# data[].attributes.headline
Help students accept discomfort and uncertainty.

# data[].attributes.subject
Help students accept discomfort and uncertainty.

# data[].attributes.body
When discussing race in a classroom, this strategy will ensure a safe learning environment for students.  I chose this article because it states two very important things to remind your students: 1). things we learn can be uncomfortable and difficult, but when you work through it, it can leave a long-lasting effect in your learning and knowledge of the material; and 2) when topics are complicated or involve a conflict, they way you handle them can result in a higher understanding of the material. This entire article is full of great strategies for teaching about subjects involving race.

This article will be extremely effective for middle-school and high school age students; grades 5-12.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Race and racism are important topics to bring into your classroom. Because race is part of our public conversation and integrated into so many aspects of our world, young people want to and should be part of that conversation, no matter their race. White students in predominantly white classrooms should be discussing race for those reasons and because they are members of a multicultural society and world. Sometimes teachers feel reluctant to raise the topic of race especially if they are teaching in an all or predominantly white community. Teachers may be concerned that students bring their own assumptions and stereotypes, will hold back for fear of saying the "wrong" thing or bias will emerge and will be hard to facilitate and contain. Also, teachers may fear pushback from administrators and parents who feel they shouldn't talk about it at all.

Below are tips and strategies to consider when teaching predominantly white students about race and racism.

1. Set up group guidelines.

Students, and in particular white students, sometimes don't participate in discussions about race because they feel inadequate, worry they'll be mocked, are embarrassed by their lack of knowledge or concerned that strong feelings will arise. Many may think the topic isn't relevant to them. When engaging in any conversations about tough topics, it is critical to set up group guidelines or agreements to promote a classroom environment that is safe and respectful. Do this collaboratively with students and make sure that the following areas are discussed: listening and interrupting, how to deal with strong emotions, establishing trust, confidentiality, sharing "air time" and dealing with differences or disagreements. Further, from the beginning establish an environment that allows for mistakes. Because we are products of a biased society, students may not be cognizant that everyone has biases and holds stereotypes. This should be explained to them explicitly. Assume good will and convey to students that they should do the same. Find ways to inspire students to challenge themselves and their assumptions by asking open-ended questions.

2. Help students accept discomfort and uncertainty.

A safe learning environment doesn't mean you and your students will or should be comfortable with every discussion. Be prepared for these conversations to potentially be messy and complicated. They may not end as you expect they will. You can remind yourself of this and share that understanding with your students so you manage everyone's expectations. It is helpful to remember and share with students that often deep learning, the kind that is lasting and long-term, comes when things are uncomfortable or "sticky" and you are able to work through those things. That's the "aha" or epiphany moment. It may also be helpful to explain to students that often when things are complicated or when there is a conflict, if things are handled well, there can be a higher understanding or improved relationships on the other side.

3. Clarify that the goal is not to be "colorblind."

The goal of teaching about race and racism is to help students understand the historical context and current manifestations of racism in the U.S. There are many white people who believe the best way to eliminate racism is to not talk about it and not notice racial differences at all (i.e. be "colorblind"). They may want to tell young people not to notice differences because they conflate noticing differences with having bias. It may also be a way to avoid dealing with discussions of race because they are uncomfortable. It is completely natural to notice race and other physical characteristics; telling children not to see it is incorrect and confusing. Let students know that noticing differences does not promote bias-judging and discriminating based on race does. Further, it's important to acknowledge that white is a racial identity and even explore with students what being white means to them. You may also want to share with parents that you are talking about these issues because some white parents may believe that talking about race makes them or their children racist.

4. Acknowledge that learning about race and racism is a process.

It is often the case that white people who have always been in the majority do not think about their own racial identity the way that people of color often do. Recognize that learning about race and racism is a process because many white students may not have had the opportunity to reflect on and discuss it. They will come with bias and misinformation, as we all do, and it will take time for them to develop their own understanding and insights. Make it clear that this can be a lifelong process and that one is always learning, including yourself, and that you will be learning together. Introduce less complex topics at first and from the beginning, present and use accurate terminology. At the same time, don't sugarcoat or simplify language or concepts. Defining words and the language of race and bias can be one of the first things you do which can include differentiating prejudice, bias, discrimination, racism and implicit bias. In the beginning, establish the fact that we all have a race, and they are included in that. Sometimes white students think that race doesn't apply to them and includes only people of color.

5. Provide opportunities to learn about others and foster empathy.

Regardless of whether or not the racial diversity of our larger society is represented in your school, it is important to bring diverse voices and perspectives into the classroom in other ways besides personal sharing. This is particularly true if you have a predominantly white school and you are talking about race. Use children's books, short videos, movies, literature, stories by teens, or arrange for a video chat to expose students to other voices on race as this fifth grade teacher did. As the goal is to dispel stereotypes-not perpetuate them-be sure to review these resources in advance. Exposing white students to people who represent different racial groups can also build empathy as they learn and better understand others' lives, experiences, perspectives and feelings.

6. Address white privilege in non-defensive ways.

The term "white privilege" is one that often produces anxiety and defensiveness among white people, including students. At the same time, if students are going to engage in conversations about race, privilege has to be on the table. The goal of a discussion about white privilege is not to make anyone feel guilty for who they are or defensive about their lot in life. The goal should be to help students understand and analyze issues of power and privilege as they relate to racism. One way to start the conversation is to talk with students about the ways bias manifests in institutions (i.e. discrimination). Explain that bias can impact people in two ways: by discriminating against some or advantaging others, depending on race or other aspects of identity.

Define white privilege as: "unearned and often unseen or unrecognized advantages, benefits or rights conferred upon people based on their membership in a dominant group (e.g. white people, heterosexual people, men, able-bodied, etc.) beyond what is commonly experienced by members of the non-dominant group."

Another angle to discuss privilege is to talk with your students about the ways they feel disempowered or discriminated against as young people, often through ageism directed towards them. These can include things like not being allowed to do certain things they think they should be allowed to do; assumptions adults make about them; or discriminatory acts that target them. Students can reflect on the ways that they, as young people, lack privilege in these situations. This discussion will help them understand the concept of privilege without getting defensive and will help to foster empathy. You can then make the connection to white privilege and since you've set the groundwork, hopefully the leap to white privilege isn't too far a reach for them. It will be important to identify dominant identities (i.e. being white) because students may not accept that they have white privilege by saying they belong to another marginalized group ("but I'm gay, poor, female"). While that may be true, it doesn't erase their white identity.

7. Connect to ally behavior and engage in social justice.

As your students discuss race, some of them may be interested in addressing the racism they have learned about, both in their interpersonal relationships and in society. Helping your students understand what it means to act as an ally and learning the different ways to engage in ally behavior is an important next step. White people can act as allies by identifying racism when they see it, calling it out and challenging it in a myriad of ways. You can help to facilitate this process by giving students an opportunity to explore how to act as an ally and practice different strategies-both interpersonal or on a larger stage by getting involved in activism. There a wide variety of ways to do this including educating others, online activism, advocating for legislation, protesting, creating public awareness, etc. Convey a message of critical hope that when people work together-in the past and in modern times-they can make a difference and improve our society and world.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How Should I Talk about Race in My Mostly White Classroom?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Race and racism are important topics to bring into your classroom. Because race is part of our public conversation and integrated into so many aspects of our world, young people want to and should be part of that conversation, no matter their race.

# data[].attributes.body
This article explains the importance of diversity in the classroom.  One easy strategy is having a variety of literature available to your students that includes different races, cultures, gender, ethnicities, etc.  Giving our students more resources will help to expand their minds and become more knowledgeable.  This is a very important strategy to start at the earliest of ages because it will help to expand their knowledge and builds their comprehension.
This is an effective strategy to start with elementary age students. It is important to have a variety of books and resources beginning in the 1st grade. This is something that needs to be continued all through a students education.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
For almost a decade, teachers and administrators at the Bowman Elementary School in Lexington, Massachusetts, have been working to increase staff diversity and become a more inclusive, culturally proficient community. But about a year ago, says Principal Mary Anton, they realized that teaching children the language to recognize and understand race and bias is an important part of the work of dismantling racism through education.

# data[].attributes.body
This You Tube video (webinar) provides many different strategies to foster a culture of respect when discussing religion in a classroom.  It provides many different examples that you can use within your classroom to ensure that students are comfortable in the classroom.  This not only applies to religion but also includes other topics that can cause bias in the classroom.  I chose this because their is so many great concepts ad strategies, such as using a class contract when discussing topics that can lead to bias or conflict.
I feel majority of this strategy is intend for middle school to high school age students.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Religious Diversity in the Classroom Fostering a Culture of Respect Webinar Encore Presentation

# data[].attributes.body
This article has many strategies, it was too hard to select just one applying to religion, race, gender, etc.  Implicit biases can influence how you behave toward the members of social groups, which used to be amore severe problem with different religions, different cultures back in the day.  But it still exists today, because some parents do not want religion being taught to their children.  This article is more focused on how to  Two strategies stand out: adjust your perspective and practice mindfulness.  By adjusting your perspective you are trying to see things from another point of view.  You may even try to put yourself in their shoes and see how you would feel.  This is a great strategy to instill in students at a young age, to hopefully reduce the amount of bullying that can take place.  Teaching students to practice mindfulness has a few different meanings; we can teach them yoga and breathing techniques to calm them and we can teach them ways to self-calm before exams or self-calm before conflict arises.
This is good material for students of all ages.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
An implicit bias is an unconscious association, belief, or attitude toward any social group. Implicit biases are one reason why people often attribute certain qualities or characteristics to all members of a particular group, a phenomenon known as stereotyping.

It is important to remember that implicit biases operate almost entirely on an unconscious level. While explicit biases and prejudices are intentional and controllable, implicit biases are less so.

A person may even express explicit disapproval of a certain attitude or belief while still harboring similar biases on a more unconscious level. Such biases do not necessarily align with our own sense of self and personal identity. People can also hold positive or negative associations about their own race, gender, religion, sexuality, or other personal characteristics.

Causes of Implicit Bias

While people might like to believe that they are not susceptible to these implicit biases and stereotypes, the reality is that everyone engages in them whether they like it or not. This reality, however, does not mean that you are necessarily prejudiced or inclined to discriminate against other people. It simply means that your brain is working in a way that makes associations and generalizations.

In addition to the fact that we are influenced by our environment and stereotypes that already exist in the society into which we were born, it is generally impossible to separate ourselves from the influence of society.

You can, however, become more aware of your unconscious thinking and the ways in which society influences you.

It is the natural tendency of the brain to sift, sort, and categorize information about the world that leads to the formation of these implicit biases. We're susceptible to bias because of these tendencies:

We tend to seek out patterns.Implicit bias occurs because of the brain's natural tendency to look for patterns and associations in the world. Social cognition, or our ability to store, process, and apply information about people in social situations, is dependent on this ability to form associations about the world.

We like to take shortcuts. Like other cognitive biases, implicit bias is a result of the brain's tendency to try to simplify the world. Because the brain is constantly inundated with more information than it could conceivably process, mental shortcuts make it faster and easier for the brain to sort through all of this data.

Our experiences and social conditioning play a role. Implicit biases are influenced by experiences, although these attitudes may not be the result of direct personal experience. Cultural conditioning, media portrayals, and upbringing can all contribute to the implicit associations that people form about the members of other social groups.

How Implicit Bias Is Measured

The term implicit bias was first coined by social psychologists Mahzarin Banaji and Tony Greenwald in 1995. In an influential paper introducing their theory of implicit social cognition, they proposed that social behavior was largely influenced by unconscious associations and judgments.

In 1998, Banaji and Greenwald published their now-famous Implicit Association Test (IAT) to support their hypothesis. The test utilizes a computer program to show respondents a series of images and words to determine how long it takes someone to choose between two things.

Subjects might be shown images of faces of different racial backgrounds, for example, in conjunction with either a positive word or a negative word. Subjects would then be asked to click on a positive word when they saw an image of someone from one race and to click on a negative word when they saw someone of another race.

Interpreting the Results

The researchers suggest that when someone clicks quickly, it means that they possess a stronger unconscious association.﻿﻿ If a person quickly clicks on a negative word every time they see a person of a particular race, the researchers suggest that this would indicate that they hold an implicit negative bias toward individuals of that race.

In addition to a test of implicit racial attitudes, the IAT has also been utilized to measure unconscious biases related to gender, weight, sexuality, disability, and other areas. The IAT has grown in popularity and use over the last decade, yet has recently come under fire.

Among the main criticisms are findings that the test results may lack reliability. Respondents may score high on racial bias on one test, and low the next time they are tested.

Also of concern is that scores on the test may not necessarily correlate with individual behavior. People may score high for a type of bias on the IAT, but those results may not accurately predict how they would relate to members of a specific social group.

Link Between Implicit Bias and Discrimination

It is important to understand that implicit bias is not the same thing as racism, although the two concepts are related. Overt racism involves conscious prejudice against members of a particular racial group and can be influenced by both explicit and implicit biases.

Other forms of discrimination that can be influenced by unconscious biases include ageism, sexism, homophobia, and ableism.

One of the benefits of being aware of the potential impact of implicit social biases is that you can take a more active role in overcoming social stereotypes, discrimination, and prejudice.

Effects of Implicit Bias

Implicit biases can influence how people behave toward the members of different social groups. Researchers have found that such bias can have effects in a number of settings, including in school, work, and legal proceedings.

Implicit Bias in School

Implicit bias can lead to a phenomenon known as stereotype threat in which people internalize negative stereotypes about themselves based upon group associations. Research has shown, for example, that young girls often internalize implicit attitudes related to gender and math performance.﻿﻿

By the age of 9, girls have been shown to exhibit the unconscious beliefs that females have a preference for language over math.﻿﻿ The stronger these implicit beliefs are, the less likely girls and women are to pursue math performance in school. Such unconscious beliefs are also believed to play a role in inhibiting women from pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields.

Studies have also demonstrated that implicit attitudes can also influence how teachers respond to student behavior, suggesting that implicit bias can have a powerful impact on educational access and academic achievement.

One study, for example, found that Black children-and Black boys in particular-were more likely to be expelled from school for behavioral issues. When teachers were told to watch for challenging behaviors, they were more likely to focus on Black children than on White children.

Implicit Bias In the Workplace

While the Implicit Attitude Test itself may have pitfalls, these problems do not negate the existence of implicit bias. Or the existence and effects of bias, prejudice, and discrimination in the real world. Such prejudices can have very real and potentially devastating consequences.

One study, for example, found that when Black and White job seekers sent out similar resumes to employers, Black applicants were half as likely to be called in for interviews as White job seekers with equal qualifications.

Such discrimination is likely the result of both explicit and implicit biases toward racial groups.

Even when employers strive to eliminate potential bias in hiring, subtle implicit biases may still have an impact on how people are selected for jobs or promoted to advanced positions. Avoiding such biases entirely can be difficult, but being aware of their existence and striving to minimize them can help.

Implicit Bias in Healthcare Settings

Certainly, age, race, or health condition should not play a role in how patients get treated, however, implicit bias can influence quality healthcare and have long-term impacts including suboptimal care, adverse outcomes, and even death.

For example, one study published in the American Journal of Public Health found that physicians with high scores in implicit bias tended to dominate conversations with Black patients and, as a result, the Black patients had less confidence and trust in the provider and rated the quality of their care lower.﻿﻿

Researchers continue to investigate implicit bias in relation to other ethnic groups as well as specific health conditions, including type 2 diabetes, obesity, mental health, and substance use disorders.

Implicit Bias in Legal Settings

Implicit biases can also have troubling implications in legal proceedings, influencing everything from initial police contact all the way through sentencing. Research has found that there is an overwhelming racial disparity in how Black defendants are treated in criminal sentencing.﻿﻿

Not only are Black defendants less likely to be offered plea bargains than White defendants charged with similar crimes, but they are also more likely to receive longer and harsher sentences than White defendants.

Strategies to Reduce the Impact of Implict Bias

Implicit biases impact behavior, but there are things that you can do to reduce your own bias. Some ways that you can reduce the influence of implicit bias:

Focus on seeing people as individuals. Rather than focusing on stereotypes to define people, spend time considering them on a more personal, individual level.

Work on consciously changing your stereotypes. If you do recognize that your response to a person might be rooted in biases or stereotypes, make an effort to consciously adjust your response.

Take time to pause and reflect. In order to reduce reflexive reactions, take time to reflect on potential biases and replace them with positive examples of the stereotyped group.

Adjust your perspective. Try seeing things from another person's point of view. How would you respond if you were in the same position? What factors might contribute to how a person acts in a particular setting or situation?

Increase your exposure. Spend more time with people of different racial backgrounds. Learn about their culture by attending community events or exhibits.

Practice mindfulness. Try meditation, yoga, or focused breathing to increase mindfulness and become more aware of your thoughts and actions.

Recap

While implicit bias is difficult to eliminate altogether, there are strategies that you can utilize to reduce its impact. Taking steps such as actively working to overcome your biases, taking other people's perspectives, seeking greater diversity in your life, and building your awareness about your own thoughts are a few ways to reduce the impact of implicit bias.

A Word From Verywell

Implicit biases can be troubling, but they are also a pervasive part of life. Perhaps more troubling, your unconscious attitudes may not necessarily align with your declared beliefs. While people are more likely to hold implicit biases that favor their own in-group, it is not uncommon for people to hold biases against their own social group as well.

The good news is that these implicit biases are not set in stone. Even if you do hold unconscious biases against other groups of people, it is possible to adopt new attitudes, even on the unconscious level.﻿﻿ This process is not necessarily quick or easy, but being aware of the existence of these biases is a good place to start making a change.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Is It Possible to Overcome Implicit Bias?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
An implicit bias is an unconscious belief about a group of people. Learn more about how these biases form and strategies to reduce their influence on behavior.

# data[].attributes.headline
Religions are Internally Diverse, not Homogeneous

# data[].attributes.subject
Religions are Internally Diverse, not Homogeneous

# data[].attributes.body
When teaching about religion, it is sometimes best to compare and contrast other religions, so that students are getting an idea about several religions.  Religion is a touchy subject in some schools and with parents.  But students will learn throughout their educational career that religion needs to be understood and by learning about different religions, it will help alleviate any bias.

Effective for all ages, but mainly used when students are old enough to comprehend and read more resources. Grades 3-12.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Today, Benjamin Pietro Marcus, Research Fellow with the Religious Freedom Center, part of the Newseum Institute, shares strategies for including religion in your classroom.
Teachers committed to global education increasingly understand the urgency of teaching about religion in the context of contemporary social and political life. Yet not everyone agrees-despite books and reports that explain why learning about religion is both constitutional and critically important for responsible citizenship in a diverse nation. By reminding skeptics that the world has seen an increase in social hostilities related to religion since the atrocities of September 11-including 500 percent more hate crimes against Muslims per year in the US-perhaps they will recognize that religious literacy education is a key tool for preventing and reducing religion-related violence.

Instead of repeating the why of religious literacy education, this article provides suggestions for the how. After a brief review of the best existing guidelines for teaching about religion, we will explore a lesser-known, valuable framework for teaching about religious identity.

Teaching about Religion
In 2010 the American Academy of Religion (AAR) published Guidelines for Teaching about Religion in K-12 Public Schools in the United States. This excellent resource outlines three premises about religion, listed below along with their corresponding guiding questions and sample lessons. For additional resources visit the Pluralism Project and the Religious Literacy Project websites.

1. "Religions are internally diverse, not homogeneous."
People with the same religious affiliation often hold different beliefs and behave in different ways. Teachers should encourage students to compare and contrast the ways people within a specific religious tradition (e.g., Christianity)-and even within a different branch (e.g., Protestantism) or denomination (e.g., Baptist)-describe their beliefs and practices.

Some guiding questions for students might be:

Lesson Idea: In a unit about British colonialism, a 9th grade history teacher asks students to research the history of the word "Hinduism." Teachers provide primary and secondary sources that describe Hindu beliefs and practices during the colonial period. Students write argumentative essays about whether it is more appropriate to speak of a single Hinduism or of multiple Hindu traditions.

2. "Religions are dynamic and changing, not static and fixed."
The beliefs and behaviors that characterize a religious community change over time. Teachers should encourage students to consider how and why the beliefs and practices of a religious tradition (e.g., Judaism) and its sub-communities (e.g., Reconstructionism) might change as people who practice that religious tradition wrestle with external forces and events (e.g., the Holocaust).

Guiding Questions:

Lesson Idea: In a unit about contemporary global affairs, an 8th grade social studies teacher asks students to research major leaders-political, religious, business, etc.-and compare them with their predecessors. The teacher wants students to understand how leaders and major institutions adapt in a changing world. As an example, the whole class reads about the leadership styles of the current Dalai Lama and the 13th Dalai Lama, including their interpretations of Buddhism and relationships to the Tibetan Buddhist community. Pairs of students write a list of similarities and differences between the two. Students share with the class in pairs.

3. "Religions are embedded in cultures, not isolated from them. Religions influence and are influenced by culture."
Religious communities do not exist in a vacuum. Members of religious communities interpret and reinterpret their religious traditions as they respond to changing social, economic, political, and other conditions. Religious communities or individuals also play a role in shaping culture. Teachers should encourage students to examine how religious communities react to and influence the world around them.

Guiding Questions:
Teaching about Religious Identity

Lesson Idea: In an 11th grade social studies unit about globalization, a teacher divides students into groups to research Muslim communities in contemporary Nigeria, Indonesia, Iraq, France, and the United States. In a café conversation format, students representing different countries discuss how local cultural norms affect interpretations of what it means to be Muslim and how dominant interpretations of Islam affect culture and politics.

If the AAR Guidelines name three facts about religion, the 3B Framework explains those facts by analyzing how people experience religion in their own lives. According to the 3B Framework-a synthesis of the research of numerous scholars including Jonathan Haidt, Vassilis Saroglou, and myself-people construct their religious identities in different ways based on how much they value belief, behavior, and experiences of belonging. Teachers should help students investigate not only what religious communities and individuals believe but also how they act (behaviors) and create community (belonging). Students should consider why a religious community or individual prioritizes believing a certain set of ideas, behaving in certain ways, or devoting oneself to a certain community. Below are guiding questions and lesson ideas for investigating religious identity in the classroom.

1. Belief
Sacred beliefs-including those about the ultimate nature of deities or the universe-can provide reasons for behaving a certain way or for joining a religious community. Students should learn how specific theologies, doctrines, and scriptures (e.g., Qur'an) can influence behaviors (e.g., daily prayer) and a sense of belonging to a specific community (e.g., Muslims). Teachers should remind students that not all members of a community hold the same beliefs, and the ways religious communities interpret those beliefs change over time.

Guiding Questions:

Example: In a longer unit about religion in the United States, a 12th grade social studies teacher asks students to analyze two sources-a primary text written by the leadership of the Roman Catholic Church, which says that only men can act as priests, and a recent poll which shows that a majority of American Catholics support the ordination of women. Students individually describe how the primary text justifies reserving the priesthood for men. Then they develop hypotheses about why a majority of American Catholics disagree with the Church on this issue yet continue to claim affiliation with the Roman Catholic Church. Students discuss their hypotheses in pairs before sharing with the class.

2. Behavior
For some religious individuals, acting a certain way-including through rites, rituals, holidays, or daily devotional practices-creates belief and fosters a sense of community. In other words, a religious (e.g., Buddhist) individual may participate in certain actions (e.g., seated meditation), and through that activity, she may come to believe in a certain set of ideas (e.g., impermanence) and create a community with others who engage in the same practices (e.g., Zen Buddhists). Students should note how this behavior-centric way of creating a religious identity differs from a belief-centric mode of religious identity formation.

Guiding Questions:

Example: As part of a 7th grade social studies unit about adolescence in America, a teacher asks groups of students to examine religious rites and rituals to mark the end of childhood. One group may investigate Jewish rites including the celebration of the bar or bat mitzvah in the 2000s and in the 1950s. Students may use first-person accounts, articles, or even video documentaries. After a close reading (or viewing) of each source, groups analyze the meaning behind the ceremony, how participation might affect belief or a sense of belonging to a certain community, and why the format of the ceremony may vary depending on year, gender, or community (i.e., Orthodox, Reform, Reconstructionist, Conservative, or Humanist).

3. Belonging
Religious, racial, ethnic, familial, gender, sexual, and other identities affect the lived experiences of religious individuals and communities. It is critical to remember that the shared experiences of the communities with which we associate can affect our religious beliefs and behavior. Students should explore how the mix of a certain set of community markers (e.g., Hindu, South Asian, female, millennial, American) can affect the beliefs and behaviors of religious individuals.

Guiding Questions:

Example: As part of a unit about the civil rights era in a 10th grade history class, students read excerpts from sermons and other religious texts written by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Rev. Dr. James Cone, and Rev. Dr. Bob Jones, Sr. The teacher facilitates a Socratic seminar to discuss the relationship between belief about God, prescribed behavior vis-à-vis civil rights activism, and race in the United States in the 1960s. The teacher should ask students to consider why three Protestant Christians self-identify as such even though they disagree about particular beliefs and behaviors.
Connect with Ben and Heather on Twitter. Note Image courtesy of Scott Sanders, staff photographer, Daily Herald. : On April 18 the author and his colleagues will host a Conference on Religion in Public Secondary Schools. Email bmarcus@newseum.org for conference details, notifications about future opportunities, or access to full lesson plans that utilize the 3B Framework.
Religious literacy is a core civic competency. Strong, constitutional lessons about religion belong in history, social studies, and literary arts public school classrooms. We can no longer afford to treat it as a luxury.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Six Guidelines for Teaching About Religion (Opinion)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Today, Benjamin Pietro Marcus, Research Fellow with the Religious Freedom Center, part of the Newseum Institute, shares strategies for including religion in your classroom. Teachers committed to global education increasingly understand the urgency of teaching about religion in the context of contemporary social and political life.

# data[].attributes.body
This article focuses on how we can help parents understand and handle their anxiety about teaching their children about bias towards race and other sensitive subject matter.  It states that teachers need to be be prepared to have conversations and explain to parents why these topics need to be addressed in schools. Some parents may not handle certain topics well and educators need to be prepared to ease their minds about the content matter.
This strategy can be used for any grade level, but is especially helpful for younger students.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
At the beginning of the year in Ms. Verwayne's kindergarten class, the children are working on an All About Me project. They begin by drawing pictures of themselves based on observations of their reflections in a mirror. Next, the teacher provides them with sentence starters asking them to describe their hair color and texture, their skin color, and their eye color. In this racially and ethnically diverse class, the children learn a variety of vocabulary words they can use to describe these differences.

On the playground after school, some of the parents chat about the project. One White mom, Ellie, tells the other parents that the project made her feel a little uncomfortable. She explains, "Since this is the beginning of the year, shouldn't the kids be doing things that help them see what they have in common, rather than emphasizing their differences?"

Many parents and teachers of young children share Ellie's concern that children should be shielded from learning explicitly about race and racial differences. Adults often worry that introducing these topics too early could be harmful (Husband 2010). Early childhood educators who wish to make space for learning about race and racism in their classrooms may feel unprepared to approach these complex issues (Vittrup 2016). Shaped by their own experiences with issues of race and racism, parents and teachers may hold differing views regarding the appropriateness of teaching about this topic in the early childhood classroom.

Research demonstrates that children's awareness of racial differences and the impact of racism begins quite early (Tatum 2003; Winkler 2009). Multiple studies document the ways that young children take notice of racial differences and note that as early as preschool, children may begin excluding their peers of different races from play and other activities (Winkler 2009). Many argue that creating safe spaces for children to explore these topics is more important than ever, given the current political and cultural climate, where these issues are highly visible (Pitts 2016; Harvey 2017; Poon 2017). As such, parents and teachers have an obligation to teach and learn with children about these critical and complex issues (Delpit 2012; Derman-Sparks, LeeKeenan, & Nimmo 2015; Ramsey 2015). This article documents how one kindergarten teacher, Diandra Verwayne (the second author), worked with the parents in her classroom to grow together in their understandings of the role we all must play in talking with young children about race and racism. Additionally, this piece offers curricular and pedagogical resources for adults who are committed to engaging with young children in this crucial work.

Learning about race and unlearning racism

In her seminal research and writing on this topic, Beverly Daniel Tatum (a former psychology professor and president of Spelman College) has written extensively about the ways in which the unjust structure of racial hierarchy in American society is normalized and transmitted to children from birth (Tatum 2003). In discussing how messages about race-based privilege and oppression are internalized, Tatum provides a powerful metaphor. She explains that in the same way residents who live in highly polluted areas cannot avoid becoming "smog breathers," Americans who are immersed in the structures and practices of white supremacy unwittingly become "racism breathers" (6). Many of us may not realize the degree to which these toxic beliefs shape our perceptions and experiences of the world. Unless we have opportunities to unlearn racism, these messages become absorbed and have consequences.

Schools, in collaboration with families, have an important role to play in fostering young children's positive racial identities.

More recently scholars have documented the negative impact that being subjected to racism has on young children's academic success, as Lisa Delpit (2012) conveys in her aptly titled book chapter, "There Is No Achievement Gap at Birth." These consequences vary depending on our levels of privilege and oppression, which intersect across our diverse identities. Early childhood educators can support the unlearning of racism-and minimize later breathing in of racism-by intentionally teaching about race and related issues. Schools, in collaboration with families, have an important role to play in fostering young children's positive racial identities. Teachers who intentionally plan curricula that affirm children's racial identities have seen the benefits this produces in supporting children's growth and learning across many domains of development (Ladson-Billings 2009; Wright, Counsell, & Tate 2015).

There is often confusion about the difference between racially based bias and racism. Racism is a system of oppression that results from a combination of prejudice and power. This combination produces institutional structures and social practices that deny equity to people based on race. There is a common misconception that biases or prejudices that some people of color hold against White people constitutes "reverse racism." Anyone can hold a bias against people of another race, but only some races are subject to oppressive structures and practices as a result of that bias. To illustrate, consider a comparison to sexism. Some women are biased against men, but this is not "reverse sexism"; only men's biases against women have produced the conditions in which women are subjected to far more sexual harassment and sexual violence than men (Breiding et al. 2014). Similarly, racism has created structures and practices that deny equity and justice to people of color, including, for example, great disparities by race in family wealth. One of the most reliable ways to accumulate and pass on family wealth is through home ownership. Until recently, many Black Americans-including those with high incomes-were unable to buy houses because of redlining, a practice by which banks refused to offer mortgages in predominately Black neighborhoods. This is a key factor explaining why median wealth for White families in the US is about $134,000, while the median wealth for Black families is about $11,000 (Jones 2017). This disparity in family wealth accumulated over several generations and will likely take several more generations to address; meanwhile, it continues to have broad implications for access to opportunity, such as parents' ability to pay their children's college tuition.

For all children to understand that the effects of racism are not the fault of people of color, we need to address these issues early in children's lives. We begin by fostering the positive development of every child's racial identity. This work must be paired with opportunities for young children to learn where and how injustice and inequality operate in our society. When children are armed with this knowledge and these skills, they can begin to disrupt these systems and work toward building a more equitable society for all of us.

Lessons Learned

When planning to implement a curriculum that addresses issues of race and racism, consider the following:

Identify colleagues who are also committed to a racial justice curriculum and work together. Alternatively, seek out communities online to support your teaching practice. Remember, you're not alone!

Anticipate the kinds of concerns or misconceptions that children and families might have, and prepare in advance some strategies for responding.

Recall experiences that have expanded your own thinking about these issues, and consider sharing the story of how your perspective has grown and changed.

Make yourself available, either in person or over the phone, to communicate with families about their perspectives on the curriculum. Email communication can often amplify disagreements, so try to keep communication face to face, if possible.

Model a stance of respectful openness. Even if you disagree, strive to set a tone that maximizes the possibilities for considering different viewpoints.

Recognize that we-children, families, and colleagues- are all on a journey of growth with respect to these issues. Draw upon the ways that you scaffold children's learning in other areas and apply these skills when supporting others' growth.

One teacher's work

Ms. Verwayne teaches kindergarten at a racially and economically diverse public school. Born in Guyana, she moved to the United States at the age of 6 and recalls that when she entered school, she was made to feel like an outsider because of cultural differences. She reported, "When I was in elementary school, I felt like I had to hide my culture so that I could be accepted by the masses. I don't want that to happen within my classroom. I want my kids to be able to recognize who they are." Ms. Verwayne is committed to affirming children's racial and cultural identities throughout the year.

In her planned curriculum, Ms. Verwayne begins by offering learning experiences that allow children to observe and celebrate their unique identities. She also acknowledges the need for teachers to reflect on potential questions and concerns in order to prepare (as much as possible) for unplanned teachable moments. While she knows that some adults may resist addressing topics like identity, race, and racism with young children, she remains committed to the idea that these issues are an essential part of the early childhood curriculum. Musing about this tension, she shared the questions she asks herself as she designs curriculum:

If I do talk about race, will it offend anyone? How do you talk about it in a way that doesn't offend people? . . . I think a lot of teachers will just choose not to address it because if you don't address it, you're not offending anybody. . . . I think this is the problem that we have in our country. . . . We never have an honest, open discussion about race ever.

Considering the current climate in America, where racism and racially motivated violence are visible to adults and children, Ms. Verwayne feels the stakes are too high to ignore this topic in her classroom.

Responding to parents' anxiety

Because Ms. Verwayne is committed to openly and collaboratively addressing these topics, she believes it is important to discuss families' concerns. For this article, two parents whose children were enrolled in Ms. Verwayne's kindergarten classroom were interviewed by Kirsten Cole (the first author) about the curriculum. Fabiola is a Haitian American mother of two. Ellie is a White mother of two. Both mothers' first-born children were in Ms. Verwayne's class.

After moving to the United States at the beginning of kindergarten, Fabiola was frequently the target of racial epithets and other acts of racism. Fabiola described the painful consequences of having internalized these oppressive messages, in large part because as a child she did not have the opportunity to process these experiences with her parents or teachers. As a parent, Fabiola has prioritized giving her children many opportunities to celebrate their racial identity and making space for their questions about race and racism. Nonetheless, Fabiola recognizes the potential for some families, particularly White parents, to feel uncomfortable with such a curriculum. She explained,

I think the teachers have to be prepared to deal with the parents and manage the anxiety of the parents. Because I think instructionally and educationally teachers know that it's important. . . . I strongly believe that the kids can tolerate it. It's the parents that are the hardest to convince.

Given the tendency of some adults to avoid these topics, Fabiola was pleased to discover that Ms. Verwayne made learning about race an integral part of the curriculum.

Ellie, in contrast, expressed some initial resistance to having her daughter participate in open discussions of racial differences. Ellie grew up in the Midwest in mostly racially homogenous environments. As is the experience for many White children, Ellie recalled that race was never discussed. Echoing the "colorblind" view that many White families espouse, Ellie recounted, "I don't think I thought about it much. I always thought, 'Everybody's wonderful. Everybody's the same.'" When her daughter began to attend public school, Ellie and some of the other White parents discussed their concerns about Ms. Verwayne's curriculum. Ellie recalled,

In kindergarten they did a worksheet for social studies about identity. The worksheet asked them to note their physical traits: eye color, skin color, hair color, hair texture, things like that. That was the first time anything like this had come up. I was thinking, "What is this? This is ridiculous. There's no reason that 5-year-olds should be doing this sort of exercise. This is futile. Why should my kid be having to say that she's White?"

In recalling how she felt at the time of this incident, Ellie articulated a stance many White people are raised to adopt: claiming to not see color is the most equitable way to approach teaching and learning about race.

Especially in recent years, many scholars have questioned the presumed benefits of the colorblind approach (Pollock 2005; Husband 2012). As society is not equitable and racial bias does exist, the colorblind approach denies children the validity of their experiences of the world. Because the impact of racial bias is visible, not allowing children to process this injustice is confusing, and it denies them the opportunity to see themselves as agents of change to resist injustice. Colorblindness fails to acknowledge the impact of racism on all people and, further, does not push White people to do the important work of reckoning with the legacy of white supremacy in our lives (Derman-Sparks, Ramsey, & Edwards 2006; DiAngelo 2012).

Ms. Verwayne has a practice of encouraging families to meet with her during weekly parent engagement time. At one such meeting, she asked if anyone had any questions about the curriculum. Ellie responded, "Actually, there was a worksheet that came home, and I don't think this is a useful thing. I think it's really hurtful, because it makes them identify things they haven't even realized about each other." Ms. Verwayne recalled being surprised by Ellie's reaction to the assignment, but she was grateful to have the opportunity to open a dialogue about their different views. She explained, "I needed to understand where that parent was coming from, and that parent needed to understand where I was coming from." For her part, Ellie had the opportunity to hear both Ms. Verwayne's intentions and also other parents' perspectives on the curriculum. Ellie recalled,

Fabiola responded, "Well, as a Black woman, we take a lot of pride in who we are and we want to talk about it a lot." As soon as she said that I realized, "Oh, of course. You're proud of your race. And I am not."

Ellie's reflection on this experience revealed another tension the colorblind view often masks. In naming the root of her discomfort, Ellie illuminated one of many challenges teachers face when doing this work in schools. The false premise of colorblindness is often deployed to obscure the discomfort White people have with confronting ongoing and historical racial oppression and injustice (Harvey 2017). As Fabiola noted in a later interview, "I think it's really detrimental to tell children they don't see what they're seeing and they're not feeling what they just felt-that they can't trust their eyes and they can't trust their gut."

While Ellie had entered the conversation seeking to maintain the colorblind view, she suddenly realized that not speaking about race with children does not protect them. Having had the opportunity to see the issue from another perspective, Ellie reported being transformed. Reflecting on this incident in a later interview, she recalled,

It was just totally eye-opening. It upended me. Ever since then I just thought, there are so many parents of both Black and White kids and kids of every race that need to have those conversations about these differences, and that the differences are good. I realized that it has to be talked about.

This transformation-this "upending"-would not have been possible had Ms. Verwayne not opened this potentially challenging dialogue with families.

Particularly in early childhood, it is essential to build trusting and respectful relationships with families. Not all families will be receptive to a curriculum that addresses these issues, nor will all families be as open to being transformed in their thinking, as Ellie was. Ellie remarked, "What I really appreciate about Ms. Verwayne is her openness and respect for different viewpoints. Whenever I have had a concern, she has always been willing to talk and listen to my position with great interest and care." For early childhood teachers seeking to do the critical work of teaching about race and racism, it is important to be prepared to address parents' myriad responses, including being ready and willing to create space for conversations many of us have been taught to avoid. While some families may never be open to a new way of thinking, teachers who model this openness will set the tone for approaching disagreements respectfully. As Fabiola noted, the hesitation that many White parents have stems from adults' issues rather than any difficulty children may have in exploring the topic (DiAngelo 2012). She mused,

It's not a scary thing. It may be uncomfortable, but it's a good thing to be having this conversation at this stage. And it was fine. We pass on these anxieties to our kids. The more anxious we are in talking about it, the more anxious they feel. They think that there's something wrong with what they're saying.

It may be surprising that children are ready for us to facilitate these learning opportunities. As parents and teachers, it is critical that we make ourselves ready for planned and unplanned opportunities to learn about race and racism.

Following children's leads

As with the curriculum that sparked the previous discussions, teaching and learning about race should begin with children's observations. Children notice differences and need to feel safe and supported in asking questions about what they notice. Fabiola explained that her daughter's learning about race "has been very child directed. . . . If she asks a question, more times than not it's just an observation of something. So I acknowledge the fact that she's absolutely right. She's noticing differences." Ms. Verwayne concurred; she likes to follow children's leads and design projects, activities, and read-alouds that emerge from their questions and concerns. She emphasized that children's innate sense of justice and fairness creates opportunities for them to wrestle with these questions. She explained, "Their questions mean that they're seeking an answer about this topic. And they have a lot of curiosity and wondering, and they need a way to figure out that answer." As with other inquiry-based learning experiences, a curriculum that emerges from the children's process of making sense of the world often yields the most engaging opportunities for learning.

While some of children's observations and questions about racial differences may be straightforward, at times children echo harmful biases they have heard elsewhere. Ms. Verwayne recalled an afternoon when her class returned from lunch in a state of distress. One of her students, an African American girl, had told another child, "I don't like White people." At the time, the nightly news was full of reporting about police brutality against African Americans, so Ms. Verwayne suspected that the child was repeating something she had overheard an adult say. Though math was on the schedule for the afternoon, Ms. Verwayne asked the children to join her in a circle on the rug. Drawing upon strategies she had learned in Responsive Classroom workshops, she reminded the children of their classroom norms that create space for each child's voice. She reminded the children to use accountable talk grounded in their experiences and to listen to each other with care. As they shared their feelings about what had happened at lunch, Ms. Verwayne prompted them to reflect on the sense of community and friendship they had cultivated together in class. They concluded that, while some people of any race may "not always be nice," we cannot draw conclusions about a whole race based on the actions of individuals.

Planning for learning through children's literature

For parents and teachers wishing to open a dialogue about racial identity and racism, children's literature provides an excellent starting point. Well-written children's literature allows children to identify with and develop empathy for characters, particularly those that may be different from themselves. Stocking the classroom library with children's books that represent a diversity of experiences is essential. Providing books that allow children to see themselves in the pages offers the kind of high-interest materials that support children's early literacy (Klefstad & Martinez 2013). Especially when children are beginning to do the challenging work of learning to read, it is important for them to be able to select books that allow them to feel a connection to the content. If children do not see their lives and interests reflected in the books in your library, they may feel that reading is not for them.

Stocking Your Library with Equitable and Inclusive Children's Titles

For teachers seeking to foster an appreciation of difference and empathy, it is especially important to have a classroom library that represents a range of characters and experiences. Great children's books allow us to get inside the protagonists' experiences. Fortunately, excellent resources exist to guide teachers and families in creating such libraries (see "Stocking Your Library with Equitable and Inclusive Children's Titles" above). The classroom library can offer a child-friendly opening to learn about important histories and to celebrate the accomplishments of seminal figures in the fight for racial equality. However, be sure to provide a balance and to also include books that represent diverse characters engaged in ordinary, everyday experiences.

Once you develop a classroom library that addresses issues of race and racism from many perspectives, prepare yourself to respond to children's questions as they arise. Ms. Verwayne recalled that when reading about the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., her children wanted to know more. When the book addressed the topic of segregation, they asked, "But why would people do that?!?" Ms. Verwayne was glad that she had anticipated these questions and was able to provide context by talking about Jim Crow and how it institutionalized racial bias and made it the law of the land.

Developing strategies for responding to teachable moments

In addition to planning a curriculum that addresses issues of race and racism, Ms. Verwayne described how she often needed to think on her feet in responding to children's natural curiosity about race and difference. Many teachers may have a desire to address these topics but feel unprepared to respond when the issues arise in their classrooms. Teachers need resources and support to develop the tools to do this work skillfully and thoughtfully. Ms. Verwayne argued that this includes trusting teachers to think on their feet and to ground their responses in the deep knowledge they have of their classroom communities. She noted,

Some people definitely do not want to discuss issues of race and difference at all. They think it's best to sweep it under the rug and just act like it doesn't exist. That's the safest space to be in. But is it the right space to be in, knowing the times that we're in? I think we need to give teachers the leeway to be unconventional and try different ways to address this.

In an era when many educational reforms have argued for standardization and "teacher proofing" the curriculum, the work of responding to complex issues requires that we give teachers the training and time to reflect on and discuss them, and also trust teachers to write their own script when teachable moments arise.

As described earlier, Ms. Verwayne uses protocols and practices offered by the Responsive Classroom to facilitate a complex conversation about racial bias. By developing these routines, Ms. Verwayne asks the children to join her in taking ownership of creating the kind of classroom in which they all feel included. These pedagogical strategies are supported by the content of her social studies curriculum, which explores the meaning of community.

A number of organizations have created forums for the exchange of social justice curriculum ideas (see "Preparing for and Responding to Teachable Moments" below). Responding to teachable moments is never one size fits all; but resources that provide candid and thoughtful sharing of teacher knowledge can provide teachers with models of practices and strategies. Even pedagogical models that do not explicitly address race and racism, such as the practices offered by the Responsive Classroom, can be adapted to create a framework for talking about race in the classroom. Whatever the approach, we must acknowledge the need to offer these kinds of curricular and pedagogical strategies to teachers throughout their professional development experiences.

Preparing for and Responding to Teachable Moments

Committing to teaching for equity and justice

This article, along with the suggested resources, provides a starting point for teachers and families seeking to do the important work of supporting young children's learning and understanding about race and racism. As Ms. Verwayne's experiences illustrate, this work is both challenging and essential. Concluding her reflections on her own experiences with Ms. Verwayne's kindergarten, Ellie emphasized, "In a school where you don't have the kind of diversity we have, it might be even more important." As we prepare young children to be members of the human family, we must offer them opportunities to celebrate all aspects of their identities and to resist bias and oppression. In the field of early childhood education, we spend much of our time and energy nurturing children's capacity for kindness and respect. Helping children see the role they have to play in fostering equality and inclusion through racial justice is a critical piece of this project.

References

Breiding, M.J., S.G. Smith, K.C. Basile, M.L. Walters, J. Chen, & M.T. Merrick. 2014. "Prevalence and Characteristics of Sexual Violence, Stalking, and Intimate Partner Violence Victimization-National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey, United States, 2011." Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report: Surveillance Summaries 63 (8): 1-18. www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/ss6308a1.htm.

Delpit, L. 2012. "Multiplication Is for White People": Raising Expectations for Other People's Children. New York: The New Press.

Derman-Sparks, L., D. LeeKeenan, & J. Nimmo. 2015. Leading Anti-Bias Early Childhood Programs: A Guide for Change. New York: Teachers College Press; Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).

Derman-Sparks, L., P.G. Ramsey, & J.O. Edwards. 2006. What If All the Kids Are White? Anti-Bias Multicultural Education with Young Children and Families. New York: Teachers College Press.

DiAngelo, R. 2012. "What Makes Racism So Hard for Whites to See?" Chap. 10 in What Does It Mean to Be White? Developing White Racial Literacy, 167-89. New York: Peter Lang.

Harvey, J. 2017. "Are We Raising Racists?" Opinion, New York Times, March 14. www.nytimes.com/2017/03/14/opinion/are-we-raising-racists.html.

Husband, T. 2010. "He's Too Young to Learn About That Stuff: Anti-Racist Pedagogy and Early Childhood Social Studies." Social Studies Research and Practice 5(2): 61-75.

Husband, T. 2012. "'I Don't See Color': Challenging Assumptions about Discussing Race with Young Children." Early Childhood Education Journal 39 (6): 365-71.

Jones, J. "The Racial Wealth Gap: How African-Americans Have Been Shortchanged Out of the Materials to Build Wealth." Working Economics Blog, Economic Policy Institute, February 13, 2017. www.epi.org/blog/the-racial-wealth-gap-how-african-americans-have-been-s....

Klefstad, J.M., & K.C. Martinez. 2013. "Promoting Young Children's Cultural Awareness and Appreciation Through Multicultural Books." Young Children 68 (5): 74-81.

Ladson-Billings, G. 2009. The Dreamkeepers: Successful Teachers of African American Children. 2nd ed. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Pitts, J. 2016. "Don't Say Nothing." Teaching Tolerance,no. 54. www.tolerance.org/magazine/tt54-fall-2016/feature/dont-say-nothing.

Pollock, M. 2005. Colormute: Race Talk Dilemmas in an American School. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.

Poon, O. 2017. "Our Schools Need to Teach a Fourth 'R': Racial Literacy." Rewire. https://rewire.news/article/2017/03/01/schools-need-teach-fourth-r-racial-literacy/.

Ramsey, P.G. 2015. Teaching and Learning in a Diverse World: Multicultural Education for Young Children. 4th ed. New York: Teachers College Press.

Tatum, B.D. 2003. "Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?: And Other Conversations About Race. Rev. ed. New York: Basic Books.

Vittrup, B. 2016. "Early Childhood Teachers' Approaches to Multicultural Education and Perceived Barriers to Disseminating Anti-Bias Messages." Multicultural Education 23 (3-4): 37-41.

Winkler, E.N. 2009. "Children Are Not Colorblind: How Young Children Learn Race." PACE: Practical Approaches for Continuing Education 3 (3): 1-8.

Wright, B.L., S.L. Counsell, & S.L. Tate. 2015. "'We're Many Members, but One Body': Fostering a Healthy Self-Identity and Agency in African American Boys." Young Children 70(3): 24-31.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Becoming Upended: Teaching and Learning about Race and Racism with Young Children and Their Families

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This article, along with the suggested resources, provides a starting point for teachers and families seeking to do the important work of supporting young children's learning and understanding about race and racism.

# data[].attributes.headline
Fostering Critical Thinking and Respectful Relationships

# data[].attributes.subject
Fostering Critical Thinking and Respectful Relationships

# data[].attributes.body
This guide provides numerous strategies for parents with young children.  The most important thing we want to instill in young children is critical thinking skills, but we want these skills to be free of bias.  With parents support, we can build respectful relationships, without bias, by building strong foundations.  We want to encourage our children to build their own confidence and teach them about human differences.
This strategy should be started as early as Preschool age students.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
A Guide for Parents and Teachers

Recent eventshave led many parents and teachers to seek out resources to address issues of race and inequality with young children. We share with you here an excerpt from the book Anti-Bias Education for Young Children and Ourselves. The book offers practical guidance to early childhood educators (including parents) for confronting barriers of prejudice, misinformation, and bias about specific aspects of personal and social identity; most importantly, it includes tips for adults and children to respect each other, themselves, and all people. Read more about anti-bias education. Also, see the Movement for Black Lives platform and Teaching Black Lives Matter.
By Louise Derman-Sparks and Julie Olsen Edwards
Adults sometimes ask: Aren't prejudice, discrimination, and anti-bias adult issues? Why bring children into it? In one sense, these are adult issues. Adults have the power to create, to teach, to maintain bias-and to eliminate it. In another sense, because the realities of prejudice and discrimination begin to affect children's development early, it is developmentally appropriate to address them in our work with young children.

Young children need caring adults to help them construct a positive sense of self and a respectful understanding of others. They need adults to help them begin to navigate and resist the harmful impact of prejudice and discrimination. A person's early childhood years lay the foundation for a developmental and experiential journey that continues into adulthood. With appropriate adult guidance, this foundation will be a strong one, providing the base for the next stages of healthy development and the skills a person needs to thrive and succeed in a complex, diverse world.

Anti-bias education is an integral part of the "bricks and mortar" of emotional well-being and social competence, as well as an emotional foundation upon which children fully develop their cognitive capacities. A healthy sense of self requires that children know and like who they are without feeling superior to others. Understanding and liking one's own personal and social identities open up the possibilities of building caring connections with others. Thinking critically about stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination takes away barriers to comfortable and respectful interactions with a wide range of people and gives children a tool to resist negative messages about their identities. Strong cognitive development is also enhanced when children develop curiosity, openness to multiple perspectives, and critical-thinking skills.

[Below are some topics to explore with your children. Anti-Bias Education for Young Children and Ourselves has strategies, activities and ideas to spark discussion on each of these topics.]

Strategies for learning about physical differences and similarities

Creating a rich anti-bias learning environment sets the stage for discussion and activities about racial and other physical differences and similarities. The richer the environment, the more likely children will ask questions, even in classrooms where the staff and children come from similar racial backgrounds.

In all activities, highlight that physical diversity among people is desirable, and that all colors, shades, and shapes of people are beautiful. Talk about differences in a tone of delight and interest. Create a vocabulary that encourages children to look at themselves and others and admire their sameness and their uniqueness. Just as we do not wait until a child asks questions about how to read before planning how to provide a range of literacy learning opportunities, anti-bias education is the teacher's responsibility, not the child's, to initiate.

Caution-Never single out one specific child when you do activities about the physical characteristics linked to racial identity. Every activity should be about all of the children, as everyone has a racial identity. Moreover, doing activities about all children reinforces that differences and similarities can be found within each racial identity group as well as across groups.

Exploring skin color, hair, and eyes
Children are active observers of physical characteristics. As they become familiar with some of their own features and those of their classmates, help them to have vocabulary and ideas to understand sameness and difference. There are many ways to involve children in discovering similarities and differences among themselves, their teachers, and their families.

Focus on children's confusion about their own skin color
If, when you invite the children to make self-portraits, a child chooses colors that do not correspond to his actual skin, eye, or hair coloring, consider gently encouraging the child to choose the color closest to his skin color.

Expanding awareness of racial similarities and differences
After helping children become aware that the people within their family are alike and different, it is important to expand their knowledge and awareness to groups of people beyond those in the classroom and neighborhood. As children grow, they move into ever wider and more diverse settings, and we want them to be open to and respectful of all kinds of people they may encounter.

Fostering critical thinking and respectful relationships

Positive and accurate learning experiences about human differences and similarities help to give children a foundation for resisting incorrect and harmful messages about themselves and others. Preschoolers are ready to begin thinking critically about the accuracy and fairness of the information and images they encounter. They also have the capacity to use their developing empathy to understand that unfair behavior hurts people and can learn respectful ways of interacting with others. Teachers can use the following strategies to promote young children's development of these understandings and competencies.

Cultivate children's empathy and ways to deal with the hurt of stereotyping. Read books that depict children experiencing unfair treatment based on their racial identity.

Tell persona doll stories about a discriminatory incident between dolls, engaging children's empathy and problem-solving skills.

Intentionally plan activities to counter potential overgeneralizations or existing stereotypes in the children's general environment.

Support children as they demonstrate awareness of stereotyping.

Engage children in group action. It is empowering when we help children take something that is "unfair" into something "fair." Sometimes this involves addressing personal conflict, helping a child speak up for another child. But it is particularly powerful when children act together.

If we want children to thrive in a diverse world and choose to stand up for themselves and others, then we must choose to help young children make sense out of the confusing and often emotionally charged messages they receive about themselves and others. The commitment to support each child to develop pride and self-confidence and deep connections with others calls on us to foster all children's healthy racial identity. When we give children language to discuss their identities in an atmosphere of interest and delight, and the tools for addressing the unfairness they will inevitably encounter, then we know we have helped children construct a strong foundation for the next phases of their lives.

Early Childhood Books for Teaching about Racial Identity
More titles for young children about racial identity.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Teaching Young Children about Race - Teaching for Change

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A Guide for Parents and Teachers Recent events have led many parents and teachers to seek out resources to address issues of race and inequality with young children. We share with you here an excerpt from the book Anti-Bias Education for Young Children and Ourselves.

# data[].attributes.body
Watch your students!  Ensure that when in the class that you are using less gender related responses.  Try not to call on the boys to line up or the girls to line up, just start calling groups or names of students to reduce the amount of gender responses.
This is effective from Preschool - 12th grade.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
6 Ways You Can Promote Gender Equality In Your Classroom

contributed by Jesse Johnson

As young children begin to notice the differences in social expectations for gender roles, the ways teachers interact with students stand to have a great impact on their ability to participate in their education.

These interactions also create long-lasting effects in other areas of their lives, at times limiting their self-image and their perception of the opportunities that are available or appropriate for them. This trend is especially apparent in the shortage of women who pursue education and careers within STEM fields.

Here are a few ways some teachers create a gender bias, often unknowingly, as well as strategies for encouraging and also to promote gender equality within the classroom.

Whether they are causes or effects, three factors of gender equity in the classroom.

3 Factors That Contribute To Gender Inequality In The Classroom

Contributing Factor #1: Teachers Pay More Attention to Boys

According to a report sponsored by the American Association of University Women (AAUW), girls receive significantly less attention from teachers than boys do ( 1992).

This is due in part to the fact that, in general, boys are more likely to call out answers to questions posed to the class even if they haven't been called on by the teacher.

This trend may also exist because boys are often perceived as being more mischievous, causing teachers to monitor and engage with them more actively in class, giving a perceived 'opening' to speak without permission.

Over time, this can discourage female students from speaking up even when they feel like they have something worthwhile to contribute to a discussion.

Contributing Factor #2: Interactions with Boys are More Public

Teachers often have a tendency to talk to boys from a greater distance than girls. This is possibly due to an expectation that they should communicate in a more nurturing way with girls and a more business-like way with boys.

Because the entire classroom can often hear a teacher's conversations with boys, this contributes to - at least the appearance of - teachers communicating more often and more casually with boys.

This encourages girls to reserve their comments and questions for private conversations, denying them the chance to participate in primarily male-focused discussions.

Contributing Factor #3: Praise & Criticism Differ Between Boys & Girls

Though teachers aim to treat all students equally, there are often stark differences in the types of things boys and girls are praised or criticized for.

For example, boys are often praised more than girls for sharing correct knowledge, and wrong answers provided by boys are likely to be overlooked.

In contrast, girls are more often criticized for conveying incorrect knowledge, and teachers tend to provide less praise for correct answers given by girls. As with the lack of publicity in teachers' conversations with girls, this makes knowledge provided by girls less visible. From this, an expectation arises that boys' knowledge is more highly valued than that of girls, which can convince girls that they are less competent than boys.

Another difference comes in the fact that girls are more often praised for good behavior, whereas boys are criticized more for bad behavior in the classroom.

While this may seem like this difference would benefit female students, this trend actually places a greater emphasis on compliance as being essential to their academic success rather than simply learning and demonstrating knowledge.

6 Ways You Can Promote Gender Equality In Your Classroom

1. Be Reflective and Be Objective

First, pay attention to the trends above and do your best to offer more gender-neutral responses to students.

You may feel like you already do a good job of this, but it can be difficult to judge your own teaching objectively. It may help to record a video of your classroom in order to take a closer look at your own teaching methods and interactions with students.

2. Get Feedback From Colleagues and Students

Consider getting feedback from colleagues on any differences they may notice that you don't. Further, consider getting similar feedback from the students themselves using an anonymous comment box.

Consider questions such as:
Do you notice any differences in how I treat boys and girls? What do I need to know about you, in terms of gender, to teach you well? Have I made you feel good or bad in regards to your gender at any point?
3. Use Gender-Neutral Language When Appropriate

You can also alter the language within your lessons to help expand students' perspectives beyond gender stereotypes.

For example, in assignments you can challenge students' expectations by including a female construction worker or soldier, a male secretary or nurse, and other professions typically associated with a particular gender.

Also, when referring to the group as a whole, avoid using gendered terms like 'guys,' which may make female students feel excluded. Instead, reach for gender-neutral pronouns like 'everyone.'

Similarly, you shouldn't refer to stereotypical characteristics like 'boys don't cry' or 'girls don't fight.' This language lays a foundation that may limit students' understanding of gender roles.

4. Explain the Context

If you hear students using phrases like 'you play like a girl' or 'man up,' it's important to point out the social implications of these statements rather than simply admonishing the use of that kind of phrasing.

The struggle for and history of gender equity parallels similar struggles and histories for race and religious equity. Understanding how individuals and groups become marginalized through the most basic of cultural tools like language can, depending on the grade level of your students, is more important than having 'clear rules' to simply 'protect students' from bias.

5. Seat and Group Students Intentionally

It's common for boys and girls to segregate when choosing friends and seating arrangements. Teachers sometimes encourage this by asking girls and boys to form separate lines in the hallway or even organizing separate sports activities for each group.

By creating a dynamic seating chart, you can break up boys- or girls-only cliques and encourage both groups to engage with each other.

6. Use Project-Based Learning

You can also be intentional about integrating a mix of boys and girls within small group projects.

The work can be purely academic, with the lessons on gender equity indirect and implicit. By working together, girls and boys can-if supported well-better understand the nuance of individual behaviors rather than stereotyping 'girls' and 'boys.'

Projects can also be created to explore concepts in and around gender and cultural equity, or to do work in select spaces and communities to nurture the growth of healthy human interdependence.

Conclusion

These trends aren't true for every teacher or every group of students, but they are worth considering as you attempt to curb gender biases within your teaching methods. Gender disparity is only one facet of a much larger issue of equity within education.

However, by making efforts to break down traditional gender roles in the classroom, you can better prepare students to seek knowledge and participate more fully in discussions and other learning opportunities in many fields, regardless of their gender.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
6 Ways You Can Promote Gender Equality In Your Classroom

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
As young children begin to notice the differences in social expectations for gender roles, the ways teachers interact with students stand to have a great impact on their ability to participate in their education. These interactions also create long-lasting effects in other areas of their lives, at times limiting their self-image and their perception of the opportunities that are available or appropriate for them.

# data[].attributes.body
One of the best strategies for teachers to use in a classroom with students with disabilities is modeling.  Showing students how to complete a task or assignment is very beneficial for the understanding or comprehending of tasks to be completed.  Modeling is very effective for all ages of students from working on a math problem because it can allow for step by step instruction.
This strategy can be used for Preschool - 12th grade.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Effective Reading Interventions for Kids with Learning Disabilities

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Research-based information and advice for sizing up reading programs and finding the right one for your child with a learning disability.

# data[].attributes.body
Avoiding gender bias can start with the way we address our students.  Try to call on everyone in the classroom; do not just call on boys or girls.  Make sure that everyone in the classroom feels included.  Ensure that you have a productive and safe classroom environment where all students feel free to express themselves for who they are.
This is an effective strategy for all grades; but we need to ensure as students are comfortable. As children hit puberty or they are growing into who they will be (starting around middle-school) we need to ensure that we reduce the amount of gender stereotyping and teach in a general class forum. One way is to call on students individually and not by segregating by sex!

# data[].attributes.body
Remind your students that it is okay to fail!  Failing is part of the learning process!!  We have to encourage our students to keep trying and they will become successful.  Challenges will exist, especially when working with students with disabilities.  When students can acknowledge and embrace their mistakes, they can use those mistakes to move forward.  This makes it easier to maintain a positive attitude.
This strategy applies to students of all ages and grades.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, dysgraphia and dyscalculia can make it difficult and sometimes impossible for a child to achieve the same results as his or her peers in a traditional classroom setting. Some children face a constant struggle with reading and writing and many are at risk for developing low self-esteem, particularly when their condition goes undiagnosed and/or untreated.

The thing to remember is that there are alternative learning approaches, strategies, and tools that can help students with learning difficulties achieve their full potential at school. Moreover, a positive attitude and plenty of encouragement from parents and teachers can do wonders when it comes to inspiring these children to stay motivated and persevere.

Imagine the frustration you might feel if you spent all night studying for an exam and still received a poor mark, despite your best efforts. In the case of a child with dyslexia, he or she might spell a word correctly one day and incorrectly the next or struggle to get through the assigned reading. Dysgraphia can make it painful to hold a pen or pencil so that even writing a short paragraph by hand is a challenge.

It's important for parents and teachers to understand that no two individuals with a learning difficulty will be affected in exactly the same way. The impact may be moderate or severe with symptoms often starting to show when a child begins learning how to read and write. Some conditions, including ADD and ADHD, can be harder for parents and teachers to see.

For example, a child with ADHD might be labelled as lazy, accused of not paying attention in class or disciplined for being disruptive in school. However, with a few adjustments and some targeted strategy work, he or she can learn to cope with attention difficulties.

When a condition goes undiagnosed, children are at risk of falling behind. What's worse, consistently underperforming, feeling uncomfortable in front of peers and receiving negative attention from parents and teachers can cause an otherwise highly motivated child to lose interest in school. He or she may develop a poor self-image that can lead to emotional issues in and outside of the classroom.

Encouragement and self-directed learning

With every learning difficulty comes different challenges; that's why parents and teachers can benefit from getting to know what kind of academic and emotional support is needed. Introducing them to strategies and the coping skills they need to be successful is a good start but it's also crucial to encourage a healthy self-image and foster confidence by nurturing self-directed learning.

By self-directed learning, we mean allowing the individual to be responsible for certain aspects of the learning including how much material is covered in a session and how much time is spent on a given unit.

Modular courses in which learning is broken down into small sections are helpful in this respect because they allow children to proceed at a pace that is right for them, repeating material and reviewing when necessary.

Keeping track of their progress, setting goals and working towards them, and prioritizing different aspects of their studies, are important skills for a child to develop. With more responsibility comes pride in achievement and a boost in self-esteem and confidence. Learn more about building students' self-esteem and self-confidence in these posts.

Tips for educators & parents

1. Praise effort over performance. Children with learning difficulties may not always achieve high marks but if they've put in a lot of effort, it deserves recognition. Teachers may wish to focus on the child's study strategy or approach to the assignment. Did they make flashcards, spend time in the library researching, work on drafts or incorporate feedback from past assignments? It can take a lot of courage to try a new approach and it's important to keep them motivated regardless of the outcome in terms of percentages and grades.

2. Put things in perspective. To children with specific learning difficulties, it can seem like achieving a perfect score on an assessment measure is a near impossible goal. Remind them that perfection isn't important and mistakes are a part of learning. When a child begins to embrace his or her mistakes and use them to guide more targeted study, he or she is less likely to attribute errors to any personal failings or deficits. This makes it easier to maintain a positive and healthy self-image.

3. Share your own experience. Children can benefit from anecdotes that help them relate to different aspects of the learning process. Teachers might explain how they dealt with their least favourite subjects or worked around material that proved particularly challenging. Sharing your experience helps to cement a bond with a child, making it more likely they will open up to you about their feelings.

4. Keep them motivated. It can be hard to motivate a child to learn when he or she feels inferior in a particular subject area. That's why it's useful to choose lesson topics that are already of interest to a child. Explain why a particular task is worth doing and allow them a measure of choice in how or what they study. You might also devise reward schemes or plan your day so that fun activities are used to break up more challenging tasks. Learn more about motivation and motivating children to read.

5. Give them time. It can take time for an intervention to work and for new strategies and skills to be acquired. Focus on long-term goals and break larger tasks down into milestones that can be spaced out over a period of time. Remind students that effort and approach count more than the time taken to complete something.

Provide inspirational role models.

There are plenty of success stories of famous figures, including athletes, politicians and celebrities, who have worked hard to overcome the challenges posed by learning difficulties. Pick up a biography or find a video about someone you think the child will relate to and go through it together.

Discuss the individual's path to success and have the child identify several strategies that he or she may be able to benefit from.

Specific learning difficulties

Referred to as specific learning difficulties and differences in the UK, and learning disabilities in the US, these are conditions that impact on the way in which an individual learns.

Learning difficulties are not a reflection of intelligence but they often get in the way of academic achievement and can result in feelings of frustration, anxiety and embarrassment for a child who is less able to progress at the same rate as his or her peers in a conventional classroom setting.

Dyslexia

A language based disorder that impacts up to 10% of the population of the US and other countries worldwide, people who have dyslexia may struggle to break words down into their component sounds. This can impact on reading ability when it comes to decoding, and make spelling more challenging. Discover more about the different kinds of dyslexia in this post.

Dysgraphia

It can be painful for children with dysgraphia to write using pens and pencils and often there is difficulty forming letters, spacing words and generally composing written work by hand. Kids with dysgraphia almost always benefit from using a computer to produce written assignments.

ADHD

An umbrella term used for ADHD and ADD without the hyperactivity, these children have a hard time keeping their attention focused on the task at hand. Written work may be messy, there can be behavioural aspects such as disruption or impulsivity in the classroom and for cases of ADHD, the need to move around and expend extra energy between lessons. Learn more about strategies for helping children with ADHD.

Processing Speed

A child with slow processing speed may have a difficult time following instructions and need more time to understand something. It can help to repeat information and present it in alternative ways.

Dyspraxia

While sometimes not classed as a learning difficulty, dyspraxia can impact on planning skills and effect fine motor skills in a similar way to dysgraphia. It is often recommended that students with dyspraxia be allowed to type assignments on a computer. Learn more about helping dyspraxic children in the classroom.

Additional resources

Many children with learning difficulties can benefit from working through a computer course that supports literacy and teaches them a new skill, particularly one that will help them on written assignments and standardized tests.

Touch-type Read and Spell is a dyslexia-friendly touch-typing course that takes a multi-sensory approach to teaching keyboarding.

As the course is modular, students move through the programme at a pace that is right for them, repeating lessons when they feel extra support is necessary and going back to review previous units at any time. There is plenty of built in positive feedback and there are a variety of possible adjustments to display.

The option to change settings means the course can meet the needs of children with different specific learning difficulties.

Often a child who has been unsuccessful in other areas of school but is able to learn touch-typing will come away with a sense of pride and achievement that does wonders in encouraging confidence and building self-esteem.
Do you have any tips to add? Join the discussion in the comments!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Encouraging children with learning difficulties

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, dysgraphia and dyscalculia can make it difficult and sometimes impossible for a child to achieve the same results as his or her peers in a traditional classroom setting. Some children face a constant struggle with reading and writing and many are at risk for developing low self-esteem, particularly when their condition goes undiagnosed and/or untreated.