Anti-bias education places diversity and equity goals at the heart of everything we do in early childhood. We begin by affirming each child and family’s social identities and cultural ways of being. Building on the strengths and knowledge children bring to the classroom, anti-bias teachers seek the active engagement of families and communities. This approach is a commitment to equity and social justice. Anti-bias teachers observe carefully, think critically, and reflect deeply.
We will view and discuss the film ‘Anti-bias Education in Action’ that features vignettes of anti-bias strategies in early childhood classrooms interspersed with teachers reflecting on their practice. The film is organized around the 4 interrelated goals of anti-bias education, which is relevant to both children and adults.
Goal 1: Identify: Demonstrate self-awareness, confidence, family pride, and positive social identities.
Goal 2: Diversity: Express comfort and joy with human diversity; accurate language for human difference; and deep, caring human connections.
Goal 3: Justice: Recognize unfairness, have language to describe unfairness, and understand that unfairness hurts.
Goal 4: Action: Demonstrate empowerment and the skill to act, with others or alone, against prejudice and/or discrimination.
Presenter: Andee Edelson
Credits: 2
