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Wright + Tate and Paley Readings.

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Segregation by Experience by Adair and Colegrove. (01/30)

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Growing up in Fort Worth, Texas definitely impacted my play and development. For one, my neighborhood was filled with kids that I would play with at the park near our house and it definitely aided in creating a community that felt safe enough. As for my development, it shaped who I am as a person and what I have come to now. Like the hobbies I like that were available to me where I lived. Or the way I interact with people based on how the individuals around Texas interacted with me.

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I have grown up all of my life as middle class which impacted my play by allowing me to experience the fun of going to a good school in a good community with individuals that shared a lot of similarities with myself. It also impacted my development by me hoping that I am able to stay in the middle class in my own future financially or even making it to the upper class. This has also impacted me to believe that working is a very important factor in life and that I must do it starting at a young age in order to support my current and future needs.

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I went the same school in Fort Worth for almost all of my k-12 schooling experience. And I can say that it definitely impacted my play in the ways in which I interacted with other students from various backgrounds. The school I attend was always extremely diverse in almost everything and helped me understand the importance of having diversity in one's life by either interacting/playing with them every day at school to even having informative conversations about one's unique background. However, I will also say that this impacted my development in keeping me away from realizing how much racism/segregation there is all around the world because I had personally never experienced it at school or seen my peers experience it.

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Being a girl has definitely impacted and still impacts my play in various ways. For one, while my family didn’t only provide me with dolls and all things pink, it was definitely in the air that a girl was expected to play with and enjoy specific things. While many of the things I enjoy are considered “girly”, I do believe my gender impacted my development and play in engaging with these things in introducing them into my life. This aspect of my identity makes me experience the world in a way nobody else but a girl can. I love this part of myself and I love how it creates the way I view things, experience things, and feel about things.

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Growing up and becoming my own individual has definitely shaped my development in the ways in which I imagine my hopeful future to be. It has created the idea of what my future and meaningful life would consist of. This is having kids and a family I love. Becoming a teacher and being happy with my profession. Staying close with my mom no matter what. Being financially stable in order to provide for myself, my family, and all of the things I would like to experience. It has also shaped my play in defining what things I enjoy doing and how I like them done. Like if I play a game, my own personality decides what game I do and don't want to play and how I want to play, which is usually competitive.

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My culture and background have impacted my development in various ways. One is the things I was taught to care for. Like Hispanic traditions, expectations, celebrations, and things that were unique to my Mexican background. My culture also impacted my play because it would alter the way I would interact with things. If I played house with somebody, I would address the people in Spanish and we would pretend to do things like make tamales instead of sandwiches or push somebody's face into the cake. Overall, it helped me develop an appreciation for the culture that my parents passed down to me.

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Growing up, I only knew Spanish for a while due to being babysat by my mama who also only spoke Spanish. However, once I began school, it seemed as though every new thing I learned in English seemed to overtake what I knew in Spanish to the point where I now know English better than Spanish. This has impacted my play by allowing me, since a child, to interact with both Spanish and English speaking children. It has also impacted my development by being able to improve both languages through constant practice at the jobs I seek as well as the individuals I engage with.

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I didn't really grow up in a religious household. We never went to church, and we never really practiced much. The only thing I can recall is saying prayers in Spanish every night before bed with my mom. I think this shaped my development by me not being religious at all now. I don't pray and I don't go to church. And I honestly don't feel as though I believe in any form of religion at all. This at times doesn't affect me in any way but sometimes it does cause me to question who I am because of the fact that I have no form of faith I believe in. This unfortunately usually only occurs when I go through hard times. As for my play, I think this caused me to never really see too deeply in the things I did in regard to conversations with others or interactions.

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Civil Action + The Practice Of readings

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Growing up I have always been very attentive to the things around me as well as very dominating. As a kid, I remember always trying to make up fun things so that kids around me would want to play with me. I also tended to feel very leader-like when it came to doing tasks. And overall, I paid attention to almost everything around me even when it didn't involve me. However, I think these were great tools of agency to have because they allowed me to make friends through noticeably caring for others as well as trying my best to include them in any way I could.

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The Impact of Race and Culture + Shaking the Bad Boys readings

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I grew up in a decently diverse neighborhood that is surrounded by an area of extreme diversity. Additionally, I went to school in a very diverse environment where I was surrounded by unique individuals every single day. Because of this, I had never encountered racism as an individual. I never felt left out of something because of my race/ethnicity. I never felt odd. Continuously, all of my friends went to the same school as me and I can't recall any of them ever sharing an experience of racism either. Additionally, I have never experienced the negative feeling of white supremacy where I felt I was less than because I wasn't white. I also never had any friends who treated me less than because they were white and I wasn't. I don't really think that has had much of an impact on my life then or now because I just guess I'm lucky enough that the people I have surrounded myself with don't indulge in that.

However, I still consider my time here at college as growing up and I do believe it is the first place I have ever felt a slight twinge of racism. It was during my first semester here at UT and I was walking around all of the tables on Speedway. There were about two or three tables and when I went up to them, I was completely ignored. These tended to be the Filipino orgs or the Indian orgs that say all are welcome. However, you notice quickly that this isn't entirely true. It was the first time I felt odd and left out and it made me feel extremely embarrassed to be ignored by all of them.

Overall, I love that I grew up in such diverse environments. However, I will say that because of this I have also grown up to be a bit blind about racism and I think this is what caused the feeling of such embarrassment when I encountered it for the first time at college.

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Using Queer Theory + Equal Play readings

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I grew up in a decently diverse neighborhood that is surrounded by an area of extreme diversity. Additionally, I went to school in a very diverse environment where I was surrounded by unique individuals every single day. Because of this, I had never encountered racism as an individual. I never felt left out of something because of my race/ethnicity. I never felt odd. Continuously, all of my friends went to the same school as me and I can't recall any of them ever sharing an experience of racism either. Additionally, I have never experienced the negative feeling of white supremacy where I felt I was less than because I wasn't white. I also never had any friends who treated me less than because they were white and I wasn't. I don't really think that has had much of an impact on my life then or now because I just guess I'm lucky enough that the people I have surrounded myself with don't indulge in that.

However, I still consider my time here at college as growing up and I do believe it is the first place I have ever felt a slight twinge of racism. It was during my first semester here at UT and I was walking around all of the tables on Speedway. There were about two or three tables and when I went up to them, I was completely ignored. These tended to be the Filipino orgs or the Indian orgs that say all are welcome. However, you notice quickly that this isn't entirely true. It was the first time I felt odd and left out and it made me feel extremely embarrassed to be ignored by all of them.

Overall, I love that I grew up in such diverse environments. However, I will say that because of this I have also grown up to be a bit blind about racism and I think this is what caused the feeling of such embarrassment when I encountered it for the first time at college.

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Regarding my gender, I would say it has definitely impacted many aspects of my life growing up. For one, as a kid, it impacted my play in regards to only playing with "girly" toys because that it what was viewed as being "right." Also, it has impacted my experiences in various ways and one being the most obvious is the feeling of safety. As a woman, there are many instances where I feel my safety is at risk because it's dark outside, or I'm alone, or only being surrounded by men. It is very sad but true.

As for my race, I am white since I was born and raised in the United States. I would say this has impacted my play because it allowed me to interact with other students since I had been taught English due to where I was growing up, but also knowing Spanish because of my parents. Additionally, I would say it has impacted my development due to the opportunities I have been given in this country as well as not having to fear of being taken away from it. I am able to go around my life knowing that I am a US citizen even if the fear of my skin tone sometimes appears.

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Intersectionality And Possibility + All In A Day's Play readings

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Thinking back to what I first wrote, most of what I said is how I still feel. Every day I am able to have beautiful interactions with both students and adults on the UT campus due to being able to speak both English and Spanish. It makes me feel extremely grateful when I am able to speak to somebody or help somebody who speaks only Spanish. However, since the last update, I have discovered a new feeling about being able to speak only English and Spanish, I tend to get very upset with myself when I am unable to communicate with them. While I know I may not be able to speak every language in my lifetime, I think sometimes I don't realize how I have stopped learning languages since being able to communicate in English and Spanish. I am able to communicate with my family, my close friends, and my teachers that I seem to have ignored the times when I am unable to communicate with strangers. I seem to have stopped my education in language and would now like to further it.

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Emancipating Play + Reconceptualizing Assistance readings

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As someone who hasn't had a disability that has negatively impacted my schooling, I cannot say that I have experienced ableism firsthand. However, I am able to identify how the abilities I obtain have allowed me to smoothly communicate with my peers as well as easily flow through my schooling practices. Additionally, my abilities have allowed me to express my agency in the sense of being able to do everything I want to do solely on my own, being able to voice my interests and needs, as well as being able to go through my daily life routines without difficulties. Furthermore, I am able to identify the times in which I want to help out individuals whom I am able to see a physical disability with, however, I have practiced reminding myself that a disability isn't a call for help. And through ableism and other discussions, I am able to do much better in understanding the abilities I have and the abilities others have and see their positives in all lights.

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Using Postcolonial Theory + Preschool in Three Cultures reading.

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Theories of Childhood + Playful Learning readings

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Whose Story Is It + Technology and Interactive Media readings

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Last Child In The Woods + Unruly Racoons and Troubled Educators readings

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I Keep Me Safe reading

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Continuing through college, I have noticed culture taking a more impactful role in my life. I have seen this through engaging with other students who share my culture where we are able to connect due to this similarity. I have seen this through the events I attend and how they showcase the Hispanic culture or their foods. Additionally, I have also taken more notice of the ways this power of dominant culture has impacted me and my life. This can be something as simple as feeling odd when I go to eat breakfast with my friends and I notice the lack of beans which was always served with my breakfast in my Mexican household. Or how I get very excited when Spanish music plays at parties or events and I want to dance a certain way but my friends around me don't know how to. While I know my culture has always impacted various aspects of myself and my life, I think that as I become older and meet many different people, I am beginning to see those impacts more largely.

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I can visibly see how the role of technology has and is currently expanding over the course of my life. As a college student, it is very evident how technology plays a huge role in my academic life. I use my computer and iPad to do homework and write down reminders and notes. I use my phone to find my classes in the beginning of the semesters. The entirety of our work is on canvas which is entirely online. While I wish I wasn't so heavily reliant on technology, it is unfortunately just the way the world is continuing to work and I have to learn how to stay caught up with that. At the end of the day, technology is so helpful and is a great tool for various things. However, I do try to give myself time away from screens by reading, writing, or even just talking with my friends on the lawn. It is important to remember that while technology is a huge part of our lives, it isn't our life and we need to keep the non-digital aspects in just as much of an important lane.

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My mother is from Durango, Mexico and my dad is from Monterrey, Mexico. My mother came to the United States with her aunt at age 18 and my father came to the United States at age 17 to provide better financially for his family. My family and I now live in Fort Worth, Texas. After some research, some of the first groups of indigenous people to be in the Fort Worth, Texas area are the Karankawa Indians and the Comanche Nation. While I do not know much about these people, it is interesting to see how they inhabited the lands and how they lived as a community. Continuing on, I think the perspective I have on land and Earth has expanded because of Javier's talk on Tuesday. It really helped me understand that things we pass by every day have such deep historical meaning and it's important to be aware of them. Additionally, I think my idea of play has been impacted by this topic because it made me think of ways we can include community learning while in education environments with children especially because it can help kids create an idea of themselves as individuals and as a community. I also believe that my idea of the outdoors has shifted into a perspective of people in unison with land instead of just land itself.

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Before taking this course, I never realized how many things adults do unconsciously that can negatively impact the growth and development of children. However, I also never realized all the things we can do to support their growth and development. I have learned that as a future educator and adult that I need to allow children their agency as a way to allow them to discover things about themselves and others. I also need to encourage them to speak more about their interests instead of just saying "Good job." Furthermore, by allowing children to be who they are and who they will be, I can also learn from them. I can learn about the care and empathy they show others. Or how aware they are of the people and things around them. And overall, I have learned that adults aren't power holders. We don't need to restrict and contract everything we do. As adults, we're helpers when needed, we're guidance when sought, and we are exactly who children are, learners.