Holding up the Mirror: The Role of Teacher Educators and Syllabi in Perpetuating or Disrupting Inequity
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| Title: | Holding up the Mirror: The Role of Teacher Educators and Syllabi in Perpetuating or Disrupting Inequity |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Ruby Batz (ORCID |
| Source: | Infant Mental Health Journal: Infancy and Early Childhood. 2025 46(4):391-405. |
| Availability: | Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 15 |
| Publication Date: | 2025 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Descriptive |
| Education Level: | Higher Education Postsecondary Education Early Childhood Education |
| Descriptors: | Teacher Role, Teacher Educators, Course Descriptions, Equal Education, Early Childhood Teachers, Course Content, Early Childhood Education, Racism, Attitudes toward Disabilities, Infants, Mental Health |
| DOI: | 10.1002/imhj.22158 |
| ISSN: | 0163-9641 1097-0355 |
| Abstract: | This blended pilot-empirical and theoretical manuscript documents a reflective journey undertaken by a group of early childhood teacher educators located across different regions of the United States as they examined their course design, materials, and syllabi construction. Grounded in reflective practice, intersectionality, and critical pedagogy, their collaborative endeavor necessitated profound self-examination and recognition of oppressive structures inherent within the field and reproduced throughout course syllabi, thereby perpetuating societal inequities inside and outside the classroom context. Their iterative, evolving effort resembled a reflective consultation group, marked by continuous self-reflection, challenging assumptions, and transforming actions, vividly portrayed in their vignettes. A nonlinear spiral model emerged as a visual representation of the multiple entry points into an ongoing process--highlighting access points that encourage curiosity and interrogation of academic syllabi and course content. The inclusive nature of this inquiry invites faculty members and practitioners to confront racism, ableism, and other systems of domination, amplify marginalized scholarship, and redefine early childhood education-related fields, including the Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health landscape. It also underscores the imperative of sustained introspection and collaborative action in nurturing equity. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2025 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1473042 |
| Database: | ERIC |
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| FullText | Links: – Type: pdflink Url: https://content.ebscohost.com/cds/retrieve?content=AQICAHj0k_4E0hTGH8RJwT4gCJyBsGNe_WN95AvKlDbXJGqwxwFkPkSSuRqQaF8DLRCKfOC6AAAA4zCB4AYJKoZIhvcNAQcGoIHSMIHPAgEAMIHJBgkqhkiG9w0BBwEwHgYJYIZIAWUDBAEuMBEEDG-zaxqUiuXoQtFutwIBEICBmzW1P5HQnHB8c7f3tcCe8BgO6-K75Ao7pIRsoY_6ikXgo_Q5z2nShJ-OJVjoZpMsdx3fKEPAQBHbxk7iB2VkaYyBUjk3c2BtHyUnD2HBXcz23VAdG1_JfqFd4sjQ_mF8TKFUXov8y7C3tYOXmd8DDQTDsH_WjuGMKmZyEJ-CBJwrwHKsdFAS1KvAjMLoygAZOLLXC_M5MKM6vUBM Text: Availability: 1 Value: <anid>AN0185659034;bw601jul.25;2025Jun06.04:55;v2.2.500</anid> <title id="AN0185659034-1">Holding up the mirror: The role of teacher educators and syllabi in perpetuating or disrupting inequity </title> <p>This blended pilot‐empirical and theoretical manuscript documents a reflective journey undertaken by a group of early childhood teacher educators located across different regions of the United States as they examined their course design, materials, and syllabi construction. Grounded in reflective practice, intersectionality, and critical pedagogy, their collaborative endeavor necessitated profound self‐examination and recognition of oppressive structures inherent within the field and reproduced throughout course syllabi, thereby perpetuating societal inequities inside and outside the classroom context. Their iterative, evolving effort resembled a reflective consultation group, marked by continuous self‐reflection, challenging assumptions, and transforming actions, vividly portrayed in their vignettes. A nonlinear spiral model emerged as a visual representation of the multiple entry points into an ongoing process—highlighting access points that encourage curiosity and interrogation of academic syllabi and course content. The inclusive nature of this inquiry invites faculty members and practitioners to confront racism, ableism, and other systems of domination, amplify marginalized scholarship, and redefine early childhood education‐related fields, including the Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health landscape. It also underscores the imperative of sustained introspection and collaborative action in nurturing equity.</p> <p>ملخص: توثق هذه الورقة النظرية التجريبية المختلطة رحلة تأملية قامت بها مجموعة من معلمي ومعلمات الطفولة المبكرة في مناطق مختلفة من الولايات المتحدة أثناء قيامهم بفحص تصميم مساقاتهم وموادهم وبناء مناهجهم الدراسية. على أساس الممارسة التأملية والتقاطعية والتربوية النقدية، استلزم مسعاهم التعاوني فحصًا ذاتيًا عميقًا واعترافًا بالبنى القمعية المتأصلة في هذا المجال والتي تتكرر في المناهج الدراسية، وبالتالي إدامة عدم المساواة المجتمعية داخل وخارج سياق الصف الدراسي. كان جهدهم المتكرر والمتطور أشبه بمجموعة استشارية تأملية تتسم بالتأمل الذاتي المستمر، وتحدي الافتراضات، وتغيير الإجراءات، وهو ما تم تصويره بوضوح في مقاطعهم القصيرة. برز نموذج حلزوني غير خطي كتمثيل مرئي لنقاط الدخول المتعددة في عملية مستمرة—مع تسليط الضوء على نقاط الوصول التي تشجع على الفضول والاستجواب للمناهج الأكاديمية ومحتوى المقررات الدراسية. تدعو الطبيعة الشمولية لهذا الاستقصاء أعضاء هيئة التدريس والممارسين إلى مواجهة العنصرية والتمييز ضد ذوي الإعاقة وأنظمة الهيمنة الأخرى، وإبراز الأبحاث المهمشة، وإعادة تعريف مشهد الصحة النفسية للرضع والطفولة المبكرة. كما يؤكد على حتمية الاستبطان المستمر والعمل التعاوني في تعزيز المساواة.</p> <p>摘 要: 这篇融合了试点实证研究与理论探讨的手稿记录了一群来自美国不同地区的幼儿教师教育工作者在检视其课程设计、教材和教学大纲构建时所展开的反思性旅程。这一协作性努力以反思性实践、交叉性理论和批判性教育法为基础, 要求参与者进行深刻的自我审视, 并认识到该领域内固有的压迫性结构, 以及这些结构如何通过课程大纲的形式得以再现, 从而在课堂内外延续了社会不平等。他们这种不断迭代、不断发展的工作过程类似于一个反思性咨询小组, 贯穿了持续的自我反思、挑战假设和行动转化, 这些特征在他们的叙事片段中得到了生动展现。一个非线性螺旋模型逐步形成, 作为这一持续过程的视觉表达, 揭示了多个切入点——这些切入点鼓励对学术教学大纲和课程内容进行好奇探究与深入质疑。这种包容性的探究方式邀请了教职员工和从业人员共同面对种族主义、能力歧视及其他支配性系统, 放大被边缘化的学术成果, 并重新定义婴幼儿心理健康领域的格局。它也强调了在培育公平的过程中, 持续反思与协作行动的必要性。 Cet article, combinant des données empiriques et théoriques, documente un parcours de réflexion entrepris par un groupe d'éducateurs de la petite enfance situés dans différentes régions des États‐Unis alors qu'ils examinaient la conception de leur cours, le matériel et les programmes. Ancrés dans la pratique de réflexion, l'intersectionnalité et la pédagogie critique, leurs effort sde collaboration a nécessité un examen approfondi de soi‐même et la reconnaissance des structures oppressives inhérentes au domaine et reproduites tout au long des programmes d'études, perpétuant ainsi des inégalités sociales à l'intérieur et à l'extérieur du contexte de la salle de classe. Leur effort itératif et évolutif a ressemblé à un groupe de consultation de réflexion, marqué par une réflexion continue sur soi, le fait de défier les suppositions existantes et marqué par des actions transformatrices, représentées de manière vivante dans leurs vignettes. Un modèle non linéaire en spirale est apparu comme une représentation visuelle des multiples points d'entrée dans un processus continu—mettant en évidence les points d'accès qui encouragent la curiosité et l'interrogation du contenu des programmes scolaires et des cours. La nature inclusive de cette enquête invite les membres du corps enseignant et les praticiens à faire face au racisme, au capacitisme et aux autres systèmes de domination, à amplifier le savoir marginalisé et à redéfinir le paysage de la santé mentale des nourrissons et des jeunes enfants. Il souligne également l'impératif d'une introspection soutenue et d'une action concertée pour favoriser l'équité. Das vorliegende Manuskript dokumentiert die Reflexionsreise einer Gruppe von Frühpädagogik‐Ausbilder:innen aus verschiedenen Regionen der USA, die ihr Kursdesign, ihre Materialien und ihre Lehrplankonstruktion untersuchten. Auf der Grundlage von reflektiver Praxis, Intersektionalität und kritischer Pädagogik erforderte ihr gemeinsames Vorhaben eine tiefgreifende Selbstuntersuchung und die Anerkennung von Unterdrückungsstrukturen, die dem Feld innewohnen und in den Lehrplänen reproduziert werden, wodurch gesellschaftliche Ungleichheiten innerhalb und außerhalb des Klassenzimmers fortbestehen. Ihre iterativen, sich entwickelnden Bemühungen ähnelten einer reflektiven Beratungsgruppe, die durch kontinuierliche Selbstreflexion, was Infragestellen von Annahmen und transformierende Handlungen gekennzeichnet war, die in in Vignetten anschaulich dargestellt wurde. Es entstand ein nicht‐lineares Spiralmodell als visuelle Darstellung der verschiedenen Einstiegspunkte in einen fortlaufenden Prozess, das Zugangspunkte hervorhebt, welche die Neugier und Hinterfragung von akademischen Lehrplänen und Kursinhalten fördern. Der integrative Charakter dieser Untersuchung lädt Fakultätsmitglieder und Praktizierende dazu ein, sich mit Rassismus, Ableismus und anderen Herrschaftssystemen auseinanderzusetzen, marginalisierte Wissenschaft zu stärken und die Landschaft der psychischen Gesundheit von Kindern und Kleinkindern neu zu definieren. Sie unterstreicht auch die Notwendigkeit einer nachhaltigen Selbstbeobachtung und kollaborativer Maßnahmen zur Förderung von Gerechtigkeit.</p> <p>抄録: この予備的研究と理論の混合原稿は、米国の異なる地域における幼児の教師教育者のグループが、コースのデザイン、教材、シラバスの構成を検討しながら経験した省察的な道のりを記録したものである。省察的実践、交差性、批判的教育学に根ざした彼らの共同作業は、奥深い自己検討と、その分野に内在し、シラバスのコースを通して再生産され、それにより、教室の文脈の内側や外側で社会的不公平が永続することになった圧制的な構造の認識を必要とした。彼らの反復的で発展的な努力は、省察的なコンサルテーション・グループに似ており、継続的な自己内省、仮定への挑戦、行動変容によって特徴づけられ、彼らのヴィネット (エピソード) に生き生きと描かれている。進行中のプロセスへの複数の入り口を視覚的に表現するものとして、非線形のスパイラル・モデルが浮かび上がり、学術的なシラバスやコースの内容に対する好奇心や疑問を促すアクセス・ポイントが強調された。この考察の包括的性質は、教員や実践者が人種差別、障害者差別、その他の支配のシステムに立ち向かい、周縁化された学問を増幅させ、乳幼児期精神保健の状況を再定義するよう、促す。また、公平性を育むためには、持続的な内省と共同行動が不可欠であることも強調している。</p> <p>Resumen: Este combinado manuscrito piloto‐empírico y teorético documenta una jornada de reflexión emprendida por un grupo de educadores, maestros de la temprana niñez, localizados a lo largo de diferentes regiones de Estados Unidos mientras ellos examinaban el diseño de sus cursos, materiales y los parámetros del programa de estudios. Con base en la práctica con reflexión, la interseccionalidad y la pedagogía crítica, su esfuerzo colaborativo necesitaba de un profundo autoexamen y reconocimiento de las estructuras opresivas inherentes dentro del campo y reproducidas a través de los programas de estudios de curso, perpetuando así las inequidades de la sociedad dentro y fuera del contexto del aula de clase. Su iterativo esfuerzo en desarrollo se parecía a un grupo de consulta con reflexión, marcado por continua auto reflexión, asunciones desafiantes y acciones en transformación, vívidamente reflejadas en sus viñetas. Un modelo en espiral, no lineal surgió como una representación visual de los múltiples puntos de entrada hacia un proceso en curso—subrayando puntos de acceso que alentaban la curiosidad y la interrogante del programa de estudios académico y el contenido del curso. La naturaleza inclusiva de esta investigación invita a los miembros del profesorado y a quienes practican la profesión a confrontar el racismo, el capacitismo y otros sistemas de dominación, ampliar la escolaridad investigativa marginalizada, así como redefinir el panorama de la Salud Mental Infantil y la Temprana Niñez. También enfatiza lo imperativo de la introspección sostenida y la acción colaborativa en el fomento de la equidad.</p> <p>Keywords: hidden curriculum; racism; self‐reflection; syllabus; teacher educator; المعلم المربي، المنهج الدراسي، التأمل الذاتي، العنصرية، المناهج الخفية; 教师教育工作者; 教学大纲; 自我反思; 种族主义; 隐性课程; Éducateur enseignant; programme d'étude; auto‐réflection; racisme; programme d'étude dissimulé; Lehrkräfteausbilder:innen; Lehrplan; Selbstreflexion; Rassismus; verdeckter Lehrplan; 教師教育者、シラバス、自己省察、人種差別、隠れたカリキュラム; educador maestro; programa de estudios; auto reflexión; racismo; plan de estudios escondido</p> <hd id="AN0185659034-2">INTRODUCTION</hd> <p>Playing an integral role in the umbrella field of Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health (IECMH), early childhood education (ECE) predominantly operates within Eurocentric frameworks, influencing our practices and understandings about young children and their families (Pérez &amp; Saavedra, [<reflink idref="bib62" id="ref1">62</reflink>]; Souto‐Manning &amp; Rabadi‐Raol, [<reflink idref="bib70" id="ref2">70</reflink>]). Courses taught in ECE, human development, family science, early intervention/early childhood special education (EI/ECSE), and related disciplines have the power to reproduce or contest harmful knowledge, methods, and practices about young children and their families (e.g., Escayg, [<reflink idref="bib28" id="ref3">28</reflink>]; Pérez &amp; Saavedra, [<reflink idref="bib62" id="ref4">62</reflink>]; Harmon &amp; Salazar Pérez, [<reflink idref="bib38" id="ref5">38</reflink>]). Until recently, there has been a notable absence of explicit interrogation of racism, ableism, and other forms of domination within mainstream ECE‐related disciplines (Blanchard et al., [<reflink idref="bib8" id="ref6">8</reflink>]; Escayg, [<reflink idref="bib28" id="ref7">28</reflink>]; Love &amp; Beneke, [<reflink idref="bib48" id="ref8">48</reflink>]). Indeed, as there are ghosts in our nurseries (Fraiberg et al., [<reflink idref="bib31" id="ref9">31</reflink>]) and ghosts in our society (Ghosh Ippen, [<reflink idref="bib35" id="ref10">35</reflink>]), there are also ghosts in our disciplines. This blended pilot empirical‐theoretical manuscript aims to articulate the collective self‐reflective 4‐year process of a group of ECE teacher educators as we critically explored reshaping ECE‐related syllabi, content, and pedagogy. This paper shares our process and reflections while extending an invitation to educators across IECMH‐related disciplines to engage, reflect, and challenge established norms, emphasizing the profound impact our syllabi, instructional materials, and decision‐making have on shaping future professionals' identities and our disciplines as a whole.</p> <hd id="AN0185659034-3">Key findings</hd> <p></p> <ulist> <item> The collaborative effort resembled a reflective consultation group characterized by continuous self‐reflection, challenging assumptions, and transformative actions, as depicted in the reflective vignettes.</item> <p></p> <item> A nonlinear spiral model emerged, visually representing multiple entry points into an ongoing process that encourages curiosity and the interrogation of academic syllabi and course content to contest inequity.</item> <p></p> <item> The inquiry's inclusive nature invites faculty members and practitioners to confront racism, ableism, and other systems of domination to redefine the landscape of ECE‐related fields, emphasizing the imperative of sustained introspection and collaborative action in nurturing equity.</item> </ulist> <hd id="AN0185659034-4">Dominant Eurocentric perspectives and practices in IECMH and ECE</hd> <p>Courses in ECE‐related fields can reinforce or challenge harmful knowledge about children and families from historically marginalized backgrounds (e.g., Escayg, [<reflink idref="bib28" id="ref11">28</reflink>]; Harmon &amp; Salazar Pérez, [<reflink idref="bib38" id="ref12">38</reflink>]). For example, concepts considered foundational, such as the "30‐million‐word gap," positing that low‐income children of color hear 30 million fewer words by age three than their more affluent counterparts, suggesting that bridging this gap could mitigate academic inequalities. This work is considered foundational in ECE‐related fields, popularized by Hart &amp; Risley ([<reflink idref="bib39" id="ref13">39</reflink>]) and cited more than 12,430 times when we wrote this piece. However, critics argue that the "30‐million‐word gap" obscures structural racism and promotes a flawed theory of language, advocating instead for valuing diverse linguistic practices and addressing systemic inequalities rather than perpetuating deficit perspectives and misguided interventions (Adair et al., [<reflink idref="bib2" id="ref14">2</reflink>]; Avineri et al., [<reflink idref="bib6" id="ref15">6</reflink>]). Recent studies challenging the original research have sparked debates (Sperry et al., [<reflink idref="bib71" id="ref16">71</reflink>]), with proponents defending their stance while ignoring methodological flaws (Golinkoff et al., [<reflink idref="bib36" id="ref17">36</reflink>]).</p> <p>Another set of foundational concepts in our fields derives from attachment theory. From Bowlby's ([<reflink idref="bib12" id="ref18">12</reflink>]) original conceptualizations to Ainsworth's ([<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref19">3</reflink>]) measurement of attachment security, the teaching and application of attachment theory run the risk of miscategorizing parent‐child relationships into "good" and "bad" groupings, along with conceptualizations of "children and families at risk" and what is "fixable." "Risk vocabulary positions mothers as either positive factors in fulfilling their children's potential or as risks to that potential" (Lawless et al., [<reflink idref="bib45" id="ref20">45</reflink>], p. 423). Ainsworth's work began in the East African country of Uganda, and she recognized that attachment behaviors are expressed differently across cultures (Stern et al., [<reflink idref="bib73" id="ref21">73</reflink>]). However, what is taught to most undergraduate students typically attends to vast, universal concepts that define a "good" parent‐child relationship, decontextualized from families' disparate realities. Critical scholars wonder, for example, if the principles of attachment theory hold in the presence of structural racism (e.g., Gaztambide, [<reflink idref="bib34" id="ref22">34</reflink>]; Stern et al., [<reflink idref="bib73" id="ref23">73</reflink>]). Does the conceptualization of "insecure" attachment styles suggest a "risk" to the child, parenting figure, or relationship? Are individual children, mothers, and parenting figures responsible for their attachment style? Or does a focus on attachment style obscure the realities of oppressive systems that create environments that are deliberately nonoptimal for humans? The popular terminology, "families and children at‐risk," used across IECMH disciplines, including ECE, contains assumptions about children and families experiencing inequity. It locates historical and ongoing structural inequities at the individual level in someone's body, language, mind, or way of being and knowing. This popular term distorts our vision of inequity, preventing us from recognizing children's and families' brilliance. What if children and their families were seen as "at‐promise"? (Swadener, [<reflink idref="bib75" id="ref24">75</reflink>], [<reflink idref="bib76" id="ref25">76</reflink>]).</p> <hd id="AN0185659034-5">Critiques and challenges by critical scholars</hd> <p>Shifting our perspective to see children and their families as "at‐promise" instead of "at‐risk" challenges the limitations imposed by commonly accepted research. In doing so, we align ourselves with the critical examinations undertaken by numerous ECE researchers and scholars who have critically examined the prevailing, dominant human development perspectives. Such perspectives are often framed as the sole legitimate approaches for understanding children and childhoods and often overlook both historical and contemporary inequities (e.g., Bloch, [<reflink idref="bib9" id="ref26">9</reflink>]; Cannella, [<reflink idref="bib15" id="ref27">15</reflink>]; Escayg, [<reflink idref="bib28" id="ref28">28</reflink>]; Mallory &amp; New, [<reflink idref="bib50" id="ref29">50</reflink>]; MacNaughton, [<reflink idref="bib49" id="ref30">49</reflink>]; Pérez &amp; Saavedra, [<reflink idref="bib62" id="ref31">62</reflink>]; Souto‐Manning &amp; Rabadi‐Raol, [<reflink idref="bib70" id="ref32">70</reflink>]; Templeton &amp; Harvey, [<reflink idref="bib77" id="ref33">77</reflink>]; Yoon &amp; Templeton, [<reflink idref="bib81" id="ref34">81</reflink>]). The emphasis on Eurocentric developmental perspectives has disproportionately elevated knowledge and methods centered on the image of the White, English‐monolingual, neurotypical, middle‐/upper‐class children, shaping the discourse and research within IECMH and related ECE disciplines. This narrow lens has marginalized invaluable millennia of knowledge and practices rooted in Indigenous, Black, and other communities of Color and the Global South, leading to their historical and ongoing dehumanization, deficit‐based assumptions, stigmatization, and exclusion (Pérez &amp; Saavedra, [<reflink idref="bib62" id="ref35">62</reflink>]). Hence, children from multiple minoritized backgrounds (e.g., Black and Indigenous Children of Color [BIPOC], living in poverty, and/or being labeled as disabled) tend to be portrayed as in need of remediation and support as their families and communities practices are perceived as deficient or lagging (e.g., Pérez &amp; Saavedra, [<reflink idref="bib62" id="ref36">62</reflink>]; Souto‐Manning &amp; Rabadi‐Raol, [<reflink idref="bib70" id="ref37">70</reflink>]). Thus, our syllabi and courses represent the potential inherent in reproducing deficit‐based notions or reimagining our disciplines through anti‐racist and anti‐ableist approaches.</p> <hd id="AN0185659034-6">Naming racism, bias, whiteness, and systems of domination</hd> <p>In recognizing the potential impact of our syllabi and courses in shaping perspectives, it becomes imperative to understand how racism, bias, whiteness, and systems of domination have impacted the field. Historically, ECE and related disciplines often favored focusing on issues of "bias" (e.g., the anti‐bias curriculum by Derman‐Sparks and colleagues, [<reflink idref="bib26" id="ref38">26</reflink>]) but overlooked or implicitly bypassed issues related to racism, ableism, and any analysis of power, privilege, and whiteness (Escayg, [<reflink idref="bib28" id="ref39">28</reflink>]). This historical neglect has resulted in gaps in addressing the well‐documented systemic inequalities within ECE‐related fields (e.g., Adair &amp; Colegrove, [<reflink idref="bib1" id="ref40">1</reflink>]; Adair et al., [<reflink idref="bib2" id="ref41">2</reflink>]; ECTA, [<reflink idref="bib27" id="ref42">27</reflink>]; Stockstill, [<reflink idref="bib74" id="ref43">74</reflink>]). Although anti‐bias education serves as a cornerstone for advocating social justice within IECMH and ECE contexts, it inadvertently overlooks the systemic and institutional dimensions of racism and other systems of domination (Escayg, [<reflink idref="bib28" id="ref44">28</reflink>]). Derman‐Sparks and the A.B.C. Task Force ([<reflink idref="bib25" id="ref45">25</reflink>], p. 3) delineated that "bias encompasses attitudes or beliefs leading to unfair treatment based on identity." Contrarily, echoing the perspectives of scholars studying racism, such as Bonilla‐Silva ([<reflink idref="bib11" id="ref46">11</reflink>]), and Jones, [<reflink idref="bib43" id="ref47">43</reflink>] and studying ableism, such as Nario‐Redmond ([<reflink idref="bib55" id="ref48">55</reflink>]), this paper posits that racism and ableism are intertwined systems of domination that extend beyond individual prejudices, representing a multifaceted system of oppression ingrained in socially constructed racial and disability categories, associated ideologies, and entrenched social structures that perpetuate dominant group privileges (Annamma et al., [<reflink idref="bib4" id="ref49">4</reflink>]; Love &amp; Beneke, [<reflink idref="bib48" id="ref50">48</reflink>]). For instance, Black and multiracial preschoolers experience suspension and expulsion at rates that are racially disproportionate (Office for Civil Rights, [<reflink idref="bib58" id="ref51">58</reflink>]). This disparity becomes even more pronounced for preschool children with disabilities, served under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which comprised 24% of the total preschool enrollment. However, they accounted for 34% of preschool children who experienced one or more out‐of‐school suspensions and 62% who were expelled (Office for Civil Rights, [<reflink idref="bib58" id="ref52">58</reflink>]). Official suspension and expulsion data is disaggregated by either race or disability, which impedes our ability to understand the experiences of BIPOC children with disabilities. Furthermore, most educators are unprepared to tackle such inequities (e.g., O'Grady et al., [<reflink idref="bib59" id="ref53">59</reflink>]), highlighting a critical gap in the field.</p> <hd id="AN0185659034-7">Recent efforts to address inequity in IECMH and ECE</hd> <p>In the last 5 years, there has been a discernible change in the approach of national ECE‐related organizations toward naming racism, ableism, and systems of domination within their disciplines. This shift is characterized by discourse about a commitment to equity and social justice. Illustrating this change in discourse, the field of IECMH promotes <emph>Diversity‐informed Tenets for Work with Infants, Children, and Families</emph> (Irving Harris Foundation, [<reflink idref="bib41" id="ref54">41</reflink>]). These tenets include the importance of self‐reflection, working to acknowledge privilege and combat discrimination, recognizing and respecting non‐dominant bodies of knowledge, and allocating resources to systems change, among others. A recent report commissioned by the Alliance for the Advancement of Infant Mental Health advanced a recommendation to "move towards transforming our work by prioritizing narratives and other ways of knowing that place disenfranchised groups at the center" (Shivers et al., [<reflink idref="bib68" id="ref55">68</reflink>], p. 60).</p> <p>Meanwhile, the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) issued a pivotal position statement in 2019 titled <emph>Advancing Equity in Early Childhood Education</emph>. This statement serves as a foundational document, emphasizing the imperative of equity and inclusivity and guiding practices and policies in ECE programs. The ZERO TO THREE organization has published the <emph>State of Babies Yearbook</emph> since 2019, applying an equity lens to their data to improve public policies and interventions. Similarly, the Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center (ECTA) contributed significantly by producing a [<reflink idref="bib27" id="ref56">27</reflink>] Fact Sheet entitled <emph>Advancing Racial Equity in Early Intervention and Early Childhood Special Education</emph>. This resource delineates strategies, challenges, and recommendations to foster racial equity within EI/ECSE programs. The Center of Excellence for Infant &amp; Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation ([<reflink idref="bib17" id="ref57">17</reflink>]) provides various resources to promote equity in IECMH. Notable examples of resources include an equity webinar series, a comprehensive racial equity toolkit, and online modules addressing equity, disparity, and bias. These resources offer a platform to introduce and explore critical issues surrounding equity, disparity, and racial bias in early care and education systems. Complementing these initiatives, the division of early childhood (DEC) recently introduced a <emph>Racial Equity Point of View</emph> in 2023, emphasizing the critical need to address systemic racism and ableism to promote inclusivity within EI/ECSE settings. These key initiatives and publications collectively underscore a long‐waited effort within the ECE community to confront and rectify long‐standing disparities, with the possibility of fostering a more equitable and inclusive landscape for young children and their families.</p> <hd id="AN0185659034-8">Who is impacted by course design and syllabi?</hd> <p>The US population of young children under the age of 6 years is more racially and ethnically diverse than the population overall (Schneider &amp; Gibbs, [<reflink idref="bib65" id="ref58">65</reflink>]). Poverty and disparities in access to resources persist as defining features of a baby's experience; for example, 39% of babies reside in households experiencing low income, a systemic issue magnified for BIPOC babies living under conditions known to affect health and development adversely (Cole et al., [<reflink idref="bib22" id="ref59">22</reflink>]). The majority of the professionals working in IECMH and ECE‐related fields are primarily women, predominantly White but more racially diverse than the overall public K‐12 school teachers, and are compensated poorly for their essential work (Coffey, [<reflink idref="bib21" id="ref60">21</reflink>]). Furthermore, most faculty teaching at IHEs are White males and females (National Center for Education Statistics, [<reflink idref="bib56" id="ref61">56</reflink>]). The well‐documented adverse effects of such demographic mismatch between the student population, their educators, and teacher educators are problematic despite the call for diversifying ECE spaces (Cheruvu et al., [<reflink idref="bib19" id="ref62">19</reflink>]).</p> <p>Given the unequal composition and the current construction of ECE‐related fields, it is evident that there is a pressing need to reimagine IECMH and ECE. This reimagining should aim to train professionals to challenge deficit childhood views and emphasize the agency, dignity, and brilliance of marginalized children and their families (Pérez &amp; Saavedra, [<reflink idref="bib62" id="ref63">62</reflink>]; Yoon &amp; Templeton, [<reflink idref="bib81" id="ref64">81</reflink>]). Systematic analysis of course materials and syllabi associated with social justice indicates that many courses prepare teachers with pragmatic skills and awareness but need more critical consciousness and commitment to educational equity (Gorski, [<reflink idref="bib37" id="ref65">37</reflink>]). Given our social location as ECE‐related teacher educators at higher education institutions, we focused on unpacking the syllabi and syllabi‐related activities designed by the faculty. Why? Syllabi are not neutral; a syllabus is a tool that reproduces or prevents injustice (Lo &amp; Mayorga, [<reflink idref="bib46" id="ref66">46</reflink>]). The following tweet, by Dr Django Paris (2024), encapsulates an expansive and transformative perspective on the syllabus: "I try to approach a syllabus as a place‐making, world‐making endeavor. What can we make together across these weeks? What can we contribute, even in small ways, to the world we need?"</p> <hd id="AN0185659034-9">Theoretical framework: Critical pedagogy and intersectionality</hd> <p>To establish a theoretical foundation for our work, we first used an intersectional framework (Crenshaw, [<reflink idref="bib23" id="ref67">23</reflink>]), as framed by Black feminist theorists, to articulate how social inequalities are compounded by multiple systems of domination (e.g., racism and ableism). This framework allowed us to see who is (un)centered, what is (un)centered, and how is (un)centered in IECMH and ECE. Second, we borrowed from the tradition of critical pedagogy and culture circles (Freire, [<reflink idref="bib32" id="ref68">32</reflink>]; Souto‐Manning, [<reflink idref="bib69" id="ref69">69</reflink>]) as we embarked on a co‐constructed learning journey centering historicity, individually and collectively, to examine issues of injustice in ECE with a specific focus on assessing larger structural forces that shape individual and community lives. Our monthly meetings centered on discussing well‐documented issues of injustice in IECMH and ECE, our role as teacher educators in perpetuating such issues through our teaching and research, and our responsibility in alleviating such suffering from injustice.</p> <p>It is through these frameworks that we can ask ourselves and each other: How can we genuinely honor the diverse developmental pathways and experiences of all children and their families without confronting the pervasive influences of white supremacy, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, xenophobia, racism, and ableism? These oppressive systems discourage us from truly seeing one another, celebrating our differences and similarities, and fostering equitable opportunities for all. Instead of encouraging us to envision new, inclusive ways of understanding and supporting each other, they promote a narrow and exclusive perspective that dictates a singular, 'superior' way of developing, learning, thriving, and existing. The unquestioned centering of whiteness, monolingualism, and neurotypicality as the unspoken standards against which all others are measured perpetuates a harmful cycle that marginalizes and diminishes diverse experiences and identities. It raises critical questions about who and what is centered, why this centering occurs, and who benefits from such arrangements. By obscuring the inherent value and contributions of historical and ongoing marginalized individuals and communities, these systems perpetuate the false narrative that social challenges stem from individual or group deficiencies rather than systemic inequities (e.g., Pérez &amp; Saavedra, [<reflink idref="bib62" id="ref70">62</reflink>]; Souto‐Manning &amp; Rabadi‐Raol, [<reflink idref="bib70" id="ref71">70</reflink>]). In this context, how can we authentically honor all children and their families, particularly when our perceptions and understandings of them have been distorted by deeply ingrained prejudices and biases rooted in racism, ableism, and white supremacy? Recognizing and challenging these systemic barriers is essential to creating a nurturing and inclusive environment that values and uplifts every child's unique strengths, experiences, and potential. As faculty, we have the power and the responsibility to seed a different and more just world through our syllabi, materials, and course design.</p> <hd id="AN0185659034-10">METHODS</hd> <p></p> <hd id="AN0185659034-11">Our positionality and social location</hd> <p>We are a group of teacher educators who met through The Collaborative for Understanding the Pedagogy of Infant/Toddler Development (CUPID Consortium)— a national group of scholars that invites members to collaborate on research and policy efforts focused on young children and early education and care practitioners. During the spring of 2020, the co‐authors came together as volunteers who agreed to examine syllabi typically utilized in ECE teacher preparation courses and were tasked with creating a checklist that would help teacher educators "revolutionize" their syllabi, course content, and design, and more, as explained further in this paper. As our group meetings commenced, we shared aspects of our personal and social identities, and these became a vital element in the rhythm that evolved and guided our work over time. Our positionalities are self‐described as follows. The first author is an assistant professor at a land‐grant R1 institution teaching EI/ECSE courses tailored for undergraduate and graduate students across different general education, special education, speech‐language pathology, social work, and public health programs. Her work examines family engagement in early learning settings, emphasizing the intersections of race, ethnicity, language, and disability. She is an immigrant and bilingual cisgender woman of color, racialized as Latina. She is a former preschool, special educator, and first‐gen scholar living and teaching in an urban setting. The second author, an assistant professor of Human Development and Family Sciences, at an R2, doctoral‐granting university in the Midwest, teaches non‐licensure child development courses at both the undergraduate and graduate levels for students preparing to work with children from birth to age five and their families. She dedicates her research to empowering caregivers, including families and ECE professionals, to foster nurturing and high‐quality interactions in early learning environments. She is racialized as White and identifies as a cisgender woman who is a second‐generation scholar.</p> <p>Meanwhile, the third author, a professor at the same institution as the first author, specializes in infant and child development, striving to reshape teaching and learning experiences for young children. Her courses specialize in human development, family science, and ECE at the bachelor's and master's degrees. She identifies racially as White and is a cisgender, queer woman who is a first‐gen scholar. Lastly, when writing this manuscript, the fourth author, a professor, taught students in Bachelor's and Master's degree programs to research child and family homelessness, trauma, resilience, and intercultural communication within academia. The last author is an administrator and faculty member at a new institution. She identifies racially as White and is a cisgender Jewish woman, weaving her identity into her extensive research in ECE, developmental psychology, and integrating the arts into teacher education.</p> <p>As part of the CUPID's work, we examined the foundations of our teaching practices. Initially, [group name anonymized for review]'s members requested that, as a subcommittee, we focus on "revising and decolonizing" our syllabi and developing a "checklist" for enhancing ECE‐related teacher preparation programs. However, it became evident that decolonizing was not the goal. It aligned with Tuck and Eve's scholarship call of not treating decolonization as a metaphor for things we want to improve in society (2014). As teacher educators, we must critically reflect on how our teaching and learning occur in sociopolitical contexts, either reproducing or challenging inequity (Rosen et al., [<reflink idref="bib64" id="ref72">64</reflink>]). The group's approach emphasized the importance of centering critical ECE‐related scholarship to call into question entrenched systems of oppression reflected in biases, omissions, and distortions embedded in educational materials, curriculum, and practices (e.g., Yoon &amp; Templeton, [<reflink idref="bib81" id="ref73">81</reflink>])–while encouraging students to do the same through class conversations, assignments, and reflections (Lo &amp; Mayorga, [<reflink idref="bib46" id="ref74">46</reflink>]).</p> <hd id="AN0185659034-12">Blended pilot empirical‐theoretical paper</hd> <p></p> <hd id="AN0185659034-13">The reflective meetings</hd> <p>We conducted our meetings via Zoom and chose not to record them. Initially, each participant wrote reflective notes during and in‐between our reflective meetings. As the idea of publishing our process emerged, we began to document our discussions more formally in writing. We developed reflective summary templates to help structure and record our reflections. Following our spiral process of self‐reflection, discussed in the next section, the starting point was to examine our engagement with various learning activities in our courses. We asked ourselves critical questions: Why does this matter to us? What do we want to accomplish? How do we plan to achieve it? To guide our reflections, we created templates that prompted us to identify "generative themes," such as scholarship perpetuating the concept of "being at‐risk." Then, we identified specific problems, like "centering positivism and not questioning dominant narratives." These prompts encouraged us to seek solutions, such as finding scholarship that elevated non‐mainstream knowledge about children and families. Finally, we outlined actionable steps to focus on what could be done to address these issues. We shared these materials in Word documents via Google Drive, where all authors could access each other's reflections. This structured approach facilitated our commitment to a collective self‐reflective, anti‐racist, and anti‐ableist practice. The way we envision reflectivity and revision in our work and in this paper is a critical and emancipatory praxis—an ongoing process of (un)learning, (un)doing, and (re)imagining (Schwartz, [<reflink idref="bib66" id="ref75">66</reflink>]). This dynamic engagement rather works to dismantle harm by continually questioning entrenched systems of domination, which requires our understanding that all of us participate in perpetuating systems of domination regardless of intent (Jones, [<reflink idref="bib43" id="ref76">43</reflink>]). To suggest otherwise may oversimplify the necessary complexity of this transformative work. We believe that instead of "vetting" revisions with suspicion, the focus should be on cultivating a deepened commitment to justice through iterative reflection and accountability to each other. Each step forward in pedagogy is a re‐engagement of our values and a renewed attempt to foster equitable outcomes. The very process of addressing racism and ableism requires continuous revision and recalibration precisely because these issues are deeply rooted and multifaceted (Jones, [<reflink idref="bib43" id="ref77">43</reflink>]).</p> <hd id="AN0185659034-14">The nonlinear, formative spiral model</hd> <p>Over almost 4 years, we engaged in a transformative journey that went beyond the confines of our initial linear "checklist" objective, recognizing the complexities and intricacies of our mission (Walter et al., [<reflink idref="bib80" id="ref78">80</reflink>]). In this paper, we (Walter et al., [<reflink idref="bib80" id="ref79">80</reflink>]) offer a depiction of a spiral that illustrates an ongoing process, with self‐reflection at the center. Rather than a linear journey with a beginning and end point, our process was iterative, beginning with and continuously looping back to self‐reflection. Grounded in a holistic, nonlinear spiral model akin to educational processes found in <emph>Culture Circles and Critical Pedagogy</emph> (Freire, [<reflink idref="bib32" id="ref80">32</reflink>]; Souto‐Manning, [<reflink idref="bib69" id="ref81">69</reflink>]), this journey revolved around key elements. Self‐reflection appears at the center of the model, emphasizing the importance of critically analyzing our social identities, historical contexts, and roles within academia. We come back to self‐reflection repeatedly, deepening our understanding with each visit. Secondly, we shifted our attention to our courses, course syllabi, and course materials, uncovering entrenched power dynamics and hidden curricula perpetuating students' unequal learning opportunities. Hence, we focused on centering non‐dominant and critical IECMH and ECE‐related epistemologies, methodologies, and scholarship, amplifying and centering voices often marginalized in conventional educational materials. As this reflective and iterative process unfolded, we realized that we operate within and sometimes perpetuate multiple systems of oppression present in the field, research base, and academy, and we continue to find inspiration in others' scholarly work that centers critical investigation of processes and practices (e.g., Lo &amp; Mayorga, [<reflink idref="bib46" id="ref82">46</reflink>]; Rosen et al., [<reflink idref="bib64" id="ref83">64</reflink>]).</p> <p> <bold>Self‐Reflection and the Process of Examining Course Materials and Syllabi</bold>. We realized early on that we had both a challenge and an opportunity to critically examine the system and its disciplines from within by using our own syllabi and course materials (Lo &amp; Mayorga, [<reflink idref="bib46" id="ref84">46</reflink>]). As scholars originally trained under dominant methods and ontoepistemologies, we know deeply the mainstream scholarship. This knowledge provides the power to make cracks from within. This metacognitive realization meant that self‐reflection needed to provide the anchor for our work. Knowing who we are and how these identities have shaped how we show up is critical in dismantling and disrupting the dominant discourse. Reflective practice (RP) is central to the work in IECMH (Lombardi et al., [<reflink idref="bib47" id="ref85">47</reflink>]) and the process we followed. According to Tobin and colleagues ([<reflink idref="bib78" id="ref86">78</reflink>]), "Through RP, it is proposed that we can become better practitioners by learning to question with curiosity what we think, feel, and do in practice situations, and by changing our practice as a result" (p. 80). RP is as central to our work in higher education as it is to the work of a home visitor. From within our nonlinear spiral model, self‐reflection is the area we come back to, again and again, as we deepen our curiosity about, understanding of, and questioning dominant scholarship. Our work could be conceptualized as work within a reflective consultation group without a single facilitator.</p> <p> <bold>Syllabi as a Tool and a Mirror</bold>. Dominant theories and frameworks have shaped IECMH disciplines, including ECE‐related fields of study (Cannella, [<reflink idref="bib15" id="ref87">15</reflink>]). Therefore, it is safe to assume that most syllabi in IECMH and ECE‐related fields are grounded in dominant, positivist notions of child development. The influence of dominant paradigms in shaping these fields has inadvertently limited the scope and depth of our pedagogical approaches, thereby constraining our capacity to address multifaceted societal challenges. To genuinely liberate the field from its constrained narratives, faculty must undertake a deliberate and transformative effort to elevate and center epistemologies, methodologies, and critical scholarly voices historically and currently still marginalized or overlooked (e.g., Bloch, [<reflink idref="bib9" id="ref88">9</reflink>]; Cannella, [<reflink idref="bib15" id="ref89">15</reflink>]; Escayg, [<reflink idref="bib28" id="ref90">28</reflink>]; Mallory &amp; New, [<reflink idref="bib50" id="ref91">50</reflink>]; MacNaughton, [<reflink idref="bib49" id="ref92">49</reflink>]; Pérez &amp; Saavedra, [<reflink idref="bib62" id="ref93">62</reflink>]; Yoon &amp; Templeton, [<reflink idref="bib81" id="ref94">81</reflink>]). Diversifying the intellectual landscape of syllabi and course materials by incorporating critical perspectives allows for a more comprehensive understanding of child development. By challenging the hegemonic narratives prioritizing specific cultural, social, or economic contexts and power, educators can cultivate a richer, more nuanced pedagogical framework that acknowledges the diverse influences shaping children's lives. This inclusive approach fosters a more equitable learning environment and equips future professionals with the critical thinking skills to navigate complex socio‐cultural landscapes (Rosen et al., [<reflink idref="bib64" id="ref95">64</reflink>]).</p> <p>Furthermore, centering critical epistemologies and methodologies encourages a more holistic and contextualized approach to ECE and IECMH. By integrating and centering insights from critical scholarship and diverse cultural perspectives, syllabi can transcend traditional boundaries, fostering a more dynamic and responsive educational landscape and facilitating a more profound engagement to challenge systemic inequalities and advocate for transformative change. Additionally, prioritizing voices and scholarship often marginalized or excluded from mainstream discourse enriches the academic dialogue, fostering a more collaborative and inclusive intellectual community. By amplifying diverse perspectives and centering social justice, faculty can cultivate a more empathetic and culturally responsive educational environment, nurturing a new generation of professionals equipped to address the complex challenges of the 21st century (Gorski, [<reflink idref="bib37" id="ref96">37</reflink>]; Lo &amp; Mayorga, [<reflink idref="bib46" id="ref97">46</reflink>]; Rosen et al., [<reflink idref="bib64" id="ref98">64</reflink>]). Liberating the field of ECE within the IECMH umbrella necessitates a concerted effort to decenter dominant theories and frameworks, thereby creating space for alternative epistemologies, methodologies, and critical scholarly voices (Authors, 2024). By embracing social justice in syllabi development through an anti‐racist and anti‐ableist lens, faculty can cultivate a more equitable, responsive, and transformative educational landscape, fostering a holistic understanding of child development and empowering future professionals to navigate complex sociocultural realities with empathy, criticality, and compassion (Authors, 2024; Lo &amp; Mayorga, [<reflink idref="bib46" id="ref99">46</reflink>]; Rosen et al., [<reflink idref="bib64" id="ref100">64</reflink>]). Focusing on broader analysis and action levels (e.g., institutional) is needed to effect change in a society that fetishizes individual responsibility.</p> <p> <bold>Justice for Pre‐service Educators: Examining the Hidden Curriculum</bold>. As teacher educators, we are responsible for understanding how the hidden curriculum shapes our syllabi, courses, and students' learning. The term hidden curriculum, coined by Jackson in [<reflink idref="bib42" id="ref101">42</reflink>], encompasses unspoken knowledge and skills essential for students' success from preschool (Martin, [<reflink idref="bib52" id="ref102">52</reflink>]) to graduate school (Margolis, [<reflink idref="bib51" id="ref103">51</reflink>]). So, what exactly is the hidden curriculum? It is the competencies and skills not explicitly taught but assumed to be known by students (Calarco, [<reflink idref="bib14" id="ref104">14</reflink>]), influencing students' preparedness for the future (Espy &amp; Lynn, [<reflink idref="bib29" id="ref105">29</reflink>]) and contributing to pervasive existing educational inequalities (Calarco, [<reflink idref="bib13" id="ref106">13</reflink>]; Lareau, [<reflink idref="bib44" id="ref107">44</reflink>]; Stockstill, [<reflink idref="bib74" id="ref108">74</reflink>]). Unpacking the hidden curriculum reveals its impact from preschool to graduate school. In preschool, the hidden curriculum subtly shapes children's understanding of social norms, interactions, and behavioral expectations, influencing how to perceive yourself and others based on factors like race, gender, and socio‐economic background (Stockstill, [<reflink idref="bib74" id="ref109">74</reflink>]). In K‐12, middle‐class parents coach their children on assertive help‐seeking strategies, resulting in more teacher support and better academic outcomes than peers from different socio‐economic backgrounds (Calarco, [<reflink idref="bib13" id="ref110">13</reflink>]). As students progress to college and graduate school, the hidden curriculum may reinforce stereotypes and weaken students' agency and self‐determination. Historical and ongoing marginalized pre‐service students may experience stereotype threat, a phenomenon in which the risk of confirming distorted negative stereotypes about their identities can affect their academic performance and sense of belonging (Steele &amp; Aronson, [<reflink idref="bib72" id="ref111">72</reflink>]). This can lead to experiences like imposter syndrome, where individuals doubt their abilities despite evidence of outstanding academic and professional accomplishments (Clance &amp; Imes, [<reflink idref="bib20" id="ref112">20</reflink>]).</p> <p>Understanding the hidden curriculum empowers students to navigate and challenge educational inequities. It provides insights for adopting effective strategies, fostering a critical mindset to mitigate stereotype threat and imposter syndrome, and serves as a foundation for self‐advocacy (Calarco, [<reflink idref="bib14" id="ref113">14</reflink>]). This awareness transforms students into informed agents, allowing them to take control of their educational trajectories, actively seek support, and contribute to creating inclusive and equitable learning environments. Awareness of the hidden curriculum also places a more significant responsibility on teacher educators and institutes of higher education to create more supportive, fair, and equitable learning environments where all different types of students can learn and thrive. Addressing the hidden curriculum in our syllabi is crucial to enacting justice (Calarco, [<reflink idref="bib14" id="ref114">14</reflink>]). See Table 1 for a summary of our reflective process.</p> <hd id="AN0185659034-15">Reflective vignettes</hd> <p>In the following vignettes, we reflect on the transformations elicited from our RP group and our interrogations of syllabi, courses, and course materials. Each vignette builds from our collective reflections following the nonlinear spiral model. We focused on centering a relational atmosphere in our courses, striving to create supportive, respectful, and inclusive environments. We prioritized student well‐being and transparency in decision‐making regarding our syllabi so students could understand why we made certain instructional, pedagogical, and methodological decisions.</p> <hd id="AN0185659034-16">Seeding different worlds (Ruby, 1st author)</hd> <p>During the final years of my doctoral program, I dived into the works of critical scholars whose perspectives were not dominant in my formal training (e.g., Bloch, [<reflink idref="bib9" id="ref115">9</reflink>]; Cannella, [<reflink idref="bib15" id="ref116">15</reflink>]; Mallory &amp; New, [<reflink idref="bib50" id="ref117">50</reflink>]; MacNaughton, [<reflink idref="bib49" id="ref118">49</reflink>]; Pérez &amp; Saavedra, [<reflink idref="bib62" id="ref119">62</reflink>]). Their voices and work questioned universal developmental assumptions that mask the realities of context and history. These scholars offered a lens through which to examine social issues and solutions, prioritizing human dignity and refraining from attributing problems solely to individuals or their inherent characteristics. Through their writings, I gained insight into the distortions within our societal perceptions of particular groups of people regularly described as needing fixing or help (e.g., Adair &amp; Colegrove, [<reflink idref="bib1" id="ref120">1</reflink>]; Annamma et al., [<reflink idref="bib4" id="ref121">4</reflink>]; Avineri et al., [<reflink idref="bib6" id="ref122">6</reflink>]). As a first‐gen Latina scholar, I could not see myself or the problems of practice I cared about reflected in the dominant literature. Nor could I locate in such literature the brilliance of the many historical and current marginalized children and families I had the privilege of working and learning with as a former preschool and special education teacher. However, I found their dignity and brilliance in the critical scholarship (e.g., Annamma et al., [<reflink idref="bib4" id="ref123">4</reflink>]; Avineri et al., [<reflink idref="bib6" id="ref124">6</reflink>]). Such scholarship honored a wide range of ways of knowing and invited the reader to critically examine why historical and current marginalized children and families systematically experience pervasive inequality, locating the problems at a structural level. These experiences taught me that what is included in syllabi can transform discourses and understandings about people and, therefore, the proposed solutions.</p> <p>I firmly believe that honoring the dignity of every child and family, regardless of their social location, is paramount to effectively working with them. To facilitate this, I have structured my Serving Individuals with Disabilities and Their Families course since 2020 to foster critical inquiry and introspection among students. Just as in our nonlinear spiral self‐reflections, students are invited to reflect on their social locations and their connection to the topics we study. As a collective, we examined questions of societal dominant discourses, portrayal, accountability, and systemic injustices, drawing from both mainstream and critical scholarship to enrich our discussions. We focused on asking who (or whose group) is or is not portrayed with dignity in the literature. We also asked where the problem is located. For example, when reading about "families living in poverty," we questioned: Is the problem in someone's body, mind, language, or way of being? Or is the problem located at a sociocultural and historical level? Students read work considered "seminal" with work that critiques such body of work. A pivotal aspect of the course involves challenging students to reimagine entrenched problems of practice through a systemic, asset‐based lens. One of the class assignments explicitly asked students to re‐imagine a portion of the educational system they are curious to learn more about or see themselves as able to impact more. For example, a student chose "interpretation practices." The assignment asked students to understand the policies impacting such practice, empirically document the issue and who is harmed by it, and locate successful and unsuccessful examples through their practice and research. Then, based on that information, students are asked to imagine how to create a better system connected to a specific part of their current or future practice. The ultimate goal of the class is for students to understand and hopefully be equipped to collectively challenge the power structures and knowledge systems that maintain inequity.</p> <p>Recognizing the importance of designing a curriculum that respects individual learning journeys, I prioritize transparency and flexibility in my pedagogical approach. For instance, I allow students to turn in late assignments without penalty if communicated beforehand, fostering a culture of trust and mutual respect. I also encourage a culture of "revision," where students can turn in revised work with access to full credit. I tell them how each pedagogical decision in the syllabus is grounded in research. Collaborative reflections continually inform and refine my approach to dismantling injustice within educational spaces through my syllabi. A commitment that will continue to evolve as I, part of a collective, continue to learn, reflect, and grow.</p> <hd id="AN0185659034-17">From silence to advocacy: A progression in infant and child mental health course design (Meli...</hd> <p>Over three transformative years, my journey with the infant and child mental health and resiliency course has been a profound exploration of growth and continuous improvement. I regretfully acknowledge that my initial syllabus lacked intentional consideration of cultural and contextual influences on IECMH. This oversight, however, became an opportunity for correction by the fall of 2021 as I critically examined my course using the nonlinear spiral model. The addition of a week dedicated to the "Cultural Context of Development," featuring topics like cultural humility, diversity‐informed principles, and discussions on disparities in child outcomes due to systemic biases, marked a pivotal shift in my approach.</p> <p>This transformation was far from a solitary endeavor. Engaging in monthly discussions and reflection with my co‐authors played a pivotal role in prompting me to continuously challenge my thinking, sit with discomfort, and learn from my mistakes. The collaborative exchange of ideas and insights enriched my perspective, fostering an environment of continuous growth. During the subsequent fall 2022 offering, my return to the center of the nonlinear spiral prompted a deeper reflection on my identity and privilege due to my social location. Recognizing that my privileges as a second‐generation doctoral graduate from a White upper‐class family were preventing me from fully understanding the barriers my students with marginalized identities often experience, I resolved to be more intentional in designing my syllabus and course policies—clear communication of these policies aimed to minimize aspects of the hidden curriculum. Recognizing inherent biases in extension policies, I piloted a potentially equitable solution—A Google Form allowing students to request extensions without providing a reason. In addition to this extension policy, I also implemented a 24‐h grace period for all assignments. The overwhelmingly positive student feedback highlighted the importance of acknowledging their lives outside academia.</p> <p>By fall 2023, the evolution of the course reached a critical juncture. Instead of relying on 1 week of content, as I had previously, I sought to integrate anti‐racism perspectives throughout the entire course. Key additions included lectures on the impact of dominant culture, discussions on historical and intergenerational trauma, and examinations of the bioecological perspective on systemic racism. Rather than setting aside specific lectures for this content, as I had previously, these discussions were integrated into every class session. Each week became an opportunity for students to engage in critical discussions on the historical and contextual factors shaping IECMH and the lives of children and families. Additional notable changes included a stronger focus on historical, racial, and systemic trauma and stress. New content on discriminatory policies and an online module on "Hope and Anti‐Racism Approaches" (Sege &amp; Stephens, [<reflink idref="bib67" id="ref125">67</reflink>]). This module was introduced during the week dedicated to protective factors and early childhood systems. During the policy and advocacy week, students explored the State of Babies yearbook, prompting them to scrutinize demographic discrepancies and consider policy implications. Though the policy and advocacy project had been part of the course since its inception, I now asked students reflective questions to get them to think critically about how systemic racism impedes access to positive childhood experiences related to their policy project issue. Student reflections mirrored their growth in critical thinking, revealing a heightened awareness of systemic racism's impact on childhood experiences. Themes of unequal access to healthcare, education, and community resources underscored the need for dismantling discriminatory laws and advancing equity.</p> <p>Despite this significant progress, my work remains far from complete. The nonlinear spiral model has become a guiding force, continually propelling me towards self‐reflection and course enhancement. As I continue this perpetual journey, my goal remains to equip students to disrupt systems of inequity, fostering a future where every child can thrive.</p> <hd id="AN0185659034-18">Disrupting an introductory textbook (Melissa, 3rd author)</hd> <p>Alongside our group's interrogation of our syllabi, I realized there was an important project in my queue begging for this type of critical reflection–a new edition of an introductory ECE textbook for which I have served as co‐author for several years. With the new edition, I would be taking the lead author role, a perfect opportunity to practice the spiral. I did not anticipate the deep transformation that would take place as I read, grappled, and wrote, spiraling ever deeper into the model and always coming back to intensifying levels of self‐reflection. Although our model was designed to interrogate syllabi, part of the process involves critical reflection on course materials. An introductory textbook, thus, provides the opportunity to practice and reflect on one important component of a course—the textbook it uses.</p> <p>At first, I had the very linear, naive goal of bringing the voice of diversity and infusing references to scholarship from marginalized voices into each chapter of the textbook. I began with the thought that disrupting the textbook would involve referencing different scholars but keeping the same content. This level of thinking was precisely what called our group to action in the first place (revising our syllabi by creating a checklist). However, the existing introductory textbook content, centering White, Eurocentric research, theory, and narratives, is exactly what needs disrupting. The ECE field itself needs disrupting, and a textbook tasked with introducing newcomers to the field certainly needs to broaden its perspective. The stories we tell in an introductory textbook, the history that we spotlight, the research that we reference, the concepts that we were taught and now teach...all of these need to be cracked, interrogated, examined, and reframed. It is not a matter of replacing a reference here and there and changing from binary to inclusive pronouns. My new goal became a critical examination of the field within this text, elevating diverse perspectives, telling stories and histories that had not been examined in previous editions, and questioning dominant narratives. Most introductory ECE textbooks have a chapter on theory. It was my revision of the theory chapter that inspired a breakthrough epiphany. A sample of my raw reflection as I completed this chapter revision follows.</p> <p></p> <ulist> <item> "Why haven't I learned this body of work from critical scholars? Do I understand it enough to translate it into language that's accessible to beginning undergrads?" [Here, I am knee‐deep in reading theoretical work from post‐positivist scholars, critical scholars, post‐developmentalists, post‐humanists, and the like. I am wondering how it could be that all of this work exists that I was never taught. Moreover, I wonder if it is possible to introduce beginning undergraduates to this body of literature.]</item> <p></p> <item> "I was originally looking for the 'replacement' theories and people's work to highlight, but this was erroneous. The system is broken‐ there is no replacement for what already exists. There is no swapping out one theory for another. Instead, the 'replacement' is a whole new way of being, thinking, and living scholarship from a place of curiosity and humility. The positivist stance is hubristic."</item> <p></p> <item> "So, yeah, dealing with feelings of shame for not knowing, for not knowing how to unknow, for perpetuating systems of oppression of enlightenment‐inspired knowing... feelings of grief for the loss of the innocent, benevolent stance and unquestioning acceptance of the positivism that has guided my experience as a scholar... feeling untethered in this nonlinear quest toward deepening understanding of a field (my own) that feels like a foreign land... embracing the not knowing and unknowing... feeling jubilance in interrogating something new... feeling intense reverence and reverie with scholars who continually blow my mind (the number of gasps, expletives, snaps, and oh mys)... feelings of being in a darkened room with just a kiss of light starting to dawn from the drawn shade..."</item> <p></p> <item> "This awakening is the result of 'access to universes we did not know anything about' (Olsson, [<reflink idref="bib60" id="ref126">60</reflink>] , p. 26)."</item> <p></p> <item> "Here I am with linear conceptualizations of growth, transported to a new world of thought and defying those conceptualizations by displaying exponential, radical emancipation of my own mind from its prior Truths. I don't even know if I'm on the same chart anymore‐ I may be in an entirely different universe, poking around, and each turn opens a new set of possibilities, wonders, and opportunities for more expansion. "As soon as one no longer thinks things as one formerly thought them, transformation becomes very urgent, very difficult, and quite possible" (Foucault, [<reflink idref="bib30" id="ref127">30</reflink>] , in Moss, [<reflink idref="bib53" id="ref128">53</reflink>] , p. 100)."</item> </ulist> <p>The process of revising and rewriting a textbook while simultaneously engaging in critical reflection using the nonlinear spiral model and having regular check‐ins with our team resulted in a very different course material that introduces nondominant ideas and themes. I share these reflections in a vulnerable space as a scholar taught and hailing from dominant narratives. I share these reflections not to solicit comfort but to share the raw experience of awakening to ideas that, in my privilege, I had previously not known. I share vulnerably what it feels like to sit in the discomfort of complicity, not to center my experience but to share authentically and enter a questioning space. Stretching the "what is" into realms of "what can be" remains my goal as a professor awakening to new realities. I am dedicated to helping students see these realities and imaginaries. I hope the textbook becomes a useful tool to inspire this thinking, discomfort, and critical hope (Applebaum, [<reflink idref="bib5" id="ref129">5</reflink>]).</p> <hd id="AN0185659034-19">Using lenses to adjust "Problem‐Centered" perception and refocus (Lisa, 4th author)</hd> <p>Since the fall of 2020, I have provided students in a class titled "Teaching Social Studies and Science from a Problem‐Centered Approach" with plastic sunglasses, explaining that we will explicitly think about the "lenses" through which we engage with and develop content/lessons. I want us to have a tangible reminder that our perceptions are filtered through lenses, that lenses may change with time and experience, and that it is important to notice what we notice. The class includes students seeking licensure across grade levels, and the different interests and comforts with developmental periods tend to contribute to rich class discussions.</p> <p>Students have stretched into areas less often explored in Education classes—particularly ECE –both because of the climate (literal and political) and my comfort with students exploring "difficult" or often taboo areas. During one class, I provided prompts to students randomly assigned to groups tasked with co‐creating lesson plans: <emph>choose a focus/topic that you might typically avoid because it could be difficult or because you would worry how families/parents might respond</emph>. After brief conversations, groups chose to develop lesson plans focused on (<reflink idref="bib1" id="ref130">1</reflink>) menstruation, (<reflink idref="bib2" id="ref131">2</reflink>) immigration/refugees (2 groups chose this theme), and (<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref132">3</reflink>) adoption. While each of these topics was more or less applicable to the grades of state licensure, the topics were compelling to students, and the process of designing lessons was consistent.</p> <p>One group chose menstruation as their topic and articulated that while young children may not yet be menstruating, the topic is important for society because girls' access to education is limited in parts of the world. Girls' and women's access to feminine hygiene products is sometimes inequitable and discriminatory. Therefore, children's knowledge of feminine hygiene was important—especially when freedom to discuss aspects of identity (e.g., gender, sexuality) cannot be guaranteed equally, even in the United States. Some students in this group knew that a women's restroom accessible in a highly resourced university's nearby law school building had free hygiene products available and that they could take some of those products and distribute them to a teen shelter further down the block (an act of resistance to influence one facet of an inequitable system). Discussion of their lesson plan included identifying organizations (e.g., The Pad Project; Period, Inc.) that welcome students' participation to sustain their efforts and increase access to fundamental hygiene products that, in turn, increase access to education and promote civic engagement.</p> <p>More recently, due to wars between Ukraine/Russia and Israel/Hamas, students were actively discussing trauma and power. They also grappled personally with decisions made by university administrators to "sunset" several academic programs and terminate dozens of faculty and staff that they knew well. Students' feelings of powerlessness and the notion of control extended into questions about power in classroom settings and distribution of power being notably less for young children and students who are "different" from the norm in the broadest sense (e.g., ability, race, religion). Feelings shared about sadness and loss overlapped with tragic and traumatic historical events that were explored weekly, and I encouraged students to choose an event present on a history timeline and to tell a side of the story that is typically not widely known and could impact generations of children and families—mentally, physically, and economically. One group chose to design a lesson plan related to the Ghost Dance Movement in the US in the late 1880s. Students played audio recordings from the Library of Congress featuring the voices and songs of Indigenous people during that time. Students detailed events leading to the massacre of Indigenous people by the White oppressor government, and they had primary source accounts of how the story was spun in the media, perpetuating "danger" posed by the Indigenous people, who had chosen a nonviolent action that resulted in the violent response from the oppressive, dominant force.</p> <p>I asked students to consider any event on a typical timeline and notice how we can often lift a sequence of events and observe a marginalized group being punished by the dominant group to maintain the status quo. Some students articulated a new discomfort with their greater awareness of the extent of historical and ongoing inequities still maintained through oppressive systems ingrained in public goods such as public education. Some consolation was found in the recognition that organizations exist to address inequities on a policy level and that efforts are multiplied in collaboration with others. The monthly meetings with the co‐authors of this piece have contributed to my ability to renew energy reserves continuously, recommit to my learning journey, stretch students' abilities to think critically, notice their biases/assumptions, and attempt to reduce bias in their developing professional practices.</p> <hd id="AN0185659034-20">DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS</hd> <p>There is increasing acknowledgment of the vital importance of self‐exploration, self‐reflection, and RP in IECMH and ECE‐related disciplines (see Center of Excellence for Infant &amp; Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation, [<reflink idref="bib18" id="ref133">18</reflink>]; Friesen &amp; Mihai, [<reflink idref="bib33" id="ref134">33</reflink>]; Lombardi et al., [<reflink idref="bib47" id="ref135">47</reflink>]; Noroña et al., [<reflink idref="bib57" id="ref136">57</reflink>]; Tobin et al., [<reflink idref="bib78" id="ref137">78</reflink>]). Researchers highlight the benefits of incorporating such reflection into preservice coursework and training, such as deep knowledge and skill development, and challenges to weaving such practices into training (e.g., Lombardi et al., [<reflink idref="bib47" id="ref138">47</reflink>]). However, less of it is focused on the faculty shaping the learning experiences of this population (Gorski, [<reflink idref="bib37" id="ref139">37</reflink>]; Lombardi et al., [<reflink idref="bib47" id="ref140">47</reflink>]).</p> <p>ECE preparation programs grapple with numerous factors that shape their course designs and sequences. These encompass the expectations of accreditation agencies, the governance processes within individual programs and institutions, and state‐level educational gag laws. Additionally, there are constraints related to faculty expertise. These collective challenges emphasize the necessity of adopting a comprehensive approach incorporating changes in consciousness and practice to foster a genuine shift toward enacting justice (Gorski, [<reflink idref="bib37" id="ref141">37</reflink>]). We take the position that faculty and institutes of higher education bear a social responsibility to prepare current and future IECMH and ECE‐related practitioners to examine complex ongoing contextual and historical inequity issues experienced by children and their families as a result of structural (e.g., racist and ableist practices), systemic (e.g., interinstitutional interactions across time and space that reproduce inequality), institutional (e.g., policies, norms, and practices promoting power imbalance), and individual practices (e.g., deficit‐based presumptions about certain families and children) (Batz &amp; Yadav, [<reflink idref="bib7" id="ref142">7</reflink>]). Our work seeks to extend the literature on infusing reflection into the preservice infant and early childhood workforce while offering a caring mirror for higher education faculty and institutes to reflect on their role in reproducing or contesting harmful knowledge, methods, and practices.</p> <p>The implications of our work for fellow teacher educators in ECE and related disciplines under the umbrella of IECMH are clear. First, collaboration is essential. This type of work is not work that can be completed in isolation. We encourage instructors to find others with whom to reflect. As we center other ways of knowing and stop accepting dominant discourses as truth, it is important to find and dialogue with others on this journey of awakening (Moss, [<reflink idref="bib53" id="ref143">53</reflink>]). Second, an environment of trust is essential. We must be with others authentically and bravely. We must be willing to critically examine our identities, histories, and complicity in community with others to make a change. Trust is thus essential for this work. Creating an "affective infrastructure" of trust and connection in relationships remains essential to our work as a team (Pfleger &amp; Smith, [<reflink idref="bib63" id="ref144">63</reflink>], p. xv). Third, we must remain curious and willing to question our preconceived assumptions and find silenced pieces of knowledge, all with a spirit of humility and compassion. Collaboration, trust, and curiosity are all essential components of practice in IECMH fields, so the reader is likely quite familiar with them. The bigger challenge comes with questioning and remaining curious about the foundational research and theory on which our fields are based, primarily from Eurocentric, positivist perspectives of child development and learning (Bloch et al., [<reflink idref="bib10" id="ref145">10</reflink>]). These are big and scary curiosities, to be sure. Once one begins to uncover the layers of oppression, silencing, and neglect from within the field, one may not return to one's original starting place. Nevertheless, it is our obligation to change, contest, disrupt, and counter once we know better.</p> <p>1 TABLE Key elements of the spiral process with sample changes made across early childhood education related courses.</p> <p> <ephtml> &lt;table&gt;&lt;thead&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;th&gt;&lt;p&gt;Key element&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;area or section&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;concept or focus&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/th&gt;&lt;th&gt;Key details and examples&lt;/th&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/thead&gt;&lt;tbody&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td&gt;Explored ECE&amp;#8208;related concepts&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td /&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td&gt;Dominant ECE perspectives&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td /&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td&gt;Centered on Eurocentric foundations of knowledge&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td&gt;Ontological and epistemological knowledge system that disregards other knowledge systems and orientations. For example, we provided scholarly critiques of seminal knowledge such as "the 30&amp;#8208;million&amp;#8208;word gap" and "attachment theory."&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td&gt;Critical ECE perspectives&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td /&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td&gt;Centered on Intersectionality, anti&amp;#8208;racism, and anti&amp;#8208;ableism as foundational knowledge&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td&gt;To understand the overlapping mechanisms of systems of domination (e.g., racism and ableism), the selected ontological and epistemological theoretical and methodological orientations provided a platform for conducting strengths&amp;#8208;based research that counters the dominant deficit perspectives that tend to place the onus of social problems on individuals or communities instead of oppressive systems. For example, we emphasized systemic inequities and problematized terms such as "at&amp;#8208;risk."&amp;#160;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td&gt;Reflective practice&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td /&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td&gt;Nonlinear spiral model&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td&gt;Iterative individual and collective self&amp;#8208;reflection centered on disrupting inequities. For example, monthly meetings for a lapse of almost four years were centered on self&amp;#8208;reflected praxis.&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td&gt;Hidden curriculum&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td /&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td&gt;Unspoken norms and expectations not taught in school&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td&gt;Transparency on syllabi policies, built&amp;#8208;in flexibility, and agreements provided to all students within our syllabi to intentionally minimize the effect of the hidden curriculum.&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td&gt;Vignettes and applications&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td /&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td&gt;Re&amp;#8208;design syllabi or book&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td /&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td&gt;Center critical ECE&amp;#8208;related scholarship and decenter dominant perspectives&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td&gt;Authors engaged in self&amp;#8208;reflection to critically review their syllabi or book writing process to center marginalized scholarship, methods, and logics while critically challenging presumptions of normativity, making visible deficit&amp;#8208;based perspectives about individuals or groups of people.&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td&gt;Redesign timeline&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td /&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td&gt;Whole semester&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td&gt;Systemic critiques are integrated into every session instead of a single or weekly class (e.g., vignette 2).&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td&gt;Student projects&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td /&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td&gt;Solving problems of practice&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td&gt;Students focused on identifying a pervasive problem of practice while empirically seeking strengths&amp;#8208;based solutions using sociological imagination (e.g., vignette 1).&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/tbody&gt;&lt;/table&gt; </ephtml> </p> <p>1 Abbreviation: ECE, early childhood education.</p> <p>The classroom remains the most radical space of possibility in the academy...Urging all of us to open our minds and hearts so that we can know beyond the boundaries of what is acceptable so that we can think and rethink so that we can create new visions...</p> <p>(bell hooks, [<reflink idref="bib40" id="ref146">40</reflink>], p.12).</p> <p>In this spirit, our writing is an invitation, if not a clarion call to action, to readers to respond to the field's call for justice (Lo &amp; Mayorga, [<reflink idref="bib46" id="ref147">46</reflink>]; Rosen et al., [<reflink idref="bib64" id="ref148">64</reflink>]).</p> <hd id="AN0185659034-21">CONFLICT OF INTEREST STATEMENT</hd> <p>The authors declare no conflicts of interest.</p> <hd id="AN0185659034-22">DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT</hd> <p>The authors confirm that the data/research supporting this manuscript are referenced in the publication or public domain.</p> <hd id="AN0185659034-23">STATEMENT OF THE RELEVANCE OF THE WORK</hd> <p>This paper is relevant to IECHM scholars because it emphasizes the importance of continuous reflective practice in critically examining course materials.</p> <ref id="AN0185659034-24"> <title> Footnotes </title> <blist> <bibl id="bib1" idref="ref40" type="bt">1</bibl> <bibtext> This manuscript appears in <emph>IMHJ: Infancy and Early Childhood</emph> as part of an invited paper series focusing on early career scholars' intentional application of anti‐racist frames and/or frames of diversity, equity, and inclusion in infant and early childhood mental health research. <emph>IMHJ: Infancy and Early Childhood</emph> thanks Guest Editors Iheoma U. Iruka, Marva Lewis, Fantasy Lozada, Sheresa Blanchard, and Lauren Wakschlag for their vision and work in this ongoing initiative.</bibtext> </blist> </ref> <ref id="AN0185659034-25"> <title> REFERENCES </title> <blist> <bibtext> Adair, J. K., &amp; Colegrove, K. S. S. (2021). Segregation by experience: Agency, racism, and learning in the early grades. University of Chicago Press.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib2" idref="ref14" type="bt">2</bibl> <bibtext> Adair, J. K., Colegrove, K. S.‐S., &amp; McManus, M. E. (2017). How the word gap argument negatively impacts young children of Latinx immigrants' conceptualizations of learning. Harvard Educational Review, 8 (3), 309 – 334. https://doi.org/10.17763/1943‐5045‐87.3.309</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib3" idref="ref19" type="bt">3</bibl> <bibtext> Ainsworth, M. D. S. (1967). Infancy in Uganda: Infant care and the growth of love. 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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Holding up the Mirror: The Role of Teacher Educators and Syllabi in Perpetuating or Disrupting Inequity – Name: Language Label: Language Group: Lang Data: English – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Ruby+Batz%22">Ruby Batz</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2266-2462">0000-0003-2266-2462</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Melissa+C%2E+Walter%22">Melissa C. Walter</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7670-3832">0000-0002-7670-3832</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Melissa+M%2E+Burnham%22">Melissa M. Burnham</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2570-0092">0000-0002-2570-0092</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Lisa+B%2E+Fiore%22">Lisa B. Fiore</searchLink> – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Infant+Mental+Health+Journal%3A+Infancy+and+Early+Childhood%22"><i>Infant Mental Health Journal: Infancy and Early Childhood</i></searchLink>. 2025 46(4):391-405. – Name: Avail Label: Availability Group: Avail Data: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us – Name: PeerReviewed Label: Peer Reviewed Group: SrcInfo Data: Y – Name: Pages Label: Page Count Group: Src Data: 15 – Name: DatePubCY Label: Publication Date Group: Date Data: 2025 – Name: TypeDocument Label: Document Type Group: TypDoc Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Descriptive – Name: Audience Label: Education Level Group: Audnce Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Higher+Education%22">Higher Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Postsecondary+Education%22">Postsecondary Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Early+Childhood+Education%22">Early Childhood Education</searchLink> – Name: Subject Label: Descriptors Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teacher+Role%22">Teacher Role</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teacher+Educators%22">Teacher Educators</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Course+Descriptions%22">Course Descriptions</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Equal+Education%22">Equal Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Early+Childhood+Teachers%22">Early Childhood Teachers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Course+Content%22">Course Content</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Early+Childhood+Education%22">Early Childhood Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Racism%22">Racism</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Attitudes+toward+Disabilities%22">Attitudes toward Disabilities</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Infants%22">Infants</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mental+Health%22">Mental Health</searchLink> – Name: DOI Label: DOI Group: ID Data: 10.1002/imhj.22158 – Name: ISSN Label: ISSN Group: ISSN Data: 0163-9641<br />1097-0355 – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: This blended pilot-empirical and theoretical manuscript documents a reflective journey undertaken by a group of early childhood teacher educators located across different regions of the United States as they examined their course design, materials, and syllabi construction. Grounded in reflective practice, intersectionality, and critical pedagogy, their collaborative endeavor necessitated profound self-examination and recognition of oppressive structures inherent within the field and reproduced throughout course syllabi, thereby perpetuating societal inequities inside and outside the classroom context. Their iterative, evolving effort resembled a reflective consultation group, marked by continuous self-reflection, challenging assumptions, and transforming actions, vividly portrayed in their vignettes. A nonlinear spiral model emerged as a visual representation of the multiple entry points into an ongoing process--highlighting access points that encourage curiosity and interrogation of academic syllabi and course content. The inclusive nature of this inquiry invites faculty members and practitioners to confront racism, ableism, and other systems of domination, amplify marginalized scholarship, and redefine early childhood education-related fields, including the Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health landscape. It also underscores the imperative of sustained introspection and collaborative action in nurturing equity. – Name: AbstractInfo Label: Abstractor Group: Ab Data: As Provided – Name: DateEntry Label: Entry Date Group: Date Data: 2025 – Name: AN Label: Accession Number Group: ID Data: EJ1473042 |
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| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1002/imhj.22158 Languages: – Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 15 StartPage: 391 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Teacher Role Type: general – SubjectFull: Teacher Educators Type: general – SubjectFull: Course Descriptions Type: general – SubjectFull: Equal Education Type: general – SubjectFull: Early Childhood Teachers Type: general – SubjectFull: Course Content Type: general – SubjectFull: Early Childhood Education Type: general – SubjectFull: Racism Type: general – SubjectFull: Attitudes toward Disabilities Type: general – SubjectFull: Infants Type: general – SubjectFull: Mental Health Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Holding up the Mirror: The Role of Teacher Educators and Syllabi in Perpetuating or Disrupting Inequity Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Ruby Batz – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Melissa C. Walter – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Melissa M. Burnham – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Lisa B. Fiore IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 07 Type: published Y: 2025 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 0163-9641 – Type: issn-electronic Value: 1097-0355 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 46 – Type: issue Value: 4 Titles: – TitleFull: Infant Mental Health Journal: Infancy and Early Childhood Type: main |
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