Opportunities for Innovation

Educators should be challenged to both recognize and learn lessons from the crisis-driven changes and solutions that occurred as a result of the pandemic. Research and data on pandemic impacts to education and learning will emerge in the coming years. In the meantime, there is imperative to reflect on lessons learned and to innovate instruction accordingly. The themes of equity, social and emotional learning, and Culturally Responsive Teaching not only intersect with one another, but offer opportunities for educators to examine their practices and redesign their instruction.

Social and Emotional Learning

Social and Emotional Learning: What You Need to Know

These concise resources by Understood.org provide a clear overview on SEL and how to design for SEL in student instruction.

Activity Directions

Learning outcomes

  • Review and explore social and emotional learning

  • Identify connections among learner variability, culturally responsive teaching, and SEL

Read Social and Emotional Learning: What You Need to Know

Discuss these questions with your learning partner.

  • Why is an understanding of social and emotional learning necessary for effective instruction?

  • What are the connections between SEL and learner variability and Culturally Responsive Teaching?

Review the resources linked in the articles above and

Bookmark the useful links using your LIFT Bookmarks Form or a curation tool of your choice.

Equity and Antiracism

Antiracism education and teaching complement and extend Culturally Responsive Teaching to help educators examine implicit bias in their own practice. With a recognition that educational systems and structures reflect wider inequities and discrimination in our communities and culture, this activity is only a starting point for educators to reflect on their privilege, mental models, and beliefs and how these impact teaching and their work with learners.

6 Ways to be an Antiracist Educator

This video from Edutopia by Dr. Dena Simmons explores antiracism from an educator lens.

Activity Directions

Learning outcomes

  • Review key concepts and instructional considerations for antiracist educator practices

  • Identify areas for professional growth in support of antiracist educator practices

Activities

View the video, 6 Ways to be an Antiracist Educator

Discuss these questions with your learning partner.

  • In what ways have you or your colleagues explored and discussed implicit bias and racism in schools and learning?

  • What are some of the perceived challenges in addressing racism in your school or system?

  • How is antiracism related to learner variability and/or culturally responsive teaching?

Respond to these questions in your LIFT Portfolio.

  1. What are some questions that you'd like to explore about antiracism and equity in schools?

  2. In what ways is antiracism connected to individual educator practice?