Exploring Early Childhood Teacher Beliefs and Practices with Integrating Race and Racism Topics in Classrooms

• In Event: The Role of Teachers in Perpetuating or Dismantling Racialized Practices/Behaviors

Abstract

Children categorize people by race and can exhibit racist behaviors/beliefs as early as 3 years old (Katz & Kofkin, 1997; Winkler, 2009; ). Research suggests that adults underestimate the age and how children understand race (Sullivan, Wilton & Apfelbaum, 2021). Early childhood education (ECE) professionals are at the front lines of providing socialization and learning opportunities for young children (Birth-5 years old). Yet a dearth of research exists examining teacher beliefs and implementation in the classroom around race, bias, and racism. This understanding is essential to help support anti-racism initiatives in early childhood classrooms. Therefore, the current mixed-method study examines ECE professionals’ beliefs, understanding and implementation of integrating racial and racism awareness in early childhood classrooms and whether responses vary by teacher race/ethnicity.

Methods
200 participants, ECE professionals, from a south-west state in the U.S. completed close and open-ended survey items, 5-point likert scale and open-ended response (see table 1). Topics in the survey: general understanding of young children’s racial and racism awareness, beliefs about the importance of teaching–, level of comfort teaching–, and the frequency and materials to help support learning in the classroom– about race and racism.

Results
Significant positive correlations between teacher race/ethnicity and beliefs that discuss topics of race, racism, and bias should be discussed with young children and is important for their development. Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) are more likely to agree that the topic of racism should be discussed with young children (M = 3.65, SD = 1.24), and discussing bias (M = 3.16, SD = 1.18) and racism (M = 3.56, SD = 1.21) is important for their development than White participants. Additionally, the more familiar ECE professionals are with NAEYC anti-bias education, the more comfortable they feel talking about race (M = 3.95, SD = 1.24) and bias (M = 3.76, SD = 1.2) with young children.

An overall lack of discussion around topics of race, racism, and bias in ECE (Table 2), in the classroom, 83.8% of ECE professionals report discussing race rarely or not at all, 70.9% report talking about differences in skin tone rarely or not at all, and 72.5% report having discussions about unfair events rarely or not at all.

Further there are limited materials and resources (Table 2), 78.5% of ECE professionals report having one or more materials about race. Meanwhile, 46.2% have no materials that support learning about racism, and 50% have no materials that support learning about bias. Contrastly, themes from open-ended responses of how teachers incorporate race and racism related topics include: the importance of discussion, treating people equally, building a positive identity, books, artwork (e.g. skin color paint), dramatic play, and historical figures.

Findings suggest the presence of whiteness and white privilege with regard to the importance of including race/racism topics. Additionally, we should consider expanding access to professional development and explore the extent these critical topics of race, racism, anti-bias, and anti-racist are covered in 2- and 4-year higher education institutions.

Authors

• Amy Van Schagen, California State University - San Bernardino
  Presenting Author

• Tara Jane O'Malley, California State University - San Bernardino

• Alexandria Chung

• Perla Esparza-Partinico