Our students are looking to us to help them understand what's happening in today's political climate. We can take time, a time of fear and uncertainty for many, and see it as an opportunity to build stronger relationships with our students and families, to show that we can support one another and learn from each others' experiences by sharing ideas openly, and practice civil discourse when we don't, and we won't always agree.
Here are some ideas that might help the tweens and teens in your library and classroom:
-Invite students to create and display books and resources representing their family's refugee or immigrant experience
-Post primary resource such as the Order or the (former) Attorney General's response and title the board "What do you think?"
-Create an "I Wonder" bulletin board where students and/or you can write a questions
-Journal: give students time to write down their feelings in class
-Reread the U.S. Constitution and discuss checks and balances that are in place to ensure balance and representation in our democracy
-Give students many opportunitied to practice academic and civil discourse. Provide sentence starters for students to use https://edtechknowledge.wordpress.com/tag/
-Things aren't always yes/no, all/none, good/bad. Most of life is about negotiation, compromising, and living and working in the middle. Try this human continuum strategy to hit the idea home. http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/104014/chapters/Human-Continuum.aspx
-Listen to Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech and discuss ways that we want to be treated and how to treat others, whether we agree or disagree. http://www.teachertube.com/mobile/video/mlk-i-have-a-dream-speech-20916
-Research, interview and promote a variety of heroes in your community from a variety of backgrounds. Be sure to include individuals who were or work directly with refugees and/or immigrants
-Review relaxation techniques and stress busters https://www.edutopia.org/sites/default/files/resources/stw-glenview-stress-reduction-activities.pdf
-Discuss the power of the media and taking charge to power off to take a break from the headlines
-Discuss and read about people http://choices.scholastic.com/story/unbreakable-4-teens-who-prove-power-resilience and characters who were and are resilient through trying and/or war-torn times. What would you add to this list?
Homeless Bird; Outrun the Moon; What Elephants Know
-Read about characters who are complex and develop, change, and grow smarter and more open-minded over time: Every Falling Star; Touching Spirit Bear
-Advise/Guide a group of students who've been asking to start a new club that fosters inclusion and acceptance: Interfaith Club; GSA https://gsanetwork.org/resources/building-your-gsa/10-steps-starting-gsa; Cesar Chavez Club http://www.chavezclubs.org/
Resources for Teacher Librarians, Classroom Educators, and School Leadership
-Share your story. What is happening in your school library following the anti-immigration order? https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSevyEfPw1fEgRbgRhjPsQjwFQe1bU2L3qSY2kcnTW6oCWzNcg/viewform
-Read http://www.slj.com/2016/10/diversity/a-path-forward-how-libraries-support-refugee-children/
-Read: Responding to Hate and Violence at School http://www.tolerance.org/publication/responding-hate-and-bias-school
-Build literacy based, anti-biased lesson plans with Teaching Tolerance http://perspectives.tolerance.org/
-Read http://www.tolerance.org/blog/what-do-i-say-students-about-immigration-orders
What are you doing in your libraries and classrooms?
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