Training for Schools
Public Education Department has launched the first two modules of a free webinar series on the Canvas platform that meets the training requirements of the Black Education Act. The complete series of six modules will satisfy future training requirements and possibly allow educators to earn a micro-credential. Meeting the Moment: Addressing Racism through Recognition & Response is designed to develop a greater awareness of racism and provide practical information for school/district personnel, governing boards, equity councils and other relevant stakeholders to identify and engage when witnessing acts of racism. This material offers tools to combat discrimination and racism in the public school system, including creating and sustaining equitable and culturally responsive learning environments.
Black Education Act School Support Series
This virtual series is designed for District, Charter School, and Tribal leaders as well as school personnel to provide live technical support and information about the requirements of the Black Education Act and how to fulfill them. Our goal is to offer practical strategies and opportunities to engage with other student-centered professionals.
The Professional Development and Training Coordinator
- Serves as a resource enabling school districts and charter schools to provide equitable and culturally relevant learning environments.
- Develops or recommends anti-racism and cultural sensitivity training and professional development programs for all school personnel.
- Identifies best practices for strengthening educational outcomes for Black students.
- Develops, implements, and facilitates online or in-person anti-racism, racial awareness, and sensitivity training or professional development.·
- Supports all local education agencies as needed with training on how to best develop required rules of conduct and prohibited actions with aligned consequences.
Understanding Culturally Relevant Teaching and Becoming Anti-Racist
Teachers are often the first influences in a child’s life. We all remember positive and negative things about our teachers. Teachers on the positives side can inspire and grow students. Unfortunately, on the negative side teachers can disengage students from education. Black students in classrooms across the United States are often taught by teachers who view their differences as deficits, do not expect much from them, and dismiss them before giving them a chance.
Oftentimes, what we do and believe concerning race is on a sub-conscious level. Many teachers mean well but have hidden biases they are unaware of. Below are a few steps teachers can take to begin unraveling the biases hidden within. Included in the list are ways that teachers can embrace anti-racist/anti-oppressive teaching.
Teachers can:
- Cultivate awareness of their bias.
- Work to increase empathy and empathetic communication.
- Never place one race above another. The way a child speaks, how they look, their way of learning, etc. are all valued assets brought to a classroom not deficits.
- Encourage students to embrace differences in other cultures besides their own.