MB: Diversity Works
Spring 2013
Diversity Work in the Classroom A sampling from each division: Lower School 2nd grade art classes explored the diverse family structures found in their community. The children made illuminated initial letters about the cultures of their families to highlight “What is special about my family,” including needle point symbols (e.g. a house, a baseball, a Konji, a cross, and a Diwali lamp.) 3rd and 5th grade art classes visited the RISD Museum in April where they were exposed to the art of Alejandro Diaz. Diaz’s work is rooted in his Latino heritage and addresses the challenges faced by artists of color. 5th graders were trained by the Institute for the Study and Practice of Nonviolence in nonviolent techniques used by Martin Luther King, Jr. The students graduated in April and received a certificate of completion from the Institute, and a citation signed by the Mayor of Providence as the first elementary group to complete the program. Middle School grade English students selected and analyzed poems about exclusion and racism, as well as poems about different identities. This unit allowed the students to select the poems that spoke to them, and honored their diverse interests and identities.
6th
7th grade history students were challenged to research voices left out of the traditional study of history. Students examined primary sources that present the perspectives of slaves, women, and Quakers during the American Revolution. Discussions focused on how their perspectives provide us with a fuller understanding of historical events during that time period. 8th grader history students completed an independent project on the Arab Spring as experienced in various Arab countries. During this project students encountered issues of ethnicity, class and religion, all of which contributed in some way to the uprisings. For example, students researching Syria learned that the ruling Assad family’s ethnic bond allows them a grip on power they wouldn’t otherwise have. Upper School 9th grade history students just finished a debate and an essay on the effects of 19th century imperialism in Africa. In this unit they touched on issues of class, race and ethnicity. They also compared how imperialism affected 19th century India, China and Japan. 10th grade English students read Dreams of Trespass, the story of an Arabic girl growing up in a Muslim Moroccan household. They looked at the way gender and religion impact relationships and experiences in this society. Students researched Moroccan culture and read a diverse selection of poetry in conjunction with this text. 11th grade English students doing I-Searches sought to understand an aspect of themselves through independent research and interviews with experts. Student topics included: a reflection of biracial identity, bullying that is born from discomfort with anything that deviates from the status quo, and the changing shape of the American family from its nuclear form to a more fluid state. 11th & 12th grade U.S. history students grappled with the intersection of politics and issues of race, gender and class, and how individuals and organizations have seized opportunities presented in larger historical events (such as the World Wars or the Cold War) to press their demands for inclusion and full citizenship.
Diversity Work Outside the Classroom Throughout the year, teachers create opportunities and special events outside the classroom for students to experience and focus on issues of identity. Cross-Divisional: Rosetta Lee, nationally acclaimed facilitator, presented her workshop “The Trouble With Sameness and Identity and Inclusion: Changing Ourselves to Change the World” to 3rd -5th grade students, and guided a relaxed discussion around gender stereotypes. In separate sessions with Middle School and Upper School students, Rosetta presented a workshop on “Who We Are: Identity, Inclusion, and Allyship,” and guided them through an exercise in which they were able to acknowledge and receive applause for various aspects of their own identities. Students enthusiastically claimed aspects of their identity during the up-down exercises. After the Upper School session, a half-dozen students stayed talking with Rosetta, clearly energized by her presentation and eager to connect further with her and her ideas. Middle School Middle School students formed a student-led discussion group called SPEAKS, a monthly lunch meeting to discuss identity issues affecting their lives. Topics to date have included stereotypes - definitions, evolution, and impact- and dress code -how outfits impact others’ perceptions, what dress says about our own identities, and how Quaker values are perceived through our dress code. Middle School/Upper School Upper School Students who attended the Student Diversity Leadership Conference (SDLC) facilitated a workshop on stereotypes with 8th graders. The workshops allowed older students to create a meaningful dialogue and model leadership for younger students. The resulting conversations about race, social economic class and gender were timely and accessible for all involved. Upper School In preparation for the National Day of Silence, a day to support LGBT students nationwide who have felt silenced by their sexuality, the GSA sponsored a MFW during which they played the music video Same Love by Macklemore and read queries. About 80 Upper School students participated in the Day of Silence, raising $336 for YPI. 10th, 11th, and 12th graders participated in AISNE’s High School Students of Color Conference, for independent school students of all racial and ethnic backgrounds. The students participated in workshop sessions on identity, males of color in predominantly white schools, the college experience after prep school for kids of color, image branding, dance, and art. MB students met students from other schools and made friends with whom they can maintain contact through email and social media until the next gathering. In this context, social media can be a useful tool to facilitate continued friendships between students who don’t cross paths on a daily basis.