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March 2016
A publication of the All-‐School Diversity Committee
MB Diversity Works
Moses Brown School
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4 and 9 graders matching headwear to correct religion
What’s In a Hat? During their World Religions unit, 4th grade students visited the Masjid Al-‐Islam mosque in North Smithfield. There, their budding understanding of Islam was deepened by conversation with the imam. Back in the classroom with 9th graders from Abby Phyfe’s English class, they had to match images of religious headwear to their respective religions. The lesson? Women and men of many religions wear scarves or caps for important reasons. Demystifying something so concrete in their world-‐that is also at the root of cultural misunderstandings-‐ is a developmentally-‐appropriate way to build inclusivity and respect for difference in our younger students. Meanwhile, 8th graders are digging in to Islam, Islamophobia, and the dangers of stereotyping by grappling with the broader religious history of the Middle East. By 10th grade, these students are deepening religious literacy in Religious Studies, so they can articulately challenge stereotypes about Muslims and Islam. Developing ethical leaders with the knowledge base and cross-‐cultural communication skills to affect change in our world takes time, repeated exposure, and it begins with thinking about ‘what’s in a hat.’
Student Takes the Lead: “Between The World And Me” This winter, Nalin R ’16 was so moved when he read Between the World and Me, by Ta-Nehisi Coates that he sought ways to have more members of the MB community read it. The book is a profound narrative written by the author to his teenage son, in which he uses snapshots from his life to describe life as a black man in this country. Coates’ work was the foundational text for Karen Lustig’s Literature and Legality of Race elective this fall. Students began by reading the majority decision in the Dred Scott case. Lustig states, “as mindboggling as that the 1857 decision is, Coates makes it clear that his life is a bitter testimony that Taney’s world still exists, and that oppression has only become more insidious and more deeply rooted in our country. It’s a devastating book. But the students took it on and allowed it to do its work.” After Nalin reached out
to faculty and students, upper school English teachers offered to incorporate it into their classes. All upper school students read and discussed an excerpt from the book in their English classes before March break. Teachers in each class prompted the students with two questions: What pulled you into the text? What pushed you away? When asked to reflect upon what he thought about the student discussions, Nalin said they ‘provoked a strong reaction (some good, some bad)’ from the community. “It’s easy to live our lives in a safe little bubble and I think perhaps the longer you attend MB, the easier it is to develop a distorted view of the world beyond our walls. But we should live our lives in acute awareness that we are privileged. And today I think at least some people really understood this; a bit of a wake up call from everyone's privileged dream."
Above: Adam Romano’s term paper comparing the Syrian refugee crisis and Japanese-‐American internment camps took the form of a graphic novel, displaying a deep understanding of the issues and simultaneously showcasing his considerable skills as an artist
Moses Brown School
What to Expect When You’re Expecting… The Baby Project
March 2016
It’s the Second Look That Counts th
In February, the hallways filled with overwhelmed 8 graders balancing iPads and notebooks in one hand and car carriers in the other. A mixture of exasperation and panic cross one boy’s face as his electronic baby begins to cry. The efficacy with which he manages this parenting moment is being recorded inside the baby’s computerized belly and will be part of his grade on a th science project. In the 8 grade RealCare Baby project, every student draws their fate out of a hat: single parent, co-parent with a classmate, or coparent of twins! For one week they must care for their babies, feeding, changing, and burping them through classes, meetings for worship, basketball practices, and homework.
Parent Perspective: Heidi Gilkenson
Concurrently in Math class, they roll dice to determine their socio-economic status for the project. Using their assigned income, they must find an apartment to rent or a home to buy, decide if they are going to put money away for college, or spend it on a vacation. For many of them, it is the first time they begin to understand just how expensive it is to be a grown-up. At the end of the th week, the 8 graders hand their charges back. What remains are powerful life lessons: the feeling of relief at 6:30am when the baby finally burped and gave its computerized happy sigh, memories of telling coach you can’t sub in until you’re done feeding your baby, the judging looks received in public from unknowing passersby. As important, many gained a deeper appreciation for the day-to-day economic struggles faced by those around them.
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Give yourself permission to go back and take a second look. That’s the message David Roche, comedian and inspirational speaker, shared on November 17. Born with a significant facial difference, David is familiar with the shocked stares, awkward look-‐aways and other reactions to his face. But he doesn’t hold people responsible for those first looks. Instead, he asks that we work beyond our initial discomfort and take a second, deeper look. When asked by a student “What advice would you give people when they see someone like you?” David responded, “Turn back, look me in the eye, give me a smile, and just say ‘Hi.’” David believes firmly in the goodness in people, and in their ability to see beyond difference to find common humanity. As David pointed out, within ten minutes no one in the audience was focusing on the left side of his face. They were focusing on his words, his smile, his twinkling eyes and his light step as he moved energetically around in front of them. Spending time with someone like David allows our students to practice the skills of listening to, learning from, and incorporating new perspectives into their own worldviews. Each and every one of these skills will be fundamentally important as they head out into our globally -‐ interconnected world one day.
Imagine giving your child a stress-‐free weekend of rich, meaningful conversations with other kids with similar worldviews and life experiences. This is what the Student Diversity Leadership Conference (SDLC) has been for my children. SDLC digs down deep to the heart of who you are by helping you define you. It instills confidence and certainty and anchors the children that attend. It offers them a lifeline that they’ve never experienced nor known was there. It’s freeing and affirming and it bonds the kids to o ther attendees, past and present. As corny as this may sound, it’s life changing. Even though it happens just once a year, the experience lasts forever for the students who are lucky enough to go.
Moses Brown students and chaperones at the Student Diversity Leadership Conference