To consider small ways to help historically underserved students feel welcome and comfortable and to build authentic relationships
Outcome
Honor students’ identities and backgrounds, build trust, and create a relationship where students will feel safe learning, making mistakes, and being vulnerable.
Action Steps
Pronounce your students’ names correctly.
Get to know your students as individuals. Avoid mixing up students. Use tent name cards or ID badges. The value of tent cards is that student can leave comments inside for teachers. This can be a closing activity/exit ticket. Student will receive a new tent card if they have fully utilized the writing space. Return responses to students with some acknowledgement from the teacher – a simple “Thank you for sharing” can be a first step in building relationships.
Present Black history in a way that is positive and self-affirming, e.g. discuss famous Black scientists or mathematicians, rather than re-emphasizing traumatic events.
Don’t force any BIPOC student to be a spokesperson for their culture or community about sensitive current events. Listen to those who wish to talk, but don’t put students on the spot who don’t want to speak.
