8.5 Self-Awareness: Recognizing Own Biases
Lilly Briars and Rashidat Oni-Orisan
What is Self-Awareness?
Self-awareness is a conscious understanding of one’s own behaviours, emotions, motives and desires that impacts oneself and others (Cherry, 2024). In ECL, it involves recognizing how your personal beliefs and biases shape your professional practice and relationships within the learning community (CECE, 2020).
Developing self-awareness allows educators to create safer, more inclusive environments where every child and family feels seen and respected. When educators model this awareness, it encourages reflective practice across the entire community of practice.
Recognizing Biases
Everyone has biases; they’re a part of being human. What matters is identifying and managing them so they don’t negatively affect how we support others
Types of Biases:
- Implicit Bias: Unconscious attitudes or stereotypes that influence our actions (Osta & Vasquez, 2018).
- Explicit Bias: Conscious attitudes or actions towards a group that we’re aware of (School of the Art Institute of Chicago, n.d.).
Biases often come from the assumptions we make about people or situations. These assumptions help us make sense of the world, but they can cause harm when based on stereotypes or negative beliefs. For example, biases can affect how we perceive children or families and impact their sense of belonging. Reflecting on your thinking is the first step to managing bias and creating more equitable learning environments.
Implicit biases come from culture… What we teach ourselves, what we choose to associate, is up to us.
– Dr. Mahzarin R. Banaji (Osta & Vasquez, 2018).
Putting Self-Awareness into Practice
- Reflect regularly: think critically about your practices, individually or with colleagues.
- Be intentional with language: choose words that include, rather than exclude.
- Build culturally responsive relationships: learn about and respect diverse histories, cultures, and experiences.
- Check your perceptions: notice how you talk about or interpret children, families, and coworkers.
- Observe your focus: reflect on who you praise, redirect, or overlook in your daily interactions (CECE, 2022).
Pause and Reflect!
- What am I reacting to, and why?
Identify the feeling or thought and consider its source (e.g., upbringing, past experiences, cultural influences). - Whose perspective might I be missing?
Reflect on how the situation might look through the lens of the child, family, or colleague involved. - What can I do differently next time?
Identify one concrete action or mindset shift that could lead to greater understanding and inclusion.
Tip: Try journaling your answers or discussing them with a trusted colleague. Over time, these reflections build stronger self-awareness and equitable practice.
Additional Resources
Spot illustrations by Undraw, Undraw License.
