What If All the Kids Are White?: Anti-bias Multicultural Education With Young Children And Families (Early Childhood Education Series)

In this compelling volume, distinguished educators tackle a frequently asked question about multicultural education: How do I teach about racial and cultural diversity if all my students are white? The authors propose seven learning themes to help young white children resist messages of racism and build identity and skills for thriving in a multicultural country and world. The text includes strategies, resources, and classroom examples for implementing the learning themes in early childhood settings. Taking multicultural education to a new level, this practical guide: places the development of white children's racial identity in the context of the historical construction of "whiteness" and racism in America; suggests strategies for nurturing a new white identity as the starting place for antibias/multicultural work with children; offers ways to expand children's interests and concerns beyond their immediate world to instill a sense of caring and connection toward people different from them and to encourage seeing themselves as agents of change; and includes activities for families and staff, reflection questions, a review of white anti-racism activists, lists of suggested children's books, and organizational and website resources.