Anti-Bias Parenting: The Back to School Edition
Welcome to a new school year! Some of us are beginning to hit our groove after a few weeks of school, while others are just getting started. Either way, the start of a new academic year is a great time to revisit your commitments to Anti-Bias actions.
This is a great time of year to remind your child(ren) about the beauty in diversity, and what it means to be inclusive. When I was a classroom teacher, parents and caregivers often told me what a struggle it was to get their kids to talk about their school day. I’d give them some prompts for questions they could ask in relation to what we were studying. Similarly, I’ve provided some prompts below that you can use to engage your kiddos in topics around diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging:
I’m so excited to learn about all the other kids in your class. Tell me about someone new you’ve met. Is there anyone new to the school? I wonder what they are feeling… What are some things you can do to make them feel welcome?
I’ve been noticing how there are spaces in our neighborhood that aren’t very accessible. What about your school? Does it seem like it’s set up in a way so that all kids can see, hear and move? How so? How might it be improved?
Can you tell me about another kid who seems similar to you in some ways? What about a kid who seems different in some ways? (Here I would explicitly discuss gender, race, ability, and other identity markers.) It’s so fun to have friends who are like us and friends who are different. I can’t wait to see who you become friends with this year!
Some resource recommendations:
For younger kids: Read the book All Are Welcome. Discuss the diversity of characters depicted in the book and make comparisons to your child(ren)’s class. Share ideas for how we can create welcoming school spaces.
For older kids: Read the book, New Kid by Jerry Craft. Discuss the microaggressions that take place, and how the main character approaches them.
For you: In the This American Life episode, Talking While Black. Listen to Act 1: The Incident and consider: What conversations and actions could have taken place in the homes of the white students to prevent this behavior? Listen to Act 2 for more insight on the book recommended above!