Rights & Needs of Young Children
Defending the Early Years
DEY’s Primary Goals
- To advocate at the grassroots, local, state, regional, and federal levels for education policies based on child development theory and research.
- To mobilize the early childhood community to speak up for age-appropriate standards, assessments, and classroom practices that are based on research.
- To promote appropriate practices in early childhood classrooms and to support educators in counteracting policies and practices that undermine whole child health and optimal learning.
DEY’s Mission
approaches to learning informed by child development theory and evidence-based research.
What’s New at DEY?
The Reflective Practitioner Series is a subscription-based Professional Learning Community where we explore how reflective practices can improve our ability to advocate for just, equitable early childhood education for all young children and their families. For $25 a month, you will receive access to the resources included in each series and invitations to join a monthly Zoom discussion. Scholarships available!
Our first exploration in the series is the Childhood Protector’s Hub. Early childhood practitioner Kisa Marx invites you to join her on a three-month journey to deepen your reflective practices.
Back by popular demand, our fall book study will cover Illuminating Care: The Pedagogy and Practice of Care in Early Childhood Communities. DEY National Advisor and author of Illuminating Care, Carol Garboden Murray, and DEY Executive Director, Denisha Jones, and will co-facilitate this class-style professional development series! Watch this introductory video from author Carol Murray, secure your seat, and register today! Book study begins October 9th!
Check out our latest DEY Dialogue: Who’s Afraid of Social Justice in ECEC? Denisha Jones and early childhood educators and authors Jacky Howell, Makai Kellogg, Magy Youssef, and Sabina Zeffler unpack the obstacles to embracing social justice in the early childhood education and care community.
Moderated by DEY Executive Director Denisha Jones, these dialogues aim to inspire and reaffirm our dedication to protecting and nurturing childhood. Join us in this important mission of defending childhood and advocating for the well-being of society’s youngest members.
Check out our previous dialogues on quality in ECEC, resisting book bans, and concerns about the Science of Reading here.
DEY National Advisor Peter Rawitsch shares his love of the book I Am Jazz, the true story of Jazz Jennings, who knew at age two that she was transgender. Peter reminds us that reading I Am Jazz will not make anyone transgender, but it will help someone who feels different know that being different is okay.
DEY continues to resist the attempts to censor children’s literature that explores race, gender, sexual orientation, and the truth about our country’s history. Each month, we will feature a banned early childhood book that we encourage you to read to the children in your life.
Are you interested in sharing a banned book? Email denishajones@dey.org.
DAY 1 TODAY’S QUALITY LANDSCAPE
DAY 2 ADVANCING QUALITY: POLICY AND PRACTICE
DAY 3 RESEARCH INTO PRACTICE
THREATS TO QUALITY: CENTERING EQUITY IN ECEC
We are excited to announce the formation of six DEY Regional Childhood Defender Working Groups.
We recruited early childhood advocates to join local groups that can work together to advance our mission and our campaign on restoring the link between high quality and child development.
DEY Regional Childhood Defender Working Groups allow our community of early childhood educators, advocates, and parents to ensure that the people working in and affected by early childhood policy and practice are the voice of what policy and practice changes need to be enacted.
Together we will document how grassroots groups of early childhood advocates can produce the change we need to protect childhood.
Check out the groups below and follow DEY for updates on their work!
No regional group in your area? Stay tuned as we hope to launch new groups in the future!
In Defense of Early Childhood Education and Care
Restoring the Link Between High Quality and Child Development
In Defense of Early Childhood Education and Care
Restoring the Link Between High Quality and Child Development
Last year, we launched our first advocacy campaign: In Defense of Early Childhood Education and Care: Resorting the Link Between High Quality and Child Development. This campaign aims to reaffirm our commitment as early childhood educators to the principles of child development and resist mandates and policies not based on child development.
We invite you to check out the references for our statement and send us any that you think should be included. If you cannot join us in Nashville, please look for a reflection in the November newsletter. And please share our statement with your networks. Our goal for year 2 is to have 500 endorsers!
Click here to read and endorse our sign on statement.
The bills signed by Governor Whitmer would impact teachers’ unions, pay in Michigan’s largest school district, and could help lure…
Through the Banned Book Preschool Storytime, our goal was to highlight the importance of diversity, equity and inclusion in children’s literature, while supporting and welcoming all families in our community.
From Suzanne Axelsson Teacher tips for autonomous play Ask questions and reflect on what is already happening Dig deep into…
DEY seeks to rally parents and educators to take action on policies affecting the education of young children, by encouraging them to speak out with well-reasoned arguments against inappropriate standards, assessments, and classroom practices.
DEY provides mini-grants of between $200 and $500 to individuals and organizations to help foster work in communities across the country. DEY’s first mini-grant, awarded in 2014, resulted in a rally for play that took place in Minneapolis.
DEY
Are you concerned about the direction that education policy is going? We are, too!
Help DEY continue its important work advocating for appropriate education for young children. Please Consider Making a Donation.
Stay informed about what’s happening at Defending the Early Years.