What is Racial Literacy Roundtables?
A collaboration between TLTE, CYAF, and Teacher Scholars Academy, has resulted in funding through the University of Nebraska Inclusive Excellence Development Grant competition to launch a Racial Literacy Roundtable initiative. Beginning Fall 2019, we host monthly roundtables where participants be able to develop emerging racial literacy skills. Specifically, racial literacy is, “a skill and practice in which individuals are able to probe the existence of racism and examine the effects of race and institutionalized systems on their experiences and representations in U.S. Society” (Sealey-Ruiz, 2017, p. 129). The roundtables are open to the public. However, they are being developed with undergraduate, pre-service teachers in mind, including participation of the inaugural cohort of the Teachers Scholars Academy. All are welcome to attend who would like to participate in the discussions (faculty, staff, students).
Racial Literacy Roundtable Learning Goals
Since the focus of the roundtables is on developing Racial Literacy skills, the purpose of the discussions will be to use various relevant topics regarding race and racism in education to provoke thinking and ideas. The purpose is to build skills around examining and discussing race and racism—not necessarily becoming an expert on racism in the U.S. education system. Specifically, each roundtable will engage with a topic related to race and education and guest speaker(s)/expert(s) to address to overarching learning goals to:
• Develop skills to talk across difference about topics that can be challenging.
• Develop open and positive dispositions towards difference that lead to further engagement across diverse communities.
In meeting these learning outcomes through engaging in topics around race and education in the U.S., participants will also address a secondary learning goal to:
• Develop initial/foundational understandings/knowledge around issues regarding race, including the sociopolitical and historical context of race in the U.S.
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