Evaluating impacts on professional practice

       I have never really personally experienced any "isms" in my own life There are a few that i could experience as I go on in this Journey in the early childhood field.  One could be racism I am an African american woman and I know that living in California there are many different races and classes of people, and not everyone here is accepting of people from different races I have noticed this to be much more with older individuals because they do come from a different time.  While working in the early childhood field There could be certain parents or children who are not as open to people of different races and that could pose a problem with me as an educator.
       When working with children and families it is important to gain and build a working connection because that is the foundation to teaching and working to help the growth of the child.  If I were in a situation of racism I feel I would be extremely uncomfortable and distant from the children and families and It would affect how I do my work.  It would also be very distracting to think about and work with and that could affect the other families and children that I work with.  I do hope I never have to go through any situation like this, but it is a possibility it could happen working in a field that is as culturally diverse as the early childhood field.  This is why it is important for myself to be open and to work diligently to connect and find ways for families and children to trust me and be open with me. Knowing my passion and expressing that to them and how it will impact the children can help to get the families to working with me positively towards a common goal of the child's healthy growth and development.