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This Is Not a Drill: The Forecast Calls for Microaggressions

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This Is Not a Drill: The Forecast Calls for Microaggressions

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Resources for Celebrating Black History Month

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Resources for Celebrating Black History Month

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From educational hip-hop to kid-friendly newspapers, here are some ways for teachers to incorporate and honor Black History Month in their lessons-beyond covering Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech once again.
1. Hit the theaters.
The movie " Hidden Figures" tells the untold true stories of three African-American female mathematicians. Katherine G. Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Johnson were among several black female mathematicians who made significant contributions to NASA's space program during the 1960s, despite race and gender barriers.

Teachers should place an added emphasis on historical black women because they are often marginalized during the celebration of black history, said Donnesha A. Blake, who teaches Black Women's Studies at the University of Maryland, College Park.

Teachers can use Scholastic's interactive space-exploration timeline to highlight the achievements of Mae Jemison, the first black female astronaut, and the Center for the History of Physics' lesson plan and reference guide, "When Computers Wore Skirts," to teach students about race and gender breakthroughs achieved by brilliant African-American women.

The National Society of Black Engineers also recently launched a nationwide campaign titled #BlackSTEMLikeMe, which aims to encourage black students and STEM professionals to share their personal stories to highlight contributions by black men and women in the field, and to show black students that they can pursue a future in STEM. Teachers can help their students share their STEM stories and photos, which will be shared through the campaign.
2. Music videos can be educational.
Last February, special education teacher Gary Hamilton wrote for Education Week Teacher about incorporating contemporary culture in the classroom for Black History Month. Hamilton explained that pop culture and music can be a powerful way to get students thinking critically through real-life applications. Artists like Kendrick Lamar who use their music as a platform on black empowerment can help increase students' awareness, interest, and pride, Hamilton said.

Learning platforms like Flocabulary can be a way to use educational music videos to spark student engagement. Teachers can find free music videos on historical African-American figures and leaders such as Ruby Bridges and Martin Luther King Jr., as well as on historical events such as the passage of the Voting Rights Act and the Selma-to-Montgomery march.

Teachers can also use the music videos' accompanying lesson plans, quizzes, and other activities to help students build off of what they watch and to create their own raps and songs about their aspirations after analyzing King's "I Have a Dream" speech.
3. News for kids, by kids.
The kid-friendly section of TIME Magazine, TIME For Kids, features a special on Black History Month where students can read articles by kid reporters on historical events in black history and on current news about African-American authors and athletes like basketball star Stephen Curry and ballerina Misty Copeland.

Scholastic also has a collection of articles detailing the achievements and contributions of African-Americans to U.S. history, written by student writers who are a part of the Scholastic Kids Press Corps.
4. Use documentaries as starting points for discussion.
Pulling content from documentaries might also help facilitate academic discussions and discourse on social justice issues in U.S. history. The documentary "The Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975," for example, provides footage on the anti-war and Black Power movements. The film includes audio interviews from various African-American artists, activists, musicians, and scholars to depict the state of the people, society, culture, and style between the '60s and '70s.

CBS Sports Network will also be airing "The Black 14: Wyoming Football 1969" on Saturday, Feb. 11, which tells the story of African-American football players who were dismissed from the University of Wyoming's football team in 1969 for protesting racial injustices. Teachers may find parallels to current controversial issues concerning race, such as the more recent national-anthem protest that may have reached classrooms. Opening up the classroom to these discussions may help students apply history to the present.
5. Help students learn from art and literature.
The Library of Congress and the National Gallery of Art offer primary sources-that are available online-for teachers looking to share historical artifacts and artwork with their students. Teachers can use historical photographs of child attendees of the March on Washington to discuss its impact on the Civil Rights Movement.

Analysis of complex texts like Beloved by Toni Morrisoncan offer opportunities to talk about perspectives and identity. The National Council of Teachers of English provides multiple lesson plans on Morrison's book, as well as a guide for teaching racially sensitive literature.

"As educators who build reasoning and analytical skills, illuminate historical experiences, and strengthen empathy across perspectives, our role feels more critical than ever," author and guest opinion blogger Homa S. Tavangar recently wrote for Education Week.

Tavangar added that although incorporating black history should be done throughout the year, adding emphasis during the month of February can help students dig deeper into a significant aspect of American history.
Other resources:

PBS offers free resources for teachers on topics ranging from the anniversaries of important civil rights milestones to talking about "Stop, Question, and Frisk," a controversial police procedure in New York City, in relation to the ongoing debate on race, justice, and policy.

The National Education Association and Smithsonian Education each provide their own set of diverse K-12 lesson plans and resources, covering subjects like the Harlem Renaissance, poetry, African-American inventors, and more.

Source: First For More on Teaching Black History: image by Flickr user John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, licensed under Creative Commons. "Hidden Figures" i mage courtesy of 20th Century Fox Film Corporation.

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Creative Resources for Teachers Celebrating Black History Month

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From educational hip-hop to kid-friendly newspapers, here are some ways for teachers to incorporate and honor Black History Month in their lessons-beyond covering Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech once again. 1. Hit the theaters. The movie " Hidden Figures" tells the untold true stories of three African-American female mathematicians.

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It's a moment most educators will recognize: A student has said something biased or promoted a stereotype. There's a ripple through the classroom, but the speaker hasn't noticed. Students look to you expectantly, and you know the statement can't go unaddressed.

Most teachers look for opportunities to build a human rights culture and to counter hatred, bigotry, fear-mongering and intolerance. One way to do this, when students make a mistake, is to call them in rather than calling them out. Doing so prepares them for civic engagement by encouraging a sense of hope and possibility.

Guiding Instead of Dragging

In conversations and debates about social justice issues, insisting someone take responsibility when they say or do something hurtful-regardless of their intent-is a common way to protect vulnerable communities and individuals. It's often necessary, but not every correction allows both parties to move forward. Calling out happens when we point out a mistake, not to address or rectify the damage, but instead to publicly shame the offender. In calling out, a person or group uses tactics like humiliation, shunning, scapegoating or gossip to dominate others.

In our society, call-outs have become a way of life. They are generally done publicly, either in person or online. Extreme calling out is when a person or a group expresses their disagreement cruelly, sometimes grandstanding. Fearing they may be considered politically backward if they don't prove their "wokeness" on trending social justice issues, witnesses to the conflict may pile on while bystanders silently withdraw.

Calling in is a technique that does allow all parties to move forward. It's a concept created by human-rights practitioners to challenge the toxicity of call-out culture. Calling in is speaking up without tearing down. A call-in can happen publicly or privately, but its key feature is that it's done with love. Instead of shaming someone who's made a mistake, we can patiently ask questions to explore what was going on and why the speaker chose their harmful language.

Call-ins are agreements between people who work together to consciously help each other expand their perspectives. They encourage us to recognize our requirements for growth, to admit our mistakes and to commit to doing better. Calling in cannot minimize harm and trauma already inflicted, but it can get to the root of why the injury occurred, and it can stop it from happening again.

Calling in is not for everyone or every circumstance. It's not fair, for example, to insist that people hurt by cruel or careless language or actions be responsible for the personal growth of those who have injured them; calling in should not demand involuntary emotional labor.

Calling in is also not a useful response to those who intentionally violate standards of civil conversation. When powerful people use bigotry, fear and lies to attack others, calling out can be a valuable tool, either for the individuals they seek to oppress or for bystanders who choose to interrupt the encounter. When people knowingly use stereotypes or dehumanizing metaphors to describe human beings, their actions victimize targets and potentially set them up for violence. Calling out may be the best response to those who refuse to accept responsibility for the harm they encourage or who pretend they are only innocently using their right to free speech.

But, if call-ins can occur without demanding undue emotional labor or allowing space for hateful behavior, this approach offers a way forward that increases the potential for learning-particularly in activist and academic spaces. This practice works especially well when allies call one another in or when leaders, such as teachers, use it to model speaking up without losing the opportunity for learning. By teaching our students how to call one another in, we're providing them the tools and skills they need to gather up those who share their privileges, to offer patience and grace when they can, and to facilitate growth-so others won't have to.

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It's a moment most educators will recognize: A student has said something biased or promoted a stereotype. There's a ripple through the classroom, but the speaker hasn't noticed. Students look to you expectantly, and you know the statement can't go unaddressed.

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Let's Talk: Discussing Race, Racism, and Other Issues with Students

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Let's Talk: Discussing Race, Racism, and Other Issues with Students

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Many of the questions we receive are from educators seeking advice about how to respond when someone-a student, a colleague, even a parent-uses biased language or stereotypes in school.

This guide is our response. It's for educators who want to develop the skills to speak up themselves and who want to help their students ﬁnd the courage to speak up too.

This guide is for the adults in the school. It offers advice about how to respond to remarks made by students and by other adults and gives guidance for helping students learn to speak up as well. We believe that modeling the kind of behavior we want from students is one of the most effective ways of teaching it.

Use the accompanying pocket guide when faced with biased language and situations:

1. Print front and back

2. Cut along the dotted lines

3. Fold once along the center lengthwise

4. Fold the right and left blocks with the words "INTERRUPT" and "ECHO" inward

5. Fold in half so that "SPEAK UP AT SCHOOL" appears on the front

6. Pocket and reference often

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Many of the questions we receive are from educators seeking advice about how to respond when someone-a student, a colleague, even a parent-uses biased language or stereotypes in school. This guide is our response. It's for educators who want to develop the skills to speak up themselves and who want to help their students ﬁnd the courage to speak up too.

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A swastika, 20 feet in diameter, is burned into the pavement at a junior high school. A group of white high school students dresses in banana suits for a basketball game and taunts their majority-black rival with racial slurs. A Sikh student has his turban pulled off and hair cut by fellow students.
Your school has plans and protocols in place to respond to fires, severe weather, medical emergencies, fights and weapons possession. But what about school incidents like those listed above that involve bigotry and hate? Are plans in place to respond to a bias incident or hate crime? Too often these plans are created in the moment during the actual crisis. Bias incidents are far too complex for on-the-fly planning; an early misstep can heighten tension and damage chances for long-term success.

Responding to Hate and Bias at School is designed primarily for school administrators, but teachers, staff, counselors, students and others also may find guidance here.

The guide is divided into three sections:

Before a Crisis Occurs

How can you and other school leaders assess your school's climate with an eye toward defusing tension, preventing escalation and avoiding problems?

When There's a Crisis

What are the nine key points to consider when responding to a crisis that has been triggered by a bias incident at your school?

After the Worst is Over

How can you address long-term planning and capacity building for the future, including development of social emotional skills?

Hateful acts at school are dangerous, disturbing and disruptive. But keep this in mind: A bias incident does not define a school. It is, in many ways, a test of the school's culture and climate. How you respond is the true measure of a school's character.

It's up to school leaders to set expectations. Everyone on staff, from the bus driver and custodian to classroom teachers and the IT department, must know that hate, disrespect and intimidation have no place on campus, and that every student should feel welcome.

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A swastika, 20 feet in diameter, is burned into the pavement at a junior high school. A group of white high school students dresses in banana suits for a basketball game and taunts their majority-black rival with racial slurs. A Sikh student has his turban pulled off and hair cut by fellow students.

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White Quakers Confronting White Privilege - QuakerSpeak

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"For Quakers in the early 21st century, to take on this challenge is unbelievably difficult, heartbreaking on a daily basis, and exactly what we need to be doing."

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National Museum of African American History and Culture

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Research shows that many people feel they do not have the information needed to discuss race in a way that is candid, safe and respectful of other viewpoints and experiences.

"The portal offers a wealth of resources to inform and guide discussions-videos, role-playing exercises, targeted questions and more, said Crew." "We hope that people will use this site to become more comfortable about engaging in honest dialogue and self-reflection."

Talking About Race builds upon decades of work by the museum's educators. It is the result of extensive research, studies, consultations, and educational resources from these fields: history, education, psychology and human development. It includes published research from leading experts, activists, historians, and thought leaders on race, equity, and inclusion, including Brené Brown, Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw, Robin DiAngelo, Julie Olsen Edwards, Jerry Kang, Ibram X Kendi, Enid Lee, Audre Lorde, Beverly Daniel Tatum, Bishop Desmond Tutu, and Tim Wise.

Phase one of the portal features eight foundational subjects including:

Being Anti-Racist: a conscious decision to make frequent, consistent, equitable choices daily.

Bias: the inclination or prejudice toward or against something or someone.

Community Building: connecting and engaging with others doing anti-racism work and exploring issues of race.

Historical Foundations of Race: how race, white privilege, and anti-blackness are woven into the very fabric of American society.

Race and Racial Identity: how societies use race to establish and justify systems of power, privilege, disenfranchisement, and oppression.

Self-Care: caring for one's mental, emotional, and physical health to sustain the work of dismantling racism.

Social Identities and Systems of Oppression: systems built around the ideology that some groups are superior to others.

Whiteness: an ideology that reinforces power at the expense of others.

Explore Talking About Race at nmaahc.si.edu/talkingaboutrace. The portal is free and does not require a registration or sign-up to use. Talking About Race is generously supported by The Atlantic Philanthropies.
Download Images for Media Use Social Media Toolkit
About the National Museum of African American History and Culture
Since opening September 24, 2016, the National Museum of African American History and Culture has welcomed more than 7 million visitors. Occupying a prominent location next to the Washington Monument on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., the nearly 400,000 square-foot museum is the nation's largest and most comprehensive cultural destination devoted exclusively to exploring, documenting and showcasing the African American story and its impact on American and world history. For more information about the museum, visit, follow @NMAAHC on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram or call Smithsonian information at (202) 633-1000.

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National Museum of African American History and Culture Releases "Talking About Race" Web Portal

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The Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture today launched Talking About Race, a new online portal designed to help individuals, families, and communities talk about racism, racial identity and the way these forces shape every aspect of society, from the economy and politics to the broader American culture.

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Our campaign supports teachers with free lessons and resources for teaching about racism and anti-racist struggles.

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SILENCE SPEAKS VOLUMES. OUR STUDENTS ARE LISTENING.

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Get access to files anywhere through secure cloud storage and file backup for your photos, videos, files and more with Google Drive.

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Beyond the Why and Into the How:  Inclusive Classroom Practices

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Beyond the Why and Into the How:  Inclusive Classroom Practices

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Rosetta Lee

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MCRC 2017 Inclusive Classroom Practices - sgsprofessionaloutreach

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MCRC 2017 Inclusive Classroom Practices from Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee

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Connections Quarterly Summer 2018 - Privilege

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Privileged and Marginalized, by Rosetta Lee * Teaching Privilege, by Drew Johnson & Jeff Turner * Teaching Privilege that is Mindful of Identity Development, by Amy Argenal * Gender and Privilege, by Susanna Jones * Literature in Review, by Richard Barbieri * Understanding and Confronting White Privilege in Schools: A Journey in Cultural Humility, by Charlotte Worsley * Parent and Teacher Tips, by Julie Stevens and Martin Stegemoeller

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Resources from MCRC at ADVIS Concurrent Sessions

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Resources from MCRC at ADVIS Concurrent Sessions

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Facing History and Ourselves Educator Resources

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Facing History and Ourselves Educator Resources

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

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

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

Current Events in the Classroom

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

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

Teaching Strategies

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

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

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

- Facing History Educator Reflecting on Our Reconstruction Unit

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Find compelling classroom resources, learn new teaching methods, meet standards, and make a difference in the lives of your students.

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When Silence Is a Sword: How Patterns of Silence Impact Equity Interventions

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When Silence Is a Sword: How Patterns of Silence Impact Equity Interventions

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When Silence Is a Sword: How Patterns of Silence Impact Equity Interventions

Stacey A. Gibson

Tyrannies of silence tear through educational institutions with searing ferocity. In hallways and classroom corners and cloaked under the din of the cafeteria hum, many faculty, staff, and administrators of color exchange knowing glances, shaking heads, and cold stories-rushed and whispered-about the race-based treacheries they see, hear, deflect, and absorb in their schools. So often, these same people, especially those who identify as black, are expected to remain silent, internalize race-based trauma, deescalate and/or sanitize situations, and respond in "gentle ways" that do not offend or disrupt the oppressor. Some school leaders create and offer adults and students of color "safe spaces" to meet and "talk about issues." Although important and helpful to some, this retreat and regroup practice reinforces the unspoken but deeply held notion that people of color are to work quietly in these spaces to hold themselves together, repair wounds, and emerge ready to reenter the institution on the institution's terms.

Systemic silences around issues of race, whiteness, and equity in schools sustain a status quo where whites maintain privilege while retraumatizing people of color and sapping any efforts at meaningful, transformative interventions. Instead of sanctifying silence, use this guide to stay vigilant and committed to exposing and disrupting the subtle forms of oppression at work in your school.

How to Spot and Disrupt Six Silences of Inertia

1. "I don't know where to begin." Many white educators insist they have no idea where to locate resources about "this stuff," even though there are hundreds of books, thousands of essays and articles, and dozens of reputable sites housing scaffolded, sequenced, highly appropriate material on race, oppression, and equity. Some school administrators set aside funds to attend conferences and institutes to help reframe curricula and provide meaningful professional development, yet some educators are still allowed to practice strategic disengagement around racial equity using this pattern of silence.

Disrupt this silence by visiting sites like Teaching Tolerance, EDUCOLOR, and Radical Teacher for relevant plans, points of reference, community support, and opportunities for meaningful collaboration.

2. "The social studies teacher will deal with it." Some (usually but not always) white educators avoid issues of race and equity by insisting that "the humanities teachers will take care of 'that stuff'" and "this race stuff is not doable in math and science." These educators often assert that the content they teach is "neutral" and they would have to "give up something important" to make room for "that stuff."

Disrupt this silence by participating in your local Rethinking Schools' Teachers for Social Justice groups and conferences. Examine and articulate the way privilege affords individuals and whole groups the chance to opt out of opportunities for growth on issues of race and equity.

3. "But I've already acknowledged my privilege." Many educators mistake declarations of white privilege awareness for a moment of transformational change and meaningful intervention. Generally, once white folks recognize and articulate awareness of their privilege, there seems to be a significant drop off in the stamina needed to engage in constructive, long-term change. It's as if the privilege recognition party occurs, the party ends, and the guest of honor disappears from the party, from their own words, and from their own opportunity to grow.

Disrupt this silence by studying Shakti Butler's film Mirrors of Privilege, either individually or with a professional learning community. Learn to practice race-based self-awareness and self-respect. Find those white people who ally with and support other white people who are willing to share their healing practices around their white identity. Then, confidently address the race-based repair work that is so obviously, deeply needed.

4. "We have a plan already, but that's outside our focus." Educators who engage in single focus social justice without also questioning or naming larger systems of automated historical oppression undermine or may even make moot the success of their social justice intervention. These educators often expend vast amounts of energy actualizing plans and actions but do not support students and/or themselves in exploring why there is a continuous need for such interventions.

Disrupt this silence by auditing or evaluating how school curriculum centers or decenters oppressive whiteness. Refer to sites like racialequitytools.org or raceforward.org for experts who can support this kind of institutional endeavor.

5. "Why don't you take up the charge?" An institutional silence occurs when school boards, many of which authorize and market diversity and inclusion campaigns, vote to defund and destabilize transformational, long-term equity initiatives. In response, some school administrators expect overextended educators (some of whom are white, but most of whom are people of color) to "take up the charge" with little or no direction, support, or strategic planning.

Disrupt this silence by observing the connections between external school policy and internal school dynamics. Notice what initiatives receive sustained financial backing and are held at the center of the school's ethos and vision. Strategically engage school boards by inviting members to attend conferences and participate in professional development alongside other school community members.

6. "But I'm not a racist. Really, I'm not!" Finally, the most treacherous silence comes in the form of an observable resistance of many white educators who refuse to look closely at what it means to be a white person who has unintentionally inherited the multigenerational task of upholding white supremacy. Many of these educators become defensive, angry, and frightened when they are asked to explore this part of themselves. In an attempt to mask those response, some of them quickly revert to staunch silences. This noisy silence hovers and envelops, and it is evident well beyond the school environment. These educators and administrators fail to recognize the ancient wound of white supremacy vibrating from within them.

Disrupt this silence by naming, owning, and changing patterns of both private and public racial bias and race-based internal and external violation. Choose to unlearn the inaccurate (but highly evolved) racial narratives that have been placed on us and instead learn about actualizing a connected, racially conscious, and racially literate self. Use all of the resources in this article and beyond to move forward and relearn. In the absence of the immediate gratification of a "quick fix," one will need to repeat this process.

Just as there have been decades of effort to interrupt oppressive patterns in schools, so too have decades of silence been interlaced into equity work. These silences, although rarely explored, heavily infiltrate and reorder/disorder equity work because of their rootedness and dependability. Individuals, whole groups, and institutions rapidly employ and deploy these silences to avoid addressing and rectifying race-based inequities.

As racism becomes more sophisticated, so must our interventions. My hope is that you will use this guide-alongside essays like Robin DiAngelo's " Nothing to Add: A Challenge to White Silence in Racial Discussions," Jamilah Pitts' " Don't Say Nothing," Kyra's* " How to Uphold White Supremacy by Focusing on Diversity and Inclusion," and Mab Segrest's chapter " Of Soul and White Folks" (in the book Born to Belonging: Writings on Spirit and Justice)-to help reveal the entrenched and complex normalization of silences within both individuals and institutions. Turn the sword of silence on itself by identifying and acting on the causes and patterns of racial injustice and oppression in schools.

* Due to technical issues with our site, we are not able to accurately represent this name. Please click on the link for the correct spelling.

Stacey A. Gibson is a parent, educator, and consultant who teaches English in the Chicago area and works to help students and adults understand how oppression is covertly normalized and replicated. In addition to presenting at numerous conferences, she has written for The Live Creature and Lee Mun Wah's book Let's Get Real, and her anti-oppression curricula for the PBS documentary American Promise can be found at Teaching Tolerance. She would like to thank the nameless ones who preceded her as she knows she could not be without them.

ASCD Express, Vol. 12, No. 6. Copyright 2016 by ASCD. All rights reserved. Visit www.ascd.org/ascdexpress.

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ASCD Express 12.06 - When Silence Is a Sword: How Patterns of Silence Impact Equity Interventions

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When Silence Is a Sword: How Patterns of Silence Impact Equity Interventions Stacey A. Gibson Tyrannies of silence tear through educational institutions with searing ferocity. In hallways and classroom corners and cloaked under the din of the cafeteria hum, many faculty, staff, and administrators of color exchange knowing glances, shaking heads, and cold stories-rushed and whispered-about the race-based treacheries they see, hear, deflect, and absorb in their schools.

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Three Ways to Become a Culturally Responsive Teacher

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Three Ways to Become a Culturally Responsive Teacher

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As teachers, we want our students to feel safe and empowered inside our classrooms. But most of us know kids in our schools who feel unsupported or invisible. This disparity is troubling, especially in light of the growing diversity at most independent schools. Compared to 20 or even 10 years ago, today our students occupy a range of racial and ethnic backgrounds, socioeconomic levels, sexual orientations, and religious affiliations.

We know that our schools need culturally responsive teachers, but how does one become a culturally responsive teacher?

A colleague and I recently posed this question to a group of 30 new teachers in a workshop at the New Educator Institute, an annual one-day conference sponsored by the Multicultural Resource Center of Philadelphia Independent Schools, part of the Association of Delaware Valley Independent Schools. More than 130 new independent school teachers from all grade levels across greater Philadelphia attended the event, which was hosted this year by The Episcopal Academy located in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania. Culturally responsive teaching was the theme of this year's conference.

We might think of a culturally responsive teacher as one who understands and celebrates the differences between her students; one who bridges the gap between students from marginalized cultural or identity groups and her curriculum; one who makes every student feel welcome and valuable in class; and one who allows all students to share their experiences, perspectives, and opinions without fear. What follows are some of my personal experiences as a classroom teacher, along with some modest suggestions for ways to train our students and ourselves to become more culturally sensitive.

Teachable moments related to cultural awareness frequently bubble up in our classrooms. I had one last October in my 11th grade English classroom at The Haverford School (Pennsylvania), where I have taught upper school English for four years.

Before I describe the situation, I should point out that Haverford is a small (425 students), all-boys school located in suburban Philadelphia, on the city's Main Line, which has long been home to some of the region's wealthiest families. Like many independent schools, Haverford enrolls many students from affluent families. We also have students from lower-income families. As part of a school-wide commitment to creating a more diverse learning community, and to attracting the most remarkable boys, Haverford has nearly doubled its spending on student financial aid in the last decade. About 30 percent of our current students receive some level of financial help from the school.

We're making good progress in this regard, but the income gap between our most and least wealthy families occasionally creates tension and anxiety for our kids. Lower-income students have written essays for me in which they describe feeling alienated from our prep school world. Financially strapped parents have opened up to me during our annual advisory conferences about their struggles to keep up appearances among other well-to-do parents. If you have worked in independent schools for a long time, you have no doubt had similar experiences.

After reading Benjamin Franklin's Autobiography, America's archetypal rags-to-riches story, I invited my 11th graders to think about socioeconomic mobility today. Perhaps not surprisingly, the room remained silent for nearly a minute. One boy finally broke the silence. He insisted, with an unmistakable hint of condescension in his voice, that most poor people are lazy. Another student, a boy whose family I knew to be of modest means and to receive financial aid, disagreed immediately. I'll spare you the language he used. Suffice it to say that the tension in the room mounted as the other students looked first at the two speakers and then at me.

Perhaps you're thinking of how you would handle this situation had you been in my shoes. I decided to pause my lesson,inviting the group to think carefully about the views both boys expressed. "Can we point to empirical evidence," I asked the group, "that confirms that people experiencing poverty are always lazy?"

Silence ensued. Scanning the room, I sensed that kids were afraid to say the "wrong" thing.

So I asked another question: "Why do some people make it in America while others don't?"

This time, several hands shot up in the air. The first person I called on was the boy who had accused poor people of being lazy. I invited him to speak again because I wanted to give him a chance to explain his thinking. Also, I wanted to remind everyone that we must grant others the right to their opinions, even when we vehemently disagree. He insisted that success boils down to hard work, citing his father and grandfather as examples of hard workers who built and maintained a lucrative company. Other students then joined the fray.

The group was split roughly down the middle: Some students agreed with the notion that grit and hard work are all that's needed to make it in America, while others cited examples from their personal lives and our literature to dispel that idea. These objectors noted that the American Dream is more myth than reality for the majority of middle- and lower-class people.

The room was fraught when I announced that because we had run out of time, class was over for the day. Before my students left, I encouraged them to keep the debate alive outside of class. Frustrated by our lack of resolution, a few kids rolled their eyes.

Looking back, what I recall about that discussion are the collective feelings of frustration and passion. Every boy held tightly to his ideas about social mobility; no one wanted to concede the other one's point.

Yet I consider that day a small victory. We take a small step toward becoming culturally responsive teachers when we confront rather than retreat from such situations. Taking direct action is not easy. Admittedly, my first impulse when I heard my student accuse poor people of being lazy was to ignore the storm and simply move ahead with my lesson plan. But by not responding, I would have sent a powerful message to my students about what I stand for as a teacher and a citizen. Also, had I remained silent, I would have missed a chance to raise my students' (and my own) cultural awareness around an issue that affects all of us in independent schools.

I encourage all of us to be mindful of these situations when they arise. If you feel unprepared to respond immediately, let your students know that you will not drop the issue and want to return to it later. I might have said, "You know, I'm glad you guys made your points. Let's talk more about them tomorrow." A decade of teaching has taught me that these moments can have a profound and lasting impact on students.

My school's motto is "preparing boys for life." As educators, we prepare our students when we place cultural awareness at the center of our courses, when we create a safe space for students to explore their ideas with respect to, say, race relations or social class or gender identity. When these thorny topics come up in my class, I remind my students that these subjects are what our course is really about.

Arranging the desks in my classroom into a symmetrical square enhances our literary discussions, allowing us to face one another. I typically sit among the boys, which I hope reinforces my conviction that their perspectives are every bit as valuable as mine. Credit: The Haverford School/Dawn Blake.

Students who appear culturally insensitive to us often lack exposure to different people. Some boys at my school rarely venture into the city of Philadelphia. Television, films, and sensational media reports inform their sense of who lives there and what those people's lives are like. It's easy for these students - and for young people in general - to assume that everyone's experience mirrors their own.

So I ask my students at the start of the school year to write personal narratives about what matters most to them. Their stories reveal aspects of their hometowns, families, friends, and hobbies. Then they share their stories in a series of in-class writing workshops. I project each boy's narrative on my SMART board and ask other boys to read them. Our workshop reinforces the fact that their lives are at the heart of our course. It also gives them a glimpse into the experiences of their peers. They see where their lives intersect and diverge from one another.

Culturally responsive teachers fill their classrooms with the rich experiences of students' varied lives. As teachers, we can also share our own personal stories, which help us earn students' trust and respect. I talk to my students, for example, about the sacrifices my parents made to send my brother and me to college. The point is that sharing stories fosters a culture of empathy and respect inside our classrooms.

I like to move around in my classroom. Here, I walk around the room, checking in on their progress and responding to their questions. Most of the boys appreciate the instant feedback and encouragement. Credit: The Haverford School/Dawn Blake.

Like many teachers, I entered the profession with a desire to positively transform the lives of young people. While that desire hasn't changed, what has changed is my understanding of the time it takes for our work to pay off. When I first walked into a classroom, I was naïve enough to think that I could change students' hearts and minds in the span of a single class period, marking period, or even a whole school year. Now I see how woefully misguided I was.

Culturally sensitive teachers ask their students to wrestle with intensely personal, highly complex issues like politics, identity, and moral values. Let's not forget that these are topics with which many adults struggle. It should come as no surprise that our students often resist wading into such murky waters. But we should not abandon the work, nor should we expect to resolve our society's most complex problems before lunch. A more realistic approach frames culturally responsive teaching as a "slow burn" process. We build our curriculum to ignite our students' passions and sympathies. It may take years for the spark to catch fire.

Teach long enough and you will be gratified by a student who writes a letter or stops by your classroom to tell you that a class discussion, or a time you lent him your ear, changed his life. When difficult moments like the one outlined above come up in my classroom, I reiterate to my students that there are no easy answers.

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Three Ways to Become a Culturally Responsive Teacher

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As teachers, we want our students to feel safe and empowered inside our classrooms. But most of us know kids in our schools who feel unsupported or invisible. This disparity is troubling, especially in light of the growing diversity at most independent schools.

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Log in or register to find out your implicit associations about race, gender, sexual orientation, and other topics!

Or, continue as a guest by selecting from our available language/nation demonstration sites:

GO!

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Log in or register to find out your implicit associations about race, gender, sexual orientation, and other topics! Or, continue as a guest by selecting from our available language/nation demonstration sites: GO!

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Susan Cain

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In a culture where being social and outgoing are prized above all else, it can be difficult, even shameful, to be an introvert. But, as Susan Cain argues in this passionate talk, introverts bring extraordinary talents and abilities to the world, and should be encouraged and celebrated.

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5 Easy Ways to Support LGBTQ Youth in the Classroom

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5 Easy Ways to Support LGBTQ Youth in the Classroom

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June is LGBT pride month, a time for the LGBTQ community and its allies to celebrate milestones and rally together to demand equity for all. In the grand scheme of the LGBT rights movement, students are often caught in the midst of national reform efforts and local attitudes; all too often, students in conservative localities are under supported when it comes to LGBT education. Many educators in these communities risk expulsion or suspension for coming out in the classroom, as many states do not explicitly list sexual orientation in their discrimination policies.

If you're an educator living in one of these states, supporting LGBT youth can seem hopeless -- but there things you can do. If you're not protected by anti-discrimination laws, you may still be able to select a few of these strategies. If you're teaching in a school district that takes a stand to protect all youth, these may be just the beginning of what you're able to accomplish.
1. Reword your classroom rules to include language that is accepting.
When I first began teaching, my classroom rule was be tolerant and respectful of everyone in the learning community. While I understand words have a nuance, I later decided to revise tolerant to accepting 10 clued a more positive connotation. Your classroom rules provide the basis of what is expected of students. Communicate your expectations that your classroom is a safe space.
2. Start an anti-bullying club or support your school's GSA by posting fliers and signs in the classroom
Many states allow the formation of a GSA, and staff, students, and sponsors are protected by policies that outline explicitly that GSA's may not be rejected by the school's administration; however, the harsh reality is that some school administrators will not allow the formation of a gay straight alliance at their schools due to personal bias, prejudice, or fear of retribution by the local municipality. If you live in a state or district where your administrator does not support the formation of a GSA, propose to form an anti-bullying club or a social justice league of some sort. I know a teacher at a middle school who chose to name her GSA Ubunto, which means "human kindness," and marketed it as a social justice club, which allowed her to focus on topics that are deeply connected and routed to a GSA. In the end, her students were able to receive similar supports and scaffolds, even without the acronym GSA.
3. Respond to insensitive comments about gender and orientation
One of the most important things we can do is to respond to insensitive comments about gender orientation and bling when they happen. All too often teachers turn a blind eye to the bling that happens in their classrooms and sometimes teachers implicitly support gender norms. Consider the ways that you can respond to students when they may insensitively say things like "fag" or "no Homo" in your classroom. Have clear consequences for the use of these words, but try to rely more on reflective practices like reflection journals, rather than harsh consequences that leave no dialogue for growth.
4. Implement LGBTQ voices in your curriculum
Implementing LGBTQ voices in your curriculum may be a slippery slope for some. I'm extremely privileged that I was able to work over the summer with district representations to implement LGBT voices in the ninth grade district curriculum for DCPS. DCPS has come out in support of its transgender and LGBTQ students and their teachers, which empowers me to include diverse texts that serve as both windows and mirrors. Today's youth are radically diverse and we need curriculum that speaks to their diverse perspectives and backgrounds; however, if you are working in a school or state where you could be fired for using curriculum such as this, it is advised to select texts that focus on bullying, name-calling, teen depression, and other topics that are directly related to LGBT youth.
5. Model acceptance in thought, words, and actions
Kids are always watching us. The most important thing we can do as educators is to model acceptance and thoughts words and actions. If we implicitly support gender stereotypes or norms in our classroom, then we are part of the problem and not the solution. While self-reflection is sometimes difficult to accept, deeply reflecting on the ways we perpetuate gender stereotypes is the only way we grow. By eliminating arbitrary gender dividers wherever possible, and modeling radical acceptance in our thoughts, words and actions, we can begin to see the same behaviors in our students.

This list is by no means exhaustive: if you've found other ways to support LGBTQ youth in your school, please share in the comments below!

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5 Easy Ways to Support LGBTQ Youth in the Classroom

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June is LGBT pride month, a time for the LGBTQ community and its allies to celebrate milestones and rally together to demand equity for all. In the grand scheme of the LGBT rights movement, students are often caught in the midst of national reform efforts and local attitudes; all too often, students in conservative localities are under supported when it comes to LGBT education.

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"Some people may argue that such concerns are unimportant, but if you consider that language is the primary filter through which we perceive the world, it's obvious that it affects how we relate to and make judgments about one another," Dowd tells Teen Vogue. "Until now, history has been written and told by men, to the detriment of others. Part of any attempt to create a society in which all people - regardless of gender, sexuality or race - have equal opportunities and freedoms is to use language that no longer excludes certain groups or creates unconscious bias."

Just because a nonbinary person isn't present doesn't make it OK to use binary language.

Many nonbinary people aren't as vocal about their identity and pronouns as others, and you can't know someone's gender by looking at them, Hoffman-Fox stresses. Nonbinary people reflect a wide variety of gender expressions and are sometimes still identified as male or female because they don't present as androgynous.

"It's fairly common for people to assume that a nonbinary person isn't in the room," Hoffman-Fox said. "The truth is, there is no way someone could know that, unless they have had conversations with every person in the vicinity and have asked them if they use binary terms to describe themselves."

Hold those around you accountable.

Don't be afraid to correct those around you, such as your classmates and even teachers, about using exclusive, gendered language, but do understand not everyone receives criticism in the same way.

"Some people will be comfortable with being very direct, like: 'Excuse me, but when you used ladies to describe our friend group, it leaves out those who are uncomfortable with being gendered as female,'" Hoffman-Fox tells Teen Vogue. "Some may want to take a more subtle approach, such as repeatedly using a gender-neutral term within earshot of the person using binary language."

Pay attention to which responses work better for certain people.

"Depending on the situation, you can address the situation with the person publicly or privately, in person or through a message," Hoffman-Fox adds. "Try to keep it as simple as possible, explaining briefly what binary language is and how it can often result in people feeling invisible."

Remember that binary language also harms cisgender and binary transgender people.

Nonbinary people aren't the only ones hurt by binary language. Binary transgender people (or trans people who aren't nonbinary) and cisgender people are also affected - and often harmed - by the gender binary and how ingrained it can be in our language. For instance, many women prefer not to be lumped into a group of "ladies" because of society's expectations of how a lady should act.

"There are people who aren't nonbinary who are uncomfortable with binary gendered terms, thanks to these terms also being experienced as stereotypical," Hoffman-Fox says. "Shifting to gender-neutral language is of benefit not only to those who are nonbinary but to many others in society who feel that binary terms are inaccurate ways of describing them."

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The Gender-Neutral Words You Need to Know for Back to School

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"Some people may argue that such concerns are unimportant, but if you consider that language is the primary filter through which we perceive the world, it's obvious that it affects how we relate to and make judgments about one another," Dowd tells Teen Vogue.

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Zinn Education Project Teaching Materials

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Zinn Education Project Teaching Materials

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Teaching Activity. By Bill Bigelow and Norm Diamond. 7 pages. Writing activity for students to complete the narrative of women workers striking at a glove-making factory, exploring possible outcomes.

Themes: Labor, Organizing, Social Class, Women's History

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Teaching Activity. By Bill Bigelow. 7 pages. Students read a poignant excerpt from Agnes Smedley's novel, Daughter of Earth, and use it to think and write about how schooling-their own included-teaches lessons about social class.

Time Periods: 20th Century, Turn of the Century: 1900 - 1909

Themes: Education, Social Class, Women's History

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Teaching Activity. By Bill Bigelow. Students are invited to solve a mystery, using historical clues, about the real story of the Draft Riots.

Time Periods: 19th Century, Civil War Era: 1850 - 1864

Themes: African American, Democracy & Citizenship, Immigration, Racism & Racial Identity, Slavery and Resistance, Social Class, Wars & Related Anti-War Movements

Read More

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Teaching Materials - Zinn Education Project

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Teaching Activity. By Bill Bigelow and Norm Diamond. 7 pages. Writing activity for students to complete the narrative of women workers striking at a glove-making factory, exploring possible outcomes. Themes: Labor, Organizing, Social Class, Women's History Read More Teaching Activity. By Bill Bigelow. 7 pages.

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The ABCs of L.G.B.T.Q.I.A.+ (Published 2018)

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Words and abbreviations are changing with the need to address and respect people who do not feel represented.

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Black History MonthResource Guide for Educators and Families

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Black History MonthResource Guide for Educators and Families

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Resource Guide for Educators and Families

At Border Crossers, we believe that the histories, stories, and voices of Black people should be centered, honored, and uplifted in school curricula every day. We also acknowledge the importance, relevance, and origins of Black History Month. In 1926, Carter D. Woodson and the ASALH (Association for the Study of African American Life and History) launched "Negro History Week" to promote the studying of African American history as a discipline and to celebrate the accomplishments of African Americans.

Today, we still see the absence of Black history and experience in our textbooks, required readings, STEM, and overall curriculum of our educational system. As we enter February, Border Crossers is providing resources to be used beyond the scope of this one month. Unless Black history is taught throughout the year, it perpetuates an "othering" of Black Lives and Black students and is al so a manifestation of anti-blackness. Ensuring the ongoing integration of Black history and experiences throughout all curriculum is imperative as educators continue to uplift every student and reinforce that Black Lives Matter every day.

For additional resources click here
How Do We Celebrate Black History Month? Teaching Black History Month in Schools: What Can We Do In Our Classrooms? Lesson Plans and Curriculum Resources for Educators: Do We Need Black History Month? The Underrepresentation and Miseducation of Black Stories, Experiences, and Histories in Schools: What Are Ways To Bring Black Lives Matter Into The Classroom? (Curriculum Resources): Why Teach Black Lives Matter in Schools? (Think Pieces): Where Are Afro-Latinxs Represented in School Curricula? How Do We Center Black Women and Black Girls in Our Schools? How Do We Center Black LGBQ & TGNC Experiences? As a Parent, What Are Ways I Can Engage My Family in Black History Month?:

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Black History Month Resource Guide for Educators and Families - Border Crossers

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At Border Crossers, we believe that the histories, stories, and voices of Black people should be centered, honored, and uplifted in school curricula every day. We also acknowledge the importance, relevance, and origins of Black History Month. In 1926, Carter D.

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Resources For Educators To Use In The Wake Of Charlottesville

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Resources For Educators To Use In The Wake Of Charlottesville

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How should educators confront bigotry, racism and white supremacy? The incidents in Charlottesville, Va., this past weekend pushed that question from history to current events.

One teacher wondering aloud about his role is Derek Weimer. He taught James Alex Fields Jr., the man charged with murdering a woman and injuring multiple others by driving his car into a crowd of anti-racist marchers this weekend.

Weimer says he taught Fields in three classes at Cooper High School in Union, Ky. As NPR reported, he told member station WVXU reporter Bill Rinehart:

Weimer says Fields was intelligent and didn't cause trouble. But he says the quiet boy was also deeply into Adolf Hitler and white supremacy. Weimer says he did his best to steer Fields away from those interests and thought he had succeeded in doing so. On hearing about the incident in Charlottesville, Weimer said he felt that he failed as a teacher.

For 40 years, the nonprofit Facing History and Ourselves has been training teachers to confront racism and bigotry. By studying the moral decisions facing people at historical moments, from Reconstruction to Kristallnacht to the civil rights era, they hope "to empower students to work against bigotry and injustice or improper uses of power," says Roger Brooks, president and CEO. "We sum everything up by saying people make choices and choices make history."

Studies show that the curriculum produces academic, social and emotional gains in students. A time like this, says Brooks, is the ultimate teachable moment:

"There's a whole lot teachers can slow down and unpack with their students rather than get completely caught up in the emotion of the moment."

Indeed, just hours after the attack, teachers were sharing resources online, and we heard from more after reaching out in our newsletter. Here are some resources and ideas for the fast-approaching school year.

Just starting out

More than 80 percent of public school teachers are white, while half of all students are people of color. Some teachers may never have directly talked about race or racism, particularly with younger children. Brooks suggests they start by making an "identity chart". This is a way to find commonalities as well as celebrate differences.

Diverse books: Some teachers will introduce topics of racism, civil rights and diversity, especially to younger students, through books. Here is a curated list of 50 social justice books from the nonprofit Teaching for Change. Here is a second, broken down by grade level, by The National Network of State Teachers of the Year.

Teaching Tolerance has lesson plans for students as young as kindergarten that cover bias and social justice.

Historical background

The Graduate Student Coalition for Liberation at The University of Virginia in Charlottesville published a syllabus on Medium that includes primary and secondary historical resources on the local history of segregationism, as well as the urban renewal that displaced African-Americans in the city. There is also background on the dispute over the statue of Confederate general Robert E. Lee that was the focal point of the rally this past weekend.

Facing History and Ourselves is an evidence-based social studies curriculum for middle and high school students that grounds discussions of racism and prejudice in students' own moral dilemmas.

American Federation for Teachers president, Randi Weingarten, shared some collections of lesson plans from AFT's Share My Lesson platform: on racial profiling and stereotyping, on civil rights and social justice, on bullying and helping children cope with traumatic events.

Ripped from the headlines

If you have more to add, we'd love to hear from you @npr_ed on Twitter.

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Resources For Educators To Use In The Wake Of Charlottesville

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How should educators confront bigotry, racism and white supremacy? The incidents in Charlottesville, Va., this past weekend pushed that question from history to current events. One teacher wondering aloud about his role is Derek Weimer. He taught James Alex Fields Jr., the man charged with murdering a woman and injuring multiple others by driving his car into a crowd of anti-racist marchers this weekend.

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Creative Resources for Teachers Celebrating Black History Month

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Creative Resources for Teachers Celebrating Black History Month

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From educational hip-hop to kid-friendly newspapers, here are some ways for teachers to incorporate and honor Black History Month in their lessons-beyond covering Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech once again.
1. Hit the theaters.
The movie " Hidden Figures" tells the untold true stories of three African-American female mathematicians. Katherine G. Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Johnson were among several black female mathematicians who made significant contributions to NASA's space program during the 1960s, despite race and gender barriers.

Teachers should place an added emphasis on historical black women because they are often marginalized during the celebration of black history, said Donnesha A. Blake, who teaches Black Women's Studies at the University of Maryland, College Park.

Teachers can use Scholastic's interactive space-exploration timeline to highlight the achievements of Mae Jemison, the first black female astronaut, and the Center for the History of Physics' lesson plan and reference guide, "When Computers Wore Skirts," to teach students about race and gender breakthroughs achieved by brilliant African-American women.

The National Society of Black Engineers also recently launched a nationwide campaign titled #BlackSTEMLikeMe, which aims to encourage black students and STEM professionals to share their personal stories to highlight contributions by black men and women in the field, and to show black students that they can pursue a future in STEM. Teachers can help their students share their STEM stories and photos, which will be shared through the campaign.
2. Music videos can be educational.
Last February, special education teacher Gary Hamilton wrote for Education Week Teacher about incorporating contemporary culture in the classroom for Black History Month. Hamilton explained that pop culture and music can be a powerful way to get students thinking critically through real-life applications. Artists like Kendrick Lamar who use their music as a platform on black empowerment can help increase students' awareness, interest, and pride, Hamilton said.

Learning platforms like Flocabulary can be a way to use educational music videos to spark student engagement. Teachers can find free music videos on historical African-American figures and leaders such as Ruby Bridges and Martin Luther King Jr., as well as on historical events such as the passage of the Voting Rights Act and the Selma-to-Montgomery march.

Teachers can also use the music videos' accompanying lesson plans, quizzes, and other activities to help students build off of what they watch and to create their own raps and songs about their aspirations after analyzing King's "I Have a Dream" speech.
3. News for kids, by kids.
The kid-friendly section of TIME Magazine, TIME For Kids, features a special on Black History Month where students can read articles by kid reporters on historical events in black history and on current news about African-American authors and athletes like basketball star Stephen Curry and ballerina Misty Copeland.

Scholastic also has a collection of articles detailing the achievements and contributions of African-Americans to U.S. history, written by student writers who are a part of the Scholastic Kids Press Corps.
4. Use documentaries as starting points for discussion.
Pulling content from documentaries might also help facilitate academic discussions and discourse on social justice issues in U.S. history. The documentary "The Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975," for example, provides footage on the anti-war and Black Power movements. The film includes audio interviews from various African-American artists, activists, musicians, and scholars to depict the state of the people, society, culture, and style between the '60s and '70s.

CBS Sports Network will also be airing "The Black 14: Wyoming Football 1969" on Saturday, Feb. 11, which tells the story of African-American football players who were dismissed from the University of Wyoming's football team in 1969 for protesting racial injustices. Teachers may find parallels to current controversial issues concerning race, such as the more recent national-anthem protest that may have reached classrooms. Opening up the classroom to these discussions may help students apply history to the present.
5. Help students learn from art and literature.
The Library of Congress and the National Gallery of Art offer primary sources-that are available online-for teachers looking to share historical artifacts and artwork with their students. Teachers can use historical photographs of child attendees of the March on Washington to discuss its impact on the Civil Rights Movement.

Analysis of complex texts like Beloved by Toni Morrisoncan offer opportunities to talk about perspectives and identity. The National Council of Teachers of English provides multiple lesson plans on Morrison's book, as well as a guide for teaching racially sensitive literature.

"As educators who build reasoning and analytical skills, illuminate historical experiences, and strengthen empathy across perspectives, our role feels more critical than ever," author and guest opinion blogger Homa S. Tavangar recently wrote for Education Week.

Tavangar added that although incorporating black history should be done throughout the year, adding emphasis during the month of February can help students dig deeper into a significant aspect of American history.
Other resources:

PBS offers free resources for teachers on topics ranging from the anniversaries of important civil rights milestones to talking about "Stop, Question, and Frisk," a controversial police procedure in New York City, in relation to the ongoing debate on race, justice, and policy.

The National Education Association and Smithsonian Education each provide their own set of diverse K-12 lesson plans and resources, covering subjects like the Harlem Renaissance, poetry, African-American inventors, and more.

Source: First For More on Teaching Black History: image by Flickr user John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, licensed under Creative Commons. "Hidden Figures" i mage courtesy of 20th Century Fox Film Corporation.

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Creative Resources for Teachers Celebrating Black History Month

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From educational hip-hop to kid-friendly newspapers, here are some ways for teachers to incorporate and honor Black History Month in their lessons-beyond covering Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech once again. 1. Hit the theaters. The movie " Hidden Figures" tells the untold true stories of three African-American female mathematicians.

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This report represents the culmination of a pilot program and evaluation of Perspectives for a Diverse America-the precursor to the Learning Plan Builder and Perspectives text anthology.

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Sherry Coleman and Howard C. Stevenson

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If it helps, you can think of the elephant as, say, a triceratops or a mastodon or a dire wolf or the smoke monster on the TV show Lost. What matters here is that school leaders slow down long enough to take a good hard look at this imposing, yet routinely unacknowledged presence. When we stop avoiding it, when we stop pretending it's not there, when we stop thinking that it's not an issue that deeply affects schools, we can make huge strides in our diversity work.

What is the elephant? In this context, it is the unacknowledged silence about the racial disparities in the school climate, a silence that makes it hard for teachers of color to raise, discuss, or face conflicts related to race. The silence is generated by the dominant culture, undermines the experiences of teachers of color, and perpetuates policies and programs that make true advancement in diversity work difficult, if not impossible.

Our individual and collaborative research tells us that the experiences of teachers of color in independent school are mixed. Through the years, we have worked with hundreds of young and veteran educators of color. Many have found great success and joy in their work, but they also face challenges regarding race, class, privilege, and power and often find themselves on the receiving end of harmful microaggressions - those subtle but painful race-based slights. Typically, these slights rise out of erroneous but widely shared views of people based on race - and are designed, mostly subconsciously, to underscore dominant and subordinate cultures.

The question that rises to surface in all such situations is in regard to how a school community responds to such knowledge. Currently, there is a tendency in schools to deny the existence of the issues of race and privilege raised by faculty of color, or, if acknowledged, there is little room to discuss them and fix the culture accordingly. It's also clear that much of the power for making the cultural change needed to face this elephant starts at the top. In other words, governance and school leaders set the tone for and how often a school community engages in conversation about equity and inclusion. There's great value in hiring a diversity/multicultural/equity and inclusion director or community life director, but the existence of this position does not absolve the head from taking leadership in this work.

Part of paying attention to issues that undermine the experiences of teachers of color means that heads also examine their school's hiring practices - an area in which a high degree of silence about racial issues predominates. We know of too many gifted and talented educators of color who, in their job search, become discouraged at consistently finding themselves finalists, but are never offered the position. They describe the weariness of getting to the finalist stage but no further as "search fatigue." It is especially painful when the position goes to someone whose credentials are similar or, from the candidate of color's view, not as strong. This experience most certainly is not exclusive to independent schools, and many schools are paying more attention to this problem and doing more than just aiming to have a finalist of color in every pool. But the number of interview-weary teachers of color remains too high.

Focus on Climate

It has taken some time to really grasp the essence of diversity, equity, and inclusion work and, thus, understand what undermines the success that schools strive to reach through this work - and to address issues that are consistently voiced by diversity practitioners. In the collective research, a key theme is how privilege, power, and fear of talking about race have prevented schools from creating an inclusive and diverse school community. Collective organizational vision draws its power from the narratives of the majority group. A school that resists or dismisses opportunities to understand or question that narrative is less likely to have practices or policies that address diversity issues. In such an organization, in fact, those who would raise concerns often receive negative feedback and are likely to be silenced.

Talking about race can be stressful. No one wants to say the wrong thing or be seen as one who always raises the issue, who always challenges the dominant narrative. However, school communities that dismiss racial concerns or push them under the rug undermine progress in diversity efforts, damage the school culture and climate, and take away from the essential work of preparing all students to live fully in the world. The most socially responsible thing we can do is to prepare our students to be culturally literate in an increasingly global community and to equip them to interact with a broad range of people. But we can't complete this work well without a well-functioning diverse adult community in our schools. And we can't have a diverse adult community in a school without addressing issues of inclusion and equity. Cultural or racial literacy won't appear simply because we use the word "diversity" daily. Learning how to negotiate racial conflicts won't become less stressful because we remind our schools about the ideas of social justice in our mission statements. Learning how to accurately read and interpret racially stressful social interactions in our school politics and relationships, modify our fear and avoidance of those interactions and conversations, and engage this elephant assertively and competently toward a satisfactory resolution takes courageous leadership - and that takes practice.

The good news is that the leadership work is being done in some schools. In our research, one participant drove home the point: "Our head has the attitude that we have a lot of work to do around issues of diversity, and encourages us to work at this. She also says very openly that making mistakes in this area is inevitable and that we're not perfect, but that we should be working towards bettering our environment in this regard nonetheless." ¹

We encourage all school leaders to aim for a school climate in which all members are both able to truly be themselves and to engage in productive and supportive conversations around equity and inclusion.

Fostering a Sense of Belonging

For schools, the professional approach to diversity is to collectively dissect the data, the experience, and the number of people of color in senior leadership positions, compared with whites, and begin to have an honest conversation about the obstacles or implicit bias that can affect the outcome we seek. In addition, we must look at the history of our schools, especially the power and privilege dynamics that go into making crucial hiring decisions. As many researchers have noted, we tend to be attracted to people who are most like us. When making hiring decisions, we must ensure that decision makers, search committees, search firms, agents, school leaders, and members of the governing bodies carefully define and consider what "fit" means for faculty or administrators. Outside consultants, who are experienced with such dynamics, are often necessary to help school leaders become aware of these potential pitfalls. They are able to help schools create more effective hiring and retention policies and practices. When power is authentically and equally distributed, a diverse team, in thinking and background, can yield the most innovative outcomes and creative educational approaches. Research tells us that diverse teams make for a stronger decision-making process than homogeneous teams and will more likely result in a more effective and productive workplace.

In our research, we found that the teachers' sense of belonging is very much related to how they feel about their intellectual, emotional, and racial interactions with colleagues. ² Also, it matters how much faculty members believe that school leadership understands the impact of these experiences. When teachers perceive school leaders to be courageous enough to initiate in-depth discussions on race, equity, and inclusion, they have a strong sense of belonging and perceive the school climate to be safe. The value of these discussions is not that one always expects an answer. It's that such conversations reflect a safe atmosphere for intellectual inquiry and an openness to change. As other researchers make clear, racial battle fatigue is a common challenge for persons of color in schools - students, faculty, and parents. Having one's concerns heard - being taken seriously when one raises issues about microaggressions or racial bias, or when one takes initiative to help fulfill a school's diversity mission - is a major influence in one's sense of belonging.

In our research, the more faculty members believed that leadership engages in proactive diversity initiatives and readily responds to racial conflict and stress, the stronger their sense of positive school membership. By contrast, the more they saw evidence of school leadership unwilling or unable to deal with issues of race, the less confident they were in the school and in their ability to engage or manage racial conflict. Leaders who practice avoidance in coping with the stress brought on by the racial elephant in the room risk undermining safety for all faculty within school climates and risk increasing racial battle fatigue.

We have also come to better understand, and have great respect for, the profound strength of faculty of color and their dedication to their work in schools. Even when some made the decision to leave their schools because of difficulties they encountered, or when they chose not to speak up out of fear of consequences, they demonstrated a clear commitment to their students. They understand that they are role models for all the students in their care and make daily contributions to the well-being of the school community.

But schools cannot rely alone on the resiliency of educators of color. In time, swallowing and suppressing one's voice on racial matters has negative effects on one's emotional well-being and professional identity. School leaders, therefore, must examine the risk factors these teachers of color face, as well as the protective factors that influence the experiences and perceptions of all faculty in independent schools. Our research confirms the link between schools authentically engaging in diversity, equity, and inclusion and the overall well-being and sense of belonging of its members.

For schools that truly desire healthy climates in regard to race and other social identifiers, leaders need to exhibit more than goodwill. They must acknowledge the elephant, acknowledge the need for much-improved racial literacy - and act on that need.

Racial Literacy

As noted, school climate, as determined by policies and practices, can be influenced by how and how often leadership engages in conversations about race and privilege. But what matters most in the development of racial literacy is how well leaders - through guided self-reflection on, mindful reduction of, and practiced engagement with the stress of racialized and privileged social interactions - guide their communities in this work. On the individual level, racial literacy is the belief in and the ability to read, recast, and resolve racially stressful encounters. ³ How members of the school community react, deny, or respond to issues of race and privilege raised by faculty of color will determine the experiences of those teachers of color and the degree to which a school can grow in its diversity knowledge and leadership.

What does racial literacy look like in an independent school community? It would include school leadership learning how to use racial stress reduction and mindfulness practices before they develop diversity mission statements or engage in diversity conversations or conflicts. It would include creating climates of safety through ongoing professional development sessions that encourage storytelling, journaling, stress reduction, debating, and role-playing of racial elephant situations. Finally, it would include annual evaluation and processing of past and current racial elephant situations using case studies to illuminate and discuss the clash of different vantage points and coping demands of students, teachers, parents, and leaders. In particular, leadership in racial literacy means being able to:

1. face racial conflicts as challenges rather than as threats;

2. resolve your own stress during the moment of a racial crisis;

3. evaluate your stress vulnerability and management after each crisis;

4. use relaxation strategies to resolve stress reactions that ignite avoidance of racial encounters;

5. seek help from experts to resolve any racial conflict;

6. keep a log of case studies of racial conflicts that allow you to learn from mistakes and triumphs; and

7. develop mission statements that support the aim of a well-functioning diverse faculty.

Acknowledging racism and privilege, while a good first step, is not enough. It will only allow schools to treat the symptom of racism and privilege, but not address the root cause. Organizations serious about authentic change will need to draw upon the narratives of individuals from multiple groups in order to better understand their racial realities and embrace the differential stressfulness of those realities. Helping all members of the school community develop intercultural competencies through practice can move the organization further than just relying on a fixed diversity plan. As we put it in our research, "The explicit measurement of one's stress and coping with racialized experiences is an initial step in illuminating that obfuscation." ⁴
Acknowledging the elephant in the room is an opportunity to begin an authentic effort to develop teacher and school leadership training in racial literacy. By doing so, educators will have the opportunity to recast "avoidant reactions" and move toward "assertive coping reactions" that lead to open conversations, increased racial understanding, better individual experiences, and an all-around healthier community.

While our research has focused on race, the findings can also be used as a tool for addressing issues related to gender, sexual orientation, class, religion, and any other social identifiers. The overall goal should be to increase the voice and a sense of belonging for all members of the faculty. But we believe - and the research makes clear - that we can't do this well if we're not willing to openly discuss the way that the socialization of racial avoidance affects the experiences of people of color in our schools.

Notes

1. Sherry Coleman, "Faculty of Color Perception and Experience of Racial Climate in Predominately White Schooling Context." (Doctoral dissertation). University of Pennsylvania, 2011.

2. Sherry Coleman and Howard C. Stevenson, "The Racial Stress of Membership: Development of the Faculty Inventory of Racialized Experiences in Independent Schools." Psychology in the Schools, 50, 6, 548-566, 2013.

3. Howard C. Stevenson, Promoting Racial Literacy in Schools: Differences That Make a Difference, Teachers College Press, New York, 2014.

4. Coleman and Stevenson, 2013.

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If it helps, you can think of the elephant as, say, a triceratops or a mastodon or a dire wolf or the smoke monster on the TV show Lost. What matters here is that school leaders slow down long enough to take a good hard look at this imposing, yet routinely unacknowledged presence.

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Talking to Children After Racial Incidents

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Talking to Children After Racial Incidents

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Dr. Howard Stevenson

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Parents have a natural instinct to teach and protect their children. Police-involved killings, the shooting of Dallas officers, peaceful protests that turn violent - incidents that are often traumatic for adults - can make these two instincts feel in conflict.

Do we try to explain the strife our child sees on television? Or should we try to shield her from such "grown up" problems?

Howard Stevenson, a clinical psychologist at Penn GSE, studies racial literacy and racial trauma. He works with educators and families to help them understand the emotions that racial incidents can bring about, and how to reduce their negative effects on health and well being.

We asked Stevenson what ideas he had for adults who are searching for a way to discuss racial incidents with their children.
Why is this a conversation parents and guardians need to have?
Stevenson: We can't hide our children from the world. Your child is probably already more aware of race, class, and gender differences than you realize. This can be a time to teach your child about social justice, while also helping process how painful these events can be for them, and for you.
Why talk about social justice?
Stevenson: Adults often have a romanticized view of childhood that ignores how much children actually know. Our research, for example, has found elementary children are acutely aware of racial attitudes. Talking about injustice allows children to make sense of the things that don't go right in the world.

At some point, your child will be treated differently. Or one of her friends will be. They will be exposed to or have a sense of unfairness or injustice that is rightfully upsetting.

Explain that: "I'd like for you to be able to talk about it if someone treats you unfairly because of the color of your skin, or because you are a girl, or because of your religion, or because of a disability."

Right now, as chaotic as things might seem, is a good time to begin having these conversations with your child. It opens the door to you saying, "Here's what we are going to do. Here's how we can face this. You might feel helpless, which is natural and OK. I want to talk to you about this so you can feel strong."
Why talk about race?
Stevenson: We tell our kids not to approach strangers promising them candy. That's a scary situation for a child to imagine. Why do we do it? So children will be prepared for what to do.

Talking about race in America can be scary. People don't want to be seen as a racist or someone trying to start a conflict. But the less prepared we are to think about race and talk about race, the scarier those conversations are when they occur. And children need tools for how to feel and speak about these issues.
Remember "Affection, Correction, and Protection"
Stevenson: Think of this as a three-step plan for conversations about race and social justice:

1. Embrace your child's difference. Make it clear how much you care about her, how her difference is a gift, not a liability, and how not everyone will view it as a positive.

2. Correct misperceptions the world has about people who are diverse. We certainly know the adult world is filled with misinformation after a racist incident makes news. Kids hear that too. Help them better understand that no one is less human than another.

3. Monitor your child's emotions before, during, and after the conversation. Say, "this is an ongoing conversation." You're going to keep talking about these issues and they should too. When another incident makes headlines, follow up.

Reason it out
Stevenson: Kids are smarter than we give them credit for. Rather than simply give them rules ("Don't talk to strangers") give them reasons ("I would be afraid that a stranger would misunderstand you.")

Explain the reasons and emotions of why you are having this talk with a child. Explain that you want them to be able to talk about what makes them afraid, because that will make them strong.

It's OK if they're upset by what's happening in the world. You are too. Any reaction, as long as it's not violent or retaliatory, is OK.
How can you partner with other parents?
Stevenson: Every parent feels isolated having these hard conversations with their children. When you have the chance, practice having a hard conversation with your partner or a friend before you have to have it with your child.

Remember that other parents are struggling in the same ways that you are. Reach out to like-minded parents in your life at church, at your kids' games, waiting to pick them up from camp. What are we trying to say? What do we think they need to hear? What feelings am I having? Can I model how to share those feelings? If we can't communicate that, maybe someone else can. Who is that?
Avoid either/or
Stevenson: There's a reason many simple stories are told in terms of good guys and bad guys: It's easy to grasp. But this either/or construction doesn't help children reflect on the complexities in the world. Everyone has a family and loved ones.

A useful lesson is to teach a child how to refute an over-simplified either/or characterization. For example, why can't it be true that all Black, White, or Brown people act a certain way?

Many instances of injustice happen because a person dehumanizes someone else. It's much easier to be cruel or unfair if you are thinking of someone as not human. Ask your child to think, what if that person were my sibling? What feelings would I have?

Or ask, how would you like to be seen if a stranger comes up to you? That's how I'd like you to think about other people.
Listen
Stevenson: Don't assume you are the only one with wisdom to bring to the conversation. Children teach us too.

The more you listen for what your child already knows, what they are concerned about, what they are afraid of, the more you'll be able to help them speak and feel confidently about matters of social justice. And keep listening, because your child will need you to keep that conversation going.

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Talking to children after racial incidents

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Parents have a natural instinct to teach and protect their children. Police-involved killings, the shooting of Dallas officers, peaceful protests that turn violent - incidents that are often traumatic for adults - can make these two instincts feel in conflict.Do we try to explain the strife our child sees on television?

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The term pansexual appeals to a generation that's comfortable with gender and sexual fluidity and doesn't care much for labels.

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Don't Ask Where I'm From, Ask Where I'm a Local

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Don't Ask Where I'm From, Ask Where I'm a Local

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Taiye Selasie

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Taiye Selasi: Don't ask where I'm from, ask where I'm a local

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When someone asks you where you're from ... do you sometimes not know how to answer? Writer Taiye Selasi speaks on behalf of "multi-local" people, who feel at home in the town where they grew up, the city they live now and maybe another place or two.

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Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

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Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: The danger of a single story

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Our lives, our cultures, are composed of many overlapping stories. Novelist Chimamanda Adichie tells the story of how she found her authentic cultural voice -- and warns that if we hear only a single story about another person or country, we risk a critical misunderstanding.

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How teachers can support transgender students

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How teachers can support transgender students

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From 2012 but relevant

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While the average secondary school will have enough lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) students to make up two full classes, 90% of primary and secondary teachers and non-teaching staff report having had no training to support LGBT students, according to Stonewall. For many teachers, it can be a struggle to know how best to support students, especially when there are no policies and procedures in place.

Teachers can use these relatively simple techniques to ensure a basic level of inclusion and care for transgender students in their classroom:

Challenge your assumptions

Commonly heard among staff is, "We've not got any trans students here" - unaware that many transgender students are not out. Class teachers aren't unusually informed about students who transition early - puberty blockers are often prescribed, stopping hormones from developing secondary sex characteristics. Other students may not wish to come out, or only come out selectively. For many students, however, the lack of information about transgender issues and identities can leave them without the language to explain their feelings.

It's important teachers create a safe environment for transgender students, whether or not we are aware of trans individuals in our schools. This enables questioning students to explore their gender and sends a message of acceptance to all students.

Scrap boy-girl seating plans

Students often report that boy-girl seating is the most frequent cause of stress. For non-binary students (those who identify as neither male nor female), such arrangements erase their gender entirely. As Sam*, a year 11 pupil, says: "Every time we're told something like, 'two boys, two girls' in a group, I know it means I have to pretend I'm a girl or get in trouble. It just reminds me no one sees me as I am."

Once you know your class, seating students according to subject ability, target or current grades, or to manage behaviour is relatively straightforward. Until then, ask students to sit next to someone they don't know, by birthday or in alphabetical order. Seating plans can also be used to reduce bullying, including transphobic bullying, by seating vulnerable students with compassionate peers.

Recognise and challenge transphobia

Many schools are now adept at tackling the ubiquitous microaggression, "That's so gay!" Yet we are less skilled at challenging - or even identifying - transphobia. Most common is students misgendering one another as "banter". More typical among boys, this has roots in casual misogyny and can be devastating for young trans students.

Messages from the media infiltrate quickly and students are often exposed to transphobia without realising it. With popular shows like RuPaul's Drag Race, and the poor media reporting on transgender celebrities, such as DJ Stephanie Hirst, students are sent the message that such attitudes are acceptable - even funny.

The key is in educating students as to why this is harmful. I've found that the simplest method is by far the most effective: assume ignorance rather than bigotry and explain why it is offensive. I usually start off by saying, "I know you probably don't mean it this way, but..." and finish off by saying, "so make sure you are presenting your views accurately." Once explained, adopt a zero-tolerance policy on future transphobia. As with all forms of behaviour management, consistency is key: challenge each and every time. It won't take long for the message to sink in that you don't permit transphobic remarks in your classroom, thus creating a safer environment for trans students.

What's in a name?

It's important to honour students' choices of name - for trans students, this sends the important message that you accept their identities unfailingly. In the trans community, one's birth name is known as a "dead name" and should not be used.

It's useful to keep up-to-date seating plans and registers for cover staff. Some registration programmes allow you to list students' preferred names and, as many young trans people may not have had the opportunity to change their names legally, it's crucial to use this where possible.

Ensure safe spaces for trans students

Bathroom access for trans students can be fraught - one study shows that bathrooms, as one of the few spaces unmonitored by staff, are a key location for bullying. While bullies should always be called to account, an additional way to provide students with safe bathroom access is to let them leave the room as their classmates pack away.

Hearing about transgender people in lessons can provide trans and cisgender students alike with role models. ICT classes, for example, might look at the work of pioneer Lynn Conway, and English teachers could use writer Janet Mock's work for non-fiction units. Drama and media classes might look at Laverne Cox's roles. Libraries may wish to stock books which feature transgender protagonists.

Visual spaces can also be used: students can create their own posters, several of Rainbow Teaching's lesson resources can be printed for display, and youth trans organisations often have relevant material to indicate that your classroom is a safe and accepting space.

*Name has been changed to protect students identity.
* Allie George writes under a pseudonym.
Follow us on Twitter via @GuardianTeach. Join the Guardian Teacher Network for lesson resources, comment and job opportunities, direct to your inbox.
Topics

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How teachers can support transgender students

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While the average secondary school will have enough lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) students to make up two full classes, 90% of primary and secondary teachers and non-teaching staff report having had no training to support LGBT students, according to Stonewall.

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Schools in Transition: A Guide for Supporting Transgender Students in K-12 Schools

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Schools in Transition: A Guide for Supporting Transgender Students in K-12 Schools

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Schools in Transition: A Guide for Supporting Transgender Students in K-12 Schools

Schools are increasingly being called upon to include and support Transgender students. Recognizing that this can seem daunting or overwhelming, Schools In Transition: A Guide for Supporting Transgender in K-12 Schools offers practical guidance and field-tested tips to parents, educators, administrators, and community members on planning and supporting a transgender student through a Transition at school. The guide is geared toward the needs of all students, kindergarten through twelfth grade, and incorporates recommendations that will allow schools to tailor those plans to the particular circumstances of the student and school.

"Schools in Transition is a unique and crucial resource for educators, caregivers and students. A young person's assertion of their authentic gender, and the attendant questions it raises can feel overwhelming for all involved," said Joel Baum, Senior Director of Professional Development and Family Services for Gender Spectrum. "This invaluable tool effectively breaks down the process, helping convert uncertainty to action. It provides a roadmap in which everyone can locate themselves on the journey to a successful experience for all."

More and more transgender students of all ages are asking their families and communities to support them in living their lives authentically. Having that support in school is critical because of the central role that schools play in their lives. A negative school experience not only hinders a transgender student's academic achievement and growth, but can also interfere with their long-term mental health. Schools In Transition helps prevent that from happening.

The guide includes:

Information about basic concepts of gender. It is critical that those supporting a transgender or other Gender-expansive child understand the complexity of gender.

The importance of Gender identity and the harm society suffers when any students are marginalized at school.

General guidelines for meeting the needs of transgender students, including intentionality and an awareness of the trade-offs inherent in any decisions about a student's transition.

Specific issues affecting transgender youth, including the use of chosen names and pronouns, student confidentiality and student records, restroom and locker room access, sports and other sex-separated activities and harassment or bullying.

Best practices for working with unsupportive parents or parents who disagree about the appropriate response to their child's expressed gender identity. It also addresses how special education plans can be used to help transgender students.

Overview of the legal landscape that administrators, educators, parents and students should be aware of as they work together to create a safe and supportive school environment for all students.

The lead authors were Asaf Orr, the Transgender Youth Project Staff Attorney for the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR), and Joel Baum, Gender Spectrum's Senior Director for Professional Development and Family Services. Other co-authors include the National Education Association (NEA), the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), and the Human Rights Campaign (HRC).

And here are quick links to the worksheets mentioned within the piece:
Gender Support Plan Gender Communication Plan Responding to Concerns: Teaching About Gender Responding to Concerns: Supporting Transgender Students
For more information about restrooms and schools, please view, " Transgender Students and School Bathrooms: Frequently Asked Questions ".

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Schools are increasingly being called upon to include and support Transgender students. Recognizing that this can seem daunting or overwhelming, Schools In Transition: A Guide for Supporting Transgender in K-12 Schools offers practical guidance and field-tested tips to parents, educators, administrators, and community members on planning and supporting a transgender student through a Transition at school.

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Gender-Inclusive Schools and Supporting Transgender and Non-Binary Students

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Gender-Inclusive Schools and Supporting Transgender and Non-Binary Students

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When students feel safe to express their identities across the gender spectrum, they will be more prepared to learn and thrive in your school.

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Created by an individual teacher