Social Justice Standards and Affinity Groups at PHS Featuring Dr. Elizabeth Denevi Hosted by The PHS Multicultural Leadership Team
Program Overview Welcome ➔ Intro to Social Justice Standards and Overview of ➔ Faculty Professional Development Plans for Middle School Affinity Groups ➔ Elizabeth Denevi: The Value of Affinity Groups ➔ Parent/Guardian Affinity Group Experience ➔ Closure and Survey ➔
Social Justice Standards A Framework for Anti-Bias Education Written by Teaching Tolerance, inspired by the work of Louise Derman-Sparks ➔ ➔ Anchor standards and age appropriate learning outcomes organized into four domains Identity Diversity Teaching the four domains allows educators to focus on both prejudice reduction as well as collective action Justice Action
Faculty Professional Development 2017-2018 School Year Affinity Group Facilitation Training Deep Dive into Elizabeth Denevi The Social Justice January 2018 Standards Sara Wicht January 2018 Monthly Equity and Inclusion Faculty Meetings Planned by MLT Co-Facilitators and Admin Team Equity As Academic Excellence Elizabeth Denevi August 2017
The Standards in Action Snapshots from classrooms Community Essential Text Selection for Alignment with Building Activities Question Design Critical Literacy PHS Benchmarks
Middle School Affinity Groups History of Affinity Group Work At PHS Last 1990s 2000s few 2017-2018 years Under Recent Early Days Leadership Getting Ready Now PHS has had affinity groups in the The Diversity Committee began MLT sub-committee research and Here we are, Affinity Groups 2.0, past, when we had a Diversity work on school-wide equity discussion, outreach and info from we have experienced and Coordinator on staff and strong concerns and faculty other schools/best practices, practiced as adults, received parent advocacy for neurodiverse development; affinity groups was strong desire amongst faculty and further information and training, students. The school has grown a topic that came up as admin (and some parents and we are starting with middle and changed over time and the something for the future once students) to get affinity groups school and starting “small” affinity groups program did not important faculty and other work happening soon, seen as maintain and develop over these had become more established. something “missing” for our changes. students
Plans for Spring 2018 Middle School Affinity Groups 1 S h a r e A S f f t u i n a d f i f e t i w y n n i o t t G s i a u e t l w r s t d o e s / i i l u n b d l u g d e e l p e i g n n m t O e t g u i s o f i s p t a s e i t o n t r k i s n d i o n n / o s g n t a w e r f l s o o s r e u w r o s p h p o t s o e i f c f d s t h e h s r i e n i b t y h l e e i g r r o o w u p n s . 2 R e v i e w The faculty will review student S t feedback, decide which groups u d to offer, and determine which e n adults will facilitate each group. t F Faculty facilitators will agree e e upon protocols and goals for d b each meeting. a c k 3 Students Select Groups Groups will meet three times this year, once a month, beginning in February. We will ask students to remain in the same group for all three sessions. In May we will solicit and review feedback from students and faculty to inform approach for next school year.
Middle School Affinity Groups for Spring 2018 Potential Identity Groups Students who are adopted ➔ ➔ Students who are in families with divorce (or “non-traditional” families) Students of color ➔ ➔ Neurodiversity Students who identify as girls ➔ ➔ Students who identify as boys Students who identify as LGBTQ+ or questioning ➔ ➔ Students for whom English is not the primary language spoken at home.
The Why & How of Affinity Groups Elizabeth Denevi, PhD PHS January 2018
Common Language Diversity vs. Multiculturalism Diversity is difference that can be measured; it is quantitative. Multiculturalism is the quality of life that diversity lives in a school; it is qualitative.
Common Language Equality vs. Equity Equality gives everyone the same thing. Equity asks us to give community members what they need to be successful.
Common Language Safety vs. Comfort Safety is the necessary emotional trust and identity security/affirmation needed for learning. Comfort , as related to cognitive dissonance, means the necessary discomfort needed for learning.
Common Language Intent vs. Outcome Intent is what we hope will happen, irrespective of what actually happens. Outcome is the ability to own the consequence of a particular action, regardless of intention.
Common Language Becoming a “diversity responsive” school (Hawley & Wolfe)
Progressive Ed → Multicultural Ed → Anti-Bias Ed Progressive Ed was developed out of socio-economic inequality and reactions to the rise of industrialism in the US. It emphasized children as children, not widgets, and put kids at the center of learning. Multicultural Ed continues the progressive tradition, but adds in the importance of racial identity and the role of the teacher in promoting excellent learning. Coming out of the Civil Rights era, it looked at the social construction of racial identity between children and adults and the best conditions for learning.
Distinction between cultural appreciation groups/clubs & organized “affinity groups” Cultural appreciation groups Affinity groups •Primary focus is for •Primary focus is for members of under-represented communities to under-represented communities to share/celebrate their culture have a “safer space” where the focus is on reflection, self- learning, and •The potential exists for examination empowerment of power differences within the community and beyond •Explicitly look at differences in power in the community and beyond and • Open to entire school comm unity articulate ways to address them •Open to members of a shared identity
The “Why” of Affinity Groups ● Students who have a strong sense of identity and “school belonging” do better academically ● Students who participate in affinity groups have shown a greater sense of school connectedness ● School connectedness has been shown to create stronger academic outcomes ● Positive experiences with diversity contribute to greater critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and creativity.
Dr. Beverly D. Tatum: The ABC Approach Climate of Engagement: Affirming Identity, Building Community, Cultivating Leadership “Recognizing the importance of engagement across difference is an essential dimension of preparing the next generation for effective participation in a pluralistic world.” Affirming identity “is not contradictory to, but rather a prerequisite for building community” and that “students who feel that their own needs for affirmation have been met are more willing and able to engage with others along lines of difference.”
The “Why” of Racial Affinity Groups • Research shows that children develop a heightened sense of racial identity as they get older. Without exploring this part of their identity, children are left without the language or skill to process their social experiences in a healthy way. • By starting structured conversations early, we're giving ALL children a safe way to reduce racial stress (H. Stevenson), address what they see in the world, and enhance their own identity development. • Ming-Te Wang & James P. Hugley – “The study found racial pride (African American Youth) to be the most powerful factor in protecting children from the sting of discriminatory behavior. It directly and positively related to three out of four academic outcomes – grade point average, educational aspirations, and cognitive engagement.”
Guidelines for student affinity groups: 1. Facilitators agree on a consistent use of language/terms and curricular themes to promote greater understanding and clarity for the work together. 2. Affinity groups are facilitated, hopefully, by at least two adults who may be able to address different experiences within a particular identity. 3. Each group needs a rationale/statement of philosophy that can be shared with the community, especially at the start of a new school year. * 4. Each group needs a curriculum, some kind of "syllabus" to help frame the discussions.
Guidelines for student affinity groups: 4. People who represent a privileged identity (i.e. white racial group, men's group, straight allies) examine the ways in which that group often is seen as “normal” and/or monolithic. They also reflect on unequal power distribution, unearned privilege, and the opportunity to serve as an upstander. 5. Groups periodically share highlights with the community. 6. All members commit to their own growth and development as well as development/training for the larger community.
Affinity groups & the PHS mission: How do affinity groups support and enhance your commitment to progressive education? Group Exercise
Engaging resistance to student affinity groups: Reframing resistance as engagement:
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