Reflections of Social Justice Education in a Nature Preschool's Design and Practices

• In Event: Poster Session 7
  In Poster Session: Designing Effective Learning Environments I

Abstract

This paper offers an analysis of ways that an experiential nature preschool’s design and practices were found to intersect with social justice education. Observation, interview, and document data was examined for reflections of educational practices supported by scholarship to disrupt social reproduction and promote social justice. The author considers how these reflections are relevant to Social Reproduction Theory, reflective inquiry pedagogies literature, historical roots of pre-K education literature, early child development research, and social justice education scholarship. This case study’s findings indicate five ways that the nature preschool’s design and practices support parallels to five themes in social justice education. Findings also convey an absence of a necessary permeated presence of intentions for social justice.

Author

• Niki Ahrens, University of Washington - Seattle