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Making Waves: Early Childhood Teachers’ Experiences with Multicultural Picturebooks to Promote Equitable Classrooms

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Abstract

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the ways that early childhood teachers were “making waves” as they fostered equitable classrooms through multicultural picturebooks. Through a thematic analysis of one-on-one interviews and a virtual book selection simulation, five early childhood teachers offered their insights on the potential barriers teachers may face in selecting and using such books in their classrooms, as well as their suggestions for curating classroom libraries that highlight books that serve as mirrors, windows, and doors for children. These insights have the potential to support other early childhood teachers as they make waves of their own and leverage multicultural children’s literature to build equitable classrooms.

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Notes

  1. While the intentional use of the term “white” in lowercase remains an ever-evolving topic, in this article, it is an action to draw attention to the critical difference between socially constructed concepts of race and skin color in research. In alignment with the stance of the Associated Press (Daniszewski, 2020), the term white will remain lowercase throughout.

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  1. George Mason University, Fairfax, USA

    Courtney Hayes & Grace Francis

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  1. Courtney Hayes
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Correspondence to Courtney Hayes.

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Hayes, C., Francis, G. Making Waves: Early Childhood Teachers’ Experiences with Multicultural Picturebooks to Promote Equitable Classrooms. Early Childhood Educ J (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-023-01557-w

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