2019 ACSA/AASA/NASS Women in School Leadership Forum

In this interactive session, the presenters, a woman of color and a white male, will lead a frank discussion about how to have productive conversations about race, culture, class, and power in public education generally and within specific school communities.

Whether talking one-on-one or in large groups, implementing certain practices will increase the likelihood of having a productive conversation. For example, encouraging constructivist listening strategies and establishing certain norms — e.g., ensure all voices are heard, assume positive intent — promote healthy dialogue.

In addition, members of the dominant culture (e.g., white males) should listen and learn about the experiences of others and share the work of promoting equity. For white educators in diverse schools, this is especially important.

Finally, we recommend applying continuous-improvement methods to these conversations, which will also help educators develop more culturally responsive instruction and thoughtfully reflect on disaggregated student performance data.