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Beliefs – Practices – Policies

KEY BELIEFS (page 16)

New York Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Framework

Students and their families are individuals with their own assets, knowledge, and abilities and should be valued and consulted

Critical and continuous self-reflection is required to dismantle systems of biases and inequities rooted in our country’s history, culture, and institutions

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Stage 1 - Inclusion:

Genuinely inviting/accepting others into the group based on one sole qualification - humanity.

“Identity is who you say you are, who others say you are… (and) who you desire to be.”

Goals:

Consider how our personal identities are or aren’t informed by our social identities.
Identify shared identities with colleagues as well as the diversity of identities in the group
Build community and encourage empathy

Groups of 5

Social Identity Wheel

Political Affiliation

Sexual orientation

Reflect on your social identities.

Do you see a pattern?

Next to the category, draw a
	If this is the identity you think about most often.
	If this is the identity you think about the least often.
?	If you would like to learn more about this social identity.
	If this identity has the strongest effect on how you perceive yourself.
	If this identity has the strongest effect on how others perceive you.

Reflect on the impact of our social identities

in the world.

What part of your identity do you think people first notice about you?
What part of your identity do you think provides you with the most acceptance in the world?
What part of other people’s identities do you notice first?
For what part of your identity do you feel is ignored the most often?
For what part of your identity do you feel you receive privilege for most often?

Reflect on the impact of our social identities at Shenendehowa.

What part of your identity do you think people first notice about you at Shen?
What part of your identity do you think provides you with the most acceptance at Shen?
What part of other people’s identities do you notice first at Shen?
What part of your identity do you think is ignored most at Shen?
For what part of your identity do you feel you receive privilege for most often at Shen?

Now …from the perspective of a student who receives

special education services….

What part of your identity do you think people first notice about you at Shen?
What part of your identity do you think provides you with the most acceptance at Shen?
What part of other people’s identities do you notice first at Shen?
What part of your identity do you think is ignored most at Shen?
For what part of your identity do you feel you receive privilege for most often at Shen?

Reflection:

Do you see evidence of it here at Shen?

Debrief.

“What do you mean by that?”

Brought to you by the Organizational Culture Sub-Committee of the Equity, Diversity & Inclusivity Committee