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Using Books to Help Build Inclusive Classrooms

Using Books to Help Build Inclusive Classrooms

This video won the 2023 Telly Award.

All children should feel welcome in early childhood classrooms. In this video, Dr. Theresa Bouley describes how teachers can carefully select a variety of children’s books to ensure that books in the classroom represent a variety of cultures and family structures. She also explains how engaging children in rich pre- and post-reading discussions can foster an appreciation of diverse perspectives and help create inclusive classrooms. The web page includes discussion and reflection questions and related videos:

Creating Equitable Learning Environments for Young Children of Color (PDF)

The California Department of Education Early Education Division (EED) has released a new online publication titled Creating Equitable Early Learning Environments for Young Boys of Color. This free publication was written primarily for child care and early education providers and program and school leaders.

“Early childhood educators are uniquely positioned to influence positive change for Boys of Color. This book provides teachers and program leaders with a helpful roadmap for improving racial equity through strengthening racial awareness, addressing implicit bias, and creating culturally responsive environments that are safe, affirming, and engaging for Boys of Color and their families.” — Tony Thurmond, State Superintendent of Public Instruction

Why diverse children’s books are important tools for teaching kids about themselves and others (Video)

Children’s books are both mirrors in which kids can feel seen and windows into worlds unlike their own. At Book Culture in Long Island City, NY, “CBS This Morning” co-host Tony Dokoupil learns why both are important.

A Guide for Selecting Anti-Bias Children’s Books

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. This Guide provides a checklist of thoughtful criteria for you to consider when choosing high quality children’s books to nurture ……a child’s sense of self, positive attitude toward others, and motivation to act for fairness.

Here are recommendations for books related to disability.

Racial Equity

“Racial equity is the condition that would be achieved if one’s racial identity no longer statistically predicted how one fares in life. To achieve racial equity will require seeing differently, thinking differently, and doing the work differently. Racial equity is about results that make a difference and last. These resources focus on the myriad and far-reaching implications of racial inequities in early childhood special education and early intervention. They contribute to individual growth and systems change efforts that center racial equity by highlighting policies, practices, and strategies that can bring about equitable outcomes for children and families.”

Start with Equity California

“The nation’s early care and education systems are gravely inequitable. Opportunity gaps between children from historically marginalized communities and their peers are consistent, wide, and consequential. In the summer of 2020, The Children’s Equity Project and the Bipartisan Policy Center came together to create an actionable policy roadmap for states and the federal government—as well as for candidates at all levels of government vying for office—to take meaningful steps to remedy these inequities. Read Start with Equity: From the Early Years to the Early Grade.”

As a follow up to that work, the Children’s Equity Project has developed a new report focusing on the state of equity in California’s early care and learning systems in the three key issues covered in the Start with Equity national report, including harsh discipline and its disproportionate application, lack of inclusive learning opportunities for children with disabilities, and inequitable access to bilingual learning for dual language learners. The authors provide a California-specific policy agenda to inform the state’s Master Plan for Early Care and Learning and to build more equitable systems for the state’s youngest learners.”

The Danger of a Single Story – Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (Video)

Our lives, our cultures, are composed of many overlapping stories. Novelist Chimamanda Adichie tells the story of how she found her authentic cultural voice — and warns that if we hear only a single story about another person or country, we risk a critical misunderstanding.

Children’s Books to Support Conversations on Race, Racism and Resistance

The Conscious Kid identifies a large collection of recently published children’s books that inspire conversations about race, culture and identity. Click on the book and you’ll find a description of the content and the best age range for readers. At this website you’ll also find API Storytime that gives attention to Asian and Pacific Islanders. Celebrities like Harry Shum Jr. read stories that bring forward the stories and voices of this group of frequently overlooked cultures.

Zero to Three: Promoting Racial Equity in Early Childhood

Zero to Three has compiled resources for professionals, parents and policy makers that offer insight and guidance on racial justice and equity issues in early childhood. Together, we will make a better world for our babies — a world in which every baby is valued and loved. Take a look at the article below:

“What About People Like Me?” Teaching Preschoolers about Segregation and “Peace Heroes”

“As part of the anti-bias curriculum at the preschool where I teach, we study the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. throughout the year. Learning about Dr. King’s life provides us with a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the principles he stood for. These are ideas my colleagues and I believe are very appropriate for preschoolers to explore and revisit often.” This article reports a thoughtful discussion conducted in a preschool classroom that explored injustices experienced by people of color.