Experiencing an "-ism".

      
The "-ism" I can most relate and have had happen to me would be ageism, both being the youngest employee as well as one of the oldest. In my first job I was not even finished with college and having to work with others who were older than me and had more knowledge about how therapeutic child care worked. I came in with lots of wonderful ideas only to have most of them shot down without even a reason why they would not work. But I stay with the job and realized that to change things it would have to come slowly and carefully.


The other teachers saw me as the "newbie" grilling me about my past and what I like to do in my free time and if I had ever done anything illegal. Making it hard for me to want to share anything with them or even share what I had just learned from college about child development. Then the children had a hard time listening to me because they knew I was new and may not stay long. I guess I had been the third or fourth new teacher they had had in the classroom in as many months. So when I found this out I was determined to stay and show them I cared when the second month came and went they realized that I was going to stay.  Some of the staff started to listen as well as the children but I was still seen as the “newbie”.


The changes happened when our license change to having toddler and the preschool age teachers wondering why the toddlers would listen and follow direction better than the preschool age children. First my new co-teacher and I set out clear rule and role for the children and us. I was not the one who neither was always on bathroom duty nor was I the one in charge of cleaning up every mess the children made. These are a few of the jobs I was first assigned to when I arrived to working at my first child care job. The co-teacher I worked with taught me about working with children in chaos or "at risk" and with special needs and I taught her about making schedules and keeping to a routine.


Now I am at the other end of the spectrum.  Realizing that I have a lot to share but I have learned to wait to share until asked.  I am also older than many of the families I serve and have no problem sharing that fact with any of them.  I keep my gray hair (its been gray for a number of years)  to lend some credibility to what I say and have experienced but I also feel it may be something that is holding me back from getting some of the jobs I have applied for, cannot prove it type of thing.  


Remembering how I was treated as the young new person. I choose to treat the new teachers I hire very differently and listen to what they say and try out the new ideas and if they work great or change them if needed.  I feel no matter how old you are respect is important to how things get done in the work place.  You can still be the boss and friend as the role fits within your work day.  Listen to the young employees they have new knowledge but do not discount those who are older because they are most likely willing to learn new things as well.