Presentations
Let’s Learn Together: Creating Infrastructure to Support Safe and Meaningful Programming - Lead the Way Conference, Madison, WI April, 2025
When an LGBTQIA+ author visit was challenged at Wilmette Public Library, community members activated in support of the library and its dedication to serving all patrons. The community’s timely response was a result of strong partnerships and engagement with organizations that share the library’s equitable values. How can you turn your library’s DEI goals into safe and meaningful programs that address complex topics and social issues? This workshop will help you identify key community partners, create a safety plan, and move forward with responsive programming.
Gender in the Early Childhood Classroom 2024
As part of the Let’s Learn Together initiative, I offer professional development workshops for teachers in which I present literature and resources that support a welcoming and inclusive classroom and curriculum. The workshop Gender in the Early Childhood Classroom is a presentation designed for preschool teachers in which I booktalk materials included in a gender literacy preschool kit, which is available for checkout for school accounts. These books challenge gender stereotypes, introduce expansive pronouns, affirm identity, support self expression, and encourage empathy.
Using Picture Books to Talk to Kids about Race: a Let’s Learn Together Parent-Educator Program
Books can be gateways to meaningful conversation and opportunities to build empathy and expand vocabulary around challenging topics. In this interactive workshop, I demonstrated how picture books can be paired with prompts and activities to begin a practice of open and direct conversation about why race matters in our society.
This program was part of a monthly series that featured many complex topics, all inspired by readers' advisory questions we address in the youth services department.
Racial Literacy in the Preschool Classroom Workshop 2023
This workshop is designed for early childhood educators and is based on the social justice standards of identity, diversity, justice, and action. I demonstrate how picture books can be paired with prompts and activities to foster an anti-bias classroom and curriculum. The workshop also introduces our library’s racial literacy preschool kits, which include books, felt activities, printables, and music to support an inclusive classroom and help children explore the properties and qualities of racial differences and build on their natural sense of fairness and justice. Kits are available for check out on school accounts.
Racial Literacy Webinars
We Belong Here: Racial Literacy in the Early Childhood Classroom, October 2023 Alliance for Early Childhood
In this interactive workshop, led by early childhood educator Crystal Elliott-O’Connor and children’s librarian Sarah Jo Zaharako, you will learn how to pair level-appropriate picture books with key language, prompts and activities that will give children agency in exploring the properties and qualities of racial differences and build on their natural sense of fairness and justice.
Using Picture Books to Talk About Race with Sarah Jo Zaharako, November 2023 Alliance for Early Childhood
Books can be gateways to meaningful conversation and opportunities to build empathy and expand vocabulary around challenging topics. In this interactive workshop, children’s librarians will demonstrate how picture books can be paired with prompts and activities to begin a practice of open and direct conversation about why race matters in our society. By developing a strong sense of self and group identity, and building on young children's natural sense of fairness, we can help children develop accurate and open-minded beliefs and critical thinking skills
When an LGBTQIA+ author visit was challenged at Wilmette Public Library, community members activated in support of the library and its dedication to serving all patrons. The community’s timely response was a result of strong partnerships and engagement with organizations that share the library’s equitable values. How can you turn your library’s DEI goals into safe and meaningful programs that address complex topics and social issues? This workshop will help you identify key community partners, create a safety plan, and move forward with responsive programming.
Gender in the Early Childhood Classroom 2024
As part of the Let’s Learn Together initiative, I offer professional development workshops for teachers in which I present literature and resources that support a welcoming and inclusive classroom and curriculum. The workshop Gender in the Early Childhood Classroom is a presentation designed for preschool teachers in which I booktalk materials included in a gender literacy preschool kit, which is available for checkout for school accounts. These books challenge gender stereotypes, introduce expansive pronouns, affirm identity, support self expression, and encourage empathy.
Using Picture Books to Talk to Kids about Race: a Let’s Learn Together Parent-Educator Program
Books can be gateways to meaningful conversation and opportunities to build empathy and expand vocabulary around challenging topics. In this interactive workshop, I demonstrated how picture books can be paired with prompts and activities to begin a practice of open and direct conversation about why race matters in our society.
This program was part of a monthly series that featured many complex topics, all inspired by readers' advisory questions we address in the youth services department.
Racial Literacy in the Preschool Classroom Workshop 2023
This workshop is designed for early childhood educators and is based on the social justice standards of identity, diversity, justice, and action. I demonstrate how picture books can be paired with prompts and activities to foster an anti-bias classroom and curriculum. The workshop also introduces our library’s racial literacy preschool kits, which include books, felt activities, printables, and music to support an inclusive classroom and help children explore the properties and qualities of racial differences and build on their natural sense of fairness and justice. Kits are available for check out on school accounts.
Racial Literacy Webinars
We Belong Here: Racial Literacy in the Early Childhood Classroom, October 2023 Alliance for Early Childhood
In this interactive workshop, led by early childhood educator Crystal Elliott-O’Connor and children’s librarian Sarah Jo Zaharako, you will learn how to pair level-appropriate picture books with key language, prompts and activities that will give children agency in exploring the properties and qualities of racial differences and build on their natural sense of fairness and justice.
Using Picture Books to Talk About Race with Sarah Jo Zaharako, November 2023 Alliance for Early Childhood
Books can be gateways to meaningful conversation and opportunities to build empathy and expand vocabulary around challenging topics. In this interactive workshop, children’s librarians will demonstrate how picture books can be paired with prompts and activities to begin a practice of open and direct conversation about why race matters in our society. By developing a strong sense of self and group identity, and building on young children's natural sense of fairness, we can help children develop accurate and open-minded beliefs and critical thinking skills
