There is an urgent need to ensure that schools are a place where all people of all identities feel a deep sense of belonging. We are past the time for schools to be inclusive and welcoming, and society is finally waking up to how our institutions are not safe for or representative of the people who exist within them. It is on each of us to lead the change.
But how do we do this? What are the steps and actions we can take to create schools where diversity is lived and not merely a slogan? Where schools live into their values for everyone?
This workshop will introduce how one international school in East Asia is pushing forward to create a community that is equitable and inclusive. You will learn what has and has not worked, and be given tools to set up and push for your own affinity groups to create safety and spaces of solidarity. You will leave with a plan for change started, a list of next steps, and a network of people and resources to support you on your journey.
is a native New Yorker who has spent the past decade working to ensure rigor and equitable learning across varying curricula in secondary environments. Following a three year tenure as an English teacher for Qatar Leadership Academy, Javier relocated from Doha, Qatar, to Songdo, South Korea where he serves as a Learning Specialist for Chadwick International. On campus, he supervises Kaleidoscope and The Black and Brown Student Union, affinity groups aimed at celebrating and supporting student diversity. He is excited to continue working with Kim Hogg and other community members locally and abroad to cultivate learning that is inclusive and enriching for all students.
Kimberly Hogg is an expatriate Canadian who has lived abroad since 2002 and has taught all ages from kindergarten through adult learners. She recently made the transition from post-secondary to middle and high school teaching, which she thoroughly enjoys. She presently serves the community at Chadwick International in Songdo, South Korea. She has worked with a wide variety of clubs and athletics from the school's GSA Kaleidoscope to Robotics, Podcasting and the Cross Country team. Along with Javier Stevens and colleagues Audrey Duncan and Melissa Burnell, she has co-lead an initiative to increase CI's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in an effort to create a community where everyone - students, families and staff - feel a deep sense of belonging.