Anti-Bias Education: A Critical Analysis

One of the most stimulating aspects of early education is observing and supporting young children as they develop their individual identities. This development takes place within different social contexts where issues relating to human diversity and difference impact significantly on children’s understandings and ways of being in the world. Arguably, our education begins when we are first able to detect causes and consequences, and continue to form the basis of our identity, behaviours and knowledge of the world around us. Glover (1991) in the early 1990s found that as 2-3 year old children became aware of difference they simultaneously develop positive and negative feelings about the differences they observe. For example, racial awareness impacts on their perceptions of skin colour and on their preferences in the social relationships they initiate and foster with other children. An Australian study conducted by Palmer (1990) exemplifies how preschool children were able to make negative judgements based on racial characteristics of young Aboriginal children. Children were reportedly saying ‘You’re the colour of poo… Did your mum drop you in the poo?’ This observation suggests that children as young as 2 years old are becoming aware of diversity and differences of others, and these judgements children are making are often affecting their ability to make sound judgements of others

When young children do express thoughts of race or being bias, it is often dismissed as either bad parenting, child not knowing what they are talking about, or simply bad behavior in children. Research clearly shows that children not only recognize race from a very young age, but also develop racial biases by age’s three to five that do not necessarily resemble the racial attitudes of adults in their lives (Aboud 2008). Three- to five-year-olds in a racially and ethnically diverse day care center used racial categories to identify themselves and others, to include or exclude children from activities, and to negotiate power in their own social/play networks (Van Ausdale & Feagin 2001).

There are many strategies that I could learn to lessen the negative effects of differences or misunderstandings between students and their parents. According to our textbook Anti-Bias Education for Young Children and Ourselves by Louise Derman-Sparks and Julie Olsen Edwards, you need to have positive relationships with and among families (Derman-Sparks, Edwards, & National Association for the Education of Young Children, 2010, p. 36). The information that I learned from this book will help me develop appropriate strategies that will decrease the volume of misunderstanding that could develop in the classroom.

It is crucial for educators to value, understand and incorporate every child’s cultural diversity in the classroom (The Early Years Learning Framework Professional Learning Program, 2011). This means educators needs to deal with any bias beliefs they might/may hold. For example, some children might not participate in the classroom because

As a social worker, I would not have any biases concerning Gilbert as a person. However, once including the family and Gilbert’s other systems I will have to limit some personal perspectives. It will be challenging for me to not assume or consider mama is an unfit parent. I do not always view obesity, especially when the individual is overeating, positively. I value healthy parental relationship between children and parents, which might cause me to want to show some type of hostility towards mama’s inability to support her children. As a social worker, I will have to remember that situation is not that simple and take into account underlying reasons for mama’s disability. On the hand, the lack of support from the community and their negative response to Arnie might cause some discomfort. I would assume that most of the community members are not educated about Arnie’s disability and maybe, I could advocacy for more support and resource to be implemented rather than just displaying distress about the situation.

Anti-bias education is important for young children because children begin to recognize differences early on in life. (Derman-Sparks) My current understanding of anti-bias education for young children is to teach the children how to accept diversity and respect the differences between each other. I believe an anti-bias education provides the children with the opportunity to gain a sense of self along with feeling reassurance with other differences. As a future educator of young children, I need to be mindful that children create their attitudes and identities through interactions related to different experiences, such as their bodies, cognitive developmental stage, and their social environment. (Derman-Sparks) The variety of biases that exist in the children’s world need to be addressed in order to teach the children how to think critically about fairness; therefore, the children can learn how to oppose the bias. (Derman-Sparks) Likewise, my views about anti-bias education have changed because of the innovative information presented to me. I knew an anti-bias curriculum was essential for young children, but I did not know how important it truly was. My views of an anti-bias education mainly focused on holidays because I knew it would not be appropriate to only celebrate the holidays from one culture or religion. My views about anti-bias education grew because I understand that the overall goals of an anti-bias education are to enable the children to think

Racial prejudice and discrimination can negatively affect children’s self-esteem. In 1954, the Supreme Court of the United States enacted the Brown v. Board of Education to outlaw racial segregation from public schools in order to establish equality among children of different racial and ethnic backgrounds (Zirkel, 2005). However, racial prejudice and discrimination still exist within the educational system where children continue to experience these inequalities (Zirkel, 2005). Clark and Clark (1939) argue that during child development, children become consciously aware of themselves as distinct people by comparing their bodies to the bodies of others. This development of self-awareness includes race consciousness and racial identification. Raising children in an education system that still retains racism can impact how minority children develop their racial identities. It is difficult for children of color to develop their identities within predominantly White institutions (Zirkel, 2005). Racial prejudice and discrimination can lower the self-esteem of children that are being targeted because of their race and skin color.

A personal bias of mine would be not being able to completely understand LGBTQIA (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transexual, queer, intersex, asexual) community and the issues that they have that comes along with being gay, queer, transexual etc. I think the reason behind this bias is that I am a married heterosexual woman so my sexuality has never been discriminated against, making it difficult to fully comprehend/relate to a potential client. Even though the world is progressing it has been a pretty slow process and by the looks of it, it is apparent that America is very hetero-centric. Johnson (2006) states how simple it is for heterosexuals in the world. For example heterosexuals can watch television or watch a movie and be assured of seeing characters, news reports etc. that reflect the reality of their own lives (Johnson, 2006). Heterosexuals, unlike those of other sexualities, are free and many times pressured to get marry, adopt children or getting a job without being questioned and harassed by society.

I believe the theory of bias against outgroups best explains the reason behind the majority genocides. For example many genocides were based on ethnic cleansing, which created an out group that was seen as a threat. This created a bias against an outgroup that may be direct or indirect but in the perpetrators mind the genocide of the out groups may be justified. But in my opinion none of these theories correctly explain the cause of genocide and violence. In my opinion religion, power and greed is the real reason behind many of mass atrocities. Some governments will go far as killing entire classes of people who threaten their profit and power to control. Certain biases may influence this, but I believe some people target and kill people just

History, as taught in American schools, generally displays a bias towards the people that benefitted from the events described. With this bias, the culture and accomplishments of other cultural groups are largely ignored. This is certainly the case when Africa and African Americans are discussed in the classroom. There is a tendency in the classroom to examine European accomplishments while disregarding the successes, culture, and the importance Africa, and many cultures throughout the world, played in the development of the modern world. This tendency is problematic, and it damages the education of many students who are deprived of a diverse education with a global perspective.

From a young age children are encouraged to inhibit critical thinking and go beyond expectations, advancing further than the formalities their parents aspire for them. All of so is encouraged until the child exhibits connotations that venture away from the parent or guardians’ standpoints. The parent chooses to blame outside influences (i.e. peers, teachers, etc), as the reason behind these thoughts and scrutinize the child as being corrupted.

Mike Rognlien - Manage the Learning and Development Team for the Americas out in New York

43), and inviting the parents to participate gives the educator and families more experienced to becoming familiar with anti-bias education and activities to building a wonderful times “of community [that] affect families for many years” (Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2010, p. 42).

The correspondence bias is a common mistake that people often make when attempting to interpret other people's behavior Yet when we see people act a certain way, we tend to assume their behavior is symbolic to their personality, not to the situation at hand nevertheless; I made that mistake. For example, one day in the copier room at work, an employee named Betty was standing in line to make some copies yet; she was also conversing small talk with other people in the area. When Laura cuts in front of her Betty yelled at Laura, and the two ladies begin to argue. I had a mental perception of the situation If asked, both Betty and Laura are most gave a dispositional reason for the other person's behavior. Betty said that Laura was rude and a

Bias: Prejudice in favor of or against one thing, person or group compared with another, usually in a way considered to be unfair (Oxford dictionaries). Human beings have innate bias. Bias is most often acquired from one’s environment, however there are other factors that may contribute to a person’s unique point of view. Sources also contain bias and it is impossible for a source to be completely free of bias. There are, however, ways one can avoid falling victim to an author’s skewed view of a topic. The most important ways being one’s ability to spot a sources bias along with the researcher choosing to use several sources with different viewpoints. In order to acquire an accurate, non-biased view of a topic, one must use several sources