Alumni Resources for the Education Unit | Fitchburg State University

Current Topics/Current Issues Education

Inclusive Excellence

Here are some powerful words by Rodney Glasgow to support white folks in thinking about how to show up in the current moment.
‘Moments like now are why we teach’: Educators tackle tough conversations about race and violence — this time virtually
Affirming Black Lives Without Inducing Trauma by Teaching Tolerance
Don't Say Nothing: Silence Speaks Volumes. Our Students are Listening by Teaching Tolerance
Your Kids Aren't too Young to Talk About Race
Visuals in English and Spanish (PDF)
Connecting Current Events Curriculum from Facing History Facing Ourselves
About how schools are and plan to address the racial pandemic: First response and some resources
What’s My Complicity? Talking White Fragility With Robin DiAngelo
No Joking Matter: Words and Disability by Teaching Tolerance
Doing Race Talk with Teachers

Conflict Resolution and Dignity

Ethnic and Racial Disparities

RESOURCES FOR PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS about RACE AND RACISM

Culturally Responsive Teaching

When Healing Means Finding Your Role in the (R)evolution

Embedded in the article above is a 2017 New York Times opinion piece, Don’t Just Thank Black Women. Follow Us.
Facilitating Difficult Conversations

Developing your own cultural competencies

Teaching Teachers to Reflect on Race

Social Justice

An Idea to Consider...

Connect with a few other friends and read through this list. Commit to something on this list that you can do now. Continue meeting with this group weekly for a short period of time (virtually, of course). Do something every day from today until Juneteenth. (Then keep going).

Listening to reduce isolation and create more support:

We want people to have a lot of support processing what's happening in the world right now. When we have a lot of feelings and we're stuck in isolation, it can be hard to think clearly about what actions we need to take. Right now we need all of our minds to be as clear as possible so that we can show up to address racism and to become actors in creating the "new normal". One way you can do this is to focus on listening to people process their pain, fear, confusion, anger, etc. (If you are a white person, find another white person that can listen to you process your feelings.)

Get on the phone or zoom or whatever platform you like and agree to take turns talking.

Start with 5 minutes each. Start with a reflection about the feelings that come up when thinking about what's happening in the world right now. What are you thinking about, wrestling with? What’s on your mind? How does it feel?

During a listening exchange, your job is to feel your feelings with the support of a friend. That's it. And to offer your loving attention to your listening partner when they share their feelings. It's ok if people cry or raise their voice or even if they laugh out of discomfort. This can be helpful to express the feelings. Go ahead and encourage that!

You do not need to try to fix or even dialogue about the other person's feelings. Don't ask questions or offer advice. Just let/support the feelings to flow. We all need this right now. To know that we aren't alone and to be able to keep all of these feelings from getting in the way of our ability to think clearly about what action we can take.

COVID-19