The current pandemic has amplified the systemic nature of racism, as people of color and low income communities have been disproportionately impacted by Covid-19. Headlines reveal egregious mortality rates, yet the conversations rarely delve into why this is happening, or how structural racism has created vast inequalities that impact one’s livelihood. In order to foster an anti-racist mindset, it is vital that we better understand how systemic racism created segregated, unequal living standards and limited access to social, economic, legal, and residential opportunities for people along lines of race, and that the current uprisings are a call to create racial equity across society. Such conversations can –– and should  –– be core to our teaching.

Join us for a 3-hour workshop where we will provide both an overview of the impact of systemic racism in the United States and Pollyanna's K-8 Racial Literacy Curriculum, a free spiral curriculum that centers race and racism. Monique Vogelsang, a career educator and lead creator of this curriculum, will guide this session. First, to better understand why the pandemic is impacting people of color at disproportionate rates, we will trace the emergence of racist policies in the United States, such as the limits placed on personhood, citizenship, immigration, housing, and other civil rights, as well as the importance of utilizing a lens of equity. Second, we will review the framework and key objectives of Pollyanna's Racial Literacy Curriculum. Employing lessons in history, literacy, science, geography –– and with STEAM extensions –– the curriculum supports students in acquiring an awareness of their own racial socialization and skills for engaging in productive conversations about race and racism. Together, we will discuss curricular highlights of each grade, so educators can better understand how to incorporate racial literacy into their existing curriculum. 

By the end of the workshop, participants will better understand how systemic racism is the root of current inequities and uprisings, and how we can approach the topics of race and racism with an anti-racist, growth mindset –– striving to maintain and embrace a sense of unity and dignity while doing so.

This professional development is appropriate for K-8 faculty, curriculum advisors and administrators. The Zoom room will open at 12:45PM ET, and we will begin at 1:00PM ET and run until 4:00PM ET.

Cost is $250 per person. The registration link will be open until August 20 at 9PM ET.

A Zoom link will be sent to you the day before the workshop. If you do not receive it or have any other questions, please email Claire at [email protected]

If you haven't downloaded our free curriculum yet, please click here to do so.