Planting the Seeds of Equity

Bringing together an inspirational group of educators, this book provides key insights into what it means to implement social justice ideals with young children. Each chapter highlights a teacher’s experience with a specific aspect of social justice and ethnic studies, including related research, projects and lesson plans, and implications for teacher education. The text engages readers in critical dialogue, drawing from works within ethnic studies to think deeply about ideals such as humanization, representation, and transformation. Finding ways to integrate acceptance of difference and social justice content into the primary grades is a complex and challenging endeavor. These teacher stories are ones of courage and commitment, inspiring the possibility of radical change.

Book Features:

• Guidance for teachers who want to teach for social justice, including lesson plans and strategies.
• Examples of what ethnic studies looks like in early childhood classrooms.
• Dialogue questions to prompt critical thinking and professional conversation.
• Windows into classrooms that foster valuing of self and respect for diversity of color, ethnicity, and gender.
• Activities to tap into personal strengths and enrich teaching, including yoga and song.
• Connections to relevant research.

Ruchi Agarwal-Rangnath is an assistant professor at the University of San Francisco; founding member of CARE-ED (California Alliance of Researchers for Equity in Education); and founding member and vice-president of the National Association of Multicultural Education, California Chapter. Her books include Preparing to Teach Social Studies for Social Justice (Becoming a Renegade) and Social Studies, Literacy, and Social Justice in the Common Core Classroom: A Guide for Teachers.

“This collection of exemplary social justice lessons provides a social justice spark and encouragement to other early childhood teachers.”

—Teachers College Record

“I salute Dr. Ruchi Agarwal-Rangnath for bringing together such a powerful set of teacher voices to produce a book that celebrates children and communities of Color, and offers insights into teaching that are important and help the field understand what education as a project of humanization can look like at the early stages of elementary children's development.”
—From the Foreword by Patrick Camangian, associate professor and department chair, Teacher Education Department, University of San Francisco

“This is an essential text for anyone interested in the transformational possibilities of early childhood education. A powerful collection of narratives, this book challenges limits to the elementary classroom through bold visions of humanized and community-oriented approaches to teaching.”
—Rita Kohli, associate professor, University of California, Riverside, and codirector of the Institute for Teachers of Color Committed to Racial Justice

Contents

Foreword Patrick Camangian   vii

Preface xi

Acknowledgments xv

1. Introduction 1
Ruchi Agarwal-Rangnath

2. Teaching to Heal, Healing to Teach: Ethnic Studies as a Healing Endeavor in and out of the Classroom 17
Farima Pour-Khorshid

3. Creating Something Beautiful 27
Amalia Medina-Glover

4. Little Children Have Big Hearts: Teaching for Equity and Justice in K–2 Classrooms 36
Cami Touloukian

5. Mindfulness and Yoga 44
Ruby Vyas

6. What It Means to Teach for Social Justice as a White Educator 51
Emily Starr Bean

7. Ethnic Studies in a Transitional Kindergarten Classroom: Learning About Race and Identity 68
Vilma Serrano

8. Exploring Gender 76
Dale Weiss

9. Teaching Your Community 83
Roxanne Cano

10. Changing the Narrative: Asian American Ethnic Studies in My 1st-Grade Classroom 90
Judy Yu

11. Creating a Democratic Classroom 96
Rosamund Looney

About the Authors 105

Index 108