Identity-Affirming Classroom Practices

These newly designed professional learning modules were created to assist educators and the greater learning community in creating and sustaining safe and affirming spaces, allowing students to see themselves and others through an equity lens.

Identity—Why It Matters: All members of a classroom community play an essential role in creating and sustaining equitable learning environments. Who we are as educators and learners intersects with our personal and social identities, producing a diverse ecosystem mirroring the world around us. Join this session to gather strategies for getting to know your students beyond what you see and read in their cumulative file and nurturing and fostering positive identity growth and development. Participants will engage in interactive, thought-provoking activities and walk away with tools for self-reflection on their own identities and how this might impact their relationships with students and families. Intended audience: PreK-12 educators, paraprofessionals, specialized instructional support personnel, equity teams, organizations, leadership teams

Shaping Academic Identities: Our academic stories matter and have a huge impact on who we are as learners and educators. This interactive, thought-provoking session explores the core tensions related to creating and sustaining identity-safe and affirming classrooms and provides important insight into the intersectionality between our academic, personal and social identities. Participants will reflect upon their own academic stories and learn ways to support students in telling their stories as a way to nurture identity growth and agency and design instructional practices to support and affirm positive academic identities. Attendees will walk away with a variety of evidence-based strategies and resources to apply in their own practice and continue the conversation with colleagues. Intended audience: PreK-12 educators, instructional coaches, all grade levels and subject matter

Addressing Deficit Thinking and Language in Our Learning Community: Words matter. They deeply impact (and are impacted by) our views, in particular our unconscious bias. We must change our words if we are to disrupt a system that tacitly accepts dominant white norms and perpetuates systemic racism and marginalization. Educators make hundreds of split-second decisions each day, all of which are influenced by our biases. This can lead to continued marginalization of students, and our inaction will continue to uphold a system that does not affirm and serve all students. This practical module is designed for all members of a school community or organization to work collectively in recognizing, reframing and rephrasing deficit thinking and language to increase cultural proficiency and social-emotional awareness. Intended audience: PreK-12 educators, paraprofessionals, specialized instructional support personnel, equity teams, organizations, leadership teams

Affirming LGBTQIA+ Identities In and Out of the Classroom: We are becoming increasingly aware of the diversity our schools hold. Local and state policies often prevent the wider acceptance and celebration of all individuals, especially those in the LGBTQIA+ community. In this session, participants will reflect on personal prejudice, learn how to recognize and address inappropriate interactions, and gain actionable skills toward transforming school culture. We will model an identity-affirming space that centers on LGBTQIA+ voices and supports allies in the work of breaking barriers in both the classroom and the larger school community. Intended audience: PreK-12 educators, paraprofessionals, specialized instructional support personnel, equity teams, organizations, leadership teams