When students participate in the Youth Equity Stewardship (YES) program, they not only learn how to engage with complex concepts around equity, inclusion, and excellence in constructive ways. They learn to see themselves as agents of change, and that shift in beliefs can have lasting
The Story of DuPage High School District 88 Not long ago an event took place at DuPage High School District 88 that has become all too common: A high schooler posted a video on social media in which the student uttered a racial slur. Rather than
This year’s “back-to-school season” feels quite different in a very positive way. For the first time in my career, both my district and school are placing a strong emphasis on Social-Emotional Learning. Just last week, my colleagues and I participated in an interactive Circle Training
When I meet my students, they can see right away that I am a “white” teacher, and I can see that they are “black” and “brown” students. These are the first things we witness about one another. I wonder what the students assume about me
Teaching begins with knowing your students. Who are these young people in front of you? What do they bring to the classroom from their previous experiences, their community, their families, and their cultures? What do they need from me to further their aspirations? However, as an