[Hadiya]

Early childcare providers must provide
learning opportunities that are culturally/ racially diverse in their curriculum, activities, and materials. That includes things around the
classroom that don’t reinforce stereotypes, diverse music, and
intervening when biased behavior is displayed. (WAC 110-300-0160)

This helps each child feel included and represented. This is extremely important and even more so because they have a sense of self from a very young age.

[Maria]

According to WAC 110-300-0085 Family partnerships and communication. An early learning provider must communicate with families to identify individual children’s developmental goals. And an early learning provider must attempt to obtain information from each child’s family about that child’s developmental, behavioral, health, linguistic, cultural, social, and other relevant information. The provider must make this attempt upon that child’s enrollment and annually thereafter.

This is a very important part of working with children to cooperate with their parents so we learn more information about their children and parents learn about the development of their children

According to WAC 110-300-0160 Promoting acceptance of diversity. An early learning provider must provide culturally and racially diverse learning opportunities. Diverse learning opportunities must be demonstrated by the provider’s curriculum, activities, and materials that represent all children, families, and staff. A provider must use equipment and materials that include, but are not limited to:

(a) Diverse dolls, books, pictures, games, or materials that do not reinforce stereotypes;

(b) Diverse music from many cultures in children’s primary languages; and

(c) A balance of different ethnic and cultural groups, ages, abilities, family styles, and genders.

[Zawyana King]

1.WAC 110-300-0160

<font color=”rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)” face=”inherit”>2.That </font>it’s<font color=”rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)” face=”inherit”> important to include all genders, race, and cultures in your everyday program. This includes but not </font>limited<font color=”rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)” face=”inherit”> to food, dolls, books, and play clothes.</font>

[Tawna]

WAC 110-300-0085 Family partnerships and communication.

The family engagement WAC describes to what extent a family should be involved in this:

(i) A child’s strength in areas of development, health issues,
special needs, and other concerns;
(ii) Family routines or events, approaches to parenting, family
beliefs, culture, language, and child rearing practices;
(iii) Internal transitions within the early learning program and
transitions to external services or programs, as necessary;
(iv) Collaboration between the provider and the parent or guardian in behavior management; and
(v) A child’s progress, at least two times per year.
(b) Communicate the importance of regular attendance for the
child;
(c) Give parents or guardians contact information for questions
or concerns;
(d) Give families opportunities to share their language and culture in the early learning program;
(e) Arrange a confidential time and space for individual conversations regarding children, as needed;
(f) Allow parents or guardians access to their child during normal hours of operation, except as excluded by a court order; and
(g) Communicate verbally or in writing:
(i) Changes in drop-off and pickup arrangements as needed; and
(ii) Daily activities.(i) A child’s strength in areas of development, health issues,
special needs, and other concerns;
(ii) Family routines or events, approaches to parenting, family
beliefs, culture, language, and child rearing practices;
(iii) Internal transitions within the early learning program and
transitions to external services or programs, as necessary;
(iv) Collaboration between the provider and the parent or guardian in behavior management; and
(v) A child’s progress, at least two times per year.
(b) Communicate the importance of regular attendance for the
child;
(c) Give parents or guardians contact information for questions
or concerns;
(d) Give families opportunities to share their language and culture in the early learning program;
(e) Arrange a confidential time and space for individual conversations regarding children, as needed;
(f) Allow parents or guardians access to their child during normal hours of operation, except as excluded by a court order; and
(g) Communicate verbally or in writing:
(i) Changes in drop-off and pickup arrangements as needed; and
(ii) Daily activities.

AND Diversity: AND 110-300-0160

An early learning provider must provide culturally and racially diverse
learning opportunities. Diverse learning opportunities must be demonstrated by the provider’s curriculum, activities, and materials that
represent all children, families, and staff. A provider must use
equipment and materials that include, but are not limited to:
(a) Diverse dolls, books, pictures, games, or materials that do
not reinforce stereotypes;
(b) Diverse music from many cultures in children’s primary languages; and
(c) A balance of different ethnic and cultural groups, ages,
abilities, family styles, and genders.
(2) An early learning provider must intervene appropriately to
stop biased behavior displayed by children or adults including, but
not limited to:
(a) Redirecting an inappropriate conversation or behavior;
(b) Being aware of situations that may involve bias and responding appropriately; and
(c) Refusing to ignore bias.) An early learning provider must provide culturally and racially diverse
learning opportunities. Diverse learning opportunities must be demonstrated by the provider’s curriculum, activities, and materials that
represent all children, families, and staff. A provider must use
equipment and materials that include,but are not limited to:
(a) Diverse dolls, books, pictures, games, or materials that do
not reinforce stereotypes;
(b) Diverse music from many cultures in children’s primary languages; and
(c) A balance of different ethnic and cultural groups, ages,
abilities, family styles, and genders.
(2) An early learning provider must intervene appropriately to
stop biased behavior displayed by children or adults including, but
not limited to:
(a) Redirecting an inappropriate conversation or behavior;
(b) Being aware of situations that may involve bias and responding appropriately; and
(c) Refusing to ignore bias.

My thoughts:

The WACS are much more involved with how we should be communicating professionally with families. I like how congruent each step is. I find that this WAC gives you exactly the concrete information they want us to be speaking about and including all families in. I feel like with this being a step by step process that they are pointing out I would be better equipped with communicating with families.

For the diversity I think they did a good job explaining what needs to be present in the curriculum. I think they did a good job citing the biased behavior and intervening when necessary because I can see how this is necessary when working with diverse families and kids.

[Caitlyn]

WAC 110-300-0160 and 110-300-0030 discuss diversity and collaboration with families. The big messages from these WACs are that antibias should be built into the classroom in the form of materials, literature, curriculum, and modeled and moderated by the staff so that inclusion is centered, diversity is encouraged, and stereotypes are not reenforced.

[Amber]

WACs 110-300-0160 discusses how to be inclusive to all children from all backgrounds, and 110-300-0085 discusses how to interact with families and understand the culture of these families.

The WACs very strongly emphasize inclusion and accessibility. A great deal of importance is placed on the idea that all activities in a center need to be accessible for all the children involved in the activities. Having an understanding of the diversity of the children, allows teachers to know how to make their teaching accessible. For example, during the holiday season, knowing what winter holidays are celebrated in their community, allows teachers to talk about a wide variety of holidays, and give the children in their class who may celebrate different holidays, a chance to relate to the lesson, and have a moment to teach their classmates.

[Sheira]

WAC 110-300-0160 <font color=”rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)” face=”inherit”>Promoting acceptance of diversity is the WAC that </font>promotes<font color=”rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)” face=”inherit”> d</font>iverse dolls, books, pictures, games, that do not reinforce stereotypes. It also states how to balance different ethnic and cultural groups, ages, abilities, family styles, and genders. And refuse to ignore bias.

[alexis miller]

WAC 110-300-0160 addresses the need for diversity it states that’s crucial to a child’s devolvement

[Haley]

WAC 110-300-0160 addresses diversity and WAC 110-300-0085 addresses family collaboration. I believe the biggest message they are trying to get across is to build trust and have open communication with the families so that as a lead you can support the child and help their development. Working with the families can help with figuring out the best curriculum or activities that will suit the child and make sure they feel safe and understood. It is important that the families know what is going on in the classroom and how you are helping their child.

[Sascha]

WAC 110-300-0160 governs the promotion of acceptance of diversity in childcare centers, encouraging/mandating providers to include racially diverse learning opportunities, for example, engage with parents about their culture and how they would like it to translate into the classroom, and have materials like books and dolls that represent various kinds of families, traits, bodies or abilities, etc, that a child or their family may relate to.

[Ella]

According to WAC 100-300-0160, the teacher must provide a diverse and culturally appropriate space and activities for all children, which would entail communicating with parents and children about their cultures and values ahead of time and being aware of sensitivities to avoid based off of what the teacher knows about each student.

[Jamie]

Communication is key. Thank you.

[Alyssa]

WAC 110-300-0160 discusses promoting acceptance of diversity. I agree it is important to celebrate every child and their unique differences while showing them the importance of inclusivity and acceptance. I find strength in my resources and see myself searching for books, songs, snacks, etc. that would help celebrate a child’s unique difference with them while making sure they feel supported.

[Gisselle]

I would welcome the child by making them introduce themselves as well as making posters of different cultures around the world and making sure they know it’s a safe place to be welcomed. I would also make the other kids learn some words as well to communicate with the child.

[Jamie]

Be careful about “making” children do something they may not be ready to do. Giving them opportunities to express themselves and allow them to share is more effective.

[Kiley Kaye]

1. The WAC’s that address diversity and collaboration with families are 110-300-0080, 110-300-0085, and 110-300-0160.

2. The messages the WAC’s give regarding diversity and collaboration are that child care professionals must be inclusive and there must be plenty of communication and efforts to create a good working relationship with the child’s family. All of this is to ensure that the child care professional can provide culturally sensitive and relevant activities for the children, such as dolls, books, pictures and music that all display different cultures in an appropriate manner.

[Rebekah]

WAC 110-300-0160 and WAC 110-300-008 emphasizes the importance of diversity in the classroom. WAC promotes ideas of diversity and inclusion in the classroom.