Teaching for Black Lives in Waldorf Schools

SUMMER FIVE DAYS ONLINE INTENSIVE

July 22-26, 2024: 5 day ONLINE intensive
​Schedule: Mon-Fri, 10 to 5 CT daily, with 2 evening sessions

For many educators, the summer of 2020 represented a time of racial awakening to what BIPOC educators have known and experienced; schools are often a place of racialization, where societal inequities are not just reflected but re-created. But schools can also be transformative points of interrupting racial discrimination. With an arts-integrated curriculum, focus on the conscious development of human relationships, and founding commitment towards social renewal, Waldorf schools are uniquely positioned to meet the social impulse of this time.

With a focus on inner development as well as practical classroom strategies, this summer professional development course will help participants “Teach for Black Lives” in their Waldorf classrooms. While centering Black joy, this course will address topics such as practicing culturally sustaining pedagogy, developing personal capacities for conversations about race, and promoting healthy racial identity development for Black and non-Black students. We will also explore ways to disrupt anti-Black racism in schools, create and sustain equitable schools, and navigate pushback and resistance to inclusion.

In alignment with the Teaching for Black Lives campaign, sessions will focus on the following themes:

• Centering Black joy in the classroom, not just oppression

• Deconstructing master narratives in the curriculum and teaching people’s history

• Exploring intersectionality

• Identifying and addressing the structural impact of racism in Waldorf schools (including topics such as school discipline, staffing, assessment policies, dress code, and curriculum)

• Nurturing mutual support and resistance in the midst of attacks on teaching honestly about U.S. history, racism, and LGBTQ+ identity

Who should take this course?

This course is designed for faculty and staff who are active in Waldorf schools and classrooms. While expertise is not required, participants should have some working knowledge of Waldorf school governance, developmentally appropriate practice, and curriculum planning.

This course is appropriate for Black educators and non-Black allies with a commitment to meeting the needs of Black students and their families. We will address how (and why!) to “Teach for Black Lives” – whether or not you currently have Black students in your classroom.

Click here for more information and to register!