A Fireside Chat With Britt Hawthorne

In the fall of 2022, The Washington Market School launched a multi-year professional learning experience with Britt Hawthorne, an anti-bias anti racist (ABAR) educator, and New York Times Bestselling author. Our work with Britt is centered around her 4-part ABAR framework which includes:

1. Self Love

2. Embrace People

3. Identify Unfairness 

4. Act Justly

One of the privileges of working with Britt, is that we are able to share our ABAR learning with the entire WMS community. Last week, we were grateful to host Britt in person for a fireside chat called “Talking to Kids About Tricky Topics,” where we discussed how to raise a generation of anti-bias, anti racist children Britt shared tips on how parent and parent figures can encourage children to identify unfairness. Actions as simple as going to a different grocery store or playground in a new neighborhood can make an impact. Saying things you notice such as “I notice how the prices are different in this store,” or “I see the lines in the parking lot are very faded here” will enhance our children’s awareness in an authentic and developmentally appropriate way. As children develop their sense of self, learning the value of standing for equity for all people will translate into self-confidence, self-love, and a commitment to acting justly. 

As early childhood educators, it is our collective responsibility to empower our young learners to identify and understand unfairness as they navigate through their educational and personal journeys. Our Montessori and Reggio-Emilia inspired school thoughtfully embodies our ABAR framework. With a deep respect for all children, we foster an environment of collaboration, ensuring that each of our children feel seen and heard. We firmly believe that our ongoing work to build and strengthen the muscle for our ABAR practices as a community will have a direct and long lasting impact on our children and how they engage with the world around them.