Early Risers

Latest Episodes:

What’s Happening in the Classroom? Early Childhood Educators and Implicit Bias Dec 01, 2021

Show notes

About a quarter of all children in the United States younger than five years old attend some kind of formalized childcare. Early childhood programs can be a great way for children to start learning about the world, including how to build relationships with other children and adults. But part of this learning also involves absorbing the implicit biases in their environment, including unconscious assumptions about race.

However, Sheila Williams Ridge, co-director of the University of Minnesota’s Child Development Laboratory School and expert on nature–based learning, says these assumptions can be challenged when teachers are trained to recognize their own implicit biases. On this episode of Early Risers, host Dianne Haulcy speaks with Williams Ridge about how she’s training a new generation of early childhood educators to recognize their own implicit biases—and how teachers and parents can respond when racialized incidents happen in the classroom.

Download the Discussion Guide
https://files.apmcdn.org/production/d2372d0f00e305e4c6d890c794e875e7.pdf

Episode Resources:

Sheila Williams Ridge is co-author of “Nature-Based Learning for Young Children: Anytime, Anywhere, on Any Budget.” Her book includes play–based lesson plans and experiential activities that early childhood educators can use in a variety of settings.

In this episode, Williams Ridge shares several book titles and videos she uses to introduce early childhood teachers to concepts around implicit bias, anti-racism and equity. They include:

“Other People's Children: Cultural Conflict in the Classroom,” by Lisa Delpit

“What if All the Kids are White: Anti-Bias Multicultural Education with Young Children and Families,” by Louise Derman Sparks and Patricia Ramsey

“White Teacher,” by Vivian Paley

“We Want to Do More Than Survive: Abolitionist Teaching and the Pursuit of Educational Freedom,” by Bettina Love

Introduction to implicit bias from UCLA’s Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

“Our Hidden Biases,” from Project ABC, an Early Childhood System of Care Community

“Peanut Butter, Jelly and Racism,” from The New York Times and POV

Williams Ridge also recommends taking the Harvard Implicit Association Test, which includes a variety of free online assessments to get insight about your own implicit biases.

Recommended resources about racism in the early childhood classroom from the Debra S. Fish Early Childhood Resource Library at Think Small

Rethinking Thanksgiving: How to speak to young children about historical and racialized trauma Nov 17, 2021

Show notes

The Thanksgiving “pilgrim and Indian” stories that many of us were taught as children perpetuate harmful stereotypes and whitewash a painful history of violence and colonization that continues to impact Indigenous communities today. How can we have a more honest conversation with our children about this history? On this episode of Early Risers, host Dianne Haulcy speaks with early childhood educator and Dakota language activist Vanessa Goodthunder. She is the director of C̣aƞṡayapi Waḳaƞyeża Owayawa Oṭi, which is Dakota for “Lower Sioux Children Are Sacred School,” an early childhood program in the Lower Sioux Indian community in southwestern Minnesota where children learn Dakota history and language as their birthright. Goodthunder explains why every day is Indigenous People’s Day and how she uses language as a tool to heal from historical trauma.

Download the discussion guide
https://files.apmcdn.org/production/20998119df4206531bf8d966b3248fcd.pdf

Episode Resources:

Goodthunder and her colleagues have created an online repository of Dakota language resources for young children and their families. The repository includes links to videos featuring Dakota language children’s songs and activities, as well as children’s books such as “Goodnight Moon” being read aloud in Dakota.

For guidance on teaching young children about Thanksgiving in a socially responsible way:

“Rethinking Thanksgiving Celebrations: Native Perspectives on Thanksgiving,” from the National Museum of the American Indian
“Talking to Kids About Thanksgiving: Center Truth, Connection and Being Grateful,” from PBS SoCal
Recommended books about Thanksgiving from American Indians in Children’s Literature
“Native American Perspectives on Thanksgiving” from Project Archaeology

Think Small has a free ParentPowered texting program where parents can receive weekly texts with facts, tips and hands-on activities parents can use to help prepare children ages 0-5 for kindergarten.

Goodthunder discusses examples of historical and generational trauma, including the forced sterilization of Native women in the 1960s and 70s, and the abuse and neglect of Indigenous children at North American boarding schools, which were established by the U.S. government in the early 19th century to suppress Indigenous culture and enforce assimilation.

In June 2021, Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland formally announced the Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative, with the mission to document the painful history of U.S. federal boarding school policies with a focus on cemeteries and possible burial sites with the remains of Indigenous children.

The acknowledgment by the U.S. government regarding forced sterilization from the National Library of Medicine, National Institute of Health
Understanding the history of forced sterilization

Understanding the generational impact of child sexual abuse on Native children

Race Matters: A Conversation about Transracial Adoption and Multiracial Families Nov 03, 2021

Show notes

Being able to talk about race is an important life skill for all parents, but especially for parents raising multiracial families. When a family adopts a child of a different race, questions about race and racism cannot be avoided. On this episode of Early Risers, host Dianne Haulcy speaks with transracial adoption expert Beth Hall, co-author of “Inside Transracial Adoption” and executive director of Pact, An Adoption Alliance in Oakland, California. Hall also has personal experience with transracial adoption, as the white adoptive parent of two adult children both born in the United States—a son who is African American and a daughter with roots in Guatemala. Through her personal and professional experiences, Hall has gathered valuable insights and advice for anyone who wants to talk about race with young children.

Episode Resources:

Beth Hall is co-author of “Inside Transracial Adoption,” originally published in 2000 and revised in 2013. The book was specifically written for the parents of transracially adopted children.

Pact has a comprehensive resource library with links to articles and videos covering a wide range of topics addressing transracial adoption, including language and strategies for talking about race.

Hall talks about the importance of lifting up the voices of transracial adoptees. Pact produced a 20-minute video documentary, “Adoptees Speak,” featuring the personal stories and reflections of transracially adopted youth.

Download the discussion guide here: https://files.apmcdn.org/production/87265b0aac505a689fea3763c785f074.pdf

The Danger of Being ‘Color Silent’: Talking about Race with Young Children Oct 20, 2021

Show notes

Young children are like sponges, absorbing information about the world around them. Children have already started to internalize racialized messages about their value and self-worth by the time they are three to four years old. Psychologist Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum, an expert in racial identity development and the author of “Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? and Other Conversations About Race” calls this “the smog we’re all breathing.”

In our Season 2 premiere of Early Risers, host Dianne Haulcy talks with Tatum about concrete steps parents and caregivers can take to proactively affirm children, including how to respond when children ask us questions about race and physical differences.

Episode Resources:

Tatum’s best-selling book, “Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? and Other Conversations About Race” was first published in 1997. She released an updated 20th anniversary version in 2017.

Tatum’s 2017 TedX Stanford talk, “Is My Skin Brown Because I Drank Chocolate Milk?” features stories and practical advice about talking to very young children about race, including addressing the painful history of chattel slavery.

Faith Ringgold’s “Aunt Harriet’s Underground Railroad in the Sky” is one of Dr. Tatum’s favorite books to use with young children to open conversation about the horrors of chattel slavery and the courage of people who resisted. She also suggests Jeanette Winter’s “Follow the Drinking Gourd.”

Tatum recommends Social Justice Books for discovering multicultural and social justice books for children.

Download the discussion guide here: https://files.apmcdn.org/production/448f0d7d577747a626a63f920903014a.pdf

Teaching Anti-Racism; A Live Recording Jun 25, 2021

Show notes

This special episode sounds a little different than our normal one-on-one conversations. This is an edited recording of the Early Risers event we hosted on June 17th called Teaching Anti-Racism. There is an incredible panel of experts on early childhood, racial identity and racism including Dr. Rose Marie Allen, Dianne Haulcy and Dr. Brigitte Vittrup. It’s a riveting conversation about common barriers to talking about race and racism with young children and what to say to get these conversations going.

Guest Bios:

Dr. Rose Marie Allen is President and CEO for the Institute for Racial Equity & Excellence. She’s a nationally respected teacher and trainer of implicit bias and culturally responsive practices.

Dianne Haulcy is the host of the Early Risers podcast. She has been in the early childhood field for over 30 years as a leader and advocate for young children.

Dr. Brigitte Vittrup is a Professor at Texas Women’s College. She studies how families talk - or don’t talk - about race and racism with their children and how that is changing over time.

Duchesne [Dushawn] Drew has been in journalism for 25 years. He was an education reporter in both Texas and Minnesota. He is now President of Minnesota Public Radio.

Connecting Children to Indigenous Cultures May 26, 2021

Show notes

In schools and old children’s books, Native people are often talked about in terms of history. But Brook Lafloe has been creating toys and teaching tools to connect all children to contemporary Native culture in an authentic and respectful way. In this conversation with podcast host Dianne Haulcy, Brook shares the traditional Anishinaabe teachings she learned about race and respect. And she shares how caregivers from all cultural backgrounds can adopt this approach to race and help their children connect with indigenous cultures.

Resources:

Brook’s company website: https://niniijaanis1of1s.com

Bow Wow Pow Wow: https://shop.mnhs.org/products/bowwow-powwow

Ninisidawenimaag: Ojibwe Language Series for Kids: https://www.riverfeetpress.com/product-page/ninisidawenimaag

Minnesota based publisher of books by and about Anishinaabe people: http://www.blackbearsandblueberries.com/bookstore.html

Minnesota Indian Education Association: https://minnesotaindianeducation.org/miea/

Where Does Racism Come From? Best Selling Author and Therapist Resmaa Menakem Breaks It Down for Caregivers May 19, 2021

Show notes

This week we’re asking a pretty fundamental question that parents might get from their kids: where does racism come from? In this deep and lively conversation host Dianne Haulcy speaks with Resmaa Menakem - therapist, coach and best selling author of My Grandmother’s Hands. He breaks down how racism is connected to generational trauma and he describes practices that can heal the trauma and strengthen anti-racist thinking and action.

Episode Resources:

https://www.resmaa.com/movement

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/somatic-abolitionism

https://onbeing.org/programs/resmaa-menakem-notice-the-rage-notice-the-silence/

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/compassion-matters/202006/the-trauma-racism

When it comes to race, there is no such thing as "colorblind" - at home or in school May 12, 2021

Show notes

For years, many adults have believed young children are too young to understand race and racism. Some have felt we need to teach our children to be “colorblind” thinking if you don’t talk about race, kids won’t be racist. But thoughts on this topic are changing and people are talking about race and racism with very young children. In this episode, host Dianne Haulcy talks with Dr. Debra Sullivan about why we talk with very young children about race and racism and how. Dr. Sullivan also talks about her book “Cultivating the Genius of Black Children” and how all educational settings can better support and encourage young Black children to feel confident and successful.

Resources

Educators must Disrupt ‘Colorblind Ideologies’

https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/opinion-educators-must-disrupt-colorblind-ideologies/2020/02

Great website expanding on our guest’s book “Cultivating Black Genius”
https://cultivatingblackgenius.com/about/

2 Excellent articles from NAEYC
https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/tyc/feb2019/black-boys-matter
https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/tyc/apr2019/strategies-culturally-responsive-classroom

Healing the hurt; helping children work through racialized conflict May 05, 2021

Show notes

It sometimes happens that our loving and joyful young children say something terrible. They can hurt other children’s feelings. And sometimes these hurtful comments are racist. It causes confusion and emotional pain and, long term, it can cause real trauma. How do we help young children work through these experiences? How do we help the child who has been hurt, the child who did the hurting and the bystanders who are impacted?

Resources:

Learning for Justice : https://www.learningforjustice.org

Embrace race: https://www.embracerace.org

Anti-racist baby: https://www.ibramxkendi.com/antiracistbaby

My grandmothers’ hands: https://www.resmaa.com/about

White fragility: https://www.robindiangelo.com/publications/

National center for trauma support network https://www.nctsn.org

We Are the Same and We Are Different; How to Talk about Diversity with White Kids in White Communities Apr 28, 2021

Show notes

Minnesota’s population is 80% white. Many communities across the state have few if any Black or Native people or people of color. So how can we teach children to celebrate diversity and talk about race, racism and bias when all their neighbors are white? Early childhood education expert Louise Derman-Sparks shares her rationale and creative tools for teaching white children about race, racism and diversity.