There are many strategies and ideas for developing/deepening identity, in order to be an anti-racist human. This starts with knowing the “Why” and includes developing understanding of the intersections of the different parts of one’s identities. Below find some ideas around identity exploration.
Information Processing
Equity and Access: The Universal Design for Learning Guidelines
Just as we design buildings to be accessible by all people, we should design accessible learning opportunities. No two learners are alike – we are as unique as our fingerprints. If anything is a constant in education, it is that we can expect variability in the students and the adults with whom we work, each with individual strengths and goals. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a framework through which educators can intentionally plan for a variety of ways to access, engage with, and express learning. The learning is towards rigorous and meaningful goals. This is a huge move toward high outcomes for all learners. In this post, I want to share some thoughts and resources around UDL.
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Kid Equity Group
Over the past few weeks, two of my professional dreams came true. One is that I was able to formally introduce myself as a coach to my colleagues. The other is that we are developing a Kid Equity group at my school. Today I am excited to write about the Kid Equity group and some of our first lessons with the students in the group!
Shifting Language, Shifting Beliefs
We are living in extraordinary times. Six months into a pandemic, everything in our world seems to be changing. Some changes include: virtual learning, working from home for many, safe physical distancing and mask-wearing to protect others, and an increased awareness in how people feel belonging and community. At the same time, we have seen a growing focus on anti-racism through protesting, a commitment by many to center voices and experiences of Black people and people of color, and in some places – policy changes. In this post I want to share some of the shifts in language I am seeing as a result of our intention to the words we use. The words we use impact our beliefs, and our beliefs impact the words we use, so shifting language is imperative for a more just world and for expanding our beliefs toward shared humanity.
Culturally Responsive Practice and Adult Learners
At a coaching/mentoring workshop this week, we read Constructive Learning Theory to consider principles of learning for adult learners. As I read the article, I saw a number of connections to Culturally Responsive Learning and the Brain. In the book, Zaretta Hammond writes about Cognitive Routines as processes to make learning meaningful and culturally responsive. In this blog I want to use one of the routines, Similarities and Differences, to connect Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRT) to adult learning.
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Cognitive Routines
In my June 17 post, I wrote about Zaretta Hammond’s Cognitive Routines as a way to support Culturally Responsive Teaching. By introducing a routine and embedding it explicitly into instruction a number of times and coaching into the routine, the process become internalized into an automatic habit; in addition, student metacognition increases as the benefits of the habit becomes evident.
Turning Toward Something Better
In my first post, I wrote about the goal of taking more time to review and synthesize what I have learned. Since March 13 when my focus turned towards supporting schooling from home, I have read articles and blogs, watched webinars, discussed with colleagues, and read books to find the best ideas. I’ve learned from listening to students and families. And I’ve been most intrigued with the idea of rethinking a better way of doing education in the fall. I know a huge system change is needed in order to a) move the education system into the 21st century and b) address systemic oppression and c) eliminate barriers in order to enable and empower all students, especially the students whose needs have not been served historically. What follows are some of the biggest themes I’m seeing. I’m using a list for my synthesis process and hope to dig in deeper to some of these topics in future posts. This is not meant to be a checklist.
Learning to Be a Better Learner
I’m a voracious learner. I love to read, collaborate, listen, and make connections. However, one the most important learning strategies has been missing in much of my past professional practice: review. I’m reflective. Maybe, sometimes, too reflective.
“We do not learn from experience…we learn from reflecting on experience. -John Dewey
But, I often fail to take time to review material in an effective way. So I’m giving myself a challenge: to review more and to review more strategically. This will enable me to remember and synthesize, to be better prepared for coaching conversations and in my work with students. And, by modeling review I can teach others about thinking routines.