Anti-Bias Early Childhood Working Group
D.C. Area Educators for Social Justice has formed a working group for D.C. area early childhood (birth to 8 years old) teachers experienced in and committed to anti-bias education. The plans for a working group grew out of two sessions in the spring of 2018 at Halcyon on anti-bias early childhood education, including an event titled “Educators Explore Race and Representation in Early Childhood Literature.”
The goals for the working group are to:
Provide feedback on children’s literature and other resources
Support teacher growth and development
Collectively create new curricular resources
As of the 2025 - 2026 school year, all DCAESJ working groups meet quarterly, collectively engaging in themes of social justice education (visiting local history sites, developing lessons, and more). Breakouts by grade level allow deeper discussion and praxis alignment among peers.
Rolling applications accepted. If you are interested, please fill out the application. For more information, write to D.C. Area Educators for Social Justice.
Sessions
Many sessions are described below, starting with the most recent session and working back.
On December 13th, the DCAESJ working groups came together at the Teaching for Change office for our final convening of the 2025 calendar year. The theme for the session, American Exceptionalism was aligned with our preparations for the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution in 2026.
Despite the current federal attacks on D.C. community members, educators came together to learn, laugh, and connect. On September 27th, the DC Area Educators for Social Justice (DCAESJ) Working Groupsheld their first convening of the 25-26 school year at the D.C. History Center.
Saturday, April 5, 2025, the D.C. Area Educators for Social Justice (DCAESJ) working group educators came together for a Spring Convening centered on advocacy.
DCAESJ Working Group Meeting
The May working group meeting was held at the Teaching for Change office, and it was a reflective time for educators across all three groups to connect over a collaborative art project.
Anti-Bias Early Childhood Working Group Meeting
The meeting kicked off with a welcome and land acknowledgement. For the icebreaker, working group members shared how they have cultivated a sense of respect for and responsibility to the earth in their classrooms and the ways their schools support or undermine environmental justice.
Elementary and Secondary Working Group Meeting
All three working groups met at the Phillips Collection for the March meeting. They kicked it off with group trivia, composed by the education team at the museum.
By Makai Kellogg and Sara Beshawred
On Saturday, November 18th, the Anti-Bias Early Childhood Working Group met at the Teaching for Change office. The group focused on addressing holidays in the classroom with an anti-bias lens.
The anti-bias early childhood working group gathered virtually for their May meeting. After their standard land acknowledgement, the group dove into the meeting centered on gender identity in early childhood classrooms.
In lieu of a formal meeting during the month of March, all working group members were encouraged to attend and/or participate in annual events from a few of our partner organizations.
A Week of Action. A Year of Purpose. A Lifetime Commitment. And all of this can start with just a few hours of planning. On Saturday, January 7th, all DCAESJ working groups joined together and invited fellow D.C. area educators to share advice, build on resources, begin planning their BLM at School Week of Action, and continue to participate in the Year of Purpose.
The three D.C. Area Educators for Social Justice working groups convened a joint meeting to prepare to teach about Central America this school year, especially during the October 3–9 Teach Central America Week. Educators began with a trip to the National Museum of the American Latino’s first exhibit, ¡Presente! A Latino History of the United States.
By Bridget Fuller
On February 26, the Anti-Bias Early Childhood Educator working group met to connect as a community, discuss challenges and successes with the Black Lives Matter at School Week of Action, and share ideas on using biographies in early childhood classrooms.
