The Difference Between Good Intentions and Impact

Anisha Grossett • July 29, 2026


As Early Childhood Educators, we enter our classrooms with hearts full of good intentions. We want every child to feel safe, valued, respected, and included.


And that matters.


Good intentions are often what bring us to this profession.


But in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) work, there is an important truth we must embrace: Good intentions do not always lead to positive impact.


This does not mean our intentions don't matter. They absolutely do!


The research on implicit bias reminds us that even well-intentioned educators can unknowingly make decisions influenced by unconscious assumptions rather than their conscious values. In other words, we can genuinely care about children and families while still unintentionally causing harm (Safir, 2016; Staats, 2015).


The goal isn't perfection.


The goal is critical reflection.


To truly support the children, families, and communities in our care, we must move beyond simply meaning well and intentionally pair our good intentions with reflection, awareness, presence, and action.


Understanding Unintentional Harm


Most moments of unintentional harm are not rooted in malice. They are often rooted in habit, assumptions, tradition, or simply not knowing what we don't know.


Unintentional harm can show up in many ways. Below are three examples educators may encounter in their everyday practice. The definitions are informed by the Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion's (CCDI) Glossary of DEIA Terms, an excellent resource for anyone looking to deepen their understanding of inclusive language and practice.


Why Impact Matters More Than Intent


Children don't experience our intentions. They experience the aftermath of our actions.


Every interaction, display, learning invitation, book selection, and family conversation communicates messages about belonging.


Children and families are constantly asking themselves:

  • Do I belong here?
  • Am I represented?
  • Is my language welcome?
  • Am I am valued?


Anti-bias education reminds us that belonging isn't created through occasional multicultural activities. It is woven into our relationships, our environments, and the everyday decisions we make (Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2019).


Whether we realize it or not, our practice shows children who matters and who truly belongs.


Moving Beyond Intent


So, what does this look like in practice? It begins with four simple, yet powerful commitments.


Awareness is recognizing that we all carry unconscious biases shaped by our experiences and intentionally learning about the diverse realities of the children and families we serve.


Reflection is moving beyond defensiveness and asking ourselves What impact did my words or actions have? What assumptions may have influenced my response? What can I do differently next time?


Anti-bias education isn't something we master after attending one workshop or reading one book. It is an ongoing journey of learning, reflection, dialogue, and growth (Derman-Sparks et al., 2015).


Presence is slowing down enough to truly see, listen to, and respond to children and families with curiosity rather than assumption.


Action is where good intentions turn to meaningful impact. It means intentionally applying what we've learned to create environments where every child and family can belong.


When We Get It Wrong


The truth is, we will all get it wrong sometimes.


What matters most is how we respond.


Rather than becoming defensive or explaining our intentions, we can pause, listen, reflect, and repair. Inclusive practice isn't about getting everything right. It's about being willing to learn and ensure that our impact increasingly reflects the care and respect we hope to show every child and family.


Our Impact on the Future


Good intentions are where the journey begins. 


Now pair it with reflection, awareness, presence and action and this is how we intentionally create learning environments where every child and family can experience genuine belonging.


The work of an educator is incredibly powerful. Every interaction shapes not only children's learning, but also their sense of identity, belonging, and humanity.


May this article serve not as a reminder of what you're doing wrong, but as a compassionate invitation to continue becoming the thoughtful, reflective educator our children, families, and communities deserve.


Reflection Questions

  • What kind of educator do I want to be, and what are the small ways I can intentionally embody that educator in practice every day?
  • Where in my practice am I relying on good intentions instead of intentional reflection?


Resources

  • Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion's (CCDI) Glossary of DEIA Terms https://ccdi.ca/en/resources-reports 
  • College of ECE Practice Guideline: Diversity and Culture https://www.college-ece.ca/en/Documents/Practice_Guideline_Diversity_Culture.pdf
  • Understanding Anti-Bias Education: Bringing the Four Core Goals to Every Facet of Your Curriculum https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/yc/nov2019/understanding-anti-bias 


References

  • Derman-Sparks, L., & Edwards, J. O. (2019). Understanding anti-bias education: Bringing the four core goals to every facet of your curriculum. National Association for the Education of Young Children.
  • Derman-Sparks, L., LeeKeenan, D., & Nimmo, J. (2015). Building anti-bias early childhood programs: The role of the leader. National Association for the Education of Young Children.
  • Safir, S. (2016, March 14). 5 keys to challenging implicit bias. Edutopia.
  • Staats, C. (2015). Understanding implicit bias: What educators should know. American Educator, 39(4), 29–33.

July in ECE: Reset, Reflect & Reignite Your Passion

By Anisha Grossett • June 22, 2026
Why Summer Is the Perfect Time for Early Childhood Educators to Reconnect With Themselves July often brings a shift in energy within the world of early childhood education. For some educators, it means summer programming, outdoor adventures, and changing routines. For others, it brings a slower season, time off, planning for September, or moments to finally pause after months of pouring into others. But no matter what July looks like for you, one thing remains true: ECE professionals deserve time to reset too. In a field centered around nurturing children, supporting families, and leading learning experiences, educators can easily forget to nurture themselves in the process. July is the perfect opportunity to slow down, reflect, and reconnect with the passion that brought you into this field in the first place.

Risky Play the Right Way

By Anisha Grossett • May 29, 2026
Move over trips and falls and organized sports, we have a new injury inducer in town for our children and it’s starting to raise some heated debates. When we look at what’s happening with the injuries we see with children today, it’s not the same from when I was a child. I was falling out of trees, cuts and scrapes on knees and elbows from going too fast around a corner or down a hill on my bike. I was learning physics in the hands-on experiential way, so that when I was a 16 year old driving my dad’s pickup truck, I was already familiar with sliding tires and changing road conditions. I took the lessons I learned going over the handlebars and the feelings of losing control and used them to become more aware and resilient during stressful situations as I grew older into adulthood. I recently read an article online talking about emergency room injuries with children in British Columbia and the number one culprit on the list comes from E-scooter accidents. I definitely have my opinions on these scooters, but we’re not gonna dive into that one today. I want to tell you how easily these injuries can be prevented with a little bit of background education, situational awareness, and some foundational motor development. A lot of these children likely missed the opportunity of learning how to ride a bike properly, they don’t have the vestibular development and appropriate proprioceptive skills to get their balance and their coordination correctly on a scooter. If they never learned the mechanics of how to ride a bike, then how do they know that when they go around that sharp turn and hit a little bit of loose gravel that the back end might slide out a little bit. These foundational fine and gross motor skills are imperative for children to use these conveyances safely, not to mention the spatial awareness needed to navigate the world around them while travelling at high speeds. Parents often send their children out on these scooters without helmets, further exacerbating the risk level. Scooters pose a much higher risk than a traditional bike because you don't need to invest the same amount of time learning to “ride” it. The physics and mechanical lessons I learned as a child are often missed in this day and age and it’s showing up in our emergency rooms across the country.