2020 Black Lives Matter at School Week of Action Curriculum Fair

January 27, 2020 Allison Acosta

From February 3-7, 2020, Teaching for Change's D.C. Area Educators for Social Justice, D.C. area educators, and community members will collaborate on the D.C. Area Black Lives Matter at School Week of Action. This week of action will build on the momentum of 2018 and 2019’s successful weeks of action and the National Black Lives Matter at School Week of Action campaign taking place in cities across the U.S. to promote a set of national demands based in the Black Lives Matter guiding principles that focus on improving the school experience for students of color.

On January 21, 2020, educators from D.C., Maryland, and Virginia came together for a Black Lives Matter at School Week of Action Curriculum Fair hosted by Teaching for Change and the Howard University School of Education. More than 150 participants filled the rooms and hallways of Howard University’s historic Miner Hall.

At the start of the evening, educators had time to browse books related to the Black Lives Matter Week of Action and meet key organizations, including Shout Mouse Press, D.C. Historical Society, Social Justice Printmaking, Howard University School of Education, Empower DC, and An Open Book Foundation.

Cierra Kaler-Jones, Education Anew fellow at Communities for Just Schools Fund and Teaching for Change and Rosalie Reyes, D.C. Area Educators for Social Justice coordinator welcomed the attendees on behalf of Teaching for Change

Howard University’s Dean of Education Dawn Williams shared greetings and gave a special welcome to the many students from the School of Education. Williams noted that the event was held the day after the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, and read from King’s 1947 article, “The Purpose of Education.”

The function of education, therefore, is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. But education which stops with efficiency may prove the greatest menace to society. The most dangerous criminal may be the man gifted with reason, but with no morals.

SNCC veteran, Howard University alum, and Teaching for Change board member Tim Jenkins shared how fitting it was for educators to gather in Miner Hall. He explained that the building was named for Myrtilla Miner, an Abolitionist who stood up to violent threats to found the first school to provide post-primary education to Black children in Washington, D.C. The school’s focus was on training Black teachers, and it later became the University of the District of Columbia. He then led everyone in the song, “Woke Up This Morning (With My Mind Stayed On Freedom).”

After the opening, educators made their way to their choice of teacher-led mini-workshop sessions.

Session one:

Multilingual Resources for Teaching about Black Lives Matter in Early Childhood and Elementary Classrooms Carlos Duque, Capital City PCS and Itzel Mejia-Menendez, De Colores Learning Center
Rewriting History: Exploring a Nation’s Identity in an Elementary Classroom Dani McCormick and fourth grade students from Mundo Verde PCS
“I, Too, Sing America" Black Lives Matter Events and Lessons in the High School Classroom Kevin Fox, Cardozo EC
Exploring What Environmental Sustainability Means for African Americans in the Southern United States Catherine Quinlan, EdD, Howard University Assistant Professor, Science Education

Session Two:

Teaching about the Black Lives Matter Guiding Principles in Early Childhood and Elementary Classrooms Makai Kellogg, School for Friends and Shayna Tivona, Thomson ES
The Revolution Starts in Curriculum: How to Teach a Revolutionary Lesson to Middle School Students Bishop Walker, Howard University Middle School of Mathematics and Science PCS
School-wide implementation of Black Lives Matter at School Suriya Douglas, Maureen Ingram, and Neoka Smith, Inspired Teaching Demonstration PCS 
“Founding Fathers,” The 1619 Project and Lessons for Middle and Highs School Classrooms Caneisha Mills, Hardy MS and Victoria Moten, Northwood HS Register Visit our website for lessons, stories, and other resources you can use in the classroom during the week of action.

Here are just a few comments we received about the curriculum fair:

It was wonderful seeing what other schools are doing to integrate BLM principles into their school culture.

I loved the presentation from Mundo Verde about “rewriting history” – teaching students how to be critical historians. Gave me ideas on how to address the problematic nature of many white-centric curriculum topics. Just like last year, I am leaving with a huge list of books I am excited to share with students, staff, and families. — Sam Green

I learned about specific books to use; in Spanish, too. General tips for implementing Black Lives Matter, especially in early childhood.

I learned strategies for school-wide implementation, parent-family engagement, and navigating school-community opposition.

I learned about letting the students and their voices guide a lesson a lesson. How to use a people’s perspective when teaching history. How to rethink the “founding fathers” narrative.

I loved listening from a student’s perspective. I loved the encouragement of students’ being their own researchers! — Ashley Wiliams

Presenters came prepared and packed with educational tools I can use moving forward in my career. —Zhakiya Bangura

I am a current student at Howard University and am now encouraged to begin collecting books and stories for my future students to feel included and proud.

To send everyone home with the power of song, Ashley Williams, a member of BYP100 and high school history teacher, led the group in Black Joy Experience liberation chants.

Everyone received a free children’s or young adult book and copy of the New York Times 1619 Project booklet for use in their classrooms.