Reflecting on Anti-bias Education in Action: The Early Years

Anti-bias education places diversity and equity goals at the heart of everything we do in early childhood. We begin by affirming each child and family’s social identities and cultural ways of being. Building on the strengths and knowledge children bring to school, anti-bias teachers seek the active engagement of families and communities. More than a set of curriculum activities, this approach is a commitment to equity and social justice. Anti-bias teachers observe carefully, think critically, and reflect deeply.

The film is organized around the 4 interrelated goals of anti-bias education, which are relevant to both children and adults. (Derman-Sparks& Edwards, 2020)

Goal 1: Identity: Demonstrate self-awareness, confidence, family pride, and positive social identities.

Goal 2: Diversity: Express comfort and joy with human diversity; accurate language for human differences; and deep, caring human connections.

Goal 3: Justice: Recognize unfairness, have language to describe unfairness, and understand that unfairness hurts.

Goal 4: Action: Demonstrate empowerment and the skills to act, with others or alone, against prejudice and/or discrimination