Attend virtually via Zoom: https://uwmadison.zoom.us/j/98899993385

Research continues to show that issues of race and racism remain prevalent in early childhood systems, teaching, and learning practices. Indeed, shifting the prevailing scholarly discourse from anti-bias education to anti-racist education to account for the specificity of race (and the enduring influence of racial injustices) signifies a much-needed and timely change in early years scholarship. Anti-racist early childhood education (Escayg, 2018, 2019) calls attention to and critiques the manifestations of racism in ECE, supporting elements of racism (such as white power and privilege), and offers systemic and pedagogical solutions. In essence, a fundamental priority of anti-racism is systemic change through anti-racist policies and practices. In this presentation, I will explore the guiding principles and goals of anti-racism in ECE, clarify the distinctions between anti-bias and anti-racist early childhood education, and provide participants with practical examples of teacher-led discussions, classroom activities, and anti-racist play-based pedagogy.