Black Lives Still Matter: The Power of Words

Helping our children understand the impact of history on language and how you as parents can be part of

creating a space that is empowering for ALL students

CIRCLE ACTIVITY

• Stand in a circle around the outsides of the room.

• Do not speak, and try to avoid making facial expressions.

• Raise your hand every time you hear a statement that is true for you.

Words that are often misunderstood:

race, ethnicity, culture

TERMS THAT ARE OFTEN USE AND MISUNDERSTOOD

RACE ▸ What others see.

▸ Not biology.

▸ Created in order to perpetuate power structures.

▸ Matters today because of the narratives associated with each race that affect how groups experience this country.

ETHNICITY ▸ Nation/people group "of origin" + language + traditions + culture

(German-American, Italian-American, etc.)

▸ Ethnicity is something you choose to identify as (or not).CULTURE ▸ The shared attitudes, values, beliefs and behaviors a group develops over time due to

the shared experience of living and/or working in the same location.

▸ We ALL have it!

SELF

More critical terminology

What do these terms mean to you?Has the way they have been used in

education/American culture changed over time?

DiversityCulturally-responsive

practiceEquity

THE WHAT: CRITICAL TERMINOLOGY

Diversity: wanting to acknowledge and, possibly, celebrate, the differences between people; typically focused on compliance or the superficial ways people are different.

Culturally-responsive practice: the ability to learn from and relate respectfully with people of your own culture as well as those from other cultures.

Equity: making sure every person has what they need to THRIVE, which means ensuring access to resources AND eliminating barriers.

What the N-Word feels like...

• https://youtu.be/qaqBLZZd6Ns

How will you teach your children about the N-Word?

• https://www.washingtonpost.com/video/national/how-will-you-teach-your-children-about-the-n-word--the-n-word-project/2018/12/28/4fd0fc15-8250-4b03-99ed-f256bff8c111_video.html

Articles to help you think about and talk with your children about the N-word:• https://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2019/10/31/security-guards-firing-exposes-schools-problem-wit

h.html

• https://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/teaching_now/2018/11/when_discussing_race_in_the_classroom_teachers_are_unsure_of_parents_support.html

• https://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2019/05/24/how-teachers-are-spirit-murdering-black-and.html

• https://offspring.lifehacker.com/what-do-you-do-when-your-young-child-uses-the-n-word-1839894547

• https://www.tolerance.org/magazine/fall-2011/straight-talk-about-the-nword

• https://www.raisingarizonakids.com/2014/07/sticks-stones-kids-use-n-word/

• https://www.tolerance.org/magazine/from-mlk-to-blacklivesmatter-a-throughline-for-young-students

• https://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2012/02/can-educators-ever-teach-the-n-word/253345/

• https://slate.com/human-interest/2018/10/parenting-advice-racism-n-word.html

• https://hellobeautiful.com/1202435/what-to-tell-your-kids-about-the-n-word/

• http://www.ithacajournal.com/story/opinion/2018/01/20/turn-kids-educated-word/109585674/

Articles/activities for educators:

• https://www.tolerance.org/magazine/fall-2011/straight-talk-about-the-nword

• https://www.tolerance.org/magazine/toolkit-for-straight-talk-about-the-nword

TRAINING FOR THE MARATHON

If you are going to develop the kinds of skills you need to become more equitable in your practice, you are going to need to listen/watch/read something related to equity at least 4-5 times a week (just like what is required to stay physically fit). Here are some suggestions:

Reading: anything by authors Robin DiAngelo, Dr. Beverly Tatum, Zaretta

Hammond, Ibram X Kendi, Kathy Obear, Richard Rothstein, or Dr. Christopher Emdin; New York Times “The 1619 Project”

Podcasts: Revisionist History, Code Switch, This American Life, Words

Matter, Teaching While White, Calling Justice, Seeing White, Facing Ourselves, Speaking of Racism

Watch: TV: This is Us, Black-ish, The Red Line, Black Earth Rising, When

They See Us; Film: The Hate U Give, Emanuel, Hello, Privilege. It’s Me, Chelsea,

Cracking the Codes

Websites: Teaching Tolerance, The Education Trust

CHECK OUT ERIN’S TALKS

TEDx Talks:

 https://youtu.be/HQ7xY60a6z4

https://youtu.be/hFc9axy2ktQ

erin@erinjonesdreams.com

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