Going Deeper Zone
For educators who have been on the journey of ABAR work and are ready to continue to learn as they investigate larger scale actions.
It is likely that you self-identified with mainly 3s and 4s on the equity assessment, or that the statements in Ibrahim’s Growth Zone resonated with you.
Explore the Learning Resources in the order they are listed. While doing so, engage with the Reflection Questions as you proceed. To most effectively engage with this toolkit users should review the Reflection Questions in their entirety both, before and after they’ve fully explored the Learning Resources provided.
Learning Resources
Reflection Questions for Black or IPOC educators
Reflection Questions for White educators
Read Let’s Talk: Discussing Race, Racism, and Other Difficult Topics With Students
Follow up: plan a conversation with my classroom.
What specific actions can I take to be more of a co-conspirator rather than just an ally?
How can my curriculum become more of a tool for liberation? What are two units/lessons on which you can specifically focus?
Read Ending Curriculum Violence by S. Jones in its entirety.
How can my curriculum become more of a tool for liberation? What are two units/lessons on which you can specifically focus?
How can I use trauma-informed practices in my classroom and within conversation with colleagues?
Read How Moderate Teachers Perpetuate Educational Oppression? by L. Kelly.
What are two-three oppressive policies/practices in my school, and how can I challenge them to move my school toward more liberating practices?
Do I consider myself an abolitionist educator, or do I identify more with the moderate educator? What practices/experiences from my background influence my answer?
Do I consider myself a “moderate” teacher? If so, how can I move forward? If not, how can I challenge peers to move forward on the continuum?
In what ways can I relate to the experience of the author of “The School System is Rooted in Whiteness”? How does that affect my role as an educator?
In what ways can I “put myself on the line” for someone in my journey to becoming a co-conspirator?
Recognizing that there is no endpoint in the work of anti-racism, where is my learning taking me next?
Read Addressing Race and Trauma in the Classroom.
Follow up: explore the CPS Say Their Names Toolkit.
Recognizing that there is no endpoint in the work of anti-racism, where is my learning taking me next?
What are two-three oppressive policies/practices in my school, and how can I challenge them to move my school toward more liberating practices?
Dedicate time to return to the reflection questions in their entirety.
Take Action
Actionable steps that test and implement the lessons throughout this toolkit.
Use empowering language. Visit website People of the Global Majority for a terms definition and read I’m Embracing the Term ‘People of the Global Majority’ for context and background.
Read through your school’s handbook and discipline procedures. Determine which current policies disproportionately perpetuate harm and WHY the policy does so. Identify policies which uplift students and mitigate harm for expansion. Consider having a conversation with administrators to further discuss equitable practices with regard to discipline.
Meet with administrators and other colleagues to create an anti-racist mission statement for your school or district.
Start an antiracist book club with teachers/administrators. Write a grant or ask for professional development funds to be allocated to the start of this initiative. Bettina Love’s We Want to Do More Than Survive will lead to conversation regarding abolitionist teaching.
Meet with school or district administration to create a whole-school professional development opportunity on anti-racist pedagogy and education. Ensure teachers leave the PD with an action step to promote anti-racist teaching in their classrooms
Work with your district or school administration to create a parent night (remotely) to educate the community about anti-racist pedagogy.