Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/language-liberation-in-early-childhood-settings/5027114/
There is not much difference between a 2-year-old and a 52-year-old. We all want security and a sense of belonging. We all want to be loved and valued for who we are. And although most of us are quick to say “my environment is one in which all children are loved and belong to,” how can we be so sure if we never stop and wonder, “What does love feel like from their point of view?” How do we know if they believe that the love we are showing them is real or fake? How do they use all five of their senses to know the difference between the two?
For Black and Brown children, it is and never will be enough to just hear the words “I love you” when we live “in a society that is struggling to do so” (Browne & Gilmore, 2021). In our learning environments, we must use our vision to confirm that we believe that our existence matters. We must use our ears to listen to how you care for and love our Black and Brownness. We must use our sense of touch to notice how gentle you are with our bodies. We must use our ...