Application: Changing Demographics and Diversity — Connections between Theory and Practice In the article “Beyond the Illusion of Diversity: How Early Childhood Teachers Can Promote Social Justice,” Boutte speaks of the need for early childhood professionals to apply pedagogical principles and classroom practices that more explicitly cultivate inclusive practices. She states that these efforts promote social justice, and passionately advocates that early childhood professionals should be provided with, and seek out, opportunities and resources that support their interactions with children and families from diverse backgrounds. As well, Boutte points out that any major issue or trend, for example, changing demographics and diversity, usually consists of a number of smaller, related issues. Understanding these different but related issues increases a person’s ability to interact with others in a respectful, caring, and authentic manner. As you might already know, achieving professional “fluency” about the complexity of issues and trends is a lifelong process. With the help of this assignment, you can take a step toward such fluency with regard to changing demographics and diversity. First, you will be asked to learn about a specific issue by reading about it; then extend your knowledge by talking to someone who has experience with this issue; and finally, reflect on what you have learned with the help of the “awareness tool." Consider some of the many specific issues related to changing demographics and diversity listed below. This list is by far not complete. Feel free to add other related issues to it. Immigration Providing quality education experiences for children of migrant families Cultural diversity Culturally responsive care and education On a global scale: nations in motion (i.e., displacement of children and families through wars) Gender diversity Language diversity Dual language learning Religious diversity Labeling and bias Resegregation For this assignment, choose one issue from the list above or an additional issue about which you want to learn more. Then: THE TOPIC I HAVE CHOSEN WAS IMMIGRATION Find three professional written resources (online, journals, etc.) that provide information about and/or further resources for this issue and study them. Locate a child, a family, or an early childhood professional with personal experience regarding the issue you selected. Ask that person/family/early childhood professional to tell you about experiences related to the issue you chose. Using the “awareness tool” from the multimedia piece in Week 1, consider the person’s story using the professional awareness viewpoint. Summarize the consequences for that person specifically, and children, families, and EC professionals in general. For this assignment, write a paper that includes: My TOPIC FOR THIS PAPER is Immigration A brief review of each of the three resources, including a citation in APA format for each A summary of your conversation .

1. Application: Changing Demographics and Diversity
—
Connections between Theory and Practice
In the article “Beyond the Illusion of Diversity: How Early
Childhood Teachers Can Promote Social Justice,” Boutte speaks
of the need for early childhood professionals to apply
pedagogical principles and classroom practices that more
explicitly cultivate inclusive practices. She states that these
efforts promote social justice, and passionately advocates that
early childhood professionals should be provided with, and seek
out, opportunities and resources that support their interactions
with children and families from diverse backgrounds. As well,
Boutte points out that any major issue or trend, for example,
changing demographics and diversity, usually consists of a
number of smaller, related issues. Understanding these different
but related issues increases a person’s ability to interact with
others in a respectful, caring, and authentic manner.
As you might already know, achieving professional “fluency”
about the complexity of issues and trends is a lifelong process.
With the help of this assignment, you can take a step toward
such fluency with regard to changing demographics and
diversity. First, you will be asked to learn about a specific issue
by reading about it; then extend your knowledge by talking to
someone who has experience with this issue; and finally, reflect
on what you have learned with the help of the “awareness tool."
Consider some of the many specific issues related to changing
demographics and diversity listed below. This list is by far not
complete. Feel free to add other related issues to it.
Immigration
Providing quality education experiences for children of migrant
families
Cultural diversity
Culturally responsive care and education
On a global scale: nations in motion (i.e., displacement of
children and families through wars)

2. Gender diversity
Language diversity
Dual language learning
Religious diversity
Labeling and bias
Resegregation
For this assignment,
choose one issue from the list above or an additional issue
about which you want to learn more. Then:
THE TOPIC I HAVE CHOSEN WAS IMMIGRATION
Find three professional written resources (online, journals, etc.)
that provide information about and/or further resources for this
issue and study them.
Locate a child, a family, or an early childhood professional with
personal experience regarding the issue you selected.
Ask that person/family/early childhood professional to tell you
about experiences related to the issue you chose.
Using the “awareness tool” from the multimedia piece in Week
1, consider the person’s story using the professional awareness
viewpoint. Summarize the consequences for that person
specifically, and children, families, and EC professionals in
general.
For this assignment,
write a paper that includes:
My TOPIC FOR THIS PAPER is Immigration
A brief review of each of the three resources, including a
citation in APA format for each
A summary of your conversation with childhood professioanl
and an analysis
A discussion of any implications that your study of this one
issue might have on your work in the early childhood field, and
your thoughts on this issue Usine persoanl awarness of issue;
and professional awarness
(Assignment length: 2 pages minimum)
Submit this assignment by

3. Sunday
of this week.