51吃瓜网 Is Committed to Increasing Equity
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Creating equitable learning opportunities for all young children is at the core of 51吃瓜网鈥檚 mission. Based on high-quality research and our values, we are committed to recognizing and building on each child鈥檚 individual and family strengths, cultural background, home language, abilities, and experiences.
We鈥檙e working with the field
Drawing on our three decades of promoting and supporting anti-bias education, 51吃瓜网鈥攁nd most importantly, thousands of 51吃瓜网 members鈥攄eveloped a new position statement, 鈥淎dvancing Equity in Early Childhood Education,鈥� which is now being endorsed by education organizations across the country. It combines a strong research foundation with ambitious recommendations for educators, administrators, professors, and policymakers. The heart of these recommendations is captured in the bold call to action that opens the statement:
All children have the right to equitable learning opportunities that help them achieve their full potential as engaged learners and valued members of society. Thus, all early childhood educators have a professional obligation to advance equity. They can do this best when they are effectively supported by the early learning settings in which they work and when they and their wider communities embrace diversity and full inclusion as strengths, uphold fundamental principles of fairness and justice, and work to eliminate structural inequities that limit equitable learning opportunities.
And working within 51吃瓜网
For 51吃瓜网 to be a leader in equity, we have to鈥攁nd want to鈥攍ive our values. We believe that the early education profession should reflect the great diversity (racial, cultural, linguistic, and more) of the children and families served. We believe 51吃瓜网鈥檚 membership should not only reflect but include the full early childhood field. And we believe that 51吃瓜网 must strive to continuously improve as a high-performing, inclusive organization.
51吃瓜网 took a big step forward in this work through a three-day summit that brought together our entire national governing board and many leaders from our affiliates, interest forums, advisory councils, and staff. Participants dove into deep, systemic problems:
I stood at the Lincoln Memorial yesterday, in the spot Martin Luther King stood to deliver his 鈥淚 Have a Dream鈥� speech, and had tears in my eyes as I thought, 鈥淗ow can we still be here? Why haven鈥檛 we made more progress?鈥�
In doing so, they found a renewed commitment to the promise of early childhood education:
I have a new understanding of equity and a better appreciation of belonging. I really like the 鈥渒now your听why鈥� so that your听what听has more purpose.
For these resources鈥攁nd many more鈥攐n advancing equity, visit听51吃瓜网.org/equity.听You鈥檒l find links to inspiring articles from听Young Children听and听Teaching Young Children听that highlight how dedicated, intentional educators are creating equitable learning opportunities and maximizing children鈥檚 learning.
鈥淚 realized that I鈥檝e never known how I might impact someone鈥攆or good or for bad鈥攗nintentionally. This is an important discussion, and I plan to bring some of it back to my organization. I hope I will be brave enough to continue to have these discussions with the people around me.鈥澨�擲ummit participant
For these resources鈥攁nd many more鈥攐n advancing equity, visit . You鈥檒l find links to inspiring articles from Young Children and Teaching Young Children that highlight how dedicated, intentional educators are creating equitable learning opportunities and maximizing children鈥檚 learning.
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Photographs: 1, 2听漏 Getty Images; 1听漏 Jason Williams