51吃瓜网

Many parents and teachers of young children share Ellie鈥檚 concern that children should be shielded from learning explicitly about race and racial differences. Adults often worry that introducing these topics too early could be harmful (Husband 2010). Early childhood educators who wish to make space for learning about race and racism in their classrooms may feel unprepared to approach these complex issues (Vittrup 2016). Shaped by their own experiences with issues of race and racism, parents and teachers may hold differing views regarding the appropriateness of teaching about this topic in the early childhood classroom.

Research demonstrates that children鈥檚 awareness of racial differences and the impact of racism begins quite early (Tatum 2003; Winkler 2009). Multiple studies document the ways that young children take notice of racial differences and note that as early as preschool, children may begin excluding their peers of different races from play and other activities (Winkler 2009). Many argue that creating safe spaces for children to explore these topics is more important than ever, given the current political and cultural climate, where these issues are highly visible (Pitts 2016; Harvey 2017; Poon 2017). As such, parents and teachers have an obligation to teach and learn with children about these critical and complex issues (Delpit 2012; Derman-Sparks, LeeKeenan, & Nimmo 2015; Ramsey 2015). This article documents how one kindergarten teacher, Diandra Verwayne (the second author), worked with the parents in her classroom to grow听together听in their understandings of the role we all must play in talking with young children about race and racism. Additionally, this piece offers curricular and pedagogical resources for adults who are committed to engaging with young children in this crucial听work.

Learning about race and unlearning听racism

In her seminal research and writing on this topic, Beverly Daniel Tatum (a former psychology professor and president of Spelman College) has written extensively about the ways in which the unjust structure of racial hierarchy in American society is normalized and transmitted to children from birth (Tatum 2003). In discussing how messages about race-based privilege and oppression are internalized, Tatum provides a powerful metaphor. She explains that in the same way residents who live in highly polluted areas cannot avoid becoming 鈥渟mog breathers,鈥� Americans who are immersed in the structures and practices of white supremacy unwittingly become 鈥渞acism breathers鈥� (6). Many of us may not realize the degree to which these toxic beliefs shape our perceptions and experiences of the world. Unless we have opportunities to unlearn racism, these messages become absorbed and have consequences.

Schools, in collaboration with families, have an important role to play in fostering young children鈥檚 positive racial identities.

More recently scholars have documented the negative impact that being subjected to racism has on young children鈥檚 academic success, as Lisa Delpit (2012) conveys in her aptly titled book chapter, 鈥淭here Is No Achievement Gap at Birth.鈥� These consequences vary depending on our levels of privilege and oppression, which intersect across our diverse identities. Early childhood educators can support the unlearning of racism鈥攁nd minimize later breathing in of racism鈥攂y intentionally teaching about race and related issues. Schools, in collaboration with families, have an important role to play in fostering young children鈥檚 positive racial identities. Teachers who intentionally plan curricula that affirm children鈥檚 racial identities have seen the benefits this produces in supporting children鈥檚 growth and learning across many domains of development (Ladson-Billings 2009; Wright, Counsell, & Tate听2015).

There is often confusion about the difference between racially based bias and racism. Racism is a system of oppression that results from a combination of prejudice听and听power. This combination produces institutional structures and social practices that deny equity to people based on race. There is a common misconception that biases or prejudices that some people of color hold against White people constitutes 鈥渞everse racism.鈥� Anyone can hold a bias against people of another race, but only some races are subject to oppressive structures and practices as a result of that bias. To illustrate, consider a comparison to sexism. Some women are biased against men, but this is not 鈥渞everse sexism鈥�; only men鈥檚 biases against women have produced the conditions in which women are subjected to far more sexual harassment and sexual violence than men (Breiding et al. 2014). Similarly, racism has created structures and practices that deny equity and justice to people of color, including, for example, great disparities by race in family wealth. One of the most reliable ways to accumulate and pass on family wealth is through home ownership. Until recently, many Black Americans鈥攊ncluding those with high incomes鈥攚ere unable to buy houses because of redlining, a practice by which banks refused to offer mortgages in predominately Black neighborhoods. This is a key factor explaining why median wealth for White families in the US is about $134,000, while the median wealth for Black families is about $11,000 (Jones 2017). This disparity in family wealth accumulated over several generations and will likely take several more generations to address; meanwhile, it continues to have broad implications for access to opportunity, such as parents鈥� ability to pay their children鈥檚 college tuition.

For all children to understand that the effects of racism are not the fault of people of color, we need to address these issues early in children鈥檚 lives. We begin by fostering the positive development of every child鈥檚 racial identity. This work must be paired with opportunities for young children to learn where and how injustice and inequality operate in our society. When children are armed with this knowledge and these skills, they can begin to disrupt these systems and work toward building a more equitable society for all of听us.

Lessons Learned听

When planning to implement a curriculum that addresses issues of race and racism, consider the following:听

• Identify colleagues who are also committed to a racial justice curriculum and work together. Alternatively, seek out communities online to support your teaching practice. Remember, you鈥檙e not alone!听
• Anticipate the kinds of concerns or misconceptions that children and families might have, and prepare in advance some strategies for responding.听
• Recall experiences that have expanded your own thinking about these issues, and consider sharing the story of how your perspective has grown and changed.听
• Make yourself available, either in person or over the phone, to communicate with families about their perspectives on the curriculum. Email communication can often amplify disagreements, so try to keep communication face to face, if possible.听
• Model a stance of respectful openness. Even if you disagree, strive to set a tone that maximizes the possibilities for considering different viewpoints.听
• Recognize that we鈥攃hildren, families, and colleagues鈥� are all on a journey of growth with respect to these issues. Draw upon the ways that you scaffold children鈥檚 learning in other areas and apply these skills when supporting others鈥� growth.

One teacher鈥檚听work

Ms. Verwayne teaches kindergarten at a racially and economically diverse public school. Born in Guyana, she moved to the United States at the age of 6 and recalls that when she entered school, she was made to feel like an outsider because of cultural differences. She reported, 鈥淲hen I was in elementary school, I felt like I had to hide my culture so that I could be accepted by the masses. I don鈥檛 want that to happen within my classroom. I want my kids to be able to recognize who they are.鈥� Ms. Verwayne is committed to affirming children鈥檚 racial and cultural identities throughout the year.

In her planned curriculum, Ms. Verwayne begins by offering learning experiences that allow children to observe and celebrate their unique identities. She also acknowledges the need for teachers to reflect on potential questions and concerns in order to prepare (as much as possible) for unplanned teachable moments. While she knows that some adults may resist addressing topics like identity, race, and racism with young children, she remains committed to the idea that these issues are an essential part of the early childhood curriculum. Musing about this tension, she shared the questions she asks herself as she designs听curriculum:

Considering the current climate in America, where racism and racially motivated violence are visible to adults and children, Ms. Verwayne feels the stakes are too high to ignore this topic in her classroom.

Responding to parents鈥櫶齛nxiety

Because Ms. Verwayne is committed to openly and collaboratively addressing these topics, she believes it is important to discuss families鈥� concerns. For this article, two parents whose children were enrolled in Ms. Verwayne鈥檚 kindergarten classroom were interviewed by Kirsten Cole (the first author) about the curriculum. Fabiola is a Haitian American mother of two. Ellie is a White mother of two. Both mothers鈥� first-born children were in Ms. Verwayne鈥檚听class.

After moving to the United States at the beginning of kindergarten, Fabiola was frequently the target of racial epithets and other acts of racism. Fabiola described the painful consequences of having internalized these oppressive messages, in large part because as a child she did not have the opportunity to process these experiences with her parents or teachers. As a parent, Fabiola has prioritized giving her children many opportunities to celebrate their racial identity and making space for their questions about race and racism. Nonetheless, Fabiola recognizes the potential for some families, particularly White parents, to feel uncomfortable with such a curriculum. She听explained,

Given the tendency of some adults to avoid these topics, Fabiola was pleased to discover that Ms. Verwayne made learning about race an integral part of the curriculum.

Ellie, in contrast, expressed some initial resistance to having her daughter participate in open discussions of racial differences. Ellie grew up in the Midwest in mostly racially homogenous environments. As is the experience for many White children, Ellie recalled that race was never discussed. Echoing the 鈥渃olorblind鈥� view that many White families espouse, Ellie recounted, 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think I thought about it much. I always thought, 鈥楨verybody鈥檚 wonderful. Everybody鈥檚 the same.鈥欌�� When her daughter began to attend public school, Ellie and some of the other White parents discussed their concerns about Ms. Verwayne鈥檚 curriculum. Ellie听recalled,

In recalling how she felt at the time of this incident, Ellie articulated a stance many White people are raised to adopt: claiming to not see color is the most equitable way to approach teaching and learning about race.

Especially in recent years, many scholars have questioned the presumed benefits of the colorblind approach (Pollock 2005; Husband 2012). As society is not equitable and racial bias does exist, the colorblind approach denies children the validity of their experiences of the world. Because the impact of racial bias is visible, not allowing children to process this injustice is confusing, and it denies them the opportunity to see themselves as agents of change to resist injustice. Colorblindness fails to acknowledge the impact of racism on all people and, further, does not push White people to do the important work of reckoning with the legacy of white supremacy in our lives (Derman-Sparks, Ramsey, & Edwards 2006; DiAngelo听2012).

Ms. Verwayne has a practice of encouraging families to meet with her during weekly parent engagement time. At one such meeting, she asked if anyone had any questions about the curriculum. Ellie responded, 鈥淎ctually, there was a worksheet that came home, and I don鈥檛 think this is a useful thing. I think it鈥檚 really hurtful, because it makes them identify things they haven鈥檛 even realized about each other.鈥� Ms. Verwayne recalled being surprised by Ellie鈥檚 reaction to the assignment, but she was grateful to have the opportunity to open a dialogue about their different views. She explained, 鈥淚 needed to understand where that parent was coming from, and that parent needed to understand where I was coming from.鈥� For her part, Ellie had the opportunity to hear both Ms. Verwayne鈥檚 intentions and also other parents鈥� perspectives on the curriculum. Ellie听recalled,

Ellie鈥檚 reflection on this experience revealed another tension the colorblind view often masks. In naming the root of her discomfort, Ellie illuminated one of many challenges teachers face when doing this work in schools. The false premise of colorblindness is often deployed to obscure the discomfort White people have with confronting ongoing and historical racial oppression and injustice (Harvey 2017). As Fabiola noted in a later interview, 鈥淚 think it鈥檚 really detrimental to tell children they don鈥檛 see what they鈥檙e seeing and they鈥檙e not feeling what they just felt鈥攖hat they can鈥檛 trust their eyes and they can鈥檛 trust their gut.鈥�

While Ellie had entered the conversation seeking to maintain the colorblind view, she suddenly realized that not speaking about race with children does not protect them. Having had the opportunity to see the issue from another perspective, Ellie reported being transformed. Reflecting on this incident in a later interview, she听recalled,

This transformation鈥攖his 鈥渦pending鈥濃�攚ould not have been possible had Ms. Verwayne not opened this potentially challenging dialogue with families.

Particularly in early childhood, it is essential to build trusting and respectful relationships with families. Not all families will be receptive to a curriculum that addresses these issues, nor will all families be as open to being transformed in their thinking, as Ellie was. Ellie remarked, 鈥淲hat I really appreciate about Ms. Verwayne is her openness and respect for different viewpoints. Whenever I have had a concern, she has always been willing to talk and listen to my position with great interest and care.鈥� For early childhood teachers seeking to do the critical work of teaching about race and racism, it is important to be prepared to address parents鈥� myriad responses, including being ready and willing to create space for conversations many of us have been taught to avoid. While some families may never be open to a new way of thinking, teachers who model this openness will set the tone for approaching disagreements respectfully. As Fabiola noted, the hesitation that many White parents have stems from adults鈥� issues rather than any difficulty children may have in exploring the topic (DiAngelo 2012). She听mused,

It may be surprising that children are ready for us to facilitate these learning opportunities. As parents and teachers, it is critical that we make听ourselves听ready for planned and unplanned opportunities to learn about race and racism.

Following children鈥檚 leads

As with the curriculum that sparked the previous discussions, teaching and learning about race should begin with children鈥檚 observations. Children notice differences and need to feel safe and supported in asking questions about what they notice. Fabiola explained that her daughter鈥檚 learning about race 鈥渉as been very child directed. . . . If she asks a question, more times than not it鈥檚 just an observation of something. So I acknowledge the fact that she鈥檚 absolutely right. She鈥檚 noticing differences.鈥� Ms. Verwayne concurred; she likes to follow children鈥檚 leads and design projects, activities, and read-alouds that emerge from their questions and concerns. She emphasized that children鈥檚 innate sense of justice and fairness creates opportunities for them to wrestle with these questions. She explained, 鈥淭heir questions mean that they鈥檙e seeking an answer about this topic. And they have a lot of curiosity and wondering, and they need a way to figure out that answer.鈥� As with other inquiry-based learning experiences, a curriculum that emerges from the children鈥檚 process of making sense of the world often yields the most engaging opportunities for learning.

While some of children鈥檚 observations and questions about racial differences may be straightforward, at times children echo harmful biases they have heard elsewhere. Ms. Verwayne recalled an afternoon when her class returned from lunch in a state of distress. One of her students, an African American girl, had told another child, 鈥淚 don鈥檛 like White people.鈥� At the time, the nightly news was full of reporting about police brutality against African Americans, so Ms. Verwayne suspected that the child was repeating something she had overheard an adult say. Though math was on the schedule for the afternoon, Ms. Verwayne asked the children to join her in a circle on the rug. Drawing upon strategies she had learned in Responsive Classroom workshops, she reminded the children of their classroom norms that create space for each child鈥檚 voice. She reminded the children to use accountable talk grounded in their experiences and to listen to each other with care. As they shared their feelings about what had happened at lunch, Ms. Verwayne prompted them to reflect on the sense of community and friendship they had cultivated together in class. They concluded that, while some people of any race may 鈥渘ot always be nice,鈥� we cannot draw conclusions about a whole race based on the actions of individuals.

Planning for learning through children鈥檚听literature

For parents and teachers wishing to open a dialogue about racial identity and racism, children鈥檚 literature provides an excellent starting point. Well-written children鈥檚 literature allows children to identify with and develop empathy for characters, particularly those that may be different from themselves. Stocking the classroom library with children鈥檚 books that represent a diversity of experiences is essential. Providing books that allow children to see themselves in the pages offers the kind of high-interest materials that support children鈥檚 early literacy (Klefstad & Martinez 2013). Especially when children are beginning to do the challenging work of learning to read, it is important for them to be able to select books that allow them to feel a connection to the content. If children do not see their lives and interests reflected in the books in your library, they may feel that reading is not for them.

Stocking Your Library with Equitable and Inclusive Children鈥檚听Titles

• Lee & Low Books鈥�
• We Need Diverse Books鈥�
• Social Justice Books: A Teaching for Change Project鈥�
• Raising Race Conscious Children鈥�

For teachers seeking to foster an appreciation of difference and empathy, it is especially important to have a classroom library that represents a range of characters and experiences. Great children鈥檚 books allow us to get inside the protagonists鈥� experiences. Fortunately, excellent resources exist to guide teachers and families in creating such libraries (see 鈥淪tocking Your Library with Equitable and Inclusive Children鈥檚 Titles鈥� above). The classroom library can offer a child-friendly opening to learn about important histories and to celebrate the accomplishments of seminal figures in the fight for racial equality. However, be sure to provide a balance and to also include books that represent diverse characters engaged in ordinary, everyday听experiences.

Once you develop a classroom library that addresses issues of race and racism from many perspectives, prepare yourself to respond to children鈥檚 questions as they arise. Ms. Verwayne recalled that when reading about the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., her children wanted to know more. When the book addressed the topic of segregation, they asked, 鈥淏ut why would people do that?!?鈥� Ms. Verwayne was glad that she had anticipated these questions and was able to provide context by talking about Jim Crow and how it institutionalized racial bias and made it the law of the听land.

Developing strategies for responding to teachable moments

In addition to planning a curriculum that addresses issues of race and racism, Ms. Verwayne described how she often needed to think on her feet in responding to children鈥檚 natural curiosity about race and difference. Many teachers may have a desire to address these topics but feel unprepared to respond when the issues arise in their classrooms. Teachers need resources and support to develop the tools to do this work skillfully and thoughtfully. Ms. Verwayne argued that this includes trusting teachers to think on their feet and to ground their responses in the deep knowledge they have of their classroom communities. She听noted,

听In an era when many educational reforms have argued for standardization and 鈥渢eacher proofing鈥� the curriculum, the work of responding to complex issues requires that we give teachers the training and time to reflect on and discuss them, and also trust teachers to write their own script when teachable moments arise.

As described earlier, Ms. Verwayne uses protocols and practices offered by the Responsive Classroom to facilitate a complex conversation about racial bias. By developing these routines, Ms. Verwayne asks the children to join her in taking ownership of creating the kind of classroom in which they all feel included. These pedagogical strategies are supported by the content of her social studies curriculum, which explores the meaning of community.

A number of organizations have created forums for the exchange of social justice curriculum ideas (see 鈥淧reparing for and Responding to Teachable Moments鈥� below). Responding to teachable moments is never one size fits all; but resources that provide candid and thoughtful sharing of teacher knowledge can provide teachers with models of practices and strategies. Even pedagogical models that do not explicitly address race and racism, such as the practices offered by the Responsive Classroom, can be adapted to create a framework for talking about race in the classroom. Whatever the approach, we must acknowledge the need to offer these kinds of curricular and pedagogical strategies to teachers throughout their professional development experiences.

Preparing for and Responding to Teachable听Moments

• 51吃瓜网's Anti-Bias Resources鈥�51吃瓜网.org/topics/anti-bias-education
• Rethinking Early Childhood Education, Ann Pelo (2008)
• What If All the Kids Are White? Anti-Bias Multicultural Education with Young Children and Families, Louise Derman-Sparks, Patricia G. Ramsey, & Julie Olsen Edwards (2006)
• Teaching Tolerance鈥�
• Raising Race Conscious Children鈥�
• Border Crossers: Racial Justice in Education鈥�
• Responsive Classroom鈥�

Committing to teaching for equity and听justice

This article, along with the suggested resources, provides a starting point for teachers and families seeking to do the important work of supporting young children鈥檚 learning and understanding about race and racism. As Ms. Verwayne鈥檚 experiences illustrate, this work is both challenging and essential. Concluding her reflections on her own experiences with Ms. Verwayne鈥檚 kindergarten, Ellie emphasized, 鈥淚n a school where you don鈥檛 have the kind of diversity we have, it might be even more important.鈥� As we prepare young children to be members of the human family, we must offer them opportunities to celebrate all aspects of their identities and to resist bias and oppression. In the field of early childhood education, we spend much of our time and energy nurturing children鈥檚 capacity for kindness and respect. Helping children see the role they have to play in fostering equality and inclusion through racial justice is a critical piece of this听project.

References

Breiding, M.J., S.G. Smith, K.C. Basile, M.L. Walters, J. Chen, & M.T. Merrick. 2014. 鈥淧revalence and Characteristics of Sexual Violence, Stalking, and Intimate Partner Violence Victimization鈥擭ational Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey, United States, 2011.鈥澨�Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report: Surveillance Summaries听63 (8): 1鈥�18. .

Delpit, L. 2012.听鈥淢ultiplication Is for White People鈥�: Raising Expectations for Other People鈥檚 Children. New York: The New听Press.

Derman-Sparks, L., D. LeeKeenan, & J. Nimmo. 2015.听Leading Anti-Bias Early Childhood Programs: A Guide for Change.听New York: Teachers College Press; Washington, DC: 51吃瓜网 (51吃瓜网).

Derman-Sparks, L., P.G. Ramsey, & J.O. Edwards. 2006.听What If All the Kids Are White? Anti-Bias Multicultural Education with Young Children and Families.听New York: Teachers College听Press.

DiAngelo, R. 2012. 鈥淲hat Makes Racism So Hard for Whites to See?鈥� Chap. 10 in听What Does It Mean to Be White? Developing White Racial Literacy,听167鈥�89. New York: Peter Lang.

Harvey, J. 2017. 鈥淎re We Raising Racists?鈥� Opinion,听New York Times, March 14. .

Husband, T. 2010. 鈥淗e鈥檚 Too Young to Learn About That Stuff: Anti-Racist Pedagogy and Early Childhood Social Studies.鈥澨�Social Studies Research and Practice听5听(2): 61鈥�75.

Husband, T. 2012. 鈥溾�業 Don鈥檛 See Color鈥�: Challenging Assumptions about Discussing Race with Young Children.鈥澨�Early Childhood Education Journal听39 (6): 365鈥�71.

Jones, J. 鈥淭he Racial Wealth Gap: How African-Americans Have Been Shortchanged Out of the Materials to Build Wealth.鈥澨�Working Economics Blog, Economic Policy Institute, February 13, 2017. .

Klefstad, J.M., & K.C. Martinez. 2013. 鈥淧romoting Young Children鈥檚 Cultural Awareness and Appreciation Through Multicultural Books.鈥澨�Young Children听68 (5): 74鈥�81.

Ladson-Billings, G. 2009.听The Dreamkeepers: Successful Teachers of African American Children.听2nd ed. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Pitts, J. 2016. 鈥淒on鈥檛 Say Nothing.鈥澨�Teaching Tolerance,听no. 54.听.

Pollock, M. 2005.听Colormute: Race Talk Dilemmas in an American School.听Princeton, NJ: Princeton University听Press.

Poon, O. 2017. 鈥淥ur Schools Need to Teach a Fourth 鈥楻鈥�: Racial Literacy.鈥澨�Rewire.听.

Ramsey, P.G. 2015.听Teaching and Learning in a Diverse World: Multicultural Education for Young Children. 4th ed. New York: Teachers College听Press.

Tatum, B.D. 2003.听鈥淲hy Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?: And Other听Conversations About Race. Rev. ed. New York: Basic听Books.

Vittrup, B. 2016. 鈥淓arly Childhood Teachers鈥� Approaches to Multicultural Education and Perceived Barriers to Disseminating Anti-Bias Messages.鈥澨�Multicultural Education听23 (3-4): 37鈥�41.

Winkler, E.N. 2009.听鈥淐hildren Are Not Colorblind: How Young Children Learn Race.鈥澨�PACE: Practical Approaches for Continuing Education听3 (3): 1鈥�8.

Wright, B.L., S.L. Counsell, & S.L. Tate. 2015. 鈥溾�榃e鈥檙e Many Members, but One Body鈥�: Fostering a Healthy Self-Identity and Agency in African American Boys.鈥澨�Young Children听70听(3): 24鈥�31.