World, Do You Hear Me?: Reimagining Black Boys’ Voice in Early Childhood Education

Abstract

This study interrogates the metanarrative surrounding Black boys in early childhood education and aims to endorse their role of participant-voice research in charting future scholarly endeavors. To do so, researchers are urged to be at the forefront of taking on this more comprehensive approach to understanding children’s meaning-making and actions. Applying the theoretical frameworks of critical childhood studies and praxis, underpinned by consequential research in education as the methodology, a reflective academic approach was initiated. This intellectual exercise prompts a shift from the pervasive “at-risk” label towards recognizing Black Boys as “at-resourced” – capable and valuable contributors to educational and social environments. This study contributes to a reimagined educational narrative, whereby the foregrounding of Black boys’ voices in early childhood education is valued and normalized.