Supporting Korean American Children in Early Childhood Education: Perspectives from Mother-Educators

Early childhood professionals can use this one-of-a-kind work to better serve Korean American and other Asian American children in the United States. Four transnational mother-educators share the lived experiences of Korean American children and their families through candid and vivid narratives that counter stereotypical and prejudicial beliefs about these communities. Topics include parenting beliefs and practices, naming practices, portrayals in children's picturebooks, translingual home practices, and responses to microaggressions. The text raises awareness about various dynamics within the Korean American community for a more nuanced discourse. The authors bring a wealth of hybrid positioning and experiences as former early childhood educators, first-generation Korean American immigrants, current teacher educators working with pre- and inservice teachers, and researchers in different states, as well as mothers of second-generation children.

Book Features:

• Shares original stories and experiences of Korean American children and families to dismantle prevalent narrow narratives.
• Offers practical implications and considerations for classroom teachers regarding family engagement, critical literacy, translanguaging, and social-emotional learning.
• Includes user-friendly features such as discussion questions, lesson ideas, and a list of appropriate picturebooks.

Sophia Han is an associate professor in the Department of Curriculum, Instruction, and Learning at the University of South Florida. Jinhee Kim is an associate professor in the Department of Elementary and Early Childhood Education at Kennesaw State University, Georgia. Sohyun Meacham is an associate professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Northern Iowa. Su-Jeong Wee is an assistant professor in the Department of Child and Family Studies at California State University, Los Angeles.