An Anti-Bias Family Childcare Setting

According to Derman-Sparks and Olsen-Edwards (2010), “the toys, materials, and equipment you put out for children; the posters, pictures, and art objects you hang on the wall; and the types of furniture and how you arrange them all influence what children learn” (p 43). If I were to set up an anti-bias program in a family child care home, I would be sure to interview the parents of the registered children about the culture of their family.  In an effort to create an environment that is culturally consistent for the children and families that the program, I would be sure to use photos of the children and their families in displays in each center (p 43). “Invisibility erases identity and experience, [while] visibility affirms reality” (p 46). Additionally, I would include props and tools in the centers that reflect the cultures of each child as well as other cultures not represented by the population of children in the classroom community. Books, songs, greetings, salutations, and routines would include practices, language and dialects that reflect the cultures of the children in the program and beyond. Written and visual materials would be true to actual rather than stereotypical qualities of individuals represented within. Differences and similarities of members of other cultures would be represented. These materials will not be conducive to the creation or cementing of generalizations about cultures or groups of people (p 46). Additionally, I would be certain to immediately address language and behaviors on the part of the children or adults that indicated bias, prejudice or pre-prejudice.

Derman-Sparks, L., Olsen-Edwards, J(2010). Anti-Bias Education for Young Children and Ourselves. NAEYC: Washington, DC.