Courageous Leadership in Early Childhood Education: Taking a Stand for Social Justice

In this inspiring collection, 13 early childhood leaders take action to challenge and change inequitable educational practices in preschools and elementary schools. For them, educating for social justice is not an empty platitude. Steadfast and resolute, they turn rhetoric into reality as they guide early childhood teachers to teach for social justice innovatively and strategically. Through the voices of families, teachers, and the administrators themselves, each chapter shares ways that these leaders use the power entrusted in them to question and disrupt discriminatory and marginalizing practices that deny opportunities for some students while privileging others. The book includes insights, strategies, and resources that administrators can use to build confidence, knowledge, and skills as they invest in more equitable and just preschools and schools.

Book Features:

• Highlights the actions of administrators as they take a stand to transcend standardized approaches to teaching and learning, creating more equitable educational environments.
• Portrays strategies and resources used to engage teachers in critical examination of self and the institutions in which they work.
• Describes principles and practices that guide administrators as they support the development of culturally relevant practices and policies.
• Offers powerful ways early childhood administrators can approach inequitable mandates.

Highlights the voices of families as they participate in and are impacted by the work of administrators.

Susi Long is professor of early childhood education and language and literacy at the University of South Carolina. Mariana Souto-Manning is associate professor of education at Teachers College, Columbia University. Vivian Maria Vasquez is professor of education at American University. Vasquez won the 2019 NCTE Outstanding Elementary Educator in the English Language Arts Award.