GLOSSARY OF TERMS
Race Resilient: school cultures that provide protective factors for all students, BIPOC and White, regardless of racial identity to develop a sense of racial pride and positive identity by modeling and messaging that is equitable.
School Culture: The beliefs, perceptions, relationships, attitudes, and written and unwritten rules that shape and influence every aspect of how a school operates to ensure the physical and emotional safety of staff and students and embraces demographic diversity (e.g. race, linguistic, religious, sexual identity etc.)
Cultural Responsiveness: having the ability to learn from and relate respectfully to people who are culturally different from you. With respect to instruction, culturally responsive teaching is the ability to make meaningful connections between curriculum content and the cultural life experiences of students. Culturally responsive teaching is backed by research shown to help students access rigorous academic content and develop higher-level problem-solving skills.
Ideology: is a set of conscious and unconscious ideas that form one’s goals, expectations, and actions. An ideology can be a set of ideas proposed by the dominant class of a society to all members of this society.
Affluenza: is a new word added to our language that describes the unhealthy psychological effects of affluence. Indicators of affluenza- sense of entitlement, showing off wealth (overly concerned about labels and brands), lack of empathy for others, self-worth is derived from material possessions, wants are emphasized rather than real needs, lack of genuine peace or joy
Racialization: the process of categorizing, marginalizing, or regarding a group according to race; in sociology, racialization is a political process of ascribing racial identities to groups for the purpose of domination and social exclusion or to define the characteristics of the dominate group and social inclusion
Systemic Racism: the interaction of culture, policy and institutions that give advantages to one group based on race and conversely disadvantage other groups
Social institutions: In sociology, institutions are defined as normative systems that operate in five areas of life- family, government, economy, education, and religion. The primary role of social institutions is to organize societies and the people who live in them
Locus of control: In psychology, the concept is about the belief that one controls his/her/their own life or a belief that life is controlled by outside factors or fate which the person cannot influence.
Transformationist teaching and leading: is creating a school culture that assures students across more of their differences achieve at a higher level and engage at a deeper level as they matriculate through our K-12 institution without giving up their racial, sexual or cultural identity (Gary R Howard, Corwin 2015)
Second-order change: finding new ways of doing things, changing values, goals and structural change. Second-order change is often described as transformational because it challenges assumptions and requires a different point of view. All stakeholders must have input in order for second-order change to be systemic.
Emotional Trigger: is anything that sparks an intense emotional reaction regardless of a person’s current mood. Emotional triggers can be positive or negative. Emotional triggers that are negative are associated with some form of post-traumatic stress disorder. Good emotional health is dependent on knowing what your emotional triggers are and having constructive ways to handle them.
Black Lives Matter vs All Lives Matter: Black Lives Matter was founded in 2013 by Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors, and Opal Tometi in response to the acquittal of the private citizen, George Zimmerman, who shot and killed unarmed teenager Trayvon Martin. It is a global network whose mission is to eradicate white supremacy and build local power to eradicate violence inflicted on Black communities by police and individual citizens who take the law into their own hands. The ideology of the group’s premise is controversial and often their protests are met with people carrying signs that read All Lives Matter. While that is a true statement, a useful metaphor to distinguish the difference- To a fire fighter, all houses matter. But it is the house that is on fire they must save and attend to. Black and Brown people are more likely to be subjected to excessive force, live in poverty, deal with discrimination, and in Pk-12 grade educational institution, consistently scoring below achievement expectations etc.
Interpersonal neurobiology: uses clinical evidence of the brain’s capacity to continuously grow and change (neuroplasticity) to develop techniques that help people heal from trauma. Interpersonal neurobiology was developed by Dan Seigel and Allan Schore. Interpersonal neurobiology is being used in the areas of mental health, business, and education.
Reptilian brain: is actually the basal ganglia portion of the human brain. The basal ganglia controls our innate and automatic self-preserving behaviors. It is also known as our primal brain that triggers our flight-fight-freeze or appease response to a perceived or real threat
Neuroplasticity: refers to the brain’s ability to adapt and change physiologically as the result of our interactions with our environment. The cells in our brains can reorganize in response to our changing needs. The neuroplasticity of our brains allows us to learn from and adapt to different experiences. When we learn something new, we create new connections between our neurons. This phenomenon happens on a daily basis, but it’s also something that educators can encourage and stimulate.
Stereotype threat: describes how a person might underperform if worried about behaving in a way that confirms a negative stereotype about members of their ethnic, gender, sexual identity or ablism group. The added stress can impact how they perform in a particular situation. For example, the stereotype white basketball players are inferior athletes to Black players, may result in the former’s performance when playing against Black players. Stereotype threat may even cause a white high school student from even trying out if Black players are on the team.
Culturally Responsive Teacher-Family Conferences
Stepping into our Students’ and Families’ Worlds
Below are the 4 Pillar of family engagement. We have started the year in focusing on “Share Power & Responsibility” by prioritizing connecting with families and staying engaged. This continues to be important as we start conferences by recognizing family’s expertise with their own children as well as supporting their own hopes and dreams for their children.
Goals of Conferences
- Shift and share power
- Adjust narratives to focus on strengths and recognize families as experts
- Having two-way discussions about student progress
- Being authentic and honest and encouraging that from families
- Clarity in how to support students- Ensure communication is going well and adjust if needed
30 Minute Conference Schedule (Elementary)
- 7 min – Introduction and School-Wide Conference Questions
- 7 mins – Social Emotional (SEL)/Leadership Strengths and 1 goal
- 7 mins – Reading Strengths and 1 goal
- 7 mins – Math Strengths and 1 goal
- 2 min – Thank you and Questions
15 Minute Individual Conference Schedule (Middle School)
- 5 mins – Introduction and School-Wide Conference Questions
- 7 mins – Content Strengths and 1 goal
- 3 min – Thank you and Questions
25 Minute Group Conference Schedule (Middle School)
- 5 min – Introduction and School-Wide Conference Questions
- 3 mins – Social Emotional (SEL)/Leadership Strengths and 1 goal (Advisory)
- 3 mins – ELA Strengths and 1 goal
- 3 mins – Math Strengths and 1 goal
- 3 mins – Social Study Strengths and 1 goal
- 3 mins – Science Strengths and 1 goal
- 3 mins – Electives Strengths and 1 goal
- 2 min – Thank you and Questions
Introduction and School-Wide Conference Questions:
Before starting it is best to open by recognizing the work that families are doing to support their child as we all return to school. The introduction is also a time to add several strengths you know about their child(Be specific… Jay is an avid reader, his comprehension is impressive. For example, when he read Guts he remembered all of the character traits of the main character.) You can also acknowledge how challenging this year is and your goal is to have an honest conversation about what is working, discuss areas that families need support, and also talk through how can we continue to partner to support their child.
Then start with our school wide questions:
- What is a celebration from this year?
- What are you most proud of about your child this fall?
- What do you notice and know are your child’s strengths?
- What part of your child’s education are you most focused on or concerned about?
- How do you feel the communication is going between school and home? What else do you need to stay in the loop?
Discussing and Sharing Student Progress – Focusing on SEL, Reading, Writing, and Math
- Ask, what do you notice about your child’s (SEL(define what SEL looks like in your class), reading, writing, or math)?
- Say that you will share what you have seen this fall and then there will be a discussion about what they are seeing since they are supporting so much virtually.
- Share the priority standards you focused on this fall. Be explicit
- Share samples of student work you have seen (you can share your screen if they are on “Teams” or talk about specific examples- think about which students may benefit from sending home examples of work to ground the conversation). Start with strengths then move onto areas of focus, and what you would be looking for from students at this point of the school year(what is a typical student producing)
- Be explicit about how current student performance will be reflected on the report card – especially if not at grade level(make sure that you tell families that these are end of year expectations)
- If you have not seen much student work and there is a discrepancy with what the family sees, talk about how you can get samples of student work.
- If families want to know how to support be clear about games or other strategies they can use at home.
This could sound like:
I am so glad we are meeting and today I am going to share specific areas of focus so we can discuss your child’s engagement and social interactions, drilling down on reading, writing, and math this fall.
What have you noticed about your child’s interactions and engagement in school? Do they seem to be getting acclimated to In Person?
Thank you for sharing, I notice ___________ as a strength as well. On our report card I am going to focus on the social skills identified on the Report card.
I heard that you shared _____________.
I also see ____________.
This often looks like ________________.
This is a great strength so you will see __________________ reflected on the report card.
Moving forward this winter we will focus on ________________.
One way to support this at home is ___________ or would you like to talk about how to support this goal?
Thank you for sharing. I am going to shift to reading. In (grade ___ ) we focus on _____________ in the fall. This is needed because …
What have you noticed about your child’s reading?
I notice _____________ as a strength or area of focus too.
I am going to share some samples of work or describe an assessment and what we observed. (Describe or show).
In this grade we would typically see students performing at __________________.
As we continue this winter it is helpful if they can practice __________________.
Is there anything I can do to support you with your child at home? or What would your learning goal be for your child in next two month?
On the report card you will see ___________. In class we will continue to focus on _______ in instruction.
This can be repeated in variations for the following content areas. Please be sure to address any concerns or wonderings and partner to come up with plans.
Remember:
- Have honest and clear conversations, pause often for clarification. It is not clear when you say, “Justin is struggling with reading,” or “He is not at level yet” Where is student performing now in relation to grade level standards and the rest of the class. Be specific
- Families don’t know teacher jargon (ex. Level G reader or In the Extension SIPPS set)-make sure we explain what that means and show examples as pertaining to grade level expectations
- Create space for a discussion (2-way communication) and not a presentation (1-way communication)
- For the top 3 or 4 students that you referred to Wellness or that you have big concerns about please make sure you send home some work samples to references during the conference since they are remote
Note Catcher
Student: _________________________ Grade: _________ Date: ____________
What is a celebration from this year?
What are you most proud of about your child this fall? What do you notice and know are your child’s strengths?
What part of your child’s education are you most focused on or concerned about?
What is the best way for me to follow through in supporting your child?
What is the best way for me to follow through in communicating with you about your child?
How would you like to partner with reaching your child’s goals and what resources/support can I provide?
Resources
7 Tips for Remote Family-Teacher Conferences
https://www.commonsense.org/education/articles/7-tips-for-remote-family-teacher-conferences
With so many gatherings and meetings shifting into the virtual world, the time-honored tradition of family-teacher conferences will also most likely need to be remote this school year. Perhaps your school community has already hosted a virtual back-to-school night or college fair. Whether you’re able to video-chat with parents and guardians or need to rely on good old-fashioned phone calls, now is the time to consider what these important check-ins can look like — and how to make them a positive communication tool — during the coronavirus pandemic.
- Be strategic with scheduling
For parents, guardians, teachers, and students alike, the challenge of scheduling and keeping track of virtual appointments can be a daunting one. Luckily, various tools and strategies can help you stay organized so you’re not spending more time trying to line up meetings than you are actually participating in them. Check out the following tools to make that happen:
- Google Calendar Appointments
- Google Forms (here’s an example you can customize)
- Sign Up Genius (free basic account)
- Be flexible with format
You’ve probably had Google Meets or Zoom calls freeze or glitch at some point this year, which was maybe due to a weak internet connection or software glitches. On top of potentially unreliable video-conferencing platforms, you shouldn’t assume that students’ households have a steady internet connection. After all, the digital divide remains a big issue across the country, and students may be participating in distance learning from wireless hot spots. So be flexible! Consider regular phone calls as an alternative. Plus, it’s not safe to assume that parents and guardians will be comfortable using video conferencing, even if their internet connection and technology access are up to par.
- Use screen sharing
If you’re conducting a conference via video, consider sharing your screen! Just as you might enhance a classroom lecture or presentation with visuals, you can make online conversations more productive — and interesting — by showing samples of student work, district resources for remote and hybrid learning, or other information. Whether you’re using Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, or another video-conferencing platform, screen sharing is a common feature and shouldn’t be overlooked. Here’s a list of dos and don’ts to further hone this strategy.
- Assign prework
Family-teacher conferences can sometimes feel rote and impersonal, so why not gather some insights and questions from parents and guardians before the meeting? Doing this will allow for more fluid conversation starters, in addition to giving you a leg up on troubleshooting student challenges (if need be). Perhaps you could ask families about their perception of how their student is doing in class, or how they’re handling remote or hybrid learning in their household. You could also invite questions from parents and guardians. Here are examples of some short surveys you could adapt.
- Consider student-led conferences
Family-teacher conferences can take many forms. Depending on your school’s conference expectations, you might be able to consider asking students to take the lead. After all, they’re probably pretty confident navigating online meetings at this point. This article from Edutopia is full of resources to consider if you go the student-led route.
- Offer training and resources
Many parents and guardians might still be struggling to navigate their students’ learning management systems (LMS) (like Google Classroom, Seesaw, or ClassDojo). Your remote conference might be a perfect time to conduct a quick screen share (see tip No. 3) to explain how these platforms work. This article from EdSurge offers some other great ideas, including showing parents how to log on to the school website or navigate the school’s media center, where the digital resources and databases too often go unexplained.
- Remember first impressions
Though logging on to video chats has become second nature for many of us inside and outside the education field, this might be your first time interacting in this way with this particular audience: students’ parents and guardians. So it’s not a bad idea to spruce up your physical environment, consider the lighting, and test your internet connection, among other tips to ensure a positive first virtual impression.
Seesaw Conference Resources – This has suggestions for how students can use Seesaw to add their voice to conferences.
Questions About Virtual Parent Teacher Conferences? We’ve Got Answers.
Additional Resources – Suggestions for Summer Affinity (group) Book Clubs
Racialization
A summary and study guide for CASTE: The Origins of Our Discontents. Isabel WilkersonCaste: The Origins of Our Discontents Summary and Study Guide | SuperSummary
Race is a Social Construct, Scientist Argue, Scientific America https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/race-is-a-social-construct-scientists-argue/
Race as a Social Construction, Psychology Today, https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/without-prejudice/201612/race-social-construction
How Our Identities Are Socially Constructed, TedX Talk, Florencia Escobedo Munoz, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIuJT1n2vRY
Why Do White People Feel Discriminated Against? I Asked Them, Daily Beast, https://www.thedailybeast.com/why-do-white-people-feel-discriminated-against-i-asked-them
Historical Trauma, Epigenetics, and January 6th: Reflections through a trauma-informed, trauma-sensitive lens. Blog by Victoria E. Romero Historical Trauma, Epigenetics and January 6th: Reflections through a trauma-informed, trauma-sensitive lens | Equity and Education (buildingresilienceinstudents.com)
Waking Up White interview with author Debbie Irving https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YL43HqvB4yY&t=21s
Internalized Racism Among Asians, AZN Identity, https://medium.com/a-m-awaken-your-inner-asian/internalized-racism-among-asians-49980f984401
10 Things About Dr. Joy DeGruy Leary’s Brilliant Post-Traumatic Slave Syndrome Thesis, The Moguldom Nation, https://moguldom.com/229194/10-things-about-dr-joy-degruy-learys-brilliant-post-traumatic-slave-syndrome-thesis
Historical Trauma Among Indigenous Peoples of the Americas: Concepts, Research, & Clinical Considerations, Psychoactive Drugs, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22400458
Internalized Oppression and Latinos – Race, Racism and the Law
Internalized Oppression and Latinos – Race, Racism and the Law
I’m Working to Unlearn the Racism I Internalized as a Biracial Kid, CBC News, https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/unlearning-internalized-racism-1.5677387
Self-Loathing Among Gay People Is Nothing New. We’re Overwhelmed by It. The Guardian, https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/feb/08/self-loathing-gay-people-shame
Race Resilient School Cultures
Understanding Culture and Diversity in Building Community Chapter 27. Working Together for Racial Justice and Inclusion | Section 1. Understanding Culture and Diversity in Building Communities | Main Section | Community Tool Box (ku.edu)
Addressing Microaggressions in the Classroom, University of Washington, https://teaching.washington.edu/topics/inclusive-teaching/addressing-microaggressions-in-the-classroom
Racial Equity Tools offers hundreds of resources (articles, videos, research, activities) to support educators: https://www.racialequitytools.org
Our website- Equity and Education: Equity and Education | Just another Manna Sites site (buildingresilienceinstudents.com) RESOURCE page updated monthly with articles/videos on staff self-care and educational pedagogy Resources | Equity and Education (buildingresilienceinstudents.com)
What Matters Most, John Hattie
Addressing Racial Inequity in Curriculum and School Culture, Harvard Graduate School of Education
https://www.gse.harvard.edu/news/14/08/addressing-racial-inequity-curriculum-and-school-culture
Understanding Explicit and Implicit Bias, Fact/Myth
http://factmyth.com/understanding-explicit-bias-and-implicit-bias/
Mindfulness and Implicit Bias, University of Virginia, https://news.med.virginia.edu/mindfulness/2020/06/25/mindfulness-and-implicit-bias
Inviting Innovation: Leading Meaningful Change in Schools, Educational Leaders, https://www.educationalleaders.govt.nz/Leading-change/Leading-and-managing-change/Leading-meaningful-change
Meditation/Mindfulness may mitigate implicit bias research –
How Meditation May Help Reduce Implicit Bias and Prejudice (insider.com)
https://www.buildingresilienceinstudents.com/resources/ Is Meditation the Key to Reducing Racial Bias? – Sonima
We’re All Biased. Here’s How Meditation May Help. – Mindful
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