“When children see themselves and their families reflected in their early childhood setting, they feel affirmed and that they belong,” Anti-Biased Education.   You can’t be what you don’t see and the kindergarten team at Beaver Acres will provide students the opportunity to develop their identity through diverse, anti-biased read aloud books particularly for those groups of students who have previously been underrepresented. 

Our students will be provided with the opportunity to see themselves in texts that explore race, ethnicity, gender, family and economic status.  Through the text, teachers will nurture each child’s construction of personal and social identities. Students then will explore the concepts of self-awareness, family pride and positive social identity further through invitations to playful inquiry.  The teachers plan to work closely together as a team to create the invitations inspiring students to continue their discovery.  

In recent years, we have come to realize that the social and emotional skills necessary for success start with self-awareness.  Kristine Mraz in Kids First from Day One, says “Our children talk regularly about empathy and work to make the world kinder.”  This is our end goal.   But first, our students need to be comfortable with their identity.  Kids need time and space to play, take risks, make mistakes, wonder, socialize and explore as a means of developing a healthy sense of identity.  Only after students understand themselves can they develop empathy, build healthy relationships, make responsible decisions and have the best opportunity for success.  

The funds will be used to provide four kindergarten teachers twenty-five diverse, anti-biased developmentally appropriate read aloud texts each to use weekly and drive the creation of invitations for playful inquiry.  Some of the titles include One Family, All are Welcome, Julian is a Mermaid, The Proudest Blue, Last Stop on Market Street, Pink is for Boys and Same, Same, but Different.

This project will reach 104 kindergartners at Beaver Acres Elementary.  59% of our kindergartners are students of color and Beaver Acres has 52% of the student population receiving free or reduced lunch.  

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT.