Shared Worth

Moving Beyond Hierarchies: Fostering Equity and Shared Worth

One of the most powerful ways early childhood educators can resist systemic oppression is by reconsidering how classrooms distribute recognition, authority, and opportunity. Traditional practices—such as awarding grades, distributing gold stars, or celebrating only a few children with “student of the week” awards—can inadvertently reinforce a caste-like system of “winners” and “losers.” For young children, these practices shape early ideas of personal worth and social hierarchy. When consistently repeated, they normalize the belief that some individuals are inherently more valuable, capable, or deserving than others (Kohn, 1999). This mirrors broader systems of privilege and oppression in society.

Eliminating Grades and Individual Awards

Research shows that grading systems, even in early education, often emphasize comparison rather than growth, leading children to associate self-worth with external evaluation (Guskey, 2015). Likewise, individual awards—whether academic or behavioral—single out a small number of children while implicitly telling others that their contributions are less valuable. Alfie Kohn (1993) argues that such extrinsic motivators not only undermine intrinsic interest in learning but also perpetuate inequities, as children with more social or cultural capital are more likely to receive recognition. Eliminating grades in favor of narrative assessments and shared celebrations helps foster a more equitable climate where every child’s progress is acknowledged.

Creating Cooperative Activities

Cooperative learning strategies provide an alternative to hierarchical recognition. In these activities, children work in small groups toward shared goals, with success dependent on everyone’s participation. Research demonstrates that cooperative learning improves academic outcomes, nurtures empathy, and reduces prejudice between children from different social groups (Johnson & Johnson, 2009).

Sharing Power “With” Rather Than Exercising Power “Over”

Anti-bias education emphasizes building democratic classrooms where teachers share power with children instead of exerting control over them (Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2020). This involves practices such as involving children in setting classroom rules, giving them choices in learning activities, and validating their voices in decision-making. By sharing power, educators model equity and dismantle patterns of dominance, replacing them with collaboration and respect.

Hold Class Meetings

Class meetings not only support social-emotional learning but also build the foundation for equity by teaching children that their perspectives matter (Dreikurs & Grey, 1993; Nelsen et al., 2001, Nelsen et al., 2013). Here are the steps to establishing a successful, and positive, class meeting.

1. Be Consistent: Choose a regular time (e.g., once daily or weekly) so meetings become a predictable routine.
2. Set Clear Structure: Begin with a ritual (such as greeting each other), move into sharing/agenda items, then close with appreciation or reflection.
3. Co-create Guidelines: Work with children to establish norms for these meetings (listening respectfully, waiting for turns, valuing all voices).
4. Use an Agenda: Keep a running list of classroom issues, questions, or ideas generated by children.
5. Rotate Roles: As developmentally appropriate, invite children to serve as helpers, agenda keepers, or facilitators.
6. Problem-Solve Together: Focus on solutions that work for everyone rather than blame or punishment.

Redefining Competition: Personal Growth over Rivalry

Competition in early education often pits children against one another, reinforcing notions of superiority and inferiority. Instead, educators can foster self-competition—encouraging children to measure progress against their own previous performance rather than against peers. Research shows that goal-setting and self-assessment strengthen intrinsic motivation and build resilience without reproducing social hierarchies (Zimmerman, 2002). For example, rather than racing to see who finishes a puzzle first, children might be encouraged to reflect on how much faster they completed it compared to their last attempt.

By shifting away from hierarchical practices such as grades, awards, and competitive recognition, educators actively counteract systemic messages of inequality. They help children experience learning as a collective process in which everyone is valued, thereby nurturing a foundation of equity, empathy, and shared responsibility.

References

1. Derman-Sparks, L., & Edwards, J. O. (2020). Anti-bias education for young children and ourselves (2nd ed.). National Association for the Education of Young Children.
2. Dreikurs, R., & Grey, L. (1993). Logical consequences: A new approach to discipline. New York: Plume.
3. Guskey, T. R. (2015). On your mark: Challenging the conventions of grading and reporting. Solution Tree Press.
4. Johnson, D. W., & Johnson, R. T. (2009). An educational psychology success story: Social interdependence theory and cooperative learning. Educational Researcher, 38(5), 365–379. https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189X09339057
5. Kohn, A. (1993). Punished by rewards: The trouble with gold stars, incentive plans, A’s, praise, and other bribes. Houghton Mifflin.
6. Nelsen, J., Lott, L., & Glenn, H. S. (2013). Positive discipline in the classroom (4th ed.). New York: Harmony Books.
7. Nelsen, J., Erwin, C., & Duffy, R. (2001). Positive discipline A–Z: 1001 solutions to everyday parenting problems. New York: Three Rivers Press.
8. Zimmerman, B. J. (2002). Becoming a self-regulated learner: An overview. Theory into Practice, 41(2), 64–70. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15430421tip4102_2