Emily Nupp, Stephanie Flores-Koulish, Ph.D.

The More We Love Together: A Critically Conscious Social-Emotional Curriculum

Children pick up on latent prejudices and develop implicit bias as early as preschool age, yet there is a large gap in research providing effective guidance for unlearning these biases (Diemer et al., 2016). Critically conscious curriculum is urgently needed in our communities to emphasize the voices of diverse students who are being marginalized.

In ECE settings, a lot of play reproduces the status quo. That is, play reproduces power relations around race, gender, social, economic, cultural capital, ethnicity, heteronormativity, and English proficiency (Macnevin & Berman, 2018). These power dynamics are constantly at work in the early learning environment, and they have a big impact on how kids play: who gets what roles, who has access to preferred materials and spaces, and how disagreements are settled.

The purpose of this curriculum is to equip both students and educators with the tools to navigate and foster a greater sense of belongingness and inclusion in our communities. This resource will empirically guide educators on how to create and maintain inclusive environments while engaging in dialogic discussions within their community.

References

Diemer, M. A., Rapa, L. J., Voight, A. M., & Mcwhirter, E. H. (2016). Critical consciousness: A developmental approach to addressing marginalization and oppression. Child Development Perspectives, 10(4), 216-221. doi:10.1111/cdep.12193

Macnevin, M., & Berman, R. (2016). The Black baby doll doesn’t fit the disconnect between early childhood diversity policy, early childhood educator practice, and children’s play. Early Child Development and Care, 187(5-6), 827-839. doi:10.1080/03004430.2016.1223065

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