Student Advisory Committee.

[Trey Gibson]

Student Advisory & Social Emotional Learning

Utilizing circles in an advisory or a student support setting we can develop social and emotional literacy, receive and give support, build trusting relationships, and address personal and academic challenges from an asset-based perspective. An asset-based approach focuses on the strengths that a diverse culture brings. Talking circles are an effective way to promote learning by speaking to fellow students about what they find to be most important, useful, challenging, fun etc. By asking thought-provoking questions, teachers and students can then identify their learning needs individually and are able to produce and reinforce key content. Circles are also an effective way to encourage sharing of student writing and peer feedback.  

Optional questions for reader:

• When was the last time you were involved in or led a circle? 
  
• What was the overall intention and end result? 
• How did you feel afterwords? 

 

[Trey Gibson]

Explicitly Addressing Injustices 

As schools become more diverse, there has been an increased awareness around the need to implement culturally responsiveness. Unfortunately, initiatives that promote culture competence, intercultural teaching and multicultural education have often been limited to discussions about food, dress and dance. Furthermore, they have been restricted to certain months of the school year or specific aspects of the curriculum. It seems like all too often these initiatives avoid or seriously down play equity issues. 

We can't just talk about welcoming or valuing diversity without acknowledging the many students who fall outside the dominate majority group who experience unaddressed discrimination and marginalization on the daily. Discipline statics over the past 40 years show a disparity between white students and students of color. Even the most student-centered discipline polices end up focusing on helping the students become more like the dominate majority, failing to address implicit bias that is often woven into curriculum and school practices.

This PBS Newshour clip discusses racial disparities with respect to discipline.


There are multiple ways we can support justice and equity using the resources from all around and changing the way we make decisions about curriculum and instruction.

• When choosing textbooks, consider finding authors with diverse backgrounds and who bring a wide range of experiences.
• Ensure that literature for children and the youth reflects the diversity of students in the school and features characters who look, talk and love like them. 
• Use resources and materials that consider historical harms and highlight the experiences of those who have been ignored.  

Beyond materials and resources, the classroom environment should also create opportunities for promoting justice and equity. Utilizing circles at the beginning and end of the class can help to create an equal atmosphere where everyone gets heard and has a voice to be heard.  

[beth47]

Oct 18, 2021 10:56:20 GMT -8 Trey Gibson said:

Explicitly Addressing Injustices 

As schools become more diverse, there has been an increased awareness around the need to implement culturally responsiveness. Unfortunately, initiatives that promote culture competence, intercultural teaching and multicultural education have often been limited to discussions about food, dress and dance. Furthermore, they have been restricted to certain months of the school year or specific aspects of the curriculum. It seems like all too often these initiatives avoid or seriously down play equity issues. 

We can't just talk about welcoming or valuing diversity without acknowledging the many students who fall outside the dominate majority group who experience unaddressed discrimination and marginalization on the daily. Discipline statics over the past 40 years show a disparity between white students and students of color. Even the most student-centered discipline polices end up focusing on helping the students become more like the dominate majority, failing to address implicit bias that is often woven into curriculum and school practices.

This PBS Newshour clip discusses racial disparities with respect to discipline.


There are multiple ways we can support justice and equity using the resources from all around and changing the way we make decisions about curriculum and instruction.

• When choosing textbooks, consider finding authors with diverse backgrounds and who bring a wide range of experiences.
• Ensure that literature for children and the youth reflects the diversity of students in the school and features characters who look, talk and love like them. 
• Use resources and materials that consider historical harms and highlight the experiences of those who have been ignored.  

Beyond materials and resources, the classroom environment should also create opportunities for promoting justice and equity. Utilizing circles at the beginning and end of the class can help to create an equal atmosphere where everyone gets heard and has a voice to be heard.  

[beth47]

Oct 18, 2021 10:56:20 GMT -8 Trey Gibson said:

Explicitly Addressing Injustices 

As schools become more diverse, there has been an increased awareness around the need to implement culturally responsiveness. Unfortunately, initiatives that promote culture competence, intercultural teaching and multicultural education have often been limited to discussions about food, dress and dance. Furthermore, they have been restricted to certain months of the school year or specific aspects of the curriculum. It seems like all too often these initiatives avoid or seriously down play equity issues. 

We can't just talk about welcoming or valuing diversity without acknowledging the many students who fall outside the dominate majority group who experience unaddressed discrimination and marginalization on the daily. Discipline statics over the past 40 years show a disparity between white students and students of color. Even the most student-centered discipline polices end up focusing on helping the students become more like the dominate majority, failing to address implicit bias that is often woven into curriculum and school practices.

This PBS Newshour clip discusses racial disparities with respect to discipline.


There are multiple ways we can support justice and equity using the resources from all around and changing the way we make decisions about curriculum and instruction.

• When choosing textbooks, consider finding authors with diverse backgrounds and who bring a wide range of experiences.
• Ensure that literature for children and the youth reflects the diversity of students in the school and features characters who look, talk and love like them. 
• Use resources and materials that consider historical harms and highlight the experiences of those who have been ignored.  

Beyond materials and resources, the classroom environment should also create opportunities for promoting justice and equity. Utilizing circles at the beginning and end of the class can help to create an equal atmosphere where everyone gets heard and has a voice to be heard.