Evaluating Impacts on Professional Practice

Evaluating Impacts on Professional Practice

In my professional life as an educator I have experienced ageism. Ageism is discrimination against a certain age group and in this particular setting it was millennials. I am the lead teacher in the three year old classroom and I have a teacher assistant who is in her mid thirties. Before the parents come to me, they will first approach my assistant. When there is a problem, they will go to my assistant before coming to me. I believe this has a lot to do with her years of being at head start but most importantly her age. 

I will admit, yes I can be a little shy and this is something that I am working more on each and everyday I step foot into that classroom; but even if I wasn't such a laid back teacher I believe that they still would approach Mrs. Pinkney before they approach me. There are already request for children to be in her class and as I forestated I believe this is due to the longevity of being on the job as well as her age. 

Older adults seem to believe that anyone under 30 can not do the job as well as someone who is 30 and older so they cling to the one that is older. I have been a head start teacher for two years now and experiencing ageism has showed me that being bias hurts and leaves a huge impact on the victim. It makes you feel that you are not good enough although you have put in much time and effort to get where you are. This is why I practice being anti-bias daily. Not only professionally but personally as well.