Let’s do more than just celebrate Black History Month
As we celebrate Black History Month this year, we reflect on the gains we have made towards racial justice, as well as the areas in which we continue to fall short. The equity gaps that remain in this country are deeply problematic and indicative of white Americans’ failure to internalize the difference between being non-racist
What’s Wrong With Black History Month?
There is nothing inherently wrong with Black History Month in and of itself. Black History Month, as well as all of the “minority” history/heritage months (Women’s History Month in March, Asian American Pacific Islander History Month in May, Hispanic American Heritage Month in September-October, LGBTQ History Month in October, and Native American Heritage Month in
This is Dakota Homeland!
As Anti-Bias Educators, one thing we should be reflecting on is the role that place plays in our history, culture, and orientation to the world. All land carries stories, and if we think about story as being rooted in place, we can begin to be more inclusive in our learning and teaching of all disciplines.
AMAZEworks Secondary Program
The AMAZEworks Secondary program embeds Anti-Bias Education Theory. The program empowers teachers by giving them the tools and weekly lessons to have regular, intentional conversations around identity, difference, and bias and establishes patterns for respectful conversation and taking action against injustices. It engages students to consider the following questions: Who do I want to be
Let’s replace “bully” with BELONGING!
October is National Bullying Prevention Month, and schools across the country are engaging in anti-bullying campaigns, including displaying anti-bullying posters, having students take anti-bullying pledges, hosting inspirational speakers, and teaching kids to recognize and stand up against bullies. At AMAZEworks, we take a different approach to anti-bullying. First and foremost, we would like everyone to
#UsToo – AMAZEworks’s Response to #MeToo Claims
We believe that every child has a right to feel that they belong in their classroom and their community. Part of that belonging comes from sharing books and other school materials that positively reflect the child’s identities. For children who don’t share those identities, reading about a wide array of lived experiences builds empathy and
Creating Safety in the Classroom
The increasing number of school shootings continues to fuel a national debate on how to make our schools safer for children. District, local, and state-initiated proposals have sought to arm teachers with guns, install metal detectors at building entrances, supply students with bulletproof backpacks, and assign police officers to schools. However, in response to the
Sewing with Love
Last week I sat in the AMAZEworks office stuffing persona dolls. AMAZEworks does not order our dolls from someone else. Instead, we make them at home. First, artist Stephen Michael creates the faces using photographs of real children. He infuses each face with personality and identity. Then Susan Morris creates the doll bodies, using a
Sharing Is for Babies. Just Grow Up.
My daughter figured out sharing pretty early. Maybe as an only child, she thought sharing would endear her to other children. Maybe she got the sharing gene in her DNA strand. Whatever the reason, she likes to share. She was the kid at parties who walked around with a bowl of cherries, moving with a
