Self-Awareness: Individual Resources

Topics: Individual Learning | Individual Practices

Individual Learning

Racial Microaggressions Table
This tool highlights examples of microaggressions typically connected to race or ethnicity. Microaggressions are seemingly innocuous comments or actions, however, they have long-term negative impacts on the recipient of the statement. Individuals engaging in self-awareness may use this tool to determine how they can either recognize microaggressions or refrain from using them in their everyday lives.

NASP - Understanding Race and Privilege
The National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) produced this document as a way to introduce and outline the dynamics of race and privilege in society. The document offers background on the concept of privilege, how it manifests in schools, self-reflection questions and ways to talk to others about privilege. Individuals may use this document as a guide for recognizing privilege in themselves and others, as well as how to engage in difficult conversations around this topic.

Intersectionality into Practices
"The Opportunity Agenda" compiled 10 tips for putting intersectionality into practice to promote opportunity for individuals and communities who face multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination. The list can serve as a starting point for social justice advocates, policymakers, journalists, and researchers interested in incorporating an intersectional approach in their work. As individuals evaluate their self-awareness, acknowledging the multiple identities they possess, will be important in the equity process.

Equity Literacy Principles - Poverty
This tool provides key principles in equity literacy related to supporting students in poverty and was developed by the Equity Literacy Institute. The institute indicates the following: "Equity literacy is a framework for cultivating the knowledge and skills that enable us to be a threat to the existence of inequity in our spheres of influence. More than cultural competence or diversity awareness, equity literacy prepares us to see even subtle ways in which access and opportunity are distributed unfairly across race, class, gender identity, sexual orientation, (dis)ability, language, and other factors. The following principles refer to the knowledge dimension of equity literacy as it pertains to educators' and schools' efforts to ensure equitable educational opportunity for families experiencing poverty."

10 Commitments for Equity-Literate Educators
This tool, developed by Dr. Paul Gorski as part of the Equity Literacy Institute, provides 10 key commitments for individuals seeking to become and sustain equity literacy in their practice and everyday interactions. These include, but are not limited to informing oneself, rejecting deficit ideology, and resisting simple solutions to complex problems.

Prevent Suicide PA
Educators are able to access free professional learning for those serving in school and community settings. Sessions include topics such as Act 71 information, Step In, Speak Up!, and the Trevor Lifeguard Workshop.

Trauma Sensitive Schools Online Professional Development
The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction provides training around trauma sensitive schools. Individuals wishing to obtain more information around trauma and how to educate using a trauma lens would benefit from engaging in this professional learning opportunity.

Changing Minds Now
Research continues to demonstrate that resiliency occurs in the midst of relationships. Relationships with peers and with students continue to be a primary factor in developing resilience and healing. Changing minds provides resources on understanding trauma and providing easy to understand ideas on how to implement healing practices.

The Compassion Resilience Toolkit for Parents and Caregivers and Compassion Resilience Toolkit for Schools

These tools provide resources and supports on implementing self-care plans and systematically planning for the care of systems and individuals. Self-care for educators is vital during years when schools are "normal." During times of stress self-care is even more important. Ensuring educators are addressing self-care in a personal and systematic manner helps them individually and make them feel more connected to their school systems.

Project READY: Reimagining Equity & Access for Diverse Youth – A free online professional development curriculum (unc.edu)
This site hosts a series of free, online professional development modules for school and public youth services librarians, library administrators, and others interested in improving their knowledge about race and racism, racial equity, and culturally sustaining pedagogy. The primary focus of the Project READY curriculum is on improving relationships with, services to, and resources for youth of color and Native youth.

Individual Practices

Specific, Candid, and Helpful Resources to Expressions of Bias and Racism
Individuals engaging in the process of self-awareness, may consider this resource for prompts in how to actively respond when hearing are engaging in conversations that involve biased or racist comments or discussions.

Speak-Up Against Bias: Pocket Guide
The Teaching Tolerance (tolerance.org) website produced the Speak-Up Against Bias Pocket Guide as a quick and handy resource with specific steps in how adults and students can engage in (1) interrupting (2) questioning (3) educating and (4) echoing while in the midst of conversations that may have biased or racist content.

Speak-Up: Responding to Everyday Bigotry - Handbook
The Teaching Tolerance (tolerance.org) website produced this resource as a comprehensive document to empower students, families, and educators in the process of finding their voice in responding to everyday bigotry, which may include microaggressions or blatant biased expressions.

Colorado Department of Education – Equity Toolkit (Self-Assessments)
Self-assessment is a process of self-awareness in evaluating personal and professional nuances that may impede delivery of equitable practices. The tools provided in the Colorado Department of Education Equity Toolkit are designed for the following roles: district administrators, school administrators, teachers, and students. These assessments were adapted from the Minneapolis Public Schools, Positive School Climate Toolkit, First Edition.

Practice Guide - Margins to the Center
The Movement Strategy Center created the following Practice Guide to support the self-awareness journey. This tool consists of three exercises: practicing awareness of one's own experience of intersectional forms of marginalization and privilege, the second exercise helps practice awareness of how movements and organizations are (or are not) building leadership of those who are most directly impacted by the systems we seek to change, finally, the third exercise helps to identify ways that our movements and organizations can better support leadership from the margins, as well as ways that those at the margins can provide stronger leadership for the whole.

Wake County Public School System - Racial Equity Resources
The purpose of this resource is to provide educators with the tools to face racism, talk to students about racism, and become allies in racial equity spaces. You will notice that the content on this site lives beyond just a list of hyperlinked artifacts. It was important to the Office of Equity Affairs to situate these tools in a broader historical, social, and political context so that educators gain a full understanding of the resource's utility. Please know, talking about race and racism can be a sensitive subject that evokes intense emotions. But don't let that be a reason to walk away from this important national conversation. Instead, we urge you to consider norms, strong scaffolds, connections to academic content, and deeper national/historical context while planning for courageous conversations about race to help students better understand the world around them.

Let's Talk! Discussing Race, Racism and Other Difficult Topics with Students
This tool from Teaching Tolerance allows the user to utilize this graphic organizer to think ahead about how to create emotional safety in the classroom. The suggested strategies are general; use your knowledge of yourself, your students and your classroom culture to create a specific and personalized plan.