Shaping fair classrooms: digital clinical simulations as a path to equitable classroom management

Culturally responsive and sustaining classroom management (CRCM) remains one of the most challenging skills for early childhood preservice educators to master. This study addresses this challenge by investigating how digital simulations can enhance early childhood care and education (ECCE) teacher candidates’ (TCs) understanding of the importance of, and perceived ability to, manage classrooms effectively and equitably. Guided by the principles of the New York State Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Education Framework (CR-S;), we analyzed TCs’ (n = 68) class discussions, simulation responses, and written reflections collected from Fall 2023 to Spring 2025. TCs reported that the digital simulations enhanced their confidence in navigating complex behavioral and situational classroom management challenges in diverse settings. Simulations allowed TCs to recognize their biases, rethink discipline practices, and experiment with culturally responsive and sustaining strategies. Algorithmic thinking emerged as a valuable tool for supporting decision-making, demonstrating the importance of intentional, step-by-step approaches to CRCM. These findings highlight the potential of digital simulations as an effective and low-stakes component of clinical preparation for ECCE educators in urban settings.