Social identities are important to consider when educating an anti-bias classroom. Anyone can learn to become a competent teacher who makes it their mission to be anti-bias. What many people don't understand is that even if you think you are completely impartial, some of our patterns are learned from when you are very young. Louise Derman-Sparks and Julie Olsen Edwards, authors of Anti-Bias Education: For Ourselves and Young Children, are a great example of internal biases leading to unfair judgments. “For example, if you were raised to believe that being quick to act is a sign of responsibility and your family has always had a car, you may find it difficult to understand the experience of low-income families. income who regularly drop off their children late. due to unreliable buses (p. 21). It's little anecdotes like these that make you evaluate your purely impartial tendencies in relation to certain social identities. There are many social identities to consider. It's not just about race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, language and class. There are also categories such as health, education level and body type. With a surplus of social factors, it is easy to have hidden biases toward certain social identities. It is essential to first recognize how institutional forms of bias will covertly affect a child's educational experience. As you can imagine, overt bias, the term used to describe the explicit discrimination you see, is easier to spot and therefore easier to avoid. But hidden/indirect biases are much easier to slip through the cracks of lessons and teaching materials. For example, having a selection of children's books that highlight only the white, thin, heterosexual family structure is an illustration of one way...... middle of paper ...... p. 30) Ultimately, From the Beginning As childhood educators, we want to fight against the constant layers of oppression that our generation currently encourages and tolerates in what America is made to be. By identifying our personal biases, understanding our many social identities, examining institutional advantages and disadvantages, understanding internalized privilege and oppression, and finally learning how to take action, we can change the way children identify socially and create a healthy environment where we are all equal. . By respecting and coaching healthy lifestyles, our children can only grow up to help future generations and facilitate a growing America with positive results. Derman-Sparks, L. and Edwards, J. (2010). Anti-bias education for young children and ourselves (pp. 20-25). Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children