Anti-Biased Education Framework Element
The element of the Anti-biased Education Framework that I will be focusing on is Identity. I have selected this element because everyone has their own unique identity they should share. No one person is the same. Each person has some unique talent or skill that they can share with the world.
This element connects to me personally because I always want to have a strong connection with my students just like my teachers did when I was growing up. I value that each person has talents and skills. I want to encourage everyone to be themselves in my classroom and share their knowledge with others. I will strive to have a strong connection with the students in my classroom and their parents.
Experiences with Identity
My experiences have helped me to realize that students learn better from teachers they can connect with. I want to connect with my students in a way that they can flourish in the classroom. Not only is it important for the students to share their identity, but the teacher should as well. This will help students realize that the teacher is also human and can make mistakes.
I observed identity in my field placement. Since I was in a preschool classroom, identity is a big part of their daily lives at school. The students range from ages three to five, so they are still trying to figure out their own identity. They would come in and tell the teacher how they were feeling every morning. When the students came into the classroom the teacher would say,” Good Morning, ….” and include their name. This made each student feel like they are important and valued. I was able to see my student’s family pictures hanging up on the door of the classroom. My teacher always makes sure she is meeting the needs of all of her students. She knows each and every one of them on a personal level. She strives to meet each child’s needs every day. I was also able to see identity in the classroom when I asked my child study student what she likes to do and whom she lives with. The girl told me all the things she does with her family and who lives with her. The student also knew how to write her own name and some of her friends’ names. This shows that she has confidence in herself.
Connections to Text
The Anti-Bias Curriculum book talks a lot about these four elements. To describe identity, the book talks about, “teachers will nurture each child’s construction of knowledgeable and confident personal and social identities.” NAEYC released a statement stating, “all early childhood educators have a professional obligation to advance equity…and work to eliminate structural inequities that limit equitable learning opportunities.” Making students aware that everyone deserves equal opportunities even though everyone has different identities is very important. Another resource I found beneficial to my research was “Integrated Curriculum in the Primary Program” article. This article talked about how “integrated curriculum allows children to pursue learning in a holistic way, without the restrictions often imposed by subject boundaries” (Integrated Curriculum in the Primary Program, n.d.). This curriculum considers the needs and interests of students to help teachers teach their student effectively. I remember when my teachers would incorporate something I liked into a lesson, I retained the information better. This brings us back to knowing and understanding the student’s identity as a key component in education.
Put It All Together Now
From the research and observations, I have done, I was able to see identity and other elements of the Anti-biased Education Framework in the classroom every day. Being able to take what I have learned in class at Millersville and see it put into action in the classroom is truly rewarding. I cannot wait to have my own classroom where I will be able to see the elements present. This will be so special because it will be in the classroom community my students and I created.
Resources
Integrated Curriculum (ne.gov)
Anti-Bias Education Book
