empty handed. She sat through the presentations quietly and respectfully, but seemed distracted and isolated. When her grandmother came to pick her up, I tried to explain what had happened that day, but she did not seem to understand most of what I said. Eventually, Abbie came over and seemed to translate some of what I was trying to say, at which point her grandmother became very upset, which seemed to make Abbie quite upset as well. I reported this incident to the administrator because I was concerned that perhaps Abbie’s grandmother is not an appropriate caregiver. My hope for Abbie is that she can find a way to integrate herself into American society, and her grandmother’s role as the main source of influence will straddle Abbie between the two cultures. If she is going to be successful in America, she must abandon some of the more traditional aspects of Egyptian culture, which her grandmother cannot seem to comprehend. ©2014 Walden University 2 CR001 Culturally Responsive Practices Assessment Rubric 0 Not Present 1 Needs Improvement 2 Meets Expectations 3 Exceeds Expectations Part I: The Care in Caregiving Blog Sub-Competency 1: Describe culturally responsive practices that support children and families. Learning Objective 1.1: Explain the importance of understanding child and family culture at a deep level. Learning Objective 1.2: Explain the importance of family partnerships in child development and learning. Learning Objective 1.3: Describe culturally responsive practices that support respectful partnerships with families and positive ©2014 Walden University Explanation is not present. An explanation of the importance of family partnerships in child development and learning is not present. Description of culturally responsive practices is not present. Response attempts to provide an explanation of the role of culture in child development but does not clearly describe why it is important to understand. THE CARE IN CAREGIVING

Response indicates that creating partnerships with families is important for supporting culturally and linguistically diverse children but does not explain why it is important or how it impacts children negatively when these processes do not occur. Response includes a vague description of two culturally responsive practices somewhat related to the scenario, or Response provides a clear explanation of the role of culture in child development. Response is supported by logical connections to the professional knowledge base. Response clearly explains the importance of family partnerships in supporting children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. Response is supported by logical connections to the professional knowledge base. Response includes a description of two relevant and appropriate culturally responsive practices related to the scenario. Demonstrates the same level of achievement as “2,” plus the following: Response includes a recommended reading list with annotation for the coteacher. Demonstrates the same level of achievement as “2,” plus the following: Response includes a recommended reading list with annotation for the early childhood professional who asked the question. Demonstrates the same level of achievement as “2,” plus the following: Response includes a description of more than 1 0 Not Present outcomes for young children. Learning Objective 1.4: Explain how cultural discontinuity impacts young children and their families. The impact of cultural discontinuity is not present. 1 Needs Improvement provides less than two practices. Description of culturally responsive practices is supported by superficial connections to the professional knowledge base. Response recognizes that cultural discontinuity impacts children and families, but fails to describe the ways in which it does. 2 Meets Expectations Description of culturally responsive practices is supported by logical connections to the professional knowledge base. 3 Exceeds Expectations two relevant and appropriate culturally responsive practices related to the scenario. Response clearly describes the impact of cultural discontinuity on young children and their families. Demonstrates the same level of achievement as “2,” plus the following: Response clearly explains one culturally responsive way the teacher in the scenario can address the issue in the classroom. Response clearly explains more than one culturally responsive way the teacher in the scenario can address the issue in the classroom. Response is supported by logical connections to the professional knowledge base. Part II: Case Study Analysis and Recommendation Sub-Competency 2: Explain how assumptions about identity or culture influence early childhood professionals’ approaches to understanding children and families. Learning Objective 2.1: Recognize assumptions that might influence early childhood professionals’ ©2014 Walden University Assumptions are missing. THE CARE IN CAREGIVING

Response includes less than three assumptions or includes assumptions that are vaguely related to the scenario. Response includes a clear explanation of three relevant assumptions based on the scenario. Demonstrates the same level of achievement as “2,” plus the following: 2 0 Not Present 1 Needs Improvement 2 Meets Expectations Response vaguely explains how assumptions about children and families impact children and families. Response includes specific examples from the scenario that clearly explain how the assumptions made might negatively impact Abidah and her family. interactions with children and families. Learning Objective 2.2: Explain how assumptions about children and families impact children and families. Explanation is missing. Explanation of the impact is supported by references to the professional knowledge base. 3 Exceeds Expectations Response makes connections to personal assumptions one has made and how it might impact interactions with children and families. Demonstrates the same level of achievement as “2,” plus the following: Response provides an authentic example from personal experience or professional practice to illustrate the negative effects of making assumptions. Sub-Competency 3: Explain the impact of cultural discontinuity on children and families. Learning Objective 3.1: Explain the impact of cultural discontinuity on a child and family’s cultural identity. ©2014 Walden University Explanation is missing. Explanation of cultural discontinuity is vague and not supported by examples from the scenario and/or references to the professional knowledge base. Explanation of cultural discontinuity is clear and supported by examples from the scenario. Response is supported by logical connections to the professional knowledge base. Demonstrates the same level of achievement as “2,” plus the following: Response provides an authentic example from personal experience or professional practice to illustrate the impact of cultural discontinuity. 3 Learning Objective 3.2: Describe strategies that promote cultural continuity. 0 Not Present Strategies are missing. 1 Needs Improvement Response describes less than two relevant strategies that can promote cultural and social identity. Response draws some connections between the Head Start principles and culturally responsive practices but does not provide relevant and specific examples. 2 Meets Expectations Response describes two relevant strategies that can promote cultural and social identity. Response draws specific and relevant connections between the Head Start principles and culturally responsive practices. 3 Exceeds Expectations Demonstrates the same level of achievement as “2,” plus the following: Response describes more than two relevant strategies that can promote cultural and social identity. Response includes a clear rationale for using the Head Start principles to support culturally responsive practice. Sub-Competency 4: Explain the role of culture and language on child development and learning and its implications for professional practice. Learning Objective 4.1: Describe strategies supportive of duallanguage development within early childhood environments. Strategies are missing. Response recognizes that there is a need to support dual-language development, but strategies are not relevant to the scenario. Response clearly describes two appropriate strategies to support dual-language development that are relevant to the scenario. Strategies are supported by logical connections to the professional knowledge base. Demonstrates the same level of achievement as “2,” plus the following: Response clearly describes two appropriate strategies to support dual-language development that are relevant to the scenario. Sub-Competency 5: Apply culturally responsive practices to promote partnerships with families and positive outcomes for young children. ©2014 Walden University 4 Learning Objective 5.1: Describe culturally responsive practices that support respectful partnerships with families and positive outcomes for young children. 0 Not Present Description of culturally responsive practices is not present. 1 Needs Improvement Response includes a vague description of culturally responsive practices somewhat related to the scenario or includes fewer than two practices. 2 Meets Expectations Response includes a description of two relevant and appropriate culturally responsive practices related to the scenario. Culturally responsive practices are supported by logical connections to the professional knowledge base. 3 Exceeds Expectations Demonstrates the same level of achievement as “2,” plus the following: Response includes a description of more than two relevant and appropriate culturally responsive practices related to the scenario. Professional Skill 001: Written Communication: Demonstrate graduate-level writing skills. Learning Objective PS 1.1: Use proper grammar, spelling, and mechanics. Multiple major and minor errors in grammar, spelling, and/or mechanics are highly distracting and seriously impact readability. Multiple minor errors in grammar, spelling, and/or mechanics are distracting and negatively impact readability. Learning Objective PS 1.2: Organize writing to enhance clarity. Writing is poorly organized and incoherent. Introductions, transitions, and conclusions are missing or inappropriate. Writing is loosely organized. Limited use of introductions, transitions, and conclusions provides partial continuity. Writing reflects competent use of standard edited English. Errors in grammar, spelling, and/or mechanics do not negatively impact readability. THE CARE IN CAREGIVING

Writing is generally wellorganized. Introductions, transitions, and conclusions provide continuity and a logical progression of ideas. Grammar, spelling, and mechanics reflect a high level of accuracy in Standard American English and enhance readability. Writing is consistently well-organized. Introductions, transitions, and conclusions are used effectively to enhance clarity, cohesion, and flow. Professional Skill 005: Critical Thinking and Problem Solving: Use critical thinking and problem-solving skills to analyze professional issues and inform best practice. Learning Objective PS 5.1: ©2014 Walden University Analysis of assumptions is missing. Response is weak in assessing the reasonableness of Response generally assesses the reasonableness of Response clearly and comprehensively assesses the reasonableness of 5 0 Not Present Analyze assumptions and fallacies. 1 Needs Improvement assumptions in a given argument. 2 Meets Expectations assumptions in a given argument. 3 Exceeds Expectations assumptions in a given argument. Response identifies and dis .. THE CARE IN CAREGIVING