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Ever since I began teaching 28 years ago, I have always been interested in student voice and ownership. Maybe it was because my bachelor's degree was in journalism and my initial career was media. Maybe it's because I never felt like neither I, nor my peers, ever had as much say in our education and learning as I think we could have or should have. Maybe it's because I think finding one's voice and the leadership required to take action on that voice are the hallmarks of real learning and self-actualization. Regardless, over and over, I've seen the power of students when they are engaged in pursuing work they have chosen or helped create and are willing to take responsibility for.

Throughout my collective experiences as a teacher, advisor and site leader, I have consistently witnessed students producing amazing, powerful, relevant and impactful work when given the opportunity and support. One of those experiences that truly transformed me, my students and our school was when I was a Student Activities Director/Leadership Advisor for six years at Buchanan High School in Central California. My students produced amazing projects that impacted the culture of the school, as well as the overall student experience for many.

Current experts and leaders in career development, learning development and future-readiness are all demanding that students master a variety of skill sets. Many are emphasizing the increased importance of collaboration and problem-solving skills. Additionally, many are acknowledging the importance of developing empathy and social-emotional skills in students in order to succeed professionally and personally in the 21st century. These foundational goals - centered on real preparation for a dramatically changing world - are influencing educators who are beginning to ask more and more about what learning experiences, environments and challenges students should have. It's with this in mind that I'd like to challenge all of us take full advantage of the power of students in working to improve our school campuses and climates, as well as increase learning opportunities for all students.

When I began teaching student leadership in 1998, I made it my mission to recruit as many diverse student leaders as I could, as well as challenge said leaders to reach and connect, personally somehow, with every student at the school. As an educator, it always bothered me that we had students that dislike school, didn't feel that there was something there for them and were not connected in any way to people or pursuits at the school.

I made this the collective mission of my leadership classes. Less than a year later, Columbine happened. And we were reminded, more than ever, that we should be striving to help people feel connected to their peers, school and community. Since then, we've been reminded repeatedly. But typically, educators attempt to address these challenges - which are cultural challenges of a school - by launching adult-led programs, initiatives and policies. Rarely do we look to our students to help address these issues.

I challenged my students by sharing with them the mission and vision. We adopted the Pearl Jam song "Jeremy" as our anthem in discussing with one another how to connect to the disconnected.

Students can gain valuable career and life skills as leaders, all while having a significant impact on their peers, their school and their community. Here are six categories that provide outlines and specific examples for how student leaders can create and implement avenues for all students to experience a positive school environment and a new, deeper level of learning:

1. Service-Based Learning

We've known for a long time the benefits of students getting involved in service-based learning opportunities. They have often participated in order to meet college admission goals, school graduation requirements, student club expectations and more. Educators have embraced it knowing that it transforms the learner. It's a great thing to get students to volunteer and perform service activities-but it's even better when students get one another to do it as well.

For us, it started with a successful blood drive that originated as a rather typical one-day high school blood drive that eventually grew to a three-day event, memorializing a founding staff member. Students recruited their peers, parents, community leaders, teachers and staff to donate. Each year, the students broke the previous year's record and expanded their means of marketing, incentives and outreach.

Once students got service-based education in their veins (pardon the bad pun), it spread to all events and activities. There was a Student Fashion Show (called Ambiance) that became a successful fundraiser for our local children's hospital. It began in 1999 and still continues to day. Our talent shows and other performance-based events started benefitting local hospice centers, children's' advocacy groups, local non-profits and others. We added events like Community Service Saturdays where my students would organize various service events around the community with non-profit agencies and partners, while then promoting the opportunities at school to get others to sign up to participate. It's one thing to volunteer, but leadership comes in when you create opportunities for others to serve and volunteer. Soon, events became vehicles for service and education. Everything from a car show to a rally to homecoming had to include some sort of service component.

Students challenged one another and then helped lead the school in institutionalizing all of the above. We often say we want to teach empathy in school-with that in mind, I would argue that we need to create opportunities for all students to experience empathy through school.

2. Social-Emotional Learning

Adults have long worked to lead positive school culture through various character education programs. But again, they are more successful when students create and lead the implementation. After a series of issues on campus related to racial intolerance and insensitivity, leadership students decided to address the issue and challenge with "Harmony."These brave and courageous students created a Diversity Talent Show that not only featured and promoted every culturally and ethnically diverse group on campus, but also worked to include those whom they thought were the most marginalized or ignored on campus - Special Education Students. This show, which also began in late 1999, also still continues today. Students and teachers have repeatedly agreed that this unique show goes a long way in educating and challenging all students, staff and community members to promote not only tolerance, but acceptance (see http://bit.ly/HarmonyShow).

I'll say it again-we want students to have empathy skills? Well, we have to providereal-worldd opportunities for all students to grow those skill sets.

3. Noontime Activities

These were an unexpected gold mine of school culture building that initially were underestimated by both students and yours truly. They began as a means of me establishing a baseline leadership assignment that required a team of students to organize, collaborate and produce an event on a more immediate and rudimentary scale. After all, the audiences were captive to some degree in that students had to remain on campus during lunch (except for seniors), and were often looking for things to do.

It was also a way to test our core mission of reaching out to all students. Leadership students had to reflect on creating activities and events for various audience size, focused interest groups, different facilities and venus and more. They needed to identify what different students would have interest in and then deliver a customized activity or event to them. Initially, they started with typical games, activities and events.

In time, they began to expand into live music and performances, guest speakers, career events, specialized video showcases, student event committee opportunities, student recognition events and even student feedback focus groups. One of the most successful programs they created and launched was the The Guest DJ Program. This is where any student, or team of students, could submit an application to play music at lunch. They had to follow some very simple rules about appropriate language, but could play any genre of music they wanted to. We had students take charge for the day and share their love of everything from country to speed metal to rap and more.

4. Student Recognition

This began with students recognizing other students on campus for co-curricular and academic success (athletics, performing arts, academic awards, service awards and more). But like all good things launched by students, it also grew. Eventually, our students were sending happy birthday wishes to students on their 17th birthdays (at the time, this was the age at which they could donate blood). Then, my students began to reach beyond the boundaries of school to find opportunities to recognize students. If any student did outstanding work - on everything from scouts to a local bowling league - my students found a way to publicly recognize them at school. Our students continually sought out those who had not been in the spotlight on campus and found ways to recognize their contributions to both school and community.

5. Professional Events

My students took ideas from the professional community, and then replicated them for the high school student audience. One great example was our Young Women's Conference. We took the model right from our local/regional event where professional women gather to hear experts on a wide range or career, health and other issues. Juniors and Seniors opted in for the day, where they attended workshops of choice, heard keynote speakers, and had a formal business luncheon. It was empowering for those that attended, as well as for those that organized the event. Other examples included Student Art Shows, Guest Speakers, Car Shows, Human Relations Days, Black History Month Blues Concerts and more - all organized and led by students for students (with a "something for everyone" approach, as well).

6. School Improvement Projects

Long before there were #20Time or Genius Hours, I challenged my student to identify an issue or problem and campus, and then design a solution to address it. There was no shortage of problems they identified, or creative solutions they worked to deploy. They included, but were not limited to, parking, food, isolation, school communication, club opportunities, memorializing students and staff members, student access, career exploration, specialized activities and events, campus cleanliness, staff recognition, student recognition and many more. Students had to publicly identify their chose issue or problem as well as announce their plans to address it. If it required funding, they had to seek financial support both on and off campus. If it required school or district administrative approval, they had to facilitate that. If it required altering or updating school policy, they had to navigate that process. It was the ultimate demonstration of learning as it was personalized, featured voice choice, was public, addressed a real world challenge, was collaborative on all fronts, and was designed to improve the world around us.

As one might assume, this is not designed to be an exhaustive list. If school leaders, classroom teachers and others recognize the collective power of their students, then it only makes sense to allow students to identify needs, challenges, and issues, as well as the potential means of addressing them. I hope that these personal experiences give you an idea of the tremendous positive outcomes we stand to benefit from when we engage and empower our students as leaders, and trust them to collaborate with us on continually improving school culture and learning.

For more, see:
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Michael Niehoff is a Getting Smart Columnist. He is a teacher, leader, blogger, and student advocate. Connect with him on Twitter: @mwniehoff

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Letting Students Lead School Culture | Getting Smart

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By Michael Niehoff - If school leaders, classroom teachers and others recognize the collective power of their students, then it only makes sense to allow students to identify needs, challenges, and issues, as well as the potential means of addressing them.

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Part 2 3/8/21- 3/24/21

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Equality & Equity: What´s the DIfference?

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Equality & Equity: What´s the DIfference?

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While the terms equity and equality may sound similar, the implementation of one versus the other can lead to dramatically different outcomes for marginalized people.

Equality means each individual or group of people is given the same resources or opportunities. Equity recognizes that each person has different circumstances and allocates the exact resources and opportunities needed to reach an equal outcome.

In the illustration below, two individuals have unequal access to a system - in this case, the tree that provides fruit. With equal support from evenly distributed tools, their access to the fruit still remains unequal. The equitable solution, however, allocates the exact resources that each person needs to access the fruit, leading to positive outcomes for both individuals.

While the tree appears to be a naturally occurring system, it's critical to remember that social systems aren't naturally inequitable - they've been intentionally designed to reward specific demographics for so long that the system's outcomes may appear unintentional but are actually rooted discriminatory practices and beliefs.

Source: "Addressing Imbalance," by Tony Ruth for the 2019 Design in Tech Report.
Equity is a solution for addressing imbalanced social systems. Justice can take equity one step further by fixing the systems in a way that leads to long-term, sustainable, equitable access for generations to come.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), equity is defined as "the absence of avoidable or remediable differences among groups of people, whether those groups are defined socially, economically, demographically or geographically." Therefore, as the WHO notes, health inequities involve more than lack of equal access to needed resources to maintain or improve health outcomes. They also refer to difficulty when it comes to "inequalities that infringe on fairness and human rights norms."

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) refers to health equity as "when everyone has the opportunity to be as healthy as possible." As such, equity is a process and equality is an outcome of that process. Or, as the Race Matters Institute describes, "The route to achieving equity will not be accomplished through treating everyone equally. It will be achieved by treating everyone equitably, or justly according to their circumstances."

Understanding the difference between health equality and health equity is important to public health to ensure that resources are directed appropriately - as well as supporting the ongoing process of meeting people where they are. Inherent to this process is the promotion of diversity in teams and personnel, public health practice, research methods and other related factors. For these reasons, providing the same type and number of resources to all is not enough. In order to reduce the health disparities gap, the underlying issues and individual needs of underserved and vulnerable populations must be effectively addressed.

The Difference Between Equity and Equality

"The route to achieving equity will not be accomplished through treating everyone equally. It will be achieved by treating everyone justly according to their circumstances."

A city cuts the budget for 25 community centers by reducing the operational hours for all centers by the same amount at the same times.

A community meeting, where all members of the community are invited, about a local environmental health concern is held in English though English is not the primary language for 25% of the residents.

Examples of EqualityAll public schools in a community have computer labs with the same number of computers and hours of operation during school hours.

The city determines which times and how many hours communities actually need to use their community centers and reduces hours for centers that aren't used as frequently.

Examples of EquityThe community leaders hire translators to attend the meeting or offer an additional meeting held in another language.

Examples of EquityComputer labs in lower income neighborhoods have more computers and printers, as well as longer hours of operation, as some students don't have access to computers or internet at home.

There are many successful initiatives in communities around the United States where specific steps have been taken to make approaches to health more equitable (PDF, 4.9MB), according to the CDC. Attempts to achieve equity have involved identifying the individualized needs of specific populations and implementing steps to help meet those needs. Below are three examples of public health initiatives.

Project Brotherhood

Project Brotherhood - a clinic for Black men at Woodlawn Health Center in Chicago - was created through the CDC's Healthy Communities Program. The clinic was formed by a Black physician and a nurse-epidemiologist who were interested in better addressing the health needs of Black men. Partnering with a Black social science researcher, they conducted focus groups with Black men to learn about their experiences with the health care system and met with other Black staff at the clinic. As a result of this research, Project Brotherhood employed a number of specific strategies, including:

Offering free health care, with optional appointments and evening clinic hours, to make health care more accessible to Black men.

Providing health seminars and courses specifically for Black men.

Employing a barber to perform free haircuts after receiving health education training to be a health advocate for Black men whom the clinic staff could not reach.

Providing fatherhood classes to help Black men become more effectively involved in the lives of their children.

Building "a culturally competent workforce able to create a safe, respectful, male-friendly environment and to overcome mistrust in Black communities toward the traditional health care system."

Organizing physician participation in support group discussions to enhance understanding between providers and patients.

According to the organization, positive outcomes were achieved: "In January 1999, Project Brotherhood averaged four medical visits and eight group participants per week. By September 2005, the average grew to 27 medical visits and 35 group participants per week...." By 2007, Project Brotherhood had provided service to more than 13,000 people since the initiative started and created a health services environment designed specifically for Black men where they would be respected, heard and empowered, thus helping to reduce the health disparities experienced by this population.

Poder es Salud

Poder es Salud (Power for Health) is a partnership involving nonprofits, government organizations, local health care providers and several community- and faith-based groups. This partnership was formed to address social determinants of health and reduce health disparities in Black and Latino communities in Multnomah County, Oregon, by employing an approach to "increase social capital through durable social networks for the purpose of facilitating the achievement of community goals and health outcomes." This was achieved through three specific strategies:

Conducting community-based participatory research to support cross-cultural partnerships.

Implementing popular education, which involves mutual learning and analysis.

Providing community health workers with specialized training "in leadership, local politics, governance structure, advocacy, community organizing, popular education, and health."

Program effectiveness was reflected in follow-up surveys that showed "significant improvements in social support, self-rated health and mental health among community members that participated in the interventions with community health workers who use popular education."

Project BRAVE: Building and Revitalizing an Anti-Violence Environment

Project BRAVE is a school-based intervention that builds on existing relationships among schools, community members, community-based organizations and local researchers. In doing so, Project BRAVE supports preexisting opportunities for students to share their experiences with violence and to take part in community change to reduce it. The program's effectiveness was evidenced by an increase in school attendance, which is an important social determinant of community health.

Using Equity and Equality in Public Health Practice

Understanding the difference between equity and equality is a key component in the effort to reduce health disparities among vulnerable populations. The good news is that public health officials can take specific steps to help address this confusion in their own communities - including using educational resources such as the CDC's Defining and Measuring Disparities, Inequities, and Inequalities in the Healthy People Initiative (PDF, 391KB) and group exercises such as those suggested by JustHealthAction (PDF, 637KB), in which teams can work together to differentiate between equity and equality.

Additional Resources about Equity and Equality

Sources:

1 "Racial Equality or Racial Equity? The Difference it Makes," Race Matters Institute. 2014. Accessed Oct. 15, 2020. http://viablefuturescenter.org/racemattersinstitute/2014/04/02/racial-equality-or-racial-equity-the-difference-it-makes/

2 "How are Equity and Equality Different?" Just Health Action, 2010. Accessed Oct. 15, 2010. http://justhealthaction.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/JHA-Lesson-Plan-3-How-are-equity-and-equality-different-final.pdf
Citation for this content: MPH@GW, the George Washington University online Master of Public Health program

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Equity vs. Equality: What's the Difference?

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Knowing the difference between equity and equality is critical to helping communities overcome health disparities.

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Recognizing difference within minorities.  

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Recognizing difference within minorities.  

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This TedTalk is so vivid.

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Recognizing Privilege: Power to All People  | Michael Yates | TEDxTexasStateUniversity

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Written by Katie Novak

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AMLE - Association for Middle Level Education

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I started my teaching career in high school English for two years before I transitioned to middle school, or what I always referred to as teaching-topia. I taught seventh grade for nine years, and during that time I had the opportunity to connect and collaborate with more than 1000 students.

I loved teaching middle schoolers because of their passion, their vulnerability, and the glimpses of both childhood and adulthood in each of them simultaneously. As a teacher, I was committed to getting to know all my students and their unique characteristics, so I could design curriculum with options and choices to engage all of them. Sometimes I fell short.

On the first day of school each year, I stood at the entrance of my classroom and greeted every student with a smile and a handshake. I took selfies with them and posted their pictures on a bulletin board that read, "All My Children."

Through interest surveys, I asked them to tell me something about them that I would never forget. Every evening during the first week of school, over a bag of Goldfish crackers, I studied their photos and convinced myself I knew them. But how well did I really know them? How well did I design a curriculum that was authentic and meaningful to each of them? My team and I struggled with those questions. How could we be sure we had a connection? This question lead us to the practice of silent mentoring. That rocked our middle school world.

Two months into the school year, once everyone was settled in and we had long since memorized the names of our students, we scheduled a meeting with all seventh grade educators including academic teachers, integrated art teachers, guidance counselors, and administrators. We made copies of the seventh grade roster and gave everyone in attendance a highlighter. The task was simple. Highlight any student with whom you have a deep connection.

In order to highlight their name, you had to know something about their passions and interests and what they did when they left at 2:30pm. You had to have examples of when the students would seek you out, stay after class a minute or two longer than necessary, or chat in the hallway.

With a red highlighter in hand, I reviewed the first page of the list. Who did I really know? We passed around the lists until everyone had seen every name. Every year we were faced with the same reality. Inevitably, there were a handful of students who had slipped through the cracks. These were the names that weren't highlighted. No one knew them well, they didn't connect with anyone, and no one could say anything about these kids' interests, their passions, their families or their dreams. And that's when the next step of silent mentoring came in.

We could simply not allow a single student to go through school without a meaningful connection with a caring adult. We all made a promise. We would each choose students on the list and would get to know them-really know them-by connecting with them every day, attending their after-school events if necessary, and making positive phone calls home.

One student, who I will call Ryan, was not highlighted. Because he had a locker right outside my homeroom door, I chose him from the list. Every day, I complimented him on his clothes, asked about what he did the night before, and sat with him for a couple extra minutes when collaborating with his group.

He was a runner and was incredibly talented. He didn't have the time to join our track program because he watched his siblings. He drew intricate designs all over his arms. One teacher sent him to the office. I asked if he was interested in tattoos and he lit up. He wanted to go to college, run, and learn how to be a tattoo artist too. He started visiting me before his homeroom. I invited him to eat lunch with me and a friend so he could help me plan a lesson that would blow the minds of his classmates.

In eighth grade, a year after I taught Ryan, all students have an opportunity to write their favorite moments of middle school. Ryan, next to his yearbook photo wrote, "Mrs. Novak was the only person who ever really got me." Is there a greater compliment than that?

Getting to know middle schoolers is all about stepping back, reflecting on your relationships, and then making connections, and giving time to the students who need it the most. A big question is when do you get this time? With scripted curriculum, standardized assessments, and accountability reports some teachers feel as though their jobs are merely to teach content, but our jobs are so much more powerful than that.

The reason I knew my middle schoolers was because I took the time to get to know them, and I used what I knew about them to encourage them to follow their passions through my curriculum. Ryan wanted to be a tattoo artist. Instead of asking him to read Old Man and the Sea, I encouraged students to choose text that meant something to them. For Ryan, I brought in a copy of Inked magazine. When we read a short excerpt from The Outsiders, I empowered the students to share a character's point of view in any way they wished. Ryan shared with the class that he always felt like he was a Greaser and he wanted to create an artistic representation about how Ponyboy felt and how those feelings impacted his point of view. Then, he proceeded to give a presentation of how the tattoo he designed represented Ponyboy's point of view and how a Soc, a member of the rich kid gang, could never understand what Ponyboy dealt with as every needle went into his skin.

Without silent mentoring, I wouldn't have really known Ryan, and I wouldn't have been able to provide him with feedback that was authentic, valuable, and meaningful. Because of our silent mentoring program, I could do this with every student. Every student had a champion, and when a student was struggling, I could talk to a colleague, and as a team, we could meet with that student and create a personalized learning plan. They always knew they had a warrior in the room.

Silent mentoring optimized my ability to provide all my students with options and choices. When I stopped asking students to write arguments about whether or not they had school uniforms, I could remind Paige that she was passionate about animal rights, while Dominic committed to starting a recycling program in the middle school, and others created a presentation for the school committee about starting a skate park.

When I gave students choices about how they were going to share with me what they learned, their true selves spilled onto their products and into the classroom. The more I did this, the more names I could highlight on the list of kids that I really knew. But still, there were some names at the beginning of every year that eluded us, and we made it a point to connect. We repeated the highlighting exercise mid-year. Every name was always highlighted.

As a former middle school teacher, I truly believe that the best way to know a student is to take the time to connect. We have a responsibility to get to know students so they make meaningful connections. When they have these connections, they can share more about who they are and express the deepest part of themselves through curriculum and assessment. And that is my calling now. I am no longer a middle school teacher, but I work with them every day and I see the magic of curriculum and teaching when we put relationships first and then empower our kids with options and choices.

Katie Novak, Ed.D., is an internationally recognized education consultant, the assistant superintendent of the Groton-Dunstable Regional School District, and the author of four books, including UDL Now! and Let Them Thrive (CAST, 2017).
katie@katienovakudl.com
http://katienovakudl.com
Published August 2018.

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I started my teaching career in high school English for two years before I transitioned to middle school, or what I always referred to as teaching-topia. I taught seventh grade for nine years, and during that time I had the opportunity to connect and collaborate with more than 1000 students.

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Read or listen to the short article. To read in another language, copy/paste text to Papago.

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Conference in a Box #3: UDL and Funds of Knowledge

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Full research article on bias in preschool

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Full research article on bias in preschool

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Part 1 10/14/21 - 10/28/21

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Suffolk University Center for Restorative Justice

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Suffolk University Center for Restorative Justice

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About Us

The Center for Restorative Justice (CRJ) at Suffolk University was founded to foster collaborative partnerships to support a growing social movement to build just and equitable communities and to institutionalize restorative approaches to problem-solving, harm and violations of legal and human rights. Since 1997, the Center has served as a regional, national, and international thought leader in restorative justice policy and practice development.

The Center for Restorative Justice mission is to act as a bridge between the academy, professionals, and communities through public education, training, technical assistance, research, evaluation, and scholarship. As a community-engaged center based in the University, the Center fosters restorative practices in building just and equitable schools and communities.

For the most up-to-date training offered by the CRJ, please see our:

Special thanks to our funders who have made multi-year commitments: the Cummings Foundation and American Institutes for Research.

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Center for Restorative Justice - Suffolk University

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The Center for Restorative Justice (CRJ) sponsors and participates in a variety of events designed to foster constructive, creative dialogue about current and potential applications of restorative justice.

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Trinity Boston Connects - Trinity Boston Connects

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which profoundly affect their social and emotional learning (SEL) skills (ACES Boston Report, 2012). "Research confirms that youth with stronger SEL [skills] are more likely to have academic and career success, positive relationships, better physical and mental health, and meaningful contributions to society (Aspen Institute, 2017)."

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Carolyn Boyes-Watson and Kay Pranis

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We at Living Justice Press acknowledge that the land we live and work on here in Minnesota rightfully belongs to the Dakota, Anishinaabe, and Ho-Chunk Peoples. Our ancestors stole this land from their ancestors through genocide. We, people not indigenous to this place, benefit from the land, while the Dakota, Anishinaabe, and Ho-Chunk descendants do not. The institutionalized mass harms of white supremacy and settler colonialism continue, having terrorized and killed the Indigenous Peoples of the Americas and Africa for more than five centuries. We stand with the Black Lives Matter movement that is now leading the struggle to fight these systems of racial oppression and to create instead a world built on restorative-justice/restorative-practices values of being good relatives to each other, the natural world, and all that is.

READ ALL ABOUT IT HERE ...

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Colorizing Restorative Justice: Voicing Our Realities

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The eighteen essays in Colorizing Restorative Justice, by authors who are Restorative Justice practitioners and scholars, explore the issues of racism and colonization within the field of restorative justice / restorative practices.

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We Shall Remain

"WE SHALL REMAIN is a music video that was created to address the effects of historical trauma in our tribal communities. Many times, these untended wounds are at the core of much of the self-inflicted pain experienced in Native America. Much like fire, this pain can either be devastatingly destructive or wisely harnessed to become fuel that helps us to rise up and move forward in life with joy, purpose and dignity." - Coeur d'Alene Tribal Youth

This video was created by Coeur d'Alene Tribal Youth with funding support from Idaho Department of Juvenile Corrections and the Millennium Fund.

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In these times of pandemic and social upheaval, we at Living Justice Press want to extend our support to all people who need a way to collectively process all that is happening. Linked here is a new Circle, authored by Kay Pranis, that lays out a framework for being in Circle online. Please download and use this Circle in the service of your own well-being and that of your loved ones and colleagues, as we face the changes arising in our world.

CLICK HERE to see the whole collection - our thank-you for all the good Circle work that is being done by so many people.

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After the brutal slaying of her teenage son, Janet Connors reaches out to her son's killer to offer a chance for forgiveness. They team up with a group of mothers of murdered children to help young people in their community break the chain of violence and revenge. Watch trailer and learn more.

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A short video that will get you thinking about restorative measures in your school.

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Filmed at Bunche High School, this video is a collaboration between Oakland Unified School District and Restorative Justice for Oakland Youth. The video combines footage from the circle with interviews of the re-entering student and the circle facilitator.

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"Our survival depends ... not on winning but on maintaining positive bonds-a peaceful, creative coexistence." Read Denise Breton's article, which addresses questions like "Is depending on committing harms a way to survive? Does the settler-colonizer, win-driven role make us who we want to be? Does it generate the life and world that we want for our children?" Click here to read the full article.

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Do you need help deciding which eBook version will work for you? Click here to get started with our Quick Guide to eBook formats.

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We at Living Justice Press acknowledge that the land we live and work on here in Minnesota rightfully belongs to the Dakota, Anishinaabe, and Ho-Chunk Peoples. Our ancestors stole this land from their ancestors through genocide. We, people not indigenous to this place, benefit from the land, while the Dakota, Anishinaabe, and Ho-Chunk descendants do not.

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We believe that human beings are instilled with the need to connect and grow with each other, but not the methods. Here at the International Institute for Restorative Practices (IIRP), we provide our students with the tools they need to effect change within their own lives as well as their schools, their organizations, and their communities. Through intimate learning communities of faculty and students, we teach together, we learn together, and we strive to effect real change. Together.

Restorative practices is a field within the social sciences that studies how to strengthen relationships between individuals as well as social connections within communities. Learn more

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IIRP Graduate School :: Institute for Restorative Practices

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The International Institute for Restorative Practices is the world's first accredited graduate school that specializes in studying the field of restorative practices, providing education, research, and consulting services.

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Harvard University

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A monastery is the residence of monks, or monastics; the term is commonly used in both the Christian and Buddhist traditions. Monasticism refers to the life of work, study, and discipline led by monks and nuns.

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Established by Diana L. Eck at Harvard University in 1991, the Pluralism Project studies and interprets religious diversity and interfaith relations in the United States. The Pluralism Project's award-winning online educational resources grow out of our ongoing research on the changing religious landscape, and emerging interfaith infrastructure, of the United States.

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Beyond Heroes and Holidays: A Practical Guide to K-12 Anti-Racist, Multicultural Education and Staff Development

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Beyond Heroes and Holidays: A Practical Guide to K-12 Anti-Racist, Multicultural Education and Staff Development

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Teaching for Change

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A Practical Guide to K-12 Multicultural, Anti-Racist Education and Staff Development

Beyond Heroes and Holidays is an interdisciplinary guide for teachers, administrators, students, and parents. Through lessons and readings, we share examples of how educators, staff, students, and parents can work together to transform the curriculum, rather than simply adding to current frameworks. We also go beyond the classroom to address issues such as tracking, parent/school relations, and language policies. There are readings and activities for pre- and in-service staff development.

Sample Contents

Purchase. (You will be taken to Teaching for Change's webstore.)

Reviews

" Beyond Heroes and Holidays is a find. It provides a rich array of resources, models and strategies for promoting multicultural education. And it can be used by all teachers, new as well as experienced, K-12 as well as university-level. This book is for anyone who has either wondered, 'How can I incorporate multicultural education into my classroom?' More... " - David Stone, Assistant Professor in Counselor Education at Ohio University, Democracy and Education

Beyond Heroes and Holidays "is a must-have for educators at all levels... The editors use the philosophy of critical pedagogy, pioneered by the Brazilian educator, Paulo Freire to guide the book. Infused within critical pedagogy is a focus on race and class-based inequity in education that analyzes multicultural education through multiples lenses and from multiple levels: the individual and personal (micro); community (meso); and the societal (macro).

"I personally found this refreshing because too often misuses of what some define as "multicultural education" avoid serious analyses of race and racism in schools and society. If not careful, multicultural education has the potential to be coopted by naive and sometimes well-intentioned educators who have not critically examined their relative positions within a personal, and global context. For many of them, unfortunately, multicultural education is only about heroes, holidays, ethnic foods, and cultural attire, and devoid of serious discussions of race and class-based inequities...

"I highly suggest this book for beginning and advanced multicultural educators, schoolteachers, and college professors across disciplines, as well as activists and intellectuals outside of formal educational institutions." - Jerome E. Morris is a member of Edliberation and assistant professor in the Department of Social Foundations of Education at The University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia

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Beyond Heroes and Holidays - Teaching for Change

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A Practical Guide to K-12 Multicultural, Anti-Racist Education and Staff Development Beyond Heroes and Holidays is an interdisciplinary guide for teachers, administrators, students, and parents. Through lessons and readings, we share examples of how educators, staff, students, and parents can work together to transform the curriculum, rather than simply adding to current frameworks.

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Anti-bias curriculum is an approach to early childhood education that sets forth values-based principles and methodology in support of respecting and embracing differences and acting against bias and unfairness. Anti-bias teaching requires critical thinking and problem solving by both children and adults. The overarching goal is creating a climate of positive self and group identity development, through which every child will achieve her or his fullest potential.

The book, Anti-Bias Education for Young Children and Ourselves, by Louise Derman-Sparks and Julie Olsen Edwards, offers practical guidance to early childhood educators (including parents) for confronting and eliminating barriers of prejudice, misinformation, and bias about specific aspects of personal and social identity; most importantly, it includes tips for adults and children to respect each other, themselves, and all people. Below you will find recommended books for young children, teachers, and parents for each chapter as well as additional resources on anti-bias themes and topics.

Readers may also be interested in Freedom Reads: Anti-Bias Book Talk, our new video series for parents, caregivers, and educators, available at SocialJusticeBooks.org.

Books

Recommended booklists that accompany the best selling NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children) publication Anti-Bias Education for Young Children and Ourselves.

Articles

Article Collections
Available in English and Spanish
DC Educators for Social Justice

Teaching for Change has launched a new initiative to help build and nurture a network of social justice educators in the D.C. metro area.

We have been inspired by the work of NYCORE, Teachers for Social Justice, NW Teachers for Social Justice, and more across the country. There are many social justice educators in the D.C. area, and we are long overdue for a network to offer support, engagement, and learning opportunities. Learn more.

Film

This companion film to the book Anti-Bias Education for Young Children and Ourselves is available for free viewing on Youtube.

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Anti-Bias Education - Teaching for Change

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Anti-bias curriculum is an approach to early childhood education that sets forth values-based principles and methodology in support of respecting and embracing differences and acting against bias and unfairness. Anti-bias teaching requires critical thinking and problem solving by both children and adults. The overarching goal is creating a climate of positive self and group identity ...

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Some of My Best Friends are Black: The Strange Story of Integration in America

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Some of My Best Friends are Black: The Strange Story of Integration in America

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Tanner Colby

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some of my best friends are black: the strange story of integration in america

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ethnic studies - african american studies - general

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african americans - social conditions - 1975-

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ethnic studies - african american studies - general

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ethnic studies - american - african american studies

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social science / ethnic studies / african american studies

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social science / ethnic studies / american / african american studies

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social science/ethnic studies - american - african american studies

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whites - united states - social conditions

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sociology; american history; us history; civil rights; african american; african american books; african american history; black history; politics; civil rights movement; social justice; political science; justice; world history; geopolitics; injustice; history books; history; political books; american history books; black lives matter; black history books; united states history; gifts for history buffs; sociology books; government; law enforcement; political philosophy; history teacher gifts; american; history gifts

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social science / ethnic studies / african american studies

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social science / ethnic studies / american / african american studies

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social science/ethnic studies - american - african american studies

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Some of My Best Friends Are Black: The Strange Story of Integration in America

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Some of My Best Friends Are Black: The Strange Story of Integration in America [Colby, Tanner] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Some of My Best Friends Are Black: The Strange Story of Integration in America

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Established and coordinated by Johnson County Library, Race Project KC is an annual immersive social justice initiative focused on the role of racism in the history of the United States and, more specifically, the Kansas City area. It is designed for students in grades 9 through 12 in the KC metro area, and builds from the principle text Some of My Best Friends are Black: The Strange Story of Integration in America by author Tanner Colby. The Project consists of a series of opportunities for students to learn Kansas City and Johnson County's story of structural racism and how it continues to impact us today; to undergo unique experiences related to that story; to encounter experts on the topics; to learn vocabulary for talking about racism; to build relationships with peers they might not otherwise meet; and to share their own stories as they relate to the issues. This occurs through monthly events for student groups throughout the school year and an annual event with author Tanner Colby (and others) each spring.

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Established and coordinated by Johnson County Library, Race Project KC is an annual immersive social justice initiative focused on the role of racism in the history of the United States and, more specifically, the Kansas City area.

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Culturally SustainingPedagogies: Teaching and Learning for for Justice in a Changing World

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Culturally SustainingPedagogies: Teaching and Learning for for Justice in a Changing World

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Paris and Alim, 2017

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and practice (multicultural education series)

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culturally relevant pedagogy - united states

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education / teaching methods & materials / general

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education/teaching methods & materials - general

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educational equalization - united states

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teaching - social aspects - united states

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multicultural education; student ethnic diversity; teaching and cultural diversity; multicultural curriculum design; professional learning; and classroom instruction; diverse curriculum content; standards

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and diversity; culturally responsive caring; culturally responsive teaching interventions; student engagement; education and diversity; early childhood teaching methods; diversity in higher education

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education / teaching methods & materials / general

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education/teaching methods & materials - general

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Culturally Responsive Teaching: Theory, Research, and Practice (Multicultural Education Series)

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Culturally Responsive Teaching: Theory, Research, and Practice (Multicultural Education Series) [Gay, Geneva] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Culturally Responsive Teaching: Theory, Research, and Practice (Multicultural Education Series)

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Indian University Bloomington's Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning

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Indian University Bloomington's Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning

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Managing Difficult Conversations in the Classroom

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Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning

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Teaching controversial subjects is an inherent part of some courses and disciplines. Topics like race, culture, gender, and/or sexual orientation can come up in many fields, and any course dealing with current events presents an opportunity for socially-challenging or politically-charged topics to arise spontaneously in class discussions. How we manage those discussions, however, can greatly impact how useful the conversations are to our instructional goals, and what sort of impact they have on the dynamics of the class. Many of the suggestions below focus on pre-planned discussions, but many of the techniques can also be applied to discussions that pop up unexpectedly.

Preparing for Discussions

In situations where you know you will be addressing a controversial topic, you can prepare for the discussion in ways that set the stage for success.

Consider possible sources of student views. On many issues, students' viewpoints may be wrapped up in their personal identities, influenced by family members, or connected to religious/spiritual/moral beliefs. So a challenge to an idea may be seen as a personal challenge as well. Just being aware of these deeper origins of student opinions-both for you and their classmates-may be useful in approaching delicate conversations.

Lead with your goals. Contextualize the discussion within your class and disciplinary contexts. Be clear with your students why you are having this conversation and what learning outcomes you expect. Be ready to reiterate these goals during the discussion, and ask the students to redirect the conversation in ways that return to these goals.

Provide pre-discussion assignments. Ask students to complete an assignment in advance that helps them understand and articulate their own views, as well as others they have heard. Such pre-discussion homework can help them reflect on those views, understand potential reasons behind them, and connect them to disciplinary content in the course. Such activities let them do some more logical thinking in advance, before any emotional barriers get thrown up during a heated discussion.

Prepare students with disciplinary models for thinking. If you are wanting them to learn how someone in your discipline discusses these matters, be certain to spend time overtly explaining and modeling those disciplinary processes, and make sure the discussion practices those models, prompting students as needed. For example, is there a certain type/level of evidence that you expect them to apply to their reasoning? Are there certain theories/concepts that you want them to apply to their arguments?

Establish some discussion guidelines. Work with students to establish a set of guidelines for class discussion; their input is important here so the rules are part of the classroom community, not just rules you impose. Some possible guidelines include:

Listen respectfully, without interrupting

Allow everyone the opportunity to speak

Criticize ideas, not individuals or groups

Avoid inflammatory language, including name-calling

Ask questions when you don't understand; don't assume you know others' thinking or motivations

Connect back to course concepts whenever possible

Don't expect any individuals to speak on behalf of their gender, ethnic group, class, status, etc. (or the groups we perceive them to be a part of).

Talk candidly about the challenges ahead. Admit up front that the conversations may be awkward or challenging, but explain why they are important parts of the class. You can set an example by expressing some personal vulnerability, a willingness to take risks and make mistakes, and a willingness to learn and grow in a public setting.

Warm up first. Consider dealing first with some less complex or emotionally-charged topics, rather than just jumping into a very heated issue. Have a reflective discussion about how that discussion went, so students can learn how to handle the discussion and build trust with their classmates.

During Class

Provide a framework and starting point. Prepare some questions to get the conversation started, balancing the needs for both focus and openness in responses. Avoid questions that seem like there is one right answer. In some cases, it works well to ask not for their own opinions, per se, but a sharing of what opinions they have heard about that topic; such an approach allows you to get the "lay of the land" without anyone feeling too exposed from the start. Structured discussion activities can also be useful for guiding conversations in productive and supportive ways (including these examples from Vanderbilt University).

Actively manage the discussion. Be ready to prompt students as needed for follow-up, additional explanation, or evidence. Be ready to remind students of the discussion guidelines, and let them practice re-stating comments as needed. And be ready to steer the conversation back to the stated goals of the discussion.

Address the difficulty. If there is some hesitancy in the conversation, consider asking why it is difficult to discuss, and be ready to reassert any course or disciplinary framework that will help people respond. Admitting your own discomfort in addressing such issues can make students more comfortable with their own discomfort, especially if you explain or model how you can work past it.

Provide structured opportunities for reflection and input. Consider how you can structure opportunities for everyone to stop, think, and reflect, particularly when the conversation lags or becomes contentious. Ask students to write for a few moments, share answers with a neighbor, and come back to the broader discussion with that new focus. Sometimes a short writing break is useful in diffusing tension and refocusing the conversation.

Be ready to defer the conversation. If the conversation gets too heated or off-topic, you may want to reach some sort of closure to the immediate discussion and defer the conversation to another class period, for which everyone can prepare. Be certain to explain the purpose of this deferral, and give students some resource or assignment that will help them prepare to discuss the topic in a more meaningful way within the context of the course and discipline. This is particularly useful in situations where the conversation was spontaneous, not planned.

Be aware of the implications of sharing your own views. Weigh the impact of you sharing your own opinions on an issue, knowing that could silence students who hold other views. If you do share your own ideas, be sure to elaborate on your thinking process enough to model the disciplinary thinking you want them to do, not necessarily the outcome.

Confront inappropriate language. If a student makes an inappropriate comment-racist, sexist, or otherwise offensive-letting it go without intervention can seem like a tacit endorsement of those views. And whether the slight is intentional or not, the impact is the same. Letting such comments pass unchallenged can seriously harm students' trust in you and their sense of belonging in the class and the university. Have some responses ready for how you are going to address such comments, including language that interrupts bias by calling out the behavior while calling in the person. Responding directly to microagressions and other inappropriate language may feel uncomfortable, but our discomfort as instructors has less impact than discomfort experienced by marginalized students.

Follow-Up

Synthesize the discussion. Leave some time at the end of class for people to synthesize what they heard, particularly in terms of how it relates back to course concepts and the activity's stated goals. Or consider giving students a follow-up assignment outside of class that asks them to do this synthesis and reflection, both for their own benefit and for you to assess how useful the activity was. Part of the purpose here can be to give students a way to process any cognitive (or emotional) dissonance they may have encountered during the discussion.

Reflect on the conversation dynamics. Ask student what they would have liked to have done differently in the conversation-either a reflection on the whole group's behavior or (perhaps more importantly) on how they participated. You might remind them of any frameworks or guidelines as a structure for their reflections. In some cases, it might be worth giving the group a second chance at a discussion.

Share relevant resources as needed. If you think some students may need assistance processing a difficult discussion, and who may need emotional or psychological support, make sure they know about campus resources available to them, including:

Problems with Discussion

Getting Started: Students are often reluctant to get down to work in a discussion. Students are more likely to join in discussion if you divide them into pairs or small groups and assign a specific discussion question. After a few minutes of small group discussion, ask several groups to report out their ideas to the entire class. This often helps to get discussion going because students have had a chance to "try out" their ideas on their peers. Alternatively, give students time to write individually before opening up a discussion; they are much more likely to speak up if they have some notes to speak from. Further, by allowing for this kind of pre-discussion activity, you will be able to ask more complex and interesting questions. At the same time you will be promoting equity in the conversation, allowing everyone in the class to gather his or her thoughts before speaking rather than privileging the bold or the entitled, who can otherwise dominate the discussion.

Attendance: Despite the fact that discussion section participation is a requirement for many introductory courses, students may believe that their attendance is not mandatory since the AI rather than the professor is in charge. Therefore you may want to devise a way to structure required assignments, projects or presentations into your sections so that section participation will be a part of the final course grade. If students know that the AI has some responsibility for determining their grades, that AI will have considerably more authority in the classroom or in any interactions with students.

Losing Control: One fear about discussion is the possibility that the discussion will be TOO enthusiastic or not remain civil. Develop ground rules as a class. Gently, students can be reminded that behavior X (e.g., interrupting, blatantly ignoring the conversation, showing disrespect) is not appropriate in the context of the rules the class agreed on. If no rules have been established, or if the inappropriate behavior doesn't seem to fit under the rules, you should address it immediately. Otherwise, you send a message to the students that such behavior is acceptable. Often, simply walking toward the student(s) will resolve the problem, as they will see that you are paying attention. Sometimes, however, you will need to address the problem directly. Try not to get rattled-take a deep breath, allow some silence, and then respond. This gives you some time to plan a response that models for the students how to handle a difficult situation. Remember: never shame or humiliate a student, and don't take student remarks personally-although an attack may seem personal, it may be directed at authority figures in general rather than at you in particular.

Discussion Monopolizers: If the same students answer all the time, you might say, "Let's hear from someone else." Then don't call on students who have already spoken. Do not allow one student to speak for an inordinate amount of class time. Take that person aside and ask him or her to limit comments in class. If the student does not respond to this hint, tell him or her an exact number of times he or she will be allowed to respond in class, and do not call on him or her after that number has been reached in any class period.

Controversial Topics: If you teach charged topics, prepare students for discussing them. For an article about how to build up the skills necessary to discuss sensitive topics, see "Controlled Fission: Teaching Supercharged Subjects" (Pace, 2003).

Learning More

The CITL occasionally offers workshops on leading discussion on difficult topics. See the CITL Events page, or contact us at citl@indiana.edu.

The teaching center at the University of Michigan (the Center for Research in Learning and Teaching, CRLT) has several online resources related to teaching difficult topics and leading sensitive class discussions, including those aimed specifically at teaching during crises (campus unrest, national tragedies, etc.): http://www.crlt.umich.edu/multicultural-teaching/difficult-moments.

The CRLT also provides a guide specifically aimed at Preparing to Teach about the 2020 Election (and after).

Vanderbilt University's Center for Teaching also has resources with valuable suggestions for managing difficult discussions, particularly the "Specific Tools and Strategies" section: https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/difficult-dialogues/.

"Responding to Microaggressions in the Classroom: Taking ACTION" (Souza, 2018) provides some concrete language for responding to inappropriate comments in class.

"Interrupting Bias: Calling Out vs. Calling In" (Haslam, 2019) offers language for calling out biased language and behavior in ways that both confront and educate.

Having Difficult Conversations about Race and Other Identities: Overview of Intergroup Dialogue (IUPUI's Center for Teaching and Learning, 2020) provides an approach to facilitated conversation between individuals of different social identity groups. (video, 1:01:25)

The Office of the Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Multicultural Affairs is an advocate for underrepresented students, faculty, and staff and provides programs to promote excellence through diversity, equity, and culture at Indiana University. Their diversity education programming offers useful insights on promoting equitable and inclusive instruction.

Arao, Brian, and Kristi Clemens. "From Safe Spaces to Brave Spaces: A New Way to Frame Dialogue around Diversity and Social Justice." The Art of Effective Facilitation: Reflections from Social Justice Educators. Sterling, VA: Stylus Publishing (2013): 135-150. Available from Indiana University Libraries ( https://iucat.iu.edu/catalog/16117547)

Brookfield, Stephen. Discussion as a Way of Teaching: Tools and Techniques for Democratic Classrooms. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass (2005). Available from Indiana University Libraries ( http://iucat.iu.edu/catalog/6278982).

For More Help or Information

Contact the CITL for more assistance on these issues-including planning activities around difficult topics, managing classroom discussions, and setting inclusive and constructive classroom climates.

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This page provides tips and resources for managing heated or contentious conversations in the classroom.

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Holocaust Education - Teach about the Holocaust and empower middle and high school educators

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Brown University Teaching Diverse Learners

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Brown University Teaching Diverse Learners

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Families & Communities

Research states that home involvement with children's schools supports their achievement ( Epstein, 1995). Family involvement takes distinct forms for different communities, due to varied understandings of the roles that families play in school and the expectation for "involvement" as understood by school staff. Since other family members and individuals in communities often engage with schools on behalf of children, we recognize the need to expand the discussion beyond "parent" involvement.

Research also demonstrates that schools benefit from families' funds of knowledge ( Moll, Amanti, Neff & Gonzalez, 1992). Therefore, it is important to forge relationships between families and teachers in their children's schools ( Valdes, 1996). The following information presents a basis for building family/teacher relationships by presenting facts and resources that educators of diverse learners need to know in order to promote communication between home and school.

This exploration of family and community in education will focus on selected equity issues that influence family access to schools:

1. Knowledge About Schools

2. Culture

3. Language

4. Social Status in the Larger Community
References:
Cibulka, J. G., & Kritek, W. J. (Eds.). (1996). Coordination among schools, families and communities: Prospects for educational reform. Albany: State University of New York Press.

Epstein, J. (1995). School/family/community partnerships: Caring for the children we share. Phi Delta Kappan, 76, 701-712.

Moll, L.C., Amanti, C., Neff, D., & Gonzalez, N. (1992). Funds of knowledge for teaching: Using a qualitative approach to connect homes and classrooms. Theory Into Practice, 31 (2), 132-141.

U. S. Department of Education. (1994). Strong families, strong schools: Building community partnerships for learning. A research base for family involvement in learning. Washington, DC: Author.

Valdes, G. (1996). Con respeto: Bridging distances between culturally diverse families and schools. New York: Teachers College Press, Columbia University.

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Research states that home involvement with children's schools supports their achievement ( Epstein, 1995). Family involvement takes distinct forms for different communities, due to varied understandings of the roles that families play in school and the expectation for "involvement" as understood by school staff.

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Funds Of Knowledge for Teaching: Using a Qualitative Approach to Connecting Homes and Classrooms

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Funds Of Knowledge for Teaching: Using a Qualitative Approach to Connecting Homes and Classrooms

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Moll, Amanti, Neff, and Gonzalez

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Funds of Knowledge for Teaching: Using a Qualitative Approach to Connect Homes and Classrooms

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Funds of Knowledge for Teaching: Using a Qualitative Approach to Connect Homes and Classrooms

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Funds of Knowledge Video

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Beyond Diversity Day: A Q & A on Gay and Lesbian Issues in Schools

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Beyond Diversity Day: A Q & A on Gay and Lesbian Issues in Schools

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A highly informative guide in Q&A format that provides advice to educators on working with sexual-minority youth and improving the learning climate of schools. The book itself is highly readable, while the appendixes and promised index make it a handy reference worth keeping long after reading it cover to cover. Middle-school through college educators, parents, students, and school board members will all find this valuable. Recommended for all libraries and education collections...., Library Journal

If every teacher, physician, and mental health professional were to read this book, tens of thousands of children would be happier, safer, and better prepared for productive adult life. Arthur Lipkin's good sense, humane vision, and long experience resonate through every answer to the most important questions about children's emerging sexualities. -- Eli H. Newberger, M.D., Harvard Medical School, author of The Men They Will Become

At last! A lucidly argued case and clearly written manual to launch the difficult but necessary project of bringing antigay prejudice educational programming into our public schools. This book offers a roadmap to guide educators to a future where schoolhouse and schoolyard bullying are exceptions, not norms, of student behavior. All the hate crimes laws in the world cannot prevent bias violence and harassment of those who exercise the freedom to differ. Prevention requires education and education requires action. Let's get to it! -- Sue Hyde, director, Creating Change Conference, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force

Homophobia is, these days, the most ingrained American prejudice. Yet the more education a person has, the less likely he or she is to be homophobic. Schools are also places where different people meet and learn about each other. It seems sensible, then, to work on these issues deeply and carefully while still at school. Arthur Lipkin's new book, which presents important questions and informed answers, shows how it can be done. -- Nancy Faust Sizer, Harvard Graduate School of Education

The book is an excellent resource for teachers, counselors, and administrators who want to become better informed about issues related to LGBT [Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgendered] students and teachers and who want to discover ways to create effective school reform., Teachers College Record

An essential guide for educators and policymakers who want to understand and affirm sexuality differences. Written in a question and answer format, this book includes a masterful presentation of research and practice suggestions for principals, counselors, teachers, and parents., Rethinking Schools

A highly informative guide in Q&A format that provides advice to educators on working with sexual-minority youth and improving the learning climate of schools. The book itself is highly readable, while the appendixes and promised index make it a handy reference worth keeping long after reading it cover to cover. Middle-school through college educators, parents, students, and school board members will all find this valuable. Recommended for all libraries and education collections., Library Journal

School counselors and others interested in making the school environment receptive and nurturing to all kinds of children are likely to find this book useful. Students, teachers, and school personnel, whether gay or straight, are likely to find the book informs and offers hope. Families, especially those with GLBT children, will find a reassuring, knowledgeable voice in Lipkin. Counselor educators could use this book as a secondary text in a diversity course to offer students a blueprint for initiating change into community organizations of all types., Counseling Today

This is a handbook for teachers, counselors, administrators, policymakers, parents, and students who want to understand and affirm sexuality differences; promote and protect all students' well-being; and reduce bigotry, self-hatred, and violence., Education Digest

This is a valuable resource for teachers and school counselors who want to adopt a positive attitude to gay, lesbian, bisexual, transsexual, and other sexual minority students. Beyond Diversity Day will be very useful for those who want to help students who are questioning their sexuality or know that they are not heterosexual., Metapsychology Online

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beyond diversity day: a q&a on gay and lesbian issues in schools (curriculum

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education / educational policy & reform / general

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education: educational policy & reform / general

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social science / lgbt studies / gay studies

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social science / lgbt studies / lesbian studies

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social science/lgbt studies - gay studies

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social science/lgbt studies - lesbian studies

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education / educational policy & reform / general

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education: educational policy & reform / general

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social science / lgbt studies / gay studies

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social science / lgbt studies / lesbian studies

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social science/lgbt studies - gay studies

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
social science/lgbt studies - lesbian studies

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Beyond Diversity Day: A Q&A on Gay and Lesbian Issues in Schools (Curriculum, Cultures, and (Homo)Sexualities Series)

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Beyond Diversity Day: A Q&A on Gay and Lesbian Issues in Schools (Curriculum, Cultures, and (Homo)Sexualities Series) [Lipkin Ed.D, Arthur] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Beyond Diversity Day: A Q&A on Gay and Lesbian Issues in Schools (Curriculum, Cultures, and (Homo)Sexualities Series)

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Understanding Homosexuality, Changing Schools 

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Understanding Homosexuality, Changing Schools 

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Arthur Lipkin, Ed.D.

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Amazon.com: Understanding Homosexuality, Changing Schools: 9780813325354: Lipkin, Arthur: Books

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Styles, 1988

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Windows and Mirrors, Styles 1988

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SEED Leaders Login Username * Password * Show Password Forgot your username? Forgot your password? Remember me Log in

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Social Justice Standards-A Framework for Anti-Bias Education

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Social Justice Standards: The Teaching Tolerance Anti-bias Framework is a set of 20 anchor standards and 80 grade-level outcomes organized into four domains-Identity, Diversity, Justice and Action-that reflect the desired impact of successful anti-bias and multicultural education on student personal and social development. The standards provide a common language and organizational structure. Teachers can use them to guide curriculum development, and administrators can use them to make schools more just, equitable and safe.

The four unique anti-bias perspectives and the standards that accompany them are labeled throughout the meaningful and complex texts found in our Perspectives text library. Teachers and students are able to further develop their understanding of these standards through examination of the examples highlighted in the texts.

The following professional development modules are aimed to help teachers understand the standards and identify how to use them to engage students in a range of anti-bias, multicultural and social justice issues.

Four Professional Development Modules

Social Justice Standards: Unpacking Identity
Understand the five Identity anchor standards, and relate how identity has many characteristics and affects relationships within the school building and the classroom.

Social Justice Standards: Unpacking Diversity
Develop respectful ways to discuss similarities and differences with others through the five Diversity anchor standards, and begin to think about how diversity affects relationships within the school building and the classroom.

Social Justice Standards: Understanding Justice
Understand the difference between personal stereotypes and systemic discrimination, and explore how privilege impacts discrimination and justice, and understand the five Justice anchor standards.

Social Justice Standards: Unpacking Action
Understand the five Action anchor standards and how they can be used to move students from prejudice reduction to collective action.

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Social Justice Standards: The Teaching Tolerance Anti-bias Framework is a set of 20 anchor standards and 80 grade-level outcomes organized into four domains-Identity, Diversity, Justice and Action-that reflect the desired impact of successful anti-bias and multicultural education on student personal and social development.

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Time Management

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The Pomodoro® Technique | Cirillo Consulting GmbH

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The Pomodoro® Technique is a time management method developed by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s. It is a structured method made up of processes, tools, principles and values to learn how to deal with time and turn it from a vicious predator to an ally to boost productivity. It is based on a ser…

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Executive Functioning Resources

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Copyright © 2014-2020 Understood For All Inc. All rights reserved. "Understood" and related logos are trademarks of Understood For All Inc. and are used with permission. This website provides information of a general nature and is designed for information and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical or legal advice. Understood is a nonprofit initiative. Understood does not and will not take money from pharmaceutical companies. We do not market to or offer services to individuals in the European Union. For more information, please review the Terms and Conditions.

"Understood" as used above includes Understood For All Inc., and their officers, affiliates, parents, and related entities, and their respective employees, contractors, or other personnel.

Understood For All Inc.
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New York, NY 10013-2150
Media inquiries: media@understood.org (preferred) or(516) 654-7584

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Understood | For learning and thinking differences

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Copyright © 2014-2020 Understood For All Inc. All rights reserved. "Understood" and related logos are trademarks of Understood For All Inc. and are used with permission. This website provides information of a general nature and is designed for information and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical or legal advice.

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Harvard University's Center on the Developing Child

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Harvard University's Center on the Developing Child

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Executive Functioning Activity Guides

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Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University

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Executive function and self-regulation (EF/SR) skills provide critical supports for learning and development, and while we aren't born with these skills, we are born with the potential to develop them through interactions and practice.

This 16-page guide (available for download, below), describes a variety of activities and games that represent age-appropriate ways for adults to support and strengthen various components of EF/SR in children.

Each chapter of this guide contains activities suitable for a different age group, from infants to teenagers. The guide may be read in its entirety (which includes the introduction and references) or in discrete sections geared to specific age groups.

Suggested citation: Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University (2014). Enhancing and Practicing Executive Function Skills with Children from Infancy to Adolescence. Retrieved from www.developingchild.harvard.edu.

Download PDF

Enhancing and Practicing Executive Function Skills with Children from Infancy to Adolescence

An activities guide for building executive function

Download PDF

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Activities Guide: Enhancing & Practicing Executive Function Skills

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Download free guides of executive functioning activities to support and strengthen skills, available for children ages six months through adolescence.

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How To Use This Site

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This lesson idea is part of a collection of resources Facing History and Ourselves has developed to support classroom use of Not in Our School's materials. Facing History and Ourselves combats racism, antisemitism, and religious prejudice by using history to teach tolerance in classrooms around the globe.
To prepare students to explore the Not in Our School website, we suggest implementing one or more of the following activities that can help to:

Familiarize students with vocabulary used on the website

Engage students with themes the website explores

Provide background information about Not in Our School, hate crimes and bullying

establish norms for a safe classroom community that respects different points of view

This lesson idea is part of a collection of resources Facing History and Ourselves has developed to support classroom use of Not in Our School's materials. Other resources in this collection include:

Using Not in Our School Videos

Youth Leaders Share Strategies for Standing Up to Hate

Spread the Peace

Not in Our School Next Steps: projects and assignment

Suggested activities: One or more of these ideas, in addition to your own, can be used to create a lesson plan relevant for your students.

Promoting a safe, open, respectful classroom community: The purpose of the Not in Our School program is to help students think about what is happening in their own school community and to take steps to create more tolerant, inclusive communities. Conversations about what happens in schools in general, and in the students' own school in particular, can bring up sensitive topics such as inclusion, exclusion, cliques, racism, sexuality, homophobia, gossip, etc. Thus, before approaching this material, we encourage you to review norms for a respectful classroom community with your students. What conditions need to be met for students to feel safe expressing their ideas? Some teachers introduce the concept of "ouch moments" - comments or reactions, usually unintentional, that cause someone in the room to hurt or feel uncomfortable. What should students do if he/she experiences an "ouch moment"? Some options include, labeling the moment as an "ouch moment" (with or without the need to explain) or writing the comment on an exit card or in a journal so that it can be addressed at a later time. For more ideas on how to help establish a respectful learning community, refer to the contracting teaching strategy on Facing History's website.

Introducing and developing vocabulary: Hate crimes, bullying, bystander, upstander, homophobia, tolerance, bigotry, inclusion and exclusion are some terms students can define before exploring the Not in Our School website. Word walls or word clouds can help students present their definitions. (Websites such as www.wordle.net or www.tagxedo.com can help students create word clouds.) Below are some specific ideas for helping students develop a deeper understanding of upstander, bullying and hate crime:

Defining upstander: Facing History defines an upstander as someone who takes a stand against injustice. Ask students to brainstorm examples of people who have acted as upstanders. Examples could come from their own lives, current events, history, literature, movies, etc. Then students can present their upstander examples as a think-pair-share or wraparound. When they finish sharing, invite students to add to Facing History's definition of upstander.

Defining bullying: Many of the resources on the Not in Our School website concern "bullying" - a term that people use in different ways to describe acts of hate, intimidation, and harassment among young people. (Consider what acts of bullying are often called when the perpetrators are adults. Hate crime? Physical assault? Libel?) Before students explore the examples provided on the website, you might ask students to clarify their own definition of bullying. At what point does a joke, a comment or an action become inappropriate, offensive and/or hurtful? While some examples of bullying or intolerance appear obvious, other actions may be more subtle. We might not even agree about what actions should be labeled as "bullying." Here are two ways to help students clarify their definition of bullying:

1.) The barometer teaching strategy can be used to help students discuss their definitions of bullying. Label one end of the continuum "appropriate behavior" (or "should be okay in our school") and the other end "inappropriate behavior" (or "not in our school"). Then ask students to share examples of behaviors they see around their school. Students then stand on the place along the continuum that represents the degree to which they think the behavior should be allowed.

2.) To check students' assumptions and clarify their thinking, ask them to brainstorm a range of actions from "not serious" to "gravely serious." Encourage them to include examples of behaviors that take place online or through cell phones as well (in other words, possibly examples of cyberbullying). On the wall, create a continuum with one side labeled "not serious action" and the other side labeled "gravely serious action." Then have students post the situations where they think they belong on this line. (You could have students write their scenarios on post-it notes to make this step easier.) After all students have posted a scenario or two, have students stand near the line to review this work. Do they agree with where scenarios are placed? Are there any posts they would like to move? This exercise can help students clarify their definition of bullying.

Defining hate crime: The Not in Our School website also includes resources documenting how students have responded to hate crimes in their communities. Before exploring these resources, have students define the term "hate crime." The FBI website includes the legal definition of hate crime and other information you may want to review with students prior to having them look at responses to these crimes.

Journal and discussion prompts: To prepare students for the themes and situations they will explore on the website, you can use the following prompts as the focus for journal writing or small group discussions. (Note: The think-pair-share teaching strategy combines time for individual writing, small group conversation, and whole class discussion.)

What does the phrase "Not in our School" mean to you? What behaviors and attitudes don't belong in school? Do you think others would agree with you? Why or why not?

Identify a recent example of hate, intolerance, bullying or prejudice you witnessed or experienced in your school or community. Identify a recent example of friendship, tolerance, or kindness you witnessed or experienced in your school or community. Which example was easier for you to come up with? What do you notice more - acts of kindness or acts of meanness? Why?

A 14 year-old girl from New Jersey said, "Being bullied over the internet is worse...They say sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me. That quote is a lie and I don't believe in it. Sticks and stones may cause nasty cuts and scars, but those cuts and scars will heal. Insults hurt and sometimes take forever to heal."# Respond to this girl's comments. Do you agree or disagree with her? Do you think verbal bullying, including cyberbullying, is as harmful as physical bullying? Why or why not?

What risks are involved in standing up to bullying, prejudice and hate? What can help people overcome those risks? Under what conditions, if any, might it be unwise to stand up to perpetrators of violence and intolerance?

Why do people sometimes engage in bullying or mean behavior? Why do people engage in acts of kindness?

What does it mean to "do the right thing" when you see students being bullied? What makes it hard to always do the right thing? Have you ever been in a situation where you were not sure about what was the "right" thing to do? Describe this situation. What made it difficult for you to determine what was the best or "right" course of action?

Psychologist Ervin Staub wrote, "Goodness, like evil, often begins in small steps. Heroes evolve: they aren't born." What encourages people to take these "small steps?" Where do people learn how to act as "heroes" or "upstanders?"

Anticipation guide: Anticipation guides ask students to express an opinion about ideas before they encounter then in a text of unit of study. Often teachers ask students to return to their anticipation guides after exploring new material, noting how their opinions may have shifted or strengthened as a result of new information. Here are examples of statements you can use to encourage students to think about the ideas addressed in Not in our School's videos:

Students are the most powerful influence on their school's tone and climate. They decide what kind of behavior is acceptable and unacceptable.

Stepping in when you see someone treated unfairly is easy.

The adults in the school are the ones who are responsible for creating a safe learning environment for all students.

It is unrealistic to think that schools can be places where all students are treated fairly and kindly.

Some students are excluded or teased because they deserve it.

If students feel unsafe at school, they should go to a teacher or school administrator for help.

If someone is verbally or physically attacking another student - someone you do not know - the best thing to do is stay out of it.

If someone is verbally or physically attacking a friend, the best thing to do is intervene to stop it.

Bystanders have the power to stop injustice.

If bullies knew their behavior was unacceptable, they would stop acting that way.

The best way to stop teasing, harassment and bullying is to have a stronger system of enforcement and punishment.

At the bottom of this page, you may download an example of a sample anticipation guide you could use before having students explore resources on the Not in Our School website. (Note: Many teachers use the Four Corners strategy to structure a conversation about controversial statements.)

Web resources on school climate, bullying and hate crimes:
Before having students explore the Not in Our School website you might want to have students explore some of the following resources to learn more about school climate, bullying and hate crimes. Students can report back to the class about what they found. Or, you can use information from these websites to create a short lecture.

You could also ask your students to use online search engines to location information from credible sources on bullying and/or hate crimes. In addition to the general search function, Google provides searches that present information in different ways. You can find these functions on the bottom left navigation list and/or by clicking the heading "More search tools."

"Wonder wall" breaks down a topic into sub-topics via a concept may display. Click here for an example of a Wonder Wall search for the term "bullying." Students could be assigned different spokes of the wheel to explore in greater depth.

"Timeline" presents information organized by year. This function allows students to trace the history of bullying or hate crimes, as reported by the media.

"Nearby" provides information relevant to your particular area. This function allows students to focus on bullying or hate crime incidents in their region.

Review the strategy " Evaluating internet resources " for ideas on how to help students assess the validity of their sources.

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This lesson idea is part of a collection of resources Facing History and Ourselves has developed to support classroom use of Not in Our School's materials. Facing History and Ourselves combats racism, antisemitism, and religious prejudice by using history to teach tolerance in classrooms around the globe.

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Student Video

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At Shaw High School in East Cleveland, OH, students in Lori Urogdy-Eiler's Facing History and Ourselves class mentor younger students in how to be an upstander, not a bystander, when faced with bullying and intolerant acts. (5:48)

This video is part of the Not In Our School Video Action Kit, a comprehensive toolkit featuring films, lessons, and resources designed to motivate students to speak out against bullying, and create new ways to make their schools safe for everyone. Learn more about the Video Action Kit.

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Students Teach Students to Stand Up to Bullying

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At Shaw High School in East Cleveland, OH, students in Lori Urogdy-Eiler's Facing History and Ourselves class mentor younger students in how to be an upstander, not a bystander, when faced with bullying and intolerant acts.

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"I believe in the power of Facing History."

-Durias D., Facing History Alum

"I went to a Facing History workshop and it opened my eyes."

-Tareeq R., Educator

Facing History & Ourselves
uses lessons of history
to challenge teachers
and their students
to stand up to bigotry and hate.

Facing History & Ourselves is more than our name. It is an active and continuous process that calls on each of us to connect the choices of the past to those we face today. To build a more just and equitable future, we must face our history in all its complexity, Are you ready to face history with us?

Learn how you can experience Facing History

Facing History has thousands of research-based resources and professional learning events to support Social Studies and English Language Arts education.

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And hopefully, they will always remember what happened to us and make sure that it won't happen again.

Sonia Weitz, Holocaust survivor and poet

Sign up to download the PDF version of our textbook, Holocaust and Human Behavior.

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

92% of Facing History teachers agree that Facing History helps their students stand up for what they believe even when others disagree.

91% of elective teachers agree or strongly agree that their Facing History course promoted their students' abilities to ground reading, writing, and speaking in evidence from text.

Demand for our work is greater than ever. Make a 100% tax-deductible donation today and you'll help us reach even more teachers and students around the world, giving them the tools to stand up to bigotry and hate.

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Facing History & Ourselves uses lessons of history to challenge teachers and their students to stand up to bigotry and hate.

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Blog

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Novak Educational Consulting

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The Center for Applied Special Technology

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The Center for Applied Special Technology

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CAST

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CAST is a multifaceted organization with a singular ambition: Bust the barriers to learning that millions of people experience every day. We do this by helping educators and organizations apply insights from the learning sciences and leading-edge practices to educational design and implementation.

Learn about our mission and values

UDL your way!

We're celebrating a decade of bringing together thousands of educators from around the globe to network, collaborate, research, share, and learn together about Universal Design for Learning. Join us in-person or virtually March 14-15, 2023 in Orlando, FL and online.

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Are you looking for effective ways to design and lead professional development? Gain new insights, templates, and guidance to apply the art and science of helping people put professional learning into practice.

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Join us for a deep dive into systemic, school wide UDL implementation. Registration includes one full-day professional learning event and three follow-up sessions.

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We'll be celebrating a decade of bringing together thousands of educators from around the globe to network, collaborate, research, share, and learn content centered on Universal Design for Learning.

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CAST is a multifaceted organization with a singular ambition: Bust the barriers to learning that millions of people experience every day. We do this by helping educators and organizations apply insights from the learning sciences and leading-edge practices to educational design and implementation.

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Novak Educational Consulting

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Educators Design Lab

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Design Lab

The Design Lab provides an opportunity to collaborate on bold ideas that make a difference in the lives of students. Rooted in community-driven design and a creative mindset, we collectively transform ideas into solutions. The lab serves as a new model for the way we impact learning.

Students, educators, families, and community members want to create solutions to existing challenges. The Design Lab validates their insights and provides a means to experiment with transformative design. It enables shared power, highlights everyone as an innovator, and creates a model for on-going innovation.

It also capitalizes on experiences, expertise, and passions by changing the way problems are identified and addressed. This iterative process involves gathering information about educational issues, developing possibilities, and evolving them into viable solutions. These potential solutions are tried in various classrooms, Out-of-School Time programs, and in the community.

The Design Lab reframes the way we look at educational problems. It encourages us to see problems as opportunities and to collectively find solutions together. It promotes partnerships between schools and their communities and represents a powerful system for local, sustainable innovation.

Design Lab Mission:

Engage students, educators, families and community members in co-design

Explore and create impactful design solutions

Build partnerships and a culture of creativity and courage

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Design Lab The Design Lab provides an opportunity to collaborate on bold ideas that make a difference in the lives of students. Rooted in community-driven design and a creative mindset, we collectively transform ideas into solutions. The lab serves as a new model for the way we impact learning.

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Equity-Centered Community Design

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Our mission is to educate, train, and challenge Black and Latinx youth to become leaders in designing healthy and racially equitable communities. We're challenging the belief that only adults with titles (e.g. mayors, CEOs, etc.) have the power and right to challenge racial and health inequities. However, we're conscious that young leaders and adults alike must collectively design a world centered in equity.
Join us in building a movement of Redesigners for Justice!

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Our mission is to educate, train, and challenge Black and Latinx youth to become leaders in designing healthy and racially equitable communities. We're challenging the belief that only adults with titles (e.g. mayors, CEOs, etc.) have the power and right to challenge racial and health inequities.

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Design Thinking for Educators Toolkit

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To catalyze creative leadership, The Teachers Guild builds off the methods and mindsets from the Design Thinking for Educators Toolkit. It's a learner-centered approach to problem-solving that builds teachers' skills and confidence to design for the evolving needs of their students and schools.

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To catalyze creative leadership, The Teachers Guild builds off the methods and mindsets from the Design Thinking for Educators Toolkit. It's a learner-centered approach to problem-solving that builds teachers' skills and confidence to design for the evolving needs of their students and schools.

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Liberatory Design

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Liberatory Design - National Equity Project

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The Liberatory Design approach and card deck was originally created as part of a collaboration between the National Equity Project (Victor Cary and Tom Malarkey) and the Stanford d.school's K12 Lab ( Tania Anaissie, David Clifford, and Susie Wise) in 2016. This crew continues to collaborate on further developing this approach.

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Three Ways of Getting Student Feedback to Improve Your Teaching

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Three Ways of Getting Student Feedback to Improve Your Teaching

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Edutopia Article

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Edutopia is a free source of information, inspiration, and practical strategies for learning and teaching in preK-12 education. We are published by the George Lucas Educational Foundation, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization.

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Website

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Tripod Education Partners works with states, districts, and schools to gather, organize, and report on student, teacher, and family perspectives. As pioneers in the field, Tripod's nationally recognized surveys were first developed in 2001 by Dr. Ronald F. Ferguson of Harvard University with educators in Ohio.

Rooted in Educational Equity.

Tripod surveys were first administered as part of a school-based initiative focused on raising achievement for all students while reducing the Black/White achievement gap. Tripod surveys include measures to capture student perceptions of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Validated by Research.

Many research studies have highlighted the reliability and validity of data collected with Tripod surveys, including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's Measures of Effective Teaching (MET) Project, which used Tripod surveys as one of its key metrics.

Widely Used.

As a trusted research and implementation partner, our surveys are used in settings across the country and internationally. Locations include Grand Rapids, Pittsburgh, Houston, Washington, DC, and Hawaii.

Action Oriented.

Tripod survey reports help district leaders, principals, and teachers track progress over time and set goals for professional learning and school improvement.

Flexible Support Provided.

Tripod offers a variety of data collection options-paper, online, annually, weekly-and can customize surveys to meet local needs. Our experienced team of research and implementation staff provide end-to-end support to ensure success.

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Tripod Education Partners works with states, districts, and schools to gather, organize, and report on student, teacher, and family perspectives. As pioneers in the field, Tripod's nationally recognized surveys were first developed in 2001 by Dr. Ronald F. Ferguson of Harvard University with educators in Ohio.

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The Three C's of Urban Education: Cogenerative Dialogues, Co-Teaching, and Cosmopolitanism

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The Three C's of Urban Education: Cogenerative Dialogues, Co-Teaching, and Cosmopolitanism

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Dr. Christopher Emdin

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TedTalk

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Reality Pedagogy: Christopher Emdin at TEDxTeachersCollege

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Mirko Chardin Welcome Letter

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Four Agreements of Courageous Conversations

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Four Agreements of Courageous Conversations

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Glenn Singleton

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Equity Matters Website

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This blog post has been a long time coming. We've punted this one back and forth for months. Someone will approach Heidi and say: "I really like your Color Brave Space. Can I get a copy and use it?" She'll say: "Go ask Erin to blog about it." Or someone will come to the Southeast Seattle Education Coalition meeting and say: "I really like the Color Brave Space table tents, can I take it?" and Erin says "No, no taking the table tents. Tell Heidi to blog about it since she's the creator of Color Brave Space. And stop stealing my table tents - bad karma will come your way!" We'll quit cross-referring and write the blog post.

Heidi has been conducting racial equity trainings for over a decade. In that time, she's had groups come up with their own group norms, used 'safe space' agreements, and lots of other standard meeting practices. What she found was those types of meeting norms cater to whiteness. They allow the status quo to continue and don't push people, both white people and people of color, to understand their roles in undoing racism and challenging long held beliefs. Erin attends a lot of meetings with standard group norms and often sighs and wishes she could refocus the group with the Color Brave Space.

There are elements of 'safe space' agreements that we agree with such as 'respect' and 'confidentiality.' However, too often safe space translates into too comfortable for white people and they take safe to mean, 'don't threaten my ways of thinking' or don't make me feel uncomfortable. Safety and comfort are the norm for white people, but you can't be safe and comfortable to learn and grow.

Racial equity work should make us all think and challenge us to think and accept new information. Racial equity work is also about changing systems and centering the experiences and voices of people and communities of color. The Color Brave Space format when used correctly creates a different norms which allows this to happen more easily and readily.

To help you understand the elements/principles we will go a little more in-depth into a few of them.

Put Relationships First - Work to build community and trust with an awareness of power dynamics.

This is about trust building, connecting on a personal level, and helping us humanize each other, especially during conversations that are deeply personal, uncomfortable, and fraught with racialized mistrust. We also remind people trust is built over time so the meeting or training you are in is only the start and people should do the harder work of connecting outside of the meeting as well.

Keep Focused on Our Common Goal - W e care deeply about [insert your mission], especially those who are directly impacted by racism. [This line can be your mission instead of filling in the blank.]

Heidi almost always emphasizes this principle, because this is why we are all here. You can personalize it to your organization's mission or goal. It is important for everyone, even the facilitator to know that you are all there in pursuit of a common goal. When sharing it remind people we are all on the same team. Racial equity work is about reaching the common goal, not a 'gotcha' or 'you're a bad person' sort of thing, it is about the work and getting to a common equitable outcomes.

Notice Power Dynamics in the Room - Be aware of how you use your privilege: From taking up too much emotional and airtime space, or disengaging.

We emphasize this one because power shows up in many different ways that people may not be conscious of. There are the obvious forms of power, who talks a lot, who uses their title, or when Erin facilitates she say "I am standing in the front of the room and speaking, I have a lot of power in this moment." Power isn't always bad, but it needs to be acknowledged and kept in check.

Some of the ways power shows up that are less obvious are things like who disengages or focuses all of the attention on them when things get uncomfortable. This person is the one who maybe keeps leaving the room to take a call, or picks up their phone and plays with it during the middle of the meeting, or argues or tells long personal stories to defend their ways of thinking. These are forms of using power which doesn't advance the group agenda.

The best example of an unrecognized power is most of the time in dominant society (white) spaces, we are literally using 'academic English' as the tool or language of power. So if English is your first and primary language you will be able to participate quicker, more comfortably, and with deeper nuance. As an example, we have the Color Brave Space translated into Spanish. Erin once had a native Spanish speaker in an otherwise all English speaking room, read the Color Brave Space in Spanish. English only speakers looked uncomfortable because all of a sudden couldn't understand what was happening though the written English translation was provided. It was a great reminder about the power of language.

- Create Spaces for Multiple Truths and Norms Speak your truth, and seek understanding of truths that differ from yours, with awareness of power dynamics.

A couple weeks ago, Erin signed me (Heidi) up for a meditation class. I'm not sure what she was trying to tell me, but I went despite knowing that I had a preconceived opinion that I don't really like to meditate. But since Erin signed me up, I tried to stay open. Honestly, it was a struggle. But I am glad I went. I appreciated the instructor shared a Buddhist perspective about working hard to be in a "middle place." Our brains are wired to be constantly judging (you've probably already decided if you like this blog piece or not, I guess if you're still reading, you must like it), but the key is to use our conscious mind to not just fall directly into your immediate judgement and stay open to the 'middle place.' As a side note, I am still not sold on meditating, but willing to stay open to working on the practice. Erin's note to Heidi: meditation like racial equity work takes practice, if you try meditation again you might resist it less, or we can try to meditate during happy hour.

When Erin facilitates she often reminds people that this shows up when people want to pit policies against people's lived experiences. Sometimes when things get heated a person with formal power/authority may dismiss another person's story by saying "Well, the policy says this so that couldn't have happened," or "I need evidence..." We need to consciously create space to allow people to share different perspectives and work to figure out the systems creating the discrepancies.
Be Kind and Brave - R emember relationships first, and work to be explicit with your language about race, class, gender, immigration, etc.
One of the greatest disservices we have done to conversations about systemic racism is use coded and ambiguous language like 'diversity, culture, inclusion, or equity.'

Be clear in your language - when you say equity are you talking about racial equity or gender equity? This vague language actually prevents us from having an effective conversation. So let's work to be specific with our language, and ask for clarification from others when we hear them use terms like diversity, culture, or equity. Along with being kind and brave, remember we need to build relationships for the long haul so use your language in ways that builds bridges.

Practice Examining Racially Biased Systems and Processes - Individual actions are important, and systems are what are left after all the people in this room leave.

Most of these processes and systems in place are ones we've inherited. They existed before us, and will continue to exist after we are all gone if we don't examine and redesign them. It is important to remember we need to work at a systems level, so while the work may feel personal it isn't about you it is about undoing institutional and systemic racism.

Educators call this having a growth mindset. We all continue to have to continue to learn about dismantling racist systems. The best way to create a learning community is to show what we are learning, not what we already know. Heidi asks people explicitly not to play devil's advocate; this is a use of power to control the conversation. If you really are thinking of an unpopular idea that you should be able to say what is on your mind, while also being open to others sharing counter-narratives. If you want to play devil's advocate or argue, the meeting/training isn't the place to do it, doing so is hoarding power. Instead, take Heidi out for a beer, but no PBR, just the good stuff. Erin will warn you though if you try to play devil's advocate with Heidi you are likely to lose, she's good I have yet to win an argument, unless it is about something like food.
Equity Matters is sharing the Color Brave Space format for personal use only. It shouldn't be used for institutional or corporate use, including rewriting them on chart paper or projecting them. If you want to license it to use at your organization please contact licensing@equitymattersnw.com to buy a license allowing your organization to use it; licensing prices are below. Personal use means you are using it for a meeting you are facilitating in a personal (not paid) capacity (for organizational use please see pricing guidelines below), no additional copies are made or shared in print or electronically - people are welcome to read/print this blog post if they want their own copy. Please respect these guidelines, Equity Matters is sharing it in good faith and doesn't want to have to pull this post because people are inappropriately using or sharing Color Brave Space.
Here are suggestions for using the Color Brave Space Principles (Elements) -

1. Post them, share them, and take the time to actually read through them (slow down to hear them)- They are meant to help us visualize the type of space we want to create together, so they aren't helpful if you don't actually take the time to acknowledge and emphasize them. We often ask the group to popcorn style read them (one bold statement with the italic sentence below) until we hear them all. This way folks are actually paying attention and hearing different people's voices.

2. Pick a few to dig into and give some specific examples of what you want participants to be aware of. See deeper explanations above. I encourage you to add your own personalization and stories.

3. Highlight certain ones throughout the workshop that you want to emphasize for a specific exercise or conversation.

4. Hold your group accountable to the principles/elements. This means sometimes stopping a conversation and explaining why; see some of the examples above.

5. Please do not alter them or adapt them in any way.

6. One final ask, please credit Equity Matters when you use them.

Let us know how you've used them. Share how they impacted your meetings.

Finally, we must acknowledge and thank Mellody Hobson who introduced the concept of being color brave in her TED Talk. Give the TED talk a watch, then listen to it again for deeper meaning.

Please see Equity Matters for their licensing prices and contact information on how to license Color Brave Space.

By Heidi Schillinger and Erin Okuno

If you like what you read support the blog by Becoming a Patron!

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Color Brave Space - How to run a better equity focused meeting

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Today is the start of Ramadan; Ramadan Mubarak to many of our partners. This blog post has been a long time coming. We've punted this one back and forth for months. Someone will approach Heidi and say: "I really like your Color Brave Space. Can I get a copy and use it?"

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School Reform Initiative - A Community of Learners

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We extend our wide range of programs and services. Foundations in Facilitative Leadership and Communities of Practice might feel most familiar. Please connect with us directly, subscribe to our monthly news and follow us to keep up with our community.

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A Student's Journey

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Restorative Justice and Restorative Practices

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Cultural Responsiveness and Equity

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Identity, Mirrors, and Funds of Knowledge

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Personalized Learning for Equity

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Social Justice Through Collaboration and Community

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Vermont's Sacred Cow: A Case Study of Local Control of Schools

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Vermont's Sacred Cow: A Case Study of Local Control of Schools

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Michael S. Martin Ed.D.

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The Full Vermonty: Vermont in the Age of Trump

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The Full Vermonty: Vermont in the Age of Trump

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Mares & Danzinger

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The Brilliance of Black Boys: Cultivating School Success in Early Grades

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The Brilliance of Black Boys: Cultivating School Success in Early Grades

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Brian Wright

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Courageous Conversations About Race: A Field Guide for Achieving Equity in Schools

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Courageous Conversations About Race: A Field Guide for Achieving Equity in Schools

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Website

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Courageous Conversation - Providing Training, Coaching and Consulting for Millions of Racial Equity Leaders Around the World

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Founded in 1992 by Glenn E. Singleton, Pacific Educational Group provides services to help you facilitate courageous conversations about race in your organization, community or city.

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New Film! THE BYSTANDER MOMENT

Jackson has worked with the Media Education Foundation to create a new film about the MVP "bystander" approach to gender violence prevention education. Available on streaming and DVD, The Bystander Moment will be a great educational tool.

Author | Filmmaker | Scholar | Activist

Internationally acclaimed lecturer

Pioneering anti-violence educator

Jackson Katz, Ph.D., is internationally renowned for his pioneering scholarship and activism on issues of gender, race and violence. He has long been a major figure and thought leader in the growing global movement of men working to promote gender equality and prevent gender violence.

He is co-founder of Mentors in Violence Prevention (MVP), one of the longest-running and most widely influential gender violence prevention programs in North America, and the first major program of its kind in the sports culture and the military.

Katz's Viral TEDx Talk
in San Francisco

Keynote Speaking

Jackson Katz is an internationally acclaimed speaker who has delivered thousands of lectures about a range of topics in a multitude of venues in the U.S. and around the world.

His TED talk, " Violence against Women - It's a Men's Issue " has been viewed more than four million times.

education Training and Consulting

Jackson Katz conducts trainings for:

College and university staff, faculty, and administrators

High school educators and administrators

Sexual assault and domestic violence program staff and administrators

Community agencies/community leaders

Sexual Harassment Training

Jackson Katz, Ph.D. provides unique and powerful sexual
harassment training with small and large companies.

Military Training and Consulting

Jackson Katz and his organization, MVP Strategies, provide a range of gender violence prevention training, presentations and consulting services to all branches of the United States Armed Forces, as well as select militaries around the world.

In 1997, Dr. Katz created and directed the first system-wide gender violence prevention program in the United States Marine Corps, the first such program in the U.S.military.

Jackson Partners with The Representation Project on campaign for men to respond constructively to the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements during the 2018 Oscars.

New York City, December 4, 2017

Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton and the
Politics of Presidential Masculinity

By Jackson Katz, Ph.D.

An elucidating, nuanced study of gender and feminist dynamics perfect for our current political moment.

-Kirkus Reviews (*Starred Review)

Published 2016 * 6" x 9" * 320 pages

It was an incredible experience for us to have you speak to students and parents...You presented a whole way of living and relating to others they will now have forever in their heads (and hopefully in their hearts)...You presented great truths together with your own testimony, which is a very powerful combination. The kids were very responsive...the parents were so energized and gratified...Your work is making life better for women and liberating men to live as more authentic persons.

-Louise Macatee
Director of Counseling, Campbell Hall School,
Los Angeles

The men's leadership event you headlined last week was hugely successful, and I am still getting great feedback on it. We also received excellent media coverage. In my 35 years, I have never heard a man speak so authentically, passionately and smartly about the issue of gender violence. I am grateful you are in this space with us. I believe this is a pivotal moment for us in our working with men and boys.

-Karen Singer
President & CEO,
YWCA Evanston/North Shore

In his latest film, Tough Guise 2, Jackson Katz helps us understand the violence men do to themselves and to others, and he does that more compellingly and vividly than has ever been done before.

-Dr. Tom Digby
Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at Springfield College,
author of Love and War: How Militarism Shapes Sexuality and Romance

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New Film! THE BYSTANDER MOMENT Jackson has worked with the Media Education Foundation to create a new film about the MVP "bystander" approach to gender violence prevention education. Available on streaming and DVD, The Bystander Moment will be a great educational tool.

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The Perrone-Sizer Institute for Creative Leadership (PSi) develops a network of adaptive leaders who champion racial justice and equity, and integrate artistic and design thinking, and educational and community-based resources to transform the lives of youth and families. Named after Vito Perrone and Ted Sizer, PSi is a leadership certificate program that can also lead to graduate credit and/or completion of the Massachusetts Performance Assessment for Leaders (PAL), a requirement for principal licensure. The program immerses leaders in school settings and community-based organizations and employs a design thinking approach to leadership development. See the tentative 2020-2021 PSI syllabus and schedule.

The 2020-2021 PSi application period is now closed.
Please contact Program Manager Applications for the 2021-2022 cohort of PSi will be available in mid-late December 2020. Lisa Sankowski if you would like to be contacted when applications are being accepted for 2021-2022.

PSi's Target Audience

PSi invites interest and applications from individuals who are:

Experienced and creative educators and leaders with a strong community ethos

Motivated and committed professionals with the ability to lead, inspire, and create

Open-minded thinkers committed to engaged learning and racial justice and equity

Individuals who self-identify as artists, community-based leaders, or educators with a passion for educational leadership

Leadership Lenses & Competencies

PSi's curriculum develops leaders from the perspective of 3 lenses:

1. The Artist - accessing inspiration and utilizing creativity, design, risk taking, and experimentation to solve complex problems; artists persist and consider, refine, and illuminate many different approaches.

2. The Educator - committed to racial justice and equity, and informed and driven by research and data; drawing upon a deep knowledge of child and adolescent development; and applying a profound understanding of theories of learning to prepare students for academic and personal success.

3. The Community-Based Leader - employing a culturally competent understanding of the assets and needs of youth and families in a given community to engage effectively in a dynamic collaborative process of community growth, development, and networking.

We ensure participants develop and grow as leaders across 7 Leadership Competencies:

1. Creative Leader - engaging, persisting, using design and studio thinking in their work.

2. Reflective and Ethical Practitioner - exhibiting moral courage and racial and cultural self-knowledge, embracing racial justice, human imperfection, uncertainty, and sound management in the face of crisis.

3. Effective Communicator - communicating regularly, proactively, clearly, inspirationally, and harnessing people's minds and hearts to create change.

4. Skilled Politician and Community Leader - convening the community around common values, a common mission, and a dynamic organizational strategy.

5. Head Teacher - demonstrating performance-based instructional leadership and deep commitment to academic/intellectual/social/emotional/civic development of students within an ethos of equity.

6. Chief Talent Developer - recruiting, nurturing, and retaining a diverse and high-quality community of colleagues.

7. Entrepreneurial and Competent CFO - managing the fiscal resources of the organization, and understanding the role of fundraising and use of data and their impact on equity.

Graduate Credit

PSi partners with Cambridge College to provide an optional 15 graduate-level credits for an additional fee of $5000.

MA Performance Assessment for Leaders (PAL)

For participants seeking to qualify for Massachusetts principal licensure, PSi provides significant coaching support to complete PAL Tasks at no additional cost.

Participants seeking to qualify for Massachusetts principal licensure are also required to arrange their own placement in a 500 hour apprenticeship under the supervision of a licensed principal in a Massachusetts public or charter school. Learn more at the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education website. Also see MA DOE Admin Leadership Guidelines and Rubric.

Program Expectations and Cost

August and April Intensives and Monthly Cohort Sessions PSi requires participant attendance at, and active participation in, all PSi classroom sessions, field experiences, and events, including multi-day August and April Intensives and one or two full-day class sessions each month from September through June. See the tentative 2020-2021 PSi Syllabus and Schedule.

Monthly Assignments in Preparation for Sessions and Projects On time completion of monthly reading and homework assignments in preparation for each session is required. Participants are notified of assignments at least one month in advance.

Capstone Leadership Project The Capstone Leadership Project, which PSi builds toward throughout the year, is participant-driven and independently designed to suit the professional goals and interests of each individual in the cohort. The Capstone Leadership Project must: (1) address an opportunity for growth in the participant's learning community AND (2) leverage a partnership between a community-based organization and their home organization. Participants are expected to develop a project that improves outcomes for youth and families using the resources of their home organization as well as a community-based organization.

Cost The full annual fee for the Perrone-Sizer Institute for Creative Leadership $5,000

Funding Your Participation We know that programs like PSi require significant investment both in time and funds. Past participants have pursued financial support from many sources.

Please do not let cost be a barrier to applying. Contact PSi Program Manager Lisa Sankowski if you would like to discuss cost.

About Vito Perrone and Ted Sizer

Vito Perrone was a professor of education at the University of North Dakota and Harvard University. He was a leading advocate for humanistic and regimentation - free public education. Upon receiving an award from the Cambridge Peace Commission, he spoke of his apprehension about public school systems that encourage teachers to "accept the message of test scores rather than go beyond them." He always used questions to further his students' thinking and in this instance asked, "What if our children and young people learn to read and write but don't like to and don't? What if they don't read the newspapers and magazines, or can't find beauty in a poem or love story? What if they don't go as adults to artistic events, don't listen to a broad range of music, aren't optimistic about the world and their place in it, don't notice the trees and the sunset, are indifferent to older citizens, don't participate in politics or community life?" With a teacher's rhetorical urgency, he added, "Should any of this worry us?" Vito mentored countless generations of emerging teachers and leaders. He is also the author of the book "Letters for Teachers."

Ted Sizer founded The Coalition of Essential Schools (CES) in 1984 when he was the ctair of the education department at Brown University. At its height, CES had over 1,000 member schools in the US and around the world that subscribed to a set of 10 common principles such as: "Student as work; teacher as coach;" "Learn to use one's mind well;" "Less is more: depth over coverage;" "Personalization." These were revolutionary ideas in the early 1980s and many still consider CES' focus on democracy and equity as essential to the healthy development of schools and communities. In 1994, with his wife, Nancy, they founded Francis W. Parker Charter School in Devens, Massachusetts. Sizer is best known for his books: Horace's Compromise, Horace's School and Horace's Hope - a trilogy that deeply influenced generations of progressive educators, school reformers and school leaders.

What are people saying about PSi?

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Perrone-Sizer Institute - Center for Artistry and Scholarship

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The Perrone-Sizer Institute for Creative Leadership (PSi) develops a network of adaptive leaders who champion racial justice and equity, and integrate artistic and design thinking, and educational and community-based resources to transform the lives of youth and families.

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Savage Inequalities

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JONATHAN KOZOL received the National Book Award for Death at an Early Age, the Robert F. Kennedy Book Award for Rachel and Her Children, and countless other honors for Savage Inequalities, Amazing Grace, The Shame of the Nation, and Fire in the Ashes. The final and culminating work of his career is now nearing completion.

Jonathan has a powerful new book in the works for activists and teachers. He's been holding his fire since the pandemic, but not for much longer. The book is scheduled to be published in the spring of 2024.

Jonathan's Conversation with Noam Chomsky

Jonathan recently gave a scathing lecture on racist education and the intolerable suppression of the independent thinking of poor kids

of color, which Jonathan calls the manufacture of juvenile consent.

Blog Posts

Subscribe to Receive Updates

Enter your email address to receive email updates on new blog posts and Jonathan's upcoming book

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Facebook

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JONATHAN KOZOL received the National Book Award for Death at an Early Age, the Robert F. Kennedy Book Award for Rachel and Her Children, and countless other honors for Savage Inequalities, Amazing Grace, The Shame of the Nation, and Fire in the Ashes. The final and culminating work of his career is now nearing completion.

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The UDL Guidelines are a tool used in the implementation of Universal Design for Learning, a framework to improve and optimize teaching and learning for all people based on scientific insights into how humans learn. Learn more about the Universal Design for Learning framework from CAST. The UDL Guidelines can be used by educators, curriculum developers, researchers, parents, and anyone else who wants to implement the UDL framework in a learning environment. These guidelines offer a set of concrete suggestions that can be applied to any discipline or domain to ensure that all learners can access and participate in meaningful, challenging learning opportunities.

Coming soon! UDL Guidelines 3.0

The UDL Guidelines are a living, dynamic tool that is continuously developed based on new research and feedback from practitioners. In 2020, CAST launched our most recent effort to update the UDL Guidelines, with a specific focus on equity. There has been a strong call from the field-both practitioners and researchers alike-to more fully develop the Guidelines to address critical barriers rooted in biases and systems of oppression. The current update aims to respond to this call and to work toward fulfilling the promise of the Guidelines as a tool to guide the design of learning environments that more fully honor and value every learner.

Since our launch in 2020, we have been committed to a community-driven, inclusive, and transparent updating process. As part of this effort, we are:

Collaborating with an Advisory Board, a UDL Guidelines Collaborative, and a Young Adult Advisory Board to guide our work

Conducting focus groups with a diversity of participants to learn from their perspectives, lived experiences, and feedback

Reviewing the research on the UDL Guidelines research pages to understand the balance of different research fields, methodological approaches, epistemological approaches, and author positionalities

Conducting literature reviews of equity-oriented research that connect to and extend the Guidelines, such as disability studies and critical pedagogy studies

We are excited to share this next iteration of the UDL Guidelines in 2024. If you are interested in receiving our UDL Guidelines 3.0 newsletter to stay updated on our progress and to share your ideas and perspectives, please complete this brief form.

Review the Summary

Explore the Full Draft

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The UDL Guidelines are a tool used in the implementation of Universal Design for Learning, a framework to improve and optimize teaching and learning for all people based on scientific insights into how humans learn. Learn more about the Universal Design for Learning framework from CAST.

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Date:
Wednesday, February 17, 2016

This past December, Congress passed the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), which replaces No Child Left Behind. And for the first time, the nation's general K-12 education law defines and endorses Universal Design for Learning. As CAST's friends at the National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS) point out-

UDL is referenced numerous times throughout the ESSA bill, and states are encouraged to design assessments using UDL principles, to award grants to local education agencies who use UDL, and to adopt technology that aligns with UDL.

National Down Syndrome Society

NDSS and the 45+ fellow members of the National UDL Task Force, which was formed in 2006, have played a critical role in raising awareness on Capitol Hill of UDL's potential to support better teaching and learning with high expectations for all students, including those with disabilities. In fact, the Task Force was instrumental in helping Congress write a definition of UDL for the 2008 Higher Education Opportunity Act, the definition now embedded in ESSA.

What follows are references to UDL in the ESSA and other federal policy documents. Use the links below to jump to specific sections.

UDL in the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) of 2015

For the first time, federal education law governing general K-12 education includes a definition and endorsement of Universal Design for Learning (UDL).

The new law, dubbed the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), is the seventh reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, which was originally passed to address the need for greater equity and opportunity in public schools.

ESSA appropriates the UDL definition found in the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008:

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) means a scientifically valid framework for guiding educational practice that - (A) provides flexibility in the ways information is presented, in the ways students respond or demonstrate knowledge and skills, and in the ways students are engaged; and (B) reduces barriers in instruction, provides appropriate accommodations, supports, and challenges, and maintains high achievement expectations for all students, including students with disabilities and students who are limited English proficient.

Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008

Specific references to UDL in ESSA are as follows:

SEC. 1005. STATE PLANS
States need to show that they have, in consultation with local education agencies, "implemented a set of high-quality student academic assessments in mathematics, reading or language arts, and science." These assessments shall "be developed, to the extent practicable, using the principles of universal design for learning." In addition, "for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities," States may provide for alternate assessments aligned to standards. They should describe in their plan "the steps the State has taken to incorporate universal design for learning, to the extent feasible, in alternate assessments..."

SEC. 1204. INNOVATIVE ASSESSMENT AND ACCOUNTABILITY
State educational agencies may establish an innovative assessment system. Those that do must demonstrate in their applications that the system will "be accessible to all students, such as by incorporating the principles of universal design for learning ..."

SEC. 2221(b)(1). COMPREHENSIVE LITERACY INSTRUCTION
"The term 'comprehensive literacy instruction' means instruction that- ''includes developmentally appropriate, contextually explicit, and systematic instruction, and frequent practice, in reading and writing across content areas; ... ' ... incorporates the principles of universal design for learning; ''... depends on teachers' collaboration in planning, instruction, and assessing a child's progress and on continuous professional learning ..." etc.

SEC. 4104. STATE USE OF FUNDS [for Student Support and Academic Enrichments]
Funds shall be used to support "local education agencies in providing programs that increase access to personalized, rigorous learning experiences supported by technology by ... providing technical assistance to local educational agencies to improve the ability of local educational agencies to use technology, consistent with the principles of universal design for learning, to support the learning needs of all students, including children with disabilities and English learners ..."

UDL in the 2016 National Education Technology Plan

Titled "Future Ready Learning," the National Education Technology Plan emphasizes the importance of Universal Design for Learning as a means of personalizing learning and as a framework for designing and deploying educational technologies in effective, meaningful ways. After quoting the three UDL principles articulated by CAST, the plan states:

Education stakeholders should develop a born accessible standard of learning resource design to help educators select and evaluate learning resources for accessibility and equity of learning experience. ... Using the principles and research-base of UD and UDL, this standard would serve as a commonly accepted framework and language around design for accessibility and offer guidance to vendors and third-party technology developers in interactions with states, districts, and institutions of higher education.

National Education Technology Plan, 2016

The plan also highlights to district-wide UDL initiative of Bartholomew Consolidated Schools in Columbus, Indiana, where practitioners have implemented UDL for nearly a decade.

UDL in the US ED Ed Tech Developer's Guide (2015)

In 2015, the US Department of Education's Office of Technology issued The Ed Tech Developer's Guide for software designers and developers to encourage them "to create impactful tools for teachers, school leaders, students, and their families." Aimed at developers, startups and entrepreneurs, the Guide includes a call-out box about Universal Design for Learning that encourages the tech industry to employ UDL principles when creating learning tools and environments-and points to helpful resources for accomplishing this, including the CAST website.

UDL in the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008

The Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) was the first federal legislation to define and endorse UDL. The HEOA spelled out a number of ways that UDL should be incorporated into preservice preparation of teachers, in-service teacher training, and in postsecondary instruction.
UDL is defined as follows:

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) means a scientifically valid framework for guiding educational practice that -(A) provides flexibility in the ways information is presented, in the ways students respond or demonstrate knowledge and skills, and in the ways students are engaged; and (B) reduces barriers in instruction, provides appropriate accommodations, supports, and challenges, and maintains high achievement expectations for all students, including students with disabilities and students who are limited English proficient.

Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008

Specific references to UDL in the HEOA are as follows:

SEC. 202. TEACHER QUALITY PARTNERSHIP GRANTS
Students preparing to be teachers in pre-baccalaureate programs should "understand ... the effective use of technology, instructional techniques, and strategies consistent with the principles of universal design for learning ..."

SEC. 204. ACCOUNTABILITY AND EVALUATION
Partnerships applying for grants should include a plan for evaluating the degree to which teachers are trained "... to integrate technology effectively into curricula and instruction, including technology consistent with the principles of universal design for learning ..."

SEC. 205. ACCOUNTABILITY FOR PROGRAMS THAT PREPARE TEACHERS
Institutional and program report cards on the quality of teacher preparation should describe "... activities, including activities consistent with the principles of universal design for learning, that prepare teachers to integrate technology effectively into curricula and instruction ..."

SEC. 231. ENHANCING TEACHER EDUCATION
The Secretary of Education is authorized to award grants to "assess the effectiveness of departments, schools, and colleges of education ... in preparing teacher candidates for successful implementation of technology-rich teaching and learning environments, including environments consistent with the principles of universal design for learning, that enable kindergarten through grade 12 students to develop learning skills to succeed in higher education and to enter the workforce."

SEC. 232. USES OF FUNDS
Recipients of grants or contracts are encouraged to use funds to "transform the way departments, schools, and colleges of education teach classroom technology integration, including the principles of universal design, to teacher candidates ...."

SEC. 251. TEACH TO REACH GRANTS
"An eligible partnership that receives a grant under this section shall use the grant funds to develop or strengthen an undergraduate, post-baccalaureate, or master's teacher preparation program by ... [providing] teacher candidates participating in the program with skills related to ... universal design for learning ..."

SEC. 762. GRANTS, CONTRACTS, AND COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS
"A grant, contract, or cooperative agreement awarded under this subpart shall be used to carry out one or more of the following activities: The development of innovative, effective, and efficient teaching methods and strategies, consistent with the principles of universal design for learning, to provide postsecondary faculty, staff, and administrators with the skills and supports necessary to teach and meet the academic and programmatic needs of students .... Such methods and strategies may include in-service training, professional development, customized and general technical assistance, workshops, summer institutes, distance learning, and training in the use of assistive and educational technology."

SEC. 777. NATIONAL TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE CENTER
"The duties of the National Center shall include ... development and provision of training modules for higher education faculty on exemplary practices for accommodating and supporting postsecondary students with disabilities across a range of academic fields, which may include universal design for learning ..."

UDL in the 2010 National Education Technology Plan

The 2010 National Education Technology Plan, "Transforming American Education: Learning Powered by Technology," placed a significant emphasis on Universal Design for Learning:

The always-on nature of the Internet and mobile access devices provides our education system with the opportunity to create learning experiences that are available anytime and anywhere. When combined with design principles for personalized learning and Universal Design for Learning, these experiences also can be accessed by learners who have been marginalized in many educational settings: students from low-income communities and minorities, English language learners, students with disabilities, students who are gifted and talented, students from diverse cultures and linguistic backgrounds, and students in rural areas.

National Education Technology Plan, 2010

The report featured several recommendations for using UDL to inform educational research, to improve classroom teaching, to design more equitable assessments, and to make better learning tools and products.

(Note: Bold emphasis throughout is added by CAST.)

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Date: Wednesday, February 17, 2016 This past December, Congress passed the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), which replaces No Child Left Behind. And for the first time, the nation's general K-12 education law defines and endorses Universal Design for Learning.

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The Center for Applied Special Technology

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The Center for Applied Special Technology

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CAST Website

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CAST is a multifaceted organization with a singular ambition: Bust the barriers to learning that millions of people experience every day. We do this by helping educators and organizations apply insights from the learning sciences and leading-edge practices to educational design and implementation.

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Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain Website

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Culturally Responsive Teaching & the Brain

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Hey. Thanks for stopping by my blog. You might have found your way here through a number of possible paths. Maybe you heard about my book, Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain. Or, maybe you typed in www.ready4rigor.com and those shadowy internet puppeteers redirected you here. Maybe you ended up here because you were doing a Google search for culturally responsive teaching practices

Or maybe your school is reading Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain in a book study and you wanted to know more about this Zaretta Hammond chick who wrote it.

It doesn't matter how you got here. What's important is that you and I are now connected.

Since you are an equity-minded educator like me, you are probably waging your own private movement to bust the myths behind student engagement (or the lack of) among low performing students of color, poor students, and English learners.

Well, you are in the right place. This is a blog where we can get answers to our collective and individual questions about how we can help students become confident and competent learners. In this space, I want to highlight what I am learning from being out in schools and classrooms with teachers who are successful with diverse students. I want to focus on how we can take everyday strategies and practices and put them to work in their classrooms to be more culturally responsive.

So, again, welcome!

Just to let you know, on average, I publish a new post every other week - two times per month at the least (sometimes a few more). That gives me time to be in schools and to write. If you don't want to miss updates on what I am seeing and learning, sign up for my newsletter by pushing that button below.

Binge-worthy Posts and Podcasts

Books are good, but sometimes you want your knowledge in bite-sized doses. That's what I like to deliver: consumable, usable, and entertaining food for thought (and action). Here are some of the most popular blog posts and guest podcast interviews to sample.

About Zaretta Hammond

It's funny. These days a lot of folks are calling me "Dr. Hammond" since the book has become required reading in many teacher education programs and school districts. Well, to set the record straight, I am not a PhD. I do have a Master's degree, but I consider myself a "boots on the ground" teacher. I call myself a former writing teacher turned equity freedom fighter. My heart is forever with children and teachers in the classroom, not in an ivory tower, even if these days most of my "students" are new leaders and pre-service teachers. [ A quick note: Not throwing any shade at all the PhDs out there doing the work.]

When I was in the classroom back in the day, I taught composition (expository writing). It was where I started to understand how important literacy was to equity, and how neuroscience and culture should inform our instructional practice.

Since leaving the classroom, I have done work as a curriculum designer and professional developer at organizations such as the National Equity Project and the Annenberg-funded Bay Area School Reform Collaborative (BASRC) in the San Francisco-Bay Area. I am a trained facilitator in anti-bias processes and have facilitated groups focused on learning to talk about issues of racial politics and privilege.

My primary work has been linking instruction, equity, and literacy. I have spent time as an adjunct instructor at Saint Mary's College in Norther California where I taught Adolescent Literacy and trained tutors and parents in reading support strategies for struggling students of color.

As an undergraduate, I attended University of California, Berkley before finishing up my degree at New York University where I majored in English Literature with a minor in Writing. I completed my Masters in Secondary English Education, with a Concentration in Writing Instruction at University of Colorado, Boulder where I simultaneously did my teacher certification program (starting three months after the birth of my son. I do not recommend this).

For the past 25 years, I've maintained a small, independent education consulting practice from which I do my research and writing as well as support schools doing deep instructionally-focused equity work.

Stay in touch

I hope this blog inspires, motivates, and challenges you to try some new practices that move you toward being more culturally responsive. If it does, send me a note. I'd love to hear from you. The best way to keep in touch with me is to sign up for free email updates (where you get all kinds of exclusive goodies).

Other Ways to Connect

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About - Culturally Responsive Teaching & the Brain

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Hey. Thanks for stopping by my blog. You might have found your way here through a number of possible paths. Maybe you heard about my book, Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain. Or, maybe you typed in www.ready4rigor.com and those shadowy internet puppeteers redirected you here.

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TedTalk

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Peggy McIntosh: How to recognize your white privilege - and use it to fight inequality

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Many of us believe that we're living in a meritocracy, deserving of what we have and compassionate toward those with less. But that's not true: white people have been given a headstart and ongoing advantages due to the color of their skin, while people of color suffer from equally arbitrary disadvantages, says scholar and activist Peggy McIntosh.

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Unpacking White Privilege

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Katie Novak, Ed.D. is an internationally renowned education consultant as well as a practicing leader in education at the Groton-Dunstable Regional School District in Massachusetts. With 18 years of experience in teaching and administration, an earned doctorate in curriculum and teaching, and seven published books, Katie designs and presents workshops both nationally and internationally focusing on the implementation of inclusive practices, Universal Design for Learning (UDL), multi-tiered systems of support, and universally designed leadership. Novak's work has impacted educators worldwide as her contributions and collaborations have built upon the foundation for an educational framework that is critical for student success.

Dr. Novak is the author of the best-selling book, UDL Now! A Teacher's Guide to Applying Universal Design for Learning in Today's Classrooms. Her book, Innovate Inside the Box, with George Couros, explores how to create innovative and purposeful learning opportunities for students within the constraints of educational systems. Let Them Thrive was endorsed by the PACER Foundation. Two additional publications, of which she is a co-author, have been endorsed by leading professors in the field of education and state departments of education. UDL in the Cloud was endorsed by the Executive Director of The Initiative on Learning and Teaching at MIT while Mitchell Chester, the late Commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), endorsed Universally Designed Leadership.

Novak's work has been highlighted in many publications including Language Magazine, NAESP Principal, ADDitude Magazine, Commonwealth Magazine, The Inclusion Lab, Think Inclusive, School news, the Huffington Post, Principal Leadership, District Administrator, ASCD Education Update, and School Administrator.
View Katie's Resume

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Katie Novak, EdD - Novak Educational Consulting

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Katie Novak, Ed.D. is an internationally renowned education consultant as well as a practicing leader in education at the Groton-Dunstable Regional School District in Massachusetts. With 18 years of experience in teaching and administration, an earned doctorate in curriculum and teaching, and seven published books, Katie designs and presents workshops both nationally and internationally focusing on the implementation of inclusive practices, Universal Design for Learning (UDL), multi-tiered systems of support, and universally designed leadership.

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Mirko J. Chardin

Education Consultant, Keynote Speaker, Strategic Partner

Mirko Chardin is he Founding Head of School of the Putnam Avenue Upper School in Cambridge, MA. Mirko's work has involved all areas of school management and student support. His greatest experience and passion revolves around culturally connected teaching and learning, recruiting and retaining educators of color, restorative practice, and school culture. Mirko was a keynote speaker at the 2017 UDL for Social Justice Symposium, the 2018 Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's Leading with Equity & Access Conference, the 2019 California MTSS Professional Learning Institute and was the 2019 opening keynote speaker for the Holyoke & North Andover Public School Districts. He is also a race, diversity and cultural proficiency facilitator & leadership coach for the Aspire Institute at Boston University's New Wheelock College of Human Development and Education and is a Virtual Module Content Provider and In-Person Technical Assistance Provider for the Dept. of Ed.'s Inclusive Practice Academy.

He is a principal mentor for the Perone-Sizer Creative Leadership Institute, a Trustee at Wheaton College and is an active hip-hop artist, releasing the album "Unhealthy Societies" this past year. Mirko presents both locally and nationally on issues of cultural proficiency, equity and the use of personal narratives. He is also the co-author with Dr. Katie Novak of the newly released " Equity by Design: The Power and Promise of UDL ". He is available to provide workshops, seminars and trainings on implicit bias, microaggressions, UDL, restorative practice, identity, courageous conversations about race, and personal narratives.

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Mirko J. Chardin - Novak Educational Consulting

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Mirko Chardin is he Founding Head of School of the Putnam Avenue Upper School in Cambridge, MA. Mirko's work has involved all areas of school management and student support. His greatest experience and passion revolves around culturally connected teaching and learning, recruiting and retaining educators of color, restorative practice, and school culture.

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Criteria for an Equitable School

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The National Center for Time and Learning 

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The National Center for Time and Learning 

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Website

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Many years ago now I remember a phone call with John King, then New York Commissioner of Education, who expressed his concern about Buffalo Public Schools. We discussed the possibility of my organization, the National Center on Time & Learning (NCTL), providing support to some of Buffalo's persistently low performing schools. I recall that our team felt that the district did not have stable leadership at the time or a strong educational plan for improving the schools. It would be difficult for any outside organization to provide enough support to see a measurable academic impact.

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Many years ago now I remember a phone call with John King, then New York Commissioner of Education, who expressed his concern about Buffalo Public Schools. We discussed the possibility of my organization, the National Center on Time & Learning (NCTL), providing support to some of Buffalo's persistently low performing schools.

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Website

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offers a robust collection of teaching and learning practices to support students, educators, schools, and districts in achieving educational equity and academic excellence. The The Origins Program Developmental Designs K-12 approach is based on research and strengthened by developmentally responsive teaching strategies, presenting a personalized relationship-based learning approach to help educators better connect with students, leverage their specific strengths, and address student needs. These Developmental Designs practices and strategies assist students in advancing their ocial motional cademic earning ® and builds trust among the adults, along with schools strengthening their connections with families.
We are committed to maintaining our business operations and ensuring you continue to receive the highest quality service for your districts, schools, teachers and students worldwide. In the event that we are unable to gather in the same room for Developmental Designs professional development this summer, we are prepared to deliver highly engaging virtual professional development LIVEduring planned dates. We encourage you to continue registering for our summer professional development and we will continue to keep you posted as changes happen. Thank you for your continued trust in The Origins Program.

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offers a robust collection of teaching and learning practices to support students, educators, schools, and districts in achieving educational equity and academic excellence. The The Origins Program Developmental Designs K-12 approach is based on research and strengthened by developmentally responsive teaching strategies, presenting a personalized relationship-based learning approach to help educators better connect with students, leverage their specific strengths, and address student needs.

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The Skillful Teacher: The Comprehensive Resource for Improving Teaching and Learning (7th Edition)

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The latest edition of The Skillful Teacher is the comprehensive resource for all educators - no matter where they are in their career. Building on decades of research, The Skillful Teacher offers evidence-based instructional strategies for today's classroom including easy-to-understand scripts and videos.

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Website

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Research for Better Teaching (RBT) is a professional development organization dedicated to improving classroom teaching and school leadership. Founded in 1979 by Jonathon D. Saphier, Ed.D., RBT works to strengthen organizational culture and to institutionalize the study of teaching within schools and throughout school districts. Dr. Saphier is co-author of The Skillful Teacher: The Comprehensive Resource for Improving Teaching and Learning - a widely acclaimed resource book in teacher training courses and RBT staff development courses.

RBT has the longest and most successful track record of any professional development provider in the United States for developing teacher evaluation systems (since 1982.) These evaluation systems accomplish the overall improvement of instruction and the strengthening of school culture while at the same time building the skill and courage to dismiss low-performing teachers. We work under contract to the school districts themselves, supervise the complex process of developing the evaluation system with involvement of all stakeholder groups, and, importantly, deliver in-depth skill training and certification of evaluators on the skills of evaluation.

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Research for Better Teaching (RBT) is a professional development organization dedicated to improving classroom teaching and school leadership. Founded in 1979 by Jonathon D. Saphier, Ed.D., RBT works to strengthen organizational culture and to institutionalize the study of teaching within schools and throughout school districts.

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Every Kid Needs a Champion

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Rita Pierson, a teacher for 40 years, once heard a colleague say, “They don’t pay me to like the kids.” Her response: “Kids don’t learn from people they don’t like.’” A rousing call to educators to believe in their students and actually connect with them on a real, human, personal level.

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Universal Design for Learning: Theory and Practice

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Universal Design for Learning: Theory and Practice

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Read Universal Design for Learning: Theory and Practice for Free in Clusive! - CAST

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Our flagship publication is now available at no cost on our flexible and customizable digital reading tool.

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Overview and Strategies for Understanding the Impact of Trauma on Student Learning

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Social Justice Calibration Video Library/Educator Evaluation Rubric

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Social Justice Calibration Video Library/Educator Evaluation Rubric

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Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

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What is calibration?

Why is calibration important?

Calibration is the result of ongoing, frequent collaboration of groups of educators to (1) come to a common, shared understanding of what practice looks like at different performance levels and (2) establish and maintain consistency in aspects of the evaluation process including analyzing evidence, providing feedback, and using professional judgment to determine ratings.

Research suggests that most educators in Massachusetts perceive their own evaluator's assessment of their performance to be fair. However, when asked about the process overall, many educators perceive there to be inconsistencies both within and across schools in how evaluators conduct evaluations. Inconsistency leads to questions of fairness. Engaging in calibration activities can help evaluators and educators norm their expectations and ensure that all educators experience a meaningful evaluation experience.

Bottom line: evaluators want to deliver high quality, actionable feedback just as much as educators want to receive it. Calibrating expectations for educator practice and deepening collective knowledge of strategies that can help educators grow is integral to sustaining an evaluation process that will strengthen educator practice and improve student learning.
Learn more: Last Updated: September 1, 2020

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massachusetts department of elementary and secondary education

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Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

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The goal of the Massachusetts public K-12 education system is to prepare all students for success after high school. Massachusetts public school students are leading the nation in reading and math and are at the top internationally in reading, science, and math according to the national NAEP and international PISA assessments.

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Laying the Groundwork for Social Justice in our Classrooms and Learning Communitites

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Universal Design as an Instrument of Change