Dismantling (In)equalities of Ancillary Early Childhood Teachers Through Testimonios, Collective Reflection, and Co-Construction of Understanding

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Saturday 8:00 am Four Seasons Ballroom 4
  In Roundtable Session: Educational Flow: Teacher Identity and Research in P-8 Classrooms (Table 11)

Abstract

Women of color (WoC) are disproportionately employed in the low-wage early childhood teaching positions (McLean, Austin, Whitebook & Olson, 2021). The ancillary teachers including assistant teachers, special education assistants (SECAs), and paraprofessionals earn significantly lower salaries while they bear some of the same responsibilities as the lead teacher, who oftentimes identify as white. These teachers support the lead teacher in the classroom setting, unofficially take on the role of lead teacher in their absence without additional compensation. This research focuses on the collective testimonios of WoC who participated in an early education program offered at a 4-year, private, mid-sized university designated to focus on the teaching of culturally responsive education toward a democracy and just education.

Author

• Juana Maria Reyes, Lewis University