Participants in this workshop will learn to develop and apply an anti-bias lens to working with young children with and without disabilities through play. The “Doll Story Curriculum” centers around using a classroom set of “dolls” created by teachers to offer windows and mirrors to all students in their care. The workshop experience offers teachers an understanding of how the dolls can be used to “normalize” the noticing of difference.
1. Implement some strategies for creating their own “doll community” that reflects the needs of their classroom community
2. Use the dolls both proactively and responsively in order to prepare for and respond to difficult situations that typically occur in our early childhood classrooms
3. Utilize developmentally appropriate ways to introduce anti-bias/anti-racist language in classrooms
4. Learn about Groundspark’s Respect for All 4-square model (https://groundspark.org/)
5. Examine the Teaching Justice ABE (Anti Bias Education) goals and consider how to implement those goals through storytelling with the Dolls