RESOURCES and LESSONS for TEACHING ABOUT SOCIAL JUSTICE - especially race, ethnicity, and culture.
You will find MANY LINKS TO SITES & ARTICLES, BUT ONLY THE FIRST FEW PARAGRAPHS (due to copyright laws), so please press the link to read the articles in their entirety.
TO SEARCH, use the "SEARCH BY LABEL OR CATEGORY" section in the right column.
What's this blog about?
I teach several courses under the broad topic of "Multicultural Education," prioritizing social justice issues of access, power/privilege, & narrowing the academic achievement gap. I am a person of color and I almost always have a white co-teacher. We include topics, such as: racism, sexism, heterosexism, ableism, ethnocentrism, deculturalization, transforming curriculum, etc. This is a place where I post information that we teach; lesson plans for activities; and resources we use and/or which are shared with me by my adult students.
This Comedian With Cerebral Palsy Will Make You Think Twice About The Word "Disability"
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tedtalks/watch-this-woman-with-cer_b_4959970.html?ncid=fcbklnkushpmg00000063
If thinking of cerebral palsy makes you think of someone sad or
helpless, then watch this talk and let comedian Maysoon Zayid blow your
mind. She's fierce, she's funny, and she refuses to let you feel sorry
for her.
Click the link to learn valuable information about what to say and why (as well as what NOT to say)
1. What not to say: "She looks so normal" or "I didn't know anything was wrong with him."
2. What not to say: "He looks fine to me" or "You would never know to look at her."
3. What not to say: "Is it genetic?"
4. What not to say: "He's going to grow out of it, right?"
5. What not to say: "Did you cause her to be in a wheelchair?"
6. What not to say: "My uncle's brother's nephew's cousin has
autism, so I know what it's like" or "My nephew's cousin has autism,
too. He's really good at math. What's your son gifted in?"
7. What not to say: "Why didn't you stop having kids after the first one?"
8. "God only gives you what you can handle."
9. What not to say: "Have you tried juicing?" or "Why don't you watch this movie about the keto diet?"
10. What not to say: Comments on work, such as: "It must be
nice coming late" after running around all morning at appointments or
"It must be nice getting to relax all day since you don't have a job."
11. What not to say: "He's one of God's special angels."
12. What not to say: "How in the world did you break both your legs?"
13. What not to say: "I don't know how you do it. You are a
great mom" or "Do you really start his IVs, oh dear, I just couldn't
possibly do that!"
14. What not to say: "I can't believe you give him (insert
medicine or medical procedure here). I would never give that to my
child."
15. What not to say: "I nearly had a stroke" or "I think I'm going to have an epileptic fit" or "Are you retarded?"
16. Always use person-first language.
17. Remember we're humans, too. Compliment us without a reference to our child's challenges.
10 Things Your Autistic Friend Wants You To Know
http://www.thefrisky.com/2014-03-20/10-things-your-autistic-friend-wants-you-to-know/
Click the link to learn valuable information about autism.
1. You can look us in the eyes.
2. We’re drawn to each other.
3. Everything’s a big deal to us.
4. We DO understand what’s going on.
5. We’re not always honest.
6. Autism can look like pretty much anything else.
7. We might show affection differently.
8. We are not making excuses, but we don’t owe you explanations.
9. We have a tacit hierarchy.
10. We are not all the same.
Woodstock Chimes Presents - Chimes for Autism - children are neuro-typically different
http://www.upworthy.com/a-neat-thing-happens-when-a-boy-really-really-likes-wind-chimes?c=ufb1
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When is it okay to use the word "retard"? Use this flowchart
There are parts of ourselves we try to hide because somewhere along the way, we created the idea that we are alone in our flaws.http://www.elephantjournal.com/2013/06/the-real-unphotoshopped-me-liz-arch-photographed-by-robert-sturman/
The real me is someone with a normal, healthy body—and yes, a normal, healthy body has cellulite on the back of her thighs and a belly that folds instead of lays flat.
We flip through magazines and see gorgeous models with perfect bodies, then we look in the mirror and feel less than. The photo above shows much more than I
would ever normally feel comfortable displaying, but I share it today
with the hope that we can stop comparing ourselves to others and start
loving ourselves for the beautifully flawed masterpieces that we truly
are.
Sure, my ego loves looking at these “perfect” photoshopped images of
myself, but these images aren’t the real me. I have cellulite and
stretch marks and days when I skip my yoga mat for the couch and a pint
of ice cream. But in our social media driven world, where everybody’s
life seems so much glossier than our own, we’ve managed to convince
ourselves that real is not beautiful and every photo needs a filter. I’m
definitely guilty of editing my public life down to a handful of inspiring quotes and photos on Facebook that only show my best sides.
I never really thought much about it, until I started receiving
messages from people telling me how “perfect” my body was. The thought
of other people lifting me up only to put themselves down broke my
heart, especially since perfect is not a word I would ever use to
describe myself. So I called my dear friend, photographer Robert
Sturman, and asked him if he would shoot the “real” me.
One of the reasons I have always admired Robert’s work is because he
doesn’t do a lot of retouching. He might adjust the exposure of an image
or play with the background, but you will never see a size eight woman
photoshopped down to a size four. As a skilled photographer, he knows
the body’s angles and when angles are not enough, he leaves all
unflattering photos on the cutting room floor.This shoot wasn’t about flattery though, so we threw the old rules
out and created a new set: 1. No photoshopping of my body or face would
be allowed. 2. All angles would be fair game. 3. I would show up to
the shoot as myself (translation: I would not starve myself, workout
excessively, spray tan, or do any of the other absurd things models do
before a shoot).
Lives in the Balance http://www.livesinthebalance.org/: non-profit organization founded by child psychologist Dr. Ross Greene, author of The Explosive Child and Lost at School, and originator of the Collaborative Problem Solving (CPS) approach. This website contains a ton of information – streaming video, an extensive Listening Library, and a boatload of additional resources -- to help you learn about and implement the research-based CPS model and provide you with the support you need. The SITE GUIDE will help you figure out where to start.
And if you’re ready to help Lives in the Balance educate others about the true factors contributing to kids’ behavioral challenges...about why time-outs, detentions, suspensions, expulsions, restraints, and locked-door seclusion often make things worse (and about what to do instead)...
Including Samuel http://www.includingsamuel.com/media/Video/Samuel-Additional-Video.aspx: This documentary of Habib and his wife Betsy feel strongly that Samuel should be fully included in typical classrooms. Samuel has the support of many people to ensure that this happens--from his family, to his teacher Barbara O'Brien, to his Phys. Ed. instructor, to the principal. It takes a lot of creativity to make this work, but Samuel's family believes that inclusion is the best way for every child - with or without a disability - to learn.
