Education by itself cannot eliminate prejudice or ensure social justice. But the implementation of anti-bias education in the early years can help children to understand and respect diversity.

In the Learning Resources for this week, you were presented with the four core goals of anti-bias education, the interconnectedness between each of these goals, and some initial ideas for how to put these goals into practice. In this Discussion, you will have an opportunity to explore how these overarching goals relate to you and your career as an early childhood professional.

To prepare for the Discussion, reflect on questions posed in “What Do the ABE Goals Mean to Me?” found in Chapter 1 of the course text.

• To what degree, or in what ways, do I nurture the construction of a knowledgeable, confident self-identity and group identity in myself?
• How do I promote my own comfortable, empathetic interactions with people from diverse backgrounds?
• In what ways do I foster my critical thinking about bias?
• Under what circumstances do I cultivate my ability to stand up for myself and for others in the face of bias?
• What are the challenges to achieving these goals in my life?
• What might be ways for me to develop each of these goals in my work? in my personal life?

With these thoughts in mind, develop two professional goals with respect to anti-bias education and the work you do – or plan to do – with children. Consider how these goals may help to set the stage for your learning in this course and assist you in becoming more effective when working with children and families from all backgrounds.

By Day 3

Post your responses to the following questions:

• The two professional goals you developed related to anti-bias education and your work in an early childhood setting.
• The ways in which the readings and media segment from this week have influenced the formulation of your goals. Be sure to support your comments with specific references to and/or examples from the Required Resources.
• The ways in which the implementation of these goals will help you to work more effectively with young children and families.
• Challenges you might encounter on your journey to becoming an early childhood professional who understands and practices anti-bias education.