Introduction
As we prepared to load the wagon with our group of fifteen preschoolers and three female teachers, a child looked around and exclaimed, “Who is going to drive the tractor?” A teacher responded, “I am!” spurring a handful of children to grow wide-eyed and open-mouthed in surprise. Their reactions caused us to wonder about the stereotypes at play and how they might be formed within children ranging in age from three to five years old. As teachers, we wondered: What is our role and responsibility as teachers and leaders in addressing issues of social justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion in an early childhood “classroom?” How do we engage our families, communities, and other stakeholders in order to generate broader-reaching, positive impacts? How can the stories we tell create change?
“Our role as storytellers and world creators precedes our roles as imparters of knowledge and cultural heritage.” - David Sobel (2008), Childhood and Nature: Design Principles for Educators, p. 25