# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Black Lives Matter at School - Social Justice Books

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
There are 13 guiding principles of the Black Lives Matter movement. We seek to expand student understanding of these principles through the Black Lives Matter at School Week of Action (scheduled for the first week of February each year) and beyond. Below you'll find a growing list of recommended titles that center each of the [...]

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Woke Kindergarten 60 Second Text: ...and Martin

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
In designing my Black Lives Matter at School Week of Action curriculum for PS3 and PK4 at Thomson ES (DCPS), I knew I wanted to cover all 13 of the guiding principles of the Black Lives Matter Movement. I quickly realized that one week would not be enough time for my mixed-age preschool students, so I extended the curriculum for two weeks.

I utilized the "How to talk to young children about the Black Lives Matter Guiding Principles" handout and shared that resource with my students' families as well. I decided to discuss the principles in the following order: Empathy, Diversity, Unapologetically Black, Black Families and Black Villages, Black Women and Intergenerational, Globalism and Collective Value, Queer and Trans Affirming, Loving Engagement and Restorative Justice.

During our morning meeting, we reviewed the principles we had already discussed and I introduced the new topic(s). We would then read and discuss a book that covered highlighted the topic. Sometimes that meant a picture walk, or reading only a few pages.

During our regular read aloud, we would either continue our book discussion or read another book highlighting that same topic. Whenever possible, I tried to make that second book connect to our class study on clothing. We read books featuring Black fashion designers, Black Queer or Trans children, Black people with alter-abilities, Black kids who love clothes and dressing up and being with their families, people of color coming together to strike and demand better working conditions.

On the first day, I read The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson and connected it to the principle of Empathy. We have been talking about thinking about how others feel all year long, so students were able to point out moments in the story where characters did or did not use empathy, and brainstorm ways that they could show empathy in the classroom.

My students really connected with the premise of the book; that there are days when people won't like you, when you won't fit in, when you'll feel lonely or sad. Many of my students speak English as a second language, and were able to relate to the character Rigoberto, who is made fun of because of his accent. One child said, "my mom speaks Italian, and I wouldn't like if someone said something mean to her for how she talks. That's not kind."

On the second day, we discussed the principle of Diversity. We read All the Colors of the Earth by Sheila Hamanaka and Shades of Black: A Celebration of Our Children by Sandra. L and Myles Pinkney We then drew self-portraits using the Lakeshore people color crayons, trying to pick the just-right shade.

We discussed the colors and where they would find them in real life: "my skin is copper like a penny," "mocha like coffee," "my skin is light brown like toast from a toaster," "my color is like sand by the sea."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Exploring the Black Lives Matter Principles in an Early Childhood Classroom - D.C. Area Educators for Social Justice

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
In designing my Black Lives Matter at School Week of Action curriculum for PS3 and PK4 at Thomson ES (DCPS), I knew I wanted to cover all 13 of the guiding principles of the Black Lives Matter Movement. I quickly realized that one week would not be enough time for my mixed-age preschool students, so I extended the curriculum for two weeks.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
By Laleña Garcia
Illustrated by Caryn Davidson
This powerful activity book will engage hands, hearts, and minds as it introduces children to the guiding principles of the Black Lives Matter movement.
When the Black Lives Matter movement began in 2013, the three founders--Alicia Garza, Patrisse Khan-Cullors, and Opal Tometi--anchored its work in a list of guiding principles, developed through conversation with other activists. These principles commit the movement to empathy, loving engagement, and just action among its participants; affirm the importance of Black women, families, elders, and LGBTQ folk; and celebrate the strength and diversity of Black people in their communities and around the globe.

Now young people can explore these powerful principles in What We Believe: A Black Lives Matter Principles Activity Book. Created by two teachers with more than thirty-five years of educational experience between them, the book presents the guiding principles in down-to-earth, child-friendly language, with each principle accompanied by writing prompts, space for children or adults to create their own reflections, and a coloring page. Supporting materials guide adults in sharing the principles with children and encourage kids to dream big and take action within their communities. An essential resource for anyone discussing racial equity with young people, What We Believe offers a beautiful and inspiring lens on the most important social justice movement of our time.
Read the story behind What We Believe from author Laleña Garcia. In an interview, author Laleña Garcia and illustrator Caryn Davidson share a bit about their partnership, and how they define the role of activist and ally.
About the Creators

Laleña Garcia - Author

Laleña Garcia has been teaching children in New York City since 2000, and educators across the country since 2017. HOW WE CAN LIVE grew out of her work with Black Lives Matter at School, a coalition of educators and parents striving for racial justice in education. A graduate of Yale University and Bank Street College of Education, she lives in Brooklyn. Please visit her website at rootedkids.org and follow her on Instagram at @blm_in_kindergarten.

Caryn Davidson

Caryn Davidson studied Anthropology and Visual Art at Brown University and received her MA in Arts Education from NYU. Since the start of her career in education in 2004, she has founded and developed the arts programs at three public schools in New York City, and led initiatives to promote culturally relevant pedagogy and socially just practices within those school communities. She now teaches art at the high school level in Brooklyn, NY, where she also lives. She is a Steering Committee member of the Black Lives Matter at NYC Schools organizing group and a designer for the national Black Lives Matter at Schools movement. Please visit her website at caryndavidson.com and on Instagram at @caryn_arts.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What We Believe by Laleña Garcia, illus. by Caryn Davidson | Lee & Low Books

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
By Laleña GarciaIllustrated by Caryn Davidson This powerful activity book will engage hands, hearts, and minds as it introduces children to the guiding principles of the Black Lives Matter movement. When the Black Lives Matter movement began in 2013, the three founders--Alicia Garza, Patrisse Khan-Cullors, and Opal Tometi--anchored its work in a list of guiding principles, developed through conversation with other activists.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
A Guide for Parents and Teachers

Recent eventshave led many parents and teachers to seek out resources to address issues of race and inequality with young children. We share with you here an excerpt from the book Anti-Bias Education for Young Children and Ourselves. The book offers practical guidance to early childhood educators (including parents) for confronting barriers of prejudice, misinformation, and bias about specific aspects of personal and social identity; most importantly, it includes tips for adults and children to respect each other, themselves, and all people. Read more about anti-bias education. Also, see the Movement for Black Lives platform and Teaching Black Lives Matter.
By Louise Derman-Sparks and Julie Olsen Edwards
Adults sometimes ask: Aren't prejudice, discrimination, and anti-bias adult issues? Why bring children into it? In one sense, these are adult issues. Adults have the power to create, to teach, to maintain bias-and to eliminate it. In another sense, because the realities of prejudice and discrimination begin to affect children's development early, it is developmentally appropriate to address them in our work with young children.

Young children need caring adults to help them construct a positive sense of self and a respectful understanding of others. They need adults to help them begin to navigate and resist the harmful impact of prejudice and discrimination. A person's early childhood years lay the foundation for a developmental and experiential journey that continues into adulthood. With appropriate adult guidance, this foundation will be a strong one, providing the base for the next stages of healthy development and the skills a person needs to thrive and succeed in a complex, diverse world.

Anti-bias education is an integral part of the "bricks and mortar" of emotional well-being and social competence, as well as an emotional foundation upon which children fully develop their cognitive capacities. A healthy sense of self requires that children know and like who they are without feeling superior to others. Understanding and liking one's own personal and social identities open up the possibilities of building caring connections with others. Thinking critically about stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination takes away barriers to comfortable and respectful interactions with a wide range of people and gives children a tool to resist negative messages about their identities. Strong cognitive development is also enhanced when children develop curiosity, openness to multiple perspectives, and critical-thinking skills.

[Below are some topics to explore with your children. Anti-Bias Education for Young Children and Ourselves has strategies, activities and ideas to spark discussion on each of these topics.]

Strategies for learning about physical differences and similarities

Creating a rich anti-bias learning environment sets the stage for discussion and activities about racial and other physical differences and similarities. The richer the environment, the more likely children will ask questions, even in classrooms where the staff and children come from similar racial backgrounds.

In all activities, highlight that physical diversity among people is desirable, and that all colors, shades, and shapes of people are beautiful. Talk about differences in a tone of delight and interest. Create a vocabulary that encourages children to look at themselves and others and admire their sameness and their uniqueness. Just as we do not wait until a child asks questions about how to read before planning how to provide a range of literacy learning opportunities, anti-bias education is the teacher's responsibility, not the child's, to initiate.

Caution-Never single out one specific child when you do activities about the physical characteristics linked to racial identity. Every activity should be about all of the children, as everyone has a racial identity. Moreover, doing activities about all children reinforces that differences and similarities can be found within each racial identity group as well as across groups.

Exploring skin color, hair, and eyes
Children are active observers of physical characteristics. As they become familiar with some of their own features and those of their classmates, help them to have vocabulary and ideas to understand sameness and difference. There are many ways to involve children in discovering similarities and differences among themselves, their teachers, and their families.

Focus on children's confusion about their own skin color
If, when you invite the children to make self-portraits, a child chooses colors that do not correspond to his actual skin, eye, or hair coloring, consider gently encouraging the child to choose the color closest to his skin color.

Expanding awareness of racial similarities and differences
After helping children become aware that the people within their family are alike and different, it is important to expand their knowledge and awareness to groups of people beyond those in the classroom and neighborhood. As children grow, they move into ever wider and more diverse settings, and we want them to be open to and respectful of all kinds of people they may encounter.

Fostering critical thinking and respectful relationships

Positive and accurate learning experiences about human differences and similarities help to give children a foundation for resisting incorrect and harmful messages about themselves and others. Preschoolers are ready to begin thinking critically about the accuracy and fairness of the information and images they encounter. They also have the capacity to use their developing empathy to understand that unfair behavior hurts people and can learn respectful ways of interacting with others. Teachers can use the following strategies to promote young children's development of these understandings and competencies.

Cultivate children's empathy and ways to deal with the hurt of stereotyping. Read books that depict children experiencing unfair treatment based on their racial identity.

Tell persona doll stories about a discriminatory incident between dolls, engaging children's empathy and problem-solving skills.

Intentionally plan activities to counter potential overgeneralizations or existing stereotypes in the children's general environment.

Support children as they demonstrate awareness of stereotyping.

Engage children in group action. It is empowering when we help children take something that is "unfair" into something "fair." Sometimes this involves addressing personal conflict, helping a child speak up for another child. But it is particularly powerful when children act together.

If we want children to thrive in a diverse world and choose to stand up for themselves and others, then we must choose to help young children make sense out of the confusing and often emotionally charged messages they receive about themselves and others. The commitment to support each child to develop pride and self-confidence and deep connections with others calls on us to foster all children's healthy racial identity. When we give children language to discuss their identities in an atmosphere of interest and delight, and the tools for addressing the unfairness they will inevitably encounter, then we know we have helped children construct a strong foundation for the next phases of their lives.

Early Childhood Books for Teaching about Racial Identity
More titles for young children about racial identity.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Teaching Young Children about Race - Teaching for Change

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A Guide for Parents and Teachers Recent events have led many parents and teachers to seek out resources to address issues of race and inequality with young children. We share with you here an excerpt from the book Anti-Bias Education for Young Children and Ourselves.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Sesame Street explain Black Lives Matter

# data[].attributes.headline
Black is Beautiful' Theme for Early Childhood 

# data[].attributes.subject
Black is Beautiful' Theme for Early Childhood 

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
“Black is Beautiful” Theme for Early Childhood — D.C. Area Educators for Social Justice

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Maureen Ingram’s early childhood PK3 class at Inspired Teaching Demonstration PCS launched the Black Lives Matter at School Week of Action with activities around the theme “Black is Beautiful.”

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Based on "Ten Quick Ways to Analyze Children's Books for Racism and Sexism." Updated in 2013.*
Children's books continue to be an invaluable source of information and values. They reflect the attitudes in our society about diversity, power relationships among different groups of people, and various social identities (e.g., racial, ethnic, gender, economic class, sexual orientation, and disability). The visual and verbal messages young children absorb from books (and other media) heavily influence their ideas about themselves and others. Depending on the quality of the book, they can reinforce (or undermine) children's affirmative self-concept, teach accurate (or misleading) information about people of various identities, and foster positive (or negative) attitudes about diversity. Children's books teach children about who is important, who matters, who is even visible. Consequently, carefully choosing quality children's books is an indispensable educational and child-rearing task.

It is important to offer young children a range of books about people like them and their family - as well as about people who are different from them and their family. All of the books should be accurate and appealing to young children. Fortunately, there are some good anti-bias children's books, which are available as a result of the ongoing activism of many individuals and groups over many years. However, while choices have improved over past decades, the lack of quality multicultural kid's books currently being published has frustrated many communities. The number of children of color in the United States continues to rise, but the number of books published by or about people of color stays the same or even decreases.

Check the Illustrations

Look for Stereotypes: A stereotype is an oversimplified generalization about a particular identity group (e.g., gender, race, ethnicity, class, sexual orientation, ability/disability), which usually carries derogatory, inaccurate messages and applies them to ALL people in the group. Stereotypes dehumanize people. So, too, does misinformation. ( See Box 1 below for a list of common, harmful stereotypes).

Unfortunately, all of us absorb socially prevailing stereotypes about a range of people, even if we do not consciously subscribe to them. To alert you to stereotypes in children's books, as well as other media, it is useful to list all the stereotypes you know about various groups of people as precondition for critically reviewing children's books. The books you choose should depict people compassionately and as real human beings. Also consider if images depict all people as genuine individuals with distinctive (rather than stereotypical) features. Books containing stereotypes require you to engage children in critical thinking, but should probably be eliminated from your collection.

BOX 1: Common Harmful/Undermining Stereotypes

Strong, independent girls and women are "manlike"

Book-loving or nonathletic boys and men are "effeminate"

Latino men talk funny, are lazy, gang members, or wear oversize sombreros

Latina women are earth mothers or subservient

African American men are gang members, oversexed, or underemployed

African American women are too independent, oversexed, or "welfare moms"

Arab and/or Muslim men are terrorists

Arab and/or Muslim women are voiceless and passive

All Muslims are Arab / All Arabs are Muslim

American Indians live in teepees, carry bows and arrows, or are half-naked in winter

American Indians were only significant in the past (read)

Disabled people are not independent or are to be pitied

Disabled people must "overcome" their disabilities rather than just live with their disabilities

LGBTQ+ people are invisible

Poor people are invisible

Poor people are depicted as passively needing help from others

AAPI (Asian American Pacific Islanders) are depicted as the "model minority"

AAPI are exotic or their food is exotic/abnormal

All AAPI know martial arts or are meek and compliant

AAPI are portrayed with slanted eyes or just lines to represent eyes

Jewish people are all Zionists (read)

Jewish people are wealthy and yield undue influence in the financial and political world

Look for Tokenism: This is the "one only" message. Regularly seeing only "one" person of any group in a book teaches young children about who is more or less important. Examples of tokenism include books with only one African American child among many white children or having only one book about children with disabilities among many other books. Tokenism also becomes stereotypical. It only allows children to see one view of a group of people, rather than the diversity that exists among all groups.

Look for Invisibility: What children do not see in their books also teaches them about who matters and who doesn't in our society. Invisibility in their storybooks - as well as in textbooks as they get older - undermines children's affirmative sense of themselves and reinforces prejudiced ideas about people who are not seen (See Box 2 for examples of groups who tend to be invisible). The booklists on this website include a great variety of books with groups who are often excluded. (The titles are vetted by Teaching for Change.)

BOX 2: Examples of Groups of People Who Are Often Invisible in Children's Books or Mainstream Media

Families who live in rural areas

Blue-collar workers

Musicians, artists, and writers

Families with two dads or two moms

Single mothers or fathers

Homeless families

Families with an incarcerated parent

People of Middle Eastern descent

Families who practice Islam

Transgender adults and children

Check the Story Line and the Relationships Between People

Even if a book shows visual diversity, the story line may carry biases related to how it handles power relationships among people of various identities. Are whites or male characters the central figures with people of color or female characters in essentially supporting roles? To gain acceptance and/or approval does a child of color, a girl, or child with a disability have to exhibit extraordinary qualities or be the one to understand, forgive, or change? Are the achievements of girls and women based on their own initiative and intelligence, or are they due to their looks or relationship with boys/men?

Are people of color, women, low-income families, or people with disabilities depicted as needing help or in passive roles, while whites, men, and "able-bodied" people are in leadership and action roles? How are problems presented, conceived, and resolved? Who typically causes a problem and who resolves it? Your book collection needs a balance of different people in "doer" roles.

Look at Messages About Different Lifestyles

Do the lives of people of color or people living in poverty in the story contrast unfavorably with the norm of white, middle-class suburban life? Are negative value judgments implied about ways of life that differ from the dominant culture or economic class (e.g., people are to be pitied, or the story is about one person who "gets out" of the less desirable way of life)? Do images and information go beyond oversimplification and offer genuine insights into the lifestyle of the characters in the story? Does the setting reflect current life - or past assumptions about life? Does your book collection depict diversity among people within a specific racial/ethnic group, such as a range of family structures, living environments, socioeconomic conditions and types of work, and male/female roles within the family? (Remember that every racial/ethnic group has diversity, including people who self-identify as white).

Consider the Effects on Children's Self and Social Identities

In addition to specific books, also examine your book collection. Do your books reinforce or counteract messages that teach children to feel inferior or superior because of their skin color, gender, family income, able-bodiedness, or type of family structure? At school, will all of the children you serve see themselves and their family's way of life reflected in your book collection? Will all children of color, including those with mixed heritage, girls, and children from the many types of family structures, children living in poverty, and children with disabilities see one or more characters with whom they can readily and positively identify? If they are visible in your book collection, are the illustrations and information accurate and respectful? Does your overall collection balance the backgrounds of all the children in your program? Does it also show diversity within the social indentity groups to which the children belong (e.g., a range of ways to be female and male, families reflecting different kinds of jobs within a racial/ethnic group). Does your book collection also include a balance between diversity within your classroom and beyond your classroom?

At home, does your book collection reflect diversity among the groups to which your family belongs? Does it have stories about people like you who have contributed to creating a more just world? Does it also include a range of books showing diversity beyond your family and neighborhood?

Look for Books About Children and Adults Engaging in Actions for Change

To fully develop a strong sense of self and a disposition toward cooperation and fairness, children need to know how to stand up for themselves and others when faced with unfairness. They also need to know about people from all social identity groups who have - and are currently - working for justice for all. In addition to previous criteria, here are more items to consider: The story line should be about children and adults working together, rather than perpetrating the myth that change happens because of special, individual people who do it by themselves. Does your book collection include a balance of people who have made important and honored contributions to American life as well as the world community - and not just the traditional white, male "heroes?" Do some of your books about important people include struggles for justice? Do they show people who were/are poor or from racial/ethnic groups of color? Are people with disabilities engaged in these struggles for justice?

Consider the Author's or Illustrator's Background and Perspective

All authors write from a cultural as well as from a personal context. In the past, most children's books were by authors and illustrators who were white and members of the middle class. As a result, a single cultural and class perspective dominated children's literature. There are now excellent books by people of color from a range of backgrounds - although not nearly enough. Consider the biographical material on the jacket flap or back of the book. What qualifies the author or illustrator to deal with the subject? If the book is not about people or events similar to the author or illustrator's background, what specifically recommends them as creators of the book? What is the author's attitude toward her/his story characters? Are the images accurate and do the illustrators respectfully render the people in the story? Do you have books reflecting a balanced range of author and illustrator identities and experiences?

Watch for Loaded Words

A word is loaded when it in any way demeans or makes people invisible because of any of their identities. One example is the generic use of the word "man" to stand for women as well as men (although the opposite never occurs). This traditional terminology is now questioned by many because of its sexist implications. Here are some examples of ways to avoid sexist language: community instead of brotherhood; firefighters inserted of firemen; human family instead of family of man; ancestors instead of forefathers; chairperson instead of chairman. Examples of adjectives applied to people of color that carry racist messages include: "savage," "primitive," "superstitious," "backward," "inscrutable" and "treacherous." Always consider the context in which a word is used and to whom it applies.

Look at the Copyright Date

Copyright dates indicate the publication year, not the time of its writing, which might be two to three years before the copyright date. Although a recent copyright date is no guarantee of a book's relevance or sensitivity, copyright dates are useful information. More children's books began to reflect the reality of a pluralistic society and nonsexist and non-ableist perspectives in the 1970s. Since then, the range of accurate, respectful, and caring books reflecting diversity has increased significantly (unfortunately the diversity of books published in the United States still does not accurately reflect the actual diversity of the people living here). When considering new books for your collection, begin with most recently published ones and then continue with descending copyright dates.

Assess the Appeal of the Story and Illustrations to Young Children

Although these guidelines focus on the messages about diversity and equality reflected in children's books, it is also important to take quality into account. Be sure the book is a "good read." If children find the story or illustrations boring, a book will not hold their attention, even if the book adds a specific kind of diversity you need. Check for active, interesting story lines where different kinds of people are integral to the people in the story, not the main topic. For example, in A Chair for My Mother, a young child tries to save money to get a comfortable chair for her waitress mother. Although the book shows a single parent, working-class family, and a resourceful girl, it is not didactic. Also look for illustrations that are colorful and recognizable to young children. Although they enjoy a range of styles, illustrations that are too subdued or abstract may not hold their attention.

Check for age appropriateness. Most booksellers list any picture book as appropriate for early childhood even if the story line is really for primary grade children. Sometimes a book for older children will work if you simplify the story or "tell" the story rather than read it. In some cases, this is the only way to get books that present specific groups of children (e.g., stories with Cambodian children or children with learning disabilities). Some additional issues to consider:

Many children's books use animal characters instead of people and there are some excellent books that explore diversity with animal characters (e.g., And Tango Makes Three or A Coyote Solstice Tale). Children enjoy these. However, such books are not a substitute for exploring issues of diversity and anti-bias fairness with people as the main characters.

Some early childhood teachers wonder if it is necessary for every book in their collection to show diversity. Every book needs to be accurate, caring, and respectful. However, you will want individual books about specific kinds of people (e.g., a biracial family or a family with adopted children). Diversity becomes essential in the balance of your book collection, where you want to avoid invisibility or tokenism of any group.

Folk and fairy tales have long been a mainstay of children's literature. In the cultures from which they come, folk and fairy tales were used to teach important lessons and values related to their culture of origin. Children love them in their original versions - not their commercially sanitized adaptations. However, folk and fairy tales also carry messages that convey sexism, classism, and racism and must be used thoughtfully as part of introducing young children to diversity and anti-bias values of quality and fairness.

Overuse of folk tales to "teach" about a specific ethnic/cultural group leads to misinformation and confusion. They are about animals and occasionally people from a mythical past and are designed to teach core values and beliefs in their culture of origin. They are not about how people actually live in contemporary society - and that is what young children need to understand. Information and images about how people really live now is what enables young children to build connections to people who are from different cultures while countering stereotypes that children have already absorbed (e.g., how American Indians really live).

Finally there is the somewhat sensitive issue of what to do about "classic" or "well-beloved" children's books. Many of these are wonderful as children's literature, but unfortunately they often convey values of sexism, racism, ableism, or even colonialism. People who love the books that pose this dilemma argue that it is OK to use them because they "reflect their times," which they imply somehow excuses their biased messages. For example, I adored the Babar series of books as a young child and was unpleasantly shocked to realize as an adult how much the images and story lines reflected messages of European colonialism in Africa. I chose not to use them with my own children, wanting them to learn accurate information about how people in Africa really live. Not sharing childhood favorites may sadden some, but it is far better than the harm caused by reinforcing messages of racism and colonialism.
In a nutshell - as you choose books or critically examine your current book selection, always keep in mind the power of books - their words and their images - to nurture or, conversely, to undermine a child's sense of self, positive attitude toward others, and motivation to act for fairness.
Additional Resources

Louise Derman-Sparks is an internationally respected anti-bias educator and author (along with Julie Olsen Edwards) of Anti-Bias Education for Young Children and Ourselves. She has co-authored several additional books with Dr. Carol Brunson Day (Teaching/Learning Anti-Racism), the ABC Task Force ( Anti-Bias Curriculum: Tools for Empowering Young Children), Dr. Patricia Ramsey (What If All the Kids Are White?), and Dr. John Nimmo and Debbie Leekeenan ( Leading Anti-Bias Early Childhood Programs: A Guide for Change). She speaks throughout the United States and abroad, and served on the NAEYC Governing Board from 1998 to 2001. Louise has a lifelong commitment to building a more just society for all people. Her children Douglass and Holly, now grown, were her inspiration. A Pacific Oaks College faculty member for 33 years - when its mission and pedagogy reflected anti-bias education principles - Louise is now retired.
*In 1980, the Council on Interracial Books for Children published the book Guidelines for Selecting Bias-Free Textbooks and Storybooks. A shorter version of the book in pamphlet form, "Ten Quick Ways to Analyze Children's Books for Racism and Sexism," followed. One of the first guides written for teachers and families, it became an invaluable tool for hundreds of thousands of people. Both the book and pamphlet have been out of print for several years. Rethinking Schools published their adaptation of the original Guidelines in 1994.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Guide for Selecting Anti-Bias Children's Books - Social Justice Books

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
By Louise Derman-Sparks Based on "Ten Quick Ways to Analyze Children's Books for Racism and Sexism." Updated in 2013.* Children's books continue to be an invaluable source of information and values. They reflect the attitudes in our society about diversity, power relationships among different groups of people, and various social identities (e.g., racial, ethnic, gender, [...]

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
National Museum of African American History and Culture

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Talking about race, although hard, is necessary. We are here to provide tools and guidance to empower your journey and inspire conversation.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Parents of children in a pre-K class at Anne Beers Elementary School (DCPS) were featured guest readers (part of the Teaching for Change Roving Readers program) in honor of Black History Month and Black Lives Matter at School Week of Action.

They read by Shane W. Evans, which tells the story of a Black family preparing to participate in the March on Washington. Following the reading, the young children marched in the hallway, singing "We Shall Overcome."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
We Shall Overcome: Pre-K Class Reads "We March" - D.C. Area Educators for Social Justice

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Parents of children in a pre-K class at Anne Beers Elementary School (DCPS) were featured guest readers (part of the Teaching for Change Roving Readers program) in honor of Black History Month and Black Lives Matter at School Week of Action .

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Teaching for Change carefully selects the best multicultural and social justice books for children, young adults, and educators.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Erikson Institute Early Math Collaborative

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Books are great for babies. Research clearly supports this. What are the best books for babies? On a broad level, books that are easily handled are best - small size, made of board or cloth. Books that have large uncluttered illustrations are good - an infant's ability to visually focus is developing through 6 months. Photos of faces are especially appealing. But can math be a part of the books babies interact with? Yes. Well, the concepts that lead to math.

We use our Precursor Concepts as a framework for discussing math thinking during the ages of 0-3. We refer to the baby stage as the Emerging Stage (0-15 months). Symbolic thought has not yet developed in infants, so they are most receptive to very generalized concepts that can be introduced when they are this age. This can of course take the form of reading!

Reading to Babies

Caregivers will be holding the baby up until the baby is about one year of age (lovingly, of course). They will need to hold the book also when reading but baby might reach, touch, and mouth the book. Caregivers initiate the reading, which can include pointing, asking questions, and making connections to baby. These are all done as "proto-conversations" with caregivers using "parentese" and encouraging the infant's coos, gaze, and noises by waiting for a response.

Beginning about 7-10 months the infant will take increasing agency in book handling, pointing, and vocalizing. They may begin to respond with pleasure to the book. In later infancy, as baby moves through the babble stages, the interactions become true conversations.

Talking About the Math in Books for Babies

Reading through the book from beginning to end is not important at this stage - the book is an occasion for a warm conversational interaction. The best books for babies are often concept books and books that are based on songs, especially lullabies.

In regards to math, in the Emerging Stage infants are focused on sensory perceptions. These are connected to the Precursor Concepts: Attribute, Comparison, Pattern, and Change. Caregivers have a special role in mathematizing the Precursor Concepts. Infants and toddlers instinctively notice the math all around, but it is the caregiver who supports their receptive understanding by voicing and showing the words to use. That is, they explain how many, what size, or where something is located. For example, just the cover of Cleaning Up, Up Up (below) shows the father uses actions and words to show where the book belongs.

It's also important to note that many books for babies make efforts to include multi-racial characters, diverse ethnicities, and rich multicultural experiences. It's never too early to emphasize and celebrate such things.

The List

1. My Heart Fills With Happiness by Monique Gray Smith

This board or paperback book is illustrated by Julie Flett and is infused with a beautiful question: what fills you with happiness? The Native American characters and wonderful illustrations are inviting and inclusive.

2. I Love All of Me by Lorie Ann Grover

This board book encourages children to love all the little things about themselves. Illustrated by Carolina Buzio, it also allows caregivers to point out all the body parts babies have while they read, touching and talking about all the little Attributes.

3. What Happens Next by Cheryl Christian

This board book written in both English and Chinese encourages lots of talk about Pattern and Change.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Best Books for Babies to Find Math in Their World | Erikson Institute

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Books are great for babies. Research clearly supports this. What are the best books for babies? On a broad level, books that are easily handled are best - small size, made of board or cloth. Books that have large uncluttered illustrations are good - an infant's ability to visually focus is developing through 6 months.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Sesame Street: I Love My Hair Song (Mando's Spanish Version)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Preschool students in Makai Kellogg's class at School for Friends explored the guiding principles of queer and trans-affirming during a storytime reading of Jessica Love's Julian is a Mermaid for D.C. Black Lives Matter at School Week of Action.

The story follows a young boy named Julián who spots three mermaids on the subway. Enamored and inspired, Julián shares with his grandmother, "Abuela, I am also a mermaid."

Kellogg highlighted the use of multiple languages during the reading. She asked her students, "Does anyone know what language 'abuela' is in?" Recognizing the word, a student raises their hand and exclaims, "Spanish!"

The story continues with Julián creating his very own mermaid wear with objects found in his home. A headband of leaves and a long curtain for his mermaid tail, Julian's grandmother returns from her bath as Julián lets out an "uh-oh."

Kellogg paused as students focus on the book's illustrations and the grandmother's facial expression. Kellogg then asks students what they think the grandmother is thinking and will do next.

Students shared that maybe the abuela is upset. "Maybe abuela wants to help Julián with his costume," another student imagined. The story continues with the grandmother giving Julián a necklace for his outfit. See and hear the student's excitement as they predict where Julián and his abuela are off to later in the story:

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Julian is a Mermaid - D.C. Area Educators for Social Justice

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Preschool students in Makai Kellogg's class at School for Friends explored the guiding principles of queer and trans-affirming during a storytime reading of Jessica Love's Julian is a Mermaid for D.C. Black Lives Matter at School Week of Action. The story follows a young boy named Julián who spots three mermaids on the subway.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Woke Read Alouds: It Feels Good to Be Yourself (NEW version)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Teaching for Change Offers Workshop at National African American Museum of History and Culture
By Cierra Kaler-Jones

In 2013, then 12-year old Vanessa VanDyke was threatened that she would be expelled unless she cut her natural hair because it was regarded as a "distraction" by administrators. In 2017, sisters Mya and Deanna Cook were told if they did not get rid of their braids, they would be removed from extracurricular activities, banned from prom, and given detention. In 2018, Drew Johnson was publicly forced to cut his locs in order to participate in a wrestling tournament or forfeit his match. In classrooms and schools across the country, we have also seen posted signs that designated which hairstyles were deemed appropriate and which were not, many of those hairstyles traditionally worn by people of color.

In light of these and other incidents, Teaching for Change's D.C. Area Educators for Social Justice, Communities for Just Schools Fund, and the Early Childhood Initiative at the National Museum of African American History and Culture offered a workshop on hair representation in children's books on November 2, 2019. The workshop was designed and facilitated by myself and Teaching for Change Coordinator of Teacher Engagement and Professional Development Rosalie Reyes.

More than 25 educators, administrators, and education advocates from across the D.C. metro area participated in a two-hour workshop around the historical and sociopolitical context of hair, selecting children's books on hair, and how to highlight these lessons and conversations in the classroom. To build community and to encourage networking between attendees, we opened the workshop with a story fortune icebreaker activity. Each attendee received a slip of paper with a prompt that they would then have to share with a partner. A few story fortune prompts included: my favorite hairstyle, why I am interested in children's literature, and a teacher or book that helped me rethink issues of race, gender, or class.

After participants spent some time learning more about one another, we introduced the first lesson. We adapted Bill Bigelow's The Color Line into The Hair Line, to predict and discuss policies, practices, and symbolism around hair. Through the lesson, participants analyzed the ways that hair has been used throughout history to make a statement, tell a story, and to control and create racial hierarchy through messages of inferiority/superiority. Groups then had an opportunity to predict and share examples in smaller conversations, later reviewing another worksheet, which detailed multiple examples throughout history. We moved from grounding ourselves in the historical context to thinking about how the pervasiveness of hair policies, and in some cases, the lack thereof, contribute to current practices in schools.

One example that inspired deep group discussion was about the findings from the National Women's Law Center's report on D.C. codes. The study found that 68 percent of D.C. public high schools that publish their dress codes online ban headwraps or hair scarves. A few school dress codes local to the D.C. metro area have policies, such as "No hats, hair rollers or curlers are allowed during the school day or at school-sponsored activities," and "Headwear is not permitted. This includes but is not limited to hats, visors, bandannas, scarves, bonnets, and hoods. (Exceptions may be granted based on religious and medical reasons with proper verification)." This sparked conversation about how those policies have been ingrained in our practices in the classroom. The topic also inspired questions about how we find balance between honoring students' expression and abiding by safety regulations that are set forth by school districts and school boards.

After situating and emphasizing the importance of grappling with the historical and sociopolitical context of hair, we discussed current examples that show the power of representation in children's literature. One of the examples we highlighted was Matthew Cherry's Hair Love, illustrated by Vashti Harrison. This sweet tale shares the story of Zuri, who is trying to figure out what to do with her hair for a special occasion. With her dad's help, they figure out the perfect solution after a few challenges along the way. We showed the short animated film clip, adapted from the book, alongside the below reaction from a child that sees an image of themselves reflected in the pages of the book. This illustrates the power, beauty, and magic of representation.

Using the book and clip as tools to spark an introductory conversation with early childhood and elementary students, we also encouraged educators to pose questions with students such as,

Do you have someone who does your hair?
Was there a time you did your hair really special?
What is your favorite thing about your hair?

Representatives from Curlanista were also in attendance and they graciously detailed the origin story of the company and talked about the company's founder, Lexi P., who launched the CURLANISTAS BO$$ Network, a youth entrepreneurial program. Dannika Stith-Bowers, an educator herself, brought her three daughters, Layla, Logan, and Leah, to talk about representation and the importance of being able to see themselves reflected in hair care products and books. Stith-Bowers encourages her daughters to select hairstyles they like and they will often point out pictures in books to show how they would like their hair. Each of the girls hugged a book as they sat in front of the room - one a Curlanista coloring book that featured a number of natural styles and textures, another one a notebook to showcase her exquisite drawings, and the other a detailed journal. As Stith-Bowers described each of the girls' different styles for how they like to wear their hair, she also offered a meaningful note,

When my daughter goes to school and isn't happy with her outfit or her hair that day, her teacher talks to her and affirms that she is beautiful just the way she is.

Children's books offer a dynamic and influential mirror for them to feel affirmed, celebrated, and appreciated. One way that the affirmation of hair can show up in a lesson is through reader's theatre, another lesson we shared with the group. Using some guiding questions created by Roving Readers, we asked some pre-reading questions, including,

Why do you love your hair?
How does it feel when someone is doing your hair or when you get a haircut?

After that, we had attendees break into small groups and asked them to select three pages of the book I Love My Hair! to act out to the larger group. This reader's theatre lesson can be adapted for different age groups in a number of ways. For example, for the youngest readers, educators or family members can read to them and have them act out each page. For older readers, they can read the book and either create a new scene to act out or write a related scene about their own experiences if this is something they would like to share. After reading the book, we followed up with some additional questions and statements, including,

Why do you think Keyana loved her hair?
What can you do with your hair?
Now everyone say I LOVE MY HAIR!

Opportunities to not only see different types and textures of hair represented in classroom content, but to also engage in discussion with students about their own hair practices helps to break down the barriers that 'others' hair that has historically been missing from mainstream media. Carefully selecting children's books can play a significant and powerful role in helping shape young children's perspectives about themselves and about others. Through read-alouds, role play, discussion, and other activities, children begin to build empathy and also a sense of confidence in their ability to understand and honor others' experiences. Interacting with children's books helps students with different learning styles comprehend and celebrate all dimensions of human difference, such as engaging with pictures as visual learners, listening as auditory learners, acting out the characters as kinesthetic learners, or talking through their thoughts as verbal learners.

We ended the workshop by giving participants an opportunity to look through some of the children's books on hair we curated and compiled. Some of the books included Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut, I Am Not a Number, My Hair is a Garden, and Bad Hair Does Not Exist! Pelo Male No Existe! Each participant received a guiding questions resource sheet for selecting children's books on hair. The resource sheet provided guiding questions and tips for critical selection. Some of the guidance included,

Check the illustrations. What hair textures and styles are missing or invisible? How are you able to supplement those conversations when reading books with children?

Consider how the books might affect children's self and social identity. Then selecting children's books on hair, does your collection incorporate or include different ethnicities? For example, are Afro-Latinx communities, indigenous communities, or communities that cover their hair represented in the text?

The time to explore the books also created space for educators to get together and share their expertise in discussing how they would incorporate some of these books into their classes or turn the book into a lesson, using some of the framework from the reader's theatre as a starting point.

Attendees shared their thoughts about what they learned during the workshop,

I realized how much there is to explore about hair. It is so complex, historically and currently. Literature is such a great starting point for the conversation.

Loved guiding questions and history handouts. Appreciated all of the books to peruse. I liked the intersectionality lens (gender, faith, etc.)

The resources were wonderful. I hadn't thought about all of the laws and policies around hair. The sample lessons / questions were good. Thank you.

I think the most important thing I gained from today was the opportunity to reflect on my experience with hair, the experience of others, and the historical experience in regard to hair representation.

Through discussion and interactive lessons and activities, this workshop extended the national conversation about what it means to affirm, celebrate, and honor different types and textures of hair, namely natural hair, while providing a historical context to ground our teaching and learning.

The team is based in Washington, D.C. and the presenters are available to present at conferences, for professional development, or for teacher education courses. If interested, please contact Cierra Kaler-Jones at ckalerjones@cjsfund.org.

VIEW MORE PHOTOS FROM EVENT

Cierra Kaler-Jones is the Education Anew Fellow with Communities for Just Schools Fund and Teaching for Change. She is also a Ph.D. candidate at University of Maryland, College Park studying minority and urban education.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Hair Representation in Children's Literature - D.C. Area Educators for Social Justice

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
By Cierra Kaler-Jones In 2013, then 12-year old Vanessa VanDyke was threatened that she would be expelled unless she cut her natural hair because it was regarded as a "distraction" by administrators. In 2017, sisters Mya and Deanna Cook were told if they did not get rid of their braids, they would be removed from extracurricular activities, banned from prom, and given detention.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Early childhood teacher Ashley Chu read This Is the Rope by Jacqueline Woodson in her pre-K - Kindergarten after school book club in D.C. for Black Lives Matter at School Week of Action. The focus of the book club is to read books written by people of color that tell the stories of characters of color. Chu describes the lesson:

We are currently reading stories related to the theme of immigration/migration, so we connected it to the book we read last week, by Yuyi Morales. Through that connection, we discussed the reasons people might move and how they may feel when they go somewhere new. Some students have moved in the past and shared their experience, while others talked about going somewhere new on a trip.

When I introduced the book, I related it to one of the 13 Principles of Black Lives Matter, "intergenerational." I explained it meant the story would talk about a grandma, mom, and child, and they will all grow and change through the story, so the story happens over many years. While reading the book, we highlighted how the characters were changing and how the rope is used in different ways. Then, students thought of other ways they might use a rope with their families. Students got a small piece of yarn and drew a picture incorporating the yarn, which they glued to their picture.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Students Read "This Is the Rope" - D.C. Area Educators for Social Justice

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Early childhood teacher Ashley Chu read This Is the Rope by Jacqueline Woodson in her pre-K - Kindergarten after school book club in D.C. for Black Lives Matter at School Week of Action. The focus of the book club is to read books written by people of color that tell the stories of characters of color.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Freedom Reads: We March - Social Justice Books

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Welcome to Freedom Reads: Anti-Bias Book Talk from Teaching for Change. In this video series, we introduce children’s books using an anti-bias, anti-racist lens as a strategy to talk about issues around race and the world with children. (View other episodes on the series home page and our YouTube pl…

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
We recognize that the ability to process and communicate ideas around race varies from child to child and family to family, and we wanted to honor these differences by allowing families to discuss and interact with this banner in the way that feels right for each of you. Any families that feel so moved are also invited to add a handprint or a written name on the banner. Later this week, all three words will be joined to create our Black Lives Matter mural, in celebration of our week of learning.

Q & A with young children

With young children, we suggest you share just enough to answer the question honestly. You don't need to give them too much detail, and you follow their lead in terms of curiosity and prior knowledge. Here are a couple examples -
Why are we having Black Lives Matter Week?
Sometimes people say and do hurtful things to people due to the color of their skin; our school community is speaking up to say that's unfair.
Why are we wearing hoodies?
Sometimes when people wear hoodies, other people think that they're scary. But we know, whatever you're wearing, you're still the same wonderful person and you matter.

Reflections from our Teachers

Creating this banner, and planning other activities or discussions for this week was a point of struggle and debate for us as early childhood educators and advocates. Young children interact with society, and are exposed to upsetting and concerning events every day, but within different contexts, and with varying degrees of comprehension. They are active participants and observers of the world around them. As teachers, we are often called upon to discuss difficult ideas and help children process them, and as individuals, we each have different feelings and viewpoints on when and how to engage our young learners when complex topics surface. We had a number of discussions and debates, representing a wide range of perspectives. As a result, we agreed on the importance of talking about this with young children, reaching consensus on the following key points.

We build the foundation for a more equitable future by celebrating our differences, including skin color. We do this all year long through thoughtful planning and in response to teachable moments that surface in our classroom communities.

Families will have many different feelings about issues surrounding race and the Black Lives Matter movement, and should have the opportunity to discuss these ideas with their children in their own way.

Children need to know they are safe and loved and they matter. It is important for them to not be completely sheltered from painful things. Social issues are early childhood issues.

We're all still learning about and processing this kind of work with young children, and striving to do what's best for our students and our world. Thank you for your partnership and understanding in this work.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Black Lives Matter School Mural - D.C. Area Educators for Social Justice

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Early childhood students and families at The Inspired Teaching Demonstration School began to work on a #BlackLivesMatter mural this morning. Students in Pk through 8th grade will have the opportunity to add their messages throughout the week as part of the D.C. Area Black Lives Matter Week of Acti

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Early Childhood: Learning about Gender Identity

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Teaching for Change carefully selects the best multicultural and social justice books for children, young adults, and educators.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Families Lead Read Alouds of Black History Books — D.C. Area Educators for Social Justice

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
At Langdon ES (DCPS), parents and grandparents were featured guest readers (part of the Teaching for Change Roving Readers program) in honor of Black History Month and Black Lives Matter at School Week of Action. They read in Ms. Louis’ 3rd grade class and Ms. Sco

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Erikson Institute Early Math Collaborative

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The Collaborative sends a shout-out to all the hard-working early childhood teachers who have found ways to continue playing games during the Covid-19 pandemic. Whether teaching in-person with social distancing or online, the number one question we hear from teachers is how to adapt preschool math games for remote learning.

Elaine Bennett, an early years teacher in the UK, used our quantity cards to create an interactive subitizing spinner that generates random visual representations of quantities 1-5. We've happily shared the spinner (and another one she created with dice) with teachers here in Chicago and have seen how useful it is for preschool math games.

Here are some preschool game ideas that work equally well in person or online.

Three in a Row

Have each player create their own 3 x 3 array of 1-5 quantity cards, face up. Spin the spinner. Players can turn over a card if it shows the same representation of the quantity on the spinner (an exact match such as 3 fingers and 3 fingers). The first player to turn over three cards in a row wins the game.

Stepping Stones

Create a stepping stone path with sidewalk chalk (outside) or painters' tape (inside). Children at home can create "stepping stones" with common household items such as paper plates, washcloths, or small pillows. Spin the spinner and have player jump that number of stepping stones. The player who completes the path first wins the game. When partners can't play together, children can race the teacher or play against a stuffed animal at home.

Cover All BINGO

Have each player create their own 3 x 3 array of 1-5 quantity cards, face up. Spin the spinner. Players turn over all the cards that represent the same quantity as the shown on the spinner. For example, if the spinner shows 3 fingers, players can turn over cards with 3 fingers, 3 dots, 3 on the ten-frame, 3 tallies, etc. The first player to turn over all their cards wins the game.

Fill the Frame

Use a ten frame and two colors of game pieces such as red and black checkers. Two players take turns spinning and adding that number of pieces to the ten frame. The player who adds the tenth piece to fill the frame wins the game. When partners can't play together, then children can race to fill their own frame first.

Keep on playing with math! It's not easy, but we know the importance of math games, especially during remote learning. For other game ideas, see our collection of game-related posts.

Related Ideas

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
New Use of Quantity Cards for Remote Preschool Math Games

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Collaborative sends a shout-out to all the hard-working early childhood teachers who have found ways to continue playing games during the Covid-19 pandemic. Whether teaching in-person with social distancing or online, the number one question we hear from teachers is how to adapt preschool math games for remote learning.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Welcome to Freedom Reads: Anti-Bias Book Talk from Teaching for Change. In this video series, we introduce children's books using an anti-bias, anti-racist lens as a strategy to talk about issues around race and the world with children. (View other episodes on the series home page and our YouTube playlist.)

The book featured in the video below is B is for Baby, written by Nigerian-born storyteller Atinuke, and illustrated by Angela Brooksbank. Published in 2019, this book is recommended for early childhood, including babies and toddlers! B is for Baby is the fun journey of a bouncing baby who accidentally accompanies her brother as he delivers bananas by bicycle to their Baba's bungalow. Set in West Africa, this book is a delightful way for young children to explore the letter "B."

Four Key Takeaways From B is for Baby:

1. Appealing story

2. Not another safari book

3. Authentic storytelling

4. Representations of Africa

Sharing part of her inspiration for the book, Atinuke comments: "I picked the baobab because it grows big - not only in size but in importance for the people who live around it. It provides not only physical sustenance but also spiritual sustenance. It is often a place of gathering and many wise decisions are reached under the baobab tree. Bougainvillea surrounded my childhood. It grew all over houses and compound walls. The sight of those beautiful flowers are very much a part of my African experience."

Learn More

Booklists

Note: Book titles on SocialJusticeBooks.org are linked to Powells.com (an independent, unionized bookstore) and/or Bookshop (indie bookstore platform). A small percentage from book sales through these links goes to Teaching for Change.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Freedom Reads: Episode 4 - B is for Baby - Social Justice Books

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Welcome to Freedom Reads: Anti-Bias Book Talk from Teaching for Change. In this video series, we introduce children's books using an anti-bias, anti-racist lens as a strategy to talk about issues around race and the world with children. (View other episodes on the series home page and our YouTube playlist.)

# data[].attributes.headline
A is for Amazing! Activity book developed by the National Museum of African American History & Culture (Ages 3 to 5)

# data[].attributes.subject
A is for Amazing! Activity book developed by the National Museum of African American History & Culture (Ages 3 to 5)

# data[].attributes.headline
Multilingual Resources for Teaching Black Lives Matter in ECE

# data[].attributes.subject
Multilingual Resources for Teaching Black Lives Matter in ECE

# data[].attributes.body
Developed by Carlos Duque, Capital City PCS and Itzel Mejía-Menéndez, De Colores Learning Center

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Multilingual Resources for Black Lives Matter (1.21.2020).pdf

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
By Colleen Massaquoi
The third graders huddled around the photographs, their faces filled with concern. "Whoa, that's a lot of bags," Sam said, scooting closer to examine a picture of a goat surrounded by towering mounds of twisted, multicolored plastic bags.

"Oh no!" Claire exclaimed. "It looks like that goat is going to eat the plastic."

"Yeah, that's crazy!" Eric leaned in to gaze at the photograph. "How did all of those plastic bags get there? Someone needs to clean them up."

"Eric, I'm so glad you said that. I can tell that you're really going to enjoy the story I'm going to read to you today. It's called One Plastic Bag, and it's the story of a woman named Isatou Ceesay. She saw all of those plastic bags and thought the same thing you did: someone needs to clean that up! Let's read about her."

The buzz in the classroom quieted down as I began to read. One Plastic Bag by Miranda Paul tells the true story of Isatou Ceesay and the Recycling Women of the Gambia. When the book opens, students meet Ceesay, then a child, as she carries a plastic bag home from the market. As I read, the students watched Ceesay grow into an adult who recognized the problems plastic bags caused in her village and decided to do something to help. Ceesay and other women in her village of Njau began to crochet coin purses made from the plastic bags, an effort that gives the women their name: the Recycling Women of the Gambia. The ending of One Plastic Bag looks into the future, predicting a time when the village is beautiful and free of trash. The students listened attentively, hooked to the story.

As an early childhood science and math specialist, I often struggle to find authentic ways to address issues of social justice in my classroom. There are few resources aimed at teaching about environmental justice, climate change, and activism in the early childhood years. Those resources that do exist typically fall into two groups: they are either very simplistic and focused almost exclusively on individual actions, or they cover scientific content that is far too advanced for young learners. For these reasons, my work with young children up until this point often focused on individual actions like recycling: it was clear, concrete, and had a definite outcome. In that vein, I had recently organized a school-wide study of recycling, and the third graders took the lead on teaching the younger children what could be recycled. They relished this leadership role and were primed to think about how the work they had just done within the school could connect to organizing and activism on a larger scale.

It was clear to me right away that One Plastic Bag would make a great conclusion to our unit study of recycling and community organizing. My students relished "true stories," and I loved how the book centered collective action: a group of women who were activists within their community. The ending, though, just didn't feel right.

Just a week before, during a meeting of the Anti-Bias Early Childhood Working Group organized by D.C. Area Educators for Social Justice, my colleagues and I discussed how organizing and activism are portrayed in picture books. After reviewing a slew of picture books, we noted that many books about organizing and activism written for children often have neat, tidy endings that fail to acknowledge the ongoing work of activism. What messages were we sending children with such endings, we wondered? How could we, as teachers and activist ourselves, help children consider the realities of activism?

By its very nature, activism is hard, grinding work. There are victories to celebrate, but there are more (arguably, many more) moments where activists must push through disappointments and failure. Were children's books that ended "happily ever after" masking this reality? If they were, how could we help children see it?

One Plastic Bag too fell short in this regard: the women "dreamed that one day their village would be beautiful...and it was." When I read the book aloud to my students, I wanted the children to interrogate the reality of such an ending and learn to ask questions about the process of creating lasting change. Is the village truly beautiful, or do the women need to continue their work? Do they face challenges along the way? Do people continue to discard plastic bags?

With these goals in mind, I launched the discussion with a simple question: "How does the ending of this story make you feel?"

"Amazing!" Carrie exclaimed before I could even finish the question.

"Happy!" said Noah, nodding. There were nods and a chorus of "Yeah, happy!"

"Well, I kind of knew...I felt relief that it ended happily, but I sort of knew because it's about recycling women, and everyone's recycling today," said Carrie.

Morgan looked skeptical. "I"m a little happy and a little sad because it's not really like that today."

I looked around the classroom, gauging the expressions on the other children's faces. I had hoped that such a comment would come up, but I was surprised at how organically it arose in the discussion. "I want to pause on that. Can you say a bit more about that - 'It's not like that today'?"

She hesitated, presenting her idea carefully. "Well, like...it's better, but...we still have a lot of that."

"Yeah," Carrie chimed in, quick to abandon her previous position.

I tried to draw Morgan out. "Say more - there's still a lot of what?"

"People throwing bags on the ground and not recycling."

Sam nodded. "Well, I feel a little better, like good, because my dad went to a place and he got a plastic bag and it said made out of recyclables. And a lot of stuff, like the Crayola box, says its recycled."

"Yeah, I'm thinking that a lot of people are getting into the recycling spirit because I heard that some companies are trying to make all of the bags out of recycled materials," Alex agreed.

"I'm curious about something," said Claire. "Because, I mean, there are going to be more plastic bags, so do they keep working on it, or...?" Her voice trailed off.

Yet again, I was stunned by how naturally the students came to the same question that my colleagues and I had. "That's the same question I had, and it relates to what everyone said. I'm feeling good that the people in Njau are trying to get rid of a lot of plastic bags, but I'm wondering if the ending of the book."

Jon jumped in. "Maybe that only happened for one year or something."

"Okay," I continued. "So do you think the plastic bags are still a problem?"

There was hubbub and a mixed response. Some children loudly called out "Yes!" Others said "no" more slowly and thoughtfully.

"Here's the question that I want to pose to you: what do you think happens after this story ends? I think we agree that the ending 'They wanted it to be perfect, and it was' probably isn't how it ended. I know you are writers in this classroom, so here's what I want you to do. I want you to put all of these great thoughts down on paper. What do you think really happened to the Recycling Women?"

I paused there, not wanting to influence students' thinking too much. The children hurried back to their desks and began writing. When I collected their responses, I saw a range of different ideas. Some children wrote that the people were happy because they cleaned up the plastic bags and made the village beautiful. Other took a more pessimistic approach, writing that plastic bags were still a big problem, and people eventually stopped cleaning them up.

A few responses, though, stood out. One said, "I think they're going to keep doing it, but there gets to be more plastic, and they keep doing it, and there gets to be more plastic, so they keep doing it."

The second said, "I think the women like to make the purses, so they keep making them. The purses are good because they clean up the plastic but also they make the women happy."

When I read these responses, I smiled. Perhaps this discussion had planted the seed of authentic activism after all. Like activists everywhere, I celebrated this small victory with the knowledge that there was much work yet to be done.

Colleen Massaquoi has been a teacher for 10 years. She received her M.A.T. in Elementary STEM Education and specializes in teaching young children with diverse learning needs. She is currently the Math and Science Specialist at Concord Hill School, where she teaches children 3 years old through third grade. Colleen is a member of the D.C. Area Educators for Social Justice (DCAESJ) Anti-bias Education Working Group.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Sense of an Ending: Picture Books as an Entry to Activism - Social Justice Books

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
By Colleen Massaquoi The third graders huddled around the photographs, their faces filled with concern. "Whoa, that's a lot of bags," Sam said, scooting closer to examine a picture of a goat surrounded by towering mounds of twisted, multicolored plastic bags. "Oh no!" Claire exclaimed.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Last May, Teaching for Change's D.C. Area Educator's for Social Justice, hosted a session for early childhood educators on teaching about disability. There was a variety of educators and specialists in attendance including therapists and teachers of inclusive and self-contained classrooms.

Using the chapter titled "Learning About Disabilities and Fairness" from the book Anti-Bias Education for Young Children and Ourselves, small groups discussed sections related to children's early experiences and understandings of ability and disability such as: "young children are curious; they want to know about what they see" and "young children have the capacity to appreciate their shared abilities and similarities."

The anti-bias goals pertaining to disability and fairness are:

All children will develop autonomy and independence (as they are able) as well as confidence and pride in their competence.

All children will learn accurate information, appropriate to their developmental stage, about disabilities and special needs.

All children will gain understanding about how their own abilities are the same as and different from others'.

All children will learn to interact knowledgeably, comfortably, and fairly with each other, whatever their abilities.

All children will learn how to challenge name-calling and stereotyping with respect to their own or others' abilities and will share ideas about accessibility in order to promote interaction and independence.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Talking to Young Children About Disabilities - D.C. Area Educators for Social Justice

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Last May, Teaching for Change's D.C. Area Educator's for Social Justice , hosted a session for early childhood educators on teaching about disability. There was a variety of educators and specialists in attendance including therapists and teachers of inclusive and self-contained classrooms

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
We are pleased to have guest editor Katie Schaffer's help in addressing this sensitive and timely issue. Katie brings extensive knowledge and insight regarding gender issues to this column.

Four-year-old Michael usually comes to school in jeans and a T-shirt but always goes to the dress-up area as soon as he arrives and puts on a dress or skirt.

On the day his mother was volunteering in the classroom, he walked in and immediately put on a ballerina skirt and sparkly shoes. She firmly told him to take them off and instead put on the firefighter's hat and boots, try on the cowboy hat, or do "something that boys do." Michael complied with his mother's demand but soon left the dramatic play area.

When the children went outside to play, Michael's mother told Ana, Michael's teacher, that he consistently plays female roles at home and shows little interest in toys and activities typically associated with boys. She and her husband were very concerned about his behavior, and she asked Ana not to allow Michael to play with any "girl stuff" at school.

Ana also has observed that Michael strongly prefers playing with girls and chooses activities that are stereotypically feminine, like having tea parties and wearing dress-up clothes that have lots of ribbons and sequins. He also frequently tells the other children that he is really a girl and that he wants to be called "Michelle."

Ana knows that some children begin to persistently identify with a gender different from their assigned sex at a very young age (Ehrensaft 2011; Fox 2015). (See "Glossary of Terms" for definitions of words and phrases used in this column.) She is also aware that the NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct strongly supports maintaining close, collaborative relationships with families and respecting their child-rearing and cultural preferences. What is her most ethical response?

Responding to the issue

This scenario is similar to the one described in the Focus on Ethics column "Don't Let My Son Dress Up as a Girl!" in the September 2017 issue of Young Children. In both cases, there is a conflict between a family's request that its son not be allowed to engage in stereotypically feminine activities in school and a teacher's belief that it is best for children to be encouraged to choose the activities that are most meaningful to them.

Our role as educators is to create a safe and reflective space for children to develop their identities and to counterbalance gender stereotypes.

Despite the similarities, there are some important differences between these two scenarios. Like Victor (the child described in the September 2017 column), many boys are fascinated by glittery clothing and enjoy playing a variety of roles-including feminine ones-in the dramatic play area. Michael's interest in "girl stuff," however, is not limited to playing with clothes and roles. Michael consistently gravitates to female-assigned pursuits, identifies as a girl, and asks to be called by a girl's name. These are examples of how Michael's gender expression (how a person shows their gender to the world through external choices) is currently gender nonconforming (it does not follow prevailing cultural and social expectations about what is appropriate for their gender). Michael may be-or ultimately identify as- trans or transgender (a person whose gender identity is different from the sex assigned at birth).

While there is nothing new about gender nonconforming behavior in early childhood settings, advice for how educators can best handle conflicting perspectives has been scarce or absent, and resources to help teachers work with children and their families on this issue have not been readily available (Kilman 2013).

As in previous columns, we will use the process described in Ethics and the Early Childhood Educator (Feeney & Freeman 2018) to systematically apply the NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct (2011) to this situation. We will then consider the unique challenges presented by this case and explore some resources that might be helpful to teachers and administrators who are working with children like Michael and their families.

Our analysis is informed by contributions from students in the ECE 200, The Professional in Early Childhood Education, class at Portland Community College in Portland, Oregon; participants at the June 2018 NAEYC Professional Learning Institute in Austin, Texas; Briel Schmitz, head of Spruce Street School in Seattle, Washington; and Rabbi Meir Muller, assistant professor of early childhood education at the University of South Carolina and head of Cutler Jewish Day School in Columbia, South Carolina. We thank them for contributing to this analysis.

We begin with the first two steps of the process we use to address a workplace issue.

Identify the problem and determine if it involves ethics

This situation involves ethics because Ana must decide the right course of action to support a gender nonconforming or trans child and the child's concerned family.

Determine if it is an ethical responsibility or an ethical dilemma

While we noticed similarities between Michael and Victor (from our 2017 column), we came to appreciate that Ana faced a more challenging situation than Victor's teacher. She needed to respect Michael's preferences while working effectively and sensitively with his parents.

After presenting the scenario to two groups of early childhood educators and doing some research and reflection, we came to the conclusion that Ana is facing an ethical responsibility (a situation with just one morally justified course of action), not an ethical dilemma (a situation for which there is more than one possible resolution, which can be justified in moral terms). Because we consider it an ethical responsibility to respect children's gender self-determination, we will refer to Michael using her chosen name, Michelle, and chosen gender pronouns, she/her, for the remainder of the article.

Assigned sex: The label given at birth-usually male or female-based on a variety of factors (usually genitalia, but sometimes also hormones and chromosomes). The term assigned at birth acknowledges that someone (often a doctor) is making a decision but there is far more biological, anatomical, and chromosomal variation than captured by the binary labels of male and female.

Gender: A social construct that categorizes and labels societal and cultural expectations (i.e., gender norms) for how people of different assigned sexes (and thus assigned genders) are supposed to act. Gender varies over time and from place to place.

Gender identity: How a person self-identifies their gender, which may include man, woman, genderqueer, or other gender identities. A person's understanding of their gender identity can begin as early as age 2.

Gender expression: The way in which a person expresses their gender identity, typically through their appearance, affect, behavior, and activities.

Gender nonconforming: A term to describe a person whose behavior or appearance does not follow prevailing cultural and social expectations about what is appropriate to their assigned gender (and thus assigned sex). Some people who position their gender outside of a man/woman binary describe their gender as gender nonconforming or genderqueer.

Trans or transgender: A self-identification of a person whose gender identity differs from their assigned sex. For example, someone who was assigned female at birth but identifies as male might use the term transman.

Cis or cisgender: A person whose gender identity is the same as their assigned sex. For example, if the doctor said "It's a boy," and the child continues to identify as a boy/man, then he is cis or a cisman. People who are not trans are, therefore, cis.

Queer: A term that allows individuals to avoid the rigid categorization of straight and gay, and can indicate an attraction to people of many genders. For some, queer is also a political statement, expressing rejection of binary thinking and asserting that sexual orientation and gender identity are complex and potentially fluid. Although historically a derogatory term, queer has been reclaimed by many communities to have a positive connotation.

Sexuality: Sexuality is not just about sex. It is about individuals' bodies, genders, feelings, relationships, and ways of experiencing intimacy. In this context, children's healthy sexual development involves learning about their bodies, feelings, and relationships. Sexuality can also refer to sexual feelings, thoughts, attractions, and preferences. Sexual orientation often refers to whom we are sexually attracted. Some common terms for sexuality include bi (or bisexual), gay, straight, and queer.

Guidance from the NAEYC Code

Let's look at the guidance the NAEYC Code provides for this decision.

The groups who discussed this situation both concluded that they could not justify forbidding a child to behave in ways that express her strongly held sense of self and that, therefore, they could not comply with this family's request to keep her from activities associated with girls or femininity. They agreed that Ana's primary responsibility was to Michelle, and that she needed to honor Michelle's ways of expressing her identity. The groups also emphasized the importance of Ana listening carefully to the family's concerns and treating them with understanding and respect.

Some noted that Ana might feel she lacks the expertise to respond confidently to this situation. They recommended that she work closely with her director and seek out other knowledgeable professionals. Together, they could help her prepare to share information about young children's developing gender identity with Michelle's family, helping them understand their child's request to be identified as a girl and to engage in play that she finds meaningful. For suggestions on how to engage families and respond to some of their concerns, see "Practical Guidance for Teachers: Supporting the Families of Gender Nonconforming Children". It would also be important that Ana and the director work with the program's other teachers and families to help them accept Michelle's gender identity with kindness and understanding.

The Code's Core Values, Ideals, and Principles

Respondents to this case found that the Code's Core Values, Ideals, and Principles offered guidance that would help Ana address this family's concerns. They noted, in particular, educators' responsibilities to children and the importance of nurturing positive relationships with families. The following excerpts from the Code are those most applicable to this situation.

Core Values

Base our work on knowledge of how children develop and learn

Appreciate and support the bond between the child and family

Respect the dignity, worth, and uniqueness of each individual (child, family member, and colleague)

Recognize that children and adults achieve their full potential in the context of relationships that are based on trust and respect

I-1.2 -To base program practices upon current knowledge and research in the field of early childhood education, child development, and related disciplines, as well as on particular knowledge of each child.

I-1.3 -To recognize and respect the unique qualities, abilities, and potential of each child.

I-1.5 -To create and maintain safe and healthy settings that foster children's social, emotional, cognitive, and physical development and that respect their dignity and their contributions.

I-2.2 -To develop relationships of mutual trust and create partnerships with the families we serve.

I-2.5 -To respect the dignity and preferences of each family and to make an effort to learn about its structure, culture, language, customs, and beliefs.

I-2.6 -To acknowledge families' childrearing values and their right to make decisions for their children.

I-2.8 -To help family members enhance their understanding of their children . . . and support family members in the continuing development of their skills as parents.

Principles

P-1.1-Above all, we shall not harm children. We shall not participate in practices that are emotionally damaging, physically harmful, disrespectful, degrading, dangerous, exploitative, or intimidating to children. This principle has precedence over all others in this Code.

P-1.4 -We shall use two-way communications to involve all those with relevant knowledge (including families and staff) in decisions concerning a

child, as appropriate, ensuring confidentiality of sensitive information.

P-2.4 -We shall ensure that the family is involved in significant decisions affecting their child.

P-2.6 -As families share information with us about their children and families, we shall ensure that families' input is an important contribution to the planning and implementation of the program.

The Code offers strong justification for a teacher to base her actions on the needs of the child and for honoring the family's childrearing values and agreeing to their request. However, the Code also points educators toward putting the wellbeing of the child above all other concerns. P-1.1 takes precedence over all other items in the Code and supports Ana's decision to place the highest priority on the best interests of the child.

Guidance for the director

These items from the Code's Supplement for Program Administrators (2011) provide additional guidance for the director who is helping Ana address this issue:

P-1.1-We shall place the welfare and safety of children above other obligations (for example, to families, program personnel, employing agency, community). This item takes precedence over all others in this Supplement.

I-2.2 -To serve as a resource for families by providing information and referrals to services in the larger community.

P-2.10 -We shall respond to families' requests to the extent that the requests are congruent with program philosophy, standards of good practice, and the resources of the program. We shall not honor any request that puts a child in a situation that would create physical or emotional harm. In such instances, we shall communicate with the family the reason(s) why the request was not honored and work toward an alternative solution.

Reflecting on the case

Gender curiosity in children is not a recent phenomenon. Young children have always engaged in various forms of gender play, exploration, and identification. However, in recent years there has been greater recognition of the range of ways that individuals can express their gender identity and significantly more representation of trans people and communities in mainstream media. While this has opened up space for conversations about gender nonconforming and trans-identified children, some adults (including some educators, parents, grandparents) still attempt to stop the behavior (as in the case of Michelle's parents) or attempt to rigidly categorize the behavior (assuming they can predict the child's ultimate identity).

It is important to note that in US society today, children who are assigned male at birth receive more intense gender scrutiny than children who are assigned female at birth. For instance, girls are often encouraged by their parents to explore and participate in games traditionally associated with boys. These children are often celebrated as "strong" and "independent." However, when boys express interests in activities associated with girls, they are typically reprimanded, ostracized, or identified as problematic. This double standard stems from a culture that often demeans behavior associated with women and femininity.

This case warrants particularly careful consideration because of the potential lifelong consequences of respecting or refusing to respect Michelle's view of herself. It is important that the adults in Michelle's life be willing to honor who she says she is. Denying children the opportunity to express themselves by forcing them to accept adults' views of gender-appropriate behavior is likely to damage relationships and the children's sense of self, in addition to making their lives more difficult.

Teachers working with families who are concerned about how their children are expressing their gender identity need to be flexible and well prepared. It may be helpful to refresh their knowledge of child development, specifically identity development as it relates to concepts of gender. Gender is varied and dynamic. All of us express our gender differently over the course of our lives; children should be encouraged and supported to play, explore, and define the gender that feels right to them at the time (without an expectation of day-to-day or month-to-month consistency). Our role as educators is to create a safe and reflective space for children to develop their interests and identities and to counterbalance pervasive gender stereotypes.

Flexibility and preparation are also essential for supporting families. The most important thing that a teacher or director can do with families is listen carefully and try to understand their concerns. Some families may be worried about their children's future school experiences during their middle childhood and teen years. They may be seeking assurance that their children will be safe, happy, and well adjusted. Other families may be interested in knowing if there is research that indicates that a transgender child can grow into a confident and well-adjusted adult. Families with strong religious or cultural beliefs that do not support gender nonconformity need to feel that their perspectives are being heard.

Teachers also need to have appropriate resources in mind for families, knowing that different families will be best supported in different ways. Some will be interested in reading scientific literature; others may just need someone to listen to and reassure them. At times, it may be appropriate to refer the family to a community resource person who is skilled in addressing questions of gender and sexual expression.

It may be helpful to remind family members that the ultimate goal is preserving their positive long-term relationships with their child. By sharing current information on child development, teachers may point out that there are things about the child that the family can neither change nor control. While they can't change their child's gender identity, they do have the power to strengthen the relationship by being loving and supportive no matter how their child self-identifies. (For more specifics to help you work effectively with families, see pages 91-93.)

As we pointed out in our September 2017 column about a father's disapproval of his son dressing up in girl's clothing, many child-rearing values are strongly rooted in families' cultural beliefs. Sensitive teachers must carefully balance their responsibilities to children and to their families-this can be particularly challenging when working with groups that have strong positions about appropriate gender roles. Additional challenges arise when a child's gender preference is at odds with their family culture and values. Those situations will call for exceptional cultural navigation skills and, most likely, additional support from experts and organizations in the community. We anticipate that this topic will continue to be addressed in early childhood education.

As a teacher, you have the ability to make the world a better place for children who are gender nonconforming, are gender creative, or identify as trans. One place to start is with an inclusive classroom that supports a variety of gender expressions and avoids perpetuating harmful gender stereotypes. There are simple ways to make classrooms more inclusive, like avoiding consistently dividing children into groups by gender. For example, think about how you call children to the door. Instead of calling boys, then girls, to line up at the door, you might ask children wearing red, then blue, then green, to get ready to go outside. You can incorporate pictures, books, and dress-up materials that avoid gender stereotypes into the classroom. And you can help children move beyond traditional gender roles by encouraging girls to pretend they are firefighters and boys to role-play as nurses. If possible, make your restrooms available to all genders. Respond to children's fears, teach children to stand up for themselves if teased for their gender expressions, and validate their gender identities as they choose to express them. Strive to help all the children and adults in your program embrace a more inclusive, less restrictive view of gender.

Resources for Teachers and Families

Books and articles for adults

Gender Born, Gender Made: Raising Healthy Gender-Nonconforming Children. Diane Ehrensaft (2011). This developmental and clinical psychologist provides clear advice about supporting children who do not conform to society's narrowly defined gender categories.

The Transgender Child: A Handbook for Families and Professionals. Stephanie Brill & Rachel Pepper (2008). A comprehensive resource with information to help adults guide gender-variant and transgender children.

This Is How It Always Is: A Novel. Laurie Frankel (2017). A family's journey of learning and acceptance begins when their 3-year-old son announces that he wants to be a girl when he grows up.

"Tate and the Pink Coat: Exploring Gender and Enacting Anti-Bias Principles." Janice Kroeger, Abigail E. Recker, and Alexandra C. Gunn. 2019. This article presents current research on the importance of gender inclusivity in early childhood classrooms and offers practical tips to help teachers support children's explorations of gender. NAEYC.org/resources/pubs/yc/mar2019/exploring-gender-enacting-anti-bias

Gender Spectrum. This website has links to resources that help programs create gender-sensitive and inclusive environments for all children. Includes resources for children, families, and teachers, and training materials addressing a wide range of topics. www.genderspectrum.org

Teaching Tolerance. This website contains resources for educators committed to diversity, equity, and justice, including classroom and professional development materials focused on race and ethnicity, religion, ability, class, immigration, gender and sexual identity, bullying, and bias. www.tolerance.org/topics

Gender Justice in Early Childhood. This website focuses specifically on young children and offers resources and links to help educators consider their language, teaching practices, and programs from a gender justice perspective.
www.genderjusticeinearlychildhood.com

The Boy & the Bindi, by Vivek Shraya, illus. by Rajni Perera (2016). (Ages 4-8) A 5 year-old South Asian boy is fascinated with his mother's bindi, the colored dot commonly worn in the middle of Hindu women's foreheads. He wants to have one of his own. His mother agrees and teaches him about its cultural significance.

Elena's Serenade, by Campbell Gleeson (2014). (Ages 3-8) A young Mexican girl admires her father's glassblowing and wants to follow in his footsteps. However, pointing to her size and gender, he disapproves of her aspirations. She disguises herself as a boy to learn the craft and ultimately changes her father's views. Told in both English and Spanish, the story explores the limiting nature of gender roles and the power of children to challenge adult thinking.

Introducing Teddy, by Jessica Walton, illus. by Dougal MacPherson (2016). (Ages 3-6) Errol and his teddy bear, Thomas, are best friends who do everything together. One day, Thomas tells Errol, "In my heart, I've always known that I'm a girl teddy, not a boy teddy." Errol replies, "I don't care if you're a girl teddy or a boy teddy! What matters is that you are my friend."

Julián Is a Mermaid, by Jessica Love (2018). (Ages 4-8) Inspired by women he sees on the subway who are colorfully dressed as mermaids, Julián dresses up like a mermaid when he gets home. He worries about how his grandmother will respond, but she celebrates his transformation.

My Princess Boy, by Cheryl Kilodavis, illus. by Suzanne DeSimone (2009). (Ages 4-8) This story is told from the perspective of the mother of a 4-year-old boy who likes to wear dresses and enjoys things that typically appeal to girls.

Sparkle Boy, by Lesléa Newman, illus. by Maria Mola (2017). (Ages 4-8) Casey loves blocks, puzzles, and his dump truck, but he also wants to try out the shimmer skirt, glittery nails, and bracelets his sister and his grandmother wear. The adults in his life support his choices, but he worries when older boys tease him.

Photographs: © Getty Images

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Focus On Ethics: Gender Expression and Identity

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Our role as educators is to create a safe and reflective space for children to develop their identities and to counterbalance gender stereotypes.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
By Makai Kellogg
We all know what "The End" means when reading a children's book. The story has concluded. The last sentence of a book can also indicate to a reader that there is closure. But what are the consequences of that closure when it comes to books about ongoing social movements? Isn't there always more to the story? Or is the struggle for justice over?

After reading many children's books about social activism throughout my teaching career, I've noticed a pattern, and I'm not the only one. At a recent Anti-Bias Early Childhood Working Group gathering in Washington, D.C., we analyzed and provided feedback on children's books focused on activism and change. In small groups, we thought about what messages about activism were conveyed. While the discussion focused on how to teach the book, we inevitably arrived at a common question: why did it end that way?

A few of the books had us thinking about the author's intentions, the effects of endings on students as well as how to use the ending as a teaching tool. In what ways can educators address, question, adapt, omit, and frame book endings so that children understand that the struggle continues?

Here is what we found and our recommendations.

Some books end with a flourishing big finale, or the ending tends to tie the story up neatly with a resolution. Others trivialize the message with humor such as the ending of CLICK, CLACK, MOO: Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin.

When children believe that oppression (racism, sexism, environmental injustice, etc.) has been solved, certain beliefs arise such as the Civil Rights Movement cured racism or thinking one individual act worked out so everyone else facing hardship should be able to get from under it as well.

Sometimes books can perpetuate the idea of colorblindness, for example, those ending on Dr. Martin Luther King's statement about being judged by the content of one's character. Also, endings that claim a problem has been solved and now everything is fair fosters the myth of meritocracy.

Some books, though, end with the message that not only are struggles intersected but that activism is ongoing, such as ¡Sí, Se Puede! Yes, We Can! Janitor Strike in L.A. by Diana Cohn.

There are so many new children's books that have been written to explore vital topics such as racism, environmental justice, labor rights, and immigration from a historical and present lens. However, as the final page is turned, I often notice a missed opportunity. The last line in Lillian's Right to Vote by Jonah Winter and Shane W. Evans states "Lillian votes" but there is no mention of continuous active voter suppression until flipping to the author's notes.

Freedom on the Menu: The Greensboro Sit-ins by Carole Boston Weatherford ends on a happy note of eating a banana split. The author's note describes the ongoing practice of sit-ins internationally to fight injustice.

Edwidge Danticat's Mama's Nightingale: A Story of Immigration and Separation closes with "I like that it is our words that brought us together again" and relegates any reference to many other mothers in detention after the story has ended. It seems the most pertinent information resides in the author's notes or is left out altogether.

While I highly recommend these books for their narratives about social activism, the endings should leave space for questioning, analysis, and action plans. As educators, we can use the opportunity to fill in gaps and remind children that there is always work to be done.

Maryland educator Colleen Massaquoi read the book One Plastic Bag: Isatou Ceesay and the Recycling Women of the Gambia by Miranda Paul and encouraged her students to question the sense of closure of the ending. Massaquoi states,

When I read the book aloud to my students, I wanted the children to interrogate the reality of such an ending and learn to ask questions about the process of creating lasting change.

There has been a continuity of activism throughout history because oppression doesn't magically disappear. Book discussions also allow children to see themselves as change agents who can make a difference. While valuable individual and collective action have created victories for many groups all over the world, the oppressive systems in place have yet to be dismantled.

As teachers, we can encourage authors and publishers by sharing reflections on how endings can misrepresent the continuity of a struggle. In addition, we can actively engage with these endings and counter the narrative that social movements are not one and done deals. Some ways to do this include:

Read books first before introducing to your students so that you understand the author's message and determine how to approach the ending.

Start with the author's notes and plan a curriculum to develop context before reading the actual text.

Prepare questions such as "how would you end the story?" or "what can you do to combat the same issue?"

Change the words! Adapting the text for your group is okay.

Omit the page entirely so that there isn't a resolution.

Frame the ending to acknowledge the author's point but keep the conversation going, for example, "this may have happened in this one example, BUT..."

Let's make sure that when we read books to children about social movements, the endings are providing the space for further analysis, connection making and hopefully, action.

Makai Kellogg is an anti-bias early childhood educator and Equity and Diversity Coordinator at School for Friends in Washington, D.C. Makai creates age-appropriate curriculum on social justice for her students to explore equity issues such as race, homelessness, gender stereotypes, etc. Makai leads the Parents of Multiracial Children group, Equity and Diversity Parent Book Club as well as other programming throughout the year that allow parents to address their biases to be proactive as their children learn about the world around them. Makai facilitates training and opportunities for her colleagues to engage in identity work and discussions on equity and anti-bias education in the classroom. Through her work with young children and their families, she is creating an inclusive community of critical thinkers and change makers. Makai works closely with Teaching for Change and its initiative, the D.C. Area Educators for Social Justice as an advisory board member. She is also part of the leadership team for the Anti-Bias Early Childhood Educator Working Group. Makai writes about her equity endeavors on her blog.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Struggle Continues: How the Endings of Children's Literature Create False Narratives of Social Movements - Social Justice Books

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
By Makai Kellogg We all know what "The End" means when reading a children's book. The story has concluded. The last sentence of a book can also indicate to a reader that there is closure. But what are the consequences of that closure when it comes to books about ongoing social movements?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How Does Race Affect a Student’s Math Education?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A new paper examines the ways “whiteness” reproduces racial advantages and disadvantages.

# data[].attributes.headline
Hair Love | Oscar®-Winning Short Film (Full) |

# data[].attributes.subject
Hair Love | Oscar®-Winning Short Film (Full) |

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Hair Love | Oscar®-Winning Short Film (Full) | Sony Pictures Animation

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
13 Guiding Principles — D.C. Area Educators for Social Justice

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Launched by Teaching for Change, D.C. Area Educators for Social Justice is a network of educators who seek to strengthen and deepen social justice teaching.

# data[].attributes.headline
Talking to Young Children about the Guiding Principles of the Movement for Black Lives

# data[].attributes.subject
Talking to Young Children about the Guiding Principles of the Movement for Black Lives

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Early Childhood Black Lives Matter at School Week Symposium 2021

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Eventbrite - Bank Street College of Education presents Early Childhood Black Lives Matter at School Week Symposium 2021 - Thursday, February 4, 2021 - Find event and ticket information.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
BLM at School is committed to teaching truthful histories and amassing the powerful practices, creative tools, and key strategies by which past, present, and future generations can advance the struggle of Black liberation. This summer, we renewed our curriculum work to create a more process-oriented, dialogic, secure, and empowering space for curriculum and community-building. This all-volunteer effort to map, index, and ensure continued wide access to identity-affirming, justice-oriented educational materials across the lifespan is more necessary than ever.

DONATE TO SUPPORT OUR MOVEMENT TO RECLAIM OUR CLASSROOMS AS INCUBATORS FOR INCLUSIVITY, EQUITY, & JUSTICE.

We are grateful for all of the contributions from educators and organizers from around the country who worked collaboratively to curate a variety of classroom resources for every age group. These resources are all free of charge and meant to be shared and used. The goal of these lessons and activities is to challenge racism and oppression and providing students with the vocabulary and tools needed to take action. If you are interested in joining the team please click here and email Chris Rogers.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
National coalition organizing for racial justice in education.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The D.C. Area Black Lives Matter Week of Action in Schools gave a powerful start to Black History Month in classrooms across the Washington, D.C. area. Pre-K - 12th grade teachers in more than 100 schools taught lessons about structural racism, intersectional Black identities, and Black history.

D.C. was one of many cities across the country that participated in the national Black Lives Matter Week of Action in our Schools from February 5-10, 2018. The three key demands issued by the Black Lives Matter at School national movement were:

end zero tolerance and implement restorative justice,

hire more Black teachers in our schools, and

Black history/ethnic studies mandated K-12.

In the D.C. area, Teaching for Change and Center for Inspired Teaching, with many other groups, collaborated with teachers to bring these issues and content to more than 100 schools.

Here is some of what we learned from the D.C. Area Black Lives Matter Week of Action in Schools.

1.) A Movement brings radical change to the classroom.

In many schools, the week of action opened a dialogue that led to deeper understanding of the Movement for Black Lives and the thirteen principles of the Black Lives Matter Movement. Applying the lens of the Black Lives Matter Movement sharpened the focus of Black History Month in a way we have never seen before. Going beyond the typical Black History Month "I have a dream" lessons on the Civil Rights Movement, students learned about Bayard Rustin, the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), Black Power, and Dr. Martin Luther King's stand on the war and labor. One second grader remarked, "Black Lives Matter is like the Civil Rights Movement."

2.) The Black Lives Matter Movement helps students connect with history in a new way.

Talking about the Black Lives Matter Movement allowed students to reflect on the long history of the Movement for Black Lives. For example, a sixth grade Arlington teacher began her lesson on the U.S. Constitution with a discussion of the Black Lives Matter Movement. The class then read Mumbet's Declaration of Independence, the true story of an enslaved woman in Massachusetts who sued for her own freedom. After the read aloud, students read the preamble to the Constitution and discussed who wasn't included in the "we the people" phrase. Bringing it to today, they brainstormed how they could use the Constitution to fight for justice on issues in their own lives such as sexual harassment, deportation, the Muslim ban, health care, police brutality, and the Black Lives Matter movement.

3.) Black Lives Matter is relevant to all grade levels.

The principles of the Black Lives Matter Movement were applied in developmentally appropriate ways from early childhood through high school. At one D.C. school, the community created a Black Lives Matter mural. The youngest learners contributed what is beautiful and black. Elementary students added a panel of what it takes to be alive, and middle school students expressed why the Black Lives Matter movement is important. One eighth grader reacted, "It means a whole lot that our school is honoring Black lives because I like to fight for justice."

4.) Black Lives Matter is relevant to every subject area.

Educators used the 13 principles of the Movement to teach about a wide range of subjects during the week of action. Several educators used a lesson incorporating police violence victims' #LastWords to write poetry, Spanish classes were exposed to the often untold Black history of Latin America, music classes held lessons on D.C. go-go music, social studies classes participated in " Resistance 101: A Lesson on Social Justice Activists and Strategies," " Black Muslims in the United States: An Introduction," and much more.

5.) The week of action opens communication between young people and adults.

Throughout the week, public events in the evenings provided opportunities for adults in the community to come together with and learn from young people. At an interschool seminar, young people and adults had honest and powerful conversations on student-selected topics including gentrification, mental illness and race, the war on drugs, and more. At a powerful open mic poetry event, people of all ages (the youngest was five years old) shared their " Love Poems for Black Women" with an enthusiastic audience. The young authors of a book about a teen who was killed by the police gave a presentation at a public library.

6.) Grassroots, educator-led planning, preparation, and learning are key.

The success of the week reflected months of planning by teachers in the D.C. area. The planning meetings, which began in the fall of 2017, were convened by Teaching for Change's D.C. Area Educators for Social Justice and Center for Inspired Teaching. During the meetings, educators established local demands, selected and developed lessons, planned events, and built community. The lessons were shared at two curriculum fairs. In advance of the week of action, teachers read recommended background reading to prepare and attended a talk on the history of racist ideas by Dr. Ibram Kendi.

7.) Teachers need strong allies to support this work.

Teachers cannot do this alone. First and foremost, the local Black Lives Matter chapters need to be on board. In D.C., we had the support of Black Lives Matter DMV and the BYP100 DC Chapter. In addition, we had co-sponsorship of the Washington Teachers' Union, the DCPS Secondary Literacy office, and endorsements by many other groups.

Over the last several years, we have seen the power of the Black Lives Matter Movement to raise awareness and discourse nationally about race and racism in the United States. Now we've seen the power these conversations can have in the classroom. The lessons and dialogues that took place during the week of action provided the momentum and inspiration to continue throughout the year.
See more photos and read more stories from the D.C. Area Black Lives Matter in Schools Week of Action.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Seven Things We Learned From the D.C. Area Black Lives Matter Week of Action in Schools

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The D.C. Area Black Lives Matter Week of Action in Schools gave a powerful start to Black History Month in classrooms across the Washington, D.C. area. Pre-K - 12th grade teachers in more than 100 schools taught lessons about structural racism, intersectional Black identities, and Black history. D.C.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Youth deserve safety, support, education, and resources. Not policing and handcuffs.

That's why Black Swan Academy and many organizations and community members across DC are fighting for police-free schools.

We need your help - will you join the #PoliceFreeSchoolsDC campaign to support youth today?

Many people have been conditioned to believe that police keep us safe even though they harm, detain, and kill so many people, including school students.

Police make the classroom unsafe for youth, especially Black youth, ushering them into the school-to-prison pipeline and exposing them to state violence.

We demand DC Council immediately remove policing from schools.

They should use those funds and more to increase access to resources that youth across DC have said will actually promote safety.

This includes things like safe housing, affirming classrooms to learn and dream in, and support with navigating challenges and conflict.

Let's fight for the supportive world that youth deserve.

Tell your friends, family, and neighbors to support #PoliceFreeSchoolsDC.

Thank you to all the incredible coalition partners of Police-Free Schools DC, including:

Advocates for Justice and Education

ESOC

Georgetown Juvenile Justice Clinic & Initiative

Fair Budget Coalition/ Harriet's Wildest Dreams

Children's Law Center

Akoma Project DC

Thurgood Marshall Civil Rights Center

National Women's Law Center

Washington Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights & Urban Affairs

DC Girls' Coalition

United We Dream DMV

Children's Law Center

ACLU-DC

Sunrise DC

Envisioning Safety On Our Campuses Now DC/MD

Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan Washington, DC

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Police-Free Schools - Black Swan Academy

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
That's why Black Swan Academy and many organizations and community members across DC are fighting for police-free schools. We need your help - will you join the #PoliceFreeSchoolsDC campaign to support youth today? Many people have been conditioned to believe that police keep us safe even though they harm, detain, and kill so many people, including school students.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Safety does not exist when Black and Brown young people are forced to interact with a system of policing that views them as a threat and not as students. For many Black and Brown youth, the presence of police in their schools disrupts their learning environments. There is a culture clash that exists between law enforcement and the learning environment: police enforce criminal laws, while schools are supposed to nurture students. This report addresses the stark reality that police in schools is an issue of American racial disparity that requires deep structural change. We will explore the question of why police are in schools at all and conclude that police are incongruent with the educational environment we envision for our children.

First, this report examines the advent of policing practices in America's public schools and their historical roots in suppressing Black and Latino student movement and the criminalization of Black childhood. We discuss the documented harms of school policing, including the disparate impact that policing has on students of color, students with disabilities, and students who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, intersex, and asexual (LQBTQIA).

The report centers the voices of young people from around the country who describe the everyday indignities that they experience at the hands of school police. It also, for the first time, catalogues known assaults of young people by school police officers. The report shines a spotlight on three particular cases where young people were assaulted by school police and how their communities responded. These case studies - in Oakland, CA, in Philadelphia, PA, and in Spring Valley, SC, serve as models in the fight to end school policing. The report chronicles how Black and Brown youth have used organizing and advocacy to advance a vision of school safety that is not reliant on policing.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
We Came to Learn: A Call to Action for Police-Free Schools

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Safety does not exist when Black and Brown young people are forced to interact with a system of policing that views them as a threat and not as students. For many Black and Brown youth, the presence of police in their schools disrupts their learning environments.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
National Black Lives Matter in School Week of Action Starter Kit

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Linguistic Justice: Black Language, Literacy, Identity, and Pedagogy

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Navigatin' the Syllabus...

​What's Good?!...

Geechee Experience ain't new to this! They been outchea educating the people about Gullah Geechee Language and the Geechee experience. Follow them on YOUTUBE ​ALERT: YouTube and Instagram.

PODCAST ALERT: Check out Anansa Benbow's new podcast, The Black Language Podcast. It's straight FIYAH! Also, see her TedX talk, Grammar Skool, below.

Our mission for the #BlackLanguageSyllabus is to celebrate the beauty of Blackness and Black Language, fight for Black Linguistic Justice, and provide critical intellectual resources that promote the collective study of Black Language. The #BlackLanguageSyllabus builds on the digital origins of other Black radical digital education resources and digital hashtag syllabus projects, such as #LemonadeSyllabus,
​#SayHerNameSyllabus, #BlackFeminismSyllabus, and the Abolitionist Teaching Network, that are open access and created outside of traditional academe to reshape how knowledge is produced, affirmed, and accessed.

We recognize that anti-Blackness and anti-Black linguistic racism are ubiquitous, and with the current war on critical race theory and antiracist education, we ain't got time to be waiting on schools and society to celebrate or educate us about our language, so we created the #BlackLanguageSyllabus as a space for political discussions and praxis of Black Language as guided by the work of teacher-researcher-activists in classrooms and communities who stand against institutions that seek to annihilate Black Language + Black Life.

Like other #hashtag syllabi, the #BlackLanguageSyllabus is for Black Language speakers who are looking to re-educate themselves about our mother tongue, academics and educators looking to reimagine their classroom curricula and pedagogies, and for anyone who is interested in learning about Black Language + Black liberation.
[NOTE: If you cannot move past denigrating Black Language, in any way or form, then please know that this site was not created for you.]

​ The 2o21Black History Month Edition Is Here ​

Black Linguistic Justice...

​Hit Us Up...

​Follow Us...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
We celebrate the beauty of Blackness and Black Language, fight for Black Linguistic Justice, and provide critical intellectual resources that promote the collective study of Black Language.