Our Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) Work

We believe that an optimal learning environment is one that values differences and that provides curriculum in an inclusive way. We maintain a steadfast commitment to reflecting diversity in our curriculum materials, activities, and actions.

Teachers set the tone for our DEIB work through asking questions, supporting children’s questions as they notice differences, and building appropriate curriculum with the children. We are proactive in our work, giving children the opportunity to see others who may be different from them.

Creating a Caring Educational Community

Children begin their journey understanding others, both similarities and differences, through observations. This starts when they are infants and grows progressively more sophisticated with every year. As preschoolers, their brains have matured enough to notice and compare, to question and make generalizations. Older elementary children can engage in much more sophisticated conversations and their observations can be complex, challenging, and enlightening.  Their sense of justice and knowledge of the larger world grows with them, and their questions and conversations become more sophisticated and complicated. There are many questions and curiosities that arise about who other children and families are through these observations. They ask questions or make statements to gather more information and understand. Teachers guide children through this process, allowing the child to lead the way but offering information, observations, or additional questions as necessary. If we are truly hoping to have an inclusive environment, we cannot make others who may be different from the norm invisible. Our children and families need to be reflected in our program, and we strive to create a diverse community in our program. It is our view that a diverse community provides a rich and rewarding experience for our children, families, and staff.

Building on Our Foundation

Anti Bias Education Goals (Derman-Sparks & Olsen, 2010)

  • Goal 1: Each child will demonstrate self-awareness, confidence, family pride, and positive social identities.

  •  Goal 2: Each child will express comfort and joy with human diversity; accurate language for human differences; and deep, caring human connections.

  •  Goal 3: Each child will increasingly recognize unfairness, have the language to describe unfairness, and understand that unfairness hurts.

  •  Goal 4: Each child will demonstrate empowerment and the skills to act, with others or alone, against prejudice and/or discriminatory actions.

Although Diversity has been part of our core values since the CEC’s inception, we have a long way to go in moving our program forward with a 21st century lens on our DEIB work. The CEC is embarking on a renewed journey into this work, exploring what it means in the early childhood field, with our teachers and staff, our families, and the broader educational community. We start with Belonging, we start with Welcoming, we start with Community.