Chat Transcripts

Topic

Chat Session 3

Date

2025-04-30

Group ID

0

Course ID

293842

User List

Hutchinson, MicheleWieser, Anna{Johnson, Carrie}
User Timestamp Message
Hutchinson, Michele06:59:18 pmGood Evening!
{Johnson, Carrie}07:00:03 pmHello!
{Johnson, Carrie}07:00:22 pmHow are you Michele?
Hutchinson, Michele07:00:36 pmI am good! How are you?
{Johnson, Carrie}07:00:58 pmI am good--just these allergies are kicking my but
{Johnson, Carrie}07:01:03 pmbutt lol
Hutchinson, Michele07:01:15 pmOh yes, mine keep draining to my throat
Wieser, Anna07:01:22 pmHello!
Hutchinson, Michele07:01:33 pmHello!
{Johnson, Carrie}07:01:53 pmHi Anna!
Wieser, Anna07:02:31 pmHope you both are having good week
Hutchinson, Michele07:02:52 pmgoing fast! May tomorrow already
{Johnson, Carrie}07:03:00 pmYes its about to May already!!
{Johnson, Carrie}07:03:07 pmlol
Wieser, Anna07:03:16 pmwe have 33 days of school left!
Hutchinson, Michele07:03:27 pmcounting down!
{Johnson, Carrie}07:03:30 pmits just the 3 of us so let's get started
Hutchinson, Michele07:03:48 pm*
Wieser, Anna07:03:51 pm*
{Johnson, Carrie}07:03:54 pm*
{Johnson, Carrie}07:04:07 pmHow can implicit or explicit biases impact relationship building with young children and their families?
Hutchinson, Michele07:05:07 pmthe impact that culture has on learning is huge, if the parents don't feel safe (seen, heard respected) the child will not
Wieser, Anna07:05:45 pmBiases are limiting. They can be hurtful, based on assumptions, and perpetuate misinformation.
Hutchinson, Michele07:05:55 pmculturally inclusive programs value all families
Wieser, Anna07:07:04 pmit's important for each family who enrolls in a program feels seen, heard, and respected, like you said Michele
{Johnson, Carrie}07:07:09 pmWhat about catching your biases?
Hutchinson, Michele07:07:13 pmAnna, agree, so if we don't have for instance, handbooks in a family's native language and "rules" are frequently ignored is that the family's fault or ours?
{Johnson, Carrie}07:08:15 pmEither families can catch our biases or we can through reflective practice
Wieser, Anna07:08:15 pmAs educators (and the professionals in this relationship) we need to constantly be reflecting on our approach with children and families
Hutchinson, Michele07:08:37 pmyes, reflective practice
Wieser, Anna07:08:50 pmYes, Carrie, and when biases are brought to our attention, it is our duty to do better.
{Johnson, Carrie}07:08:52 pmThere can be bias in rules and written language---and the way we enforce them too
Hutchinson, Michele07:09:02 pmtrue
{Johnson, Carrie}07:09:39 pmWhat is the significance between family engagement and a child’s early learning and development?
Hutchinson, Michele07:09:40 pmthat is why we should have input from others, through their lens
Wieser, Anna07:09:47 pmYes, and when these rules or ways of practice are finally seen as bias, we need to change the way we do things
{Johnson, Carrie}07:10:21 pmright Michele and be humble enough to receive feedback.
Hutchinson, Michele07:10:29 pmfamily engagement is so important in early childhood. I loved the example of using music and nursery rhymes from the family's culture
{Johnson, Carrie}07:10:48 pmI read this book a few years ago about "how to be unaffendable" it was soooooo helpful
Hutchinson, Michele07:11:05 pmis it on Amazon?
Wieser, Anna07:11:07 pmJust as families and parents are their children's first teachers, we are the first experience for parents to learn how to be engaged and involved in their child's schooling
Hutchinson, Michele07:11:35 pmyes Anna, EC is dependent on family engagement
{Johnson, Carrie}07:11:46 pmI love the anthropologic approach to family engagement too ---song, stories, textiles, food, poems etc
{Johnson, Carrie}07:12:10 pmYes its on Amazon--it was written by a guy who is on the spectrum
Wieser, Anna07:12:20 pmIt's important that we also help parents understand how they can be their child's advocate in later schooling
Hutchinson, Michele07:12:31 pmYes, Anna!
Hutchinson, Michele07:13:04 pmagree Carrie, whole child learning...and the family is the child
{Johnson, Carrie}07:13:24 pmI do think Family Engagement can feel one sided if we aren't strategic and intentional---it should not be about us trying to get parents involved it really could be renamed community engagement so it feels more inclusive and mutual
{Johnson, Carrie}07:13:46 pmadvocacy is huge Anna!
Hutchinson, Michele07:13:47 pmagreed
Wieser, Anna07:14:05 pmyes carrie. I think that's why i like the term learning community
Hutchinson, Michele07:14:22 pmlove that
{Johnson, Carrie}07:14:24 pmexactly Anna
Wieser, Anna07:14:23 pmthat includes children, families, and teachers
Hutchinson, Michele07:14:41 pmit takes a village!
Wieser, Anna07:14:52 pmwith the understanding that we all have a stake in what happens at school
Hutchinson, Michele07:15:02 pmyes
{Johnson, Carrie}07:15:19 pmI went onto the discussion board 2x today and we really had some great threads going ---so kudos to us for all the curiosity and questions!
Hutchinson, Michele07:15:38 pmawesomeness
Wieser, Anna07:15:41 pm🙂
{Johnson, Carrie}07:15:49 pmI hope you both had a chance to go back on there and read how we all followed up with each other...
Wieser, Anna07:16:16 pmYes, I caught the last responses just before class. Thank you both!
{Johnson, Carrie}07:16:25 pmThere was some discussion that started to get at this question too: What are some examples of ways you support children’s diversity in your learning environment?
Hutchinson, Michele07:16:31 pmI need to review
Wieser, Anna07:16:52 pmThanks for all the ideas. I especially liked the idea of a family poster
Hutchinson, Michele07:17:08 pmlove that
Wieser, Anna07:18:28 pmWe've included so labeling around the room with different languages that are spoken
{Johnson, Carrie}07:18:39 pmI was thinking about how much children tend to value sameness at such a young age...its like an early indication of an implicit bias to value similarities over differences. Kids say things like we both have pink shoes so we can be friends....or we have muscles and are strong like superheros so we can be on the same team...
{Johnson, Carrie}07:19:03 pmIt's important to be intentional to celebrate differences and what makes us unique
Hutchinson, Michele07:19:08 pmyes
{Johnson, Carrie}07:19:20 pm--For me this was moving away from "arts and crafts
{Johnson, Carrie}07:19:36 pm---the ones where everyone makes the same thing
Wieser, Anna07:19:53 pmyes
Wieser, Anna07:20:07 pmthere was an expample from the IRIS module
Wieser, Anna07:20:16 pmthe guy was talking about making the turkey
Wieser, Anna07:20:34 pmand having an example so children could gage their "progress"
{Johnson, Carrie}07:20:36 pmIf we are making butterflies, then they can choose colors or various collage materials yet not cut and paste everything the same
Wieser, Anna07:20:46 pmIt set me off...
Wieser, Anna07:21:34 pmJust today, two children were interested in making kites
{Johnson, Carrie}07:21:41 pmProgress on following directions is one thing and its a completely different objective and goal versus valuing art and different ideas or interpretations of something
Hutchinson, Michele07:21:41 pmfor instance, when my childcare received 2 new children at circle time we talked about that we all are the same and that we are all also different (color of eyes/hair/skin) but also that we all have 2 eyes, 2 hands etc then the kids (with permission) felt each other's hair texture and that was done... all the children accepted each other
{Johnson, Carrie}07:22:04 pmGood examples
{Johnson, Carrie}07:22:46 pm*
Hutchinson, Michele07:22:50 pm*
Wieser, Anna07:22:58 pm*
{Johnson, Carrie}07:23:01 pmShare with the group what type of technology or communication tool your program uses to share information, data, or resources with families. How important is it to have a healthy line of communication with parents? Especially parents from culturally and racially diverse backgrounds?
Hutchinson, Michele07:24:39 pmcurrently we use a messaging app from the Brightwheel platform, newsletters, a website and we have a monitor that runs with information near the office
Wieser, Anna07:24:44 pmWe send a daily email with photos and narrative of the day from each class, along with a weekly preschool newsletter that includes current events for the preschool and a segment of curriculum where teachers take turns to explain some of the "why" behind what we do
Hutchinson, Michele07:25:12 pmI do worry it is not inclusive as we have several new American families
Wieser, Anna07:25:17 pmOtherwise, direct email or face to face at drop-off and pick-up
{Johnson, Carrie}07:25:32 pmThis question flags for me ---examples of when I knew some of our parents from the community before they enrolled so we socialized quite a bit at pick up times....other families didn't necessarily know that we had history so they could easily assume that I like talking to those parents more than them. I had to be more "equitable" in the way I spent my time and by more accessible to those new families to increase trust and build relationships.
Hutchinson, Michele07:25:36 pmyes, we do email and face-to-face too
Hutchinson, Michele07:26:08 pmyes, accesbility is huge
{Johnson, Carrie}07:26:12 pmMichele that would be good feedback to give to the creators of that platform
Hutchinson, Michele07:27:06 pmtrue
Wieser, Anna07:27:33 pmWe try to have a few events during the school year too for opportunities to check in informally
{Johnson, Carrie}07:27:53 pmi think a variety of approaches are good--take into account different learning styles and communication styles as well as giving grace to parents who have more than 1 job too. Sometimes communication just doesn't land
Hutchinson, Michele07:28:30 pmyes
Wieser, Anna07:28:30 pmit can be frustrating though when you feel like you have tried everything
{Johnson, Carrie}07:29:09 pmI agree--totally been on both sides of that issue 😉 Presume positive intent 🙂 and that everyone is doing the best they can
{Johnson, Carrie}07:29:19 pmHow do you reflect the culture of the families you serve and the community you are in within your program environments- ie. classrooms, buildings (interior/exterior), outdoor play spaces?
{Johnson, Carrie}07:29:41 pmWe started talking about this too on the discussion board.
Wieser, Anna07:29:45 pmyes, and give ourselves grace too when we have tried all the way but like you said "it just doesn't land"
Hutchinson, Michele07:30:46 pmwe plant fruit vegetables and fruit trees in our outdoor learning area that represent foods our families enjoy
Hutchinson, Michele07:31:54 pmfor instance we have a few families from Vietnam and they share recipes/dishes with our teachers as well as bring to the classrooms
Wieser, Anna07:32:46 pmWe have an open door policy with parents who come in to share about special interests, or celebrate birthdays, or other important events/holidays
Hutchinson, Michele07:33:03 pmyes Anna, we do too
{Johnson, Carrie}07:33:13 pmI think that art from different cultures and races is important---and preferably not art that stereotypes cultures. I have several colleagues who are African American tell me they genuinely disliked the Lakeshore Posters of the different cultures because the African one showed tribal customs and barren land and --not the vibrancy of any one city or country in Africa--which is a whole continent...The "American" one showed an kid in little league baseball uniform...we had a whole conversation about baseball and apple pie as american symbols...lol
Wieser, Anna07:33:22 pmWe use documentation to refelct back the experiences we share together
Hutchinson, Michele07:33:46 pmone family had grandparents visiting from CA and they came to bring lunch and dessert for the child's birthday it was so fun for everyone
Wieser, Anna07:33:59 pmthe other end of documentation is inviting families to document their experiences outside of school and share with their child's class too
Hutchinson, Michele07:34:20 pmyes Carrie true
{Johnson, Carrie}07:34:26 pmShared space examples are very rich. I think we want children and families and teachers so say this is our school this is our community, this is our building/space etc--we all belong
Wieser, Anna07:34:27 pmusing documentation as a toold for dialogue
Hutchinson, Michele07:34:54 pmI like Anna's Regioo-Emilia approach
{Johnson, Carrie}07:35:06 pmDocumentation and discussion go hand in hand for sure.
Hutchinson, Michele07:35:17 pmyes
{Johnson, Carrie}07:35:27 pmI agree ---RE is awesome
Hutchinson, Michele07:35:35 pmand using concise simple words
{Johnson, Carrie}07:35:59 pmMontessori incorporates some of that too I think with "artifacts"
Hutchinson, Michele07:36:24 pmyes
{Johnson, Carrie}07:37:00 pmConsider the elements of an inclusive classroom. What environmental modifications or accommodations would you need to perform to meet the needs of a child with special needs?
{Johnson, Carrie}07:38:21 pmand I will start by saying I think the one that comes to mind 1st is usually physical and mobility related modifications and accommodations --yet equally important is the emotional "environment" too
Hutchinson, Michele07:38:24 pmbesides accessibility, adding more staff if it were a perfect world
{Johnson, Carrie}07:38:33 pmamen to that!
Wieser, Anna07:38:33 pmDepends on the need. Wheelchair would be difficult. We would need an 'off-road' type of wheelchair i think so that the child could be included in all aspects of the program at the nature center
{Johnson, Carrie}07:38:58 pmAnna --that might be possible to get through a grant or donor!
Hutchinson, Michele07:39:07 pmmaking sure the room isn't overwhelming with both quiet and busy areas
Hutchinson, Michele07:40:00 pmmaking sure the environment is safe for all children to explore
{Johnson, Carrie}07:40:35 pmAnna--I was just thinking with regards to the emotional safety piece --that could also include modifications or accomodations for children with sensory issues. Is there ways to pivot when you are outdoors if lets say a kid has aversion to dirt, mud, grass etc?that you
Hutchinson, Michele07:40:39 pmeveryone should feel safe and comfortable (including staff)
Wieser, Anna07:40:59 pmI think emotional needs are served by attentive care givers, space, options, outdoors. Working at a nature preschool I can tell you we see a lot of children who benefit from being out in nature even just for a few hours
{Johnson, Carrie}07:41:38 pmright Michele---Definitely don't want clutter and overwhelming kiddos or staff by too much stuff in the room
{Johnson, Carrie}07:42:02 pmwe all need to be outside more for sure!
Wieser, Anna07:42:03 pmGloves help with sensory aversion
Hutchinson, Michele07:42:18 pmAnna, agree... I have been telling colleges about your unique program. I feel like I would love to work in that environment but we do have some kiddos with sensory issues that may not... what modifications would we need?
Hutchinson, Michele07:42:50 pmcolleagues not colleges!
Wieser, Anna07:43:18 pmThe right type of gear is important. "there's no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing"
Hutchinson, Michele07:43:31 pmtrue
{Johnson, Carrie}07:43:44 pmSunglasses or hats with brims might help...also maybe "exposure therapy" is the real deal--the more they experience it the less the aversion is
{Johnson, Carrie}07:44:01 pmThats a great mindset Anna
Wieser, Anna07:44:20 pmWe are lucky to have both indoor and outdoor spaces, so we can accommodate and support children where they are in their comfort of being 'out in it'
Hutchinson, Michele07:44:35 pmand using developmental knowledge to create healthy, respectful, supportive and challenging learning environments is key
Wieser, Anna07:44:53 pmbut understand that parents are enrolling their child in our program because they want their child to have and outdoors experience
{Johnson, Carrie}07:45:05 pmThis has been great--time flew by again!
Hutchinson, Michele07:45:33 pmwhoa
Wieser, Anna07:45:38 pmThanks for the chat!
Hutchinson, Michele07:45:42 pmthat did fly by quick
{Johnson, Carrie}07:46:21 pmHave a good night!
{Johnson, Carrie}07:46:26 pmSee you on the discussion board
Wieser, Anna07:46:27 pmgood night!
Hutchinson, Michele07:46:36 pmgood night!