2018 NAEYC Annual Conference

I’m really looking forward to this year’s NAEYC Annual Conference from November 14-17 in Washington, D.C.  I’ll be presenting two workshops:

Supporting Multiracial Children & Families (3 hour)

11/14/2018 from 8:15 – 11:15am at the Washington Convention Center Room 145B

America is becoming more racially diverse and educators and other adults in children’s lives need the thinking and strategies to support healthy development, which includes racial development. Multiracial children are seen as bridges between races and proof that negative attitudes about interracial relationships are declining. These maybe true, however many multiracial children struggle with forming healthy racial identities. There are also children that are part of families that include multiple mono-racial identities. Both of these groups of children can grow up feeling that they have to deny part of their identity to be part of dominant racial group. If these children are not supported in positive identity formation, they can easily incorporate racist messages unconsciously into their view of self and others. This interactive workshop will explore how children develop racial and multiracial identity, how adults can support healthy racial development. Participants learn and practice researched based strategies that can limit the effect of internal and external racial messages. Through self-reflection, large group and small group activities. Participants will leave with a beginning action plan and resources to continue their work in supporting the development of all children.

Professionalization Can’t Mean Whitening: A Critical Race Analysis of Early Care and Education Workforce Policy

11/15/2018 from 10:00 – 11:30am at the Washington Convention Center Room 151A

One of the most controversial recommendations of the 2015 Institute of Medicine report, Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth Through Age 8, was that the field embark upon a process of “transitioning to a minimum bachelor’s degree qualification requirement” for all lead educators. Acknowledging the existing racial disparities among those who currently hold a bachelor’s degree and the well-documented racialized barriers that exist for those who are interested in pursuing a degree, many are concerned that this movement to “professionalize” our workforce will lead, even unintentionally, to a whitening of the workforce. This workshop will present the findings of a mixed-methods research project, investigating the impact of state-level bachelor’s degree requirements on the racial/ethnic diversity and stratification of the early childhood teaching workforce. This study advances the argument that the whitening of this workforce is a logical outcome of a “colorblind” approach to early childhood policymaking. As an alternative, participants will learn about the strategy of “targeted universalism” and leave empowered to proactively advance racial equity throughout early childhood policy and practice.

In addition, I’m excited to be supporting two workshops that are being sponsored by the Diversity & Equity Interest Forum:

“A” is for Activist: Stories and Strategies for Resistance

11/14/2018 from 8:15 – 11:15am at the Washington Convention Center Room 149AB

The fourth goal of Anti-Bias Education states that “each child will demonstrate empowerment and the skills to act, with others or alone, against prejudice and/or discriminatory actions.” We know that these goals apply not only to young children, but also to ourselves as educators. During this session, participants will have an opportunity to develop their own activism skills. We will learn from seasoned early childhood educators and activists — Jamie Solomon, Christina Martinez, and Nadia Jaboneta, and Peggy Haack — who will share their powerful stories of taking action for social justice. Participants will leave the session inspired and equipped with concrete strategies to make a difference in their classrooms, workplaces, and communities.

Let’s Talk about Whiteness

11/16/2018 from 1:00 – 2:30pm at the Washington Convention Center Room 140A

Conversations about race, racism, and power in early childhood often focus on critical issues involving the marginalization of children, families, and educators of color. In addition, effective racial justice work requires that we understand the ways that whiteness operates. We invite you to join us at this session in order to make that whiteness visible. Through storytelling and small group activities, we will consider the professional responsibilities of white early childhood educators, in dialogue with their colleagues of color, to explore how racism and white privilege shape our lives and work. By the end of the session, participants will be invited to make a commitment to implement one concrete strategy to disrupt racism in their work as early childhood professionals.

I really hope to see you there.  This sessions are going to be great!  You can use this online itinerary planner tool to begin mapping out which sessions you’d like to attend.

Click here to learn more and to register.  And if funding is a barrier, consider applying for a Lasting Legacy Scholarship!