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Building ideal learning environments for children of color
We know that a child’s earliest years of life are critical to building strong foundations, not only in literacy, numeracy, and social-emotional development but also in how children identify and think about themselves. Early childhood educators are tasked with creating spaces that foster children’s innate potential for learning, growth, and positive self-identity – and this includes racial identity. To build these equitable spaces and teach effectively within them, early childhood educators must be equipped to address bias and racism, and have a toolkit that includes anti-bias and anti-racist (ABAR) practices.
Join us on Tuesday, April 27 for a 90-minute webinar featuring Dr. William Jackson, chief dreamer at Village of Wisdom (VOW) in Durham, North Carolina, and a panel of early childhood educators from the Schoenbaum Family Center for a deeper dive into embedding ABAR practices into every day learning opportunities for young children.
Dr. William Jackson, who spoke last fall at our Symposium on Children, will share how VOW works with families to identify and evaluate culturally affirming strategies for their child’s classroom; equips educators to build environments that foster children’s positive racial identities; and acknowledges the wisdom of families and the collective power of community. Dr. Jackson founded VOW in 2014 while pursuing his doctorate of philosophy in educational psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Before this, he was an educational consultant in research, design, and implementation after teaching in both Virginia and Georgia.
Dr. Jackson will be joined by a panel of Schoenbaum Family Center educators who will share how they are centering ABAR practices in their respective infant/toddler and preschool classrooms as well as with a book studyfor child care providers. Moderated by Dr. Laura Justice, executive director of the Schoenbaum and Crane Centers, there will also be an extended Q&A for the audience to engage and learn more deeply.
This event is free and open to all, but registration is required.
TUESDAY, APRIL 27 • 1:30-3:00PM • ZOOM
SCHEDULE (all times are in eastern standard time)
1:30pm
Welcome & Main Speaker
Laura Justice, executive director of the Schoenbaum and Crane Centers
William Jackson, chief dreamer at Village of Wisdom in Durham, NC
2:15pm
Educator Panel
Eshelle Yarborough, lead infant/toddler teacher at the A. Sophie Rogers School for Early Learning in the Schoenbaum Family Center
Oliva Diaz Melgarejo, lead preschool teacher in the A. Sophie Rogers School for Early Learning in the Schoenbaum Family Center
Latoya Jackson, MS, Early Head Start (EHS) education specialist in the OSU-EHS Partnership Program in the Schoenbaum Family Center and co-leader of the Don’t Look Away: Embracing Anti-Bias Classrooms book study across multiple EHS sites in Columbus, OH