Awareness to action: transformative learning within an anti-bias education focused community of practice.

This self-study traces the transformative learning journey of early childhood teacher educators engaged in an Anti-Bias Education (ABE) Community of Practice (CoP). Our CoP, which began in 2022, is made up of eight teacher educators with diverse identities teaching in varied higher education contexts. This paper draws on data collected over a three-year period, sources include five critical incident (CI) discussions, post-CI individual reflections, and focus group interviews. Employing qualitative methodology, the authors applied transformative learning theory to examine our ABE learning journey. We identified three significant transformations: educators transitioned from uncertainty to adaptive confidence, developed pedagogical humility, and established intentional strategies for inclusive teaching. These changes underscore the importance of collaborative inquiry and critical reflection in professional development, enabling educators to confront personal biases and enhance their teaching practices. The implications suggest that sustained and collective engagement in ABE practices fosters a deep commitment to equity in early childhood education while equipping teacher educators to better prepare justice-oriented teachers for an unknowable future.