Beginning (or Continuing) the Journey to a More Equitable Classroom
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5/10/2021 Beginning (or Continuing) the Journey to a More Equitable Classroom | NAEYC
Beginning (or Continuing) the Journey to a
More Equitable Classroom
Resources / Publications / Teaching Young Children / Winter 2021 / Beginning (or Continuing) the
Journey to a More Equitable Classroom
JANIS STRASSER LLARILEY COPLIN
Teacher Carly is preparing to read aloud her 4-year-old
s t u d e n t s ’ f a v o r i t e b o o k , T h e P i g e o n F i n d s a H o t D o g, b y M o
Willems. All, except for Jamal, are quietly sitting on the rug
and waiting for her to begin. As she scans the group, her eyes
stop on Jamal. She takes a breath and thinks, “Why is Jamal
always interrupting, fidgeting, and bothering everyone while I
read?” Just then, Jamal starts to make loud chewing noises
and offers imaginary hot dogs to the children sitting next to
him. “Why is he always so difficult?” she ponders.
As the United States becomes more aware of the many ways that bias permeates our
everyday lives, things are changing. Companies (big and small), sports organizations,
musicians, and other popular figures are reexamining–or examining for the first time–
the words and images that they convey. They are recognizing and, in some cases, making
changes to products and advertisements to counter stereotypical, unfair, or hurtful
representations of race, gender, and other aspects of identity. For example, the labels and
names of Aunt Jemima syrup and Uncle Ben’s rice are undergoing changes,
acknowledging that they are based on racial stereotypes. And to encourage gender
identity inclusion, the Cartoon Network celebrated LGBTQIA+ Pride month and has
claimed to “Stand Proud All Year Long.”
As educators, we too must take a look inward and evaluate our own thoughts, ideas, and
practices, as we acknowledge our past mistakes and strive for equity. Doing this kind of
thinking, reflecting, and improvement can be overwhelming, uncomfortable, or upsetting.
It is also a necessity. Here are just a few reasons why:
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• Some preschool teachers unconsciously feel that Black boys are more
likely to misbehave and have lower expectations from Black boys than
other children. They are much more likely to be suspended and even
expelled from preschool than their White peers.
• There are inaccuracies and gaps in how cultures, groups of people, and
events are written about and represented in books, in the media, and in
education. For example, Columbus Day and Thanksgiving are not
celebrations for many people.
• Children from LGBTQIA+ families, or children who identify as gender
fluid or gender nonconforming, may be bullied and marginalized.
These findings from research by no means represent the wide range of biased thinking,
language, and behaviors that can occur in educational settings. Indeed, what research
shows is that we all have implicit or unconscious associations and feelings that affect the
way we make decisions and act. Sometimes we have these feelings even though they are
contrary to our conscious or declared beliefs. They are the stories we unconsciously make
up in our minds about people or groups without knowing or understanding the facts.
Becoming aware of them can help us grow and change.
NAEYC’s position statement on Advancing Equity in Early Childhood Education and a
key NAEYC book, Anti-Bias Education for Young Children and Ourselves, by Louise
Derman-Sparks and Julie Olsen Edwards with Catherine M. Goins (2020), ask us to
carefully consider how biases contribute to our work with children. Biases can influence
the verbal and nonverbal interactions and messages we send children and the way we
look at particular classroom situations and children’s behavior.
Knowing that we all have implicit biases and, simultaneously, have the capacity to change
our thinking and improve our practices, we’ve outlined four steps that early childhood
educators can take to understand our own biases and to take action to advance equity:
1. Reflect on your current beliefs, attitudes, and practices.
2. Set goals that connect to or come from your self-reflection.
3. Identify steps to take toward achieving your goals, finding resources, and taking
action.
4. Assess your progress and look ahead.
Early childhood educators are known for being lifelong learners and committed to
continually growing as professionals. These steps can be a part of your overall
professional development, and we suggest finding supportive colleagues and mentors to
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join you on this journey.
Reflect on current beliefs,
attitudes, and practices
To begin, ask yourself a series of questions about your beliefs, attitudes, and experiences
related to children, families, and the broader world around you. For example:
• Do you notice when a Black boy starts wiggling around on the rug more
than when a White boy does this?
• Do you engage in one-on-one conversations with certain children much
more often than others?
• Do you feel uncomfortable during a conference with two moms?
• Do you think that it is silly when you hear that some teachers don’t
want to have a Thanksgiving feast or teach the names of Columbus’s three
ships?
Set goals
Based on your reflections, create one to two goals. Give yourself a timeline with at least
one short-term and one long-term goal. For example:
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• Finding developmentally appropriate ways to acknowledge and
support positive behaviors of the students who display challenging
behaviors
• Getting to know each child and family in your setting
• Understanding the history and issues behind the LGBTQIA+
movement
• Learning more about why Columbus Day and Thanksgiving are days of
mourning for Native American people and how to accurately teach
children about the history about these days
Identify steps to take, find
resources, and take action
After creating your goals, select and engage in activities that will help you make progress
toward reaching them. These actions may include:
• reading books, articles, and blogs
• watching videos online and listening to podcasts
• attending workshops and conference sessions (in person or virtually)
• trying out new strategies, activities, and materials in your setting
• discussing your questions, learning, and progress with a trusted
colleague and asking them to observe you
• connecting with families to learn more about their experiences, hopes,
and concerns
Assess your progress and look
ahead
After giving yourself sufficient time to take action, it is important to gauge your progress,
including:
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• successes you’ve experienced
• challenges or setbacks you’ve encountered
• how children’s learning and your relationships with them have been
impacted
• how partnerships with families have improved
• questions that remain
• evidence of your journey (writing, photos, video recordings)
Let’s take a peek at Teacher Carly’s journey as she used these four steps to understand
more about her implicit bias toward Jamal and to grow as an educator and person.
Carly begins by reflecting back on her thoughts about Jamal.
Is he really always engaged in negative behaviors, or does she
notice his behaviors more than others’? Does she recognize
and build on his strengths? Carly thinks about the fact that
she only has one or two Black children in her class each year.
She wonders whether she, unconsciously, has different
opinions and expectations about children of color, and she
wonders if she takes the time to connect with families of color
as often as she does White families?
So she sets goals for herself. Her long-term goal is to identify
and understand her own biases. One short-term goal is to
observe Jamal’s behaviors during read aloud and morning
meeting for two weeks. She will then analyze her notes for any
patterns in her words and actions and in Jamal’s behaviors.
Another short-term goal is to reach out to Jamal’s family to
learn about their expectations for him, his strengths, and any
questions they may have.
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After setting these goals, Carly identifies steps to take to
support her efforts. She creates a form to record her and
Jamal’s behaviors and asks her assistant teacher to use it too
so they can compare notes. Carly also begins using a journal
for each child to send home a positive note about the child’s
day. Families can add to the journal about their child too.
Finally, Carly asks the director of the program if they can
devote time during each staff meeting to discuss resources
about understanding and countering bias (see “Beginning [or
Continuing] Your Journey toward Equity” and “Further
Resources to Support Your Journey” below for suggested
resources), with each teacher having a chance to lead a
discussion about one resource.
Six months later, Carly looks back to assess her work with
Jamal and her own growth. She notes successes: for example,
she placed picture books and props into the dramatic play
area and observed Jamal frequently acting out stories and
creating puppet shows with the other children. He also likes
to bring some of these materials home to perform for his
family.
Her program’s staff has also begun to engage in many
meaningful, sometimes difficult conversations during their
monthly meetings. Spurred by these powerful discussions,
they plan to hold a book club next year focused on Anti-Bias
E d u c a t i o n f o r Y o u n g C h i l d r e n a n d O u r s e l v es , a n d t h e y w i l l
set goals, take action, and assess their progress in
implementing anti-bias strategies and examining their own
thinking and behaviors.
Having committed to this journey, Carly feels proud that she’s
been able to confront her biases and reexamine how she
interacts with students and families, to improve her
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classroom practices, and to increase her leadership role in her
setting.
Conclusion
It can be scary to have conversations about race, gender, and other topics that you aren’t
comfortable talking about. But, with dedicated planning, action, and reflection, your
quest to understand and address your own biases will make a difference in young
children’s and families’ lives and yours too.
Beginning (or Continuing) Your Journey toward Equity
Here are some resources to get you started on your journey.
Read Online
• Dena Simmons’s “How to Be an Antiracist Educator” in ASCD
Education Update, October 2019.
• Dana Williams’s Beyond the Golden Rule: A Parent’s Guide to
Preventing and Responding to Prejudice.
• NAEYC’s Advancing Equity Initiative, Advocacy Resources, and
recent content on equity and diversity from NAEYC’s publications.
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• Teaching Tolerance’s resources (use the search word “preschool”)
and online magazine.
Listen to These Podcasts
• NPR’s Parenting: Difficult Conversations: “Talking Race with
Young Children” (20 minutes)
• Harvard EdCast: “Unconscious Bias in Schools” (28 minutes)
• The Early Link Podcast: “Soobin Oh Discusses Anti-Bias Education
in Early Childhood” (34 minutes)
• BBC Radio 4’s Analysis: “Implicit Bias” (27 minutes)
Watch online
• Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s “The Danger of a Single Story” (18
minutes)
• Russell McClain’s “Implicit Bias, Stereotype Threat, and Higher
Education” for TEDxUMBaltimore (11 minutes)
• Alice Goffman’s “How We’re Priming Some Kids for College and
Others for Prisons” (15 minutes)
• “Tyler Perry Speaks from the Heart about Racial Injustice and the
World He Wants for His Son” for People magazine (9 minutes)
• “Native American Girls Describe the Real History Behind
Thanksgiving” for Teen Vogue (2 minutes)
• “Why These Native Americans Observe A National Day of
Mourning Each Thanksgiving” for HuffPost (5 minutes)
• “Columbus Day vs. Indigenous Peoples Day” for KARE 11 News (4
minutes)
Further Resources to Support Your Journey
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Here is a recommended reading list to support your anti-biased work with
young children.
Burt, T., A. Gelnaw, & L.K. Lesser. 2010. “Do No Harm: Creating Welcoming and
Inclusive Environments for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBTQ) Families
in Early Childhood Settings.” Young Children 65 (1): 97–101.
Bisson, J. 1997. Celebrate: An Anti-Bias Guide to Enjoying Holidays in Early Childhood
Programs. St. Paul, Minnesota: Redleaf Press.
Bigelow, B., & B. Peterson (eds). 1998. Rethinking Columbus: The Next 500 Years, 2nd
edition. Milwaukee: Rethinking Schools.
Derman-Sparks, L., J.O. Edwards, & C.M. Goins. 2020. Anti-Bias Education for Young
Children and Ourselves, 2nd edition. Washington, DC: NAEYC.
Friedman, S., & A. Mwenelupembe, 2020. Each and Every Child: Teaching Preschool
with an Equity Lens. Washington, DC: NAEYC.
Jones, G., & S. Moomaw. 2002. Lessons from Turtle Island: Native Curriculum in Early
Childhood Classrooms. St. Paul: Redleaf Press.
Gallavan, N. 2010. Multicultural Education, 15th edition. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Gilliam, W.S., A.N. Maupin, M. Accavitti, & F. Shic. 2016. “Do Early Educators’ Implicit
Biases Regarding Sex and Race Relate to Behavior Expectations and Recommendations
of Preschool Expulsions and Suspensions?” Research study. New Haven: Yale University
Child Study Center.
https://medicine.yale.edu/childstudy/zigler/publications/Preschool%20Implicit%20Bia
s%20Policy%20Brief_final_9_26_276766_5379_v1.pdf
Gonzalez-Mena, J. 2008. Diversity in Early Care and Education: Honoring Differences,
5th edition. Washington, DC: NAEYC.
Hyland, N. 2010. “Social Justice in Early Childhood Classrooms: What Research Tells
Us.” Young Children 65 (1): 82–90.
Jaboneta, N., & D. Curtis. 2019. “‘What If I Say the Wrong Thing?’ Talking about Identity
with Young Children.” Teaching Young Children 12 (4): 16–19.
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Mwenelupembe, A. 2020. “6x: What to Do To Prevent Preschool Expulsion.” Teaching
Young Children 13 (3): 10–11.
NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children). 2019. “Now Read
This!: Books that Support Diversity, Conversations, and Play.” Teaching Young Children
12 (2): 20–21.
Wolpert, E. 2005. Start Seeing Diversity: The Basic Guide to an Anti-Bias Classroom. St.
Paul: Redleaf Press.
Special Thanks to NAEYC member Emmy Brockman who shared her List of
Anti-racism Resources for Parents/Educators of Young Children on
NAEYC’s online forum HELLO.
Photographs: © Getty Images
Copyright © 2021 National Association for the Education of Young Children. See
permissions and reprints online at NAEYC.org/resources/permissions.
Audience: Teacher
Age: Preschool
Topics: Child Development, Social and Emotional Development, Curriculum,
Assessment, Classroom Management, Classroom Management, Other Topics, Equity,
Anti Bias, Diversity, TYC
JANIS STRASSER
Janis Strasser is professor emerita from William Paterson University. Prior to that she
was a preschool and kindergarten teacher. She is coauthor of the NAEYC book Big
Questions for Young Minds: Extending Children’s Thinking.
LLARILEY COPLIN
Llariley Coplin is a student at Boston University majoring in Public Relations and an
advocate for social justice.
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© National Association for the Education of Young Children
1401 H Street NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20005 | (202)232-8777 | (800)424-2460 |
help@naeyc.org
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Building Anti-Bias Early Childhood Programs:
The Role of the Leader
Resources / Publications / Young Children / May 2015 / Building Anti-Bias Early Childhood Programs:
The Role of the Leader
LOUISE DERMAN-SPARKS DEBBIE LEEKEENAN JOHN NIMMO
This article is excerpted from Leading Anti-Bias Early
Childhood Programs: A Guide for Change (2015), by Louise
Derman-Sparks, Debbie LeeKeenan, and John Nimmo,
published jointly by Teachers College Press and NAEYC. The
book provides a framework and detailed practical strategies
for the leader’s role in working strategically with staff,
families, and the community to implement an anti-bias
approach. www.naeyc.org/store
An anti-bias early childhood care and education (ECCE) program puts diversity and
equity goals at the center of all aspects of its organization and daily life. It involves much
more than adding new materials and activities into the already existing learning
environment. Rather, broad systemic changes are necessary. The learning environment
and curriculum, as well as program policies, structures, procedures, and processes, all
come into play. Change also includes the attitudes of the individuals who serve the
children and families. In sum, it is “a process, not an event” (Kugelmass 2004, 6).
While the urgency to implement anti-bias education is great from the perspective of the
children’s needs, the process of change happens over time; an anti-bias education leader
must plan for the long haul. Successful anti-bias education change needs an intentional
and thoughtful strategic approach.
Building an anti-bias ECCE program requires shifting the dominant-culture core of a
program’s thinking, organizational structures, and practice. It means intentionally
moving to a many-cultures anti-bias approach. Shifting the culture of a program brings
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groups at the margin of early childhood theory and practice into the center of all that
happens. Shifting the culture also requires adjustment to the dominant and traditional
approaches to ECCE to incorporate other ways of thinking and doing (Anderson & Collins
2001).
Anti-bias leadership builds on the core principles and best leadership practices of the
early childhood care and education field. These include relationships of mutual caring
and respect; sharing knowledge; reflective, intentional teaching; and collaboration among
the staff and between staff and the program leader (Morgan 2000).
Fostering reflective anti-bias
educators
Anti-bias education cannot be mastered in a one-time workshop or by reading a book.
Most teachers largely learn how to do anti-bias education on the job, in specific settings
with specific children and families. Anti-bias leaders provide the necessary time, space,
resources, support, and facilitation for teachers and other staff to be part of the process of
change. They build a community of learners that enables everyone to explore and grapple
with anti-bias issues. A collaborative style of leadership, the preferred early childhood
education model, empowers staff members to first begin and then take ownership of their
anti-bias work. Anti-bias work grows best in an environment where collegial, mutually
respectful relationships among staff and between staff and the program leader are the
norm and where a culture exists that fosters open conversation and dialogue, reflection,
and risk taking.
All early childhood programs have a staff with a range of awareness, interests, and
experiences with diversity and anti-bias education. As the program leader, your charge is
to find ways to provide a variety of learning opportunities for all of the staff. You should
scaffold the anti-bias education growth of the individual staff members, as well as the
movement of the group as a whole.
Managing and negotiating
disequilibrium and conflict
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Anti-bias work does generate disagreements and dissonance. These dynamics are
inevitable as teachers, families, and administrators act on their deeply held and diverse
values regarding childrearing and education. Broader contested grounds in ECCE, such
as whether schools should have a role in achieving social justice, also fuel these conflicts.
Emotional and cognitive disequilibrium often occur in conflict situations, accompanied
by a range of feelings such as anger, frustration, and discomfort.
A collaborative style of leadership empowers staff members to
first begin and then take ownership of their anti-bias work.
From a constructivist framework, conflict is a productive part of the learning process. The
disequilibrium created by conflict is a prelude to problem solving and sharing
information, creating opportunities for people to expand and shift their perspectives and
behaviors. With this in mind, anti-bias education leaders embrace conflict as a healthy
dynamic in the pursuit of change.
Conflicts in anti-bias endeavors occur when there is dissonance between two or more
perspectives on a specific equity, diversity, or bias issue. As program leader, you have
significant influence over the course of anti-bias conflict situations at your program and
the potential for positive learning and behavioral outcomes. These efforts do not begin
when an angry parent or staff member storms into the office. The program climate you
create affects which issues become conflicts, as well as the possibility for productive
change through conflict. Uncovering and examining one’s own fears about the potential
for conflict is [another] important step. As part of being strategic, it is necessary to think
realistically about the possible reactions to anti-bias change from the various
stakeholders and broader community. At the same time, you do not want fears about
those real reactions to rule what you do or don’t do. You have to do a mental assessment
and determine if your fears stem from a perceived or a real problem.
Conflict among stakeholders about anti-bias work is not, in principle, about winners and
losers. Finding win-win solutions to specific conflicts is always the first strategy.
However, reality is likely to be more complex.
We have found that working from the concept of conflict maintenance (Olatunji 1998) is
particularly useful. From this perspective, you manage conflict in a way that moves the
program forward to greater equity and inclusion, rather than simply seeking a quick end
to the conflict. Managing conflict productively requires dealing with each situation in its
real-life context. You would listen closely to stakeholders, support the respectful sharing
of perspectives, and reflect on decisions in the context of multiple views. This requires
perseverance and the ability to accept the uncertainly of not knowing the outcome
immediately. It also calls on all involved to be open to changing their thinking and to
trying out new ways of acting.
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Finding the third space
We view the third space as a place where people in conflict, through a distinct process of
communication, reach agreement that goes beyond their initial positions. A third-space
solution is particularly desirable because it draws on the creativity and openness of both
parties to arrive at a new alternative that does not favor either position. This is both an
intellectual and emotional experience in which the participants create fresh
understandings and solutions. Engaging in it requires that people are willing to enter into
dialogue with respect for each other and a willingness to learn (Freire 1970). When
possible, the leader models this process in conflicts with stakeholders and facilitates these
discussions between teachers and families.
The following steps of acknowledge, ask, and adapt constitute a useful third-space
strategy for responding to conflicts, particularly those involving differences in cultural
perspectives (adapted from Derman-Sparks 2013).
Step 1: Acknowledge
• Acknowledge that a culture or values clash exists
• Recognize the feelings for yourself and those involved
• Clearly communicate that a problem exists and needs attending
• Avoid becoming defensive or rushing to judgment
Step 2: Ask
• Collect information that contributes to understanding the underlying
issues
• Find out what the issue means to the family, what the family would do
or has done in the past
• Clarify the priorities and the values involved
• Examine your own fears and limitations
• Be open to the need to learn
• Hasten slowly—attend to relationships
Step 3: Adapt
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• Seek common ground
• Think creatively about alternative approaches
• Consider ways to adapt program policies and practices
• Consider the needs of the child as well as your responsibilities to other
children and families
• Be honest about nonnegotiable social justice values
Affirm nonnegotiable values
Conflict discussions and the resulting outcomes highlight the complexity of anti-bias
work. A basic premise is that the anti-bias approach does not mean that all beliefs and
values are acceptable. Rather, the four core goals of anti-bias education create a
framework within which discussions take place (Derman-Sparks & Edwards 2010). In a
given situation, one or more anti-bias principles may clash. Since these are not abstract
discussions, but attempts to reach behavioral decisions, one principle may have more
weight than another in any given outcome.
Strategic leadership requires you to step back from the fray in order to see what is going
on. Both teachers and families can lock into a particular viewpoint about what is best for
the child. At times, cultural practices will come into conflict with anti-bias values, and you
will need to tread carefully, show sensitivity, and be understanding of how change can be
difficult. You have to try to balance the several values of anti-bias education and create
movement toward the program’s mission. The hope is that ultimately groups in a conflict
come together and create a workable solution. Nevertheless, while it is important not to
be dogmatic and inflexible about goals, you also do not want to abandon the
nonnegotiable values of the program’s anti-bias mission.
Sometimes respecting the desires of families on the one hand, and of practicing
nonprejudice and nondiscrimination on the other hand, may be in contradiction.
Consider these possibilities: A parent tells the teacher that he does not want a child with a
disability in his son’s class because the child will take up too much of the teacher’s time.
Another parent informs the teacher she does not want her daughter sitting next to a child
whose mother is incarcerated. She is afraid that the child will be a bad influence or hurt
her own child. Finally, a parent asks the teacher to keep his child out of the dramatic play
area because playing there undermines cultural values about the role of men.
How can you balance the principles of respect for a family’s beliefs and of nonprejudice
and discrimination in these situations? Finding a resolution begins with communicating:
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I understand that you are uncomfortable with your child learning about this aspect of
diversity. Here at the center we believe strongly that we have to be inclusive of every
family. That makes it tough for us to resolve your concern. Tell me more about why you
feel so strongly. What might make it more comfortable for you, even though we cannot
do what you are asking because it discriminates against other children?
Fortunately, most conflict situations that rest on cultural differences in childrearing
practices have reachable solutions. All parties usually have to accept some changes from
what they had wanted. Sometimes the balance tips in favor of the family’s needs, at other
times in favor of the program. In some cases, you would need to make a final decision,
especially when the issue concerns what happens at the program or affects the
community rather than a single family or staff member. If it is about a practice at the
center, you may need to say, “Well, this is the best we can do,” and the parent may
respond, “Okay, we can live with that.” If it is a practice in the home, ultimately the
parents have the right to make that decision if it does not affect what happens in the
program.
You will also have times when you have to let go of a desired outcome, at least for the
time being, in order to build deeper relationships of trust in the program. We have found
that even when a third-space outcome is not possible, staff, families, and administrators
still learn from the exploration of the multiple perspectives about the specific conflict.
Deeper and more authentic relationships often result.
Concluding thoughts:
Documenting the shift toward
anti-bias change
Program leaders have an ethical responsibility to hold themselves accountable to move
forward in their anti-bias mission. Documenting change in a program’s culture, staff, and
leadership throughout the year guides the forward movement of anti-bias work. You can
identify accomplishments, what more needs doing, and the patterns of change in your
program at the individual, classroom, and program levels. Revisions in practice and
policy; transformations in beliefs, assumptions, and attitudes; and shifts in the
relationships among community members are all part of what gets documented and
analyzed.
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One of the key challenges for you is capturing the changes in a staff’s consciousness as
well as the quality of adult–child and adult–adult interactions and relationships. The
authenticity and effectiveness of an anti-bias program is as much a function of these
elements as it is a result of changes in the curriculum and learning materials. Although
documenting changes in consciousness and interactions is delicate, it is important to try.
On a more personal level, we see [the documentation] process as an important
opportunity to celebrate your own and the community’s efforts and successes along the
way. Change is a long-term undertaking and program leaders do not always see the fruits
of their commitment to an anti-bias vision. A clear picture of where you have been and
where you are now in the journey helps sustain you.
Copyright © 2015 by Teachers College, Columbia University.
Photographs: courtesy of John Nimmo
Audience: Administrator (director or principal)
Topics: Other Topics, Equity, Anti Bias, Diversity, YC
LOUISE DERMAN-SPARKS
Louise Derman-Sparks, MA, has worked with children and adults in early childhood
education for more than 50 years and is a faculty emerita of Pacific Oaks College. She is
coauthor of several books, including Leading Anti-Bias Early Childhood Programs: A
Guide for Change, Anti-Bias Education for Young Children and Ourselves, and
Teaching/Learning Anti-Racism: A Developmental Approach.
https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/yc/may2015/building-anti-bias-programs# 7/85/10/2021 Building Anti-Bias Early Childhood Programs: The Role of the Leader | NAEYC
DEBBIE LEEKEENAN
Debbie LeeKeenan, MEd, is an early childhood consultant and lecturer
(www.antibiasleadersece.com) in Seattle, Washington. Debbie has been an educator for
over 45 years and worked with Carolyn Edwards at the University of Massachusetts Lab
School from 1986–1993. She was also a long-time director/lecturer at the Eliot-Pearson
Children’s School at Tufts University. debbie.leekeenan@gmail.com
JOHN NIMMO
John Nimmo, EdD, is associate professor of early childhood education at Portland State
University, in Oregon. John is co-editor with Carolyn Edwards and Lella Gandini of Loris
Malaguzzi and the Teachers: Dialogues on Collaboration and Conflict Among Children,
Reggio Emilia 1990. jnimmo@pdx.edu
© National Association for the Education of Young Children
1401 H Street NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20005 | (202)232-8777 | (800)424-2460 |
help@naeyc.org
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Enriching Lives, Advancing Equity: What We
Can Learn from Around the World
Resources / Publications / Young Children / March 2020 / Enriching Lives, Advancing Equity: What
We Can Learn from Around the World
LISA HANSEL
Take a moment to imagine a world where early childhood educators’ wishes have come
true: families with young children are well supported—offered everything from prenatal
healthcare to parental leave to quality options for early care and education. Teachers are
appreciated and are invested in as professionals, reaping the benefits of high-quality and
accessible preparation, engaging curriculum frameworks, adequate classroom resources,
ongoing and meaningful professional development, practical structures for family
engagement, and more! And a well-coordinated system of governance, funding, and
standards makes identifying and securing resources related to education and family well-
being straightforward and uncomplicated.
That world exists.
As Sharon Lynn Kagan, guest editor for this issue, and her team of researchers have
found, there are high-performing early care and education systems that show how
enriching the early years can be when societies make families a top priority.
Now imagine a world where families are torn apart by war: early childhood educators
struggle to help preschool-age refugees name and grapple with their emotions. That
world exists too. But emerging from it, as this Young Children cluster shows, is hope.
Early childhood educators are offering warmth and stability, and children are
demonstrating their extraordinary ability to heal.
This issue of Young Children takes you around the world. It shows that culture matters,
but that children’s need for love and nurturing is the same everywhere. It shows that
context matters, but that many contexts can provide for quality early childhood
education. Most important, it shows that the work of advancing equity and increasing
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excellence—of rethinking systems, tearing down barriers, creating new resources, and
enhancing teaching practices—is happening in and with radically different places and
peoples.
We begin with three complementary pieces—an introduction and two articles—offering
key findings from a multiyear, multinational study of high-performing early care and
education systems. In the introduction, “The Early Advantage: Lessons Learned from Six
Countries that Serve Children and Families Well,” Sharon Lynn Kagan sums up the
study’s core educational findings. Kagan writes, “We found that there are many common
elements of quality pedagogy, including a focus on the child, a commitment to play-based
learning, and a commitment to individualized formative assessment. There also are
important differences . . . high quality looked different in different countries.”
In the first article, “International Curriculum Frameworks: Increasing Equity and Driving
Systemic Change,” Samantha A. Melvin, Eva Landsberg, and Sharon Lynn Kagan, explain
how these high-performing countries create clarity about learning expectations with
national curriculum frameworks. Although teachers still have flexibility in creating
learning activities and environments, these curriculum frameworks are specific—they
give teachers a clear sense of what to teach and of effective approaches. As a result, these
frameworks increase consistency, quality, and equity across early education programs
and teacher preparation programs.
In the second article, Sharon Lynn Kagan explores the social, economic, and political
contexts of these systems in “Context Matters: Lessons Learned from the World’s
Highest-Performing Early Education Systems.” Explaining that these systems offer
holistic health, welfare, and education services throughout childhood, Kagan highlights
their high quality and equitable distribution. She writes, “In high-performing systems,
services offered to children begin early and last long. There simply is no substitute for
comprehensive, high-quality services.”
Indeed, there is no substitute. But anywhere a caring educator can spend time with a
child, learning and healthy development can happen. The power that early childhood
educators have to improve children’s lives is the heart of the next article, “Creating a
Sesame Street for the Syrian Response Region: How Media Can Help Address the Social
and Emotional Needs of Children Affected by Conflict,” by Shanna Kohn, Kim Foulds,
Katie Maeve Murphy, and Charlotte F. Cole. Sesame Workshop and the International
Rescue Committee have created Ahlan Simsim (Arabic for “Welcome Sesame”) to support
young children and their families. This is not simply a translation of Sesame Street; it’s
culturally attuned and specifically designed for children who have experienced conflict
and displacement. For educators in the US, the article ends with practical tips for
supporting social and emotional development among refugees, asylum seekers, and other
children who have experienced trauma.
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To close this Young Children cluster, we turn to a relatively new model for early
education that is growing in popularity: forest schools. Just as the name implies, these
are schools located in forests—virtually the entire school day takes place outside.
Independence and nature-inspired play tend to be prized, but plenty of “typical”
instruction happens too, though counting bears may be replaced by pinecones. In
“Walking into the Woods: Understanding German Waldkindergärtens,” Cecilia Maron-
Puntarelli enables readers to feel like they’ve spent a day in one of Germany’s 1,500
waldkindergärtens (nature and forest schools) for 3- to 6-year-olds. The children’s
initiative and the teachers’ trust are inspiring. Reflecting on the US context—especially
children in under-resourced urban communities—I hope that nature-based learning
becomes part of the agenda for advancing equity.
In all, this look around the world reminds us how much more we could be doing to
cherish and nurture all children. Let’s imagine: what if children’s well-being were this
nation’s top priority?
We’d love to hear from you!
Send your thoughts on this issue, and on topics you’d like to read about in future
issues of Young Children, to editorial@naeyc.org.
Would you like to see your children’s artwork featured in these pages? For guidance
on submitting print-quality photos (as well as details on permissions and licensing),
see NAEYC.org/resources/pubs/authors-photographers/photos.
Audience: Administrator (director or principal), Faculty, Teacher
Age: Early Primary, Kindergarten, Preschool
Topics: Other Topics, Educational Settings, Global, Equity, Cultural Competence,
Family Engagement, YC
https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/yc/mar2020/enriching-lives-advancing-equity# 3/45/10/2021 Enriching Lives, Advancing Equity: What We Can Learn from Around the World | NAEYC
LISA HANSEL
Lisa Hansel, EdD, is the editor in chief of NAEYC's peer-reviewed journal, Young
Children.
© National Association for the Education of Young Children
1401 H Street NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20005 | (202)232-8777 | (800)424-2460 |
help@naeyc.org
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Black Boys Matter: Strategies for a Culturally
Responsive Classroom
Resources / Publications / Teaching Young Children / April/May 2019 / Black Boys Matter: Strategies
for a Culturally Responsive Classroom
BRIAN L. WRIGHT
This is the second of two articles discussing ways teachers can
make their classrooms more welcoming and supportive
l e a r n i n g s p a c e s f o r B l a c k b o y s . T h e f i r s t a r t i c l e , “B l a c k B o y s
M a t t e r : C u l t i v a t i n g T h e i r I d e n t i t y , A g e n c y , a n d V o i c e, ” w a s
p u b l i s h e d i n t h e F e b / M a r c h 2 0 1 9 i s s u e o f T Y C.
In American classrooms—including preschool classrooms—studies show that Black boys
are more likely to be seen as “problem” children than their peers, and they are less likely
to be considered ready for school. For example, a Yale Child Center study found that
preschool teachers spent more time watching Black children than White children when
looking for disruptive behaviors. Proactive, culturally competent teachers can work to
counter these misperceptions and create classroom environments where Black boys feel
welcome to learn, dream, and be themselves.
In my previous article, I focused on how teachers can identify and begin addressing
unconscious biases about Black boys through self-reflection. Here, I offer teachers
practical suggestions to help them foster Black boys’ positive identity development,
promote agency and voice, and create conditions that will empower Black boys to succeed
in school.
A culturally responsive,
strengths-based approach
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It is important that teachers focus on what Black boys know, understand, and can do (as
opposed to what they cannot do or what they do not know or understand). Culturally
responsive, strengths-based teachers do not engage Black boys from a deficit perspective
(i.e., having “problems to fix” or being “at risk”). Instead, they seek to learn about Black
boys’ strengths, gifts, and talents.
Three ways teachers can take this approach are by tapping into the power of history,
celebrating Black boys in books, and rethinking school readiness.
Tapping into the power of history
Culturally responsive teachers work to affirm Black boys’ experiences through the content
of their lesson plans. They incorporate books, visuals, and other materials that reflect
Black histories, lives, and points of view.
For example, many preschool teachers use the concept of “history and me,” which
celebrates the richness of African American history and the roles Black boys and men
have played in bringing about social change through taking a stand for social justice and
equity. When teachers embed a “history and me” perspective within the social studies
curriculum, they also create opportunities to emphasize current examples of Black boys
and men as valuable community members.
This kind of exposure is critical to the boys’ development of a healthy sense of self and
agency. Learning about the important discoveries and courageous acts of Black boys and
men from the past and present can serve as an important reminder for today’s Black boys
to see themselves and their communities as vital parts of American history. It also
empowers them to challenge the “troublemaker” and “bad boy” stereotypes found in
typical portrayals of Black boys.
Reading and discussing carefully selected picture books is a great way to incorporate
“history and me” into preschool classrooms. For example, the biographical account
Richard Wright and the Library Card, written by William Miller, and historical fiction
such as Sit-In: How Four Friends Stood Up by Sitting Down, written by Andrea Davis
Pinkney, show Black boys how young people like them have accomplished great things.
Preaching to the Chickens: The Story of Young John Lewis, written by Jabari Asim, is
another great real-life story. It shows how John Lewis—long before he became a Freedom
Rider and US congressional representative—used play to imagine and then act out his
dream of becoming a preacher and inspiring people to improve their lives. In addition to
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reading aloud Preaching to the Chickens and discussing Lewis’s life, teachers may want
to add materials to their dramatic play centers to help children imagine and act out their
dreams.
Other books to consider for developing a “history and me” approach include Freedom
Summer, written by Deborah Wiles, and Delivering Justice: W.W. Law and the Fight for
Civil Rights, written by Jim Haskins. Both show young African American men using their
agency to challenge racial discrimination in the South.
Although the focus of this article is Black boys, it’s worth noting that seeing the
accomplishments of Black men and boys through these stories also helps children from
different racial and ethnic groups. Through a thoughtfully planned read aloud, critical
discussions, and related classroom activities, all children can come to understand that the
cultural stereotypes they may have absorbed about Black boys are myths.
Celebrating Black boys in books
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Much like history and social studies books, carefully selected, authentic multicultural
children’s books can also introduce Black boys to mentors on paper. Black boys, perhaps
more than any other group of children, need access to what Rudine Sims Bishop calls
“mirror” books—books that reflect themselves, their families, and their communities in
positive ways. Currently, there are far more “window” books—books that give Black
children a glimpse into the lives of other people (mainly the White world)—than mirror
books showing their own communities. These mirror books highlight cultural histories,
music, the arts, language varieties, fashion, cuisine, and other culturally rich experiences
found in Black communities to engage Black boys.
Here are some picture books that feature Black boys facing the kinds of situations
children might see in their everyday lives.
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• In Riley Knows He Can and Riley Can Be Anything, written by Davina
Hamilton, Riley first overcomes his stage fright to play a wise king in the
class play and then imagines the many possible careers he might have.
• Derrick Barnes’s Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut celebrates the Black
barbershop as a place that can transform a boy into the stylish king of his
neighborhood.
• Combining the “history and me” and mirror approaches, Hey Black
Child, written by Useni Eugene Perkins, and Dad, Who Will I Be?, written
by G. Todd Taylor, use words and visuals to introduce readers to
important people and events from African American history and
encourage Black boys to pursue their dreams
Seeing characters like themselves in these books can help Black boys develop a stronger
sense of themselves, including their abilities to pursue their goals and tell their own
stories.
Rethinking school readiness
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Culturally responsive classrooms honor and value the cultural and personal identities of
all children, and Black boys in particular. One area in which this can be challenging is
typical measures of readiness for kindergarten. Teachers can avoid the effects of
unconscious biases by taking a strengths-based approach to readiness.
One common indicator of kindergarten readiness is how long a child can sit quietly in a
classroom. Sustained periods of quiet sitting may be helpful from a classroom
management perspective, but they do not reflect what we know about the importance of
movement in learning. In addition, long periods of quiet sitting undermine children’s
verve. The term verve is often used to describe energy and spirit in the arts; in education,
it refers to having high levels of energy—being physically active and “loud”—when
mentally stimulated. Verve is a great description of how many Black boys behave when
they are excited about learning. With the concept of verve in mind, culturally responsive
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teachers can encourage indoor and outdoor large-motor and whole-body experiences,
such as by putting mats in spacious areas to encourage Black boys—and all children—to
tumble and roll.
Another common indicator of readiness is how well children follow rules. The ability to
meet school and classroom expectations is considered good behavior. While following
rules can ensure safety and help children understand what is expected in a particular
setting, teachers should consider whether the rules are stifling children’s expressive
individualism. Black boys, and other children, benefit from being creative and taking
risks as they explore, experiment, and follow where their curiosity leads them. Knowing
this, culturally responsive teachers are flexible in the ways they interpret “good behavior.”
They reflect on children’s reasons for not following rules and create opportunities for
spontaneous, ongoing exploration of “What if…?” questions.
Culturally responsive, strengths-based teachers also consider the implicit bias of some
kindergarten readiness indicators like obeying instructions without questioning or
challenging authority figures (compliant behavior). This expectation of quiet obedience
clashes with the oral cultural practices of many African Americans; it may also hinder
their pursuit of fairness, equity, and consistency in their education. A blunt and direct
communication style may be perceived by some teachers as rude or a sign of a “bad” or
“disrespectful” child. In contrast, culturally responsive teachers acknowledge children’s
cultural heritages as legacies that affect dispositions and attitudes. These teachers
understand that Black boys’ questions are indications of engagement, curiosity, and
brilliance that are worthy of addressing in the classroom.
Conclusion
As with all children, the social and emotional well-being of Black boys must be our
highest priority. Making sure we see them, hear them, and know them is the starting
place for providing them with schooling that is humane, culturally responsive, equitable,
and strengths-based. Culturally responsive practices and strategies, like those discussed
here, support and promote Black boys’ positive identity development, agency, and voice
inside and outside of school. This is what we should strive for as early childhood
education professionals. Our Black boys matter, and they need, want, and deserve
nothing less.
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This article supports the following NAEYC Early Learning Program
Accreditation standards and topic areas
STANDARDS 2: CURRICULUM
2E: Early Literacy
2L: Social Studies
Photographs: Courtesy of Shelby County Schools Division of Early Childhood Education
and the Barbara K. Lipman Early Childhood School and Research Institute at the
University of Memphis
Audience: Teacher
Age: Early Primary, Infant/Toddler, Kindergarten, Preschool
Topics: Child Development, Social and Emotional Development, Other Topics,
Developmentally Appropriate Practice, Equity, Anti Bias, Cultural Competence, Race
and Ethnicity, Subject Areas, Literacy, Children's Books, Social Studies, TYC
BRIAN L. WRIGHT
Brian L. Wright, PhD, is an associate professor and program coordinator of early
childhood education in the Department of Instruction and Curriculum Leadership in the
College of Education and coordinator of the middle school cohort of the African American
Male Academy at the University of Memphis. Dr. Wright is the author of the
award‑winning, best‑selling book, The Brilliance of Black Boys: Cultivating School
Success in the Early Grades with contributions by Shelly L. Counsell. Dr. Wright is also
the author of a two‑part series of articles for Teaching Young Children that discusses
ways teachers can make their classrooms more welcoming and supportive learning spaces
for Black boys (NAEYC.org/black‑boys‑matter).
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help@naeyc.org
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Making Connections. Embracing Equity:
Helping All Children Reach Their Full
Potential
Resources / Publications / Young Children / May 2018 / Making Connections. Embracing Equity:
Helping All Children Reach Their Full Potential
RHIAN EVANS ALLVIN
Close your eyes; what do you see and hear when we say the word gap? I’ll bet some of you
hear opportunity. I’m sure some of you hear deficit. Some may go directly to
achievement. Some may envision data. Some see systemic failure, and some see evidence
of success.
The word is fraught. Whether we use the term achievement gap or opportunity gap—
whether we focus on outcomes or inputs, families’ strengths or communities’ struggles—
these debates are of importance. They are not questions of semantics. Precision in
language matters; our choice of words has meaning. What we say about something sets
the outlines for how we think about it and when (or if) we act on it. And yet it is also true
that we do at times get too wrapped up in what we name something. While we debate the
definitions, children grow a month or a year or a decade older—and disparities remain,
regardless of the words we use to describe them.
By many measures of expectation, opportunity, or achievement, there are, on average,
clear differences between children from low-income, African American, and Latino
families and their wealthier, White peers. There are also many investments, methods, and
approaches that can help eliminate these differences, some of which are explored by the
extraordinary experts writing in the pages of this critically important issue of Young
Children.
At NAEYC, anti-bias education has long been at the core of our work around race, social
justice, equity, and diversity. Its very name can be misleading, as it is far more than a
stand against something insidious. Rather, by its own description, anti-bias education
advances a positive vision of a world in which all children are able to blossom, and each
child’s particular abilities and gifts flourish.
https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/yc/may2018/embracing-equity# 1/5You can also read
