National Mix It Up at Lunch Day has passed, but we hope you will keep the Mix It Up spirit going. Addressing pervasive social divisions—many of which are based on class, religion, race and ethnicity—is too important to focus on for only one day. After 15 years, we know that lasting, positive impact happens in schools that continue their Mix It Up efforts all year.
You’ve already laid the foundation. One or two additional events in the winter and spring can lead to significant bridge building. No Name-Calling Week and the Day of Silence are great options. You might also consider classroom or campus-wide projects tied to our other free resources and teaching kits, such as Bullied or Speak Up at School.
Perspectives for a Diverse America—our literacy-based, anti-bias curriculum—offers a plethora of ways to incorporate the appreciation of different identities and experiences into the curriculum and to have students take action for a better school community. Check out Identity Artifacts Museum (K–2), Poetry and Storytelling Café (3–5) and Film Festival (6–12) for just a few examples of tasks and strategies that brings students together. (Registration is FREE!)
If your kids really loved the lunch event, why not keep it going? Do a repeat with a twist. For inspiration, check out our Storify for Mix 2016.
Finally, be sure to debrief. Gather your coordinating group for a look-back session. Document what you did well and talk through what you could do better in the future. Your participants can help with this, too. Consider sending out a simple evaluation to get suggestions and feedback. (We’re planning to do the same by getting your feedback through a survey soon.) A survey will also help you if you are planning to submit a Model School application when it opens in January 2017.
Thanks again for making this year’s Mix It Up at Lunch Day such a success.
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