To our MCPS family, We See You! We Miss You! We hope you are practicing self-care because everyone is working hard to support students and families. We look forward to being with you again as we reimagine teaching and learning based on all the lessons this pandemic is teaching us.
Until then, we hope you find some support in the May edition of EquityMatters! The content offers a reflection on self-care, strategies for culturally responsive online learning, articles on structural racism and prejudice related to COVID-19, suggestions for binge-watching, and some comfort food recipes, from our families to yours.
Please reach out to us with questions and ideas, or just to say hello...and don’t forget to connect with us on one of our Twitter Chats #mcpsequityed.
Your equity team, Troy, Daryl, Deanna, Edvin, Ericka, Joan, John, Maniya and Marya.
In this edition:
- Put Your Own Oxygen Mask on First -- An insightful reflection from our colleague Daryl Howard
- Culturally Responsive Teaching During Distance Learning
- Cooking for Equity -- Recipes and Insights from the Equity Unit
- Two articles about bigotry and structural racism during the Coronavirus. One looks at the experiences of Asian Americans and the other explores disproportionate outcomes for African Americans.
- Dr. Joan's Gems
- Binge Watching for Equity
Put Your Own Oxygen Mask on First
I’ve always considered myself to be productive, efficient, and constantly seeking to achieve at high levels in new spaces. However, like everyone else, my world got turned upside down and I wasn’t able to do the things that I am accustomed to doing. I had the naive thought that “Mr. Get It Done” (me), would somehow be super productive and creative during this time. That turned out to not be true.
Daryl Howard, Equity Specialist, Equity Unit
Creating Culturally Responsive Learning Environments During Distance Learning
Now that we have exhaled and put on our oxygen mask, we wanted to ignite your thinking around culturally responsive teaching in a digital environment. We have all experienced a level of trauma as we adjust to our temporary state. Be responsive to your own needs and give yourself permission to be learners. Then we can be responsive to our students.
Culturally responsive teaching (CRT) serves as the foundation for building relationships with students, creating a digital classroom environment, enabling students to see themselves as digital learners, and helping students to digest content. Below are two resources that share some of our thinking about what CRT could look like in this environment. The first is a framework and specific suggestions created in partnership with the MCPS Center for Skillful Teaching and Leading. The second are examples and resources from other teachers and leaders who participated in a Twitter Chat on April 22, 2020.
We also want to hear from you. Click Here to provide your examples and resources and to suggest future topics.
Cooking For Equity
Cooking for Equity started as an off-handed suggestion at the end of a meeting after we joked about how much food we were eating while working from home. We all agreed to add a recipe that represented our different cultures. It would be quick and easy. The outcome was not what we expected.
The search for recipes led to a much more personal experience. Some of us cried as we remembered the people that first introduced the food. Others laughed with relatives as we argued the authenticity of our memories. Like everything else these days, a simple task triggered our emotions and brought us back to a time when we felt safe.
Stand Up Against Hatred
Bigotry against Asian Americans is on the rise as politicians and others have blamed Covid-19 on China. Please take a few minutes to read the personal stories on Stand Against Hatred to better understand what your students, families and colleagues may be experiencing.
Also watch the Town Hall to Stop Hate Covid-Related Hate Violence that was held on April 24 by our friends at Communities United Against Hate. The program provides a local context and specific resources.
COVID-19 and Structural Racism
When Mayor Lori Lightfoot of Chicago introduced data to show the staggering racial disparities in Covid-19, she said "Those numbers take your breath away, they really do. This is a call to action moment for all of us. When we talk about equity and inclusion, these are not just nice notions. They are an imperative that we must embrace as a city."
Please read the article Black People Are Dying From COVID-19 at Higher Rates Because Racism Is a Preexisting Condition and reflect on the structural barriers and pre-existing conditions that exist in our school community.
Binge Watching for Equity
Once you’ve filled up on Tiger King and Ozark, you might consider watching some shows that have helped us expand our cultural awareness and lens. The programs on this list are a mixture of sitcoms and dramas. Their themes are similar to many others: family, teen angst, love, mental illness and sexuality. The difference is that these shows expose the viewer to three dimensional characters from racial and cultural groups that have often been absent in mainstream media. This list is far from exhaustive. We'd love to hear what are watching.
More Resources
Find many more resources on our website. Email us at EquityMatters@mcpsmd.org to tell us what you've been doing, resources to share, or questions.
Credits
- Oxygen Mask
- Distance Learning, Troy Boddy
- Mayor Lori Lightfoot, Washington Post, 4/20/20
- Just One More Episode, Jakarta Post, 2/14/20