You are hereUnions, Work, and Class in the Early Childhood Classroom: Concepts
Unions, Work, and Class in the Early Childhood Classroom: Concepts
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Families do many kinds of work and all kinds of work are helpful to others • Make a wall chart about all the kinds of work the children’s families do. Make clear that all work helps people in a variety of ways. Invite family members to tell you about what they do, and if they can, invite them to talk with the children (include aunts, uncles, older siblings, and grandparents as well as parents). Also include the tasks that an unemployed family member has done and what they currently do to help their family. |
| • Honor the people who work in your center or school. Make another chart of the people who work in and for your educational program—the janitors, secretaries, etc.; use photographs; ask them to come in and talk about their families and interests (it’s important children see them as fully rounded people); engage the children in making thank-you cards for each person. |
| • Read books about different kinds of work (blue collar, farming, service, white collar, professional, the arts), and explore how each job helps people: A Day’s Work (best with 5- to 7-year-olds—but good for some 4-year-olds, too) about a young boy and his abuelito looking for work as day laborers; or Mama, I’ll Give You the World about a mom who works in a beauty parlor. |
| • Recommended booklist: Early Childhood: Learning About Economic Class and Fairness
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Strategies for Concept 2
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Families do all kinds of work at home • Make a wall chart about all the kinds of work that happens at home. Primary-age children can bring a list home and check off what they see their family members doing. |
| • If your program celebrates or studies holidays, use them to emphasize gifts of the heart rather than purchased gifts. Ask children about what fun activities their family did together rather than what gifts they received. Create an ongoing class book about people being kind to one another, called “The Best Gift of All.” Help children dictate stories for the book throughout the year, and read it frequently at circle times. |
| • Read Mama Bear, the only book we know for little ones that illustrates that even if you work hard and are good you may not get a new toy (but you can still have a snugly, loving mom).
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Guidelines for Concept 3
| Engaging young children in activities to create positive change |
| • Be alert for unfair practices that directly affect their lives. The children or you may identify the problem. |
| • Engage children in dialogue about their feelings and ideas regarding the specific situation. Provide information as appropriate. |
| • Consider the interests and dynamics of your group of children. Do they care about the problem? What kind of actions would help them appropriately address the issue? |
| • Consider the children’s families. Explain why you believe it is important for children to learn ways to act together to improve their lives. |
| • Plan and carry out activities appropriate to the children and their families to address the problem you have chosen. If one action works, great! If it does not, try again with a different activity. |
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Recommended books: |
Guidelines and Strategies for Concept 4
| • Have the same high expectations for children from every family. Pay attention to children’s varying learning styles and differences in knowledge and skills and adapt activities to support the strengths children bring into your program. Ask for help from others in your program to examine your beliefs and uncover any biases you may have about children’s abilities as they relate to the economic class of their families. |
| • Encourage children to share information about their experiences rather than showing new possessions during circle and sharing times. Do not make a big fuss over “new” toys and materials in the classroom. Be alert, too, and celebrate children and staff ideas for reusing classroom materials, making materials, or finding recycled materials. |
| • Teach children to value their own and each other’s internal qualities (e.g., kindness, generosity, alertness) over external ones (clothes, physical appearance, material possessions). |
| • Help children learn to work together cooperatively. Make class murals out of handprints or drawings. Create a class quilt with each child contributing a square. Ask teams of children to do specific tasks together (e.g., setting the snack tables, clearing up the block area, use toys and materials cooperatively). With primary children, encourage collaborative work on academic tasks. |
To learn more about goals and strategies for working with young children on economic class and fairness, see Anti-Bias Education for Young Children and Ourselves (Derman-Sparks & Olsen, NAEYC, 2010).
