1. Begin each day with a community-building activity, such as a classroom community chant or question of the day.

2. Use visuals to give English Language Learners and students with communicative challenges a chance to contribute.

ECE:

• We Are Grateful by Cherokee author Traci Sorell explores Cherokee celebrations and experiences through the lens of otsaliheliga, a Cherokee word for expressions of gratitude..

• Whoever You Are by Mem Fox details the differences and common experiences of children all over the world.

• The All Are Welcome four-book series by Alexandra Penfold celebrates and welcomes children of all cultures and abilities into the classroom family:

  "In our classroom safe and sound/ Fears are lost and hope is found."

Elementary:

• Save Me a Seat by Gita Varadarajan shares the story of Joe and Ravi, two boys from different backgrounds who become friends through a common challenge: the school bully.

• The Great Wall of Lucy Wu by Wendy Wan-Long follows the memorable title character as she reconciles her American experience with her Chinese culture and family.

• The Dreamer by Pam Muñoz Ryan is a literary account of the childhood of celebrated Chilean poet Pablo Neruda.

Young Adult/ Teens:

• A Step From Heaven, as described by author An Na, "grew from a need to express some of the longings and frustrations that I felt as an immigrant growing up in America." (Na, n.d.)

• Brown Girl Dreaming is a poetic recanting of African American author Jacqueline Wilson's coming-of-age experience during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s and 1970s.

• Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume tackles common teen struggles of divorce, puberty, faith, and fitting in through the memorable title character.

• Marie Curie, Nobel-Prize winning Polish-French physicist and chemist whose work with radioactivity eventually claimed her life, but contributed to countless lives saved through X-ray technology and cancer treatments.

• Katherine Johnson, female African American mathematician whose contributions to NASA propelled early space exploration.

• Santiago Ramón y Cajal, Hispanic scientist and pathologist whose neuron theory forms the basis for modern neuroscience.

or https://kirwaninstitute.osu.edu/implicit-bias-module-series

• Carnegie Mellon University. (2014). Disruptive decorations. http://www.cmu.edu/homepage/society/2014/spring/disruptive-decorations.shtml As quoted in:

• Dillon, R., Gilpin, B., Juliani, A., & Klein, E. (2016). Leading change through classroom learning-space design. Redesigning Learning Spaces (pp. 3-10). Corwin, https://doi.org/10.4135/9781506318295

• Howe, W. & Lisi, P. (2024) Becoming a Multicultural Educator: Fourth Edition. Sage

• LeeKeenan, D., Nimmo, J. & McKinney, F. (2021) Reflecting on anti-bias education in action: The early years. (film) Anti-bias Leaders. Retrieved from https://www.antibiasleadersece.com/the-film-reflecting-on-anti-bias-education-in-action/

1. Apple, M. W. (2014). Official knowledge: Democratic education in a conservative age. New York: Routledge.

2. Aryee-Price, A., Fernandez, M., & Rogers, C. (2019) Teacher 2 Teacher: Making black lives matter at school. Education for Liberation Network. Obtained at https://www.edliberation.org/our-work/planning-to-change-world/#

3. Nieto, S. & Bode, P. (2018, 2012, 2008) Affirming diversity: The sociopolitical context of multicultural education, seventh edition. New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc.

4. Gayà Morlà, C., & Ferré-Pavia, C. (2024). Disney princesses and romantic love: A narrative that perpetuates patriarchal domination. Quarterly Review of Film and Video, 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1080/10509208.2024.2406968

5. Scholastic Parents Staff (2021). Multicultural books for kids. Scholastic Inc. Retrieved from https://www.scholastic.com/parents/books-and-reading/book-lists-and-recommendations/life-experiences-values/multicultural-books-kids-ages-6-10.html

• Posters and decorations that represent a variety of cultures and abilities.

• Child-created art and documentation of learning prominently displayed.

• Inclusive and diverse toys and dolls.

1. https://seesaw.com SeeSaw is an application that posts photos, journal entries, and dialogue between parents, educators, and students.

2. https://talkingpts.org Founded by a Korean immigrant, Talking Points is an AI powered and embeds best-practices into this accessible application. It can be initially pricey, but many school districts justify the cost due to its data-driven results.

3. https://translate.google.com/ Google Translate is a free, somewhat-limited application that translates words, phrases, emails, and documents.

• No more than 3-4. Example: We keep our friends safe, we keep our things safe, we keep our bodies safe.

• Language is clear, non-judgmental, and positively phrased. Example: Gentle touches, kind words, calm body, walking feet.

• Give grace and opportunity to mend. Everyone makes mistakes; teach rather than punish.

• Don't force children to say they're sorry. This teaches two things: 1- It's ok to lie. 2- Any behavior is ok as long as you say you're sorry.

1. A parent-communication board with events, resources, and classroom schedules with visual aids to support families with limited English abilities.

2. Interpreter apps that assist parents with communication.

3. Culturally-reflective art and photos, including family photos.

4. Culturally sensitive celebrations that honor all family structures. For example,

1. "Cupcakes with Caregivers" rather than "Donuts with Dads" or "Muffins with Moms."

2. Invite families from all faith practices to share their celebrations. Do not ignore western Judeo-Christian celebrations but stay respectful and do not force families and students to participate.

3. Secular celebrations abound, including 100th Day of School, National Ice Cream Day, National Donut Day, Week of the Young Child, etc.

4. Cultural Heritage Months include:

• February: Black History Month

• March: Women's History Month

• April: Arab American Heritage Month

• May: American Pacific Islander and Asian American Heritage Month

• September: LatinX Heritage Month

• October: LGBTQ+ History Month

• November: Native American History Month

(source: Harvard Office for Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging https://edib.harvard.edu/heritage-months)

U- Understand student background and cultural norms.

L- Learn about and incorporate a variety of learning styles.

T- Test students equitably. Advocate for unbiased assessment methods.

U- Unconscious biases lead to inequitable teaching. Face yours.

R- Reflect upon teaching practices often and with humility.

E- Empathize with students whose experiences differ from your own.