by Louise Derman-Sparks and Julie Olsen Edwards
NAEYC, 2010
184 pgs
How we set the tone about anti-bias in our classrooms and learning centers can influence the entire year — and possibly the whole of children’s lives.
Children learn at an early age about differences in race, gender, ability, economic situation, sexual orientation, culture, and more, and how we as humane educators approach those issues — and challenges with them — holds enormous influence.
The book Anti-Bias Education for Young Children and Ourselves offers a framework for helping young children develop positive social identities and comfort and confidence with diversity, as well as to evolve caring human connections, an understanding of unfairness, and to become empowered to act against prejudice and discrimination.
Anti-Bias Education provides an overview of anti-bias education and the creation of a positive learning environment and then delves into more specific issues, such as culture, race, gender, economic class, family structures, different abilities, and holidays. Each of these chapters offers a brief analysis of the issue, as well as tips and strategies, activity ideas, case studies, and related essays.
While the definition of anti-bias is limited to humans, Anti-Bias Education is rich with insights and ideas for helping us and our students become citizens full of compassion and integrity for others.