Persona dolls and anti-bias curriculum practice with young children : a case study of early childhood development teachers
Anti-discrimination, one of the central principles of South Africa's Constitution and Bill of Rights, is central to the Early Childhood Development curriculum. The anti-bias, or anti-discrimination, approach challenges prejudice and oppression of all kinds and aims to develop self-esteem, respect for diversity, awareness of human rights, and a sense of fairness in all children. This study examines the use of the Persona Doll Approach as a component of anti-bias practice in order to learn more about the approach, and about how it is used to engage with the realities of bias in the ECD phase of education in the South African context of poverty, and past and present discrimination. The study was conducted under the auspices of Persona Doll Training, South Africa (2003 - ). Four hundred and twenty Early Childhood Development, foundation phase and preschool teachers from different socio economic, rural and urban contexts in the Western Cape Province of South Africa, participated in the study. All of the teachers received Persona Doll Approach training, which they then applied in their classrooms. The study adopted a qualitative approach that included teacher questionnaires, observations, interviews and trainer reports, to gain an understanding of how the teachers used the Approach and what anti-bias understandings were reflected in their practice. Vignettes based on observations were constructed to illustrate the application of the Approach. They provide a vivid picture of the classroom situation and atmosphere. Four Anti-bias Goals: Identity and self-esteem, empathy, unlearning negative attitudes, and problem-posing/ activist approach provided the conceptual framework for the study. The findings indicate that the PDA training and subsequent classroom implementation led, to a greater or lesser extent, to improved self-esteem, empathy and the ability to challenge and unlearn discrimination among both the teachers and the children. Thus, the Anti-bias Goals were achieved, at least in the short term. There were also other, unexpected, outcomes. These included proactive activist work by some teachers, positive behaviour changes in children, the emergence of children's voices, and greater appreciation of children's voices by teachers. The study also highlighted teacher's and children's prejudices, and lack of support for teachers as challenges. Based on the findings, recommendations are made for the development of the PDA, and related training and teacher support, and for further research. The study confirms the value of the PDA approach and provides the motivation for continuing, and expanding, Persona Doll Training - South Africa.
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