EDUC 381 - Teaching Teachers about Race

Semester Offered: Spring
0.5 unit(s)

The second prerequisite for Pedagogies of Difference is Education 255 (Race, Representations and Resistance). In Education 255, you continued the study of both the content and process necessary for facilitated dialogue across difference (with a focus on racial difference, in particular). We set a foundation in race theory, studying different racial theoretical frameworks (with a focus on critical race theory). We also studied how K16 Students of Color experience schooling institutions. In Education 255, students engaged in courageous conversations about race and racism, pushing themselves to stay on their learning edge (in their risk zone).

This present course, Teaching Teachers about Race, continues the on-going work of raising awareness around difference, equity and racial justice. In this course, you work collaboratively with local K12 teachers to reflect on race, racism and racial justice. Students in this course continue their own work to excavate internalized racism while working as guides with K12 teachers embarking on thisjourney. The primary goal of this course isto provide a space for enrolled students to talk across differences about race and the education system with practicing teachers. This course builds on the work done in Education 255 by asking students to take what they’ve learned and apply it to facilitation work with those who work with Youth of Color at the K12 level. Students  revisit a number of activities used in Education 255, consider how they might facilitate such activities with K12 teachers, and facilitate small group discussions in affinity and intergroup spaces with K12 teachers.

When we talk about facilitation, what do we mean? We  use University of Michigan’s description of facilitation to guide our work: Different people have used the term “facilitation” in different ways. We use the term to mean a certain kind of role in a group. The following is a list of the values and responsibilities attached to this role.

● Democracy:​ Each person has the opportunity to participate in any group of which he or she is a member. For the time during which the facilitator is working with the group, no hierarchical organizational structure is functioning.

● Responsibility:​ Each person is responsible for his or her own life, experiences, and behavior. This extends to taking responsibility for one’s participation in group experiences. You must be sensitive to how much responsibility the participants at any meeting are prepared and able to take. Through experience, participants can learn to take on increasing amount of responsibility.

● Cooperation:​ The facilitator and participants work together to achieve their collective goals. (One might say that leadership is something you do to a group; facilitation is something you do with a group.)

● Honesty:​ As facilitator you represent honestly your own values, feelings, concerns and priorities in working with a group and you should set the tone for an expectation of honesty from all participants.

Goals of the Course The stated goals of this course align with the on-going life work that you need to pursue to continue in this field. Students will:

1) Continue to do their own self-work to raise awareness of their own racisms;

2) Consider what it means to guide others in anti-racist work;

3) Engage in multiple opportunities to facilitate;

4) Practice facilitator skills;

5) Give and receive feedback on their facilitation efforts;

6) Engage in a variety of self-care practices.

Colette Cann

Prerequisite(s):EDUC 235  and EDUC 255 .

Second six-week course.

One 4 hour period.