This summer I knew I needed to relax and rejuvenate, but more than that I have been inspired and motivated to grow and change my practices in communication, instruction, and leadership. The NWESD Continuous Improvement team is providing multiple, free opportunities to learn from presenters and colleagues as we develop a stronger equity lens through the Summer Equity Series.
The Howard Group, a nationally acclaimed organization led by Dr. Tyronne Howard provided series of five sessions for Washington educators. The sessions I attended increased my awareness and knowledge about anti-racist practices in our schools and classrooms. I appreciated the data about our multi-racial classrooms and the overwhelming percentage of white educators. It was a powerful session and I appreciated continuing the “brave conversations” to move our race and equity work forward.
Each session brought content, perspective, and awareness, but my strongest takeaway has been the wisdom, grace, and love these presenters extended to our regional educators as we stepped into difficult conversations and brave spaces. This is what inspired me and filled me with hopeful anticipation for facing the new school year.
Even if you were unable to join us for the previous sessions, please feel free to join us for the August 17 (today) or August 24 sessions! The sessions are open to all schools with equity/anti-racism in mind.
“What we need, very often, more than anything else, is a “grace” with one another. This grace comes from understanding how difficult this business is, and from making the very best assumptions about people and their desire to change, understanding reality of past experience and the culture so often in place. It is hard to make these changes, and we will never get it right at the very beginning…It is the giving of grace to one another that very often allows us to move through the early sticking movents and gather enough momentum…(to) stay the course.” – Patrick Dolan, Restructuring Our Schools
