Schooltalk: Transforming Communications That Feed Inequality in Our Schools

Join Mica Pollock, Professor of Education Studies and Director of Schooltalking, and Share My Lesson for a webinar on Schooltalk.

Words matter. Everything that is—and isn’t—communicated to and about students has serious implications for their success. The offhand remark to a student or parent about the community in which she lives; the way groups—based on race, “culture,” and income—are discussed in faculty meetings about test scores and data; the assumptions and communication breakdowns between counselors and teachers that cause kids to fall needlessly through the cracks; or the deflating comment to a young person about his college prospects: all these words have tremendous power. They are, in fact, actions that undermine efforts to maximize the potential and talent of all students, every day.

In this essential workshop for nurturing equity in our schools, Dr. Pollock will challenge us to seriously reflect on and rethink what we say about---and to---students. Participants will engage in personal and organizational reflection via common scenarios, and be provided with suggestions for concrete actions, as well as valuable resources for matching their speech to their values. Learning experiences in this workshop are designed to empower teachers, administrators and support staff who work with young people in our schools to foster more student and school success and more equitable student outcomes.