Reflections from our book club regarding Part Three,
Developing a Strengths-Based Approach When Teaching Black Boys --
Each & Every Child: Teaching Preschool with an Equity Lens are attached. Wishing all a joyful day!
Reflections from Tricia:
This chapter brought back a lot of memories of my very first teaching experience, fresh and naive, working with three- to five-year-olds at a public school with approximately 80% Black population. Looking back, there are so many interactions I had with children and families that now cause me to cringe. I realize that I was unintentionally asserting my own privilege, cultural norms, and biases into a space without taking time to listen and learn. I found this article - When Will Black Children Be Well - to be a good companion piece examining the barriers placed on Black boys in education.
In terms of children's literature, I often remind myself that children connect best with stories that have human protagonists rather than animals. Children also need to see themselves reflected in the stories they read. I enjoyed the Today show clip you shared that more fully addressed books as mirrors. I follow Racial Literacy Club on Instagram - they provide a lot of great book lists to get teachers started!
I hope to be at the meeting next week, but it is our first day back at school, so I may be physically and emotionally exhausted! I will try my very best to be present!
Best,
Trisha
Reflections from Kathy
"Develop trusting relationships with children and nurture relationships among them while building on their knowledge and skills." Part III of our book, "Developing a Strengths-Based Approach When Teaching Black Boys," opened my eyes more to the awareness of implicit bias and how important it is for early childhood professionals to create learning environments that are 'heart-centered' for all our children. The importance of focusing on strengths that Black boys bring to our classrooms is so critical for teachers. It is important for us to realize it is not a "one size fits all" approach. We need to consider the historical and sociocultural forces that continue to place children at risk for school failure. How can we refine high quality for all young children? I believe we need recognize the six considerations presented in chapter 11: consider the research; pause and reflect; build relationships (the heart of early childhood), look with our binocular eyes for strengths, speak out--be aware -- for equity, and seek allies.
We may ask ourselves, how can we do this? One way is a willingness to take responsibility for the learning of all children. Being proactive to engage in a curriculum and classroom environment that is universal (multiple representations, multiple expressions, and multiple engagements) for all children, recognize that high levels of activity and energy in the arts (verve) especially activities that are rooted in culture, are good for Black boys. Throughout the day teachers can offer a variety of active games, music, dance, creative movement exercises, and extend extra space to use their imagination and creativity. The verve can create opportunities for learning and new discoveries! Teachers also need to give Black boys in their classrooms opportunities to take risks and problem solve. These questions and opportunities for problem solving and asking, "What if," questions and asking, "I wonder, "can be indicators of engagement and crystallizing teaching moments in the classrooms! It is important to seek activities that will foster Black boys' natural curiosity. As we discussed Wednesday, it is important for teachers to also carefully observe the child. By doing careful observation and documentation, teachers can identify strengths. Teachers need to scaffold children's play, increase challenges, and spark new explorations.
Our profession needs additional advocacy for the development of programs to recruit African American males into teaching in early childhood settings. Public awareness, community organizations and parent groups need to come together to help foster Black boys' positive identity development and voice. As mentioned in chapter 11, when we all come together as a community and work hard to collaborate and combat bias, eliminate expulsion, and promote equity, children and families are the superstars and winners! We need to create opportunities that will empower Black boys to reach their full potential in school. Teachers who are compassionate, caring, intentional, and teach using a culturally responsive, strengths-based approach can be 'star polishers' who lay the foundation for Black boys to reach for the stars and build new dreams for their future.
Reflections from Jenna:
I too was taken by the information presented regarding suspensions. I find it hard to imagine a program having a zero-tolerance policy and have to wonder... How can we truly teach without allowing for mistakes?? Something that also really stuck out to me was the mention of School Readiness in Chapter 13. It has long bothered me that we base kindergarten readiness on how long a child can sit quietly in a classroom. My son is going into kindergarten this fall and he is being placed in a self-contained classroom, mostly due to this factor. As a parent, and an educator, I found myself second guessing my beliefs that he doesn't belong in that environment, and as a result I was strong-armed into going against my gut. The mention of "verve" in chapter 13 was enlightening. Movement, noise and excitement should have a place in the classroom. How do we instill a joy in learning if we are quieting the "joy"? The story of Hakeem in Chapter 12 was both so sad and hopeful. I am grateful to hear the courage the assistant teacher displayed when she spoke up to offer a different perspective (and maybe reasons behind) Hakeem's behavior. It highlights the need for not only self-reflection in our teaching practices but also for being an advocate for these children. By choosing to make the uncomfortable decision to speak up above the lead teacher in a parent meeting this teacher not only shifted the script, providing an opportunity to discover his superpower.
Some books I was going to share on Wednesday:
Maybe Something Beautiful: How Art Transformed a Neighborhood by F. Isabel Campoy - This book's illustrator is also the inspiration of the story. This is the story of a young girl traveling through a gray town. She meets a muralist who gives her a paintbrush and together they paint the town. This book highlights the Urban Art Trail in San Diego, CA.
Thank you, Omu! by Oge Mora - This book tells the story of an older woman who feeds her community until she is left with nothing herself. Her community returns her generosity with a feast in return. This is a great illustration of gratitude and the art of giving. (Beautiful college illustrations as well)
The Family Book - Todd Parr - This is a simple book full of color highlighting all kinds of family, some even fictional. In a straight-forward simple way, Todd Parr offers relatable characters in a simple and playful way.
Reflections from Gemma:
I appreciated our conversation surrounding diversity in children's literature. Children need to see themselves reflected, as well as be exposed to those who are different from themselves. So many great titles shared...I am looking forward to reading the Big Umbrella and incorporating that story with my college students when we no longer have to physical distance!
The chapter on preschool expulsion really touches my heart. So much damage is done when a child is expelled at a young age, and this happens disproportionately to black boys and children of color. I believe that if teacher preparation programs focused more on examining implicit biases, some of this could be prevented. If we approached children and families with compassion and trauma-informed practices, many children's lives could be set on a different trajectory. People believe what they are told about themselves and when a child is told that they are bad or that they are jeopardizing others' safety, they may just live up to that and thus begins the self-fulfilling prophecy. We need to pay attention to the messages we send/ and, as one of our group said, "let children be who they are."
Although I disagree with expulsion of preschoolers, I also acknowledge that there needs to be support for teachers and families. This may come in the form of mental health specialists or other professionals...every child deserves the support and services required to meet their needs.
Reflections from Denise:
Hello everyone!
Sure hope you are having a stress free week! I wanted to share a few of my favorite books on celebrating diversity as well as share my reflections on Part 3 of our book.
Books first:
Feast for 10, by Cathryn Falwell: a simple counting book with colorful illustrations of an African American family purchasing, cooking, and sharing a beautiful meal.
We are all Alike We are All Different by the Cheltenham Elementary Kindergarteners: this book is written and illustrated by kindergarten students about the similarities and differences in their bodies, families, homes, and food, etc... A celebration of differences!
We'll Paint the Octopus Red by Stephanie Stuce-Borden: Celebrates learning differences. A young girl learns that her baby brother who has Down syndrome is capable of doing many things with patience and a little help
This Is the Way We Go to School- A Book About Children Around the World by Edith Baer: discusses the way children travel to schools round the world, including by car, bus, skis, walking, ferry, subway, bicycle, horse & buggy,,,,
My reflections:
I so enjoyed our time together this week. I am learning so much from all of your shared experiences. Thank you all for your insight!
Discussing the preschool suspension and expulsion issue takes me back to 2014-15 when I was writing my thesis. My focus was challenging behaviors and the preschool to prison pipeline caused by preschool suspension and expulsion. I learned so much about the plight of young black boys being expelled numerous times as toddlers and preschoolers and it broke my heart. The more I investigated, the more I realized that we, as ECE professionals, need to devote our time and attention on getting to know the concerns and challenges these families and children are facing due to this issue. The more accepting, open, empathetic, compassionate, and trauma informed we become, the less likely we are to give up on these beautiful children. We need to ensure all teachers are able to gain this insight through training, open discussion, and positive experiences.
Enjoy your evening and have a great weekend!
Blessings to you!
Reflections from Brigitte:
Chapter 11: Six things you can do to prevent preschool expulsion: consider the research, pause and reflect, build relationships, look for strengths, speak out for equity, and seek allies.
In order to make a positive change, we must view everyone as worthy of receiving the best. If we can see the children as valuable, then it wouldn't be a stretch to want the best opportunities for them. We must continue to take a breath and self-reflect in order to move into a new place that may be challenging to our previous thinking. The child is an individual that is waiting for you to get to know them better and develop a mutual trust and respect.
Chapter 12: We have ideas of what the learning environment should look like, but the children are the ones who will let us know if it works well for them. Many of us have to shift from focusing on below averages instead of continuing to build on strengths. For so long we have learned that strengths are what you are good at with little additional work. The below averages are amplified and constantly addressed for improvement while not even acknowledging the strength at all. I am guilty of minimizing the strengths as it pertains to myself, my son, and to the children in my care. I will intentionally build upon the strengths that I see while providing more practice time for skills to develop in the below average tasks.
Chapter 13: We spent a lot of time sharing books and videos that would positively present black boys in literature. I can appreciate how the author made an intentional inclusion of history and celebration as we embrace the black boy. For far too long they were identified as "troubled" or "challenged" so more attention needed to be placed on them for discipline purposes and not academic evaluation for help. We must take the time to get to know each child's strengths and likes/dislikes so that we can help them thrive and not just survive. We must convey our expectations but leave room for other paths to get to the common end result. We must be culturally responsive and strengths based in our teaching.
I made a big investment in the books that I have available at my program. I intentionally chose books in my library that are diverse in content and authors. I wanted each child to find a book that represented them whether it was race, gender, or ability.
Each week our group is getting more comfortable sharing experiences and ideas to move forward in this unique time that we find ourselves in right now.
Brigitte Y Willis
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Kathleen Harris
Greensburg PA
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Original Message:
Sent: 07-20-2020 10:35 AM
From: Community Engagement Manager
Subject: Thinking about Each and Every Child: Teaching Preschool with an Equity Lens
Dear colleagues--
We have several virtual book clubs which are currently meeting to discuss Each and Every Child: Teaching Preschool with an Equity Lens. Each group will be posting summaries of their discussions and other questions they might have to this thread.
We look forward to hearing about all of the great ideas that are generated!
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Community Engagement Manager
Washington DC
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