Jillayne T. Flanders in Person

Join us on Tuesday, May 28 at 4 PM as Jillayne Flanders talks about Little Learners, Big Hearts: A Teacher's Guide to Nurturing Empathy and Equity in Early Childhood, which she co-authored with Christine Mason, Randy Ross, and Orinthia Harris. She will be joined by Sarah Frenette, chair of the Education Division at Mount Holyoke College.

Discover the transformative power of early conversations on racial equity and cultural awareness with Little Learners, Big Hearts. This heartwarming teacher's guide fosters empathy and equity in young minds. Grounded in heart-centered learning, it seamlessly weaves principles of hope, self-education, acknowledgment, resolution, and responsive teaching to create an empowering antiracist foundation. Start shaping compassionate futures today.

Preschool and K-3 teachers and childcare providers will:

• Promote empathy for and understanding of backgrounds, cultures, and identities that are different from what students may be used to
• Use mindfulness and reflection to move past discomfort and engage in challenging conversations
• Engage in an ongoing process of acknowledging and confronting biases
• Shape young children's learning in a way that allows them to draw their own conclusions
• Be kind, caring, and meaningful forces in the lives of all students and their families

About Jillayne Flanders

Jill Flanders is still learning, and teaching. With eclectic interests in music, art, environmental education, drama, and child development, Jill found teaching to be the place where they all combined. After graduating from the University of Massachusetts/Amherst, Jill taught second, third and fourth graders in Western Massachusetts for 10 years, earned her M.Ed. and Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study in Education Administration and served as an Elementary Principal in Hadley and South Hadley MA for a total of 27 years. Jill is currently the Executive Director of the Center for Educational Improvement, a non-profit organization focused on supporting mindful and compassionate schools with heart centered, trauma informed practices She continues to consult to the MA Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and the MA Department of Early Education and Care.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Odyssey Bookshop, 9 College Street, South Hadley, United States