Coaching for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility, and Belonging in Early Childhood: A Step-By-Step Guide for Programs and Schools

As early childhood learning environments grow more and more diverse, schools and programs must address inequitable practices and policies so that every child learns, belongs, and thrives. The practical solutions programs need are in this groundbreaking book, the first guide to coaching early childhood educators in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility, and Belonging (DEIAB) practices.Expertly converting theory into concrete action steps, this book is a reader‐friendly, step‐by‐step guide to launching transformative DEIAB work--or expanding the work your program or school is already doing. You'll discover how to coach early childhood educators in creating an equity‐focused classroom culture, providing them with guidance on instructional delivery, curriculum content, and teaching materials. You'll learn how to advance multicultural education by implementing big‐picture changes to program policies, hiring practices, and marketing materials. Throughout the book, an illuminating case study traces the progress and setbacks of a sample program as they use an equity‐based lens to enhance their learning environments and teaching practices.An essential professional development resource for school and program leaders and an ideal textbook for early education courses, this timely book will help you empower educators to ensure equity, access, and belonging for all children and families.Learn How To: Use the invaluable Anti‐Ism Scale to assess your program's current status and monitor growthRecognize your program's "hidden curriculum"--biases embedded in policies, practices, and materialsIdentify how the intersectionality of social identities influence each person's experiences, both positively and negativelyCreate an effective action plan to coach educators on a journey toward greater equality and inclusionPut your DEIAB plan into action through book studies, Equity and Diversity Workgroups, and other team learning opportunitiesImplement structural changes to support a multicultural curriculum, diverse staffing, and policies that uplift everyoneOvercome obstacles to DEIAB work, from communication blocks to staff and community resistanceEnsure continuous growth and improvement through ongoing assessment and reflection