Establishing Classroom Norms for Vital Conversations: Discussing Current Events in K-12 Classrooms

The nation is still grappling with a global pandemic and the ongoing effects of racism in this country. In the midst of all this, educators across the country are returning to their classrooms, both virtual and physical. This pandemic has exposed longstanding inequities that impact those systematically marginalized by institutions in our society. Furthermore, a stirring of consciousness around social justice has acted as a call-to-action across the nation. That said, the return to class will undoubtedly open doors to new questions and conversations from our students. And given that each one is a unique being with unique experiences, how can we prepare ourselves to address potentially hard, but certainly vital, conversations with the entire class? As teachers, with all that is going on in our world, we hold the incredible responsibility of making space for children to process a range of emotions, ask questions, and consider ways in which they can contribute to making change. But it is imperative that we talk about current events in a responsible way. How do we create norms that honor all perspectives and support a deeper understanding around these issues? If done irresponsibly, we run the risk of doing more harm to students while widening gaps in their understanding. We hope you join us for this workshop, geared towards supporting educators from grades K-12 in doing this critical work.

Facilitators: Brandi Forte, Jayne Sohn