Making the Classroom Reflect the Community

Feb 7, 2024

Theressa Lenear was practicing anti-bias education long before it was widely known as an approach to early learning. As a young Black teacher in Alaska, she tapped into her intuition to guide her practices with young children. She created a classroom-wide deep respect for her students’ cultures. She shares her perspectives on how to support BIPOC children in underserved communities.

Guest: Theressa Lenear is an early childhood education instructor at Goddard College. She has worked with young children and their teachers for nearly 40 years. She is profiled in the book “Stories of Resistance: Learning from Black Women in Early Care and Education.”

Discussion Guide: Early Risers Season 5 Episode 3 Discussion Guide

Episode Resources:

Theressa Lenear’s  profile in the  book “Stories of Resistance: Learning from Black Women in Early Care and Education”

Theressa Lenear’s personal statement about her insights from her career in early childhood education

Theressa Lenear’s article in Exchange magazine about the conflict between two young students,  which she discusses  in the episode. (Paywall)