Day: June 29, 2020

The Difference Between Equity and Equality

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When doing the work of an early childhood consultant, it is common to hear teachers say that it is difficult to dedicate too much time and attention to one child because it is not fair to the other children.  To a degree, this is true; teachers cannot focus all of their attention on just one child.  But on the other hand, when we shift our thinking from equality (everyone gets the same resources) to equity (everyone gets the resources they need to succeed), we can begin to identify opportunities to support children in different ways.

Consider the example of the child who is acting out as a way to get attention from teachers or peers. The behaviors can be looked at as a form of communication that is telling us that an underlying need is not being met. The child is likely seeking connection, relationship, affirmation, and/or reassurance. The equality mindset says, “I want to spend extra time with this child but I can’t because I have to divide my time equally amongst the children.”  However, an equity mindset says, “I recognize that, at this stage of development, this child needs something more from me.  I would like to find a way to provide this child with what he needs in this moment, to ensure he/she has the tools needed to succeed moving forward. This extra time or attention will not be required forever.”

In this case, the teacher may choose to do some reflection to identify times of day where a little extra attention and nurturing can be provided to the child.  Perhaps the child could sit next to the teacher during meals. Perhaps the child could be assigned a job or special responsibility. Perhaps, while other children are working independently during center time, the teacher could read a story to the child and a friend. During these interactions, the teacher could present the child with appropriate options for communicating needs, such as saying, “You know, if you ever want to get my attention, you can just say my name or tap me on the arm.”

This targeted approach to supporting children as they are learning new skills is at the heart of equity.  Not every child requires the intervention described above. Another child in the class may need support with an obstacle on the playground, while another child may be ready to write the letters of his name.

Early childhood education is the perfect place to adopt an equity mindset, because the children have such varied needs and abilities.  What can you do today to shift from an equality mindset to an equity mindset?

July 2020 Newsletter – New NAEYC Position Statement on Equity in Early Childhood Education: Recommendations for Administrators

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As leaders of equitable learning environments, administrators must act as role models of behaviors ranging from talking about equity to addressing biased attitudes out-loud.  Contemplating equity can also inform decisions that are made that uphold the value of all children and families.

These decisions can include:

  • The diversity of the staff
  • The way one evaluates and communicates employee performance goals
  • The building of partnerships and the promotion of community agencies
  • The types of family involvement opportunities offered
  • The supplemental classes and activities that are introduced
  • The fieldtrips and visitors that are invited into the program
  • The types of professional development that is arranged for employees
  • The languages spoken throughout the day in the program
  • The curriculum and assessment tools that are used in classrooms
  • The policies and procedures that are in place and how they are enforced
  • The way that money is allocated in the budget

Ultimately, it is the role of directors and administrators to view each family as unique and work with employees to build their capacity to do the same. Work gently, yet firmly, to encourage employees to explore their own biases. There are many resource articles and books listed in this newsletter that you can use to start these conversations with your employees.

Evaluate the program on a regular basis to identify and address practices that may be based on those conscious or unconscious biases. Unfortunately, unconscious biases are challenging to identify because they are not obvious – they are opinions or attitudes that the individual is not aware they are holding on to.

Collaboration and conversation with other members of leadership, mentors, or administrators from different programs can assist with shining a light on practices that are based in bias.

NAEYC’s Position Statement on Advancing Equity on Early Childhood Education provides significant guidance on equitable learning opportunities for young children. The full position statement plus additional guidance can be found at https://www.naeyc.org/resources/position-statements/equity.

For the main article New NAEYC Position Statement on Equity in Early Childhood Education, CLICK HERE

For the article Recommendations for Everyone, CLICK HERE

For the article Recommendations for Early Childhood Educators; When Building a Community of Learners, CLICK HERE

For the article Recommendations for Early Childhood Educators; Working with Families and Engaging in Advocacy, CLICK HERE

July 2020 Newsletter – New NAEYC Position Statement on Equity in Early Childhood Education: Recommendations for Early Childhood Educators; Working with Families and Engaging in Advocacy

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When working with families, caregivers should honor the opportunity to collaborate with children’s first teachers, their family members. It is important to recognize that the culture within which a child is raised inherently impacts how a child develops and grows.  Parents make decisions for their children based on the cultural norms with which they are most familiar. Caregivers should respect decisions that families make without unjustly judging these decisions based on their own cultural upbringing. At the same time, efforts should be made to have open conversations with families about parenting decisions that have been shown to have negative outcomes for children, such as using spanking as a form of punishment.

It is also important that caregivers recognize and convey value for the many different types of family structures. Something as simple as changing the language used in conversation and on forms from “parents” to “family” can show respect for different family make-ups.  Family make-up is another area where caregivers may have unconscious bias; perhaps viewing families headed by single mothers/fathers differently than they view families made up of the traditional 2-parent household consisting of a mother and a father.

Becoming aware of your biases will empower you to take action to address them, which will allow you to have deeper and more trusting relationships with families and children within your care. It will also position you to become an advocate for the establishment of equitable learning opportunities for all children. Whether you challenge biases as they arise within your home and workplace, or decide to act within your community, this advocacy is essential in the field of ECE.

NAEYC’s Position Statement on Advancing Equity on Early Childhood Education provides significant guidance on equitable learning opportunities for young children. The full position statement plus additional guidance can be found at https://www.naeyc.org/resources/position-statements/equity.

For the main article New NAEYC Position Statement on Equity in Early Childhood Education, CLICK HERE

For the article Recommendations for Everyone, CLICK HERE

For the article Recommendations for Early Childhood Educators; When Building a Community of Learners, CLICK HERE

For the article Recommendations for Administrators, CLICK HERE

July 2020 Newsletter – New NAEYC Position Statement on Equity in Early Childhood Education: Recommendations for Early Childhood Educators; When Building a Community of Learners

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For teachers and caregivers working directly with children and families, it is important to use an anti-bias approach.  This includes recognizing the uniqueness of children and families. The goal is not to be blind to differences between individuals, but to celebrate those differences.  The goal is to make each and every child and family feel valued for what they contribute to the community of learners, regardless of the color of their skin, their sexual orientation, the disability with which they have been diagnosed, etc.

This work is based in the relationships caregivers establish with children and families. By getting to know the individuals with whom you work, you can begin to understand how culture and socio-economic status play a role in how they move through the world. From this understanding, you can begin to make decisions about which activities, supports, materials, and expectations are appropriate for individual children.  You can also gain a better understanding of the resources that families may require to meet their needs.

It is also important to teach children to identify and fix biased thinking as it arises. For example, if a boy is overheard telling a girl that she is not allowed to play in the block area because she is a girl, the caregiver should be prepared to have a conversation with the children about the assumption they are making based on gender and help them unlearn those generalized ways of thinking about which activities are suitable for boys or girls.

NAEYC’s Position Statement on Advancing Equity on Early Childhood Education provides significant guidance on equitable learning opportunities for young children. The full position statement plus additional guidance can be found at https://www.naeyc.org/resources/position-statements/equity.

For the main article New NAEYC Position Statement on Equity in Early Childhood Education, CLICK HERE

For the article Recommendations for Everyone, CLICK HERE

For the article Recommendations for Early Childhood Educators; Working with Families and Engaging in Advocacy, CLICK HERE

For the article Recommendations for Administrators, CLICK HERE

July 2020 Newsletter – New NAEYC Position Statement on Equity in Early Childhood Education: Recommendations for Everyone

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When creating learning environments that are equitable for all, NAEYC recommends that everyone take time to reflect upon and begin to understand their own beliefs and biases.  Bias presents itself as a set of stereotypes or beliefs about a group of people that is formed based on one’s personal experience moving through the world. Bias can exist based on (just to name a few):

  • Race
  • Ethnicity
  • Religion
  • Gender
  • Sexual orientation
  • Ability status
  • Social status
  • Economic status

Bias exists when one feels that individuals from one group fall higher or lower on the societal scale. It also presents as the assumptions people make about an individual based on their race, religion, gender, etc.

Because everyone has some type of conscious and/or unconscious biases, it is important for us all to identify them, own them, and work to address the harm that they cause. Through these actions, we can begin to eliminate them.

Learning more about different perspectives and individuals who are different from us is a great place to start this work. It is not easy or comfortable work.  Early childhood educators are encouraged to commit to this ongoing practice of eliminating bias as it appears, on an individual level and systemically. Creating a learning environment steeped in this work is called anti-bias education.

NAEYC’s Position Statement on Advancing Equity on Early Childhood Education provides significant guidance on equitable learning opportunities for young children. The full position statement plus additional guidance can be found at https://www.naeyc.org/resources/position-statements/equity.

For the main article New NAEYC Position Statement on Equity in Early Childhood Education, CLICK HERE

For the article Recommendations for Early Childhood Educators; When Building a Community of Learners, CLICK HERE

For the article Recommendations for Early Childhood Educators; Working with Families and Engaging in Advocacy, CLICK HERE

For the article Recommendations for Administrators, CLICK HERE

July 2020 Newsletter – New NAEYC Position Statement on Equity in Early Childhood Education

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In 2019, the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) published a position statement entitled Advancing Equity is Early Childhood Education. The goal of this position statement is to provide guidance to early childhood professionals as they work to create equitable learning opportunities for all children.

This work includes the recognition of conscious and unconscious bias that individuals hold and the purposeful elimination of those biases.  NAEYC concludes that it is only after doing so that early childhood educators will be able to ensure fair and equitable treatment of all children and families, regardless of their abilities, cultural backgrounds, or personal identities.

In addition to individual biases, NAEYC also acknowledges systems of discrimination and oppression that have been woven into the fabric of our society. It is important to reflect upon and take action to undo these systems that stand in the way of equity in early learning environments.

The position statement is supported by years of research and a wealth of supplemental resources.  It has been endorsed by over 100 organizations, all of which are dedicated to equity in early childhood education.

NAEYC’s Position Statement on Advancing Equity on Early Childhood Education provides significant guidance on equitable learning opportunities for young children. The full position statement plus additional guidance can be found at https://www.naeyc.org/resources/position-statements/equity.

Let’s highlight some of the recommended practices from the position statement.

For the article Recommendations for Everyone, CLICK HERE

For the article Recommendations for Early Childhood Educators; When Building a Community of Learners, CLICK HERE

For the article Recommendations for Early Childhood Educators; Working with Families and Engaging in Advocacy, CLICK HERE

For the article Recommendations for Administrators, CLICK HERE