With the upcoming election cycle, the ongoing tensions around what and how we teach in schools today, and the increasing anxieties of young people, we believe it's imperative to create a space for educators to learn from, challenge, and support one another as we navigate the ways polarization shows up in our schools and classrooms.
Anxiety is a normal biological response to being overwhelmed by the accelerated change we are experiencing related to climate, technology, globalization, demographic change, ethnonationalism, and more (john a. powell). Those anxieties can deepen polarization, which shows up in our communities and schools. In this PLC series, we frame and explore tensions across differences that are present in our schools as we seek to find ways for all students and staff to feel a sense of belonging. We will focus on ways to find shared values, create connections through stories, and bridge across different identities, and belief systems. This workshop supports educators with a framework and tools to support themselves and students in challenging conversations to create greater understanding, community, and belonging.
This series will consist of a bridging and intergroup dialogue skills 4-day summer academy for educators who would like to build their capacity to lead in this work. These skills will directly support how to hold ourselves and our students in challenging and sometimes polarizing conversations. This will include broader frameworks for cultivating spaces of dialogue, as well as concrete phrases, questions, and practices that can be used when tense moments arise. These skills will support educators in better affirming the brilliance, authenticity, and belonging of all students.
Educators will earn 20 PDPs and receive a certificate for Bridging and Facilitation Training.