Leading Anti Bias Early Childhood Programs

With a focus on the leader’s role in initiating and sustaining anti-bias education in programs for young children and their families, this book is both a stand-alone text and a perfect companion for Anti-Bias Education for Young Children and Ourselves. It emphasizes that this work is not only about changing curriculum, but requires thoughtful, strategic, long-term planning that addresses all components of an early childhood program. With a powerful combination of conceptual frameworks, strategies, and practical tools, Louise Derman-Sparks, renowned expert on anti-bias education, together with experienced early childhood directors Debbie LeeKeenan and John Nimmo explain the structural and individual changes leaders must foster. Featuring the authors’ extensive experience in the field, supplemented with insights from other anti-bias educators, they build on and expand current thinking about best early childhood leadership practices. This is an essential resource for anti-bias education leaders engaged in change in the wide range of early childhood care and education settings. Book Features: The principles, guidelines, and strategies needed for school- and program-wide transformation. Activities for working with teachers and families to integrate an anti-bias approach. Strategies for supporting and strengthening the leader’s ability to initiate and sustain anti-bias education change, including resources to increase staff skills for implementing anti-bias education with children. Tools for assessing anti-bias education progress and managing mandated standards and assessments. “A concise and powerful message for anti-bias leaders in early childhood education everywhere. A truly inspired gift of lessons from the movement, for the movement.” —Carol Brunson Day, President of the Board, National Association for the Education of Young Children “If you are an educator wanting to see more equity and inclusiveness in the world, at times discouraged confused, or overwhelmed with how to manage the conflict that always emerges in the change process, you’ll find reassurance, resources, and strategic thinking to engage in this anti-bias work.” —Margie Carter, author, The Visionary Director, and international early childhood consultant "It is never too early to prepare children to deal effectively with issues of race, class, gender, family, and ability and equity. This book is a tool box for building early childhood programs that foster sentiments of justice and fairness in leaders, teachers, and young children, and help them to act on these values.” —Herbert Kohl, educator and bestselling author of The Herb Kohl Reader: Awakening the Heart of Teaching

Anti-bias education begins with you! Become a skilled anti-bias teacher with this practical guidance to confronting and eliminating barriers.

This popular book focuses on the leader’s role in initiating and sustaining anti-bias education in programs for young children and their families. This second edition emphasizes how the journey requires thoughtful, strategic, long-term planning that addresses all components of an early childhood care and education program. The authors, who are recognized leaders and experts on anti-bias education with extensive experience as early childhood directors, use a powerful combination of frameworks and practical tools to explain the structural and individual changes that leaders must foster. This updated edition features anti-bias leaders from diverse settings who share their insights and strategies for working with teachers and families. Book Features: The principles and guidelines for program-wide transformation.Professional development activities for teachers at all levels of experience.Approaches for engaging with families around social justice values.Strategies for strengthening the leader’s ability to initiate and sustain anti-bias change.Tools for documenting a program’s progress in anti-bias education. New for the Second Edition: Voices of additional leaders from the field, highlighting BIPOC center directors from diverse settings. Updated research, references, and terminology.Strategies and activities for teacher professional development and family engagement based on 7 years of using the first edition.Expanded section on responding to opposition to anti-bias education, addressing the current political environment. Praise for the First Edition! “This book is a tool box for building early childhood programs that foster sentiments of justice and fairness in leaders, teachers, and young children.” —Herbert Kohl, educator and bestselling author “A concise and powerful message for anti-bias leaders in early childhood education everywhere. A truly inspired gift of lessons from the movement, for the movement.” —Carol Brunson Day, board president, NAEYC (2014–2016) “For those who are seeking to make a real difference and impact on the world we live in, this book lays a road map and foundation for the work ahead.” —Luis A. Hernandez, early childhood education specialist “Recognizes the essential role early childhood administrators play in initiating and sustaining culturally relevant care and education. This book provides the tools program leaders need.” —Paula Jorde Bloom, founder, McCormick Center for Early Childhood Leadership “If you are an educator wanting to see more equity and inclusiveness in the world, you’ll find reassurance, resources, and strategic thinking to engage with in this anti-bias work.” —Margie Carter, author and international early childhood consultant

In this updated edition, two distinguished early childhood educators tackle the crucial topic of what White children need and gain from anti-bias and multicultural education. The authors propose seven learning themes to help young White children resist messages of racism and build identity and skills for thriving in a country and world filled with diverse ways of being. This compelling text includes teaching strategies for early childhood settings, activities for families and staff, reflection questions, a record of 20th- and 21st-century White anti-racism activists, and organizational and website resources. Bringing this bestselling guide completely up to date, the authors: Address the current state of racism and anti-racism in the United States, including the election of the first African American president and the rise of hate groups. Review child development research with a particular emphasis on recent observational studies that show how White children enact racial power codes. Discuss implementation of the core learning themes in racially diverse early childhood education settings, state standards for preschools and pre-K classrooms, and NCLB pressures on early childhood teaching. Update all resources and appendices, including reading lists and websites for finding resources and organizations engaged in anti-racism work. Louise Derman-Sparksis a past faculty member at Pacific Oaks College in Pasadena, California and the co-author ofTeaching/Learning Anti-Racism. Louise presents conference keynotes, conducts workshops, and consults throughout the United States and internationally.Patricia G. Ramseyis Professor of Psychology and Education at Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, Massachusetts and author ofTeaching and Learning in a Diverse World. Praise for the First Edition— “Derman-Sparks and Ramsey offer an ‘alternative vision’ for white identity that breaks the mold….The current status of our anti-bias work demands we read [this book] and use it well” —From the Foreword byCarol Brunson Day “A dynamic blend of child development theory, social history, and the best pedagogical practice from two distinguished social justice educators—every teacher of young children should read it!” —Beverly Daniel Tatum, President, Spelman College “An accessible, practical, and essential tool for every teacher of young white children. I especially appreciated the concrete suggestions and abundance of resources from two of early childhood education’s most experienced teachers.” —Paul Kivel, educator and author ofUprooting RacismandI Can Make My World a Safer Place “By starting with a strong sense of identity that is not race-based, children can move forward to cultivate an anti-racist culture. This book offers caregivers excellent frameworks and tools to make this happen.” —TC Record

Every day, 250 children are suspended from school. Many are children of color, deprived of opportunities to experience learning at the same rate and quality as white children. Many families don't feel heard or respected in their child's schools. Don't Look Away: Embracing Anti-Bias Classrooms leads early childhood professionals to explore and address issues of bias, equity, low expectations, and family engagement to ensure culturally responsive experiences. Importantly, this book will challenge you to consider your perceptions and thought processes: Identify your own unconscious biases-we all have them! Recognize and minimize bias in the classroom, school, and community Connect with children and their families Help close the opportunity gap for children from marginalized communities This book offers strategies, tools, and information to help you create a culturally responsive and equitable learning environment.

Theory meets practical tips in this guide for leaders of early childhood programs

Featuring both research findings and practical recommendations, this book presents an innovative framework for nurturing leadership in the care and education of young children. Douglass calls for a paradigm shift in thinking that challenges many long-held stereotypes about the early care and education workforce's capacity to lead change.

A collection of YC articles that highlights advancing equity and diversity in early childhood education. Tied to the forthcoming position statement on equity and diversity, this collection includes articles focused on self-reflection to recognize implicit biased, strategies to create equitable learning opportunities for all children, and advocacy.