Earners from Native American communities in the U.S. experience unfamiliar curricula that are designed and implemented by educators from the dominant culture who are often unprepared to meet the needs of diverse leaners. Consequently, teacher education programs have a responsibility to equipe preservice teachers with knowledge and skills essential to integrating culturally relevant contents. Therefore, this collaborative autoethnography conducted as a teacher-educator professional development program, explored the perspectives of Native Peoples on preferred pedagogical approaches for Indigenous learners. Data were collected through autobiographical notes, written reflections, focus groups, interactive activities with study participants, and structured interviews. A thematic analysis resulted in two findings, that is, importance of contextually appropriate curriculum and the value of community-based collaborative learning professional development activities in supporting authentic culturally responsive lessons for teacher educators. Among other recommendations, the data support the enactment of teacher education programs that support intentional culturally collaborative Community-Based Professional Development activities between educators and Indigenous Peoples.

This study explored the benefits of using critical multicultural education (Critical multicultural education examines all forms of marginalization in order to develop new possibilities and opportunities for all groups) in the current context of globalization. Preservice teachers (N = 17) experienced a variety of instructional activities, including intentional analysis of hidden bias (Hidden bias in this study denotes partiality based on all human differences both natural and socially constructed.) in children’s books. To collect data, participants responded in writing to prompts at the beginning, middle, and end of semester. Using a phenomenological analysis approach, qualitative data showed that although preservice teachers entered the course with limited knowledge and experience in analyzing children’s books for hidden bias, they gained essential pertinent knowledge and were, therefore, ready to use critical multicultural education in their future classrooms. As a result, among other recommendations, this study calls for institutional policies that support explicit teaching of critical multicultural education in early childhood education programs.

Early childhood education in Kenya serves the critical purpose of preparing young children for primary education. Notwithstanding the associated benefits for society as a whole, the government of Kenya is involved minimally. Indeed, parents are responsible for planning, developing and managing different early childhood programs. Consequently, problems such as funding and lack of program consistency are common. Because early childhood programs are essential, the government should be involved actively in the development and implementation process.

Culturally Responsive and Anti-Biased Teaching Benefits Early Childhood Pre-Service Teachers

This ethnographic study examined the (un)intended ¹ consequences of increased privatization of Early Childhood Education (ECE) in Nepal and Kenya. Qualitative data showed overreliance on high-stakes standardized tests increased competition for ‘good grades or examination scores’, thus (un)intentionally creating ideal conditions for proliferation of for-profit private schools that predominantly taught culturally decontextualized education at all levels of schooling. Private schools in both countries served high-income families and children, while low-income families and children did not have access to ECE or attended government and not-for-profit programmes. Rather than bridging the gap between low and high-income families, these educational spaces influenced existing social divisions and inequalities. Therefore, this study concluded that private schools in Nepal and Kenya function like businesses, which (un)intentionally promoted educational injustice ² against children from low-income families. Consequently, authors recommend enactment of new educational policies and practices that promote culturally contextualized curricula in ECE programmes.

(2020). Culturally Inclusive and Contextually Appropriate Instructional Practices: Rethinking Pedagogical Perspectives, Practices, Policies, and Experiences in Early Childhood Education Programs. Journal of Research in Childhood Education: Vol. 34, No. 1, pp. 2-5.