The world our students are entering demands both appreciation for nuances/diverse perspectives and courage to enter critical conversations. Using Clint Smith’s collection “Counting Descent,” this session will offer strategies for engaging in topics of race and class to build students’ critical thought and expression. Presenters will share a unit and assessments that aim to push students to seek, not avoid, complex voices and issues.
Buddy Circles allow students to recognize themselves as leaders, to feel empowered in purpose, and to establish a sense of belonging.
Buddy Circles are a formalized approach to self-advocacy and peer mentorship, and an avenue for collaborative strategizing for problem-solving. Born out of a naturally occurring conversation between peers who were able to express themselves without judgment, we were moved to keep the dialogue going in a meaningful, proactive way, and find opportunities for all students to participate.
Explore how one fifth grade classroom engaged elementary-aged students in conversations about privilege to foster anti-racist understanding. This workshop will have hands on exercises and concrete tools to support upper elementary/middle school-aged students’ understanding of privilege. Learn ways to begin a conversation about whiteness and white privilege using the BBC’s documentary The Delmar Divide, along with experiential activities, role play scenarios, and other approaches. In this workshop, we will explore how to engage students and teach them how to respond to situations and be an “upstander,” standing up against microaggressions and interrupting racism.
