A place for educators to find thought-provoking news, conversation and support for those who care about diversity, equal opportunity and respect for differences in schools
Mapmaking and Boundary Crossing for Mix It Up
Some students—and others—may ask, “Why do we need Mix It Up at Lunch Day?” A good way to lead them to their own answers is to carry out group or classroom activities designed to explore issues of social boundaries.
Little Rock Helps Students Connect with History
Teaching African-American history to middle and high school students is sometimes daunting. I have found it is difficult for today’s youth to identify with a time when it was legal to discriminate against other human beings simply because of the color of their skin. Even more than the disconnect with the issues that were at the heart of the black freedom struggle, I was shocked at the lack of knowledge my students possessed about the long history that made something like Jim Crow possible.
New Mainstream Welcomes Everyone
Our country’s demographics are changing. About 1 in 3 American residents is now multicultural. Much of that change has been in the South, which has seen a multicultural growth of 34 percent in just the last decade. Demographers project that white Americans will be a minority by 2042. These changes have already begun to affect the nation’s electoral map and have huge implications for November’s presidential election. And few places illustrate the pace of those changes more than Clarkston, Ga., where the PBS series “Need to Know” spent time with both old-timers and newcomers. The program, “America by the Numbers: Clarkston, Georgia,” airs tonight and will then be available online to teachers.
Keep Students Strong While We Stop Bullies
After teaching a particularly grueling class, I looked forward to the solace of my 55-minute planning period. I started to organize the black hole that is my desk and found a folded piece of notebook paper with my name, Ms. Samsa, hastily scrawled onto it.
Keep the Impact of Words in Clear View
“So you’re calling us racists,” students accused.
I was starting to feel a little exasperated. “No, I’m not. I’m saying that you have created an image which suggests a racist stereotype.”
Identifying Ways to Let Your Students Shine
What would it look like if schools offered every child daily opportunities to do something in which they excel? What if, instead of just celebrating academic successes, we highlighted the unique talents and joys of all our students?
iPad Project Seeks to Level Educational Field
This year our school district launched an iPad initiative for the kindergarten teachers and students at our Title I elementary school.
Practice Your Mix It Up “Elevator Speech”
So people are starting to ask you, “What’s this Mix It Up at Lunch thing? What is it you’re planning?” This is a time when you definitely need your “elevator speech” ready.
Our new guide, 
