Toolkit for "An Open Letter to Teachers Everywhere"

Essential Question

How can my practice and curricular choices support equity and empower students to create a better world?

Procedure

In her open letter to teachers, veteran teacher Rhonda Thomason encourages fellow educators to imagine and participate in a revolution of hope. She writes:

I want a revolution of hope.

I want educators to seize a golden opportunity to rethink the nature and purpose of public education. …

May we become a nation that again values public education as a pathway to equity and achievement. And through the small daily revolutionary actions of critical educators, may we insist that our voices and actions serve to empower this generation to create a better world.

The daily actions of educators—from their classroom practice to their curricular choices—can be revolutionary, as Thomason suggests, when they actively validate, engage and empower students. As you reflect on your own daily actions and think over your road map for teaching toward equity, consider referencing these Teaching Tolerance resources.

Critical Practices for Anti-bias Education

This guide offers practical strategies for creating a space where academic and social emotional goals are accomplished side by side. It also provides valuable advice for implementing culturally responsive pedagogy and describes how teachers can bring social justice values to life.

Social Justice Standards

These Standards are comprised of anchor standards and age-appropriate learning outcomes divided into four domains—Identity, Diversity, Justice and Action. The Standards provide a common language and organizational structure: Teachers can use them to guide curriculum development, and administrators can use them to make schools more just, equitable and safe.