Ecological Mapping

Assignment
By Julia Vasquez

Bioecology refers to the role organisms play in shaping their environment over time.

The social context of individual interactions and experiences determines the degree to which
individuals can develop their abilities and realize their potentials. (Brofenbrenner & Morris 2006)

Microsystem: Activities and relationships with significant others experienced by a developing person
in a particular small setting such as family, school, peer group, or community.

My Family:
Mom: Juana
Dad: Eleuterio
And five siblings

Media:
I watched The Brady
Bunch, The Twighlight
Zone, Eight is Enough,
Romper Room, as well as
read and enjoyed Highlight
magazine

Julia
Vasquez
born
11/8/1969
Community:
Paul Nelson Pool,
the Santa Maria
Valley Y.M.C.A., and
our local library

School:
I attended Alvin
Elementary School, Fesler
Jr. High School, El Camino
Jr. High, and later graduated
from the Delta Adult
Diploma Program

Peer Group:
My friends were Monica,
Natasha, April, Theresa,
Laura, and Elvia.

Mesosystem: linkages and interrelationships between two or more of a persons microsystems.

I attended the same elementary
school from Kindergarten to
sixth grade. I was involved in a
gymnastics assembly that my
mom attended, when I was in
sixth grade.

Family
School

Media

I enjoyed watching family

programs, such as the Waltons
(a program about family life in
the early 1900s) with my
parents.

Julia

My parents, and older siblings

struggled with addiction and
abuse, therefore their involvement
in my life was minimal.

Peers

I enjoyed riding bikes,

playing tag, and other
childhood games with
my friends

Community
I occasionally went to
the public pool,
YMCA, or the Public
Library with my
siblings.

Exosystem: settings in which children do not participate, but which affect them in one of their microsystems.
When I was in 3rd grade my
teacher organized a field trip
to the PCPA Theatrefest, to
watch the play based on the
story of Helen Keller as well
as showed many history films
in class. I was inspired by the
story of this little girl who
was visually impaired, yet her
teacher never gave up on her.
I wanted to be strong too.
The visual stimulation, as
well as reenactments of
people and places that we
were studying began to
produce a hunger for
learning within me.

When I was in 3rd

grade the school
board opened a
resource reading
room for all students
from 3rd to 6th grade.
Through this
program I learned
that I actually loved
reading and writing.

Parents
Employment
Public
Programs

family

media
school
School Board & PTA

Julia

peers
community
Local
Government

My father was a truck driver, so he was hardly home. I was

unprotected from abusive behavior of my older siblings. My
mom worked in agriculture, and was hardly home. Neither
of my parents had much time to be involved in my
education. When I entered Jr. High school, my teachers
recalled the great difficulties that they had experienced with
my older siblings. Sadly, there pre-judgment of me, based
on my siblings behavior, led me to react in negative ways. I
communicated this to my mother and she had me
transferred to El Camino Jr. High where I received support
and encouragement from a school counselor, who
encouraged me very much.

The friends I had were from

low-income families, as was I.
We all struggled academically
because of the stress of our
home lives.

The City Council via the City of Santa

Maria Parks and Recreation Dept.,
offered affordable entrance fees for
the pool. In the summer the public
pool was open. And at least a few
times during summer vacation my
siblings and I would go to the pool to
refresh ourselves

Macrosystem: the society and subculture to which the developing person belongs, with particular reference to the
belief systems, lifestyles, patterns of social interaction and life changes.
Religion:
The First Baptist
church offered free
transportation to
church Sunday
mornings. It was there
that first learned about
the love of God, and
this gave me hope, as
well as a moral
foundation to live by.

Public
Programs

media

family

School Board & PTA

Technology:
I am 43 years of age. I have experienced many
technological changes along the way. From
vinyl records, to 8traks, cassette tapes, cds,
mp3 players, ipods, smart phones, typewriters,
computers, to the internet. It has taken many
adjustments to leave the old way of doing
things (such as putting together a power point
presentation, as opposed to writing a hand
written report with illustrations).
Technological improvements, will forever be a
challenge to me, and will cause me to continue
to grow.

Parents
Employment

peers

school
Local
Government

community
Public
Programs

Ethnicity and Culture:

Although I endured a great deal of
racism, because I am of Hispanic
decent. My culture is beautiful, and my
grandparents shared this rich heritage
with me. Every Christmas we gathered
at their home to make tamales, and to
make good memories.

State welfare and lowincome housing.

Economics:
Many of my peers lived in public housing, and
their mothers were able to be home with
them, rather than working the long hours that
my parents did. I was able to visit their homes,
and was sometimes invited to stay for dinner.
This had a profound effect upon me, because
in my home food was very scarce. Thankfully
my family qualified for the free lunch
program. Through this Government program,
and the generosity of my friends mothers I
had food to eat most days of the week.

Chronosystem: temporal changes in ecological systems or within individuals, producing new conditions that affect development.

My grandfather
suffered a debilitating
stroke. This ended our
family Christmas
traditions. I was very
sad, and lonely.
My grandfather died
approximately three
years after his initial
stroke.

Ethnicity & culture

Religion & Faith

Peers/community

Public
Programs

School Board & PTA

family

community

Family/school

Media/school

ME

school

Parents
Employment

media
peers

School/peers

Media/family
Economics

I was approximately ten years of age when

the scientific prediction of a devastating
earthquake, which would disconnect
California from the continent, was
reported on the program 60 Minutes. I
had nightmares of our entire state falling
into the ocean. To this day, sometimes
these dreams still haunt me.

Local
Government

My mom worked many hours, therefore my little brother and I were left unsupervised and with little nurturing. Both he
and I were sexually abused by an older sibling. My little brother and I slept fully clothed and with our shoes on from then
on; to protect ourselves and to be ready to run. My younger brother resides in a California State penitentiary now, and
with all of my heart I want to make the world a better place for children and their families, so that others can be saved
from the torment of neglect and abuse.

Technology

When I was twelve years of age, due to my

fathers infidelity and his abusive behavior, my
parents divorced. My dad moved to Alaska, in
order to evade having to pay child support for
my younger brother and I. My mom became,
what she called a, workaholic. She worked
three jobs. It felt as though my parents not
only divorced each other, but it was clear to
me that they had divorced us as well. I was
responsible for my two year old brother and
for the housework. I quit school when I was
only in eighth grade; my mom supported my
decision because she needed me at home. I felt
used and uncared for. I began abusing drugs to
escape the torment of my lonely life, and to
drown out the sorrow which my grandfathers
death, and my parents abandonment had
produced in my life. I felt as though no one
loved me. I still have difficulty trusting
significant people in my life.

Every part of my ecological map represent the paths of socialization influences that have served to shape me, mold me,
and ultimately to develop the woman that I am today. Since my childhood family, which is the most important influence in
a developing persons microsystem, was unable to provide the protection, love, and support which a growing child needs in
order to develop properly; I believe that by means of the macrosystem that God provided for me through the Christian
church and faith in Him, He has, and continues to provide all of the unconditional love that I was so lacking in the
beginning of my life. My faith in God, my wonderfully patient husband Lance, and the children he has blessed me with,
have given me the strength that I need to accept the challenges that have been a part of my life, and to learn to allow the
early socialization influences, and experiences in my life to shape me into a person who looks beyond my own pain to help
others realize the potential they possess to no longer live shattered lives.
My culture, another important part of my macrosystem, will always be
a big part of my identity. To this day, I enjoy making tamales every
Christmas with my children, nephews, grandchildren, and extended
family.
Bioecology is defined in our textbook as, the role organisms play
in shaping their environment over time. I have come to liken this to a
delicate clay vessel that is being formed and shaped by various potters
hands. It is my desire to become a skillful potter, as I shape the
socialization, and development of the delicate vessels (children and
families), which I have the honor of influencing.
The fears which once dominated my life, no longer can imprison me. I
am now free to not only enjoy the life that I have been blessed with,
but I have been granted the privilege of learning how to help others to
become free from theirs.

Julia Vasquez

For I know the

thoughts that I think
toward you, says the
Lord, thoughts of
peace and not of
evil, to give you a
future and a hope.
Jeremiah 29:11
(NKJV of the Bible)