Addressing Issues of Difference in Our Communities

Workshop Summary - Unpacking Your Knapsack: Creating Effective Learning Communities for Students of Color

Through interactive exercises and dialogue teachers teachers will address classroom culture, and effective learning for students of color. Participants will explore the impact of the intersections of culture and pedagogy, and consider ways to develop supportive classrooms for students of color.

Attendees will have the opportunity to:

Consider the racial socialization and experiences of youth of color outside the classroom, in communities throughout the US. Explore their own socialization around race and how this enhances or inhibits their ability to create effective learning communities for youth of color. Gain understanding of the dynamics of cross-cultural relationships. And develop tools to build effective cross-racial teacher-student relationships.

Workshop Summary - LeftOUT: Supporting LGBT and Queer Identified Youth of Color

This workshop utilizes interactive exercises and large and small group discussions to examine the intersections of heterosexism and racism. Participants will consider how non-heterosexual youth of color are often alienated from or left out of typical LGBTQ organizations in schools, and then work to develop tools to support and retain a diverse student population in LGBTQ organizations.

Attendees will have the opportunity to:

Learn necessary terms like stereotype, prejudice, discrimination, social power, oppression, and same gender loving (SGL) to engage in dialogue about racism and sexual orientation. Explore their racial and cultural identities and behaviors that challenge or support sexuality and gender based oppressions. Expand their ability to identify horizontal hostility and racism in the QueerPOC community. And cultivate critical consciousness necessary to develop interdependent educational communities that actively support all LGBTQ/SGL youth.

Workshop Summary - Myth of The Model Minority: Supporting Pan-Asian Youth in Independent Schools

Through activities and dialogue, participants will explore the impact of the Model Minority myth on the racial identity development, emotional well-being, and academic success of Asian students, including trans-nationally adopted youth. There will be an opportunity to develop tools that actively engage youth beyond the “positive” stereotype in thriving multicultural classrooms.

Attendees will have the opportunity to:

Broaden their understanding of racism and internalized racism as related to Pan-Asian youth, including trans-nationally adopted youth. Explore Asian identity development in an Independent School setting. Address the omission of Asian racial identities from discourse regarding students of color and how the Model Minority myth enables this omission. Expand their understanding of how the stereotype of a monolithic Asian culture negatively impacts youth. And cultivate critical consciousness necessary to developing interdependent educational communities that actively support Pan-Asian youth.