Michelle DeJohnette of SDSU-CA discusses early childhood education in a Santa Rosa Junior College Arts & Lectures presentation on March 15, 2021

"There is a common misbelief that young children do not notice differences. In fact, children become aware of differences in skin color, hair texture, language, gender, and physical ability at a very early age. Children are also sensitive to the spoken and unspoken messages (hidden curriculum) received through implicit bias and stereotypes. Michelle DeJohnette’s presentation will discuss the need for teachers to critically reflect on their own biases in order to implement an anti-bias framework in early childhood classrooms. Current data will be presented about the experiences of Black children in early childhood education. You will leave with a deeper understanding of how implicit bias informs teaching practice and gain tools to begin or move forward in their journey as an anti-bias/anti-racist educator."