What does it mean to be a socially just early childhood educator in a socially unjust world?

The Evolution of Curriculum

Personal and Professional Identity

Supporting Communities

Main Ideas

Module 1

Module 2

Module 3

Module 4

Module 5

Issues with 'Developmentally Appropriate Practice'

Democratic Practice

Two-Generation Framework

Self-Study

Community Cultural Wealth

Intersectionality

Perpetuates deficit thinking/theorizing

Continually supported by research that has been refuted

Entirely based on the 'White norm'

Supports Bourdieu's Cultural Capital Theory

'Developmentally Appropriate' is based on/changes in response to culture

Before meeting children and families, we have a negative, needs-based view of them.

Oppositional voices (of children and adults) are excluded

From school/classroom decisions

From policy decisions

Results in interest convergence

Leads to assimilation and further perpetuation of the 'White norm'

DAP comes to refer to the standards and strategies that are only appropriate for the maintenance of a White Supremacist society

Seeks to involve multiple voices at ALL levels

Re-centers voices of the global majority

Supported by the recognition of multiple perspectives and paradigms

Use of Critical Race Theory to examine existing structures

How are policies and practices a manifestation of either/or thinking and '-ist' against any identity?

Use of Culturally Relevant and Sustaining Pedagogies

Personal Thoughts/Questions

Provides children cultural competence in their home and in the dominant cultures

Continues to evolve from a stance of awareness/recognition to support and sustanance

Consideration for the preference towards visible or invisible pedagogies

How can educators respect families wishes while advocating for more progressive pedagogies?

Cast a 'queer eye' on more than just gender and sexuality

Makes use of the Anti-Bias goals for education

Participation on its own is a force for resisting oppressive systems

The idea of de-centration has come up often for me in this and other courses. While I agree with a national framework, best practices for individual communities (at many levels) will be best decided upon by the individuals living and learning in those communities.

This includes the voices of children

Learning is not only meant for children.

Rejects deficit thinking and theorizing

Familial support academically, personally, and professionally

Professionalization of the ECE workforce

Research actually supports improved child outcomes using this approach

Becoming a Culturally Responsive Teacher

Check your privilege - because you have it!

View of families and how educational philosophies are shared with them

This process makes the connection between the material and me. When reflecting about how these concepts show up in my life, I see that they do, in fact, impact my life.

Raising self-awareness

Make an effort to know who and what life in the local community looks like

Bring community Funds of Knowledge into the school community

Language matters greatly here.

Examine intersectional identities

Do not appropriate for the sake of 'cuteness' or expectation

This piece is important to me personally, as I am likely going to work with a large Hispanic population in the future. In addition to the group likely comprising many different ethnicities, I need to bring these cultures into the school/classroom tastefully.

Support family participation in all structures and systems within and outside of the school that affect their lives.

Reconceptualizing ECE

Get involved in more advocacy and policy work.

One thing I appreciate about this program is the support and background to know how to do this well.

Changing Demographics

Notice and appreciate these forms of capital because families need them to survive within the system

Considers families from an 'assets perspective'

The role of translanguaging/multilingualism

Thinking about my personal experiences, this is a huge area that I can advocate within.

Two-Generation Framework inherently believes in CCW

Be willing to get uncomfortable.

Be willing to get uncomfortable.

Everyone is more than the sum of any one of their identities

Systems, both of privilege and oppression, are all interconnected

Key component of Critical Race Theory

It is also important not to exploit this form of capital! E.g. Don't assume that children or families are your personal translator or dictionary.

How can we become partners?

Don't compare your experiences to families' - you may have these forms of capital, but they likely don't function in the same way.

A desire to 'sustain' vs. 'recognize' cultural difference because there is something to be offered by it

Self-awareness and self-study are key

One reason democratic practice and participation result in richer outcomes

Need for holistic support for children and families

Isolating issues is a White Supremacist 'either/or' approach to problem solving

Children and families are increasingly poorer, less educated, and less connected

One source of the need for re-centering and reconceptualizing ECE

Partially (fully?) a result of oppressive systems

Educational system is a driving force perpetuating both privilege and oppression

What may have worked in the past no longer does.

The evolution from deficit approaches to culturally sustaining pedagogies

Challenge to see the strengths of all families in the midst of this shift

What works for some may be oppressive for others

Part of being a Critically Responsive Teacher is continual reflection and shifting of practices - the work is never done

The idea that the work is never done is one of the most stressful pieces for me.