March 2020: Sharing Resources to Support Anti-Bias Education During Our Global Health Crisis
A Message from Our Executive Director: Resources to Support Anti-Bias Education During Our Global Health Crisis
Dearest Roots ConnectED Community:
We are certain that all of you who are at the forefront of caring for students and their families across the country are working ever so diligently to meet the needs of the children you serve. As teachers and leaders who are navigating new ways to reach their students, taking into consideration both their social-emotional and diverse learning needs, we can imagine the level of thought and intent that has been taken through these unprecedented times. Through all of this, we hope that you are finding moments to acknowledge all you are doing to care for others. We know that so many are grateful for your strength; as educators, you are setting an example for our nation. We have seen and heard stories of communities coming together in beautiful and creative ways, putting their humanity first both across the country and throughout the globe.
While we are aware that you have been inundated with resources, we wanted to share a few curated lists that we have found particularly helpful; they can be found here and here. It is not lost on us that these uncertain times are extremely difficult for children as they navigate big feelings and observe the grownups around them doing the same. For older students, the constant barrage of news can be overwhelming and discerning what is reliable can be challenging. We encourage you to create space for students to share what they feel, and to also think critically about what they are reading. We have updated our blog with a few resources that we hope may be useful to you.
Resources for Understanding and Unpacking Current Events: These resources can be helpful in understanding and unpacking current events and encouraging students to be thoughtful in how they digest information.
Critical Literacy Questions to Support Critical Thinkers and Readers: These questions may be helpful to keep in mind to encourage critical reading, particularly while navigating current events.
Additionally, although this national health crisis has in some ways created a global sense of community and understanding, it can also result in children being led to believe certain stereotypes and biases about others. This can be stopped by addressing these misconceptions. On our blog you will find the post: Resources for Conversations with Students about Bias and Stereotypes as Connected to the COVID-19 Pandemic, which includes a list of resources that can be helpful in conversations that will no doubt emerge.
Our hope is that as we move toward creating new ways to share information and teach our children, we are also mindful of the inherent humanity that must continue to be honored in the process.
We are with you in this process.
With admiration,
Sahba Rohani
Executive Director