Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/committing-ourselves-to-diversity-in-enrollment/5024363/
Seven years ago, I had the exciting opportunity to start a new center built around play-based learning, inspiration from Reggio Emilia and a commitment to anti-bias practices. Our location was in a well-to-do neighborhood, so right away we knew that economic diversity in our enrollment might be limited. Still, we were committed to developing a program that embraced and welcomed diversity and set ourselves on a journey. I am the director, a white woman, committed to undoing racism in my work as well as in my personal life. I lead from a place of values, relationship, and an awareness of my white privilege and ability to create or limit access to our program through enrollment.
When we opened in 2011, we started with identifying our core values and kept them in front of us as we grew our program. Here is how we described them:
Learning Through Play
We believe that children have the right to learn within a context of exploration and play. We do everything we can to protect what we see as the essential elements of childhood—long stretches of uninterrupted time, open-ended materials, real and meaningful work, and plenty of time in the natural world—all explored through play. These elements create ...