WHAT DO YOU SEE, WHEN YOU LOOK AT ME

This thought-provoking workshop invites early childhood professionals to engage in meaningful dialogue and critical reflection through the lens of powerful visual imagery about the concerns of the early childhood field. Participants will examine a series of carefully selected photographs of young children that serve as conversation starters around key issues shaping the early childhood landscape today—including educational inequities, disproportionate preschool expulsion and suspension rates, and disparities in access to quality early learning experiences.

Through these visual prompts, participants will confront and explore how implicit biases, educator interactions, and systemic inequities can influence a child’s developmental path and long-term outcomes. The workshop provides a safe, structured space for early educators to reflect on their own practices and assumptions—and understand the profound responsibility they hold in shaping equitable learning environments.

A central strategy used in the session is the Artful Thinking Routine: “See, Think, Wonder”, which fosters thoughtful observation, interpretation, and inquiry. This reflective tool encourages deeper engagement, helping educators move beyond surface-level impressions to uncover underlying issues, ask critical questions, and reimagine what high-quality education truly means for every child.

Key takeaways from the workshop include:

• A heightened awareness of how educator mindset and bias can impact children’s experiences and opportunities.
   
• Practical strategies to create more inclusive, equitable classrooms that affirm and support all learners.
   
• Opportunities to connect visual thinking strategies with early childhood pedagogy.
   
• Tools to lead courageous conversations within your school or center about fairness, belonging, and educator accountability.
   

This workshop is more than professional development—it’s a call to action for every early childhood professional committed to making a lasting, equitable difference in the lives of young children.