Tools & Strategies

In August 2017, ‘Unite the Right’ convened one of the largest and most violent gatherings in decades in the U.S. that brought together white supremacist groups including the alt-right, neo-Nazis and the Ku Klux Klan. The gathering’s stated goal was to save the statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee, because like other places in the South, there are still monuments celebrating leaders of the Confederacy. Hundreds gathered on Friday evening and Saturday to broadcast their…

Ad Council A national Ad Council PSA campaign, Love has No Labels, was created to raise awareness about implicit bias which can negatively influence how we treat people, how we interact with each other, and, more broadly, can lead to discrimination and injustice.  American Bar Association’s Anti-Bullying Initiative Special initiative that provides education and resources to help empower parents, educators, students, and young lawyers to address bullying…

For Educators | For Parents, Families, and Caregivers Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, the High Holidays, are celebrated by Jewish people all over the world. The High Holidays fall on different days each year. For the specific dates each year, check our Calendar of Observances. These and other Jewish holidays fall on different days in our calendar because they follow the Jewish calendar, which has a different number of days than our calendar. The Jewish calendar is a Soli-lunar calendar.&nbsp…

There are 1.8 billion Muslim people worldwide and an estimated 3.45 million Muslims living in the United States. Islam is currently the second largest religion in the world next to Christianity. Despite the fact that there are so many Muslims in the world, in many places there is a lack of understanding about Muslim people and Islam. In addition, the increase in anti-Muslim rhetoric and the unfortunate conflation of terrorism with Muslim people contributes to biased attitudes and…

Whether your child is five or fifteen, summer is a great time to nurture reading for enjoyment. With a more flexible and relaxed schedule free of homework and tests, young people can read what they want, try new genres of fiction and non-fiction, explore new interests and visit unknown places. In addition, regular reading for pleasure is one way to prevent the “summer slide,” which is the summer learning loss of academic achievement that often happens when kids are off from…

Table Talk: Family Conversations About Current EventsBullying is a phrase we hear regularly and often: in the media, on TV shows and movies, in schools and in conversations among both adults and children. Parents, students and schools are rightfully worried about bullying. It is a problem and cause for concern but may not be as widespread as many think because the term “bullying” is often used as an umbrella to describe all kinds of mean behavior—from a rude comment to a…

Table Talk: Family Conversations About Current Events For Parents, Families, and Caregivers | 13 and upTopic Summary We see symbols every day in all aspects of our lives. Symbols are used to convey ideas, qualities, emotions, material objects/products, opinions and beliefs. Unfortunately, symbols are also used to convey hate and bias. Lately, we have seen a lot of hate symbol graffiti in public spaces and specifically the swastika, which in most circumstances is understood as an…

There are 1.91 billion Muslim people worldwide and Islam is currently the second largest religion in the world next to Christianity. Despite the fact that there are so many Muslims in the world, in many places there is a lack of understanding about Muslim people. In addition, anti-Muslim bigotry is manifesting in personal biases, stereotyping, microaggressions, identity-based bullying, biased rhetoric, hate crimes and more.   The following education resources include lesson plans,…

For Educators Every December, public school students, parents, teachers and administrators face the difficult task of acknowledging the various religious and secular holiday traditions celebrated during that time of year. Teachers, administrators and parents should try to promote greater understanding and tolerance among students of different traditions by taking care to adhere to the requirements of the First Amendment. The First Amendment guarantees freedom of religion to all Americans …

Being able to have respectful and constructive conversations is the bedrock of any relationship—whether those connections take place at home, school, work or in communities. However, when controversy or conflict arises, the discussions can quickly become polarized, heated and personal, making it very difficult to have a conversation where different points of view are aired and discussed. These conversations can be about something controversial like politics, current events, moral…

Teachers may want to engage young people in conversations about presidential and other elections and provide opportunities for students to learn more, ask questions and understand what they see and hear. Below are tips and strategies for engaging in these potentially contentious conversations in the classroom and doing so with a critical thinking and anti-bias lens. These strategies can also be used with other controversial issues that arise in your classroom. It is critical that students…

Elections and voting provide many interesting opportunities to teach students about civics, how government works, the electoral process, current events, historical context and campaign politics. Young people want to be part of the conversation--and should be. They are eager for information, reflection and dialogue. Below are education resources, lesson plans, family resources and other election-related content to assist you in teaching and talking about elections.  …

La mejor literatura para niños/as sobre el Prejuicio, la Diversidad, y la Justicia Social Los libros tienen la capacidad de crear una impresión duradera. Cuando los libros se tratan de experiencias y personajes con los cuales los niños y niñas se pueden relacionar, éstos fomentan una autoestima positiva en los niños y niñas y promueven el respeto a la diversidad. Las colecciones de libros para niños/as deberían servir como …

In recent years, we have seen alarming images and biased language in schools and universities: name-calling, hate-filled taunts, vandalism, racial slurs and epithets, offensive graffiti on desks and bathroom walls. In addition, many young people—especially those whose identities have been targeted publicly with words and actions—are fearful and worried. Teachers have had to work overtime to console those students and provide resources to get help. Schools must be places where…

A Guide for Counselors and Camp Administrators For Educators | For Parents, Families, and Caregivers Summer camp is a wonderful time in children’s lives when they get to spend time outdoors, meet new people, have novel experiences and gain insight into themselves. There are about 12,000 day and resident camps in the U.S. and each year more than 11 million children and adults attend camp. According to an American Camp Association (ACA) report, parents cite the following reasons as the…