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royan lee

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Equity

What Does it Mean to be White?

June 17, 2018 by royanlee 2 Comments

What Does it Mean to be White?

I read Robin DiAngelo’s What Does it Mean to be White? with some friends and colleagues and it was amazing. Best book on social consciousness raising that I’ve read in a long time. Here are all the tweets I posted after each chapter.

Chapter 1

I’m reading Robin DiAngelo’s (via @peterlangusa) What Does it Mean to be White with some #yrdsbinclusion friends. Chapter 1: pic.twitter.com/2Sepvrjh37

— royan🌶 (@royanlee) January 19, 2018

Chapter 2

Chapter 2 #yrsbinclusion #antioppression #robindiangelo pic.twitter.com/XweAEPWVaB

— royan🌶 (@royanlee) February 5, 2018

Chapter 3

Chapter 3 #yrdsbinclusion #antioppression pic.twitter.com/VrggKXfd5c

— royan🌶 (@royanlee) February 5, 2018

Chapter 4

Chapter 4 uses the metaphor of a birdcage #yrdsbinclusion #antioppression #educolor #robindiangelo pic.twitter.com/L32QNTYot2

— royan🌶 (@royanlee) February 5, 2018

Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Cycles of Oppression #yrdsbinclusion #antioppression #robindiangelo pic.twitter.com/s2h5hHR8rL

— royan🌶 (@royanlee) February 8, 2018

Chapter 6

What is Race? #yrdsbinclusion #antioppression #robindiangelo pic.twitter.com/hse1OBmjfV

— royan🌶 (@royanlee) February 16, 2018

Chapter 7

Chapter 6 of our book study: What is racism? #antioppression #racism #diangelo #yrdsbinclusion pic.twitter.com/5DBVtLyVEr

— royan🌶 (@royanlee) February 23, 2018

Chapter 8

Chapter 8 is a must-read, especially if you have suffered from internalized oppression #diangelo #antioppression #racism #equity #yrdsbinclusion pic.twitter.com/nLZJ78vOj3

— royan🌶 (@royanlee) March 2, 2018

Chapter 9

Chapter 9 of Robin DiAngelo’s What Does it Mean to be White explores so many unspoken paradigms and agreements #yrdsbinclusion #antioppression #diangelo pic.twitter.com/TF4lmJJX7f

— royan🌶 (@royanlee) March 9, 2018

Chapter 10

Robin #DiAngelo‘s “What Does it Mean to be White” is the best book I’ve ever read on social consciousness. Chapter 10 talks about why #racism is so hard to see. #antioppression #yrdsbinclusion pic.twitter.com/cUtNcz5K1x

— royan🌶 (@royanlee) March 21, 2018

Chapter 11

Poverty hurts. #yrdsbinclusion #antioppression #diangelo pic.twitter.com/CPJUbHs2TX

— royan🌶 (@royanlee) April 4, 2018

Chapter 12

so much is surfaced in this book that is usually left unspoken… #yrdsbinclusion #antoppression #equity #diangelo pic.twitter.com/yqVeq5CKgz

— royan🌶 (@royanlee) April 10, 2018

Chapter 13

so much is surfaced in this book that is usually left unspoken… #yrdsbinclusion #antoppression #equity #diangelo pic.twitter.com/yqVeq5CKgz

— royan🌶 (@royanlee) April 10, 2018

Chapter 14

Chapter 14 on Silence has changed the way I think about what “listening” means. #antioppression #equity #yrdsbinclusion #diangelo pic.twitter.com/vzmPFU2jmS

— royan🌶 (@royanlee) May 4, 2018

Chapter 15

Chapter 15 of this amazing book by Robin DiAngelo: Racism and Specific Racial Groups #aop #antioppression #racism #equity #diangelo pic.twitter.com/NXfUiL1VTl

— royan🌶 (@royanlee) May 14, 2018

Chapter 16

👍🏿I’ve completed the book. And what an amazing book it is. #antioppression #antiracism #diangelo #racism pic.twitter.com/7Eh0ho8HWc

— royan🌶 (@royanlee) May 17, 2018

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Filed Under: Equity, Learning Tagged With: books, diangelo, reading, robin, what does it mean to be white

Spicy Snacks: To be Poor is to Persevere

February 17, 2018 by royanlee 1 Comment

Spicy Snacks: To be Poor is to Persevere

Eating Ice Cream with Your Friends in Summer

I just watched The Florida Project and it has yet to leave my consciousness. Imagine Wim Wenders‘ melancholic views of America mixed with Victor Erice‘s respect for childhood and you might get a film as striking as this. It’s definitely not for moviegoers in the mood for a Disney wrap up, but it sure got me empathizing with the plight of our single mothers, their kids, and their existence in economic poverty. Oh, and I’m a sucker for the kind of long, brooding shots that take depict Florida with an atypical beauty. Watch the film on iTunes or Google Play.

Universal Basic Income

The more I learn about it, the more I hope it happens.

What Growing Up in Compton Teaches You

If the only way you’ve heard about Compton is through the lyrics in rap music, you might find this reflective account by Trayvon Free to be a refreshing take.

Algorithms Make Life Worse for the Poor

If you ever hear that implementing algorithmic decision-making tools to enable social services or other high stakes government decision-making will increase efficiency or reduce the cost to taxpayers, know that you’re being lied to.

~danah boyd

This is a long one, but worth the listen, especially if you don’t have time to read Eubanks’ revelatory research on how technology and its algorithmic use of data make life significantly worse for people who live in poverty.

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Filed Under: Equity, Spicy Snacks Tagged With: poor, poverty

Spicy Snacks: Tech Indigestion

October 14, 2017 by royanlee Leave a Comment

Spicy Snacks: Tech Indigestion

Spicy Snacks are little bits and bites for people that are into education, parenting, or technology. Enjoy!

Spicy Intro:

So, the term “snack” is actually a misnomer this week. I’m about to put some stuff on the table that is less like cracking into a couple of Doritos and more like eating the whole bag. The kind of stuff that sits in your stomach, rolling around, infusing your insides with feelings that, in the tamest terms, can be described as confusing.

I continue to ask myself: knowing what we now know about the unintended consequences that have transpired due to data-driven technologies, how can I still love it as much as I do? Well, first of all, love is the wrong word. Secondly, maybe I’m fascinated because it feels more and more like we are all living in a bizarre season of Black Mirror which needs to be binge-watched to the end. Lastly, I believe it’s vital that we not forsake our collective agency in making this digitally mediated world one which favours the public interest over the corporate one.

Spicy Listen:

The Agenda welcomes Ramesh Srinivasan, the founder of the University of California’s Digital Cultures Lab, to discuss his book, Whose Global Village? Rethinking How Technology Shapes Our World.

Listen here.

Spicy Read:

The tech industry is no longer the passion play of a bunch of geeks trying to do cool s*** in the world. It’s now the foundation of our democracy, economy, an information landscape.

From Your Data is Being Manipulated, by the venerable danah boyd.

Spicy Video:

Somehow, a tool that started off as a way to get American college kids to socialize online has turned into possibly the most powerful media platform in history. We should be worried about it. Here’s one reason why:

Spicy Tech:

Data breaches are, unfortunately, our new reality. All of the tech companies we sign our info over to hold our data in big black boxes and they’re clumsy at the best of times at keeping it a secret, most likely due to a stunning lack of accountability to its users (reminder: we are the product, not the customer). So, it’s important to know when your data has been breached. 1Password, my long-time preferred password manager has a great inbuilt system which alerts you of known breaches, but you can also subscribe to the free Have I Been Pwned, which will send you an email every time your data is likely to have been compromised.

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Filed Under: Edtech, Equity, Spicy Snacks

Classrooms Are Not Neutral Places: An Interview With the Authors of a Great Social Justice Resource for Students and Teachers

May 27, 2017 by royanlee 1 Comment

Classrooms Are Not Neutral Places: An Interview With the Authors of a Great Social Justice Resource for Students and Teachers

This week I have the honour of interviewing two extraordinary educators, Robyn Ecclestone and Sarah Hill, about a fantastic resource they’ve co-written for educators and students about social justice. To spend time with them is always a rare blend of intellectual provocation and pure fun. In one moment they will ask a question which takes your thinking to places you didn’t know you had the cognitive capabilities to traverse, and in the next, you will find yourself on the floor in stitches because of a hilarious The Simpsons  reference which connects to it. When we say that being an ally to marginalized people is a verb, not just an adjective, you’ll be hard pressed finding two people who embody that spirit as proudly and courageously as these two.

Download the Student Resource
Download the Student Resource
Download the Teacher Resource
Download the Teacher Resource

Royan: What is social justice?

Robyn: It refers to how easily someone can move through the world, what privileges and barriers exist for different people, and trying to create a society with equal access to opportunities.

Sarah: It is also an understanding of how different forms of oppression operate and their impact, both on a personal or individual level and on systemic levels, and working to dismantle them.

Royan: How/why did you become so passionate about social justice? Was it an experience(s), a text(s), a person(s) who influenced you?

Sarah: For me, it wasn’t one event. It is simply a lens through which I view education. Through my education, I became aware of the impact that the role of an educator can have on helping students to see the world from an inclusive viewpoint.

Robyn: I’ve somehow always been passionate about social justice. As a kid I was always writing letters to Sea World or trying to raise awareness about issues in my local community that concerned me like pesticide use or recycling. I dressed up like Nellie McClung for Halloween when I was 10 or so, and people who know me seem to think that explains a lot haha 🙂 We were lucky enough to work for a brilliant and inspiring Principal who really centred social justice work in our school at the time, and that was a big catalyst for us to start thinking more beyond our own classrooms.

Royan: How do you locate your own social identity? What influence or impact does this have on your work as an educator?

Robyn: We are very aware of our privilege and we are constantly interrogating what that means in any given situation in the classroom, how we might use it to amplify others’ voices, model the kind of deep listening that is integral to allyship, bring attention to issues of social justice, whatever the case may be.

Sarah: We also try to be vulnerable with our students about the ways in which we don’t have privilege and what impact that has. Power and identity are so complex, and if we can build an understanding of that notion we would consider that a huge win.

Royan: Why should educators and students care about social justice?

Sarah: Because it’s our job as educators. We don’t exist in isolation, learning is such a social process so it is inherently political. Classrooms are not neutral spaces so we need to engage students in the work of figuring out how, why, what it all means, and what to do about it.

Robyn: We’re not talking about asking kids to fix problems no one knows the answer to, we’re talking about engaging them in the process and bringing them into the work of actively making the world a more just place. We’ve never met a teacher or student who is not interested in making the world a better place!

Royan: Why the classroom and school as a great site for transformation?

Sarah: We have access to all kinds of minds in a school, and have the relationship to discuss these issues beyond surface-level conversations. When we really connect with students we can truly bring them into these conversations.

Robyn: I like to think of schools as ground zero for change. We have an opportunity within a classroom to reimagine what we want the world to be and then build it together. We know that schools exist within societies and students don’t enter our buildings as blank slates. If external norms influence what happens at school why can’t the inverse be true?

Royan: What needs to be in place before we can work towards transformation in a classroom or school?

Robyn: In a way, nothing. You don’t have to be an expert, we certainly don’t think we are! Do your homework, of course, learn as much as you can, but don’t feel you need to be an expert to begin the work with your students. Your ideas will shift and evolve. For example, in our resource, we suggest that teachers use person-first language, which we still don’t think are a bad idea. In listening to different communities, however, we have learned about identity-first language and now understand how that is preferable. In many cases, it results in referring to someone in the same way, and our including person-first language was our best thinking at the time. It’s about listening and learning.

Sarah: In order for conversations to go to the next level there needs to be a great sense of trust in the room. It’s all about relationships. When we have strong relationships with and between students, families, and the broader school community the work can really move forward.

Royan: Describe the process you went through to create this fantastic resource for teachers and students.

Robyn: We were invited to submit a proposal, and made sure it was really robust. Not only did we want the publisher to know exactly what they would be getting, it really helped that we had a strong skeleton when it came time to write. We are really lucky in that we write really well together, building on one another’s ideas comes easily but let’s be clear that writing is no easy task! More often than not one of us would be up and pace around, talking through ideas and the other would be capturing it all on a computer.

Sarah: It was challenging to write for people we will never meet and who we know nothing about, and although it’s said you shouldn’t try to please every one we tried to. We wanted to include something for new and experienced social justice educators at many different grade levels. As we were creating the learning experiences we would sometimes switch back and forth between the student and teacher guides, and sometimes be working on both simultaneously. It was a messy process but made sense to us, we hope you can sense our passion in the work.

Royan: Who should use this resource? How should they use it?

Sarah: NOT as a unit! Social justice isn’t a “one and done” kind of undertaking, in fact, it’s kind of the opposite! We hope those looking to incorporate more social justice into their programs use it as a starting point, and those who are more experienced find it helpful to complement the work they are already doing.

Robyn: Every classroom will do different things with it, and that’s the point! When students drive the learning it can go in any direction, we just want it to lead to greater empowerment and a sense of efficacy.

Royan: What advice do you have for educators who want to begin this work?

Robyn: No children are too young. If they are school age, they are ready for age-appropriate discussions about social justice. By the time children come to school the have real senses of fairness, as well as surprisingly rigid ideas about how the world works. They are ready to challenge and be challenged!

Sarah: Don’t be afraid to be vulnerable. It’s okay for you and your students to be uncomfortable so long as you have a safe space in which to be uncomfortable together. If something challenges you, say so. Also, support your students in going beyond pity. When talking about poverty, for example, feeling sorry for those who use food banks is an easy trap for kids to fall into. Help them in digging deeper to consider the conditions that give rise to poverty.

Robyn: Social justice work is not about being fascinated by someone’s other-ness which just serves to, at best, assuage guilt and, at worst, propagate imperialist ideas. If we’re not analyzing the mechanisms of power and privilege we need to go deeper.

Sarah: And find your own allies. We do not take for granted the fact that we have each other to challenge and encourage but we are also inspired and lifted up by so many others. This work is far from easy but it is necessary, and having the right people to support you makes all the difference.

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Filed Under: Equity, Guest Post/Interview, Learning

Growing Up Royan 4: Lunch Shame

May 20, 2017 by royanlee 7 Comments

Growing Up Royan 4: Lunch Shame

Like every person that has existed on earth, I’ve spent most of my life grappling with my social location and identity. Growing Up Royan is a “picture book” I’m doodling, writing, and sharing on my blog. Check out each page of the series as I write it live. I hope you find some connection within its pages, and maybe even find it useful in your culturally responsive classrooms.

Page 4: Lunch Shame

Royan’s mom was a great cook. She always made him delicious, healthy, homecooked lunches that people today would gladly pay money for in an Asian restaurant. It was Royan’s favourite kind of food. He hated his mom for packing it.

Prompting Guide*:

  • Why would Royan be ashamed of something he loved so much?
  • What caused him to blame his mother for his circumstance?
  • How do you think his mother felt when Royan begged her to make him simple white bread sandwiches?

*Note that these prompts are simply suggestions. Moreover, they are shared under the assumption that the environment in which they are used is an inclusive, equitable, culturally responsive space which allows the safety needed for such conversations to have a positive impact on the reader(s).

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Filed Under: An Informal Education, Equity, Growing Up Royan, Parenting, Sketchnoting

#BeyondAwareness

May 12, 2017 by royanlee 1 Comment

#BeyondAwareness

This guest post was written by my good friend Andrea Haefele, an innovative leader in our district with Health and Physical Education, and a devoted wife and mother to a beautiful family. In addition to meeting the demands of being a family woman and professional, Andrea spends a significant amount of her time advocating for her first born daughter, Bella, who has exceptional needs. Andrea wrote this post to spread the word about an important cause called #BeyondAwareness.  Check out all of Andrea’s guest posts on my blog.

I am a 37-year-old mom that is approaching her mid-life crisis when in reality I feel I am living in a world that is in crisis. For the last 7 years, I have made it my mission to promote awareness – awareness of autism and sensitivity to families living with disabilities. However, I have reached a point in my journey where awareness is no longer enough. I often feel like we reside in a society that simply tolerates my daughter and her complex needs.

My full-time job as an educator is my vacation. I equate my journey to school every morning to heading to the beach, a place where I can embrace the sun on my skin and sink my toes into the sand. At work, I have full reign of my passion as a teacher. I am in an environment where I can be creative, take risks and participate in cutting edge professional development.

When the school bell rings at the end of the day, my “vacation” ends. Real life begins, and I switch gears into mom-mode, and like any other mom, I pick up my kids from their respective schools. Then, I make dinner, pack lunches, and go through the bedtime routines, typical tantrums, and messes.

Once the sun has set, my life veers again in a different direction and my third shift begins. I now transform into an experienced administrator and manager of a child who has disabilities. I research the Internet to find resources to fund the endless costs of the intensive behaviour intervention therapy program that Bella requires. I juggle the endless therapy sessions, doctors and specialist appointments in our calendar to ensure that her physical health is looked after.  I look to social media to connect with other families who live my life as my professional learning network. As I press ‘send’, I repress the urge to scream through my emails in order to advocate for a system that can provide Bella, and other children like Bella, with the education that they deserve.

By the time bedtime rolls around, my fears take over as I think of Bella’s future. What happens when she graduates from high school? What are our options?

I’m scared of what the future holds for our family. Although my life seems challenging these days, these obstacles pale in comparison to what our lives will be like when I can no longer continue to advocate for Bella. The reality is that families like ours are often cut adrift when our children with special needs reach adulthood. We are left to fend for ourselves in the face of dwindling social services, and even less than the meager level of accommodations available to adults with disabilities. It is daunting knowing that it is all up to me to ensure she is taken care of. Some days are happy days, but most days are difficult and feel almost impossible.

A month of awareness, wearing a ribbon of hope and donating money to a charity is simply not enough to improve the lives of people with disabilities. As I write this blog post, I ask myself this question: What could be done to make the world a more comfortable, respectful, and nurturing place for the millions of people who live with disabilities? The answer to this crisis begins with each one of us.

Accept us. Bella’s list of disabilities is more than a doctor’s credentials. Severe Autism Spectrum Disorder, Pitt Hopkins Syndrome, Global Developmental Delay and Cortical Vision Impairment are just a few of Bella’s diagnoses. Acceptance starts by understanding that these labels do not make us defective or diseased. When Bella is spinning, banging and licking every toy you give to her, understand that this is how she plays. Accepting us does not mean ignoring or denying our disabilities; it means accepting us for who we are, as we are.

Respect us. We are people, fellow human beings. We deserve to be treated with the same respect afforded to our peers who are typical developing. Respect starts with understanding that we are full, with an individual personality, life experience, goals, and preferences. We deserve an education, access to communication and a place in society to belong as we become an adult. We deserve to live without fear of being abused, manipulated or hurt. We are not less than.

Support us. Because we are disabled in varying degrees and in multiple ways, we need support, services, and accommodations to successfully navigate the world that is not made for us. Bella needs intense therapy to help her learn basic life skills. She needs her chewy tube to help her sit and regulate her inability to stay still. Bella requires her service dog to support her physical and emotional well-being. Your societal norms are foreign to us. Supporting us starts by understanding that we are connected to a family that can best define what types of services we need, both in education and at home. Only with appropriate supports can we have equal access and opportunity.

Include us. We deserve equal access and opportunity throughout the community and throughout our lifespan. Inclusion is more than letting us be in a room with peers our age. Inclusion starts by understanding that we are part of the community and deserve to be in an environment that is created so that we can meaningfully contribute and participate. Being tolerant of my daughter’s presence is not inclusion. Give us the appropriate accommodations and modifications we require to fully participate. We need to and want to belong.

Listen to us. Bella’s augmentative communication device is her voice. You can say more than a simple hello. She is more than a cute little girl who has a big smile. She has favourite toys, activities, and preferences. If she wants to protest or be heard, she knows the power of her ‘finished’ button. If you are unsure of how to interact with her, just ask. Many conversations about the issues that affect Bella’s life take place without her and our family being present. Listening starts by recognizing that these children have a family who has valid, legitimate and important things to say. We must be included in any conversation about our child, because decisions made by policymakers, school administrators, and grant reviewers impact our daily lives and our future outlook.

As I approach my mid-life, I realize that I want to carry myself with grace and find joy in every day, despite the challenges that our family has been given. I strive to surround myself with people who can build a community of love, empathy, and acceptance. I have faith that when I am having a tough day, you will be around the corner doing your part of building a society where everyone has a voice and a place.

Every year my family fundraises for a charity that can have an impact on children like Bella. This year, I am asking you to share your ideas on going  #BeyondAwareness. Through your social media of choice, how will you take the initiative to make your community an accepting, inclusive space for ALL families who live with disabilities?

  • If you are a family who will be affected by the upcoming new Ontario autism program coming in June 2017, how can you share your journey to advocate #BeyondAwareness for the education and services our children deserve?
  • If you are an educator, what does going #BeyondAwareness look like in your classroom or school community?
  • If you know a friend or family member who is navigating the world while living with a disability, how can you do your part to ensure that community organizations go #BeyondAwareness to support our vulnerable citizens?
  • Share an organization you know that goes #BeyondAwareness for people with disabilities and help families get in touch with them.

Please support our communities by moving #BeyondAwareness.

Andrea

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Filed Under: Andrea Haefele, Equity, Guest Post/Interview, Learning, Parenting, Special Ed. Tagged With: andrea haefele

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