Embracing Tensions: Encounters with Tough Topics in ECE Settings

In educational settings we often encounter tough topics, topics such as death, divorce, global warming, racism, sexism, colonial histories, disability awareness, and LGBTQ2S+ topics. How do we respond when tensions around tough topics arise? This workshop addresses why it’s important to critically engage with children, how to have conversations with families, and ways to engage with tough topics. We will look at what it means to embrace the tensions in our educational settings and what can grow from engaging with said tensions. The goal of this workshop is that educators will leave feeling more confident in their abilities to engage with tensions and tough topics within their settings.