Education & Children of Color

Cortne

I would love to hear tips from other parents on navigating finding the best opportunities/most balanced education for your little ones! My twins are not quite a year old, and I'm constantly overwhelmed trying to navigate the education systems for infants/toddlers. I would love to find a diverse space, which isn't always a priority for the top rated daycares, montessori, and private schools. How do you navigate? What is the priority? And how to we ensure that the care is what is advertised beyond the tour (re:covid protocols, general safety precautions, and staff)?

jenhayes570

Those are all great questions. Beyond safety and ensuring the "academic" or learning curriculum is on point, it is critically important for me to find a diverse daycare or school environment with other brown children, teachers and administrators. I've heard terrible stories about my friends of color sending their 2-3 year olds to the most prestigious daycares in the neighborhood and feeling like their children were being reprimanded differently or ignored altogether. Having diverse representation in the classroom is helpful to reaffirm peace of mind that your child will not only see himself or herself reflected in their everyday environment, but it also gives you comfort that diverse minds are coming together to cultivate a classroom environment that is truly inclusive and it's done with intention.

icesprincess

I focused on diversity in our personal lives and just focused on her daycare environment being one that taught her what I wanted her to learn and made me feel safe enough to leave her there. She's 9 now and has flourished.