The Reimagining Our Work (ROW) Initiative is a community and a movement to uplift social justice in early care and education, and work proactively to bring educators together in support, strength and solidarity to deepen their practice and learn from one another in authentic community.
The ROW Initiative seeks to build a community of thinkers anchored in relationships that allow for substantive, open-hearted, intellectually rigorous dialogue and reimagining. We explore the values and commitments at the heart of our founding ROW Charter. These principles guide us as we work towards transformation. We commit to move beyond a “fix-it” mentality, and to act boldly to reimagine our work.
- Principle 1: Embrace our humanity
- Principle 2: Invite diverse voices and ways of thinking
- Principle 3: Center our work on social justice
- Principle 4: Believe in educators
An anchoring inspirational text for this work is the book From Teaching to Thinking: A Pedagogy for Reimagining Our Work, by Ann Pelo and Margie Carter, to uncover longings and to call forward new possibilities for how we do our work in early learning. Together we ask these questions and live into the answers:
- What convictions drive your work? What story are you making of your life?
- For what do you want to be known? What kind of world do you want to live in?
Committing ourselves to deeper discussion of these questions will uncover what needs to change. We will learn how to mobilize courage, how to innovate, and shape action plans. We can bring our full selves to educational settings shaping a culture of excitement about learning where children, families and educators become critical thinkers. Together we can construct understandings of what must be created and what must be dismantled in order to repair harm, heal, and form ourselves into the beloved communities that lead to an equitable world.
We invite you to join us for online conversations where we gather as a community of colleagues and friends. Recent topics include: intentional communities of practice, building beloved community, facilitating through the lens of critical race theory, the art of reflection, and many more.
Become a FREE Exchange Press member today to access recordings of previous ROW conversations, articles, and participate in future ROW conversations.
Questions? Contact us at [email protected]
A Charter for Reimaginging Our Work
The ROW Initiative seeks to build a community of thinkers anchored in relationships that allow for substantive, open-hearted, intellectually rigorous dialogue and reimagining. We explore the values and commitments at the heart of our founding ROW Charter. These principles guide us as we work towards transformation, not remediation or repair. We commit to move beyond a “fix-it” mentality, and to act boldly to reimagine our work. ¡El momento ha llegado!
- Principle 1: Embrace our humanity
- Principle 2: Invite diverse voices and ways of thinking
- Principle 3: Center our work on social justice
- Principle 4: Believe in educators
A Charter for Reimagining Our Work (English PDF)
Una Carta Para Reinventar Nuestro Trabajo (Spanish PDF)
Convening Members
The Conveners of the Reimagining Our Work (ROW) Initiative
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Pedagogical Guide, Author (WA) |
Center Director, Bilingual ECE Program, Instructor, Author (WA) |
Consultant, Author (WA) |
College Professor (GA) |
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Head Start/Early Head Start Education Manager (IL) |
Director of ECE Programs (MI) |
Leadership Instructor; Coordinator, Exchange Leadership Initiative (WI) |
Campus Child Care (NY) |