Since we returned from winter break, we have faced many challenges together. Many of us are feeling exhausted, anxious, and stressed in the face of so much adversity with the surge of the Omicron variant. The impact this is having in all of us is evident in the unfilled substitute requests, bus driver shortages, and student absences. We need to acknowledge and process the feelings and concerns we are all experiencing right now. We need to feel safe, rested, and have peace of mind. We cannot cultivate positive, strong, trusting relationships with our students if we do not take care of each other first.
Alex Shevrin Venet wrote in her book, Equity-Centered Trauma-Informed Education (2021), that "In the most basic sense, I see wellness as the condition in which our basic needs are met, including eating, sleeping, movement, safety, and emotional connection. Wellness is sometimes considered an individual pursuit, but in a trauma-informed environment we should consider wellness a community effort."
The title of this edition of EquityMatters! is "Equity-Centered, Trauma-Informed Schools." In this issue, we focus an equity lens to our community effort of creating the right conditions in schools and offices where each one of us "feels cared for, connected, and grounded" so we can meet our most critical needs and those of our students. We hope that the resources in this edition will be of great support to you and your team.
Respectfully,
Darwin, Daryl, Deanna, Edvin, Ericka, Joan, Maniya, and Marya
In This Issue
- Equity-Centered Trauma-Informed Schools
- Remember Who You Are
- Trauma Is A Lens, Not A Label: How Schools Can Support All Students
- Dr. Joan's Gems
- Social-Emotional Learning Won’t Happen Without a Culturally Relevant Start
- “Who should we include to join our group?”
- Resources for Black History Month
- Religious and Cultural Commemorations
- Resources Just for You
Equity-Centered, Trauma-Informed Schools
Christopher Klein, staff development teacher, John F. Kennedy High School, shares the work being done around equity and trauma informed care at his school. This work stems out of the Antiracist Audit consensus building process that was done over the summer during leadership week. Please see the full video interview below.
Remember Who You Are
Although some communities are impacted more acutely than others during this chaotic period, we are engulfed in collective trauma right now; a condition that is not addressed to the degree it needs to be. In our work, we have heard countless similar stories and sentiments of teams losing the “magic” and forgetting who they are across Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS). Everyone is overwhelmed; it is hard to go back to “the way things were'' when we are living in a different educational landscape.
Trauma Is A Lens, Not A Label: How Schools Can Support All Students
“It’s just so simple, but it can be so powerful in acknowledging that you don’t have to carry this stress by yourself,” said Venet. “It’s more than saying, ‘We’re a community.' It’s actually finding a way to put a structure around that.”
Dr. Joan's Gems
Each issue, Equity Instructional Specialist, Dr. Joan Mory, provides new, specific resources that can be used at meetings, in planning, and in the classroom, home, or community. They address different themes associated with teaching, learning, and leading. This issue's focus is on mindfulness that keeps us grounded and in charge of what we want to say.
Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Won’t Happen Without a Culturally Relevant Start
"Our goals in SEL are to help students feel connected to the teaching and learning experience. In order for this to happen, students have to feel that they can drop their guard to reflect on different ways of being human. Building relationships is key to establishing trust and serves as an observable platform for teaching young people how to positively interact with others."
“Who should we include to join our group?”
Research on child development has shown that children are developing their own theories and ideas about what’s right and wrong. Our team at the University of Maryland (UMD) created a curriculum program called Developing Inclusive Youth (DIY), a K-5 curriculum program to promote intergroup friendships and reduce prejudice and bias. For the past few years, our team at UMD has been evaluating the effectiveness of DIY in MCPS.
Religious and Cultural Commemorations
One way to connect with students, staff, and families is to have awareness of the holidays and commemorations they observe.
Starting February 1, countries all over Asia will celebrate the Lunar New Year. Many MCPS families and staff will celebrate too. Here's a short video and article that describe the holiday’s significance and different customs. Also, a more in-depth look at the holiday, the history, recipes, and how to greet your students and families who celebrate.
Let us know how you commemorate these holidays and please send resources for holidays and celebrations that are missing from the calendar.
Resources for Black History Month
Please keep an eye out for our upcoming 2022 edition of Black History Month. In the meantime, here's last year's edition filled with many resources and stories
Resources Just for You
As we wrap up the first half of the school year, we are all experiencing unprecedented levels of emotions and stress. What is keeping you up at night? What do you think your community needs to heal? How can we provide ourselves grace and love in order to be present and support our students and families? Join us in January for an Equity Matters Dialogue where we will examine these aspects of trauma and the impact in our schools and workplaces.
The Equity Matters Dialogue is a space for engagement on race and culture. The dialogue will not only be an opportunity to reflect on current events in society, but more importantly what this thinking means for our personal and professional practice. This dialogue is for all levels of MCPS staff and is a one time offering.
- PDO Course Number: 90748
- Title: Trauma Informed Practices: An Inside Out Approach
- Dates being offered:
- January 26, 2022
- Time: 5:00 p.m.-6:45 p.m.
Free online professional learning from the National Equity Project. The NEP has long been a great resource for the Equity Initiatives Unit (EIU) to engage in deepening our work to support the district. They have several great webinars available for free.
Borrow a book from the EIU Professional Development Collection. This is a lending library to support your equity journey. Just click on the link below, sign in with your MCPS login, click on collections, and then hit Equity Unit - Professional Development Collection.
The EIU has many resources for any type of equity work. Click here to find what you need, including resources for culturally responsive parent engagement, how to engage students in conversations on race, planning effective meetings, how to be an antiracist, and much more.
These equity impact questions provide a systematic examination of how different racial and ethnic groups will likely be affected by a proposed action or decision. Use these questions as you are enacting new policies, initiatives, practices, and as part of the evaluation process to ensure equitable outcomes for all students, families, and staff. Deep equity work takes place when we are proactive in our approach.