1.1 Introduction

“You’ve made this day a special day, by just being you. There’s no person in the whole world like you. And I like you just the way you are.” Fred Rogers, or Mr. Rogers as millions of children knew him, used this quote to testify to the Senate on PBS funding on May 1, 1969, in support of early childhood education on PBS. This statement is important because Mr. Rogers believed that every child, no matter where they lived, what they looked like, or who their family was, should feel loved and that they belong.

Early childhood educators all over the world are aware of how unique and special each child is and what they have to offer. The essential work of all early childhood educators is to give children the courage, confidence, and competence to understand who they are—both as individuals and as members of society. In order for children to learn and be aware of this very diverse world, early childhood educators need to be willing to examine their own identities, biases, and cultures, as well as the historical trauma of marginalized populations around the world.

Not everyone will feel the same doing this important work. Empathy, understanding, and listening with open hearts and minds are a few ways to have difficult conversations and go beyond the surface level. People may have feelings varying from uncomfortable, confident, angry, or powerless. Lean into those feelings and always wonder “Why?” Asking that question will bring about solutions to misunderstandings. A valuable aspect of inclusion is that no one will ever have all the answers; rather, it’s a continuous journey of growing and developing. As new conversations and experiences arise, this ongoing reflection will continue to shape early childhood education into a more inclusive, equitable, and just field—guided by open minds and open hearts.

1.2 Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging

Diversity. Equity. Inclusion. Belonging. Individually these four words pack a punch. Used together, they complement one another and expand our views and how we treat each other. According to the National Association of the Education for Young Children, Advancing Equity in Early Childhood Education Position Statement (National Association for the Education of Young Children, 2019), these terms are defined as follows:

Diversity: Variation among individuals, as well as within and across groups of individuals, in terms of their backgrounds and lived experiences. These experiences are related to social identities, including race, ethnicity, language, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, social and economic status, religion, ability status, and country of origin.

Equity: The state that would be achieved if individuals fared the same way in society regardless of race, gender, class, language, disability, or any other social or cultural characteristic. In practice, equity means all children and families receive necessary supports in a timely fashion so they can develop their full intellectual, social, and physical potential.

Inclusion: Embodied by the values, policies, and practices that support the right of every infant and young child and their family, regardless of ability, to participate in a broad range of activities and contexts as full members of families, communities, and society.

According to the Early Care and Learning Council Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Belonging [DEIB], 2024), belonging is defined as creating a culture where people can be themselves, have psychological safety, appreciate each other, and feel part of something bigger. Review the definitions in Figure 1a below.

1.3 Why is DEIB Important in ECE?

There are some people who may question why teaching children about diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging is important. The thought may be that children do not see differences in others because they have not yet had enough life experiences to shape bias or prejudice. However, children are naturally observant and begin to notice similarities and differences in the people around them early in life. These observations influence how they understand and relate to others, making it essential to guide their learning in inclusive and respectful ways from the start.

Importance for Children

High-quality early childhood programs promote children’s development and opportunities for success as they move from elementary school to adolescence and eventually, adulthood. Children who feel they belong and have a strong sense of self have also been positively linked to self-esteem, well-being, and mental health. Some predictors of belonging in schools and programs include the school environment, safety, teacher support and caring, family support, and peer relationships (Slaten et al., 2016). Families in America continue to increase in diversity. In particular, we are seeing an increase in the variety of family compositions, which includes multiracial families; adoptive families; and families with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) parents (Frost & Goldberg, 2019). According to Gates (2024), approximately 5 million children in the United States are being raised by an LBGTQ parent. In addition, more than 2 million children in the United States are adopted and, of those children, approximately 25% have parents who are of different races than they are (Kreider & Lofquist, 2014).

“All students deserve access to safe, supportive schools and classrooms. Discrimination and use of exclusionary discipline can negatively impact student’s ability to learn, grow and thrive.” -Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona (2022)

Everyone has biases. It is important to recognize and work to understand your own. Bias can appear in many forms—whether related to gender, race, language, socioeconomic status, ability, or culture—and everyone can relate to experiencing bias being used against them at some point. In fact, bias exists in many everyday areas, from sports team loyalties to preferences for clothing brands. It’s important to distinguish bias from prejudice. Prejudice is showing unfair favor of or against a person, group, or thing compared to another, often in a negative way. For example, if someone simply prefers sweet food over spicy food, that is a personal preference or judgment. However, if that same person dismisses an ethnic cuisine as “gross” based on the assumption it is spicy—without ever trying it or learning about it from someone knowledgeable—that crosses the line into prejudice.

Implicit bias (also known as unconscious bias) includes subconscious feelings, attitudes, prejudices, and stereotypes individuals develop based on prior influences and imprints through their lives. Individuals are unaware that these subconscious thoughts impact their decision-making (Shah, 2023). Implicit bias can have detrimental effects in early childhood education. According to the Civil Rights Data Collection, Office of Civil Rights from the U.S. Department of Education, black preschoolers were twice more likely to be suspended or expelled from preschool programs than their share of the total preschool population in 2017-2018, and American Indian/Alaska Native and multiracial children were one and a half more likely to be suspended or expelled from preschool programs than their share of the total preschool population in 2017-2018 (2021). See Discipline Practices in Preschool PDF for more information.

Importance for Early Childhood Educators

With the changing demographics of the United States and the increase in the diversity of children and their families in early childhood programs, it is important to look at the diversity in early childhood professionals. According to Schneider and Gibbs (2023), an estimated 97 percent of early childhood educators are women, with 38 percent identifying as Black women. This representation is disproportionate compared to the broader workforce, where non-Hispanic Black women make up 16.7 percent, Hispanic women 16.4 percent, and women of other racial and ethnic backgrounds make up only 4.9 percent. Having a diverse staff with varied lived experiences helps families feel reflected and affirmed within the early childhood environment.

Staff diversity can provide a racial and/or cultural match between children and families and a greater understanding of social and cultural behaviors to provide an improved and individualized learning environment. Employing staff who speak the same home language of children in early childhood programs is the first step in providing high-quality teaching and learning experiences for children in their care and can be an effective tool to provide collaboration and engagement with families.

No matter what the staff looks like or the languages they speak, ongoing professional development is essential to help build the knowledge and skills to serve diverse communities and promote equity. All early childhood educators should reflect on personal culture, values, and practices, as well as learn about others’ perspectives and experiences. If challenging situations arise, early childhood educators should help each other by having courageous conversations that examine the assumptions, beliefs, and biases. Strengths-based approaches to working with children and families should be prioritized and practiced throughout the program (Staff Diversity Matters, 2024). These approaches focus on recognizing and building upon the unique assets, identities, and contributions that each child, family, and staff member brings to the learning environment, fostering a culture of respect, inclusion, and empowerment. For example, a program may serve a large number of bilingual children and families. During a staff meeting, educators discuss how to better support these families and realize that classroom materials and communication home are only in English. Instead of viewing this as a barrier, the team engages in a courageous conversation about how language reflects culture and identity. They decide to incorporate bilingual books, label classroom items in multiple languages, and invite family members to share stories and songs from their home cultures. To deepen this work, educators reach out to families through surveys and informal conversations to learn about the languages spoken at home, cultural traditions, and preferred methods of communication. They create opportunities for families to contribute to classroom life—such as reading a book in their home language, cooking a traditional dish with the children, or displaying family photos in the classroom. These efforts foster mutual respect, strengthen family partnerships, and create a welcoming environment where every child and family feels seen, valued, and empowered.

Building diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging requires reciprocal relationships that have social connections and are built on positive relationships. Early childhood educators serve a unique role of engaging with families of young children and building trust and a sense of community to set their children up for a lifetime of learning and academic success. To advance a more equitable and inclusive early childhood environment, anti-bias movements in education are practiced across the United States.

1.4 What is Anti-Bias Education?

Anti-bias education (ABE) is a practice that supports children and their families as they develop a sense of identity in a diverse society. To be an effective practice, ABE should be interwoven in the entire early childhood program, from professional development to interactions with children, families, co-workers, and the classroom environment. It shapes how the curriculum is put together every day (Derman-Sparks & Olsen Edwards, 2019). In Table 1a below, you will find the four goals of anti-bias education according to Derman-Sparks and Olsen Edwards.

Goal 1: Identity

Everyone has many identities, whether they admit it, are confused by it, or deny it. Identities are personal and social. Personal identity is often thought of as self-competence, self-confidence, or self-concept. Social identity refers to how society defines people based on the social groups they are a part of. Some example categories of social identity include culture, economic class, family structure, gender, language, race, religion, sexual orientation, and more. “Every social identity has societal policies, stereotypes, and attitudes connected with it” (Derman-Sparks et al., 2020). These identities cross over into different parts of our lives. This overlap of identities is called intersectionality. This is important to remember because the overlapping identities can also have overlapping privileges or disadvantages. For example, a boy who is African American, poor, and doesn’t speak English may have disadvantages because of bias and prejudice. The way early childhood educators interact with children and families can build identities up or can break them down. If educators can nourish and support these growing identities, the outcome is more likely to be children growing up with a feeling of belonging.

Goal 2: Diversity

Diversity is an embedded element of society. This anti-bias goal empowers early childhood educators to promote interactions with others from diverse backgrounds with empathy and respect. Children must learn positive and respectful ways to compare and contrast human differences in order to be comfortable with diversity. Children are observers, and they often ask unfiltered questions and respond with blunt comments. Early childhood educators must present diversity as a strength, worthy of conversation and explanation. Addressing and encouraging children to speak, question, and learn about others builds empathy in themselves and others. Talking about differences does not cause prejudice. “Prejudice is learned from prejudice, not from learning about human differences” (Derman-Sparks et al., 2020, p. 24). This goal also addresses the similarities between humans as well. By appreciating both difference and similarity, children learn that all humans, no matter their differences, have commonalities and how we treat each other matters.

Goal 3: Justice

Fairness often comes up in early childhood classrooms. What children perceive as fair or unfair is largely based on how people treat each other. Goal 3 is about building that sense of fairness with empathy. Children can sort fair and unfair responses when talking about sharing or taking turns. They can sort what is kind or unkind when asked about bullying or helping. This knowledge is constructed with everyday experiences and interactions beginning at birth. Early childhood educators promote critical thinking skills early on by facilitating connections, modeling interactions, and by practicing using skills to identify unfair comments, untrue images, and unkind behaviors directed at them or others (Derman-Sparks et al., 2020, p. 25). Through this intentional teaching, children learn how to form caring relationships with others while acknowledging diversity.

Goal 4: Activism

Children’s and educators’ skills in this area are built on the foundation of identity, diversity, and justice in the first three goals (Derman-Sparks et al., 2020, p. 26). Teaching children to stand up and take action against unfair or hurtful behavior must be intentional and have a goal for children to feel empowered to act. How to communicate and address the injustices they see are skills children can learn with the help of empathetic early childhood educators. Children are hurt by more than aggressive behavior.  Name-calling, teasing, and excluding someone based on their identity, as well as a lack of representation in books and materials, chip away at a child’s self-concept. Early childhood educators have a duty to not only intervene and model the prosocial interactions, but also help teach skills to speak up when something is wrong.

The four core goals of ABE are meant to provide support for children to identify and prevent, as much as possible, the harmful impacts of societal prejudice and bias. On pages 8-9 of the book Anti-Bias Education for Young Children & Ourselves (Derman-Sparks et al., 2020), the vision of ABE is identified below:

• All children and families have a sense of belonging and experience affirmation of their personal and social identities and their cultural ways of being.
• All children have access to and participate in the education they need to become successful, contributing members of society.
• All children are engaged in joyful learning that supports their cognitive, physical, creative, and social development.
• Children and adults know how to respectfully and easily live, learn, and work together in diverse and inclusive environments. All families have the resources they need to fully nurture their children.
• All children and families live in safe, peaceful, healthy, comfortable housing and neighborhoods.

This vision of ABE also reflects the basic human rights described in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UN OHCHR, 1989):

• The right to survival.
• The right to develop to the fullest.
• The right to protection from harmful influences, abuse, and/or exploitation.
• The right to participate fully in family, cultural, and social life.

Early childhood educators all over the world have embraced this practice. The responsibility of equity and inclusion falls on everyone to help children and families not only succeed but also flourish. With this steadfast commitment from educators, children and families will grow to feel confident about themselves, appreciate the diversity around them, recognize unfairness, and take a stand against prejudice and discrimination.

1.5 Integrating Anti-Bias Education

Anti-bias education is more than celebrating different holidays, having a book about people in wheelchairs, or having dress up clothes from other countries. ABE is the air that is breathed in and out every day in a classroom. ABE is heard in interactions and language with children, families, coworkers, and other early childhood professionals. ABE is seen in the variety of materials and books that are taught to broaden children’s experiences. ABE is felt in warm, loving, and connected environments. It is both child-directed and teacher-directed.

Early childhood programs are built on developmentally appropriate practice. Knowledge of child development, the individual child’s interests and abilities, and the context of a child’s environment are the foundation of teaching. Children ask questions or role-play different things they see, hear, taste, smell, and touch. These are examples of child-directed activities. When children initiate a type of inquiry, educators use the teachable moments to address and expand their understanding. Educators also introduce new ideas, skills, or materials with which children have limited experience or background. These are educator-directed activities. For ideas to teach ABE content, Derman-Sparks, Olsen Edwards, and Goins recommend starting with these three sources:

• Children’s questions, interests, or interactions with each other that educators see as important to respond to and develop.
• Educator-initiated activities based on what educators and families think is important for children to learn.
• Significant events that occur in the children’s communities and the larger world that educators believe need to be explored with children.

Classroom Environments

Children’s classrooms are places of discovery and curiosity. The materials and curriculum allow children to explore and should support their development in health and safety, language and communication, cognition and general knowledge, social and emotional development, and approaches to learning.

Representation of diverse people, cultures, and families in pictures, books, and materials is a powerful tool to present ABE as the norm. When families walk in a room that is thoughtfully set up and see themselves, as well as others, reflected in it, the intention is clear and welcoming. Everything in the classroom should build on not only a child’s own sense of self but also their sense of belonging.

The concept of “windows, mirrors, and sliding glass doors,” coined by Rudine Sims Bishop, is especially important in early childhood classroom environments. Books, images, and materials should serve as mirrors where children see themselves and their lived experiences reflected, windows through which they can view lives, cultures, and experiences different from their own, and sliding glass doors that allow them to enter and engage with these diverse perspectives. When classrooms include these elements, they help foster empathy, identity development, and an appreciation for diversity.

There are many tools that can help early childhood educators assess the classroom environment. Anti-Bias Education for Young Children & Ourselves (Derman-Sparks et al., 2020) provides a checklist for assessing the visual material in a classroom environment. Environmental rating scales for infants and toddlers, preschoolers, and school-age children also provide guidance in diverse resources.

Teaching Framework

An article in Young Child, by teachers Lisa Kuh, Debbie Lee Keenan, Heidi Given, and Margaret R. Beneke (2016), built a framework for anti-bias teaching. This framework, in Table 1.b below, provides five questions to ask when developing ABE curriculum.

Early childhood educators who use this framework find many benefits but also feelings of discomfort. Balancing “what they have always done” and adding new ideas and concepts can be a challenge. Prioritizing ABE activities and extending the topics require more in-depth planning than just doing an art project. Here are common missteps in ABE (Derman-Sparks et al., 2020, p. 52):

• “Tourist Curriculum” Misstep: Activities or special days set aside to celebrate other cultures that only scratch the surface and are often stereotypical. The view is limited to stereotypes. Examples include celebrating Native American culture by having children make traditional fry bread; making a dreidel for Hanukkah; or having a “Mexico Day” with books, food, and activities, but going back to the normal day curriculum and ignoring people from other cultures the rest of the year.
• “Token Materials” Misstep: Adding single teaching materials or images to represent an entire group of people. Examples include one baby with dark skin among many Caucasian babies or one book about a person in a wheelchair that stays on the shelf all year and is never read.
• “Misinformation/Misrepresenting” Misstep: Using examples from one group’s country of origin to show about their life in the United States or focusing on a historic or stereotypical ritual dress or way of life. Examples include showing images about life in Vietnam to teach about Vietnamese Americans or teaching all Native Americans/Indigenous people lived in teepees.

All these ideas come from good intentions, but they can also be considered microaggressions. A microaggression is a subtle, sometimes unintentional statement, action, or incident that expresses prejudice and/or bias (Derman-Sparks et al., 2020, p. 204). Being mindful of our words and actions, we can create more inclusive and equitable environments.

Cultural Humility

No one person will ever have the “right” answer at any time when it comes to culturally relevant teaching. Cultural humility is an other-oriented view and is described as a human trait. It lacks the idea of concentrating solely on the knowledge of another person’s cultural background and instead proposes openness and humility when engaging with someone from a different cultural background than themselves (Haynew-Mendez & Engelsmeier, 2020, pp. 24-26). Cultural humility understands that no one is a master of any one culture because of the intersectionality of people’s various identities. Educators can cultivate a growth mindset to cultural humility and adjust the approach to teaching diverse children.

1.6 Conclusion

Anti-bias education is, at the heart, about belonging. It is a lifelong process of learning, trial and error, missteps, and celebrations. Early childhood educators have a unique role in helping to shape society where all children and families are accepted and are able to thrive regardless of differences. There are many challenges to overcome when considering ABE, but educators across the world are implementing this practice to promote equity and opportunity and starting with the youngest learners. Continue to learn, grow, change, and support all children in your care to feel supported and loved. You are not alone. You belong.

Learning Activities

1.7 References

Census Bureau, Commerce Department. (2013). Adopted children and stepchildren: 2010. Commerce Department. https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GOVPUB-C3-PURL-gpo106859

Derman-Sparks, L., & Olsen Edwards, J. (2019). Understanding anti-bias education: bringing the four core goals to every facet of your curriculum. Young Children, 74(5).

Derman-Sparks, L., Olsen Edwards, J., & Goins, C. M. (2020). Anti-bias education for young children and ourselves (2nd ed.). NAEYC Books.

Early Care & Learning Council. (2024). Diversity, equity, inclusion, & belonging (DEIB). earlycareandlearning.org/. https://earlycareandlearning.org/our-programs/diversity-equity-inclusion-belonging-deib/

Frost, R. L., & Goldberg, A. E. (2019). The ABCs of diversity and inclusion: Developing an inclusive environment for diverse families in early childhood education. ZERO TO THREE Journal, 39(3), 36–41.

Haynew-Mendez, K., & Engelsmeier, J. (2020). Cultivating cultural humility in education. Childhood Education: Innovations, 22–29.

Kelly, D. J., Quinn, P. C., Slater, A. M., Lee, K., Gibson, A., Smith, M., Ge, L., & Pascalis, O. (2005). Three-month-olds, but not newborns, prefer own-race faces. Developmental Science, 8(6), F31–F36. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-7687.2005.0434a.x

Kuh, L. P., Leekeenan, D., Given, H., & Beneke, M. (2016). Moving beyond anti-bias activities: Supporting the development of anti-bias practices. YC Young Children. 71. 58-65.

National Association for the Education of Young Children. (2019). Advancing equity in early childhood education position statement. NAEYC. https://www.naeyc.org/resources/position-statements/equity

National Association for the Education of Young Children. (2019). Definitions of key terms. NAEYC.org. https://www.naeyc.org/resources/position-statements/equity/definitions

National Center of Early Childhood Development, Teaching and Learning. (2024). Supporting diverse populations within the early … – ECLKC [PDF]. Supporting diverse populations within the early childhood workforce [PDF]. headstart.gov. https://web.archive.org/web/20241110024738/https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/pdf/support-diverse-pop.pdf

Office for Civil Rights, US Department of Education. (2021). Discipline practices in preschool [PDF]. Civil Rights Data Collection. https://civilrightsdata.ed.gov/assets/downloads/crdc-DOE-Discipline-Practices-in-Preschool-part1.pdf

Schneider, A., & Gibbs, H. (2023). Data dashboard: An overview of child care and early learning in the United States. Center for American Progress. https://www.americanprogress.org/article/data-dashboard-an-overview-of-child-care-and-early-learning-in-the-united-states/#:~:text=Indeed%2C%20an%20estimated%2097%20percent,share%20of%20the%20general%20population.&text=In%20particular%2C%20non%2DHispanic%20Black,16.4%20percent%20of%20the%20workforce

Shah, H. S. (2023). Implicit bias. StatPearls [Internet]. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK589697/#:~:text=Implicit%20bias%20includes%20the%20subconscious,%2C%20affect%20their%20decision%2Dmaking

Slaten, C. D., Ferguson, J. K., Allen, K. A., Brodrick, D. V., & Waters, L. (2016). School belonging: A review of the history, current trends, and future directions. The Educational and Developmental Psychologist, 33(1), 1–15.

U. S. Department of Health and Human Services. Administration for Children and Families. (2024). Staff diversity matters. https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/culture-language/multicultural-principles-early-childhood-leaders/staff-diversity-matters

Wilson, D. M., & Bouton, L. J. A. (2024). LGBT parenting in the United States. UCLA: Williams Institute. https://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/publications/lgbt-parenting-us/

Images:

Figure 1a: “DEIB chart” by Nic Ashman, Chippewa Valley Technical College is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0

Figure 1b: “IMG_4303.jpg” by Cinthya Quintana-Marofske https://artofprek.com/ is used with permission.

Videos:

Road Less Marveled. (2015, February 8). May 1, 1969: Fred Rodgers testifies before senate subcommittee on communications [Video]. YouTube. All rights reserved. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKy7ljRr0AA