Week 2 Application—Interview Understanding Differences In PE

Week 2 Application—Interview Understanding Differences in Perspectives

Identify an adult who is a parent or close family member of a child under three years old, with a similar cultural background to yours. Contact them to learn about their perspectives on caring for and educating infants or toddlers in their family, scheduling a session of about 30 minutes or longer. Before the interview, write a paragraph describing the interviewee and explaining why their cultural framework might be similar to yours. During the interview, focus on building trust, ask open-ended questions about their cultural influences, parenting practices, language, routines, and their views on play and learning. Listen deeply, observe non-verbal cues, and remain non-judgmental. Afterward, reflect on how their self-description compares to your perceptions, similarities and differences in values and beliefs, any discomfort experienced, assumptions dispelled, and insights gained, relating these to course learning resources. Prepare a two-page report covering the pre-interview description, a summary of the interview, and a reflection answering at least three reflection questions, citing relevant resources.

Paper For Above instruction

The purpose of this assignment is to deepen understanding of cultural perspectives on infant and toddler care through an interview with a family member sharing a similar cultural background. This exercise fosters cross-cultural awareness, encourages self-reflection, and highlights the diversity of caregiving practices rooted in cultural beliefs. By investigating how a parent or caregiver perceives their role and interacts with young children within their cultural context, students can develop more culturally responsive practices in early childhood education.

The first step involves selecting an adult familiar with caring for a young child, ideally with a cultural background similar to the student's. Establishing trust during the interview is crucial; hence, students should prepare by writing a brief description of the interviewee, emphasizing why they believe their cultural perspectives align. This preparation sets the stage for meaningful dialogue centered on personal beliefs, routines, language use, and educational priorities concerning infants and toddlers.

During the actual interview, active listening and observable cues are vital. Open-ended questions encourage elaboration, enabling insights into the interviewee’s values, routines, and practices. Questions about identity, cultural influences, language, feeding, sleeping arrangements, separation, learning priorities, and play facilitate a holistic understanding of caregiving within cultural frameworks. For example, discussing routines helps reveal underlying beliefs about development and independence while exploring language use uncovers cultural priorities around communication and identity.

Reflection is equally essential. Students should compare their perceptions with those shared by the interviewee, identify differing or similar values, and analyze any discomfort or assumptions that arise. Recognizing stereotypes and biases is fundamental to developing cultural competence. Insights gained from the interview can challenge preconceived notions and promote empathy. Relating these observations to course resources—such as works by Bronfenbrenner, Mammo, or Paley—links practical experience with theoretical understanding of cultural diversity in early childhood practices.

Ultimately, this exercise emphasizes that caregiving practices are embedded in cultural narratives, shaped by beliefs about child development, family roles, and societal expectations. Educators and caregivers must remain open, reflective, and informed by cultural contexts to provide responsive, respectful support to diverse families.

References

• Bronfenbrenner, U. (1986). Ecology of the family as a context for human development: Research perspectives. Developmental Psychology, 22(6), 723–742.
• Gonzalez-Mena, J. (2018). Infants, Toddlers, and Caregivers: A Curriculum of Respectful, Responsive, and Responsible Relationships. McGraw-Hill Education.
• Hernández, R. (2013). The importance of culture in early childhood education. Early Childhood Education Journal, 41(1), 45–52.
• Mammo, L. (2010). Culturally responsive early childhood education: Enhancing the learning of children from diverse backgrounds. Journal of Early Childhood Research, 8(2), 125–140.
• Paley, V. G. (2004). Mothers and Others: The Evolution of Human Sociality. Temple University Press.
• Redfield, R., & Linton, R. (1939). Memorandum on culture reading. Oklahoma Anthropology, Memo No. 27.
• Trudell, B. (2017). Cultural diversity and early childhood education. Childhood Education, 93(2), 128–134.
• Van Manen, M. (1990). Researching lived experience: Human science for an action sensitive pedagogy. State University of New York Press.
• Whiting, B. B., & Whiting, J. W. (1975). Children of six cultures: A psychosocial experiment in educational anthropology. Harvard University Press.
• Yeo, L. (2018). Cross-cultural caregiving practices in early childhood education. International Journal of Early Childhood, 50(1), 87–101.