Contact Flora to obtain copies of the publications below.
Book Chapters
Abstract
This chapter begins with the call for transformative social–emotional learning, which expands traditional notions of social–emotional development to include areas such as culture, identity, belonging, and responsible individual and collective actions. The chapter goes on to describe the impact of social and structural determinants, such as poverty and racism, on the well-being of children, families, and early childhood educators. We describe in depth the earliest roots of developing racial and ethnic identity and how caregivers may support that development. Additionally, to serve as a source of knowledge and inspiration for early childhood educators, we offer racial socialization strategies that parents of color use to teach children about race and ethnicity. Because young children learn and develop in the context of relationships, we offer an overview of attachment theory, the importance of considering attachment relationships within the broader contexts they develop, and the relationship between attachment, culture, and trauma. The chapter concludes with several ways in which early childhood caregivers can consider race and culture in their settings, such as by creating strong partnerships with families, implementing culturally congruent routines in the child care setting, and using an anti-bias approach to curriculum.
Critical consciousness in early to middle childhood
Abstract
The literature on critical consciousness (CC) has seen rapid growth in the past ten years. However, the literature has given very little attention to CC in preadolescent children. In this chapter, we contend that the sociopolitical and civic elements of early to middle childhood development have been understudied. Emphasizing the familial, social, and educational systems that structure the lives of young children, we elaborate on the evidence that young children hold the capacity for understanding social inequities, becoming empowered to work for social change, and acting against injustice, and we provide concrete examples of how CC might be identified and measured at different stages of the early childhood developmental period. In addition, we show that the structural emphasis of the CC literature and related literatures (e.g., work on critical race theory) adds much-needed context to the study of bias and stereotyping in early childhood.
Proactive, not reactive: Creating anti-racist policies for child care centers and preschools
Abstract
The recent advent of anti-racist pedagogical approaches in the early years sector signals a shift toward identifying covert and overt expressions of racism in classrooms and child care centers. Calls for the early childhood education (ECE) to undergo a structural transformation have begun to initiate change, foregrounding the well-being of Black and racialized children. The overarching principles of anti-racism challenge how Eurocentric perspectives—undergirded by white privilege and power—inform research, perceptions of children, policy, teaching and learning practices, and the critical knowledge base of ECE. In this chapter, we explore the interrelated processes of developing anti-racist policies specific to preschool and child care contexts.
Abstract
Studies have shown that preschool-aged children engage in spontaneous and child-initiated conversations related to race and ethnicity in ways that involve alliances, conflict, and competition (Aukrust & Rydland, 2009; Park, 2011; Van Ausdale & Feagin, 2001). Learning about and naming colors is a frequent area of inquiry and development for toddlers as they engage in categorization tasks and assimilate new terminologies. Yet, when preschool-age children exhibit a natural curiosity regarding color differences in human skin tones, their inquiries are often dismissed or silenced. Educators in the early childhood field have traditionally been taught that acknowledging color (and indirectly, cultural or racial) differences in the children they teach should be avoided, partially in response to the history of blatant racism in this country. Although overt racism, such as the use of racial epithets, and segregation were once legal, in the post–civil rights era any discussion of race was seen as taboo. Conversations around race are sometimes regarded as too complex for young children to comprehend. Indoctrinating a colorblind philosophy in early childhood settings—or teaching children not to see skin color and silence their inquiries about race—can negatively impact identity development in children of color and impede understanding and appreciation of racial diversity for all children. Several scholars have recognized the contradiction of causing harm not by talking about race, but by not talking about it, and call on teachers and caregivers to avoid colorblind philosophies in early childhood education programs (e.g., Boutte, Lopez-Robertson, & Powers-Costello, 2011; Farago, Davidson, & Byrd, 2019; Kemple, Lee, & Harris, 2016). Early childhood educators need to guide children’s understanding of race, racism, and racial justice as a means of helping them develop a positive racial and ethnic identity, a critical consciousness, and confidence in recognizing, naming, and interrupting racism.
Abstract
This chapter outlines how early childhood teachers can bring children into conversations surrounding race and racism by drawing on literature on how parents of color discuss these topics. Although educators’ practices surrounding race and racism remain largely unexplored, decades of developmental psychological research indicate that parents of color engage in ethnic-racial socialization practices that are beneficial for children (Hughes et al., 2006). The established dimensions of parental ethnic-racial socialization include (1) cultural socialization, or teaching children about their ethnic heritage and instilling ethnic pride; (2) preparation for bias, or teaching children about racism and preparing them to face discrimination; (3) promotion of mistrust, or warning children about the need to distance themselves from other racial groups; and (4) egalitarianism, or emphasizing the similarities between and equality of all races (Hughes et al. 2006). One consideration to take into account from a developmental perspective is that children’s level of cognitive development impacts how they interpret messages about race. This chapter draws a link between parental ethnic-racial socialization and extends this body of work to school settings, with a focus on teachers. The ideologies of colorblindness and color-consciousness are discussed throughout.
Developmentally appropriate practice in the 21st century
Abstract
Developmentally appropriate practice (DAP) is a set of early childhood curricular recommendations published by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). DAP was introduced in the United States in the late 1980s through Bredekamp’s (1987) seminal work, “Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Early Childhood Programs Serving Children from Birth through Age 8.” Since the initial publication, DAP has been widely accepted as the standard for early childhood educational practice in the United States and in Westernized countries around the world. Whereas proponents of DAP assert its positive influence on children, those more critical of DAP question whether it supports experiences for all young children equally. The aim of this chapter is to (a) describe a developmentally appropriate practice and its theoretical underpinnings, (b) to describe the conceptualization of the child and the role of the adult in DAP, and (c) to synthesize critiques of and recommended changes to DAP.
Race and gender in United States early childhood settings: Researcher reflections
Abstract
This chapter shares data from and reflections on anti-bias research of two colleagues, one of whom began her ethnographic work in child care classrooms in the mid-1980s in the midwestern U.S., and the other who is finishing her mixed-methods dissertation studies on anti-bias education in the southwestern U.S. The co-authors focus their findings on young children’s understandings of race and gender as well as on educators’ attitudes and practices surrounding race and gender. Although we recognize that anti-bias education covers a range of differences, including class, ability, religion, and language, we chose to foreground race and gender due to their salience. Spanning 30 years of work in four states in the U.S., this conversation highlights issues that those of us striving for anti-bias practices with young children and their families encounter. In the following paragraphs, we each reflect on our findings in early childhood classrooms with the intention of providing snapshots of anti-bias beliefs and practices in the lives of young children.
Abstract
This chapter describes two studies examining quality of care in family, friend, and neighbor (FFN) child care settings in two separate, predominantly African American communities that examine racial socialization and attachment relationships, respectively. The findings from the two studies indicate that there appear to be differences in the characteristics and belief systems that enable low-income child care providers of color to develop and maintain optimal relationships with young children. Relying on a sociocultural theoretical lens that necessitates an exploration of specific communities’ histories as well as current political context, the chapter explicitly lists and describes implications for designing successful and culturally responsive professional development initiatives and policies that are responsive to this hard-to-reach group of providers and the families they serve.
Addressing race and racism in early childhood: Challenges and opportunities
Abstract
This chapter draws on developmental intergroup theory, parental ethnic-racial socialization literature, anti-bias curricula, and prejudice intervention studies to address the appropriateness of discussing race and racism in early childhood settings. Existing literature about teacher discussions surrounding race and racism is reviewed, best practices are shared, and the need for more research in this area is highlighted. The construct of parental ethnic-racial socialization is mapped onto early childhood anti-bias classroom practices. The chapter also outlines racial ideologies of teachers, specifically anti-bias and colorblind attitudes, and discusses how these ideologies may manifest in classroom practices surrounding race and racism. Colorblind ideology is problematized and dissected to show that colorblind practices may harm children. Young children’s interpretations of race and racism, in light of children’s cognitive developmental level, are discussed. Additionally, findings from racial prejudice intervention studies are applied to teaching. Early literacy practices surrounding race and racism are outlined with practical suggestions for teachers and teacher educators. Moreover, implications of teacher practices surrounding race and racism for children’s development, professional development, and teacher education are discussed.