Part 1
RE-Grounding Ourselves in the Importance of Culturally REsponsive-Sustaining Education
Opening Reflection: ABove the Line
The "Above the Line/Below the Line" graphic organizer is used to visually track our current understandings and surfacing new ways of thinking about a topic or idea. Open the document to the left in a new screen and make a copy in your own Google Drive to use as a note taker.
To start, list everything you know, believe, or associate with culturally responsive-sustaining education (CRSE) in the area "above the line."
We'll revisit this graphic organizer at the end of Part 1.
Why CRSE?
To be culturally responsive and sustaining, we must listen to our students and their families to understand what they want and need from school. The short video from the Coalition for Educational Justice, “Our Culture Our Schools,” gives us an opportunity to hear from a small sample of students and families. The video also highlights teachers and community members involved in bringing more culturally responsive and sustaining practices to schools. To help us slow down and really hear the messages from those who were interviewed we’re going to do the Listening: Ten Times Two protocol.
a. Watch the video. Let your ears wander and take in as much as possible. The video is also available here.
b. List 10 words or phrases about any aspect of what you hear.
c. Repeat Steps a & b: Listen again and try to add 10 more words or phrases to your list.
Making Meaning
Now that we have jotted down about 20 words or phrases, let’s independently draft a statement of why culturally responsive-sustaining education is necessary and important to students, families, and schools, especially in this current moment of global pandemic and racial justice reckoning. (Ideally, this can be a working draft that you use as school-wide mission statement.)
Optional Group Extension:
If you are engaging in this activity with a group of colleagues, share your statement with your community and colleagues and discuss:
What themes do we hear?
What from these statements inspires us?
What from these statements challenge us?
Reflection
Now, return to your "Above the Line/Below the Line" graphic organizer from the beginning of the session. Add your new learnings, ideas, and ways your thinking has shifted in the area “Below the line.”