Teaching Strategies that Confront Bias by Nadia Gray

Artifact #1 Read Diverse Books about Children Experiencing Everyday Life.

gray_n — 2024-09-26 16:58:20 UTC

Explanation: By reading diverse books to young students it introduces and normalizes different cultures, backgrounds, and lifestyles in everyday life. This helps for students to see diversity as a natural and regular aspect of life, which helps combat/reduce bias at an early age. It helps show the richness of cultures without focusing on harmful stereotypes. It specifically reduces bias related to race, socio-economic status, and religion.

Source: PBS SoCal. (n.d.). Five anti-bias education strategies for early childhood classrooms. PBS SoCal. https://www.pbssocal.org/education/teachers/five-anti-bias-education-strategies-early-childhood-classrooms

Intended grade level: Elementary, k-4

Artifact #2 Activities that allow students to share and celebrate their identity.

gray_n — 2024-09-26 16:59:09 UTC

Explanation: By allowing students to share aspects of their personal identities with one another it creates an accepting atmosphere which morphs into an inclusive environment. It also helps students place value on who they are, connect with peers, and fosters empathy and understanding for those different from you. Students will learn to appreciate diversity through personal experiences and stories. This specifically reduces bias related to gender, race, religion, and socio-economic status.

Intended grade level: Middle,4-7

Artifact #3 Role Play with Dolls or Photos

gray_n — 2024-09-26 16:59:41 UTC

Explanation: Utilizing role play with dolls or visual aids as photos allows young students to engage with characters of different backgrounds. This strategy proves meaningful to them since many can relate to playing with dolls or even action figures. It encourages them to step into someone else’s shows which will help them develop skills of empathy and understanding. It challenges harmful stereotypes and helps students see that people of all backgrounds can share similar experiences and lead similar lives. This specifically reduces bias in gender and race.

Intended grade level: Elementary, k-2

Artifact #4 Student Appropriate Books over Social Movements

gray_n — 2024-09-26 17:00:08 UTC

Explanation: Student-appropriate books for social movements is a great strategy for exposing young students with age-appropriate stories about social movements. It encourages an early understanding of fair vs unfair, equality, and justice. It also helps them feel passion for standing up for others. It is typically the first exposure of people fighting and advocating for equality and the importance of positive change. This specifically reduces bias in race and gender.

Intended grade level: Elementary, 1-4

Artifact #7 Speak up about Bias through Letter Writing.

gray_n — 2024-09-26 17:00:35 UTC

Explanation: Letter writing is a way for students to address bias through the power of written word. It empowers them to voice concern while also coming across respectfully, thoughtfully, and professionally. It encourages students to reflect on injustices they encounter in their communities, giving them a means or outlet to take action against what they believe is unfair treatment. It gives them opportunity to share their thoughts with those in positions of power. This specifically reduces bias in race, gender, socio-economic status, and disability.

Intended grade level: Middle, 5-7

Artifact #5 Stereotype Replacement.

gray_n — 2024-09-26 17:01:06 UTC

Explanation: Stereotype Replacement involves directly addressing stereotypes and helps students replace them with more accurate, personalized information about different groups. It encourages critical thinking skills and challenges those harmful preconceived notions. It deconstructs prejudice stereotypes and promotes a better understanding. This specifically reduces bias in race, gender, and socio-economic status.

Source: Teaching + Learning Lab at MIT. (n.d.). Implicit bias. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. https://tll.mit.edu/teaching-resources/inclusive-classroom/implicit-bias/

Intended grade level: High, 9-12

Artifact #9 Perspective Taking.

gray_n — 2024-09-26 17:01:33 UTC

Explanation: Perspective Taking encourages students to consider issues from multiple points of views which promotes skills in empathy and understanding. It helps students to realize that other students have incredibly different experiences based on their background/identity and factors outside of their control. Students explore how different factors can shape experiences and worldviews. This specifically reduces bias in race, religion, gender, and disability.

Source: Teaching + Learning Lab at MIT. (n.d.). Implicit bias. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. https://tll.mit.edu/teaching-resources/inclusive-classroom/implicit-bias/

Intended grade level: Middle-High, 7-12

Artifact #8 Use Project-Based Learning for Social Issues.

gray_n — 2024-09-26 17:02:04 UTC

Explanation: Project-Based Learning, especially for social justice issues, engages students in hands-on collaborative projects that can address realtime social issues. It helps students to explore and research complex topics, think critically, and develop possible solutions. It allows students the opportunity to delve into issues like inequality, access to resources, civil rights movements, equity, etc. and gain deeper insight. This specifically reduces bias in socio-economic status, race, and gender.

Source: TeachHub. (2020, September 23). Using PBL to explore social justice issues. TeachHub. https://www.teachhub.com/classroom-activities/2020/09/using-pbl-to-explore-social-justice-issues/

Intended grade level: High, 9-12

Artifact #6 Facilitate Student Clubs/Groups that Promote Awareness of Bias.

gray_n — 2024-09-26 17:02:52 UTC

Explanation: Organizing Student-led clubs that promote awareness of bias leads to students being engaged with critical thinking discussions, and lead initiatives that challenge injustice within their school and community. This helps create a safe space for students to learn the importance of advocacy, and becoming allies. It promotes a culture of acceptance and understanding. It specifically reduces bias in race, religion, socio-economic status and gender.

Source: Üsküdar University. (n.d.). What are the social responsibility and social contributions of student clubs? Üsküdar University. https://sks.uskudar.edu.tr/en/what-are-the-social-responsibility-and-social-contributions-of-student-clubs

Intended grade level: Middle-High, 8-12

Artifact #10 Critical Analysis of Historical Narratives.

gray_n — 2024-09-26 17:03:26 UTC

Explanation: Critical analysis of historical narratives encourages students to analyze these historical events from many different viewpoints to help them recognize biases in traditional style narratives. It teaches them to question the dominant (oftentimes “white washed”) version and understand marginalized voices. It also highlights the importance of diverse perspectives in history and challenges one sided accounts of the past. It specifically reduces bias in race, and socio-economic status.

Source: Rothberg, M. (2015, March 12). Why historical narrative matters. Public History Weekly. https://public-history-weekly.degruyter.com/3-2015-11/why-historical-narrative-matters/

Intended grade level: High, 10-12