Influences of Bias on Children Behavior – A Lesson in An Early Childhood Education Class (2024)
Shanti Connors
In my ECED 360 class, we examine the influences on children’s behavior, and the ways teachers respond to the behaviors. I show them this video to introduce the topic of implicit bias:
Next, I ask them to discuss these questions:
Implicit or Unconscious Bias:
What is it?
How does it develop?
When does it come up?
How does it relate to the way we see and guide behaviors?
After they discuss that, then we watch this video that highlights research about teacher’s tracking of behaviors and responses (shows how black boys are watched for more misbehaviors):https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucEAcIMkS0cLinks to an external site.
We discuss the video and the implications it has for teachers and administrators. We also take a look at the expulsion rates for preschoolers, and influence race has on this.
After that discussion, we discuss culturally responsive approaches to guiding children’s behavior. We also look at the way children’s culture might influence their behaviors and the differences in cultural approaches that families have to behaviors.