Because you can't improve schools without talking.
I appreciated the chance to offer this 1-hr webinar for the Swift Education Center, introducing Schooltalk for educators. The series overall was designed to “help build confidence and competency around equity-forward professional practices.”
Slides available here.
In October 2020, I spoke with colleagues at the Berkeley Graduate School of Education about three “onramps” to K12 antiracism I have designed and helped design: Everyday Antiracism (edited, 2008), Schooltalk (2017), and #USvsHate (2017+). Check it out!
Presentation slides here.
In March 2021, I spoke with principal Candace Hunstad, school instructional coach Brigid Dux, ESOL teacher/school equity lead Samantha Gauta (all of Fairhill Elementary), and district coordinator of professional learning/cultural responsiveness Junena Thomas — all educators from Fairfax County, Virginia — about their use of Schooltalk for sustained antiracist equity work at the school level. It was a really exciting discussion about how to go beyond initial use of books to long-term use of texts for change. Sharing here to support others in similarly sustained efforts!
Session guide here.
An article I wrote to support educators to navigate hateful speech in schools; it was featured in ASCD’s November 2020 newsletter, Education Update (Volume 62, Number 11).
Read here.
Read the whole issue here.
An excerpt from Everday Antiracism: Getting Real About Race in School.
Link here.
A podcast with Ethical Schools, where I speak about #USvsHate and Schooltalk.
Episode description: “We speak with Mica Pollock about #USvsHate and Schooltalk. Student anti-racism messaging in any medium can catalyze youth activism. Comments embedded in teachers’ everyday communication can impact students’ lifetime trajectories.”
Link here.
These lessons for K12+ students draw from nearly 20 national teacher-support organizations. I curated these lists for #USvsHate. I’m working right now to add youth-facing lessons based on Schooltalk and Everyday Antiracism.
These tools help structure dialogue for anti-bias efforts in classrooms and schools. List includes norms, talk tips, protocols, and group work strategies.
Tools for Productive Dialogues (includes Quick Dialogue Suggestions): (from #USvsHate)
I wrote up this page of “concepts” for #USvsHate; it helps teachers prep overall for antibias teaching that treats all people as equally valuable.
Definitions and Concepts to Prepare for Anti-Bias Teaching: (from #USvsHate)
A full compilation of talk tools and conversation starters curated on the #Schooltalking Facebook group. Coming soon. Check out/join the group in the meantime!
