Day 13: Behind the Starting Line – Racialized Outcomes in Early Childhood
“To teach in a manner that respects and cares for the souls of our students is essential if we are to provide the necessary conditions where learning can most deeply and intimately begin.”
Bell Hooks
Anti-racist education in early childhood classrooms is far more than a multicultural lesson or two. It requires educators to deeply understand how institutional racism comes to be and manifests in environments where young students learn (source). From infancy through high school, children’s educational outcomes are dependent on their early learning experiences. Quality early childhood education has been shown to have a significant positive effect on future success, because brain circuits are developing actively then. Inequities in education start early with lifelong impacts on children and communities. This gap in access and opportunity is not due to individual actions, but rather on present social and economic condition. High quality childcare is costly – an average married couple in Michigan spends 22% of their annual income on childcare.
Social and emotional health are also key to children’s development. We know that poverty, trauma, and other adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) can have sustained, negative impacts on children’s ability to succeed and their health outcomes over the course of their life. You will explore ACE’s more in Day 15 of the challenge, but check out this video for a brief overview. Dr. Roy Wade notes that “we see higher levels of childhood adversity among minority populations, but we need to acknowledge the role that historical inequities and disenfranchisement play in creating the environment in which such traumatic experiences are more likely to occur.”
Today’s Challenge
Watch: Watch author, historian, and leading antiracist activist Ibram X. Kendi in an interview discussing his book Antiracist Baby. Ibram X. Kendi discusses the important role parents and educators play in teaching young children to be an antiracist. (5:31)
Read: Read this U.S. News article on how “Education Inequality Starts Early” for children in households with low incomes.
Watch: Watch Recognizing Bias and Promoting Equity in Early Childhood Settings, National Association for the Education of Young Children. Explore and compare your biases prior to watching this, and how any potential differences will shape your personal and/or professional purpose. (6:19)
Discussion
What are the biggest barriers to racial justice in early education?
What can we, as individuals, do to disrupt racism within education? What does action look like?
