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ChildrenLibraryLady

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June is Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Pride Month. This started as Gay Pride Day to honour the 1969 riots in America. Over time, it evolved into a month of events recognising the impact of the LGBT community throughout history. Parades and events promote equal rights and an end to LGBT discrimination. Groups also organise memorials to remember those who lost their lives to HIV and AIDS.

Children can surprise us with deep, but difficult questions. As challenging as it maybe it is important to answer LGBT questions with understanding and empathy, no matter your beliefs. Planned Parenthood says "the knowledge and respect that you foster when you have these conversations helps create a safer, more inclusive community for everyone."

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Talking to Young Children about Pride Month

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Celebrate Pride Month with this collection of wonderful picture books and resources to use a home or in the classroom. They promote acceptance, not discrimination and listening to children without judgement. Keep your discussions simple and honest using the book list as a conversation starter.

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GLSEN

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Rainbow flags. Marches. Community.

June is LGBTQ Pride Month, celebrated in classrooms and communities around the world.

It's a great time to include LGBTQ themes and history into your curriculum, helping LGBTQ students feel safer and more affirmed.

And all your students will benefit from a better understanding of history and the groups within your community.

So, start planning, be a visible ally and build empathy and understanding.

For a few easy ways to celebrate LGBTQ Pride Month in your classroom, download the educator resource guide.

And don't stop with June! Make sure you are inclusive all year long!

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June is LGBTQ Pride Month, celebrated in classrooms and communities around the world. It's a great time to include LGBTQ themes and history into your curriculum, helping LGBTQ students feel safer and more affirmed. And all your students will benefit from a better understanding of history and the groups within your community.

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Learning for Justice

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Each year around June 19, Black communities across the country unite for a family reunion of sorts. Juneteenth activities feature the sights and sounds of Blackness: People enjoying art, music and food that connect them to a shared ancestry and history. They celebrate being their authentic selves. They celebrate freedom in both solemn and festive ceremonies.

This celebration marks a day in 1865 when enslaved Texans learned they'd be free-two months after Robert E. Lee surrendered and ended the Civil War and two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation. Initially a uniquely Texan observance, Juneteenth has now been recognized in some form in every corner of the country.

There are many ways to teach students about this celebration. Lessons about Juneteenth need to recognize the challenges those who fight injustice have always faced, but they shouldn't be marked only by the tragedy of enslavement. Students, particularly Black students, can find empowerment in the jubilant celebrations of culture, activism and the humanity of a people.

Teaching Juneteenth: Culture as Resistance

Although the truth had been hidden from them-and they continued to face threats of continued oppression, violence and death-a year after they learned of their freedom, formerly enslaved people resiliently rallied around that date and made the celebration an annual ritual. Early Juneteenth observances included a search for lost family members and an opportunity to uplift each other as they moved through hostile environments.

With this knowledge, students can also identify ways the descendants of the enslaved recapture and honor the cultures, customs and practices lost through slavery.

Early celebrations involved readings of the Emancipation Proclamation, religious ceremonies, singing, games and enjoying foods that enslaved people ate. Today, it doesn't look that much different. People retell histories, have family reunions, eat foods reminiscent of early Juneteenth celebrations such as barbeque, attend religious services or choir performances and have elaborate displays such as fancy dress and parades.

Teaching Juneteenth: Understanding Emancipation

That's why Juneteenth is more than an observance of freedom. It's also a time to share the experiences of those who fought- literally and figuratively-to seek true freedom for future generations. It's important that we don't whitewash this history.

A common mistake among those who teach the history of American slavery is to center the U.S. government's role in granting freedom while also placing the onus to navigate through a racist society solely on the formerly enslaved.

Perhaps many center Lincoln in this history because we tend to think of the Emancipation Proclamation, instead of the 13th Amendment, as ending slavery. Our 2018 Teaching Hard History report found that 59 percent of high school students couldn't correctly identify the latter as the legal end to slavery in the United States.

But it's important for students to know that enslaved people didn't willfully accept enslavement or wait for others to free them. They resisted often and consistently. While rare, violent rebellions did occur. Some people successfully escaped enslavement. And everyday acts of resistance, such as breaking tools or pretending to be ill were other ways enslaved people asserted their humanity.

While it certainly encouraged enslaved people to liberate themselves (letting them know they wouldn't be re-enslaved if they escaped behind Union lines), the Emancipation Proclamation didn't end U.S. slavery because it didn't apply to Union states. January 31, 1865 marks the day the 13th Amendment-which officially abolished slavery in the United States-was passed in Congress. Students need to know that there were people enslaved in Delaware until December 6, 1865, the day the 13th Amendment was finally ratified.

Juneteenth offers an opportunity to talk to students about this complex history. When you do, you can also talk about the progress and opposing forces that continue to threaten all of these milestones, even though they're protected by the Constitution of the United States.

Teaching Juneteenth: Backlash to Freedom

American history has often been reduced to a simple story of continuous progress. In this context, the Emancipation Proclamation represents an important turning point-the country coming to its senses and setting the course for concrete steps toward true equality.

But it's important for students to know that the announcement-and the celebration afterward-was short-lived and riddled with setbacks, including violence. For example, some enslavers intentionally waited until the harvest before they announced that the enslaved were freed.

And some people taking advantage of their freedom were met with terror or even death. Newly freed people didn't have protection until September 1865 with the creation of the Freedmen's Bureau, and even those efforts were often thwarted during Reconstruction.

As TT Associate Editor Julia Delacroix points out, "Students tend to think of the fight for civil rights as though there has always been a set list of hurdles to be overcome-slavery, then racial terror, then segregation, then disenfranchisement, then mass incarceration."

But we know that "racism takes the shape of whatever will hold it." Barriers to freedom weren't predestined, but they do confirm that there has always been a force to maintain racial hierarchy by pushing back against change.

In other words, with each attempt to bring justice and equality to all people, there is often a quick and fierce response. With each victory, there is yet another dueling force to conquer. The announcement of emancipation was no exception, and Juneteenth is a perfect opening to invite students to think about the "story of America" they often hear.

Teaching Juneteenth: American Ideals

It's not too challenging to ask students to consider what Juneteenth tells us about our ideas about the United States. After all, another holiday-July Fourth-is in the shadow of Juneteenth. It's a time when Americans are encouraged to rejoice in the nation's independence...and freedom.

Students might recognize a paradox with July Fourth celebrations. They might question how a country could have touted the idea of freedom and liberty for all while also oppressing and treating an entire group of people as property. Those celebrations of independence went on for 89 years before the United States abolished slavery.

Abolitionist Frederick Douglass acknowledged this as "inhuman mockery and sacrilegious irony" during his July 5, 1852 speech in Rochester, New York.

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Each year around June 19, Black communities across the country unite for a family reunion of sorts. Juneteenth activities feature the sights and sounds of Blackness: People enjoying art, music and food that connect them to a shared ancestry and history. They celebrate being their authentic selves.

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Colorin Colorado

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These booklists for adolescents, organized by topic and genre, focus on the experiences of Latinos and Latin American youth, and they have something for everyone - mystery, romance, science fiction, autobiography, poetry, and lots of stories about quinceañeras!

To see related books for younger readers, see our Hispanic Heritage booklists for children.

Booklists by Topic & Genre

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Hispanic Heritage: Booklists for Young Adults

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These booklists for adolescents, organized by topic and genre, focus on the experiences of Latinos and Latin American youth, and they have something for everyone - mystery, romance, science fiction, autobiography, poetry, and lots of stories about quinceañeras! To see related books for younger readers, see our Hispanic Heritage booklists for children.

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Redlining and the GI Bill Juneteenth event

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Redlining and the GI Bill Juneteenth event

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Dr. Wong

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the gi bill and redlining. the impact on black and white family wealth.

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the gi bill and redlining. the impact on black and white family wealth. tickets

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The GI Bill and Redlining. The impact on Black and White family Wealth.

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Eventbrite - Diane Wong and the Racial Justice Collaborative presents The GI Bill and Redlining. The impact on Black and White family Wealth. - Saturday, June 19, 2021 - Find event and ticket information.

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Institute for SEL

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‍ IFSEL's One-Year SEL Leadership Program supports leaders and educators around the world to build and sustain an inclusive, equitable, SEL-rooted school community. This online program is experiential, inspiring, and renewing - providing a balance of high impact practical tools and approaches, alongside space for collaboration and reflection. As a cohort, members of the SEL Leadership Program will work closely to support each other, share ideas, and offer a critical space for problem solving and planning. To allow a depth of connection and collaboration, the SEL Leadership Program will be capped at 30 Leaders

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The learning outcomes of The SEL Leadership Program are

Refine and deepen your knowledge, inspiration, and confidence of what it means to 'Lead for SEL' in a school setting.

Learn and apply a range of SEL reflection and assessment tools in your school, and collaborate with others to develop a vision, action plan and set of priorities.

Explore theory, frameworks and practices to ensure SEL works actively to combat systemic racism and oppression.

Examine School-Wide Systems at your school that work in support of SEL.

Build inspiring and lasting connections with educators committed to bringing SEL alive in their communities.

Learn practices and approaches to center wellbeing in decision-making and action

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What's involved‍

Launch event, followed by six required online, synchronous 90-minute Core Sessions (each session is offered twice to allow Leaders in different time zones to join)

Four optional guest speaker or panel events

An online collaborative forum for communication and resource exchange

Three 1:1 Coaching Sessions with a member of the IFSEL team

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Who is the SEL Leadership Program for?

‍ The Program is designed for anyone committed to and responsible for the implementation and sustainability of SEL in their community, including:

Principals and Division Heads

Aspiring School Leaders

SEL Coordinators

Deans of Students/Grade Level Deans

Members of a Student Services Team

School Social Workers

Counselors

Curriculum Coordinators

Directors of Learning

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Dates

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‍ Kick-Off Event - September : Sept. 23 (4:30 pm Pacific | 7:30 pm Eastern) OR Sep. 24 (7:30 am China | 8:30 am Japan)

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6 Core, 90-minute monthly Sessions are offered at two times for each session: October Session:
Option 1: Oct. 7 (10 am PST | 1 pm Eastern)

Option 2: Oct. 7 (4:30 pm Pacific | 7:30 pm Eastern) | Oct. 8 (7:30 am China | 8:30 am Japan)
November Session:
Option 1: Nov. 9 (10 am PST | 1 pm Eastern)

Option 2: Nov. 9 (4:30 pm PST | 7:30 pm Eastern) | Nov. 10 (7:30 am China | 8:30 am Japan)
December Session:
Option 1: Dec. 2 (10 am PST | 1 pm Eastern)

Option 2: Dec. 2 (4:30 pm PST | 7:30 pm Eastern) | Dec. 3(8:30 am China | 9:30 am Japan)
February Session:
Option 1: Feb. 8 (10 am PST | 1 pm Eastern)

Option 2: Feb. 8 (4:30 pm PST | 7:30 pm Eastern) | Feb. 9 (8:30 am China | 9:30 am Japan)
March Session:
Option 1: March 3 (10 am PST | 1 pm Eastern)

Option 2: March 3 (4:30 pm PST | 7:30 pm Eastern) | March 4 (8:30 am China | 9:30 am Japan)
April Session:
Option 1: April 26 (10 am PST | 1 pm Eastern)

Option 2: April 26 (4:30 pm PST | 7:30 pm Eastern) | April 27(7:30 am China | 8:30 am Japan)

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‍ IFSEL's One-Year SEL Leadership Program supports leaders and educators around the world to build and sustain an inclusive, equitable, SEL-rooted school community. This online program is experiential, inspiring, and renewing - providing a balance of high impact practical tools and approaches, alongside space for collaboration and reflection.

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Facing History and Ourselves

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Our vision is to support educators and school leaders both individually and collectively as they move to culturally inclusive and equitable practices where all students can find their voice, become critical thinkers, and are fully engaged in their education.

Across the country, educators and administrators are acknowledging that schools themselves-both the practice of schooling and the outcomes students are achieving-are not equitable across lines of race and class. Facing History and Ourselves has designed a professional development model to help educators address these troubling and historically rooted disparities.

Through interactive and critically conscious pedagogy, educators will examine the history of American education, current systems of inequity, and gain the tools necessary to address these barriers to equity. This summit will feature a live keynote presentation by Dr. Gholdy Muhammad, author of Cultivating Genius, focusing on culturally and historically responsive literacy.
In this summit, participants will:

Explore the history of race, schooling, and academic identity to better understand the root causes of present-day educational inequities

Engage with contemporary scholarship in the field of race and equity and gain the necessary tools to address these historical legacies in your school context.

Develop mindsets and tools for engaging in equity-based work, and increase their confidence and capacity to lead colleagues through these necessary conversations.

Taking place over three days, this summit offers a real-time, interactive online classroom where participants will connect in facilitated whole- and small-group sessions.
Summit At-a-Glance Details
Who should attend this summit: Middle school and high school teachers, administrators, guidance counselors, social workers, school leaders, and school teams.
Cost: There is a non-refundable $50 registration fee due once your application has been accepted. The event fee for this summit has been waived thanks to generous funding from Facing History and Ourselves donors and partner organizations. Schedule: Tuesday, July 13 - Thursday, July 15, 2021 See in your time zone
Duration: 3 days

Tuesday, July 13, 2021: 11:30 AM - 4:30 PM ET

Wednesday, July 14, 2021: 11:30 AM - 4:30 PM ET

Thursday, July 15, 2021: 11:30 AM - 4:30 PM ET

Time Commitment: Approximately 4.5 hours per day (plus some breaks). There is a pre-work module to complete before the seminar that is approximately 2 hours in length.
Learn More About Our Summer Seminar Offerings
Format: Facilitated Zoom meetings with workshop materials in Canvas. You must have a laptop or PC to participate in Canvas sessions.

Certificate of Completion: Awarded upon successful completion of the summit for 15 professional development hours. Requirements for professional development hours vary by state. It is the educator's responsibility to ensure that they are meeting the requirements of their state. If you are an educator based in New York, after taking this course you are eligible for 15 CTLE hours. If you are an educator based in Illinois, after taking this course you are eligible for up to 15 clock hours. Please contact [email protected] to learn more about CTLE or clock hours.

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Schooling is one of the many systems in the US that has been and continues to be shaped by the historic legacies of racism and inequity. Educators and school leaders, join us for a dynamic 3-day workshop designed to equip you with the context, tools, and strategies you need to address these troubling and historically rooted disparities in your school.

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History.com

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Juneteenth (short for "June Nineteenth") marks the day when federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas in 1865 to take control of the state and ensure that all enslaved people be freed. The troops' arrival came a full two and a half years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. Juneteenth honors the end to slavery in the United States and is considered the longest-running African American holiday. On June 17, 2021, it officially became a federal holiday. Juneteenth 2023 will occur on Monday, June 19.

Confederate General Robert E. Lee had surrendered at Appomattox Court House two months earlier in Virginia, but slavery had remained relatively unaffected in Texas-until U.S. General Gordon Granger stood on Texas soil and read General Orders No. 3: "The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free."

The Emancipation Proclamation

The Emancipation Proclamation issued by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, had established that all enslaved people in Confederate states in rebellion against the Union "shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free."

But in reality, the Emancipation Proclamation didn't instantly free any enslaved people. The proclamation only applied to places under Confederate control and not to slave-holding border states or rebel areas already under Union control. However, as Northern troops advanced into the Confederate South, many enslaved people fled behind Union lines.

Juneteenth and Slavery in Texas

In Texas, slavery had continued as the state experienced no large-scale fighting or significant presence of Union troops. Many enslavers from outside the Lone Star State had moved there, as they viewed it as a safe haven for slavery.

After the war came to a close in the spring of 1865, General Granger's arrival in Galveston that June signaled freedom for Texas's 250,000 enslaved people. Although emancipation didn't happen overnight for everyone-in some cases, enslavers withheld the information until after harvest season-celebrations broke out among newly freed Black people, and Juneteenth was born. That December, slavery in America was formally abolished with the adoption of the 13th Amendment.

The year following 1865, freedmen in Texas organized the first of what became the annual celebration of "Jubilee Day" on June 19. In the ensuing decades, Juneteenth commemorations featured music, barbecues, prayer services and other activities, and as Black people migrated from Texas to other parts of the country the Juneteenth tradition spread.

In 1979, Texas became the first state to make Juneteenth an official holiday; several others followed suit over the years. In June 2021, Congress passed a resolution establishing Juneteenth as a federal holiday; President Biden signed it into law on June 17, 2021.

HISTORY Vault: Abraham Lincoln

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Juneteenth (short for "June Nineteenth") is a holiday commemorating this day, which marked an effective end of slavery in the United States.

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Juneteenth

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General Gordon Granger, June 19th 1865 in Galveston, Texas

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We need your support. Just a couple of dollars collectively will help keep this site growing and telling the rich history of Juneteenth. Please support our efforts, and watch what your contributions produce!

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NYSAIS

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new york state association of independent schools

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Summer 2021 Professional Learning - New York State Association of Independent Schools (NYSAIS)

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Supporting Transgender Individuals & Communities Through Excellence in Training & Consulting

The Transgender Training Institute (TTI) provides national training and consulting services that are informed/provided by transgender and non-binary people, for the benefit of transgender and non-binary communities. We work across the United States, providing services including: expert facilitation of transgender-related professional development trainings, training of trainers/facilitators (TOTs), ally skill building seminars and keynote speaking. We combine our topical expertise, formal training as educators, and decades of facilitation experience to provide your participants with powerful professional development and personal growth trainings that inspire change. We also provide support with curriculum design and review, climate assessments, program evaluation, online courses, capacity building, and technical assistance.

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The Transgender Training Institute (TTI) provides training and consulting services that are informed/provided by transgender and non-binary people, for the benefit of transgender and non-binary individuals and communities. TTI provides professional development and personal growth trainings that engage, inspire, and empower our participants.

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Anti-Bias in the Early Years Film Discussion

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Anti-Bias in the Early Years Film Discussion

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Embrace Race

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We're thrilled to host a screening of the new film Reflecting on Anti-bias Education in Action: The Early Years, as well as a conversation with the film producers and with two of the teachers featured in the film. Watch the introduction and post-film Q&A with the creators and two teachers featured in the film above. To see the film itself and get the accompanying fantastic resources, including a guidebook - all free to access - visit AntiBiasLeadersECE.com or click the link below. The film focuses on teachers in diverse early childhood classrooms who are committed to equity - in terms of race, gender, disability, language, class and other identities of the students and families they serve - on a daily basis. We watch those teachers use anti-bias strategies in early childhood classrooms and also see them reflecting on their practices. Anti-bias education giants Debbie LeeKeenan and John Nimmo produced the film as a resource for early childhood educators wanting to engage in anti-bias practices and featuring the voices and practices of fellow teachers. The film focuses on teachers in classrooms but also offers practical insights about anti-bias helpful to any of us with young children in our lives. Watch the film and hear from Debbie, John, and two teachers featured in the film, Joyce Jackson and Nadia Jaboneta. As always, we welcome your questions and insights!

Introduction to the film

EmbraceRace: At EmbraceRace, we are always relying on the experience and expertise of others and that's certainly true tonight. Let me introduce two of the principles behind this film.

Debbie LeeKeenan is a longtime social justice educator, early childhood consultant, lecturer, and author. She has been in the field of early education for over 48 years. She is a former preschool special education elementary school teacher and has been a member of the early childhood faculty at Tufts University, Leslie University, and the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. She has written numerous books, including"Leading Anti-Biased Early Childhood Programs" with Louise Derman-Sparks and John Nimmo. Debbie is a member of a multi-racial family and an active grandmother. And now a second time guest on EmbraceRace. Debbie, come on in. We're really delighted to have you.

And I also want to introduce her colleague ...

John Nimmo is a professor of Early Childhood Education at Portland State University in Oregon. From 2003 to 2013, he was Executive Director of the Child Study Development Center and Associate Professor of Human Development and Family Studies at the University of New Hampshire, where he was the recipient of the Social Justice Award and the Excellence through Diversity Award. His many publications include "Leading Anti-Biased Early Childhood Programs" with Louise Derman-Sparks and Debbie LeeKeenan. He's also a former early childhood and elementary teacher in his first home of Australia. And now in the U.S. Welcome to you both. We're really, really glad to have you.
Why did we make this film and what was involved?
Debbie LeeKeenan: Great. Thank you so much, Andrew and Melissa. We are honored to be here today and to be able to share our film and support the great work of EmbraceRace. We are all huge fans.

We were fortunate to receive a grant from a small non-profit in Connecticut called the Tyler Rigg Foundation, who was interested in supporting anti-bias initiatives after they saw Louise Derman-Sparks in 2017 on a PBS news spot on the evening news. Louise had created the first film on Anti-Biased Education in 1989, so we thought it may be time for an update. Our film is really a response to the question we often hear: What does anti-bias education look like in the classroom? The film shifts the focus from a talking heads of experts onto the voices and actions of teachers who are committed to making equity and diversity a part of their life and their classroom experience.

So the film, you'll see, is a series of classroom vignettes with teachers responding to children's questions and comments about differences; and then also reflecting on their own identity, contexts and practice. One of the messages of the film is that there's not one way to do anti-bias education. It is based on the framework of the four anti-bias goals of identity, diversity, justice, and action. This approach involves critical thinking and a deep understanding of the complexity of the issues and of your context, your community, the children, the families, the teachers, the colleagues that you work with. Another message in the film is that anti-bias education is possible and doable in all kinds of settings. We want it to show teachers who are not perfect, but rather comfortable taking risks, willing to make mistakes, being vulnerable and sharing who they are.

There are no scripts or actors in the film. These are real teachers in real classrooms, but of course there was preparation. John and I met with the teachers before the actual filming for around three months. I attended bi-weekly team meetings where we would talk about the anti-bias moments that were happening in their classroom, how the teachers were responding, how they integrated this approach into their curriculum, and of course, how they included families.

The coaching and professional development before the actual filming was also about building trust between the teachers, the directors, the sites. We really feel this project was a very collaborative endeavor between us, the producers, the teachers, the directors, the sites, and of course our wonderful filmmaker, Filiz Efe McKinney of Brave Sprouts, which is based here in Seattle. While the film was made with educators in mind, we really are finding that anyone who is interested in social justice work will find it very useful and particularly families. So most important, we see this film as a provocation to generate a dialogue on how to make this anti-bias education a part of your practice and a part of your life. And we hope you'll see it as a catalyst for change. John, do you want me to talk?

One of the messages of the film is that there's not one way to do anti-bias education. It is based on the framework of the four anti-bias goals of identity, diversity, justice, and action. This approach involves critical thinking and a deep understanding of the complexity of the issues and of your context, your community, the children, the families, the teachers, the colleagues that you work with.

Debbie LeeKeenan

John Nimmo: Thank you so much to EmbraceRace and Andrew and Melissa, and also our wonderful interpreters today. Thank you for being here and welcome. I see over a thousand people, so that's just really exciting and I can feel my heart beating right now. This film talks about Anti-Bias Education. We began with an image of young children that they are seeking to make sense of what they see around them. They're seeking to make sense of diversity. They're seeking to make sense of themselves, their identities, and they're also trying to make sense of biases and discrimination that they see around them. We believe that young children absorb and internalize biases that reflect the social and individual prejudice and discriminations that exist in our society. We come from a belief that young children are very empathic.

They have a deep sense of fairness and they understand unfairness. We also believe that they have agency. That they are actively try to make sense of things and they can act when they see unfairness. So this is sort of a grounding for this approach we call Anti-Bias Education. We also believe very strongly in an active and strong view of teachers of young children and families of young children, that you are making decisions at every moment in the day as part of addressing bias, recognizing bias, and also giving children the tools to work against bias. We see in this film, we tried to view the teachers as the decision-makers, the experts in their own classrooms and that we believe strongly that doing nothing when it comes to bias is always doing something. You always have to do something. You can't just do nothing.

Anti-Bias Education, I think is a very optimistic approach. It brings hope and it really permeates everything you do in an early childhood setting. It's not a set curriculum. It's not a plan, although you'll see many strategies in the film, but it really depends that it's going to be different depending on your particular setting, your families, the children, and your community, the place you're in and the social identities of the people who are in there. We hope that you can take what you see in the film, like as Debbie says, as a provocation, and then to look at and reflect on your own particular settings of, of children, families, and communities.

Into the anti-bias education. You'll see in this film, we've structured around the four goals, the first one being identity. In other words, what's being reflected back to me as a child or an adult about who I am. How do I feel good about who I am? And I think of EmbraceRace. How do I embrace who I am in the world in terms of the group identities that I belong to and the families I belong to? One is this mirror coming back to you.

The second goal is what we call diversity. That is the windows out to all the other people in this world. How am I encouraged as a young child to be curious about diversity? To love diversity? To want to understand diversity? And to realize that there's power in interacting with folks who are different from who I am, whether it's by ability or gender expression or race or language and so forth.

The third one is justice. That is the belief that young children can be given tools to understand bias, which of course is connected to systemic racism and oppression. That they could be given the tools, whether it's identifying a stereotype or understanding when something is unfair. They can get these tools.

And then the fourth one is action or activism. Being able to do something with those tools, be able to identify and think about: how can I change things in my world to have that hopeful view of the possibility of change? We see these things as an important kind of framework for young children.

Another thing before we start the film that I think is really important is that in this film, which we called "Reflecting on Anti-Biased Education and Practice," we see teachers who are aware of who they are, their social identities, that when they walk into the classroom they're bringing who they are; whether that's their race, their language, their religion, and that you have to be very intentional about understanding that history and heritage and how it relates to what you're doing in terms of the children in your classroom and the families you're working with.

That then prepares you to engage in, to not only observe and see the questions children are asking through their behavior or through their words, but to have the courage to be able to engage in that conversation and even to provoke that conversation at times.

The last thing I think I would say is that Debbie and I recognize that the teachers in this film, we think they're brave and they're courageous. Not only did they have filmmakers and us in their classrooms recording their actions as they happen, this was not a scripted film. These teachers were not only able to do that, but I think you'll see in their reflections a great deal of honesty about the complexity of the work and their willingness to be vulnerable. I think that's so critical to this work, that you have to step up and you have to be able to take a risk and to know that you're going to make mistakes. There's no way to do this perfectly. We hope that you will see this optimistic view. I think we both believe that this is a very heart-centered film and that it will speak to you and your work in the classroom or with your families.

EmbraceRace: Great. Thank you so much both. I think we're ready to see the film. See you on the other side.

Watch the film, Reflection on Anti-Bias Education In Action: The Early Years (48 minutes long)

Post-film Conversation and Q&A

EmbraceRace: That was remarkable. Absolutely remarkable. Please come on back. One of the really wonderful things about this film, I hope you saw all the love, all the appreciation, heartfelt and clearly mind-felt as well that people were reflecting about was absolutely amazing. An absolutely extraordinary film. One of the things that we really love about it is that, as you said Debbie when you're introducing it, you really lift up the voices of educators and children. There are, as you say, "no talking head experts" in this film. Although lots of talking head experts have lots of good things to offer to be sure, including you, but wow. Amazing. Let me introduce them.

Nadia Jaboneta lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and three children. Nadia is a program coordinator and classroom teacher at Pacific Primary Preschool. She has 22 years of experience in Early Childhood Education teaching young children, training teachers, consulting, and facilitating workshops. She's passionate about social justice and proud to have immigrant parents from Lima, Peru. She also is the author of two books. One entitled"You Can't Celebrate That! Navigating the Deep Waters of Social Justice Education" and "Children's Lively Minds: Schema Theory Made Visible." Welcome. Nadia, thank you for your contribution.

And Joyce Jackson, who is a teacher at the Epiphany Early Learning Preschool in Seattle, Washington. Joyce has been working in the early childhood education field for over 30 years. She says, "Our children's first years are their most impressive. Having such an important role in the early education of our future is very, very rewarding. Working with children gives me a warm fuzzy feeling on the inside." And that's always a good thing. Joyce Jackson has done local presentations, has been a featured teacher in Exchange Magazine. She is a wife, a mother of three and a grandmother of 12.
Are there some milestones or some particular suggestions you would make that might help guide the journeys that educators want to make in anti-bias education?
Welcome. Joyce, at the beginning of the film, you talk about this being a journey for you and that is that's one of the highlights of the film. For you and for others, we see the learning journey, an experiential journey that teachers are having. Nadia, you too refer later in the film to Brian to being sort of your partner in thinking through some of the challenges you face and how to meet different circumstances. And of course, underlining that Debbie explained at the beginning that you all work together for a few months before making the film as well.

Nadia Jaboneta: I've been really reflecting a lot about my journey as a social justice leader in the field of early childhood, but also in my life as just a human, as a mom, as a daughter, as all the different roles that I have. I feel like without even knowing it, I've been on this anti-bias social justice journey my whole life. My parents, as I mentioned in the film, came from Lima, Peru over 55 years ago and they specifically chose this city, San Francisco, California, because they had some friends and family who had moved here and told them this is such a diverse city with so many opportunities for education, for raising a family, for jobs. So growing up here in San Francisco, and I'm still here today, I really got to grow up really having so much family pride, really being proud of my roots, being proud of my culture and going to a school that was predominantly White, as I mentioned in the film.

About maybe fifth grade, I really started to notice I'm different. I don't feel like I fit in. I started to think, "I wish I was White. I want blonde hair. I want to look like my best friends. I want to have homes like my best friends do and eat those foods." And I would tell my dad, "Pick me up a little further after school today, okay? When I open the door don't speak Spanish to me, okay?" So it took me up until eighth grade where I became a real advocate without even knowing it and really talking to my parents about, "I want to go to a school that's different. I want to go to a school where I can see people that look like me, that talk like us, that eat food like us. And I want to know a lot more about people who are different than us too."

Here are some of the anti-bias goals and I'm 13-14 years old. We were able to find a high school that was like that and I really got that family pride back, that confidence and moving forward to finding Pacific Primary. I was a mom. I had a three-year-old. I was looking forward to something new and I read their mission statement and how much it talked about their commitment to social justice, to having a diverse community, and I knew it was a place I wanted to be as a teacher, but also as a parent and starting at that time, about 12 years ago, I really began to dig deeper into myself. Who am I? What is my role as a person of color? As a Latina? How do I bring my true self to this community? And really going to lots of, I was going to say webinars, but it wasn't webinars back then. It was actually in-person workshops, doing lots of reading, and really collaborating with Brian in using a reflective lens and really studying the anti-bias goal and what that looked like in our classrooms, what that looked like in the younger classrooms.

I'm still on this journey. I don't consider myself an expert at all, but I consider myself learning something new every day, learning along with the children, learning along with my colleagues, learning along with all the families and learning with my own family, my children. I have a 15 year old, an 11 year old and a one-year-old. I'm just constantly learning something new and something that I feel like I do want to share with everyone watching is that there isn't one way to do this. There's just so many ways to do this work and be really committed to social justice. It could be scary sometimes, so don't be scared away by all the experts out there who are giving us advice on how to do this work. You know you best. You know your context best. You know your kids best; whether it's in your classroom, whether it's your own children. There's just so many ways to do this work and we're all in this together working towards the same goals.

There isn't one way to do this [anti-bias education]. There's just so many ways to do this work and be really committed to social justice. It could be scary sometimes... You know you best. You know your context best. You know your kids best; whether it's in your classroom, whether it's your own children.

Nadia Jaboneta

Joyce Jackson: Echo what Nadia said about it being a lifelong journey. Being born, I'm a person of color, so thinking way back to elementary school having all White teachers in the classroom, but I knew when I was in kindergarten that I wanted to be a teacher. When I went to college, I came in class one night and all the desks were pulled back and there were just magazine pictures all over the floor. The teacher said, "Find yourself in one of these magazines. Find something that relates to you." And I couldn't. They were all non-Black people, White people mostly. So I think at that moment, shaking my head, that this is a shame. It pushed me further to think about just inclusiveness.

Being in a classroom that is welcoming, accepting of diversities, embracing differences, appreciating, respecting. And now that I have my own kids, and I do consider the kids in my classroom my kids eight hours a day, every day, but I feel like we have to give them the tools now, give them words. We're role modeling because they are the ones that are going to take over. And right now I just feel like it's the job of the teachers, all the educators, the parents, we got to equip our kids with these tools that they need to make these changes in the future and keep letting them know that, "Yeah, it's not fair now, but you're going to have the right and you're going to have the power to make it right."

And being a teacher in the school that I work in is not really diverse, but our school is so focused on the anti-bias goals and bringing these goals in and raising children that I do feel like we are empowering these kids with the tools that they need to carry on in the future. Just as much as we have to guide the White children in ways to use their privilege and then our children of color, "Yeah. You're worthy also and you have the same power."

EmbraceRace: Absolutely. That's so real, right? That so many schools are still pretty homogenous. That's kind of more likely than not, so it's a real problem.
You're both embracing and carrying yourself and your identities in the room. How has being a teacher of color been a provocation for you in the classroom?
And I wondered, Joyce, to follow up with you a bit on that, you talked about in the film there was one of the teachers, Veronica, who said that being a teacher of color is often just in and of itself walking into a classroom of provocation. And you talked about how "Every year it happens, they're fascinated with my hair."

Joyce Jackson: Being a teacher of color and there's me in a classroom with 15-16 little White kids, the questions that they have bring so many deep conversations. They want to know about me, just like I want to know about them. We have our family pictures in the classroom, so even the teachers bring theirs and they want to know about my family. I learn something from them every single day, which my grandma always said when we were little, you got to learn something new every day. These kids, it's just their curiosity. They want to know. And they need to know. And I do want them to know about me, my culture. Some kids talk about God. Religion is just a topic that we talk about.

We talk about, they were talking about getting new crayons and one little girl was saying, "Well, sometimes if you don't have money, then you just can't get new crayons." And I was like, "Well, yeah. I know about that because sometimes when I was little and I broke my toys and I couldn't get another toy." And then they're like, "Why couldn't you? If I break something, I can just go get another one. My mom and dad can just buy me another one." But that just brings up the conversations of "Well, everybody can't do that."

EmbraceRace: Right. That's such a gift to them to have some difference and a person of authority as well.

Nadia Jaboneta: I've been thinking about how being in a diverse community with diverse families, diverse teachers, really working together in a meaningful and genuine way is such a huge piece of us being in an anti-racist community. Also me being able to feel comfortable in bringing my full, true self to the classroom, to my school every day really opens up so many conversations that the children know they're in a safe space. They know they're in a brave space where they can ask me questions about me, about my family. They can share about themselves. They're really brave in just pointing out things that they might not agree with. Whether we're reading a book or it's something that I share or a friend shares and having these discussions where we're being respectful to each other, we're listening to each other. We can say, "It's okay to have different ideas." People can do things differently. But especially this year with COVID, we have a smaller group size. We have 10 children in our classroom, so I've just noticed just deep conversations that we're having.

Just this week, I read a book about being different and being the same and I didn't realize the book was written in 1991. I saw the title and I thought, "Well, this is going to be a conversation starter." And the children just really feeling safe and brave and say, "Nadia, but you know, that's not true. There's more ways to be than just boy and a girl. What do you think?" And I was again having this open conversation about ways that you can be. It's just been such a special year and I'm going to be really sad when these kids go to kindergarten.
How did you respond to children asking about George Floyd's murder? There was a point in the movie when you ask, do the children want to march? And I noticed which, I hadn't noticed before that there's a little tally of yes, no. And there may be seven or eight yes's when we see it and there's one no. And I wonder, how did you respond with respect to that child or any children who said no?
EmbraceRace: No, they want to stay with you.

Nadia Jaboneta: Well, just to give you a little background, I'm not sure how it emerged but the children were really interested in these tallying and surveys that school year. So we had all kinds of surveys all over the classroom. Do you like oranges or do you like apples? And then as we started learning more about being social justice leaders in our community. They'd be tallies like, well, who do you like better, police officers or firefighters? And then there was this question that the children asked, well, let's ask everybody if they want to have a march and we'll have a vote.

So this child went around and asked everybody. And the one child who didn't want to have a march had said that she was shy and didn't want people looking at her and just felt really shy about it. And that's why she didn't want to go. So we helped her in brainstorming ways. "We really want to include you. We all really want to do this. How can we help you?" And the agreement we've made was that she would hold my hand and we would do it together and I would help her hold her sign.

So next thing you know, she didn't want to hold my hand anymore. She was just there holding her sign up high and proud. So that's what that was about. In regards to your other questions. I still struggle every day in what I should tell children, how far I should go, what I shouldn't tell them, how I support them in thinking about the unfairness in our world today, about racism. I don't want to cause harm. I don't want to scare them, particularly with the violence piece. I wish there was just one answer. And I'm constantly watching webinars and reading. I want to know what is the answer for two year-olds, for three-year-old's, for four year old's, for five-year-old's. And there isn't. There's so many perspectives. There's so many different contexts.

And again, just us knowing ourselves, knowing our families that we're working with, knowing the children that are in our care. And even in that small group, there might be one child whose family is talking about what happened to George Floyd and then the kid right here, they're not. So how do I, as a teacher in this classroom with these 22 children, meet the needs of all 22 of them? And it's tricky, it's really hard and tricky work. So when this happened, I emailed all the families with telling them what had happened to that day and how I responded and acknowledging that a lot of them may not be ready to have this conversation with their children. So I gave them some resources that they can look at. I helped with giving them some sentences that they could use. And I made myself very available.

Our director, Bill Anne made herself available to please let us know if they want to have a phone conversation, a Zoom call. Again, this is all during COVID. Several parents met me at the window of our school and six feet away we'd talked through the window and gave them some tips on how they can approach us at home that evening. And throughout the rest of the summer, really collaborated with talking to them about how the conversations were going at home, what their children were saying and they wanted to help. They wanted to participate. So, there was a lot of back and forth of things you can do at home. Things that we were doing at school, sharing photos, reaching out to other family members for their perspectives in helping children in thinking through this. And also there's parents who didn't know what to do.

You know, one family came to me and said, "My child said that they don't want to make another sign tomorrow. And I'm not sure why and I don't know how to respond. Am I doing enough? Are we not talking about this enough?" So setting up a Zoom call with supporting them and thinking about how to best support their child. But so it's, again, it's tricky work but it's all very important work. And it was just such a special summer and all of us collaborating as a community together to empower the children, to really have this sense of being powerful and acting together against this unfair thing that happened.
Joyce, to the extent that you're able, you try to engage the family members in any of the anti-bias work you do. What can you tell us about that experience? What works? What doesn't work? What is worth highlighting in your experience?
EmbraceRace: Thank you so much, Nadia. Debbie I'm reminded of when you were a guest with us and we asked, it was mostly an educator audience, what were some of the obstacles that they had, insofar as they wanted to do anti-bias work. And I would say 90 something percent of them basically pointed to other adults. Very often parents, sometimes other teachers, administrators.

Joyce Jackson: I would say it is very important to have our families involved in the classroom. We've invited parents, well pre-COVID, into our classrooms to share their cultures. Some parents like to come share different recipes from their cultures. We've had parents come talk about the different religions. And it's when the kids notice, they'll look at each other's family pictures or they'll notice something like in the background of one of the pictures, like what is that? And then when the kids can tell each other like, "Oh, in my family, we celebrate this or that." And then it's an interest of all of them. And this is something that we encourage, finding out about each other's differences, respecting each other's differences. And our parents are always on board to come in the classroom and share.

We've had this currently and what, 2020. And then even further back than that, that we've had parents and kids come in. The kids will come in and tell us about different protests that they went to with their parents, different marches. I mean, almost all of them know about Martin Luther king. We're in Seattle. And it seems like, which is a good thing, which is... And I appreciate parents when they involve their kids in the protest and it's like, this is the way they're getting their information. It's hands on. And we do encourage that. And then when they come back to school, it's like, we have all these conversations about, like George Floyd. That how sometimes the word that just describes it in a way that they can understand it is just mean. Some people are mean and creating the space where these kids can have empathy and we can just openly discuss all these different things with them. I mean, it's always a plus.

EmbraceRace: I just can't help thinking, just hearing about communicating with the parents and just even all the Zoom calls, just thinking about how much better prepared these kids are going to be than their parents. It's a lot of support that we parents and teachers need right now to do this work that wasn't done for many of our kids.

Joyce Jackson: Definitely.

EmbraceRace: So we're grateful for the work you're doing. We're going to go to questions. Because there are so many questions and one of them that came up a lot in the registration and that was probably coming up in the chat is about the difficulty of teaching about anti-bias work in regards to race in particular, when you have a homogenous classroom. So when you have a teacher and kids that are all of the same race or almost or majority.
Debbie and John, can you could speak a bit about what does the White teacher in the homogenous classroom do?
And oftentimes that's asked about White classrooms in particular and I know we have Louise Derman-Sparks on. Oh my gosh, I can't believe it. And that she wrote that fabulous book that we recommend a lot, with Patricia Ramsey who lives in our area. And we know What If All The Children Are White. And I do think that what you said Joyce, really underlines the way in and even a classroom where there are a lot of White kids. Of course you're the provocation, but there's also a lot of differences that you're seeing and that they're sharing. So they're differentiating in all these ways that are really important. I think in that Louise Derman-Sparks and Pat Ramsey talk about in that book, the importance of doing that.

EmbraceRace, Andrew: Can I add a little thing?

EmbraceRace, Melissa: Yeah.

EmbraceRace, Andrew: I'm sorry. Because I was thinking very much. One of the remarkable things about this film it seems to me is that you really do treat differences along many dimensions seriously. The school that our children went to when they were much younger, we were on the diversity committee for three years. And even though that diversity committee, which presumably applies to many things, race and gender and gender expression, all sorts of things. It was our common experience that we came back to race again and again and again. Not necessarily an application, in practice, but at least in talking about it, race tended to obliterate all the other differences in the attention had got. But not in this film, which is amazing. If you want to pick up on that at all.

John Nimmo: Yeah. I mean, I think that both of us share a belief that race and racism is pretty central to the United States and intersecting with all these other identities. But I think some folks will ask, "Well, what's the difference between being anti-racist and anti-racist teaching and anti-bias?" And I think it is partly because we're working with very young children, is considering all of those identities that they're constructing and that they're constructing them together. We don't want to pass it out. And we tried in the film to show that. That they're constructing those identities, whether it's gender expression, they're trying to understand religion. They're trying to understand language as they begin to encounter a society, which is to me structured around White supremacy. So you know that as an adult, we begin to see how critical race and racism is in this country.

In terms of this question about all White programs where the teachers or the families are primarily White. I think to me first, we believe anti-bias education is for those settings as much as any other setting, that's the first thing. The second thing is that thinking about all the identities, that there's going to be diversity in any program, whether it's across social class or family structure or language, gender expression, there is going to be that diversity there. So I don't think we want to think about any place as somehow just monocultural. I think the other thing is for me thinking as a White teacher myself, it's not a surprise, I think it's a symptom of systemic oppression and White supremacy that White folks don't like to talk about or have been socialized not to talk about their identities in terms of race.

And so I think that's the first thing for me is that if you're in that setting, you have to get comfortable with talking about that part of yourself with children and with colleagues and practicing that. And I think part of that is both recognizing, being able to find ways to talk to four year old's about privilege and those kinds of things, whether it's for social class or race and also being able to be very clear about the heroes and models that you have, who may be both BIPOC and also White folks. I mean, Louise Derman-Sparks is in the audience here somewhere. And you know, for me and I know for Debbie, she's a model, she's an important model in my growth over the last 30 years. And there are other folks who I turn to as models of an anti-racist view of being White.

So I think that's a couple of the things you can do. The other thing that I always find is if you dig below, if you go beyond your classroom of children and families and make connections with communities, make connections with the neighborhood, talk to families about their extended family or friends. You begin to see you can build true and authentic relationships with folks who are going to reflect diversity around race. And I saw that in New Hampshire, which is not exactly known for its racial diversity and it wasn't that difficult to begin to create meaningful relationships with folks who broke that sense that everyone was White, which is what the kids were experiencing. Debbie.

The other thing is for me, thinking as a White teacher myself... it's a symptom of systemic oppression and White supremacy that White folks don't like to talk about or have been socialized not to talk about their identities in terms of race. And so I think that's the first thing for me is that if you're in that setting, you have to get comfortable with talking about that part of yourself with children and with colleagues and practicing that.

John Nimmo

Debbie LeeKeenan: The only thing I'll add to that was also that particularly those four goals of identity, diversity, justice and action. They're for all children! There's often some misconceptions about them. Well, these are the kinds of goals we have to work with these kinds of kids and these are the kind we work with others. Everyone needs to work on all of those. And as John mentioned, the intersectionality of all of these different identities with race being a core one is key. I often think of also groups when they say, "Well, we don't see any diversity here."

We talk about the diversity being the relationship between us. It's not that you are diverse and I'm not diverse. Also I think of abilities as another good way to start. When people look at a what looks like a predominantly White community, I think of abilities. We all have things that we're good at. We all have things that are hard for us. That's another way to start to think about that. And of course, some of the strategies in the film I think apply to all different kinds of settings. Using those persona dolls, using literature. Nadia brings up mirrors and windows. That whole concept, I think is another way to, how do I get started in a homogeneous community?

EmbraceRace: And it's great you mentioned that they, of course the film is free to watch on your website and there are just amazing resources on your website. We will send links, and I encourage everybody to seek out that material.
What are some things that administrators can do to support the efforts of teachers trying to do this work?
Let me ask just one more question, which a lot of people are asking. In our experience, we don't know, we certainly don't personally know many examples of schools that truly give institutional support to this kind of work. What's much more common is this teacher here or that teacher there and you hope your kid gets that right teacher because that teacher is trying to do amazing work really against the odds and without a whole lot of support, which by the way, also makes that teacher more, as it were, vulnerable to those parents who might come in and push back hard.

Debbie LeeKeenan: First thing I think about of course, is creating that culture, having the vision, having the mission. That's the role of the leader, that this equity work is important. It's a part of everything we do, it's going to be part of our staff meetings, it's going to be part of our budget, it's going to be part of our mission statement. It's a part of how we work with families. So you have to lead and have that vision. On the other hand, you don't just want a top down. We talk a lot about, it needs to bubble up. So you need both. When we say leaders, you have the teacher leaders. You have the family leaders. You want to create this community of people who have a common vision. It can be done through an equity team.

There are a lot of different specific strategies for doing it that way, but I think it's that creating the culture, making it a part of everything that you're doing and feeling, sharing your own commitment to that. Being willing to say, "I don't know everything, but I know this is important. It's part of our ethical responsibility as teachers is early childhood professionals. So this is why we're doing it. And we're going to do this together and work through this together. And knowing that even if I don't know everything, if there are mistakes and conflicts and we fall down, we get up that's the process of doing this work."

John Nimmo: The other thing I was thinking of with administrators and Debbie and Louise and I wrote a book Leading Anti-bias Early Childhood Programs because we could see teachers struggling. There's a lot of material out there, what to do in the classroom, but then that becomes very limited without the support of administrators. And I'd say one of the things that was most important to me as an administrator was having the teachers back to be there, to engage with some of the difficult conversations that might happen with parents who are resistant to or have problems with supporting them, allowing them to do their work. And also, I think as Debbie said, this idea of facilitated leadership, of really listening to what teachers need. And I think budgets are powerful. Even if you don't have a big budget. I always looked at my budget in terms of being an equity tool and thinking about what possibility was there for shifting something towards an equity priority, given that you're always prioritizing as a leader, an administrator.

EmbraceRace: Fabulous. Thank you so much again. I want to give each of you a minute at this time, I know that's not a lot of time, to share, to reflect on anything you haven't able to respond to or to share anything you want to leave us with. Maybe the rewards of this work. I know there are a lot of challenges.

Joyce Jackson: I feel like, and I wish and I hope that an anti-bias education could be given to all educators. I mean, thinking back to when I was a child, I wish and I wish I could've put my kids in a school where the anti-bias goals are at the top of the list. It's a part of who I am. It's a part of who I want the kids in my classroom to be. It's just a daily journey and it's a continuous journey and it's necessary.

EmbraceRace: Thank you, Joyce.

Nadia Jaboneta: I was thinking about the film and how you all see just a glimpse of each of our classrooms and the work that we're doing. And the reason I do this work is not to say, "Here's how to do it and follow my lead, and you should do it exactly the same." But my goal is that you will all be inspired in how to do it in your way and also to really see how powerful children are. Listen to them, follow their lead, learn along with them. And it's just really meaningful, important work.

EmbraceRace: Thank you. I think it's fair to say that to you and Joyce and your colleagues have inspired a lot of people. And you will clearly continue to do that. Thank you so much. Not least us. John, can I come to you?

EmbraceRace: You already did, yeah.

John Nimmo: Yeah. It's always so delightful to be on these panels with teachers, wonderful educators like Nadia and Joyce. And we've learned so much through this process. What I was thinking at the beginning, I said something about anti-bias education being optimistic. And I got that from Louise's book. And I think that it's one antidote, one tool we have, anti-bias education, to address oppression and racism. And it's not the only thing, adults have a lot of work to do with other adults. It's not all on the backs of children to just change this society. But I think that anti-bias education is a kind of act of hope and the belief in the capacity of children. And I think about whose writing has been important to me, Paolo Fareri from Brazil, he had an expression that he invented in Portuguese that basically meant hope in the present. And I think children hope in the present. We don't think about futures, we think about now.

EmbraceRace: Thank you, John. Debbie.

Debbie LeeKeenan: I'll say about leaning into discomfort and conflict. I like to say that my, professionally, I know that, that we, I like to use the word productive disequilibrium. We learn through this tension when there's conflict. Because that means growth. But I also know that my cultural background being Chinese American often taught me that I had to be a peacemaker. Live in harmony. Don't rock the boat. So learning to feel, I guess my last thought is about leaning into conflict and feeling comfortable with it and taking that step. Be brave. But one step at a time we can do it.

Debbie LeeKeenan: Antibiasleadersece.com is where you can see the film. We'll make sure that yes, that EmbraceRace has that link. And also the guidebook, which a lot of people are asking, really has a lot of questions and prompts and all the resources, "Which book do I get this?" They're all listed in there, websites. And if you want to use the film as a professional development tool, we want you to. There are actually some of the questions and prompts you can use as a tool with your communities, with your families. And it's great. We want to get it out there.

John Nimmo: Yep. And we're also making available, you can get a DVD and pack it with the guidebook. If you'd like to have it in your hands, that'll be available in June. And we're just trying to do that close to cost.

EmbraceRace: We really appreciate all of the resources and work you've put in. And we're so honored to have you all on Talking Race and Kids with EmbraceRace and to have everyone who's participated. Thank you so much more to come. We hope. Thank you so much. Thank you to our interpreters and to Chris behind the scenes. Thank you everyone. Take care.

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We're thrilled to host a screening of the new film Reflecting on Anti-bias Education in Action: The Early Years, as well as a conversation with the film producers and with two of the teachers featured in the film. Watch the introduction and post-film Q&A with the creators and two teachers featured in the film above.

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Weaving Anti-Bias and Equity Into Curriculum 

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Weaving Anti-Bias and Equity Into Curriculum 

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K-12 Dive

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To classroom teacher Makai Kellogg , a lead teacher and equity and diversity coordinator at School for Friends, a preschool in Washington, D.C., educators can't capably interrupt bias they hear coming from their students if they haven't begun to address their own.

From hearing two students argue about who can be the one mommy during recess, to another telling a peer short hair is only for boys, these expressions of bias can only be addressed - and ideally dismantled - when educators examine the messages they've lived with themselves.

"In order to begin anti-bias work, which is interrupting bias that you notice children are picking up on as a 2-year-old, 3-year-old or 4-year old, it's going to be a lot harder to do it until you deal with your own," said Kellogg, who works with young children while supporting teachers, administrators and families in terms of equity and diversity. "That's where the real work begins."

For teachers eager for simple tools and steps that can weave anti-bias, social justice, equity and culturally-responsive education into their classroom, experts say that approach can be superficial and potentially even cause harm. The first step instead, they believe, is to first ask themselves what they hope to achieve with their students, then roll up their sleeves and start taking those steps themselves.

"It's OK if everyone is on a different part of their journey," said Kellogg. "But the hope is everyone is on their own anti-bias journey."

Self-reflection

On her personal blog, Kellogg points to a number of she encourages educators who are eager to build equity within their classrooms to pick up, read and consider. They may want to add these to a personal professional development plan of their own.

That's a path Takiema Bunche Smith , executive director of the Center on Culture, Race and Equity at Bank Street College of Education in New York, also believes educators need to take doing the self-work and self-reflection they need in order to be responsive to the students they're teaching. However, that doesn't necessarily mean they can't be working with students while simultaneously engaging in this work.

"It's not an 'either or,' it's a 'yes and,'" said Bunche Smith. "You absolutely do it concurrently, and you have to create clear checkpoints along the way."

To her, that means educators must teach themselves or engage in professional development to help them learn about their own assumptions and then find the holes in their own learning. They also need to be clear on how they see themselves, including their privilege.

"Every person has identities that both afford us privileges and predispose us to experiencing marginalization," she said. "We have to explore all our identities and how they play out in society, because that impacts how we show up in classrooms and how we navigate this with students."

Focus on humanity

It's also crucial to think about the images, stories and messages educators are introducing to students around social justice and equity, said Bunche Smith. If the first introduction to Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders is around racism and violence they've experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic, for example, or if George Floyd is the first topic when talking about Black people, then educators are focusing only on people being victims of racism and bias, she said.

"That's why we need to talk about race and provide full, 360-degree views about people, communities and their diversities," said Bunche Smith. "Struggles against injustice will be a part of those conversations, but it should not be the first, nor only, conversation."

Educators should ask themselves, as well, about what videos are shown to students, trips they're taking with their classes, language being used in classrooms and books students have available to them. Materials should reflect lives in full, from children in gay and transgender families to children of color in everyday experiences.

Bunche Smith highlighted the Denise Lewis Patrick book " Red Dancing Shoes " and its story of a young Black girl with new patent-leather red shoes who trips and thinks they are ruined until an aunt helps her fix them, making the child feel better.

"This book describes a happy, healthy child and her life within her family," Bunche Smith said. "We need to see many more stories like this to reflect the full reality of Black children's and other children of color's lives."

Across curriculum

Anti-bias and equity can be woven throughout curriculum, from literature to science lessons.

To Emily Adah Miller , associate researcher with the Wisconsin Center for Education Research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and one of the lead writers for the Next Generation Science Standards Diversity and Equity Team, science classes can also be woven into social justice lessons. For example, students might investigate the chemistry of taste while looking at food deserts, where access to affordable and healthy food may be limited.

"Everything can be seen through a lens of social justice and equity, and how can science be used to leverage these social justice issues," said Adah Miller.

, professor of childhood education at New York University's Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development and leader of the NGSS Diversity and Equity team, emphasizes science can also address equity issues.

Lee noted that science understanding can be expressed not just in words, but gestures and symbols. By employing and encouraging these kinds of expressions in the classroom, educators could increase access for learning and understanding between students, such as English learners, peers and educators.

For example, in studying the effect of time on the decomposition of a banana in a jar, students are looking at a closed system, Lee notes. One student may say the banana is decomposing but maintains the same weight. Another can express this with a single word, like "closed" or "same," or even just draw an arrow to suggest the same idea, Lee said.

In doing so, students can feel they're being heard and respected for their work by their teacher and peers no matter how they share their understanding. And in this way, science work can also serve as a good starting point to help students develop language, noted Lee.

"If they do this a couple of times, you can see the confidence of students going up," she said. "That's equity."

Ultimately, when it comes to creating an educational climate that centers around social justice, anti-racism and equity, Bunche Smith believes some educators may be looking for some single activity or unit to bring into their classroom. But instead, she said teachers should step back and think about what they're really hoping to see - not just in their classrooms, but ultimately in the world around them through the lessons they bring to students - and start there.

"Ask yourself, 'What is my vision of what society should look like?'" she said. "And once you have that vision, it becomes your roadmap of what you need to learn about yourself, and what you must learn to support all of your students to thrive."

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Weaving anti-bias and equity into curricula begins with self-reflection

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To classroom teacher Makai Kellogg , a lead teacher and equity and diversity coordinator at School for Friends, a preschool in Washington, D.C., educators can't capably interrupt bias they hear coming from their students if they haven't begun to address their own.

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Black Lives Matter - Resources for Antiracist Teaching and Instruction

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Black Lives Matter - Resources for Antiracist Teaching and Instruction

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Newsela

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Black Students Matter: Resources for anti-racist teaching and instruction

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Edutopia

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Teachers concerned that they might be showing bias against students in marginalized groups can use a short checklist for self-assessment.

Allison Shelley for the Alliance for Excellent Education

Let's say that you, like me, have a renewed commitment this year to ensuring equity in your classes. Let's say that you've been to the seminar-"Antiracist Education" or "Racism in the Classroom"-and afterward you read books such as How to Be an Antiracist. Now you're ready; you want to do what some people call "the work." But then you get to your classroom and don't have any idea where to begin.

One time I found myself in a similar situation. I was in a casual meeting with my principal, a well-respected Black leader at our school. We were discussing test scores, classroom management, and our new crop of teachers. The conversation turned to my own students and he said, "Wamsted, the only real problem with you is that you don't know how to handle some of these Black boys."

We had an excellent working relationship, so even though the comment stung, I knew better than to ignore him. I began to watch myself, to check the spaces in my pedagogy where bias and prejudice were leaking through. I focused on five key areas where I could track my behavior as I made notes about interactions with my students. I wanted to self-monitor for racial bias.

Once the data was staring me in the face, I knew my principal was right: I was treating some of my Black male students differently from other students. It was unconscious but true. Empowered by this knowledge, I was able to make a deliberate decision to change my behavior.

5 Areas to Examine for Bias

1. Discipline: Research finds that Black students are punished in schools at disproportional rates; it is worthwhile to investigate if this is true in our classes. As an important piece of the inquiry, however, don't just track big acts of discipline-detentions and referrals and calls home. Rather, keep a clipboard close at hand, and every time you find yourself managing a student, mark it down. Out-of-turn phone usage, quasi-innocent time out of seat, medium-level volume issues-sometimes these small things require correction, but how we handle them is worth inspecting for bias.

2. Calling on raised hands: Who do we call on when they raise a hand to participate? There's little ambiguity here, making this an obvious area for self-reflection. Don't be too hard on yourself about the classroom Hermione, the one you call on far too often because they are the only one offering. Pay attention instead to moments when you are offered a choice. As a bonus for my fellow male teachers out there, tracking this behavior could also help uncover gender bias in our practice.

3. Cold calling: If you're anything like me, sometimes you call on a student not because they are offering a comment or question but because you think they aren't paying attention. You're trying to trap them, Peppermint Patty style, in a moment of laziness or misbehavior. I don't think there's anything wrong with this method of classroom management, but it's important to know if we're applying it equitably.

The point of the first three trackers is to see what names come out of our mouths at which times. This data can cut across the blur of memory and give better information about actual practice. The next two trackers are more subjective because they will try to tease out a different kind of bias through asking us to monitor our thoughts and feelings.

4. "This kid is in the wrong class": Most teachers know that gut-level feeling of excitement or dismay upon being asked to write a letter of recommendation. I tried to capture that feeling midstream by tracking the times I wondered whether a particular student should be in a different level of my class-up to honors or down to regular or even something else entirely. I'm not referring just to official actions to get a student moved but also to the mere thoughts that flashed across my mind. Research supports the conclusion that Black and Brown students are disproportionately tracked into lower-level classes. Whether or not we're in charge of student placement, do we sometimes feel that same bias? It's a worthwhile question to explore.

5. Good times: Which students get you to joke around and bring out your "more than a teacher" personality? Which students do you swap stories with about activity in the outside world? Who pulls us into their orbit when we overhear an interesting conversation? Which students end up most often in the funny or charming classroom anecdotes that we share with our partners and friends? What kind of student gets marked down here?

If you keep track of these aspects of classroom management and conversation for a month, you may discover something surprising about the way you interact with students. I know I did. But it gave me something to work on, a plan to make, and an action item to fix. I know it's only scratching the surface of the work, but it gave me a place to begin. I don't doubt that it will do the same for you.

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Teachers concerned that they might be showing bias against students in marginalized groups can use a short checklist for self-assessment. Allison Shelley for the Alliance for Excellent Education Let's say that you, like me, have a renewed commitment this year to ensuring equity in your classes.

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Learning for Justice

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May 25 marks one year since the murder of George Floyd, which sparked a pivotal groundswell of activism across the country. As we honor him and all those who have died at the hands of police, we must not waver in our fight against racism and police violence.

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Resources for Learning About Israel and Palestine

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Resources for Learning About Israel and Palestine

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Learning for Justice

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The long history surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is deep and complicated. But there are things we know to be true. We know this conflict connects to imperialism and other oppressive systems that we encourage educators to name and address with students. We know that people are dying, fighting for their lives and engaging in liberation movements to be heard and treated with dignity-and that they've been doing so for decades. And we know that all children deserve to be safe.

Over the last 30 years, we've created hundreds of thousands of resources for educators offering guidance on a range of subjects. But when we changed our name, we made some promises-to ourselves and to our community. And one of those promises was to always learn alongside the educators we serve.

As in all learning, the first step is recognizing what we don't know-and looking to those who can teach us. In the last week, many of you have looked to us for resources on teaching about what's happening between Israel and Palestine. The fact is: We do not have these resources, but we do have friends and colleagues with more expertise in addressing injustice beyond the context of U.S. schools. Here are some of the people and organizations we're learning from now. We hope you'll share some of the resources you've found useful in the comments below.

Teaching Resources

TeachMideast | The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
"The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is among the most intricate and divisive issues on the global stage today, and teaching about it can be immensely difficult - but also immensely important."

Rethinking Schools | Independence or Catastrophe? Teaching Palestine Through Multiple Perspectives
"I present the 1948 events as both the Israeli War of Independence and the Palestinian Nakba ( nakba is Arabic for catastrophe). It is through the events of 1948 that students get their most intimate understanding of how different narratives determine what people see as the truth."

The New York Times Learning Network | Teaching About the Current Conflict in Gaza and Israel
"In this lesson, students will learn about the roots, causes and impact of the escalating violence in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories."

Teach Palestine
This page lists nine websites with materials specific to teaching about various aspects of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, including lesson sets, curriculum and other supplemental resources.

PBS Newshour Extra | Studying Israel-Palestine Conflict Through Media Literacy Lens
Focusing on Israeli airstrikes on Gaza City on May 16, 2021, this page contains a video, discussion questions and additional resources.

Perspectives From the Region

Rethinking Schools | As an Arab American Muslim Mother, Here Is the Education I Want for My Children
"I hope that it doesn't take another generation for us to witness a more expansive social studies curriculum that includes Palestine and the history of U.S. involvement in the Middle East - from the perspective of the people who are from the region."

Just Vision Films
"Through our award-winning films and strategic public engagement campaigns, stories of Palestinians and Israelis working for a just, free and equal future have reached millions worldwide."

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Resources for Learning About Israel and Palestine

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The long history surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is deep and complicated. But there are things we know to be true. We know this conflict connects to imperialism and other oppressive systems that we encourage educators to name and address with students.

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Social Transitions for K-6 Students at School

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Social Transitions for K-6 Students at School

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Welcoming Schools- Webinar on June 12th

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Social Transitions for K-6 Students at School - Educator Workshop

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Health event by Gender Inclusive Schools on Saturday, June 12 2021 with 129 people interested.

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Lee and Low Books

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Let's kick off summer with our fun, colorful, and printable Diverse Summer Reading List that will get all kids engaged in reading! Our list includes both fiction and nonfiction, bilingual Spanish/English titles, and a diverse range of cultures-in other words, the right book for every reader! Let's enjoy these upcoming summer months with an exciting page-turner. You can find the full Summer Reading collections here:
Summer Reading Collection Grades PreK-2
Summer Reading Collection Grades 3-5
Summer Reading Collection Grades 6-8
Summer Reading Collection Grades PreK-8
Want to freshen up your Summer Reading list, but not sure where to begin? Keep reading for some of our favorite entertaining Lee & Low picks!

Grades PreK-2

Grades 3-5
Download, print, and share the 2021 Diverse Summer Reading List Grades PreK-8.
Seven Golden Rings
She Was the First! The Trailblazing Life of Shirley Chisholm
Butterfly for a King: Saving Hawai'i's Kamehameha Butterflies
What We Believe: A Black Lives Matter Principles Activity Book
Sharuko: El arqueólogo peruano/Peruvian Archaeologist Julio C. Tello
Julieta and the Diamond Enigma
The Story of series

Grades 6-8

What other diverse books do your kids enjoy? Leave comments below to share! Follow or tag us @leeandlow to show us your summer reads!

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2021 Summer Reading Book List for Grades PreK-8+

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Let's kick off summer with our fun, colorful, and printable Diverse Summer Reading List that will get all kids engaged in reading! Our list includes both fiction and nonfiction, bilingual Spanish/English titles, and a diverse range of cultures-in other words, the right book for every reader!

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Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month Toolkit 2021

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Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month Toolkit 2021

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National Women's History Museum

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8 Great Books to Read for Asian American Heritage Month

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8 Great Books to Read for Asian American Heritage Month

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ADL

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8 Great Books to Read for Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month

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Book round-up of children's literature for Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month.

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USA.gov

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Asian Pacific American Heritage Month 2023

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Paying tribute to the generations of Asian and Pacific Islanders who have enriched America’s history and are instrumental in its future success.

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The Cross Cultural Solidarity History Project

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Contemporary Black/Asian Solidarity - Cross Cultural Solidarity

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See also: Black/Asian Solidarity in U.S. History , Books on Black American International Relations with Asia , Books on Black/Brown Solidarity, & Resources on the Model Minority Myth. CONTEMPORARY BLACK/ASIAN SOLIDARITIES A Different Asian American Timeline. Asian American Feminist Collective. The Asian American Racial Justice Toolkit.

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Incorporating Asian American and Pacific Islander experiences in Elementary School

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Incorporating Asian American and Pacific Islander experiences in Elementary School

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Edutopia

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These books help students explore historical and contemporary experiences of Asian American and Pacific Islander communities.

Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities have a long history in the United States, from Filipino sailors arriving as early as the 1750s to the present day, with AAPIs who have origins in more than 30 countries and number 22 million, nearly 6 percent of the U.S. population. Despite this growing presence, there remains a gap in curricula regarding AAPI communities and their experiences in our schools.

Children's literature offers one way to close this gap. Multicultural education experts, including Emily Style and Rudine Sims Bishop, developed the idea of children's literature serving as "windows" into others' realities and "mirrors" for children from backgrounds that have been historically excluded to see themselves and their families reflected in texts.

In research I've done with colleagues, we developed another category to add: the prism. A prism refracts a beam of light into various colors that go in different directions. Similarly, a text that serves as a prism allows for multiple conversations and critical engagements. While windows and mirrors offer opportunities for exploring and reflecting on cultural traditions, holidays, foods, and ways of life that are all extremely important, the prism, when applied to children's literature, presents the chance to critically analyze inequalities and injustices in age-appropriate ways.

While children's literature is a powerful way to center the experiences of marginalized communities in the classroom and present the many positive contributions these communities have made, reading a book is just one part of the lesson. Proper introduction of a text, followed by adequate unpacking of the themes and the questions they raise, is essential for engaging in conversations that can lay the foundation for further critical inquiry.

The following books offer windows (mirrors for some students) and prisms to discuss and analyze the historic and contemporary experiences of Asian American and Pacific Islander communities at the elementary school level. Where available, there are hyperlinks to lesson plans that offer educators ideas for using the book in their classrooms, along with sample questions for discussion during and after reading.

Books for Grades K-2

Ohana Means Family ( educator guide), written by Ilima Loomis and illustrated by Kenard Pak, tells the story of a Hawaiian luau through a rhyming poem about family and land. Centering on the story of one family and its cultural traditions, this book opens up discussions about the diverse traditions of students and their families at the early elementary school level.

Always Anjali ( educator/parent guide), written by Sheetal Sheth and illustrated by Jessica Blank, features a young girl named Anjali, who, after being teased about her name, decides to change it to Angie. Through the help of friends and discussions with her family, she finds pride in her name and ways to deal with those who have been bullying her.

Fish for Jimmy ( educator guide), written and illustrated by Katie Yamasaki, tells the story of a family in a Japanese internment camp in the United States during World War II. Taro's younger brother Jimmy isn't eating and is getting weak, so Taro sneaks out of the camp one night to find fish (Jimmy's favorite food) for him.

Danbi Leads the School Parade ( educator guide), written and illustrated by Anna Kim, is a touching story of a cultural encounter when a young girl from Korea first comes to a U.S. classroom. Unfamiliar with the games and foods of her American peers, Danbi finds her own way to connect across language and cultural barriers.

Paper Son: The Inspiring Story of Tyrus Wong, Immigrant and Artist ( educator guide), written by Julie Leung and illustrated by Chris Sasaki, tells the true story of a young immigrant from China in the early 1900s who faces limited opportunities, given restrictive immigration laws and discrimination, and later becomes a well-known artist.

Books for Grades 3-6

The Paper Boat: A Refugee Story ( educator guide), illustrated by Thao Lam, has no words-it's a series of powerful images about a family leaving Vietnam for the United States as refugees during the Vietnam War. The family's story intersects with the story of a group of ants who also play a central role in the book.

Journey for Justice: The Life of Larry Itliong ( educator guide), written by Dawn Bohulano Mabalon and Gayle Romasanta and illustrated by Andre Sibayan, tells the story of Larry Itliong, a farmworker and labor activist who, along with Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta, cofounded the United Farm Workers.

Fred Korematsu Speaks Up ( educator guide), written by Laura Atkins and Stan Yogi and illustrated by Yutaka Houlette, tells the story of Fred Korematsu, who was jailed for resisting Japanese internment during World War II. He took his case to the highest courts, fighting for justice for decades.

The Great Wall of Lucy Wu ( educator guide), by Wendy Wan-Long Shang, is a story about a young Chinese American girl whose aunt comes from China to live with the family. The story discusses themes of identity, family, and culture.

Through these books, and many others that offer a glimpse into distinct realities, educators can humanize and center AAPI communities whose stories have long been neglected in curricula. When our classrooms and schools reflect our rich diversity, we can ultimately foster greater empathy and respect in our society.

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Incorporating Asian American and Pacific Islander Experiences in Elementary School

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These books help students explore historical and contemporary experiences of Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities have a long history in the United States, from Filipino sailors arriving as early as the 1750s to the present day, with AAPIs who have origins in more than 30 countries and number 22 million, nearly 6 percent of the U.S.

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Teaching about Racism, Violence, Inequities

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Teaching about Racism, Violence, Inequities

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ADL

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Teaching about Racism, Violence, Inequity and the Criminal Justice System

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Anti-bias resources and strategies to help you discuss with your youth incidents of police officers involved in the deaths of African-American and Latino males and a biased justice system.

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George Floyd, Racism and Law Enforcement

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George Floyd, Racism and Law Enforcement

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ADL

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Topic Summary
On May 25, 2020, George Floyd, an African American man, was killed while being arrested by the police. A bystander video recording of the incident showed that a white police officer pinned Floyd to the ground while he was handcuffed. The police officer's knee pressed into the back of Floyd's neck for more than nine minutes, even after Floyd lost consciousness. On the video, Floyd was heard saying, "Please, I can't breathe. My stomach hurts. My neck hurts. Everything hurts. ... (I need) water or something. Please. Please. I can't breathe, officer. ... I cannot breathe. I cannot breathe."

A video taken by a bystander of the incident was shared widely on social media. This led to community and national outrage, an F.B.I. civil rights investigation and the firing of the officer, Derek Chauvin and three other officers who were also at the scene. On May 29, 2020 Chauvin was arrested and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter. On June 3, the charges against Chauvin were upgraded to second-degree murder and the three other officers were charged with aiding and abetting murder.

Trial of Derek Chauvin

The murder trial of Derek Chauvin began on March 29 and concluded on April 19, 2021, when the defense and prosecution delivered their closing arguments. On April 20, 2021, the jury announced a verdict of guilty on all three counts in the murder of George Floyd. Chauvin was denied bail and taken into custody; his sentencing is to take place in eight weeks. After the verdict was read, Philonise Floyd, George Floyd's brother said, "I was just praying they would find him guilty. As an African American, we usually never get justice."

Protests Across the Country

The murder of George Floyd spurred what has been called the largest protest movement in U.S. history; data suggest that up to 26 million people in the U.S. participated in demonstrations. There has also been widespread protest and activism around the world. Proposed legislation followed as the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2020 was introduced in Congress. The bill's stated goal is to "to hold law enforcement accountable for misconduct in court, improve transparency through data collection, and reform police training and policies."

There is a larger context and history of Black men and boys who were killed at the hands of the police, many of whom, like George Floyd, were unarmed. Since 2014, some high-profile deaths include Eric Garner (2014), Michael Brown (2014), Tamir Rice (2014), Laquan McDonald (2014), John Crawford (2014) Freddie Gray (2015), Walter Scott (2015), Alton Sterling (2016), Philando Castile (2016), Terence Crutcher (2016), Antwon Rose (2018) and others. Black women and girls are also targets of police violence, a reality that sparked the "Say Her Name" movement to highlight how this violence often goes unnoticed. Women who have died as a result of police interactions include Sandra Bland (2015), Deborah Danner (2016), and Atatiana Jefferson (2019) and Breonna Taylor (2020).

Despite having video recordings of many of these deaths, it is very rare for police officers to get arrested, prosecuted or convicted for excessive use of force. This perceived lack of accountability has led to a public outcry for justice.

Black Lives Matter is an activist movement which began as a hashtag (#BlackLivesMatter) when in July 2013, white civilian George Zimmerman was acquitted in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin, an unarmed African American teenager killed in Florida. The Black Lives Matter movement became more widely acknowledged and highlighted after two 2014 high-profile deaths of unarmed African American men (Eric Garner in Staten Island, NY and Michael Brown in Ferguson, MO). Neither of the police officers involved in their deaths were indicted (i.e., formally charge with a crime).

Systemic Racism

Racism shows up in all aspects of our lives and society: in interpersonal communication, through discriminatory policies and practices, in biased language, and in our laws and institutions (e.g., education, media, employment, government and the criminal justice system).

Many see Floyd's death as an example of systemic racism, referring to the way race disadvantages people of color in the criminal justice system. Black and Latinx men are disproportionately represented in all levels of the criminal justice system, from arrest to sentencing to death row. Moreover, research shows that African American people are 2.5 times more likely to be killed by police than white people.

How Hate and Bias Escalate

On the same day that George Floyd was killed, another incident occurred in Central Park in New York City. Christian Cooper, a Black man, was birdwatching when he encountered an unleashed dog. He asked the dog's owner, Amy Cooper (no relation), to put the dog on a leash, as the park rules require. When she did not, he began to film her on his phone. In response, Amy Cooper said she would call the police, stating "I'm going to tell them there's an African American man threatening my life" while pulling out her cell phone and calling 911.

While these two events appear to be unrelated, they both demonstrate a very important concept: when left unchecked, hate and bias can escalate and lead to dangerous, and sometimes deadly, outcomes.

The Pyramid of Hate illustrates how the levels of biased attitudes and behaviors grow in complexity from the bottom to top. Like a pyramid, the upper levels are supported by the lower levels and it becomes increasingly difficult to challenge and dismantle as behaviors escalate. Bias at each level negatively impacts individuals, institutions and society. When bias goes unchecked, it becomes "normalized" and contributes to a pattern of accepting discrimination, hate and injustice in society.

Amy Cooper's anger and bias led her to threaten Christian Cooper with the bias she assumed the police would have when she described the man who was threatening her as African American. This is a situation that could have easily escalated if the police arrived on the scene and engaged in a confrontation, or worse, with Christian Cooper. All too quickly and pervasively, the escalation of bias and hate has led to violence and the deaths of George Floyd and many others.
Age
11 and up
Questions to Start the Conversation

What were your initial thoughts and feelings when you heard about what happened to George Floyd?

How do you feel about the guilty verdict on all three counts for Derek Chauvin?

Do you see people talking about this issue on the news, on social media or among your friends? What impact has that had on you?

Why do you think the movement to stop police violence against African American people is called Black Lives Matter? What does it mean to you? What kind of change are activists and others calling for?

In your own words, how would you describe the connection between the two incidents (the one in Central Park in NYC and the death of George Floyd)?

Questions to Dig Deeper
(See the Additional Information section for articles and information that address these questions.)

Why do you think it is rare for police officers to get arrested, prosecuted and convicted in these cases? What should be done about that?

What are your thoughts and ideas about how we can transform policing and public safety for all?

What can each of us do as individuals to stop the escalation of bias and hate? What can we do on a societal level?

What are other ways that racism (or other forms of injustice) show up in our institutions (education, government, business, media, etc.) and what can we do about that?

Take Action
Ask: What can we do to help? What actions might make a difference?

Talk with others about what happened to George Floyd and others and the goals of the Black Lives Matter movement by sharing information on social media, having individual conversations or organizing an educational event in the school or community.

Learn more about bias and talk together about how our biases may show up, especially on the lower levels of the Pyramid of Hate (i.e., biased attitudes, acts of bias).

Write a letter to your school or community newspaper about your thoughts and feelings about George Floyd and the racial disparities in the criminal justice system. In the letter, explain what you think should be done about it.

Get involved in local activism on these or other issues of injustice that are important to you.

Additional Resources Resumen del tema
El 25 de mayo de 2020, George Floyd, un hombre afroamericano, murió mientras era arrestado por la policía. La grabación en video del incidente por parte de un testigo muestra que un oficial de policía blanco inmovilizó a Floyd en el suelo mientras era esposado. La rodilla del policía presionó la nuca de Floyd durante más de nueve minutos, incluso después de que Floyd perdiera el conocimiento. En el video, se escucha a Floyd diciendo: "Por favor, no puedo respirar. Me duele el estómago. Me duele el cuello. Me duele todo. ... (Necesito) agua o algo. Por favor. Por favor. No puedo respirar, oficial. ... No puedo respirar. No puedo respirar".

El incidente fue captado en video por una espectadora y ampliamente compartido en las redes sociales. Esto provocó la indignación de la comunidad y de la nación, una investigación de derechos civiles del FBI y el despido del oficial, Derek Chauvin y otros tres oficiales que también estaban en el lugar. El 29 de mayo, Chauvin fue detenido y acusado de asesinato en tercer grado y homicidio. El 3 de junio, los cargos contra Chauvin se elevaron a asesinato en segundo grado y los otros tres oficiales fueron acusados de colaboración y complicidad en el asesinato.

Juicio de Derek Chauvin

El juicio por asesinato de Derek Chauvin comenzó el 29 de marzo y concluyó el 19 de abril de 2021, cuando la defensa y la fiscalía presentaron sus argumentos finales. El 20 de abril de 2021, el jurado anunció un veredicto de culpable en los tres cargos del asesinato de George Floyd. A Chauvin se le negó la libertad bajo fianza y fue puesto bajo custodia; su sentencia tendrá lugar en ocho semanas. Después de que se leyó el veredicto, Philonise Floyd, el hermano de George Floyd, dijo: "Solo estaba rezando para que lo encontraran culpable. Como afroamericano, generalmente nunca recibimos justicia".

Protestas en todo el país

El asesinato de George Floyd desató lo que se ha llamado el mayor movimiento de protesta en la historia de Estados Unidos; Los datos sugieren que hasta 26 millones de personas en los EE. UU. participaron en manifestaciones. También ha habido protestas y activismo generalizados en todo el mundo. Después se presentó en el Congreso la propuesta de legislativa Ley de Justicia en la Policía de George Floyd de 2020. El objetivo de este proyecto de ley es "responsabilizar a las fuerzas del orden por mala conducta en los tribunales, mejorar la transparencia a través de la recopilación de datos y reformar la capacitación y las políticas policiales".

Existe un contexto más amplio de hombres y niños afroamericanos asesinados por la policía y muchos de ellos -como George Floyd- estaban desarmados. Desde 2014, algunas muertes muy conocidas incluyen a Eric Garner (2014), Michael Brown (2014), Tamir Rice (2014), Laquan McDonald (2014), John Crawford (2014) Freddie Gray (2015), Walter Scott (2015), Alton Sterling (2016), Philando Castile (2016), Terence Crutcher (2016) y Antwon Rose (2018) entre otros. Las mujeres y niñas negras también son blanco de la violencia policial, realidad que desencadenó el movimiento "Di su nombre" ("Say Her Name") para resaltar cómo esta violencia a menudo pasa desapercibida. Entre las mujeres que han muerto como resultado de interacciones con la policía se encuentran Sandra Bland (2015), Deborah Danner (2016), Atatiana Jefferson (2019) y Breonna Taylor (2020). A pesar de disponer de grabaciones en vídeo de muchas de estas muertes, es muy raro que los agentes de policía sean detenidos, procesados o condenados por el uso excesivo de la fuerza. Esta percepción de falta de responsabilidad ha provocado una protesta pública pidiendo justicia.

Black Lives Matter (Las vidas negras importan) es un movimiento activista que comenzó como un hashtag (#BlackLivesMatter) cuando en julio de 2013, el civil blanco George Zimmerman fue absuelto por la muerte de Trayvon Martin, un adolescente afroamericano desarmado que fue asesinado en Florida. El movimiento Black Lives Matter logró mayor reconocimiento y visibilidad después de las notorias muertes en 2014 de dos hombres afroamericanos desarmados (Eric Garner en Staten Island, NY, y Michael Brown en Ferguson, MO). Ninguno de los policías implicados en sus muertes fue acusado formalmente.

Racismo sistémico

El racismo se define como: "la marginación y/u opresión de la gente de color basada en una jerarquía racial socialmente construida que privilegia a los blancos". El racismo se manifiesta en todos los aspectos de nuestras vidas y de la sociedad: en la comunicación interpersonal, a través de políticas y prácticas discriminatorias, en el lenguaje prejuiciado y en nuestras leyes e instituciones (por ejemplo, en la educación, los medios de comunicación, el empleo, el gobierno y el sistema de justicia criminal).

Muchos ven la muerte de Floyd como un ejemplo de racismo sistémico, refiriéndose a la forma en que la raza pone en desventaja a las personas de color en el sistema de justicia criminal. Los hombres afroamericanos y latinos están desproporcionadamente representados en todos los niveles del sistema de justicia penal, desde el arresto hasta la condena a muerte. Además, las investigaciones demuestran que los afroamericanos tienen 2.5 veces más probabilidades de ser asesinados por la policía que los blancos.

Cómo se incrementan el odio y el prejuicio

El mismo día en que George Floyd fue asesinado, ocurrió otro incidente en Central Park en Nueva York. Christian Cooper, un hombre afroamericano, estaba observando aves cuando se encontró con un perro que andaba sin correa. Le pidió a la dueña del perro, Amy Cooper (sin parentesco entre ellos), una mujer blanca, que le pusiera la correa al perro como lo exigen las reglas del parque. Cuando ella se negó, él comenzó a filmarla. En respuesta, Amy Cooper dijo que llamaría a la policía y, mientras sacaba su celular y llamaba al 911, afirmó: "Voy a decirles que un hombre afroamericano está amenazando mi vida".

Aunque estos dos acontecimientos parecen no estar relacionados, ambos ilustran un concepto muy importante: si no se controlan, el odio y los prejuicios pueden incrementarse y llevar a resultados nefastos.

La Pirámide del Odio ilustra la forma en que los niveles de actitudes y comportamientos prejuiciados se hacen más complejos de abajo hacia arriba. Como una pirámide, los niveles superiores se apoyan en los niveles inferiores y, a medida que los comportamientos se intensifican, se hace más difícil desafiarlos y desmantelarlos. El prejuicio en cada nivel afecta negativamente a los individuos, las instituciones y la sociedad. Cuando el prejuicio no se controla, se "normaliza" y contribuye a un patrón de aceptación de la discriminación, el odio y la injusticia en la sociedad.

La ira y prejuicio de Amy Cooper la llevaron a amenazar a Christian Cooper con el prejuicio que asumió la policía tendría cuando ella describiera como afroamericano al hombre que la amenazaba. Esta situación podría haber escalado fácilmente si la policía hubiera llegado a la escena y hubiera enfrentado a Christian Cooper. Con demasiada rapidez y de forma generalizada, la intensificación de los prejuicios y el odio ha llevado a la violencia y la muerte de George Floyd y muchos otros.
Edad
De 11 años en adelante.
Preguntas para iniciar la conversación

¿Has visto a la gente hablando de este tema en las noticias, en las redes sociales o entre tus amigos? ¿Qué impacto ha tenido eso en ti?

¿Por qué crees que el movimiento para combatir la violencia policial contra los afroamericanos se llama Black Lives Matter? ¿Qué significa para ti? ¿Qué cambios están pidiendo los activistas y otros?

En tus propias palabras, ¿cómo describirías la conexión entre los dos incidentes (el del Central Park en Nueva York y la muerte de George Floyd)?

Preguntas para profundizar aún más
(Consulte la sección "Más información" para ver información y artículos que abordan estas preguntas).

¿Por qué crees que es raro que los agentes de policía sean arrestados, procesados y condenados en estos casos? ¿Qué debería hacerse al respecto?

¿Cuáles son tus pensamientos e ideas sobre cómo podemos transformar la policía y la seguridad pública para todos?

¿Qué podemos hacer cada uno de nosotros como individuos para detener la intensificación de los prejuicios y el odio? ¿Qué podemos hacer a nivel de la sociedad?

¿En qué otras formas se manifiesta el racismo (u otras formas de injusticia) en nuestras instituciones (educación, gobierno, empresas, medios de comunicación, etc.) y qué podemos hacer al respecto?

Tomar medidas
Pregunte: ¿Qué podemos hacer para ayudar? ¿Qué acciones podrían marcar la diferencia?

Habla con otros sobre lo que le pasó a George Floyd y los objetivos del movimiento Black Lives Matter, compartiendo información en las redes sociales, sosteniendo conversaciones individuales u organizando un evento educativo en la escuela o la comunidad.

Aprende más sobre el prejuicio y discute la forma en que pueden manifestarse nuestros prejuicios, especialmente en los niveles inferiores de la Pirámide del Odio (es decir, actitudes prejuiciadas, actos prejuiciados).

Escribe una carta al periódico de la escuela o comunidad sobre tus pensamientos y sentimientos acerca de George Floyd y las desigualdades raciales en el sistema de justicia criminal. En la carta, explica lo que crees que se debe hacer al respecto.

Involúcrate en el activismo local sobre estos u otros temas de injusticia que sean importantes para ti.

Recursos adicionales

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George Floyd, Racism and Law Enforcement (in English and en Español)

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Topic Summary On May 25, 2020, George Floyd, an African American man, was killed while being arrested by the police. A bystander video recording of the incident showed that a white police officer pinned Floyd to the ground while he was handcuffed.

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Video - "What Latino Looks Like"

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Carlos Andrés Gómez | Award Winning Spoken Word Poet, Actor and Author

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"What Latino Looks Like" (Viral poem with more than 2.2 million views)

"Where are you really from?" (Viral poem with more than 2 million views & featured on Button Poetry)

"What is Genocide?" (Viral poem with more than 1.1 million views & featured on Button Poetry)

To watch more of Carlos' performances, visit his Tumblr page HERE

Audio:
Live from the Nuyorican Poets Cafe:
"Everything" - ( Listen)

"Pet Peeve" - ( Listen)

"Elegy for Breath" - ( Listen)

"C(h)ord" - ( Listen)

Video:

"Praise" (Featured on We are mitú & Power of Positivity)

"12 Reasons to Abolish C.B.P. & I.C.E." (Featured on We are mitú & Button Poetry)

"What's Genocide?" ( HBO's Def Poetry Jam)

"Everything" (Poem featured on TV One's Verses and Flow & Power of Positivity)

"All We Have" ( w/ Savion Glover on Broadway)

"My Journey" ( TV One's Verses and Flow)

"Vote for Them" (Featured on Upworthy & OurTime.org)

"If a Princess Tries to Kidnap Your Daughter" (Featured on & Upworthy)

"Gifted" (Featured on Power of Positivity)

"How to Fight" (Featured on Upworthy)

"Never Again"

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"What Latino Looks Like" (Viral poem with more than 2.2 million views) "Where are you really from?" (Viral poem with more than 2 million views & featured on Button Poetry ) "What is Genocide?"

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How Educators Can Respond to Nationwide Uprisings

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How Educators Can Respond to Nationwide Uprisings

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C Brazas

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How Educators can Respond to Nationwide Uprising

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Designing for Learning Primer: Key Findings from the Science of Learning and Development

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Designing for Learning Primer: Key Findings from the Science of Learning and Development

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Transcend

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Nancy Burns and Jacki Brickman

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In the Wake of Chauvin's Conviction, A Look Back at the Origins of American Policing

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In the Wake of Chauvin's Conviction, A Look Back at the Origins of American Policing

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NPR

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In The Wake Of Chauvin's Conviction, A Look Back At The Origins of American Policing

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In the wake of Derek Chauvin's conviction for the murder of George Floyd, we examine the tension that has existed between African American communities and the police for centuries.

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Radical Self-Care in the Face of Mounting Racial Stress

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Radical Self-Care in the Face of Mounting Racial Stress

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Psychology Today

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By Grace A. Chen, Helen A. Neville, Jioni A. Lewis, Hector Y. Adames, Nayeli Y. Chavez-Dueñas, Della V. Mosley, & Bryana H. French, The Psychology of Radical Healing Collective
Earlier this month, the American Psychological Association released its annual Stress in America Report. Not surprisingly, there has been an increase in reports of discrimination as a source of stress over the past year, with the majority of People of Color and Indigenous People (POCI) (63 percent) indicating that discrimination interfered with them having a full and productive life.

When we as POCI experience day-to-day discrimination, such as being treated unfairly, or when we witness the significant discrimination of others who look like us, we can start feeling helpless and hopeless. The incidents of racial trauma are continuous and chronic, as we observe increased police killings of unarmed Black people, hate crimes against Muslims (or those who are assumed to be), assaults and killings of transgender POCI, violation of Indigenous lands, and the dehumanization of immigrant communities. In moments of increased distress, it is important for us to remind ourselves that racial trauma is not all of who we are and that we are not defined by the racialized experiences we have and witness.

In fact, Communities of Color also have many experiences that can be celebrated and cultivated; these include our cultures, traditions, history, and community bonds. These strengths not only help us cope with and heal from racial trauma, but they also give us meaning and life outside of our pain.

Cultivating Hope

The Psychology of Radical Healing Collective recently introduced a psychological framework of radical healing from racial trauma-while acknowledging the systemic nature of oppression, POCI can engage in radical healing through self-knowledge, critical consciousness, collectivism, strength, resistance, and hope. The key feature of radical healing is being able to exist in both spaces of resisting oppression while moving toward freedom and wellness. In order to envision racial justice, we must cultivate hope alongside fighting against oppression. One way of cultivating hope is through positive acts of self-care.

Advocating for social justice is rewarding, as such actions can help address inequity in our society; however, doing social justice work also can be emotionally and physically draining. When we fight for justice, we find ourselves in spaces that negate our realities, and we frequently face hostility from others as we challenge the status quo.

The healing process necessitates us to take care of ourselves, to rejuvenate ourselves, and to cultivate hope within ourselves. Consider Karla, a counselor for college Students of Color and undocumented students-during her work week, she gives a lot of herself to supporting students. For self-care, she swims regularly and participates in open-water swim events annually.

Several years ago, she combined self-care with her work by using her participation in swim events as a fundraiser for undocumented college students and recruited friends and colleagues to join her. Now they have a community of swimmers who are taking care of themselves through exercise and also linking their self-care to a cause (supporting undocumented students) they deeply care about.

As Audre Lorde noted, "Caring for myself is not self-indulgence. It is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare." Thus, we encourage POCI to tap into their strengths and practice radical self-care through acts of affirmation.

Five Ways to Practice Radical Self-Care
1. Make space for your own healing.
Research has shown that sharing your story in a meaningful way can empower you to envision future possibilities. Talk with trusted loved ones, or share your story through creative outlets, like blogs, spoken word, music, art, etc.

Professional healers can be beneficial too-seek psychotherapy with a Therapist of Color who understands oppression and sees your full humanity. Alternatively, find a healer who engages in Indigenous practices, energy psychology, or other traditional healing practices. For example, if you tend to carry stress in your body, going to a Reiki healer may be beneficial as the treatment involves a holistic approach to well-being.

Fighting oppression and advocating for social justice shouldn't be mutually exclusive from living joyfully. Make time and space to enjoy life and celebrate your culture, traditions, history, and community.

Time for joy should be scheduled and protected, as the anticipation of this pending self-care can help you make it through the day-to-day challenges. For example, schedule time to attend the Black Joy Parade in Oakland, which was created as a positive counter-space to encourage freedom, creativity, and openness in celebration of Black experiences.

3. Find a place where you feel a sense of belonging.

The benefits of having a social and emotional connection and a sense of belonging are supported by research-social engagement and social support lead to better mental and physical health, as well as individual and community well-being. Develop a sense of community where you feel supported, seen, and like you can be yourself more fully. For example, you can start a book club for POCI individuals in your community or start volunteering at a community-based organization that serves the needs of POCI communities to cultivate a sense of belonging and community.
4. Engage in small acts of empowerment.
Taking even small steps to support POCI can be empowering for both you and the recipient of your actions. For example, support businesses of POCI through your choices in purchases and/or when deciding where to volunteer your time. Another example is to amplify the voices and perspectives of POCI through your everyday social media interactions, such as on Twitter, Instagram, or through citing the research of POCI scholars if you are a student or scholar.
5. Get involved in local community-based activism and advocacy.
Advocating at the community level can also be empowering for yourself and your community. For example, if you have children, participate in diversity and inclusion efforts in your child's school by sharing resources for educating parents and children about privilege, oppression, and social justice. Support POCI running for elected offices or allies who are advocating for issues impacting POCI communities.

Through these acts of affirmation or any others you may practice, you are engaging in radical self-care such that you can continue to cultivate hope and envision wellness and freedom from systemic oppression. Rejuvenating yourself through radical self-care can include a range of practices, including healing yourself, cultivating joy in your life, connecting with your community, practicing small acts of empowerment, and getting involved in local activism and advocacy. The intention and awareness of taking care of yourself can be empowering in and of itself.

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Radical Self-Care in the Face of Mounting Racial Stress

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By Grace A. Chen, Helen A. Neville, Jioni A. Lewis, Hector Y. Adames, Nayeli Y. Chavez-Dueñas, Della V. Mosley, & Bryana H. French, The Psychology of Radical Healing Collective Earlier this month, the American Psychological Association released its annual Stress in America Report.

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Learning for Justice

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No matter how educators identify or how long they have been teaching, it's critical that they reflect on their ability to discuss race, racial (in)equality and racism-past and present-with students. This toolkit offers strategies for how educators can engage in this reflection and strengthen their practice.

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Today, Derek Chauvin was found guilty on all charges. But our legal system is still far from just, and many students may still be feeling a lack of closure. In critical moments like these, we know students look to educators for guidance. We hope you'll reaffirm the value of Black lives.

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NEA EDJustice

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Recent events in our nation have once again put a spotlight on a long legacy of racism, violence and white supremacy in our communities. As COVID-19 continues to ravage communities of color, the recent murders of George Floyd, Ahmaud Aubrey, and Breonna Taylor have highlighted an inherently broken system and illustrated how deep injustice runs through our health, income, housing, education and policing systems.

In her statement on the murder of George Floyd, NEA President Lily Eskelsen García said, "We must examine how white supremacy culture impacts our biases, our practices, and the policies in our own schools and communities. It is our responsibility as educators to create the space for students to explore, by first evaluating our own biases, privilege and collusion".

NEA is committed to working with educators towards eradicating racist systems that keep students from attaining the best public education possible. The following resources can help promote deeper understanding around the issues of racism and violence with colleagues, students and families.

NEA Racial Justice in Education Resource Guide
NEA Center for Social Justice

Why racial equity & justice?

Talking race

Tools for assessment, strategic planning and action

Black Lives Matter at School Week
NEA Center for Social Justice

Resources to help facilitate conversations about race any time of year, including classroom appropriate lesson plans, guides on how to have tough conversations with peers and students, and more.

Read Across America Book Recommendations
Read Across America

Selected by educators, NEA's Read Across America includes books that students can see themselves reflected in, as well as books that allow readers to see a world or a character that might be different than them.

Video "Primers" for Anti-racist White Educators
NEA Center for Social Justice

Inspired by their own experiences working with students, teachers Luke Michener and Terry Jess offer advice to other white educators who are committed to racial equity in education but may not know where to begin.

Marley Dias Video
NEA YouTube Channel

For Marley Dias, the call to activism began with books. Frustrated by not seeing other Black girls as the main characters in the books in her school library, she decided to take action and make a change by launching the wildly successful social media project, #1000blackgirlbooks.

NEA: Visually Speaking Series: The Playlist
NEA YouTube Channel

Visually Speaking is a photo/video social justice project that invites educators and students to talk about the issues that affect them most.

Microcredentials for Educators - Online Courses
NEA.CertificationBank.com

NEA's certification bank includes courses to help educators adopt restorative justice practices, cultivate socially just environments, challenge inequity, examine intersections of race, gender, and sexual orientation, and create classroom culture that cultivates relationships among all learners.

Resources for Talking about Race, Racism and Racialized Violence with Kids
Center for Racial Justice in Education

Teaching About Race, Racism and Police Violence
Southern Poverty Law Center/Teaching Tolerance Black Lives Matter
Southern Poverty Law Center/Teaching Tolerance

Systemic Racism Explained (Video)

Talking About Racism and Violence with Students: Resources for Educators
Colorin' Colorado

These resources can help promote deeper understanding around the issues of racism and violence. They also can contribute to discussion of these topics with colleagues and students during this difficult time, even at a distance.

Say Her Name Campaign
African American Policy Forum

A movement that calls attention to police violence against Black women, girls and femmes and demands their stories be integrated into the calls for justice, policy changes and police violence.

Reflecting on George Floyd's Death and Police Violence Towards Black Americans
Facing History and Ourselves

TED Talk Playlist
Talks to help you understand racism in America.

Talking About Race
National Museum of African American History and Culture

Talking about race, although hard, is necessary. These are tools and guidance to empower your journey and inspire conversation.

Race Works Toolkits
Stanford Center for Comparitive Studies in Race & Ethnicity

A series of short films and activities featuring the latest Stanford scholarship about how people do race and how to undo racism

10 Documentaries to Watch about Race Instead of Asking a Person of Color to Explain Things for You
DocPlay.com

10 important documentaries about race, racial prejudices and privilege within our society.

White Supremacy & Anti-Blackness: A Covert & Overt Beast
WeAreBeloved.org

Displays a pyramid that describes all of the ways that white supremacy moves, and especially takes stock of the covert ways.

Scaffolded Anti-racism Resources
A working document for scaffolding anti-racism resources. The goal is to facilitate growth for white folks to become allies, and eventually accomplices for anti-racist work.

Resources for Accountability and Actions for Black Lives
A live document compiled by Carlisa Johnson on 5/27/20. Updated daily as more resources and information becomes available.

Anti-Racism Resources
This document is intended to serve as a resource to white people and parents to deepen anti-racism work.

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RACIAL JUSTICE RESOURCES: JUSTICE FOR BLACK LIVES - NEA EdJustice

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NEA is committed to working with educators towards eradicating racist systems that keep students from attaining the best public education possible. The following resources can help promote deeper understanding around the issues of racism and violence with colleagues, students and families.

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Accountability, Justice, and Healing After the Derek Chauvin's Trial

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Accountability, Justice, and Healing After the Derek Chauvin's Trial

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Facing History and Ourselves

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On April 20, 2021, former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was found guilty of murder and manslaughter. Almost a year before, while on duty, Chauvin killed George Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man, by kneeling on his neck for over nine minutes. George Floyd's death sparked massive protests across the United States-and around the world. Floyd's death and Chauvin's trial amplified the demands for justice and healing in response to racial bias in policing, the disproportionate use of excessive force against Black Americans, and more broadly, the history of racial injustice in the United States.

This Teaching Idea is designed to help guide an initial class discussion on the verdict in Derek Chauvin's trial. The activities below prompt students to explore the complicated concepts of justice, accountability, and healing, while supporting them to process their feelings before engaging in a deeper study of policing and the legacy of racial injustice.

Start With Yourself

Self-reflection is important preparation for facilitating emotionally challenging conversations. As educators, we have to make time to process our own feelings and become aware of the way our own identities and experiences shape our perspectives. Read the "Start with Yourself" section on page 2 of our Fostering Civil Discourse guide. Then reflect on the following questions:

What emotions does the news of the guilty verdict in Derek Chauvin's trial raise for you? What questions are you grappling with? How might your personal identity and experiences impact your response?

As you enter the conversation, how will you take into account your racial identity, your students' racial identities, and what your students may or may not understand about racial dynamics in America?

Initial Classroom Response

The activities below will help students process their thoughts and feelings in the aftermath of the police killing of George Floyd and the Derek Chauvin trial verdict. Note: You may want to begin your conversation by revisiting your classroom contract, or use our Contracting teaching strategy to establish one.

Introduce Derek Chauvin's Trial

Begin by providing your students with a summary of the trial. The overview of this Teaching Idea provides context you can share with students, or you can share a trusted news source. Starting with an overview of the facts can help ensure that students enter the discussion with background knowledge.

Start with a Journal Prompt

Ask students to reflect in their journals on the word justice using the following prompt:

What does justice mean? How might you define justice?

Introduce Key Concepts

After giving students an opportunity to think generally about justice, you will go deeper by exploring the definitions of justice, accountability, and healing.

Give students the following definitions:

Justice (n.): The moral responsibility to do what is right

Heal (v.):

become sound or healthy again

alleviate (a person's distress or anguish)

correct or put right (an undesirable situation)

Accountable (adj): To be held responsible

Ask students to reflect on what they notice about the three definitions:

What similarities do you see in these definitions?

How are they different?

Explore and Discuss

Place students in pairs or small groups, depending on what's possible given social distancing requirements, and ask students to discuss the following questions:

In the wake of tragic events like this, communities eventually need to heal; what do people need from each other to heal?

How does justice help communities to heal?

What role does accountability play in healing and justice?

Create Space for Student Reflection

Next, read these two excerpts from Minnesota's Attorney General Keith Ellison's statement immediately following the verdict of the trial:

I encourage everyone to continue the journey to transformation and justice. It's in your hands now [. . .] I also want to address the Floyd family, if I may. Over the last year, the family had to relive again and again the worst day of their lives when they lost their brother, their father, their friend [. . .] Although a verdict alone cannot end their pain, I hope it's another first step on the long path toward healing for them.

Rodney King, Abner Louima, Oscar Grant, Eric Garner, Michael Brown, Freddie Gray, Sandra Bland, Philando Castile, Laquan McDonald, Stephon Clark, Atatiana Jefferson, Anton Black, Breonna Taylor, and now Daunte Wright and Adam Toledo. This has to end. We need true justice. That's not one case. That is a social transformation that says no one is beneath the law and no one is above it. This verdict reminds us that we must make enduring, systemic societal change.

After reading Ellison's statement, ask students to participate in silent discussion using the Big Paper teaching strategy.

Return to Journals

Finally, return to the concept of justice. Ask students to return to their journal about the idea of justice. Consider the following questions to guide a closing discussion:

How did the definitions and the Big Paper conversation impact your original thinking?

How might you modify the dictionary definition of justice?

How does this conversation impact your thoughts about the verdict?

What was the impact of the verdict on your own community and family?

Remote Learning Note: The Big Paper teaching strategy was originally designed for use in a face-to-face setting. For tips and guidance on how to use this teaching strategy in a remote or hybrid learning environment, view our Big Paper (Remote Learning) teaching strategy.

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Accountability, Justice, and Healing After Derek Chauvin's Trial

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On April 20, 2021, former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was found guilty of murder and manslaughter. Almost a year before, while on duty, Chauvin killed George Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man, by kneeling on his neck for over nine minutes. George Floyd's death sparked massive protests across the United States-and around the world.

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Celebrating Arab American Heritage Month

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Celebrating Arab American Heritage Month

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Learning for Justice

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Celebrating Arab American Heritage Month

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During April, we uplift Arab American Heritage Month. These resources will help educators celebrate Arab identity, counter negative stereotypes, teach about Arab history and cultures, and ensure an inclusive environment that supports Arab American students this month and throughout the year.

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Don't Say Nothing: Responding to Police Violence

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Don't Say Nothing: Responding to Police Violence

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Learning for Justice

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Trauma can have significant and lasting effects on students. This PD Café will help you learn how to recognize the signs of trauma, better understand the causes of trauma, and take steps to establish social and emotional safety in your classroom.

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Don't Say Nothing: Responding to Police Violence

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We are lifting up educators and students of color as we all continue to witness fatal police shootings-this time in Minneapolis, Chicago and Honolulu-and as video circulates of police violence against a Black and Latinx man in Virginia. Please take time to care for yourself as best you can.

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Minnesota Experience/Jim Crow of the North

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Minnesota Experience/Jim Crow of the North

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PBS documentary

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Minnesota Experience
Season 1 Episode 20 | 56m 46s |

Why does Minnesota suffer through some of the worst racial disparities in the nation? One answer is the spread of racist, restrictive real estate covenants in the early 20th century. Jim Crow of the North charts the progression of racist policies and practices from the advent of restrictive covenants after the turn of the last century to their final elimination in the late 1960s.

Aired: 02/25/19

Rating: NR

Problems Playing Video? Report a Problem |

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Minnesota Experience | Jim Crow of the North | Season 1 | Episode 20

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Minnesota Experience Season 1 Episode 20 | 56m 46s | Why does Minnesota suffer through some of the worst racial disparities in the nation? One answer is the spread of racist, restrictive real estate covenants in the early 20th century.

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Sarah Park Dahlen

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Nicholas Prosini

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Violence Against Asian Americans: How do we support children 

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Violence Against Asian Americans: How do we support children 

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Embrace Race webinar

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Join us for - Violence Against Asian & Asian Americans: How Do We Support the Children?

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The murders of eight people at massage parlors in the Atlanta area, most of them Asian American and women, marks only the most awful, recent contribution to a year-long spike in violence against Asians and Asian Americans in the US.

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Hollaback! and Asian Americans Advancing Justice

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Hollaback! Together We Have the Power to End Harassment

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In response to the rise in Anti-Asian/American and xenophobic harassment, we at Hollaback! partnered with Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC to adapt our free bystander intervention training as well as offering a de-escalation training to meet this moment.

Unfortunately, anti-Asian and Asian American racism and xenophobia is not a new phenomenon. It has been part of American history for a long time, and we have seen it manifested against different Asian/American and Pacific Islander communities in many ways over the years. As the coronavirus pandemic escalates, we have seen more harassment, discrimination, and even violence directed at these communities. The Asian Americans Advancing Justice affiliation has been documenting hate crimes and hate incidents since 2017 at www.StandAgainstHatred.org, which is available in English, Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese.

We would like to invite you to attend our free bystander intervention trainings:

We've had a tremendous demand for these trainings, and our first three trainings completely sold out. We're adding a number of additional free trainings. Please note you must register in advance for all trainings. They will be capped at 1,000 people.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. The training is currently only offered in English but we are seeking funding to expand it into other languages.

Bystander intervention to stop anti-Asian/American harassment and xenophobia workshop description:

The one-hour, interactive training will teach you Hollaback!'s 5D's of bystander intervention methodology. We'll start by talking about the types of disrespect that Asian and Asian American folks are facing right now - from microaggressions to violence - using a tool we call the "spectrum of disrespect." You'll learn what to look for and the positive impact that bystander intervention has on individuals and communities. We'll talk through five strategies for intervention: distract, delegate, document, delay, and direct; and how to prioritize your own safety while intervening. We'll have time at the end for practice, and you'll leave feeling more confident intervening the next time you see Anti-Asian/American harassment online or in person.

Training dates and times:

March 15th at 6:00pm ET/5:00pm CT/ 4:00pm MT/ 3:00pm PT/1:00pm HST. Register Here (AT CAPACITY)

March 29 at 3:00 PM ET/ 2:00 PM CT/ 1:00 PM MT/ 12:00 PM PT/ 10:00 AM HST. (AT CAPACITY)

April 20 at 2:00 PM ET/ 1:00 PM CT/ 12:00 PM MT/ 11:00 AM PT/ 9:00 AM HST. (AT CAPACITY)

We are experiencing a rise in demand and scheduling more dates soon. Stay tuned.

Bystander intervention 2.0: conflict de-escalation training workshop description:

If you've already taken our Bystander Intervention training and you're looking to go deeper into how to directly intervene and de-escalate conflict: this training is for you. Conflict de-escalation requires patience, a willingness to listen, and an ability to see the humanity in everyone, even those we don't agree with or who seek to hurt us. Using Hollaback!'s Observe-Breathe-Connect methodology, we'll learn how to identify potential conflict before it escalates using our "pyramid of escalation" and how to assess whether intervening is the right action for you. We'll talk about specific biases that are increasing conflict, harassment, and violence during COVID19 - and the role of implicit and explicit bias in conflict. We'll also learn how to connect with others by validating and de-escalating their feelings - even if we don't understand them or agree with them. We'll have time at the end to practice using real-life scenarios.

Training dates and times:

March 17th, 2021. 2:00 PM ET/ 1:00pm CT/ 12:00pm MT/ 11:00 am PT/ 9:00 am HST. Register Here

April 2nd, 2021. 1:00 PM ET/ 12:00 PM CT/ 11:00 AM MT/ 10:00 AM PT/ 8:00 AM HST. Register Here

April 21, 2021. 4:00 PM ET/ 3:00 PM CT/ 2:00 PM MT/ 1:00 PM PT/ 11:00 AM HST. Register Here

How to respond to harassment for people experiencing anti-Asian/American harassment training workshop description:

After attending our bystander intervention trainings, many Asian/Americans want to know - how do I take care of myself when I experience harassment? If that's a question you're asking - this training is for you.

During this one-hour, highly interactive training you'll learn Hollaback!'s methodology for responding to harassment: 1) Trust your Instincts, 2) Reclaim Your Space, and 3) Practice Resilience.You'll learn how your identities can shape your experience of harassment and the impact that harassment has on you and your community as a whole. We'll talk about what to look for when assessing your safety, and how to determine if responding in the moment is the right action or not. We'll also take a deep dive into how to build your resilience on an individual, interpersonal, organizational, community, and societal front. You'll leave with new tools on how to respond to harassment, whether your response is in the moment while that harassment is happening or long-term.

Training dates and times:

March 19th, 2021. 04:00pm ET/03:00pm CT/ 02:00pm MT/ 01:00am PT/ 11:00am HST Register Here

April 2nd 2021. 5:00 PM ET/ 4:00 PM CT/ 3:00 PM MT/ 2:00 PM PT/ 12:00 PM HST. Register Here

April 15 2021. 6:00 PM ET/ 5:00 PM CT/ 4:00 PM MT/ 3:00 PM PT/ 1:00 PM HST. Register Here

Our goal:

These experiences of harassment build up over time for people, and harassment can chip away at a person and at a community. Together, we can contribute to sending the message that hate, including racism and xenophobia, is unacceptable in all of its forms.

Like much of the world, we are all still figuring out how this moment will change us. We will likely be changed in many ways, but we know at this moment we have a historic opportunity to shine a light and work to un-do harassment in Asian/American communities. Let's seize this moment as we collectively work to stitch together the tattered fabric of ourselves, our relationships, our communities, and our country - into something more beautiful than any of us could imagine.

Want to learn more? See Hollaback!'s guide here which discusses the role bystanders can play, what privilege is, reasons why people don't take action, and Hollaback! 5D's of bystander intervention. Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC offers additional resources on their new COVID-19 page.

We are also offering training to help you in building resilience. For more information visit our Resilience training page.

Read What People Are Saying About This Training:

This training gave me new tools to support someone experiencing discrimination. I had always thought my only option was to directly engage with the aggressor, which was terrifying to me. To know I have a lot of other tools I can use will be very helpful.
Erin McIlraith, Oregon State University

I appreciate having clear and effective strategies that can be utilized immediately.
Hoi Ning Ngai, Bates Center for Purposeful Work

Before this training, I doubt I would've intervened for fear of making things worse, but now I'm confident that I'm equipped with the skills necessary to diffuse any situation I may encounter.
Blaizen B Bloom

[I] wanted to let you know that I thought the training was absolutely excellent. I thought they did an amazing job conveying the importance of the training in today's world as well as the techniques for bystander intervention. One of the most valuable and effective training sessions I have ever attended, and so important and timely.
Anonymous

Resources:

The 5D's of Bystander Intervention, by Hollaback!

Show Up, Your Guide to Bystander Intervention, by Hollaback! in collaboration with CUP

How to Respond to Street Harassment, by Hollaback!. Written to respond to gender-based harassment but the tactics are applicable to all forms of harassment. We'll be adapting these for the Asian/American community in the coming weeks.

Responding to Online Harassment, Do's and Don'ts by Hollaback! in collaboration with #ICANHELP, Project HEAR, and the Dangerous Speech Project.

Self-care guide to healing from Online Harassment, by Hollaback!

Digital Safety Guide, by Hollaback!

HeartMob, a platform where you can get support managing online harassment and/or support others experiencing it, by Hollaback!

Coronavirus/COVID-19 Resources to Stand Against Racism, by Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC

Stand Against Hatred Tracker, by Asian Americans Advancing Justice

Resources for the Asian American Community on Anti-Blackness, by Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC

A Mental Wellness Activity Book for Asian Americans, by Asian and Asian American Studies Institute and IAMNOTAVIRUS

How you can help:

Donations are critical to our ability to continue these trainings. If you believe that Asian/Americans deserve to walk down the street or go to the grocery store without fear of harassment or worse, and you believe that all of us have a role in ending harassment, please donate.
To support the continuation of this training, donate to Hollaback! and Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC.
You can see Hollaback!'s financials and annual reports here and find our privacy policy here.

Training Co-sponsors

Share your story

We collect stories to raise awareness about harassment. By sharing your testimony, you change the way people understand this problem.

Remember you are not alone and we've got your back.

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Hollaback! Free Bystander Intervention Training

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In response to the rise in Anti-Asian/American and xenophobic harassment, we at Hollaback! partnered with Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC to adapt our free bystander intervention training as well as offering a de-escalation training to meet this moment. Unfortunately, anti-Asian and Asian American racism and xenophobia is not a new phenomenon.

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Below you'll find resources that have been gathered to help individuals educate others, take action, donate, and more.

Anti-Asian racism and violent attacks on Asian elderly have only increased in recent months. Since COVID-19 became news in the United States, hate speech and violence against the AAPI community has run rampant. In February 2021, attacks, particularly on elderly Asian Americans, have spiked. Unfortunately, many of these incidents are not being reported and are invisible to major media outlets. We hope to change this by offering the following resources with our community. Please join us in taking action whether it's by educating yourself and others around you or donating to non-profit organizations.

Statistics

40% of U.S. adults believe "it has become more common for people to express racist views toward Asians since the pandemic began" (Source: Pew Research) More than 1,800 racist incidents against Asian Americans were reported between March and May of 2020, according to a United Nations Report (Source: CBS News) Stop AAPI Hate National Report (March 19, 2020 - February 28, 2021) has received a staggering 3,795 reports of anti-Asian hate incidents. (Source: Stop AAPI Hate)

newest updates

"...He was pretty much fed up, and kind of at [the] end of his rope, and yesterday was a really bad day for him and this is what he did," Capt Jay Baker of the Cherokee County sheriff's office. (Source: The Hill)

This "bad day" ended the lives of 8 individuals and permanently changed the lives of their families.
Say their names. Share their stories.

soon chung park, 74
suncha kim, 69
yong ae yue, 63
hyun jung grant, 51
xiaojie tan, 49
delaina yaun, 33
daoyou feng, 44
paul andre michels, 54

(Source: The washington post)

News articles

Resources to educate

allyship

Donate

Report an Incident

mental health

Petitions

social media

More action

Corporate Statements

Made by haapi erg | flexport
( Made with Carrd )

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Anti-Asian racism and violent attacks on Asian elderly have only increased in recent months. Since COVID-19 became news in the United States, hate speech and violence against the AAPI community has run rampant. In February 2021, attacks, particularly on elderly Asian Americans, have spiked. Unfortunately, many of these

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Learning for Justice

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As COVID-19 infections increase, so too does racism and xenophobia. Use our "Speak Up" strategies to let people know you're not OK with racist or xenophobic comments about coronavirus or anything else.

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Amid the pandemic, Asian American people continue to experience racism, violence and harassment. These resources can help you teach the historical precedents for this moment, introduce ways for students to recognize and speak up against coronavirus racism, and start conversations with even the youngest learners about recognizing and acting to address injustice.

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Elisa Lee reading book by Elizabeth Kleinrock and Illustrated by

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Learning for Justice

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It was five minutes before the class transitioned to lunch, and Min Jee was excited. She and her father had cooked dinner together the night before, and she knew he had packed extra for her today. None of her friends ever brought stew for lunch, especially not bright red stew like kimchi jjigae, and Min Jee was excited to show them what she had made.

As she entered the cafeteria, Min Jee's friends Ella and Gabriel waved her over to a space at their table. Min Jee unscrewed her thermos and proudly showed them her lunch.

"Whoa, it's so red! I bet it's really spicy," exclaimed Ella, peering at the stew.

"Remember last time I came over to your house for dinner, your dad made those rice cakes that were so spicy they made my eyes water?" laughed Gabriel.

And then suddenly: "Eww, what is that stuff?"

A loud voice came from the opposite side of the table. A girl named Audrey, who Min Jee recognized from the classroom next door, was staring at the kimchi jjigae, dramatically wrinkling her nose.

Min Jee's voice faltered. "It's called kimchi jjigae. It's a Korean stew. My dad and I made it together."

Audrey raised her eyebrows.

"Well, it looks weird. Does your family eat stuff like bats and lizards? I heard Asian people eat weird stuff like that, and that's how everyone got sick. Is that true?"

Min Jee felt her face turning as red as the kimchi jjigae. By the time she opened her mouth to respond, Audrey had already turned away and was talking to someone else. Gabriel and Ella stared at the table as they ate their lunches. Min Jee realized she wasn't hungry anymore.

At dinner that evening, her appetite still hadn't returned.

"Min Jee, is something wrong?" her father asked. "You usually eat like your food is about to run away from you!"

Min Jee felt her throat tighten.

"Appa, a girl at school today said our food looked weird. And then she asked if we eat bats and reptiles because we're Asian, and that food like ours made everyone sick. It made me so angry! And Ella and Gabriel were right there, but they didn't say anything!"

Her father frowned and then took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry that happened, honey, and I'm so glad you told me. It can be really hurtful when people make mean comments just because something is different or new to them. It sounds like she was saying a lot of things she didn't understand. That doesn't make it OK, but it's important that you don't feel embarrassed of who you are just because of her ignorance.

"I'm also hearing that you're disappointed your friends didn't speak up for you. Maybe when you see them tomorrow, you can tell them how you felt. They might not have meant to hurt your feelings, but if they're your friends, they'll care that they did."

Min Jee swallowed and nodded, but the thought of speaking up to Ella and Gabriel sounded just as scary as standing up to Audrey.

The next day, Min Jee approached her two friends at the lunch table. She set down her lunch and took a deep breath. Just as she was about to launch into the speech she practiced the night before, she heard Ella's voice.

"Gabriel and I had a talk," Ella said. "We're really sorry we didn't say anything when Audrey was talking about your food yesterday."

"Yeah, we messed up," added Gabriel. "Friends are supposed to have each other's backs. Ella and I should have interrupted Audrey and told her what she was saying was wrong, and it's not funny to make fun of someone's traditions. We promise to do better next time."

"Thank you for saying that." Min Jee nodded and smiled. "I was really upset yesterday and felt nervous about telling you because I didn't think you noticed. I almost didn't let my dad pack my lunch today!"

Opening her lunch bag, Min Jee saw that her dad had packed her a few rolls of kimbap. When she looked up to offer a roll to Ella and Gabriel, she couldn't help but laugh when she saw them eagerly holding their forks, ready to dig in.

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It was five minutes before the class transitioned to lunch, and Min Jee was excited. She and her father had cooked dinner together the night before, and she knew he had packed extra for her today.

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Center for Antiracist Education

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How Negro Week Became Black History Month

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How Negro Week Became Black History Month

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NY Times

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Veronica Chambers and Jamiel LawFeb. 24, 2021

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How Negro History Week Became Black History Month and Why It Matters Now

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Black History Month has been celebrated in the United States for close to 100 years but what is it exactly and how did it begin?

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Lee and Low

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Lee & Low Blog

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Watch the Webinar: Black Lives Matter in the Classroom

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Watch the recording of our most popular webinar yet, "Black Lives Matter in the Classroom: A Conversation with Experts" with Laleña Garcia and Caryn Davidson, author and illustrator of What We Beli...

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The 41st Annual Marion Thompson Wright Lecture Series

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The 41st Annual Marion Thompson Wright Lecture Series

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Rutgers

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It is with great pleasure that we invite you to join us for the 41st Annual Marion Thompson Wright Lecture Series, One Begins Again: Organizing & the Historical Imagination, moderated byBarbara Ransby. The conference will be held online on Saturday, February 20, 2021 at 9:30 A.M. EST.

Alicia Garza, Bill Fletcher Jr., and Cara Page, each in important ways, speak about organizing as a means to healing generations of society-wide injustice.

Each has devoted their lives to the work of organizing, understanding the conditions shaped by the past, and testing what works and what doesn't.

Each demonstrates how this invested, critical- practical work of understanding deep historical patterns helps us reimagine the present to invest it with the possibilities of change.

Each envisions better, potential Americas, or in the words of Langston Hughes, "The land that never has been yet-And yet must be."

This forward-moving, liberating historical imagination is an act of aware, purpose-filled, enriched living in the here and now.

This visioning sparks ongoing movement building and the new possibilities for a life- and planet- sustaining near future.

The Annual Marion Thompson Wright Lecture (MTW) series was co-founded in 1981 by Rutgers University-Newark Professor Clement A. Price and Giles R. Wright of the New Jersey Historical Commission who launched the series with the belief that the rigorous exploration of the past, made accessible to a broad public of learners, would help guide the nation into a brighter future. The conference is named in honor of a native of East Orange. Marion Thompson Wright was arguably the first black female professional historian and a pioneer in Black New Jersey historiography. In her honor, the series brings outstanding thinkers and doers of African and African American life and history. Diverse, civically engaged, and devoted to life-long learners, the MTW Series is one of the nation's most distinguished and longest running lectures. The Clement A. Price Institute is devoted to building deep historical justice in our region and beyond.

If you would like more information or have questions about the event, please email us at priceinstitute@newark.rutgers.edu
View Information on Past MTW Lectures
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter!

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The 41st Annual Marion Thompson Wright Lecture Series

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It is with great pleasure that we invite you to join us for the 41st Annual Marion Thompson Wright Lecture Series, One Begins Again: Organizing & the Historical Imagination , moderated byBarbara Ransby . The conference will be held online on Saturday, February 20, 2021 at 9:30 A.M. EST.

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Social Justice e books

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Multicultural and Social Justice Books - Social Justice Books

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Curated Booklists Carefully selected multicultural and social justice books for children, young adults, and educators on 90+ topics. Reviews of Children's Literature Critical reviews of children's and young adult books from a variety of vetted sources, consolidated here for easy access. Articles & News Articles about selecting children's literature and news about Kid Lit.

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PBS Learning

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Asian Americans is a five-hour film series that delivers a bold, fresh perspective on a history that matters today, more than ever. As America becomes more diverse, and more divided, while facing unimaginable challenges, how do we move forward together? Told through intimate and personal lives, the series will cast a new lens on U.S.

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Black History Month: Virtual Events That Celebrate and Honor Black Culture

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Black History Month: Virtual Events That Celebrate and Honor Black Culture

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Eventbrite

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Black History Month: Virtual Events That Celebrate and Honor Black Culture | Eventbrite

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In this curated collection, Eventbrite is putting a spotlight on virtual events that will not only teach you about Black history, but will showcase Black excellence in its many forms: food, film, comedy, music, literature, and more.

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24 Children's Books to Read in Honor of Black History Month

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24 Children's Books to Read in Honor of Black History Month

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Huff Post

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February marks Black History Month, and storytime is just one of the many occasions when you can teach your kids about the accomplishments of black pioneers and trailblazers.

Children's books are famously bad at embracing diversity. In 2016, the Cooperative Children's Book Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison found that out of 3,400 kids' books, fewer than one-quarter of them featured a main character who was black, Asian, Latino or Native American. So it's vital that parents share the books that are available with their kids.

Luckily, there are many helpful resources putting these titles within close reach. For Black History Month, Lee & Low Books, a multicultural children's book publisher, offers helpful book recommendations. Every day in February, The Brown Bookshelf highlights a different black author or illustrator and their work. Helping Kids Rise also participates in a #ReadingBlackout (an initiative to read books by black authors) at the encouragement of YouTuber Denise Cooper.

With suggestions from the organizations above, plus some others, we put together a list of kids' books by black authors, about black figures or focused on black culture.

Here are 24 books to read to your child during Black History Month, and year-round, of course.

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24 Children's Books To Read In Honor Of Black History Month

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February marks Black History Month, and storytime is just one of the many occasions when you can teach your kids about the accomplishments of black pioneers and trailblazers. Children's books are famously bad at embracing diversity.

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What it Means to Be an Antiracist Teacher 

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What it Means to Be an Antiracist Teacher 

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Learning for Justice

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Skip to main content

Lorena Germán has worked in education for nearly 20 years. As director of pedagogy at EduColor, chair of the National Council of Teachers of English Committee Against Racism and Bias in the Teaching of English and co-founder of Multicultural Classroom, she has advocated for culturally sustaining pedagogy and practices. Nearly three years ago, Germán joined together with educators Tricia Ebarvia, Dr. Kim Parker and Julia E. Torres to form #DisruptTexts, a grassroots movement encouraging K-12 English teachers to rethink their approach to teaching the "classics," including deciding whether they need to teach them at all. In 2019, she published The Anti Racist Teacher: Reading Instruction Workbook, a resource to help educators develop anti-racist practices in their ELA classes. And late last year, Germán sat down with then-TT Professional Development Manager Val Brown to discuss the damage white supremacy causes in education-and the uplift inherent in reimagining the process. Their conversation, included here, has been edited for length and clarity.

"Interrupting white supremacy," "decolonizing education," "developing abolitionist education"-people use these phrases but aren't always sure what they mean. How would you define these terms as they relate to your practice?

White supremacy literally means that whiteness is supreme over others. We see that present in our values as a nation, in our culture, in our ways of being and, therefore, embedded in all of our systems.

When a lot of people think of white supremacy, they connote white men in hoods on corners screaming racial slurs and doing extreme things, but white supremacy could be used interchangeably for racism.

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What it Means to Be an Anti-racist Teacher

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Skip to main content Lorena Germán has worked in education for nearly 20 years. As director of pedagogy at EduColor, chair of the National Council of Teachers of English Committee Against Racism and Bias in the Teaching of English and co-founder of Multicultural Classroom, she has advocated for culturally sustaining pedagogy and practices.

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February 2021: Honoring Black Agency & Black Joy

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February 2021: Honoring Black Agency & Black Joy

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Facing History and Ourselves

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Our collection of educator resources includes a wide range of flexible materials. You will find resources that support teaching a complex moment in history or addressing today's breaking news.

Facing History students are 94% more likely than other students to report that their class motivated them to learn.

93% of Facing History students agreed that it is important to work for positive social change.

Current Events in the Classroom

Our current events resources help teachers lead effective and engaging discussions on today's news.
Learn More

"I can trust the materials to be easy to access, implement, and provide a way to engage students on sensitive topics."

Teaching Strategies

Our student-centered teaching strategies improve literacy skills, nurture critical thinking, and create a respectful classroom climate. You can implement these strategies with any academic content.
Learn More

Collections, Units, & Toolkits

Our collections, units, and toolkits provide you with a range of options to introduce students to themes that are relevant to their lives.
Learn More
Lessons & Mini-Lessons

Our lessons and mini-lessons include primary sources and news sources to support their head, heart, and conscience.
Learn More

- Facing History Educator Reflecting on Our Reconstruction Unit

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Our collection of educator resources includes a wide range of flexible materials. You will find resources that support teaching a complex moment in history or addressing today's breaking news. Facing History students are 94% more likely than other students to report that their class motivated them to learn.

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Learning for Justice Jayala Liles Dunn

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We've changed our name to better reflect our mission and our work.

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Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad Drama Performance

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Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad Drama Performance

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Prince George's Community College

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This stirring drama with music is a classic tribute to the great American who freed herself and hundreds of others from the bonds of slavery. Her courage helped to change the world. Share her adventurous life with your students in this accurate and deeply moving musical history lesson.

FREE Virtual Event - Registration will close at 12:00am midnight on the day of show

All times listed in Eastern Standard Time

Eastern Standard Time - 11:00am

Central Standard Time - 10:00am

Mountain Standard Time - 9:00am

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(Best For Grades 3 - 8)

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Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad

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This stirring drama with music is a classic tribute to the great American who freed herself and hundreds of others from the bonds of slavery. Her courage helped to change the world. Share her adventurous life with your students in this accurate and deeply moving musical history lesson.

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"Never shall I forget that night, the first night in camp, which has turned my life into one long night, seven times cursed and seven times sealed." -Elie Wiesel ( Night).

Holocaust Remembrance Day is internationally celebrated each year on January 27th to coincide with the Liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau camp at the end of World War II. Here are 20 resources to help teach students about the significant events of the Holocaust and the resilience of the people Jewish people:

1. Lessons of the Holocaust

Grades: 6-12

Three video collections that offer educators a detailed exploration of different ways to approach teaching about the Holocaust in the classroom.

2. Murals of the Holocaust

Grades: 6-12

Students use the power of art to learn about the Holocaust and explore their related emotions.

3. Number the Stars

Grades: 12+

Fifth-grade students learn about the holocaust by reading the book, Number the Stars, and creating paneled works of art using historical photos.

4. You Have to Speak Up

Grades: 6-12

International Holocaust Remembrance Day is held each year as a way to remember the killing of six million Jews during World War II. Holocaust survivor Reva Kibort tells her story of when German soldiers came to Warsaw.

5. The Story of the Jews

Grades: 9-12

Explores the imprint that Jewish culture has made on the world and the drama of suffering, resilience, and rebirth that has gone with it.

6. The Holocaust from The War by Ken Burns

Grades: 9-12

Veterans of World War II discuss the Holocaust, liberating the camps, and witnessing the horrors that still haunt them in these video excerpts.

7. GI Jews: WWII Jewish Americans

Grades: 10-12

This is the profound and remarkable story of the 550,000 Jewish Americans who fought for their nation and for Jewish people worldwide in WWII.

8. Harbor from the Holocaust

Grades: 8-12

Explores the extraordinary relationship between the Jewish community and their adopted city of Shanghai through the bitter years of Japanese occupation and the ensuing Chinese civil war.

9. Holocaust from Children's Eyes

Grades: 9-12

Holocaust survivors recount their haunting memories of being sent to Nazi concentration camps in these videos from FRONTLINE.

10. Holocaust Escape Tunnel

Grades: 9-12

Archaeologists, geologists, and engineers uncover the truth about an astonishing story of a secret escape tunnel in this video from NOVA.

11. Anne Frank

Grades: 5-12

Explore the diary as a literary genre and the historical context in which Anne Frank wrote her unforgettable testament to hope.

Grades: 5-12

Inspiring life and message of Eva Mozes Kor, a Holocaust survivor and global ambassador for peace, forgiveness and inclusiveness.

13. Meeting Max: A Survivor's Story

Grades: 7-12

Documentary by a high school student about the story of Max Steinmetz who was a Jewish prisoner, slave laborer, and WWII survivor.

14. Honoring Young Frank

Grades: 9-12

Manfred Goldberg's struggle to come to terms with his brother's murder in Auschwitz in these videos from FRONTLINE: The Last Survivors.

15. Defying the NazisL The Sharps' War

Grades: 7-12

Ken Burns series exploring the mission of the Sharps, the dilemmas they faced, and the impact of their courageous actions.

16. Standing Up to Injustice and Cruelty

Grades: 6-12

Illustrates the lasting effects of the Holocaust from the perspectives of both a victim of Nazi war crimes and the child of a perpetrator.

17. World On Fire

Grades: 9-12

Masterpiece historical drama with supportive resources that follows the intertwining fates of ordinary people in five countries as they grapple with the effects of WWII on their everyday lives.

18. Can Trauma be Passed to Next Generation Through DNA?

Grades: 7-12

Learn about the genetic factors that may make a person more prone to anxiety with this video and educational resources from PBS NewsHour.

19. FRONTLINE: Four Documentaries that Keep the Memory of the Camps Alive

Grades: 10-12

Four documentaries from the PBS investigative series FRONTLINE are helping to keep the memory of the Holocaust alive - from presenting horrific firsthand footage of the atrocities Allied forces found when they liberated Nazi death camps in Germany, to telling the stories of some of the Holocaust's last living survivors.

20. Eli Wiesel's Night & the Holocaust

Grades: 6-12

This teaching guide uses Digital Public Library of America Primary Source Sets to explore Elie Wiesel's Night and the Holocaust.

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Holocaust Remembrance Day is internationally celebrated each year on January 27th to coincide with the Liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau camp at the end of World War II. Here are 20 resources to help teach students about the significant events of the Holocaust and the resilience of the people Jewish people.

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7 Books That Give Students an Inclusive Look at United States History

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7 Books That Give Students an Inclusive Look at United States History

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Edutopia

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History is often conceptualized as a series of objective facts that are sequenced in chronological order to reveal an objective and apolitical understanding of the past. However, this understanding of the discipline fails to account for the ways in which historical narratives and understandings are impacted by cultural assumptions about power and agency, current forces that shape the author's understanding and perspective, and the selective inclusion or exclusion of materials and perspectives within the story.

This tension between history as fact and as a constructed interpretation is evident in the debate regarding Confederate Civil War monuments. Proponents of such monuments often argue that they celebrate Southern heritage and that to remove the markers of the past is to "erase history" and "forget the past."

Individuals advocating for removal, on the other hand, correctly point out that the majority of the monuments were erected during the Jim Crow era and as a backlash against the expansion of civil rights. Confederate monuments are not objective, impartial markers of the past but instead were erected to promote a political and social agenda that excluded individuals from American citizenship and society.

Resources That Challenge the Traditional Historical Narrative and Support Antibias Instruction

Historical narratives found in history textbooks, like monuments, are selectively constructed depictions and understandings of the past that often exclude, silence, or minimize the experience of historically marginalized groups.

Teachers not only should design experiences for students to interrogate and challenge the traditional textbook narrative but also must utilize resources that (1) are written by authors from diverse and representative backgrounds; (2) offer a more sophisticated, nuanced, and inclusive narrative; and (3) adopt an explicitly antibias perspective.

There are a number of excellent books for adult audiences that present more inclusive historical narratives and support antibias instruction, but the density of ideas, volume of reading, and text complexity undermine their utility in the middle and high school history classroom. Fortunately, many outstanding historians and academic writers have partnered with experienced authors for adolescents to adapt their work for young adult audiences.

7 High-Quality History Books for Adolescents

1. Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You, by Jason Reynolds (author) and Ibram X. Kendi (author). The authors maintain that this is not a history book but instead is a book about the present that uses history to understand America, the construction of race, and the development of racist and antiracist ideas. Based on the award-winning book Stamped From the Beginning, this remix version is intended for middle and high school readers and traces the construction of race from the Age of Exploration to the modern era. It is an outstanding resource that connects the past and present. While it does not avoid challenging or difficult history, the book is ultimately optimistic and provides a powerful framework to help students make positive changes in the world. (In May 2021, the authors will release another adaptation for elementary school students.)

2. A Different Mirror for Young People: A History of Multicultural America, by Rebecca Stefoff (adapter) and Ronald Takaki (author). Adapted from Ronald Takaki's 2008 edition of A Different Mirror, the remix version for middle and high school students uses diaries, letters, and poems to present a multicultural, multiethnic, and inclusive depiction of American history, culture, and identity.

3. 1493 for Young People: From Columbus's Voyage to Globalization, by Rebecca Stefoff (adapter) and Charles C. Mann (author). Columbus's voyages to the Americas initiated the exchange of people, plants, animals, microbes, viruses, and cultures. While historical narratives often place great people, generally great white European men, at the center of the story, this adaptation of 1493: Uncovering the New World Columbus Created focuses on the ecological and social convulsions that resulted from the Columbian Exchange and uses this understanding to make sense of contemporary globalization. Of particular note, the book stresses the significance of interactions between the Americas and Africa and Asia. This is an important book for middle and high school world history classes.

4. An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States for Young People, by Jean Mendoza (adapter), Debbie Reese (adapter), and Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz (author). This adaptation of Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz's writing places Indigenous nations and peoples in the center of American history and adroitly challenges the traditional narrative presented in history textbooks.

5. A Queer History of the United States for Young People, by Richie Chevat (adapter) and Michael Bronski (author). Except for brief mention during study of the Stonewall Riots, LGBTQ individuals are generally invisible in history texts. However, this adaptation of Michael Bronski's A Queer History of the United States utilizes letters, diaries, and biographies to trace the 500-plus years of their contributions to history, culture, and the construction of American identity. The book stresses the importance of activism to effect social change and the contributions of adolescents and young adults.

6. A Young People's History of the United States: Columbus to the War on Terror, by Rebecca Stefoff (adapter) and Howard Zinn (author). Based upon Howard Zinn's A People's History of the United States, Rebecca Stefoff's adaptation for adolescents presents history from the perspective of workers, women, enslaved individuals, Native Americans, and other groups that are habitually silenced in classroom resources. Particular attention is given to labor movements and social justice protests.

7. Freedom Summer for Young People: The Violent Season That Made Mississippi Burn and Made America a Democracy, by Rebecca Stefoff (adapter) and Bruce Watson (author). This work presents a stunning and gripping historical narrative that highlights the importance of grassroots community activism in the civil rights movement of 1964. The book presents the violence and intimidation of the period, but it also celebrates the bravery of community leaders and disenfranchised citizens intent on securing voting rights. The book highlights the contributions of outside allies, particularly those of young college students. The companion book Freedom Summer, by Bruce Watson, is an outstanding resource for teachers to delve deeper into this compelling period in the fight for civil rights.

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7 Books That Give Students an Inclusive Look at United States History

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History is often conceptualized as a series of objective facts that are sequenced in chronological order to reveal an objective and apolitical understanding of the past.

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Recording of Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum Zoom event - Jan. 27

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Free with pre-registration; $5 suggested donation appreciated

The event will take place in Eastern Standard Time, 7:00 to 8:30pm EST.
Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum, president emerita of Spelman College, is a clinical psychologist widely known for both her expertise on race relations and as a thought leader in higher education. Her thirteen years as the president of Spelman College (2002-2015) were marked by innovation and growth and her visionary leadership was recognized in 2013 with the Carnegie Academic Leadership Award.

The author of several books including the national bestseller Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? (now in a new 2017 20 th anniversary edition) and Can We Talk About Race? and Other Conversations in an Era of School Resegregation (2007), Tatum is a sought-after speaker on the topics of racial identity development, race and education, strategies for creating inclusive campus environments, and higher education leadership. In 2005 Dr. Tatum was awarded the prestigious Brock International Prize in Education for her innovative leadership in the field. A Fellow of the American Psychological Association, she was the 2014 recipient of the APA Award for Outstanding Lifetime Contributions to Psychology.

A civic leader in the Atlanta community, Dr. Tatum is engaged in educational initiatives designed to expand educational opportunities for underserved students and their families. In Atlanta, she serves on the governing boards of the Westside Future Fund, Achieve Atlanta, Morehouse College, and the Tull Charitable Foundation. She is also on the boards of Smith College. TIAA Charitable, and the Educational Testing Service.

She holds a B.A. degree in psychology from Wesleyan University, and M.A. and Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Michigan as well as an M.A. in Religious Studies from Hartford Seminary. Over the course of her career, she has served as a faculty member at the University of California, Santa Barbara, Westfield State University, and Mount Holyoke College. Prior to her 2002 appointment as president of Spelman, she served as dean and acting president at Mount Holyoke College. In Spring 2017 she was the Mimi and Peter E. Haas Distinguished Visitor at Stanford University. She is married to Dr. Travis Tatum; they are the parents of two adult sons.

Dr. Tatum's books are available at The Concord Bookshop.

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Tiziana Dearing is the host of Radio Boston on WBUR.

She's been a commentator and contributor to WBUR for more than a decade, and has contributed to a number of other regional and national news outlets.

Prior to joining the Radio Boston team, Tiziana was a professor at Boston College in the School of Social Work, where she taught social innovation and leadership. A longtime anti-poverty advocate, Tiziana also ran Boston Rising, a startup antipoverty fund to end generational poverty in Boston, and was the first woman president of Catholic Charities for the Archdiocese of Boston. She's won a number of awards in the city, including a Pinnacle Award from the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce and Boston Business Journal's 40 Under 40.
This event is made possible by Foundation for MetroWest, with additional support from Enterprise Bank.

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Virtual Event: Talking to Kids about Race and Racism: A Conversation with Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum, moderated by WBUR's Tiziana Dearing

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The event will take place in Eastern Standard Time, 7:00 to 8:30pm EST. Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum, president emerita of Spelman College, is a clinical psychologist widely known for both her expertise on race relations and as a thought leader in higher education.

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A Trauma Informed Approach to Teaching Through Coronavirus

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A Trauma Informed Approach to Teaching Through Coronavirus

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Teaching Tolerance

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A Trauma-informed Approach to Teaching Through Coronavirus

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Experts from the National Child Traumatic Stress Network share their recommendations for educators supporting students during the COVID-19 crisis.

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Managing Racial Stress and Helping Kids do the same

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Managing Racial Stress and Helping Kids do the same

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Embrace Race free webinar, January 26th

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Welcome! You are invited to join a webinar: Managing Racial Stress and Teaching Kids to Do the Same. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the webinar.

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We live in deeply stressful times. COVID. Racial tension and violence. Political polarization. Dire economic straits. The physical and emotional costs of stress crosses all demographic lines, but we know that the burden of chronic stress falls disproportionately on frequently targeted, racialized communities - Black, Brown, Indigenous, Asian, Latinx, Multiracial among them.

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Google Slides Chiara Di Lello

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Teach This: The Hill We Climb Amanda Gorman 

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Teach This: The Hill We Climb Amanda Gorman 

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Teaching Tolerance

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National Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman's poem "The Hill We Climb," written for the 2021 inauguration, presents a great opportunity for educators and students to discuss the ways creative expression can help us think about the meaning of democracy.

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Teach This: "The Hill We Climb" and the 2021 Inauguration

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National Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman's poem "The Hill We Climb," written for the 2021 inauguration, presents a great opportunity for educators and students to discuss the ways creative expression can help us think about the meaning of democracy.

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Inauguration Program for kids at 10am EST January 20

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Inauguration Program for kids at 10am EST January 20

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Livestream on You Tube

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Our White House: An Inaugural Celebration for Young Americans hosted by Keke Palmer

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Teaching Tolerance

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As you dive into a new semester amid a historic presidential inauguration and political moment, we know the challenges feel overwhelming. We hope these resources help you contextualize this moment, navigate a polarized classroom and plan actions you can take immediately to start the semester equitably.

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Inaugural Activities and Discussion Questions

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Inaugural Activities and Discussion Questions

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Our White House

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Our White House | Looking In, Looking Out

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Spark your students' creative energy and utilize their thinking caps as you share these fun inaugural activities and discussion questions to help them understand and engage in presidential inaugurations past and present.
Editor's Note: The NCBLA has always encouraged the adults who live and work with young people to engage their kids in current events by watching and discussing them. This year the FBI is warning everyone about the potential for armed protests in Washington, D.C. and all 50 state capitals in the days leading up to and including Inauguration Day. With the possibility for violence at hand, we recommend that educators and parents proceed cautiously in their decisions about whether to watch the inaugural activities live this year. A possible alternative is to share the inauguration video with young people later in the day with sensitivity as needed. This can be managed by video recording the events or by finding them on news streaming services. In addition, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has required major changes to inaugural activities. The Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies has announced that the 2021 inauguration will be orchestrated mostly as a virtual event with no large public gatherings. President Biden and Vice President Harris will be sworn in at the West Front of the Capitol as is traditional. Other events will take place across the country and be broadcast on television and online. This new interpretation of the inaugural activities provides a perfect educational opportunity for young people, teachers, and parents to COMPARE and CONTRAST how inaugural events were organized in the past to how they will be organized this year when our nation is experiencing a public health crisis. We encourage you to use these materials in creative ways to maximize their educational impact with the young people in your lives.
* Play "Inaugural I Spy"
* Design a Parade Float
* Inaugural Themes and Art
* Host an Inauguration Poetry Reading
* Write Poems Celebrating the Presidential Inauguration
* Bibles and Relics: Connecting with Past Presidents
* In His or Her Words: Listening to the Inaugural Speech
* Design the Oval Office
* Host a Kids' Inaugural Ball! Ideas and Activities
* Create a Political Cartoon
* Visit a Presidential Historic Site, Library, or Website
* Reference Sources

Play "Inaugural I Spy"

The 2021 I Spy Presidential Inauguration Scorecard provides a great nonpartisan opportunity to explore American history, civic education, and current events with your kids!

The 2021 scorecard includes four pages of pictures and short biographies of the incoming president and vice president and their families, as well as the outgoing president and vice president and the leaders of the Supreme Court and Congress.

Watch the inauguration, live on TV or the Internet, and have your kids identify, then check, the important "players" taking part in this year's inaugural ceremonies. Be sure to have young people look for and check off the historical sites, too! If you are unable to watch the inaugural ceremonies live, then watch what you can later that evening on the news or on YouTube.
To print the 2021 I Spy Presidential Inauguration Scorecard, click here.
The scorecard includes names, descriptions, and photographs of the president and his family, the vice president and his wife, the Chief Justice, and the leaders of the Senate and the House of Representatives. We have also included photographs and descriptions of four significant Washington, D.C. landmarks, just for fun. See if you and your kids can find them all during the broadcast. Encourage kids to write down the names of other politicians, entertainers, and celebrities they see on the backside of their scorecard. See who can "spy" the most number of people! To download and print the I Spy Presidential Inauguration Scorecard, click here.

Design a Parade Float

Months of design planning and hard labor go into the construction of the elaborate floats we see during the inaugural parade. Some floats reflect the theme of the inauguration, others show off the industries and resources of a particular state, and then there's the president's float-a float designed to celebrate the newly inaugurated president's life. The float created for Eisenhower was a golf course putting green. For George Bush the president's float was an aircraft carrier that hauled one of the planes Bush had flown during WWII. For President Obama's first inauguration in 2009, floats representing his home states of Hawaii and Illinois were created. Whatever is being fashioned for the next inaugural parade will be a surprise until it glides down Pennsylvania Avenue on Inauguration Day!

Pose this question to your kids: If you could design a float for the new president, what would it look like? Draw a picture of your design.

Your class or family might want to create your own inaugural parade of floats. Each person can choose a theme for his or her float. A larger class might consider having each student create a float for a certain state. Or, you might want to show off your school or community in your float design!

Young people can also find inspiration for parade and float themes from the articles and illustrations in Our White House: Looking In, Looking Out. For example, "Presidential Pets" might be a great theme for elementary and middle school students who will find inspiration in Steven Kellogg's article and double-page illustration of White House pets in Our White House.

There are many ways kids can create their own parade of floats. One way is to draw pictures on paper and then tape them in a long parade line on a classroom or hall wall. Or, they can make their floats using shoe boxes or tissue boxes. Cut pictures from magazines. Puff balls and pipe cleaners make great animals. Brightly colored construction paper, foam sheets, and even popsicle sticks can be used to create and build just about anything they might want to add to their floats. They may also want to make floats from wagons, or other wheeled toys or objects, and form an mini-inaugural parade in a neighborhood playground or recreation center or school hallway.

Read all about inaugural parades on this website in the article " Americans Love a Parade."

You can find pictures of past parades and floats at your local library. You can also find photographs online on the Library of Congress website LOC.gov.

Inaugural Themes and Art

The inaugural luncheon is held in National Statuary Hall within the Capitol. A new tradition was started in 1985 for one or two paintings to be selected to serve as a backdrop for the head table. The painting is chosen to reflect the official theme of the inaugural ceremony. In 1997 portraits of John Adams and Thomas Jefferson were selected to highlight the 200th anniversaries of their inauguration as president and vice president in 1797. In 2005 a gleaming portrait of Wyoming titled Wind River, Wyoming and painted by Albert Bierstadt in 1870 was borrowed from a collection in Colorado to commemorate the 1905 inauguration of Theodore Roosevelt, as well as the 1803-1806 Lewis and Clark expedition.

The theme for President Obama's first inauguration was "A New Birth of Freedom," which was selected to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's birth. The committee selected a landscape titled View of the Yosemite Valley by Thomas Hill, having noted that "the painting reflects the majestic landscape of the American West and the dawn of a new era. The subject of the painting, Yosemite Valley, represents an important but often overlooked event from Lincoln's presidency-his signing of the 1864 Yosemite Grant, which set aside Yosemite Valley and the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias as a public reserve."

The theme for President Trump's inauguration in 2017 was "Uniquely American." To highlight that theme, the painting The Verdict of the People by George Caleb Bingham was borrowed to hang at the inaugural luncheon. The painting features citizens in a Missouri town celebrating and mourning the results of an election.

For the inauguration of Joseph R. Biden, the theme is "Our Determined Democracy: Forging a More Perfect Union."

Have your kids consider paintings that reflect this year's inaugural theme. Together, look at art books and catalogs of museum collections at your library. Also, most major museums provide pictures of their collections on their websites. A good place to start a search might be the online collection of the National Gallery of Art.

Your kids might want to paint their own piece of art for the inaugural. For example, young people who are inspired by Abraham Lincoln might choose to paint a portrait of Lincoln or a landscape featuring the log cabin in which he was born. For links to homes and historic sites associated with Lincoln, check out " Abraham Lincoln" in the " The Presidential Fact Files " on this site.

And, ask your kids: If you were elected president what would you choose for your inaugural theme? Draw and/or paint a picture that symbolizes that theme. This is a wonderful opportunity to discuss the concept of theme and symbols. There are many incredible illustrations in Our White House: Looking In, Looking Out that you can show to your students to inspire them.

Host an Inauguration Poetry Reading

Poet Elizabeth Alexander read a poem she wrote to celebrate President Obama's first administration at the inaugural ceremony in 2009. And in 2013, Cuban-American poet Richard Blanco delivered the inaugural poem. But poetry reading has not been standard tradition at presidential inaugurations. In fact, prior to President Obama, only two previous presidents included a poetry reading. Robert Frost recited a poem for the inauguration of John F. Kennedy in 1961, and Bill Clinton included poets on the schedule for both of his inaugurations. Maya Angelou read a piece for the 1993 inauguration, and Miller Williams read a poem he wrote for the 1997 inauguration.

Read and share with your kids one or all of the previous inaugural poems. Read them aloud or have the young people in your life read them aloud. Poems are meant to be heard!

"The Gift Outright," the poem that Frost recited from memory at Kennedy's inauguration.

"Dedication," the poem Frost wrote for Kennedy's inauguration, but was not able to read due to the glare on his paper from the sun reflecting off the snow.

"On the Pulse of Morning," written by Maya Angelou for Bill Clinton's first inauguration.

"Of History and Hope," written by Miller Williams for Clinton's second inauguration.

"Praise Song for the Day," written by Elizabeth Alexander for Obama's first inauguration.

"One Today," written by Richard Blanco for Obama's second inauguration.

A poem was not recited at the inauguration of Donald Trump. For the inauguration of President Joe Biden, Amanda Gorman recited her original poem "The Hill We Climb." Watch our country's youngest inaugural poet perform for the 2021 presidential inauguration below.

Ask young people: Is it important to include a poetry reading at the presidential inauguration? If so, then why? And what poet would they invite to their own presidential inauguration?

Write Poems Celebrating The Presidential Inauguration

Our White House: Looking In, Looking Out is full of original poetry about presidents and the White House. The poems in Our White House range from poignant to humorous; read them aloud and share them with young people, for it will give them an idea of the wide emotional range that their own poetry can encompass.

In the paperback edition of Our White House: Looking In, Looking Out is a poem written by Nikki Grimes titled "Inaugural Morning," which commemorates President Obama's first inauguration. Find a copy of the book at your local library or bookstore, then share this remarkably moving poem with the young people in your life.

Encourage your kids at home and in the classroom to write a poem for this year's inauguration. You may want to have them read Nikki Grimes' poem for inspiration! The poem young people decide to write can rhyme or not rhyme. You can introduce kids to specific types and forms of poetry like haiku, sonnets, limericks, and free verse, or leave them to their own devices. They can create a poem inspired by their own hopes for our nation, inspired by the president and the president's family, inspired by the day itself, or by an issue that is important to them. You can guide them in any direction you choose, in a more formal manner if you are a teacher, and informally if you are a parent or youth group leader. What is most important is that kids have an opportunity to hear a variety of poems read aloud and have an opportunity to write poems themselves. They may also find inspiration in visuals, so if you can provide some historic and/or contemporary photographs and works of art as inspiration, that, too, could be useful. And a great place to start finding great visuals is to share the wonderful illustrations and photographs in Our White House with your kids.

To find websites and books with more visual references that you can use, check out our " Research Resources."

You can check out a lesson plan related to inaugural poetry on the TeacherVision website.

Bibles and Relics: Connecting with Past Presidents

For his first inauguration, President Barack Obama swore the oath of office on the same Bible used by Abraham Lincoln. The president used the Lincoln Bible for his second inauguration as well, but was also sworn in using a second Bible-a Bible owned by Martin Luther King, Jr., a gesture recognizing that that year's inauguration fell on the federal holiday that honors the civil rights leader. Journalist Nedra Pickler wrote that the selection of the two Bibles, "is richly symbolic of the struggle for equality in America, beginning with Lincoln's emancipation of slaves 150 years ago this month, through King's leadership of the civil rights movement, and ultimately to Obama becoming the nation's first black president."

In 2017 President Donald Trump also chose to use the Lincoln Bible. In addition, he swore the oath on a second Bible, his own personal Bible that had been a gift from his mother in 1955. First Lady Melania Trump held both Bibles, following the tradition established in 1965 when First Lady Claudia Taylor (Lady Bird) Johnson became the first First Lady to hold a Bible for the presidential oath of office.

President George W. Bush had wanted to swear his oath in 2001 on the same Bible used by George Washington, but poor weather thwarted his plan. Four other presidents did swear their oaths on Washington's Bible: Warren G. Harding in 1921, Dwight Eisenhower in 1953, Jimmy Carter in 1977, and George Bush in 1989. Most presidents choose to swear on a family Bible, but Carter chose to swear on both the Washington Bible and a family Bible. John Quincy Adams actually chose to swear his oath using a book of constitutional law that had been given to him by Chief Justice John Marshall. Although Ulysses S. Grant and James Garfield did not swear on Washington's Bible, they both chose to sit in the same chair Washington had used during his inauguration. Theodore Roosevelt chose one of the more unusual relics of a predecessor-he wore a ring that contained a lock of Lincoln's hair!

Ask young people:

If you were being sworn in as president, would you choose to be sworn in using a Bible? If so, would you choose a family Bible or one used by a past president? Why?

Would you choose to honor a previous president by swearing on his Bible or using an object connected to him? Which president would you like to honor and remember during your own inauguration? What object of that president's would you like to use?

Read more about the presidential oath of office in " The Presidential Oath of Office."

In His or Her Words: Listening to the Inaugural Speech

Almost every president has made a speech to the nation following the inauguration ceremony. Some presidents' speeches have inspired generations. Franklin Roosevelt assured us that "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself." John F. Kennedy proclaimed, "Ask not what your country can do for you-ask what you can do for your country."

If young people cannot watch this year's inaugural ceremony and speech live, try to record it or watch it on YouTube. Tell young people that as they listen to the president's speech, they should take note of any promises and plans he or she makes. Have them write these things down. They should think about what the president said and consider what plans seem reasonable. Have them discuss what plans they think the president can accomplish. Which plans or promises do they think are too "pie in the sky?"

Have kids focus on an idea or issue expressed in the speech that reflects their own interest-maybe it's something they believe is very important to their family and interests, or maybe it's something they believe should not be a priority right now. Encourage them to write a letter to the new president and vice president expressing their feelings.

Encourage kids to read the editorial pages in the next few days after the inauguration. Have them compare their thoughts on the inaugural speech with the editorialists' opinions. Who agrees with them and who does not? Did any editorial or column cause them to reconsider their thoughts? Also encourage kids to write a letter to the editor expressing their thoughts. They should include their age with their signatures because if their letter is well written and their opinions are expressed cogently, their age may be a positive factor in getting published either in traditional print or on the newspaper's website.

Design the Oval Office

Each new president has a budget and staff to redecorate the Oval Office-the president's main working space-to reflect personal tastes and interests. The Oval Office as designed for George W. Bush included ecru walls, antique gold draperies, light gold damask sofas, and several paintings of Texas by Texas artists. The Bush oval office also featured busts of three leaders he admired: Winston Churchill, Abraham Lincoln, and Dwight Eisenhower. In 2010, President Obama remodeled the oval office to include new striped wallpaper, new and reupholstered furniture, and a new rug. The oval-shaped rug was designed in wheat, cream, and blue and includes these five quotes around its perimeter:

"The Only Thing We Have to Fear is Fear Itself," President Franklin D. Roosevelt

"The Arc of the Moral Universe is Long, But it Bends Towards Justice," Martin Luther King Jr.

"Government of the People, By the People, For the People," President Abraham Lincoln "No Problem of Human Destiny is Beyond Human Beings," President John F. Kennedy

"The Welfare of Each of Us is Dependent Fundamentally Upon the Welfare of All of Us," President Theodore Roosevelt

President Obama's oval office also featured an eclectic mixture of decorative objects and artwork. China that had previously adorned the Oval Office shelves was replaced with technological models and patents (including Samuel Morse's 1849 patent for the first telegraph), Native American pottery, a framed program from the 1963 March on Washington, and many family portraits. Featured artwork includes Childe Hassam's "The Avenue in the Rain," Norman Rockwell's "Statue of Liberty," and a bust of Martin Luther King, Jr.

After completing an overhaul of the Oval Office that included not simply hanging new wallpaper, but also replacing the decades-old heating and cooling system, President Donald Trump chose to keep the Resolute desk, which had been used by every president since Jimmy Carter, except for President George H.W. Bush. Trump also opted to re-use many of his predecessors' furnishings, such as the rug designed by First Lady Nancy Reagan for President Ronald Reagan and the gold drapery created for President Bill Clinton. (Read more about the Resolute desk in " The Resolute Desk: A Gift of Peace " on this website.) Trump also included portraits of Presidents Washington, Lincoln, Jefferson, and Jackson; busts of Churchill, King, and Lincoln; photos of his parents; a collection of law enforcement badges; and a letter President Nixon wrote Trump in 1987.

Ask young people: What do you think the artwork and objects the president selects for his or her office say about him or her? If you were president, how would you redesign the Oval Office?

Encourage kids to use crayons, colored pencils, markers, and/or watercolors to sketch their designs for the oval office. Would they like a patriotic scheme of red and blue like the colors used by Bill Clinton? Have them design the rug, which always includes the presidential seal in the middle. Would they like to change the furniture, perhaps adding more chairs? Also, have them think about the art they would like hung on the walls of the office and the sculpture they would like to include. Presidents have access to the entire Smithsonian and National Gallery of Art collections! Would they like to include paintings and sculptures that they love or pieces that symbolize their ideas, or both?

Show your students photos of different presidents' oval offices.

View samples of the art and sculpture in the Smithsonian's many collections on the Smithsonian website.

View samples of the art and sculpture in the National Gallery of Art.

Discover the history of the Resolute desk in the article, " The Resolute Desk: A Gift of Peace " on this website.

Host a Kids' Inaugural Ball! Ideas and Activities

Host your own Kids' Inaugural Ball at home, in school, at your local library or bookstore, or at your local community center!

Have kids arrive in costume dressed as their favorite president or first lady-or dressed as a former presidential kid! Each young person can share a few facts about the person he or she is pretending to be and then have the rest of the kids guess who he or she is! The NCBLA's book, Our White House: Looking In, Looking Out, can inspire costume ideas and provide facts. And for more links and information about the presidents and first ladies check out the articles on the "Presidents" and "First Ladies" pages on the site.

You can always serve punch and cookies at the ball, but you might want to check out historic White House menus and food ideas in "A Taste of the Past: White House Kitchens, Menus, and Recipes" on this site. This article contains some samples of recipes and past inaugural menus, as well as White House cookbook references. You may want to print some historic White House menus and recipes to share with the kids, and even try out some of the recipes yourself! Pick a recipe from our web article or one of the White House cook books-which you can find at your local library-and with help from your kids, create one of the recipes to share at your inaugural ball!

Using paper, cardboard, string, glue, tape, markers, crayons, and sticks create White House Pet stick-puppets and masks! Show kids the illustration of White House pets done by Steven Kellogg (pages 167 - 169) and the illustration of Teddy Roosevelt's children and pets by Chris van Dusen (pages 96-97) in Our White House: Looking In, Looking Out. Use these great illustrations to inspire kids to create their own White House pet stick-puppets and masks. Have the kids sketch out their ideas-they can draw a historical White House pet or a new pet to keep the president company. Then using their sketch as a reference, have them draw their pet or pet's head-if they are creating a mask-onto larger paper and/or cardboard. They can leave them black and white or fill their drawings in with color. Let them figure out how to construct their masks or stick-puppets! You give them all the supplies they need, and a bit of visual inspiration with the illustrations from the book-and let them do their thing!

Plan your ball to have busy activity moments as well as quiet moments. Sharing stories and poetry work well for those for quiet times! Our White House: Looking In, Looking Out can provide all the stories you need! Read the poetry, articles, and stories from the book aloud with the kids and invite them to discuss what you have read. And encourage kids to share their own stories-stories about meeting presidents or presidential candidates, stories of visiting Washington, D.C. and/or the White House or Capitol, stories of their own families coming to America. For example, ask if anyone has a relative serving in the military now or a relative who served in a past war; ask if anyone has visited a site such as Plymouth Plantation, Williamsburg, or Gettysburg; ask if anyone has ever met presidential candidates on the campaign trail; and ask the kids to share a little of their experiences with everyone.

Have the kids draw what they might wear if they were invited to one of the "grown-up" inaugural balls held in Washington. Have them decide what kind of ball it would be and let them decide the theme-a cowboy ball, a rock and roll ball, or maybe a "Cinderella" ball with gowned ladies and men in formal attire. Then have the students draw their costume or uniform-something that would be suitable for their chosen ball theme.

Provide a dance floor and play great music-as loud as you can! And encourage them to dance!!! Include good ole American rock and roll, waltzes, polka music, the hokey-pokey, country and western, and square dance music. Have fun teaching the kids different kinds of dances or just let them explode on the floor in their own style.

Play "Pin President Obama on the Presidential Timeline!" Photocopy and blow up the double-page spread of the Our White House presidential timeline and trivia game that you will find on pages 224 and 225 of Our White House: Looking In, Looking Out. Make it big enough to be used on the wall as a game board. If you like, mount the Our White House presidential timeline on cardboard or foam core. Also, download the President Obama sticker page from this website at: XXX and photocopy and enlarge it to fit the size of the Our White House timeline and game. Photocopy the Obama figure enlargement so that each kid can have a copy. Cut out the Obama figure and back it with a small piece of sticky foam tape. At your ball, blindfold participants with red bandanas, give them a sticky-backed Obama figure, set them at a distance from the game board, and see if he or she can "pin" the Barack Obama figure to the appropriate spot on the game board timeline! If he or she lands the Obama figure on a board space occupied by a previous president, see if the participant can guess the identity of that president and the significance of the object that is presented with that president. (The answer guide to the timeline trivia game is on pages 226 - 227 of Our White House: Looking In, Looking Out.) If the young person guesses correctly he or she wins a prize! And if he or she gets President Obama in the right spot and can share one piece of information about President Obama, he or she also wins a prize!

For more ball activities, take a look at all the activities already suggested above on this web page and incorporate them with other traditional kids' party activities and games!

Create a Political Cartoon

Illustrators create different types of cartoons to share their viewpoint with the public or simply to make people laugh. For example, political cartoons provide commentary on political subjects, often using humor, exaggeration, caricature, distortion, symbolism, and irony to make a point.

Have students look through current or past newspapers and magazines for a cartoon about our government, politics, or a president. If you have a computer with an Internet connection, students can look for political cartoons online too. Spend time discussing and analyzing each cartoon. Are the cartoons simply designed to make people laugh or is there another message? What techniques did each cartoonist use to share his or her viewpoint?

After spending time looking at different types of political cartoons, ask students to create their own Inauguration Day cartoons. Another idea is to ask students to dig into history to find some fun subjects to illustrate. Students can choose to draw their political cartoons using pencils, pens, colored pencils, crayons, or even a computer graphics program. Be sure to have each student share his or her cartoon with the class.

Visit a Presidential Historic Site, Library, or Website

More than twenty states are host to presidential birthplaces, historic homes, libraries, and museums. Many of these very special places include extensive exhibits profiling events from past inaugurations and include not only samples of menus and other memorabilia, but also audio and video exhibits that enable you to hear or watch inaugural events, such as swearing-in ceremonies and parades.

Before visiting a presidential museum or library, be sure to check out the special activities calendar by calling ahead or reviewing the website because many libraries offer child-friendly and family-oriented activities to engage young people throughout the year. For a comprehensive guide to finding presidential sites and museums, listed by state, check out the NCBLA's " Field Trip Guide! Presidential Birthplaces, Houses, and Libraries."

If visiting a presidential museum or library in person is not possible, you can visit one virtually by checking out content on the library's website. Many presidential museums and libraries offer articles, curricula, and other multimedia resources you can download and use free. For example, the Jimmy Carter Library website offers a multi-disciplinary educational curriculum titled "The President's Travels" with content for students in grades 2 through 12. And the research section of the George Bush Library's website offers online access to millions of pages of records, millions of photographs, video recordings, artifacts, and audio.

Reference Sources

"After an Inauguration, the Stars Come Out to Play." 7 December 2020.
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/after-an-inauguration-the-stars-come-out-to-play-45735308/

"Bingham's 'Verdict of the People' to take center stage at Trump's inauguration." 7 December 2020.
https://news.stlpublicradio.org/arts/2016-12-16/binghams-verdict-of-the-people-to-take-center-stage-at-trumps-inauguration

"Donald Trump's inauguration: Committee plans uniquely American theme for new US president." 7 December 2020.
https://www.firstpost.com/world/donald-trumps-inauguration-committee-plans-uniquely-american-theme-for-new-us-president-3212274.html

"Inauguration of Donald Trump." 7 December 2020.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inauguration_of_Donald_Trump

"The Poetry-Free Inauguration Makes a Comeback." 7 December 2020.
https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2017/01/trumps-poetry-free-inauguration/513719/

"Trump decorated the Oval Office with hand-me-downs from past presidents." 7 December 2020.
https://www.businessinsider.com/oval-office-donald-trump-president-2018-2

"Trump insisted on hanging bright gold drapes in the Oval Office." 7 December 2020.
https://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-oval-office-white-house-design-2018-1

"The Two Bibles Donald Trump Used at the Inauguration." 7 December 2020.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/18/us/politics/lincoln-bible-trump-oath.html

"What you need to know about Joe Biden's presidential inauguration." 7 December 2020.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2020/12/04/2021-inauguration-biden-harris/

"The White House Renovation Reportedly Cost $1.75 Million." 7 December 2020.
https://www.townandcountrymag.com/society/politics/a10366986/trump-white-house-renovation-details/
©2021 The National Children's Book and Literacy Alliance

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Inaugural Activities and Discussion Questions - Our White House | Looking In, Looking Out

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Spark your students' creative energy and utilize their thinking caps as you share these fun inaugural activities and discussion questions to help them understand and engage in presidential inaugurations past and present. Editor's Note: The NCBLA has always encouraged the adults who live and work with young people to engage their kids in current events by watching and discussing them.

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ourwhitehouse.org

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Worcester Central Kids Calendar

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Election Day is upon us! Depending on your child's age, they may have heard things from their friends about the people vying for presidency. Whether or not you are comfortable talking about politicians with your child, it is easy to talk about the importance of voting!

We've always taken my daughter with us when we vote so she can see the voting in action and get a sticker in the process. However this year, we did not due to Covid. A friend recommended one of the following books to us a few days ago, so I rounded up a couple more titles that help kids learn about what it means to be part of a democracy! Here are some of those books that help talk to kids about what voting means to us as Americans.

Monster Needs Your Vote By Paul Czajak

This i s a great non-partisan book about why it is important to vote, how politicians campaign and in the end standing up for what you believe in.Spoiler! Monster's platform focuses on the importance of reading and education! It is a beautiful book with a rhyming story line. This story is a bit silly and adds in information about what happens when candidates take a misstep as they are looking to gain popularity and people's votes.

One Vote, Two Votes, I Vote, You Vote By Bennie Worth

Written in the style of Dr. Seuss and with a familiar character - Cat in the Hat - this book introduces the concept of voting to young readers. It especially focuses on the presidential candidacy. It takes it a bit deeper talking about why we vote and who we vote for. Again, this is a nonpartisan look at the democratic process.

Vote for Me! By Ben Clanton

A book about a donke y and an elephant running for office explore the tensions between parties, the mud slinging that happens (literal in this story!) and how candidates try to persuade the voters with silly (or serious) promises. This is a book that is a more satirical view of the process. This book is recommended for grades K-2.

Whoever you are voting for, we can still all talk to kids about the process and why it is great to be a part of a democracy where we can make our voices heard.

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Explaining the Democratic process- three great Election books for kids! - Worcester Central Kids Calendar

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Election Day is upon us! Depending on your child's age, they may have heard things from their friends about the people vying for presidency. Whether or not you are comfortable talking about politicians with your child, it is easy to talk about the importance of voting!

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5 Classroom Inauguration Activities for Kids

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5 Classroom Inauguration Activities for Kids

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HMH Co.

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2. Compare the Speeches (Grades 5-12)

Tell students that George Washington began a tradition that future presidents would take up when he delivered the first inaugural address on April 30, 1789. Ask: What do you think is the purpose of an inaugural address? What do you think the president should try to accomplish in the speech?

Challenge students to compare and contrast two inaugural speeches of their choice. Find links to all U.S. Presidents' inaugural addresses at the American Presidency Project. After the inauguration, you can find Biden's address at bideninaugural.org. Have students take notes on the similarities and differences in a Venn diagram, which you can download for free on Shaped. Here is a list of questions students might consider as they analyze the speeches:

What is the tone of the speech? How can you tell? Point out specific words and phrases to support your idea.

What is the purpose of the speech?

What can you tell about the country's challenges from the speech?

What are the president's goals for the country?

What do you think the president hopes to accomplish with the speech?

What did you learn from comparing the two speeches?

3. My Fellow Americans (Grades K-12)

This was a particularly hard-fought election. But a primary purpose of the inaugural address is to bring the country together after all of the divisiveness. Ask: What do you think President Biden should say in his inaugural speech to unify the country? Why do you think that would help?

Challenge students to write a one-minute speech aimed at bringing Americans together. Allow time for students to recite their speeches for the class. Younger students might simply draw a picture of what unity looks like to them or complete the following sentence starter: My hope for America is __________.

Watch Biden's speech with your class on Inauguration Day. Have older students take notes on Biden's calls for unity. Discuss student's findings after the speech. Ask: Were the attempts at unity effective? Why or why not?

4. Plan a Parade (Grades K-12)

Tell students that due to the pandemic, the inaugural parade will be virtual. Ask: Why do you think inaugurations include a parade? Imagine that you are in charge of planning Biden's inaugural parade. What events would you include? Make a list of ideas.

Share this description of the plans for the inaugural parade with your middle or high school students: "The parade will celebrate America's heroes, highlight Americans from all walks of life in different states and regions, and reflect on the diversity, heritage, and resilience of the country as we begin a new American era."

Separate students into groups and provide each with one theme from the description:

America's heroes

Americans from all walks of life in different states and regions

Diversity

Heritage

Resilience of our country

Tell students their challenge is to figure out how to showcase their theme in a virtual parade. For example, the first group will brainstorm ways to celebrate America's heroes. They should consider: Which American heroes should we spotlight? How will we spotlight them virtually? Those in Group 3 might consider what diversity in America looks like and how they can celebrate that diversity in a virtual parade. Each group should write up a plan for their portion of the parade and share their ideas with the class.

5. Share Your Story (Grades K-12)

Biden's inaugural committee has put out a call for people to create short videos in which they answer one of the following questions:

What does it mean to you to have Kamala Harris as Vice President?

Why is giving back important to you?

What is your vision for America?

Have students partner up to share responses to one of the questions. Then have them write their response in a paragraph. Younger students can draw a picture or write a sentence. Students with parental permission can record and upload videos sharing their responses on the inaugural committee website.

More Ideas for Teaching the Inauguration

How do you teach the inauguration? We'd love to hear your ideas. Email us at Shaped@hmhco.com or reach out on Twitter (@TheTeacherRoom) or Facebook.
Learn more about HMH Social Studies, which presents the rich, endlessly inventive story of our world, challenging students to dig deep into the past.

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5 Classroom Inauguration Activities for Students | Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

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Tell students that George Washington began a tradition that future presidents would take up when he delivered the first inaugural address on April 30, 1789. Ask: What do you think is the purpose of an inaugural address? What do you think the president should try to accomplish in the speech?

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C-SPAN Classroom

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Description

This lesson provides several activities for students to help them understand events occurring on inauguration day and interpret the inaugural address that will be given by Joe Biden on January 20, 2021. Teachers can choose to have students view the inaugural address and use one of several viewing guides to analyze the speech. Activities and handouts include a note-taking chart, guiding questions, topical analysis, an evaluative rubric, and a BINGO game.

Procedures

SET-UP:
Teachers have the option of assigning one of the following viewing guides to students as they watch the January 20, 2021 inauguration of Joseph Biden. Each of these Google Docs include the links to the introductory video clip, a link to the inauguration and the individual assignment/activities. These assignments can be completed in steps as a class or students can complete these assignments on their own. To access and complete these assignments, students can make a copy of the following Google resources. Students can submit these assignments digitally by linking their completed copy of the Google Doc handout.

WARM-UP:
Before beginning class, have students brainstorm answers to the following questions. This can be adapted to synchronous remote learning by having students answer in the chat or on the discussion board.

INTRODUCTION:
Introduce the idea of an inaugural address by having them view the following video clip featuring author and historian Michael Bechloss. Students should answer each of the questions associated with the video clip.

Video Clip: What Makes a Good Inaugural Address (8:51)

What challenges faced Franklin Roosevelt in 1933? How did he use his inaugural speech to address these challenges?

According to Michael Bechloss, what makes a good speech?

How did Abraham Lincoln's second inaugural address in 1865 meet the challenges of the time?

Why was the date of inauguration changed after the 1933 inauguration?

What was the focus of John F. Kennedy's 1961 inaugural address? Why did he do this?

What similarities exist between the inaugural addresses discussed by Michael Bechloss?

Why is an understanding of history important to writing an effective inaugural address?

Based on this information, what advice would you give to an incoming president as they write their inaugural address?

INAUGURATION DAY:
Using the video clip in the introduction as foundation, the following activities can be used to help students understand and analyze President Biden's inaugural address on January 20, 2021. Choose one of the following activities for students to complete when viewing election night coverage.

Students can view coverage of the 2021 inauguration using the link below:

Video Clip: Video Clip: President Biden Inaugural Address (21:37)

INAUGURAL ADDRESS ACTIVITIES AND VIEWING GUIDES:

NOTE-TAKING CHART:
Handout: Inauguration General Note-Taking Chart (Google Doc)

Students will use this handout as they view the inaugural address to take notes and focus on specific elements of the speech such as:

Specific Issues/Topics Discussed

Tone and Images Used

Words and Ideas Repeated Throughout

Notable Quotes/Historic Events/Important Documents Referenced

Principles of Government/American Ideals Referenced

The Role of Government in Addressing the Nation's Problems

Priorities for His Presidency

To demonstrate understanding, students will address the following question:

What was the overall message of this inaugural address? Use examples from above to support your response.

GUIDING QUESTIONS:
Handout: Inaugural Address Guiding Questions (Google Doc)

This handout uses questions to focus student's attention on aspects of the speech such as:
To demonstrate understanding, students will address the following question:

In your opinion, did the president accomplish the goal of this speech? Why or why not?

INAUGURATION BINGO:
Handout: Inauguration BINGO (Google Doc)

With this activity, students will use the handout linked below to play a BINGO game while watching inauguration coverage on C-SPAN. They should complete the BINGO board by writing words, topics or phrases that might be discussed during the coverage. As they watch the coverage, they will mark their board when a word or topic is mentioned. They should also take notes on what this term means and how it was used.
After viewing the debate, use the BINGO chart and the notes to answer the following prompt:

ANALYZING THE INAUGURAL ADDRESS BY TOPIC:
Handout: Analyzing the Inaugural Address by Topic (Google Doc)

Using this handout, students will view the inaugural address and identify three topics discuss in the speech. For each topic, they should take notes on the following ways President Biden discussing this topic.

Description of the Topic

Examples Used

Importance of this Topic

Proposals to Address This Topic

To demonstrate understanding, students will address the following questions:

INAUGURAL ADDRESS RUBRIC:
Handout: Inaugural Address Rubric Evaluation (Google Doc) Students will use the rubric on the handout to evaluate President Biden's speech. Student will consider the following factors as they view the inaugural address:
To demonstrate understanding, students will address the following question:

Using the information above, how would you rate the performance of the president during his inaugural address?

ALTERNATIVE/EXTENSION ACTIVITIES:
Historical Analysis: Using one of the following options, have students view one or more of the previous presidential inaugural address starting in the 1981.

ALTERNATIVE/EXTENSION ACTIVITY:
Write a Letter to the New President- Write a letter to President Biden explaining an issue or topic that you would like him to discuss in his inaugural address. In this letter, explain the issue and why it is important to the nation.

ADDITIONAL PROMPTS:

How does the inauguration represent all three branches of government?

How does the inauguration represent a peaceful transfer of power?

Why are inaugural addresses significant to a president's legacy?

How can inaugural address be used to unite the country?

What is the overall purpose of an inaugural address?

Related Article

Additional Resources

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2021 Joe Biden Inauguration Viewing Guides | C-SPAN Classroom

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This lesson provides several activities for students to help them understand events occurring on inauguration day and interpret the inaugural address that will be given by Joe Biden on January 20, 2021. Teachers can choose to have students view the inaugural address and use one of several viewing guides to analyze the speech.

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20 Minute Guided Meditayion for Reducing Stress and Anxiety

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20 Minute Guided Meditayion for Reducing Stress and Anxiety

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You Tube - The Mindful Movement

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20 Minute Guided Meditation for Reducing Anxiety and Stress--Clear the Clutter to Calm Down

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Sam Pollard Documentary film

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Search for screenings / showtimes and book tickets for MLK/FBI. See the release date and trailer. The Official Showtimes Destination brought to you by IFC Films

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How to Talk to Kids About Race During Uncertain Times 

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How to Talk to Kids About Race During Uncertain Times 

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Embrace Race

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In this hour we speak to our guests about how to have difficult conversations with our children about racial violence and what we see in the news (iStock)
Guests:
Allison Briscoe-Smith , child clinical psychologist; professor and director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, The Wright Institute

Melissa Giraud , co-founder, Embrace Race

Andrew Grant-Thomas, co-founder, Embrace Race

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How To Talk To Kids About Race In Uncertain Times - KQED

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Our news this month is flooded with images of white supremacists storming the U.S. Capitol and of a confederate flag being hoisted through its halls. This comes after months of reporting on police killings of people of color and the racial disparities in COVID deaths.

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MLK Day and the Danger of a Single Story

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MLK Day and the Danger of a Single Story

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Embrace Race

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In her TED Talk, The Danger of a Single Story, Nigerian author Chimamanda Adichie describes what often happens when Westerners talk about Africa - we tell the story of poverty and extreme suffering. In doing so, we miss critical understandings of the place and people, and we step into the minefield of continuing stereotypes and age-old misconceptions. Adichie recommends that we, in the words of another Nigerian author, Chinua Achebe, commit to telling a "balance of stories." She proposes that it is only through this balanced telling that we will begin to truly appreciate the complexity, humanity, and depth of the lived experience on the continent.​​

Teachers all over the country are preparing to talk about Dr. King with their students. How many of us are asking ourselves if we are about to fall into the trap of telling a "single story"?

We are coming up on the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., and teachers all over the country, from preschool to 12th grade, are preparing to talk about Dr. King with their students. How many of us are asking ourselves if we are about to fall into the trap of telling a single story, that is, the story of Dr. King's life, disconnected from the hundreds of thousands of people who influenced him, fought alongside him, and continue to fight for the shared dream to end oppression and realize justice? What kinds of misconceptions, stereotypes, and untruths arise out of the telling of this single story?

​Too often, when we teach about Dr. King, we perpetuate the "Hero" myth, the myth that an individual can bring about huge, monumental, positive change, all alone. Why is this a dangerous myth to tell?

First, It Is Simply Not True

​If it weren't for people like A. Philip Randolph, Bayard Rustin, John Lewis, James Reeb, Thurgood Marshall, Rosa Parks, Stokely Carmichael, Claudette Colvin (to name a few) and groups such as the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), and the CORE (Congress Of Racial Equality), Dr. King would not have had the platform, the support, the mobilization, or the means to get his message across, let alone bring about the changes in the legal system that came out of the Civil Rights movement.

​When we don't tell the multiple stories that influence the movement, we erase so many people who contributed and fought for justice. And our students don't appreciate that big changes come from many people working together, of varying races, ages, and backgrounds. Our students don't gain an appreciation for the complexity, humanity, and depth of the story of the Civil Rights movement then and the continuation of racial and social justice movements today.

As a White Kindergarten Teacher, I Have Fallen Into This Trap Myself

​Every January, I used to read to my students a couple of books about Dr. King, books that had powerful messages about non-violence as a strategy for change, about the evils of racism and the need to end it.

But I was never sure how to tell this story to my young students, and the experience of talking about racism was so uncomfortable for me, that, when a student would say something to which I didn't know how to respond - such as wanting to know more about the assassination, or wanting to know which of the students in the room wouldn't have been allowed to be in our classroom during segregation - I would cut our conversation short, stress that times have changed and we can all be together now, and move on to a subject that I felt more competent to handle.
​
As a result, my young students did not leave my classroom with a deep understanding of how to work against racism, or the strategies Dr. King used, or how the fight for social justice is ongoing, let alone with a deep understanding of what racism is. I was not proud of my teaching, and I felt an urgency to change it, especially because I am the mother of two biracial daughters (black/white) and I knew I owed it to them, as well as to my students, to figure this out.

I Spent Years Studying How to Do A Better Job.

​I read anti-bias educators, such as Louise Derman-Sparks, who suggests teaching about race and skin color before teaching about racism, so as to clear up any misconceptions and biases that can develop in young children.

I read white anti-racists such as Tim Wise, who illuminates the privilege around "choosing" to engage in conversations about race for whites, as opposed to the experience of race and racism for people of color, who are often not given the choice, but are constantly navigating and dealing with race and racism in our society. I read Shelly Tochluk's Witnessing Whiteness, which breaks down the history of whiteness in America, and its ties to ideas around "goodness" and humanity, and its absolute subordination of blackness.

I read James Baldwin's "The Cross of Redemption," a collection of previously unpublished essays, which further helped me understand the difficulty I was having, as a white American, in talking about race because of the "invisibility" of whiteness - a racial identity that, at its core, is about skin color privilege and exclusionary practices.

I read Ta-Nehisi Coates, Bryan Stevenson, Howard Stevenson, and Michelle Alexander, who illuminate the racial disparities that exist today (in the prison system, health care, education, housing, etc.) and who stress the importance of changing the narrative around race in our country by telling the truth about how racism continues to influence so many aspects of our system.

Lastly, in that burst of learning, I read Taylor Branch's extensive three-part series on America in the time of Dr. King, and learned about so many people and organizations that worked alongside King in his fight.

Dr. King with civil rights leaders during the March on Washington, August 28th, 1963.

When We Perpetuate the "Single Story" We Do Harm

​I am not suggesting that every teacher in every school in America read the books I read before leading a discussion or preparing a lesson about Dr. King and the Civil Rights Movement. But I do think there should be required reading about white supremacy prior to teaching about racism and the Civil Rights Movement, especially for white teachers.

Let's face it, many white teachers engage in the topic of racial discrimination only once a year for MLK Day (if that) and our understanding of race and racism is often limited and immature. The invisibility of our own race as white people (white supremacy), and the prevailing idea that not talking about race is more egalitarian (being "colorblind") have limited our understanding and comfort talking about race.

But we have a choice. If what we want is for our students to gain a deep understanding of the themes of the movement, such as the importance of standing up against injustice, non-violence as a direct action for change, and the ongoing struggle for justice, then we owe it to our students to expose them to the Civil Rights Movement in all it's complexity.
​
The stakes are high. If we continue to treat Dr. King as a single story, uninfluenced and unaffected by all the people who also fought - and fight - for change, we do more than limit our students' understanding of the movement for justice of which Dr. King was a part. We do something much worse. We make it harder for our children to see and be "changemakers" themselves.

1963 Birmingham Children's Crusade, a march for children protesting segregation of public spaces

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A Kindergarten teacher reflects on teaching about Dr. King, and how too often the single story is perpetuated, which disconnects his story from the thousands of people who influenced him, fought alongside him, and continue to fight for the shared dream to end oppression and realize justice. Why is this a dangerous myth...

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Unlocking Us: Words, Actions, Dehumanization & Accountability

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Unlocking Us: Words, Actions, Dehumanization & Accountability

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Brene Brown on Spotify

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Brené on Words, Actions, Dehumanization, and Accountability

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Listen to this episode from Unlocking Us with Brené Brown on Spotify. In this "On My Mind" episode, we talk about shame and accountability. We discussed this a bit last summer, but I'm going deeper today in light of the insurrection at the US Capitol building and the resulting calls to unity without accountability.

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Martin Luther King, Jr. and Civil Rights: Relevancy for Today

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How far do we still need to go in order to achieve equality and full civil rights in the United States? Use this multi-grade curriculum unit to help students examine civil rights in the United States past and present.

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Voices of Freedom: An Arsht Center Tribute to the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

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Voices of Freedom: An Arsht Center Tribute to the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

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Adrienne Arsht Center Foundation

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I'm a proud supporter of Adrienne Arsht Center Foundation. It is doing amazing things and I encourage you to support them as well. Find out more about their event : https://app.mobilecause.com/e/hRWfrQ

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Jessica Lifshitz

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Slides by Mollie Whalen

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Brad Meltzer - You Tube read aloud

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I Am Martin Luther King Jr by Brad Meltzer| Books Read Aloud| StoryTimeWithMsMelange

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The Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

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The Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

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Brain POP

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The Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. | BrainPOP

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The sanctification — and sanitization — of Martin Luther King Jr.

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The sanctification — and sanitization — of Martin Luther King Jr.

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Vox

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The following article was first published on April 4, 2018 on the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination.
On April 4, 1968, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. In the decades since, his name has become synonymous with the civil rights movement of the 1960s.

But the King that America remembers (and uses to sell pickup trucks) and the man that actually lived are very different.

Jeanne Theoharis, a professor of political science at Brooklyn College-City University of New York, argues that the story of King's activism has been watered down, obscuring his complexity and controversial aspects in favor of something far less complicated.

"There's a desire to say, 'We embrace Dr. King, we're with Dr. King,' and not really reckon with what he stood for," Theoharis told me.

In her bookA More Beautiful and Terrible History: The Uses and Misuses of Civil Rights History, Theoharis seeks to expand the conversation about King and the fight for civil rights in the USas a whole. She focuses on the people and histories that have been condensed or completely omitted, revealing a movement that is broader and far more complicated than the one students read about in textbooks.

I spoke with Theoharis about Martin Luther King's legacy, Black Lives Matter, and why the fight against racial injustice is far from over, 50 years after his death.

Our conversation has been edited for length and clarity.

P.R. Lockhart

In your book, you speak of the "national fable" that has been built around the civil rights movement. What does that mean?

Jeanne Theoharis

When I talk about the national fable, it's useful to think of President Ronald Reagan. Reagan comes into office in 1981 not supporting the idea of a holiday for Martin Luther King at all. But he came to see it as a way to signal his racial sensitivity.

In Reagan's arguments for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we see what are going to become the key elements of the national fable.

The first is the focus on courageous individuals, not movements. The second is the idea that King and figures like Rosa Parks shone a light on injustice, and [said injustice] has since been eradicated. The third is the act of putting the movement and the problem of racism in the past. And the fourth is the idea of American exceptionalism - the belief that the civil rights movement demonstrates the power of American democracy.

So the Dr. King that we celebrate on the third Monday of January keeps getting smaller and smaller.

Another example is the King memorial in Washington, DC. Part of the memorial showcases quotes from King, and none of the quotes that were chosen include the words "segregation" or "racism." It's extraordinary - we have a monument to Dr. King that doesn't speak to race.

We also don't think about how many people opposed Dr. King when he was alive. That's a much more uncomfortable history.

For example, most Americans did not support the March on Washington. In 1966, three-quarters of Americans did not agree with Martin Luther King. But because of the power of the movements that King was a part of, there's a desire now across the political spectrum to say, "We embrace Dr. King, we're with Dr. King," and not really reckon with what he stood for.

P.R. Lockhart

You argue that this focus on individuals like King obscures how large the black freedom struggle is and how long the fight has been going on. Can you explain what you mean?

Jeanne Theoharis

Part of our fable of Dr. King has him doing everything, everywhere. There are many people in Montgomery, or Harlem, or Brooklyn, or Boston, or Los Angeles that were also doing things. When we learn about the civil rights movement, it seems like we have these exceptional individuals, they shine a light - and the problem is fixed. It makes work in the present seem less righteous, or feeble, because the things being highlighted now aren't being fixed.

King and Rosa Parks are well known. But, what we actually know about them is a far cry from who they were and what they did.

We focus very heavily on the South, but King and others are adamant that racism is not a regional problem. Even in the early 1960s, King is traveling across the country to raise money for the Southern movement, but he's also making speeches on the importance of housing desegregation, school desegregation, and police accountability, and reformsoutside of the South.

P.R. Lockhart

While you werewriting this book,what were some of the things you learned about King that people wouldn't necessarily know?

Jeanne Theoharis

There's this myth that King discovers the North after the Watts Uprising of 1965. And yet when you look at what King was doing from 1960 to 1965, it becomes clear how much he's aware of, thinking about, and participating in [the fight for civil rights in] Northern cities.

He's talking and thinking about issues that are very present for us today, like police brutality.

In one letter that King wrote two months after Watts, he talks about the horror and outrage against police brutality in the South, and the complete inattention and unconcern with police brutality in the North. That's really interesting - it's a King that speaks to our present, a King that is calling out Northern liberals and his Northern liberal allies for not working on the problems at home.

At the end of King's life, he started talking about Vietnam and economics, and for some people, that's when King becomes controversial; that's when King becomes radical.

There's a certain truth to that, but that narrative leaves out the fact that King was controversial much earlier.

P.R. Lockhart

Today, King is often framed as someone who just wanted black and white people to get along, rather than as a person who condemned white moderates who called his actions "untimely," fought for economic justice, and critiqued the Vietnam War. What's one idea of his that would make people uncomfortable?

Jeanne Theoharis

There are so many! Here's one example. When the Movement for Black Lives linked the situation of black people in the United States to other international human rights issues, like the Palestinians, people were like, "Don't say that, that's inappropriate!" They said: "Be more like Martin Luther King!"

Are you kidding me? These are the exact same criticisms raised against him when he was alive.

There's also this idea that we have Colin Kaepernick and the Black Lives Matter kids over here, and King in his hallowed chamber over there. For example, in 2014, Mike Huckabee wrote a blog post calling on Black Lives Matter to be more like Martin Luther King. (The post has been deleted, but Huckabee made similar comments in 2015.)

When he made that comment, I wrote an article saying a) they are being like King, and b) be careful what you wish for!

There's this notion that King and the civil rights movement were embraced when things started in Montgomery. They weren't. They were called un-American. King was constantly called a communist or a communist sympathizer.

In Montgomery, the NAACP helped on the legal side, but they actually kept some distance from the bus boycott at first because they weren't sure about the tactics used.

There's always been disagreements and different understandings of what appropriate protest looks like. And the fact that some of the criticism of Black Lives Matter comes from black leaders - it wasn't all that different 50 to 60 years ago. The day after King spoke about the Vietnam War, the NAACP came out against him.

The disruptiveness of the movement has also been airbrushed. After the deaths of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile led to a standoff between police and protesters looking to march onto the highway in Atlanta, then-Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed said, "King would never take a freeway."

Of course he did! They don't look like freeways in Atlanta do now, but King wanted to stop business as usual.

P.R. Lockhart

In your book, you discuss how Coretta Scott King has largely been forgotten in discussions of the movement and King's legacy.

Jeanne Theoharis

As we see more articles come out ahead of the anniversary, I've become increasingly dismayed that Coretta Scott King is seen as a side note.

Most people, if they have a sense of what Coretta Scott King did - it's about protecting her husband's legacy. And I think that misses the point. Coretta Scott King is a lifelong freedom fighter herself. She's more political than King when they meet, she certainly influences his politics, particularly his growing internationalism and his stance on the Vietnam War. And then she continues, for decades after his death,[to fight for] issues that they had been committed to.

She takes the Poor People's Campaign forward. She's one of the people opposing the Vietnam War. The FBI surveilled Coretta Scott King for years after MLK's death because they feared she was turning the civil rights movement into an antiwar movement. There's something sobering about the fact that the FBI took her leadership more seriously than our historical memory has.

P.R. Lockhart

If we were to commemorate King in a way that takes all these overlooked aspects of his life and his activism into account, what would that look like?

Jeanne Theoharis

While King's assassination is devastating, how we think about the assassination places the movement in the past. I'm hoping that this isn't seen as just a ceremonial week, but a week of recommitment, of using the 50th anniversary of his death to sharpen our attention toward ongoing injustice in the United States.
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The sanctification - and sanitization - of Martin Luther King Jr.

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The following article was first published on April 4, 2018 on the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination. On April 4, 1968, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. In the decades since, his name has become synonymous with the civil rights movement of the 1960s.

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Folger Shakespeare Library

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On Monday January 18, 2021 poets Camonghne Felix, Julian Randall, and Joseph Ross will be joined by actors Sara Barker, Fatima Quander, and James Johnson for our annual celebration of the work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The event will feature contemporary poetry alongside historical speeches from Dr. King, Gandhi, Frederick Douglass, Malcolm X, James Baldwin, and others.

This event is free but reservations are required.

Listen to the entire Not Just Another Day Off program from 2019 below or on Soundcloud.

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On Monday January 18, 2021 poets Camonghne Felix, Julian Randall, and Joseph Ross will be joined by actors Sara Barker, Fatima Quander, and James Johnson for our annual celebration of the work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The event will feature contemporary poetry alongside historical speeches from Dr. King, Gandhi, Frederick Douglass, Malcolm X, James Baldwin, and others.

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White Supremacy & the Attack on the  Capitol

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White Supremacy & the Attack on the  Capitol

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Erica Pernell

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White Supremacy & The Attack on the US Capitol: A Guide for Teachers

by Erica Pernell

This FAQ-style guide will help educators develop their own understanding of the connections between white supremacy and the attack on the Capitol and prepare to facilitate lessons with their students.

Part I offers basic facts about the events of the attack on the Capitol and a potential script for addressing our youngest learners and students in middle elementary grades and older. Part II offers an analysis of the events that will help you to understand how white supremacy is connected to the events at the Capitol. Part III will help you prepare to facilitate learning with students.

What happened at the Capitol on Wednesday, January 6, 2021?

Who attacked the Capitol and why? What is the far right?

Why is this being called domestic terrorism?

What is false equivalence? How is the attack on the Capitol different from the Black Lives Matter protests over the summer?

What is the role of white supremacy and racism in this event?

What happened at the Capitol on Wednesday, January 6, 2021?

For middle elementary and up: On Wednesday, January 6, 2021, an armed group of people broke into the Capitol Building to stop one part of the presidential transition - a meeting called certification and confirmation - that was occurring in the US Capitol. The elected officials had to lock themselves into various spaces for safety. The certification process was paused for six hours until the area was secured. Five people died - four rioters and a Capitol police officer - and many others were injured in the process. Bombs were discovered in the Democratic and Republican National Committee Headquarters. A noose and gallows - symbols of violence and lynching against African Americans - were built by the rioters near the Capitol Reflecting Pool. After the Capitol building was cleared out by law enforcement, President-Elect Biden was confirmed in the early hours of Thursday morning.

For youngest learners: On Wednesday, January 6, 2021, a group of people with weapons attacked the Capitol to try to stop a meeting that is a part of the change from one president to the next. This meeting is called certification. The group surrounded and broke into the Capitol Building during the meeting, and lawmakers - the people who run our government who were participating in the meeting - had to lock themselves into rooms for safety. The meeting was paused for six hours until the area was secured. Some people were very hurt during the attack. After the Capitol building was cleared out by law enforcement, the meeting continued and President-Elect Joe Biden was eventually certified in the early hours of Thursday morning.

For middle elementary and up: The group attacking the Capitol was made up of far-right groups protesting the results of the 2020 election. The group was gathered in DC for the Save America rally. The 2020 election has been proven to be the most secure election in American history, yet some continue to promote the belief that the election was fraudulent. The far-right, or extreme right, is defined as groups whose beliefs are far more radical than those of traditional conservatism. The main groups that make up the far-right are: the overlapping movements of white supremacists--those who believe the white race is superior to all other races; and anti-government extremists--those who have negative feelings towards the government and/or believe it has been taken over and is not legitimate. The white supremacist movement includes sub-movements like neo-Nazis, racist skinheads, and the alt-right, including those who wish to create a white nation-state.

Who attacked the Capitol and why? What is the far right?

For youngest learners: The group attacking the Capitol was made up of groups of people who did not agree with the election, and were hoping to stop or slow down the change of presidents. The 2020 election has been proven to be fair and true, but some people continue to spread the belief that the election was not fair. The people attacking the Capitol are part of far-right groups. Far-right groups are people who have extreme beliefs. For example, they believe that white people are better than BIPOC or they believe that the government is being controlled by groups they see as enemies. Some far-right groups believe that Christianity is better than Judaism and other religions. Many members of far-right groups believe that the best solution would be an all-white and Christian nation.

Why is this being called domestic terrorism?

Domestic terrorism is defined by the FBI as "violent, criminal acts committed by individuals and/or groups to further ideological goals stemming from domestic influences, such as those of a political, religious, social, racial, or environmental nature."

The attack on the Capitol has been labeled as domestic terrorism due to the destruction of property, the pipe bombs that were left in various locations, the threats and violence against law enforcement, and the attempt to interrupt the election and transition process for a political cause.

What is false equivalence? How is the attack on the Capitol different from the Black Lives Matter protests over the summer?

occurs when someone incorrectly claims that two or more things are the same because they share some characteristics. False equivalence overly focuses on similarities and ignores the fact that things being compared also have notable differences between them. For example, a false equivalence is saying that cats and dogs are the same animal, since they're both mammals and have a tail.

What is the role of white supremacy and racism in this event?

Defining White supremacy: The racist belief that white people are superior to people of color used to justify political, economic, and social suppression of people of color and other minority groups.

Defining Racism: A system in which one race maintains supremacy over another race through a set of attitudes, behaviors, social structures, & institutional power.

Voter suppression: 87% of Black voters voted for Biden in the 2020 election. The day before the attack, a runoff election in Georgia resulted in voters electing the first Black senator and the first Jewish senator in the Georgia's history. The actions of the rioters represent an attempt to suppress the votes and voices of Black voters.

Prepare to facilitate a discussion with your students. Read these guidelines for talking about race in classrooms with BIPOC students . For teachers of younger students, some of the scripts in this guidance for elementary teachers talking about the violence against Black lives in the summer of 2020 may be helpful.

Before opening a discussion, make sure students understand the facts and context shared in Part I and Part II of this post.

Ask open-ended questions like these, adapted from . Give everyone a chance to reflect, write or draw, and share. Set an order of speakers to give everyone an opportunity to speak. Allow students the right to pass.

What do we know?

How do we know it?

What else do we need to learn?

What questions do we have?

Where can we find reliable sources of information?

What do you think? How do you feel? How have you been impacted?

How can we connect the dots on this topic to our personal experiences, other things we are learning, our community, etc?

How do we take informed meaningful action for racial justice? What's the first step?

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White Supremacy & the Capitol Attack - E. Pernell Consulting

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by Erica Pernell This FAQ-style guide will help educators develop their own understanding of the connections between white supremacy and the attack on the Capitol and prepare to facilitate lessons with their students. Part I offers basic facts about the events of the attack on the Capitol and a potential script for addressing our youngest learners and students in middle elementary grades and older.

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What Happened During the Insurrection at the US Capitol and Why?

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What Happened During the Insurrection at the US Capitol and Why?

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Facing History and Ourselves

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For additional resources on our response to the events of January 6, 2021, read Responding to the Insurrection at the US Capitol.
Following events like the attack on the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, social media and 24-hour news networks can overwhelm us with information, often presented out of context and sometimes simply untrue. Simultaneously, political and media narratives quickly emerge that offer oversimplified and misleading explanations for what happened. In this environment, understanding exactly what happened and why requires careful reading, rigorous thinking, and an appreciation for the complex array of causes at work in history and current events.

Several days after the Capitol insurrection, students need support in piecing together the story, separating facts from misinformation, and considering the short and long-term causes of this historical event. This Teaching Idea guides students to resist oversimplified explanations by using an iceberg diagram to synthesize what happened and outline multiple causes. It includes excerpts from texts that explore the ways in which inflammatory language, disinformation, and white supremacy were contributing causes of the insurrection. We encourage teachers and students to ground their discussions in verified, corroborated information and to consider the role played by factors beyond those documented here. As information continues to emerge, we encourage you to continue to add to and amend the iceberg diagrams you create with your class.

If your students have not had the opportunity for initial processing and reflection on the insurrection, we recommend you start with our Teaching Idea Responding to the Insurrection at the US Capitol. In future Teaching Ideas, we will help students consider how to assess responsibility for the attack on the Capitol, as well as how to hold those responsible accountable in a manner that best allows the country to move forward.

Note: While the activities below are described for in-person learning, we have included suggestions for adapting these activities for remote learning.

What Happened at the Capitol on January 6, 2021?

Introduce the concept behind the Iceberg Diagrams teaching strategy to your students. Explain that politicians and the media can have a tendency to oversimplify historic events like the insurrection that took place at the US Capitol. Iceberg diagrams help students uncover the multiple causes of a complex event like this.
Assign your students to small groups. Ask each group to draw an iceberg diagram on a blank sheet of paper (or distribute a copy of the Iceberg Diagram handout to each group). Next to the tip of the iceberg, students should write the question:
What happened at the US Capitol on January 6, 2021?

Then, ask your students to brainstorm answers to the question and write them next to the tip of the iceberg. Explain that they should make a note of the source of each piece of information and avoid writing anything that comes from an unreliable source.

Note: Depending on students' background knowledge about the insurrection, you may wish to share one or more of the following resources with them:

Next, draw an iceberg diagram on the board or a large piece of paper. After students have finished brainstorming in their small groups, ask each group to share one piece of information that they wrote next to the tip of their iceberg diagram. Record the information students share on the large iceberg diagram. Answer any questions students have about what happened during the insurrection.

Remote Learning Note: Before teaching this activity, make a copy of the Iceberg Diagram handout to share with your class. During a synchronous session with your students, explain the concept behind the Iceberg Diagrams teaching strategy. Ask each student to draw their own iceberg diagram (or share a copy of the Iceberg Diagram handout with them, which is available in Google Doc and PDF format). Then, assign your students to work in small groups in virtual breakout rooms to brainstorm ideas to write down next to the tip of their icebergs. Bring students back to the main session and ask one member of each group to write one piece of information next to the tip of the iceberg diagram you shared with the class.

What Were the Causes of the Insurrection at the US Capitol?

In this activity, students brainstorm ideas for the lower portion of their iceberg diagrams and use the Big Paper teaching strategy to read, annotate, and reflect on a selection of sources that explore various causes underlying the insurrection. You can use the sources listed at the end of this activity or others of your choice.

Remote Learning Note: See our teaching strategy Big Paper (Remote Learning) for guidance on how to organize a Big Paper activity while teaching remotely.

Ask your students to write the following question "below the surface" of their iceberg diagrams:

What were the causes of the insurrection that took place at the US Capitol?

Then, ask your students to return to their small groups, brainstorm answers to the question, and write them next on the lower portion of their iceberg diagrams.

Once students have finished, explain to them that they will now complete a Big Paper activity that will help them learn more about the causes of the January 6 insurrection. Assign each group one source to begin the Big Paper activity. Students can use the following questions to help them reflect on their source:

How do the ideas and information in this source connect to what you already know about the insurrection? What new ideas does this source raise?

Is there anything in this source you find surprising or troubling?

What questions does this source raise for you?

Once students have finished with their first source, ask them to read and comment on other groups' sources. Once students have read and annotated every source, ask them to return to their iceberg diagrams and write down additional causes they learned about as well as their remaining questions.

Ask each group to share one of the causes they wrote down and record their responses on your shared class iceberg diagram. You can also record any remaining questions students have on a separate section of the board or paper and continue to revisit these questions over the coming days or weeks as new information about the insurrection emerges.

Sources for Big Paper Activity

Source 1: Excerpt from Adam Serwer's article in The Atlantic, The Capitol Riot Was an Attack on Multiracial Democracy, January 7, 2021

The Washington Post described the insurrectionists who stormed the Capitol as "would-be saboteurs of a 244-year-old democracy." But true democracy in America is only 55 years old, dating to 1965, the year the Voting Rights Act guaranteed suffrage-at least on paper-to all American citizens, regardless of race. Four decades later, a multiracial coalition elected a Black president. As in the past, the rise of Black men to political power made some white Americans question the wisdom of democracy.

That president's successor, and many of his supporters, now insists that he must be allowed to remain in power despite having lost his reelection campaign, arguing that his opponent's victory is illegitimate regardless of the results, and demanding that votes from predominantly Black constituencies in swing states be thrown out. As Trumpput it, "Detroit and Philadelphia-known as two of the most corrupt political places anywhere in our country, easily-cannot be responsible for engineering the outcome of a presidential race." Presenting the disenfranchisement of Black Americans as an exercise in good government is one of the most recognizable constants of American history.

Although these arguments by definition involve rejecting the results of a democratic contest, those who insist that Trump remain in office see themselves as defending democracy by disregarding votes that were never meant to count. Like most of the political ills that Trump has brought to the fore, this one predates him by many years, and has found a home in both political parties at one point or another.
Source 2: Excerpt from the RAND report Truth Decay: An Initial Exploration of the Diminishing Role of Facts and Analysis in American Public Life, 2018
In many areas of American society, facts and data are essential to survival or necessary for success. Complex decisions, even when they require subjective judgments and intuition, can be made with more confidence when anchored by agreed-upon facts and reliable data. Yet in national political and civil discourse, disagreement over facts appears to be greater than ever. Opinions are crowding out and overwhelming facts in the media, and Americans are placing less faith in institutions that were once trusted sources of information. This shift away from facts and data in political debate and policy decisions has far-reaching implications: It erodes civil discourse; weakens key institutions; and imposes economic, diplomatic, and cultural costs.
Source 3: Excerpt from Rebecca Heilweil and Shirin Ghaffary's article in Vox, How Trump's internet built and broadcast the Capitol insurrection, January 8, 2021
For years, members of movements like QAnon, the Proud Boys, and the Three Percenters, a far-right militia group-not to mention hordes of white supremacists and conspiracy theorists-have been allowed to accumulate and grow on platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter. While the mainstream social networks have taken action to restrict and even ban the groups, many had already achieved a significant level of organization, leaving critics to say that the crackdown came too late.

"Social media platforms, for years, have allowed their algorithms to boost disinformation and far-right organizing," said Fadi Quran, campaign director at the human rights group Avaaz. "In DC, we saw QAnon conspiracists and other militias that would never have grown to this size without being turbo-charged by Facebook and Twitter.". . .

Violent events likethe "Unite the Right" rally in Charlottesville, the attack at the Christchurch mosque, and the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting often have their roots in anger and bigotry that festers online. It's also undeniable that Trump and his high-profile followers have become instigators. By spreading misinformation and false claims that the election was stolen - and by giving tacit approval to groups like QAnon and the Proud Boys - Trump's online rhetoric excited his base and encouraged the storming of the Capitol.
Source 4: Excerpts from President Trump's speech on January 6, 2021, and analysis from Charlie Savage's article in the New York Times Incitement to Riot? What Trump Told Supporters Before Mob Stormed Capitol

Excerpts from Trump's speech:

We will never give up. We will never concede. It doesn't happen. You don't concede when there's theft involved.

Our country has had enough. We will not take it anymore, and that is what this is all about.

And to use a favorite term that all of you people really came up with, we will stop the steal.

. . . and we fight, we fight like hell, and if you don't fight like hell you're not going to have a country anymore . . .

So we are going to--we are going to walk down Pennsylvania Avenue, I love Pennsylvania Avenue, and we are going to the Capitol, and we are going to try and give--the Democrats are hopeless, they are never voting for anything, not even one vote but we are going to try--give our Republicans, the weak ones because the strong ones don't need any of our help, we're try--going to try and give them the kind of pride and boldness that they need to take back our country. So let's walk down Pennsylvania Avenue.
Analysis from the New York Times:
The president's speech was riddled with violent imagery and calls to fight harder than before . . .

Two months after he lost the election, Mr. Trump repeatedly told his followers that they could still stop Mr. Biden from becoming president if they "fight like hell," a formulation that suggested they act and change things, not merely raise their voices in protest.
Source 5: Excerpt from Taymullah Abdur-Rahman's op-ed in the Boston Globe, Protected by an invisible bullet-proof vest called white skin, January 7, 2021
I'm relieved that large numbers of American civilians weren't gunned down by law enforcement under the guise of protecting the symbols of freedom and democracy. However, I'd be remiss not to mention that those Trump supporters who barged their way into the Capitol and took an armed stance were being protected by an invisible bullet-proof vest called white skin.

Although indiscriminate violence did not win the day, those who would have their country burn to the ground rather than acquiesce to the democratic process did retain the small, albeit significant, victory of expressing their rage and angst to an extreme degree and toward the highest level of government without much punitive outcome. In an America where, just two weeks ago, a Black man,Andre Hill, was shot down in a driveway by police, in Columbus, Ohio, while dropping off Christmas money to a friend, this is a huge problem.

Reflect on What You Learned

Ask your students to reflect in their journals or on an exit card on what they learned about the insurrection using the following prompts:

Before these activities I was thinking/feeling . . .

Now I'm thinking/feeling . . .

Remote Learning Note: You can create exit cards for remote learning using Google Forms, Google Docs, Padlet, or Flipgrid. Use your students' responses to inform future activities on the insurrection.

Extension: Revisit Iceberg Diagrams as Needed

As new information emerges, ask your students to return to the causes they wrote "below the surface" of their iceberg diagrams and consider whether the new information supports or challenges the causes they wrote down. You can also continue to revisit the questions students raised at the end of the Big Paper activity.

Additional Resources:

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What Happened During the Insurrection at the US Capitol and Why?

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For additional resources on our response to the events of January 6, 2021, read Responding to the Insurrection at the US Capitol. Following events like the attack on the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, social media and 24-hour news networks can overwhelm us with information, often presented out of context and sometimes simply untrue.

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ADL

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How to Talk to your Kids about the chaos at the Capitol Building

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How to Talk to your Kids about the chaos at the Capitol Building

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National Geographic

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As the news of a mob of violent protesters storming the U.S. Capitol played out on Wednesday-on top of what's already been a scary and overwhelming year-it's normal for children to have fears and questions. And it's normal for parents to be unsure about how to respond.

After all, finding a balance between helping kids understand the world and not causing too much anxiety can be difficult, says Gail Heyman, a professor of psychology at the University of California San Diego.

"Parents are often tempted to lie as a first response, because they don't want their child to worry or that they shouldn't be burdened with this, and that's a bad approach," she says. "It's bad to overwhelm children with too much information, but you can tell them the truth in simple ways and use their questions to guide you on how much to share."

Even though you might be tempted to try to keep the news from your kids, or to even lie about what's happening-don't. According to Cassidy O'Brien, a family therapist at San Diego Kids First, confronting kids' worries head on, explaining what's happening in a truthful but simple way, and emphasizing that kids are safe are the best ways to help children make sense of the chaos.

"Kids are like sponges and are really absorbing everything, and it's safe to assume kids have had some exposure to the news," O'Brien says. "If they don't have that guidance, they might create a narrative in their head that's inaccurate and not helpful for them."

First and foremost: You are safe.

Often the first thing kids think about in the wake of chaotic news is whether they're safe. O'Brien advises reiterating that your role as caregiver is to protect them, and that you'll always do that.

It's also appropriate to tell kids that it's OK to feel scared, which models how you handle anxiety as well. "Normalize and validate how they're feeling," she says. "You can say, 'You're feeling scared about this. Me, too. This is scary and it's normal to feel that way.'"

She adds that parents can help give children a feeling of control by telling them that they can gather more information and learn about the events together. That can include grabbing a map for those children not in the immediate vicinity.

"They might perceive events as happening close by," O'Brien says. "So you can use a map to show where events are happening and that where they are is safe."

Getting the conversation started

Janine Domingues, a clinical psychologist specializing in anxiety and mood disorders at the Child Mind Institute, says you can start off by asking kids what they know and what they've heard, because they're absorbing it in the background.

"We want to come from a place of hearing what they know first so we can provide information and distill it with details as needed," she says. "Follow up with how they're feeling and what they're thinking to validate their natural responses. To answer questions, say, 'That's a really good question and I don't know the answer, but we can try to find out together.'"

O'Brien agrees that even if kids don't immediately come to you with questions, it's still a good idea to bring it up since they'll sense something has happened. You can start by asking your kids if they have questions or thoughts about it.

"You could say, 'You may have seen or heard something that happened today that was pretty scary and I wanted to see if you had any questions,' or, 'Let's talk about what happened today,'" she says. "It's a great opportunity to ask them questions about what their understanding is, what their perception is."

Other advice: Bring up the topic calmly and straightforwardly; be truthful, but don't go into information overload. "Share as much as they need to know, provide short and concise answers to their questions, and be honest and open to their questions," O'Brien says.

That said, Heyman recommends against promising the news won't mentally affect kids.

"As kids get older, they need to learn their parents can't control everything," she says. "These are good opportunities for learning and making sense of the world. That doesn't mean you need to tell them every single detail, but I'd tell a child as much as they want as long as they're not having anxiety."

Explaining bad behavior

O'Brien says kids may have questions about why people are acting in this way, or why it's OK for them to mob the U.S. Capitol and not follow the rules.

"You can say that when people feel not in control of certain things, their feelings get really big and their behavior gets out of control," she says. "When that happens it can look really scary."

Domingues adds that kids might also be asking about people's anger and why they're doing something that doesn't seem appropriate. She advises parents to just be honest.

"You can say, 'Everyone is feeling a different way about the election, and this is one way they're expressing it,'" she says. "'As a family, we might do this differently, but this is how they're choosing to do it. But other people are stepping in to keep the peace and keep everyone safe.' It's important to highlight there are people who are keeping people safe."

And though you might have strong opinions about what's going on, parents should resist the temptation to propagandize to their children.

"We see kids as young as kindergarten talking about how people with different political beliefs are 'bad guys,'" she says. "Instead, use this as an opportunity to explain how complicated the world is."

Coping with kids' anxiety

After you've talked about what happened, O'Brien says it's important to model how to cope with the anxiety that news creates.

"Maintain your sense of calm and feeling of regulation," she says. "Use whatever coping skills you have, then be open: 'I feel anxious about this, let's take deep breaths, maybe we can turn off the TV and go for a walk.'

"Use this as an opportunity to model how to manage big life stressors."

Beyond that, O'Brien says you can ask your kids what would help them to feel safe, and then try to keep their routine as normal as possible. Also, limit their exposure to news, and if they do read or see something on a phone or tablet, make sure you're part of what they're seeing.

"It's not keeping it from them but making sure you're part of it," she says. "That way you can keep control of the conversation and be aware of what they're getting."

Lastly, Domingues says parents should remember that this isn't just a one-time conversation.

"There will be continuous media coverage on it, and you'll need to check in again, leaving open lines of communication," she says. "As parents absorb more information, we're there to be the filter for our children. So today it's helpful to start the dialogue and tell them that you can talk about it as they have more questions."

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How to talk to your kids about the chaos at the Capitol

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As the news of a mob of violent protesters storming the U.S. Capitol played out on Wednesday-on top of what's already been a scary and overwhelming year-it's normal for children to have fears and questions. And it's normal for parents to be unsure about how to respond.

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Images of Insurrection at Capitol Building, January 6, 2021

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Images of Insurrection at Capitol Building, January 6, 2021

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Edited from Mikva Challenge

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Institute for SEL

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A new REALM: IFSEL's TIPS FOR DISTANCE LEARNING

With many schools moving to Distance Learning during this pandemic, IFSEL is pulling from our collective and creative forces to support teachers to help students have virtual experiences full of human connection and joy in learning.

We know that when it comes to Distance Learning there is an inequitable distribution of resources and tools. For our most vulnerable and disadvantaged, school closures pose many critical risks to the physical, social, and emotional health of our whole community.

The team at The Institute for Social and Emotional Learning has created and curated ideas that, we hope, will address some of the social and emotional needs that students and educators are experiencing.

‍

Rituals

Start and end virtual class meeting with opening and closing rituals. Rituals provide a grounded and predictable form for connection - essential in a Distance Learning classroom. Repeated over time, rituals invoke meaning and create a space for students to enter each day.

‍

Invite students to sit back in a chair. Say: "Feel your feet on the ground for a few breaths. Pull shoulders up to your ears and then gently let them fall back down. Again. Breathe some easy breaths with your own timing - in.... And then with the out breath."
Offer one of the following Check-in prompts at this point. Vary them throughout the weeks. Do every day, or every other day - whatever you feel is best to build buy-in.
Say: "Let's spend the next 8 minutes giving everyone 20 seconds to share how they're feeling, and a little bit about why they feel that way, if they wish. It's ok to pass."
Emotional/Physical Well-being Check-in - Metaphors
- What color or blend of colors best represents how you're feeling today? Why?

- If your feelings were described by a specific shape or two, what would it be?

- If you made or used an Emoji that best represents your moods right now, what is it?

- Imagine the way an animal of your choosing looks, lives, moves; which one best matches your feelings this morning?

- Across our planet there are many landforms - geysers, streams, craters, mountains, hills, forests, valleys; which one or blend of forms represents your feelings at the moment.

‍

For any of these check-in's, students could find an image of their check-in (animal, emoji, landform etc.) and, when it is their turn, share it through the chat/message function of the online platform.
Emotional/Physical Well-being Check-in with specific materials or things from around the house.
- Find a favorite item from their room or kitchen that provides a good memory or comfort for the moment.

- Create a drawing or sketch that uses line, color, shape, to represent your feelings.

- Showa piece of ribbon, scrap of cloth/fabric, buttons that make you think of the emotions you are having now.
Emotional/Physical Well-being Check-in with items from Nature.
- Ask your students to come to Check-in with something from Nature that resembles the emotions they are feeling that day.

- Leaves, rocks, collection of sticks, a flower blossom, etc.

- An image of a place from the natural world.

‍

You may also wish to design your Check-ins around their worries or excitement around academics, social experiences, etc.

‍

Share a word that describes a quality you are feeling right now. Write it down on an index card and hold it up to the camera. Teacher reads them.

Create a frozen sculpture pose to show how they're feeling right now.

Energize

Bringing energy for focus and on-screen effort during the learning sessions will challenge our students and ourselves.Pausing to be "off-task" for a few minutes can actually create more on-task behavior, not less, during the rest of the lesson.

Say: "Reach and stretch your hands up to the ceiling and imagine touching the roof, even the sky. Take in a big breath. Sweep your arms out to the side like you are pushing the air down or making a large arc like a rainbow. Breathe all the air out and as you do, feel yourself get taller. Repeat a few times.

Then, feel your feet firmly planted on the ground and stand for a few breaths. Imagine breathing in through your feet and pulling the breath up to your head and breathing out, back through your feet.

Notice how you feel. When you are ready, sit back in your chair. Sit up tall and place both feet on the ground. Pull your shoulders up to your ears and then away from your ears."

Say: "Stand as if you are a tree. Deep roots. Many branches outward. At first, sway with a gentle breeze. Now, as the wind picks up, twist and bend, yet stay rooted."

Appreciation and Gratitude

Gratitude and practices of appreciation have been shown to physiologically increase our sense of well-being. Being grateful can become a contagious mindset and will help connect your students to each other.

Say: "Think over what we did and learned so far during the Distance Learning class today. What is something you are grateful for? Consider someone or something you've noticed who supported your learning, helped you to think differently, or kindly encouraged you."

- I liked it how...

- It was cool when...

- Thank you for the way that you...

- I miss seeing you... and... I am appreciating...

- Even though we're not together...

Journal Writing Prompts for Gratitude

Say: "Choose from any of the following prompts and write and sketch your response for 10 minutes."

Then, ask for volunteers to read aloud.

- I assumed after we left school ..., and worried that..., but today I appreciated how...

- I have been surprised about how... and I hope...

- I want to appreciate and remember the time at school when...

- I'm really thankful that...

- Being away from school is so different now and what I didn't think about that I can appreciate is that I get to....

Lighten

If your students come to know your virtual learning lessons as offering a few minutes of playful interactions, it will raise motivation, and help to keep the group bonded, all essential at this time.

Goosechase (9-12) is an online scavenger hunt recommended from Hong Kong Academy, a school that is just now transitioning back to classroom work.

An online collaborative puzzle game is Edpuzzle (6-8).

GoNoodle (K-8) offers educational physical and mental health practices.

Have students use "snail mail" and write and send each other an uplifting, handmade card. You can choose the person they will be writing to and send the name via email, or there can be a random selection done together, with students keeping the name of their persona surprise.

Take a laughter break. Do something silly like play "Sound Ball" in a pre-determined order from person to person or play a version of Pictionary using Aggie.io.

Mindfulness

Mindfulness is the practice of being present in the moment, aware of the emotions, sensations, and insights one is experiencing. Mindfulness is based in research and can help people feel more at peace, become less stressed, and shift perspective.

Invite students to stand up and find as mall or large open space near the computer screen where they can walk around. Play some music... maybe try Vitamin String Quartet... and ask them to notice placing their feet on the ground with every step...

Remind or teach students a range of breathing practices they can do. Share videos or articles about athletes and celebrities that talk about the importance of breathing exercises, or tell students about your own preferred practices.

Some examples:

- Diaphragmatic Breathing (Deep Belly Breathing)

- Long Exhale Breathing

- Humming Bee Breathing

- 4-7-8 Breathing

Instructions for all of these can be easily found online.

The IFSEL Team is pulling together more resources and ideas and will be sharing these here and through webinars in the days ahead.

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A New REALM: IFSEL's Tips for Distance Learning | Blog

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With many schools moving to Distance Learning during this pandemic, IFSEL is pulling from our collective and creative forces to support teachers to help students have virtual experiences full of human connection and joy in learning. We know that when it comes to Distance Learning there is an inequitable distribution of resources and tools.

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Book List -Antiracist, Latinx, and Native American authors

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Book List -Antiracist, Latinx, and Native American authors

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Penguin Classroom

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Teaching January 6th and Georgia Run -Off Election 

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Teaching January 6th and Georgia Run -Off Election 

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Zinn Ed Project

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In class: Teach about coup AND Georgia victory. (They are connected. Black advancement always meets repression.) 

Now more than ever, students need lessons/inspiration of organizing in face of white supremacy. 

Resources: @BillMoyers on grassroots org.: https://t.co/RjXubi5BX2

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In class: Teach about coup AND Georgia victory. (They are connected. Black advancement always meets repression.) 

Now more than ever, students need lessons/inspiration of organizing in face of white supremacy. 

Resources: @BillMoyers on grassroots org.: https://t.co/RjXubi5BX2 https://t.co/ILQ8M5yelk

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.metadata.attachment_props_source.data.text
In class: Teach about coup AND Georgia victory. (They are connected. Black advancement always meets repression.) 

Now more than ever, students need lessons/inspiration of organizing in face of white supremacy. 

Resources: @BillMoyers on grassroots org.: https://t.co/RjXubi5BX2 https://t.co/ILQ8M5yelk

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.metadata.attachment_props.original_text
In class: Teach about coup AND Georgia victory. (They are connected. Black advancement always meets repression.) 

Now more than ever, students need lessons/inspiration of organizing in face of white supremacy. 

Resources: @BillMoyers on grassroots org.: https://t.co/RjXubi5BX2 https://t.co/ILQ8M5yelk

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.metadata.attachment_props.text
In class: Teach about coup AND Georgia victory. (They are connected. Black advancement always meets repression.) 

Now more than ever, students need lessons/inspiration of organizing in face of white supremacy. 

Resources: @BillMoyers on grassroots org.: https://t.co/RjXubi5BX2

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What to Say to Kids When the News is Scary

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What to Say to Kids When the News is Scary

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NPR

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What to say to kids when the news is scary

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Whether a school shooting or a deadly tornado, scary events in the news can leave parents struggling to know when — and how — they should talk with their kids about it. Rosemarie Truglio of Sesame Workshop and Tara Conley, a media studies professor at Montclair State University, give us tips.

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When Folks of Color are Exhausted - For White Allies

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When Folks of Color are Exhausted - For White Allies

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Teaching Tolerance

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For White Allies in Search of a Solution to American Racism / When Folks of Color Are Exhausted

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Racism, white privilege and white supremacy are challenges that people of color neither created nor should be expected to resolve. This scholar encourages white allies to step up.

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Talking to Kids About the Violence at the U.S. Capitol

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Talking to Kids About the Violence at the U.S. Capitol

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Common Sense Media

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Talking to Kids About the Violence at the U.S. Capitol

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Use these age-based tips and questions to have conversations as a family about disturbing events. Advice from Common Sense Media editors.

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Google Slides