Examines systemic issues contributing to inequities in early childhood, with ways faculty, teachers, administrators, and policymakers can work to disrupt them.

Throughout its history, America has been confronted with two alternative views of its identity. Is it, according to one argument, a deeply Christian nation called to purity and uniformity in the face of a challenging world? Or is it, according to the other argument, a beacon of hope and openness, a land in which a variety of people can work side by side in justice and for a common good? In this timely and needed book, the authors challenge readers--especially readers in Christian communities--to step up to the promise of an America that works for the good of everyone who calls this nation home. Certainly, part of that challenge is recognizing where America has failed, and the authors do not step back from that challenge. But a tone of hope prevails throughout as a gracious and compelling case is made that America's better angels exist and can motivate us to create a more just society

Explore a variety of approaches congregations have taken to embrace differences; identify leadership issues diversity creates in congregations; and discover programmatic suggestions drawn from the experience of multicultural congregations to address these issues. This book helps readers to understand their own experience with racial and cultural differences and is a guide for gathering diverse people into the life and mission of the congregation.

"We would never give Picasso a paintbrush and only one color of paint, and expect a masterpiece," writes Randy Woodley. "We would not give Beethoven a single piano key and say, 'Play us a concerto.' Yet we limit our Creator in just these ways." Though our Christian experience is often blandly monochromatic, God intends for us to live in dynamic, multihued communities that embody his vibrant creativity. Randy Woodley, a Keetowah Cherokee, casts a biblical, multiethnic vision for people of every nation, tribe and tongue. He carefully unpacks how Christians should think about racial and cultural identity, demonstrating that ethnically diverse communities have always been God's intent for his people. Woodley gives practical insights for how we can relate to one another with sensitivity, contextualize the gospel, combat the subtleties of racism, and honor one another's unique contributions to church and society. Along the way, he reckons with difficult challenges from our racially painful history and offers hope for healing and restoration. With profound wisdom from his own Native American heritage and experience, Woodley's voice adds a distinctive perspective to contemporary discussions of racial reconciliation and multiethnicity. Here is a biblical vision for unity in diversity.

This important book reconsiders the ways in which families are currently represented and addressed in school curriculum and culture. It addresses such issues as the educational needs of gay and lesbian families, the representation of adoption in children’s literature, and the experiences of homeless students and their families. Includes questions for reflection and discussion at the end of each chapter. “Other Kinds of Families will help teachers to avoid making mistakes in their work with many different types of family diversity, and will provide the knowledge and ideas important to working with all families.” —Carl A. Grant, University of Wisconsin–Madison “Teachers, researchers, and policymakers will find thought–provoking ideas, engaging stories, and practical strategies for including those who have typically been excluded from the conversation. —Sonia Nieto, Professor Emerita, University of Massachusetts, Amherst “Other Kinds of Families will enlarge your sense of humanity, encourage you to rethink the meaning and importance of our most intimate relationships, and change forever the way you see families—everyone else's and your own.” —William Ayers, University of Illinois at Chicago

"Written by experienced English Language Arts educators, this book is about the craft of teaching, with a particular focus on embracing human diversity through classic, contemporary, and unconventional texts, to develop students as critical thinkers. Narrating their own experiences in schools, the authors provide insights through reflecting upon aspects of everyday pedagogy. Featuring a rich array of texts designed to be both familiar and unfamiliar to the reader, the authors explore complex issues raised by a diverse body of writers while simultaneously sharing methods that engage students to think critically"--