Equity and Access Newsletter

One of the most important functions of restorative practices is building or restoring relationships; because building relationships whether informal or formal affect our emotions, and foster emotional bonds. The late Silvan S. Tomkins who writes about the psychology of affect has indicated that human relationships are best when there is a free expression of emotion.

Tomkins has identified nine distinct affects to define the expression of emotion in all humans. He explains six adverse effects which are anger-rage, fear-terror, and distress anguish, disgust, dissmell (a word Tomkins uses to describe “turning up one’s nose” in a rejecting way). The word dissmell indicates that a person does not have to do something wrong to feel shame.

Donald Nathanson, former director of the Silvan S. Tomkins Institute also shares the four ways people respond to shame:

Withdrawal- cutting themselves off from others, running and hiding

Attacking self—self-put-down, masochism

Avoidance—denial, abusing drugs, distraction through thrill seeking

Attacking others— lashing out verbally or physically, blaming others or shaming

The process of Restorative Practices creates an avenue for us to express our shame, and other emotions, which tends to reduce their intensity. We must remember that when we do things with people, whether reactively or proactively, the results are positive and lead to the idea of fair process.

There are three principles of fair process:

· Engagement — involve individuals in the decision-making process and let them know you are listening and respect their views.

· Explanation — give the reasoning behind your decision to everyone involved

· Expectation clarity — making sure that everyone understands the decisions that are made and what you are expecting of them going forward (Kim & Mauborgne, 1997)

The primary assumption of restorative practices stresses fair process by affirming that "people are happier, more cooperative and productive, and more likely to make positive changes in behavior when those that influence their lives do things with them, rather than to them or for them." As we continue to model the three principles of fair process, we will see positive change in our students.

Staff, IIRP. “4.6. Fair Process.” IIRP, https://www.iirp.edu/defining-restorative/nine-affects

Here are a few books for those special student situations that come up every year:

By Katie Carter Truman and Holland Elementary Librarian and Holland's Equity Champion

By Margo Griffith, Equity and Access Champion, Sherwood Elementary School

“Women’s history does not rewrite history, but it does add very different perspectives about what is historically significant. Traditionally, history has focussed on political, military, and economic leaders and events. That approach has virtually excluded women, both leaders, and ordinary citizens, from history books.” - Scholastic

We celebrate powerful women all year. Most of us will have our students focus a little more on those fearless and noble women in our history and will specifically pull women’s history into our lessons this month. Our country has worked and is continuing to work to make sure women are celebrated and awarded the recognition they deserve.

In 1978 the Education Task Force of the Sonoma County Commission on the Status of Women initiated Women’s History Week the week of March 8 (International Women’s Day). This lead to President Jimmy Carter declaring this week as a National Women’s History Week in 1980. By 1986 fourteen states had declared March as Women’s History Month. The National Women’s History Alliance in Santa Rosa CA lead a coalition to lobby Congress to make March Women’s History Month. In 1987 Congress passed a resolution to designate March as National Women’s History Month.

It is important to educate our students about the powerful women in our history. We need to give those who came before us the recognition and light that they earned and deserve; they made us who we are today. It is imperative that we show girls and young women their future selves in these women from our history. Let them use these historic role models as their mirrors. We need to educate all of our students about the diversity that has contributed to the world they live in today and that our history needs to be told in full.

Please take the time to focus on our female leaders, those gone and still present today. Let our young future women leaders see who they can and will become.

Resources and lesson plans can be found at

https://nationalwomenshistoryalliance.org and www.nea.org/tools/lessons/womens-history-month.html

“IN THE END, WE WILL REMEMBER NOT THE WORDS OF OUR ENEMIES, BUT THE SILENCE OF OUR FRIENDS.” —MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.

Speaking Up At School Against Biased Language and Stereotypes

As an educator, you desire to make the world a better place. You want to create a safe and welcoming school environment for all students—and you don’t want to let one moment of bias go by unnoticed. But what do you say? Many times our students want to speak up too, but do not feel they know what to say. Help students know that they can find their voice to speak up against bias by leading from example. Show them how to:

• use an appropriate tone
• remain patient
• avoid labeling and name calling

They should see you using these basic strategies regularly:

1. Interrupting – You must speak up against every biased remark, every time it happens

2. Questioning - “What exactly do you mean by that?” Aggressive questioning can be counterproductive and close off communication rather than opening it. A gentle-but-clear “tell me more” will extend the conversation rather than shutting it down. Be sure to watch your tone. Remember your goal is to understand the root of the person's prejudices and help them dispel them

3. Educate- Hate isn’t behind all hateful speech. Sometimes ignorance is at work, or lack of exposure to diverse populations. Many times, people don’t know the negative power of a word or phrase. So, if you encounter this individual try to explain why the term or phrase is offensive

4. Echo -It’s powerful to be the first voice that interrupts bias. It’s also powerful on another level to be the second, third or fourth voice to join in the interruption. The echoing power of many voices can have a unifying effect which reiterates the anti-bias message

For additional information, you might download Speak up at School.

https://www.tolerance.org/sites/default/files/2017-06/Speak_Up_at_School.pdf

The New Location

Connecting Ground

Springfield, Missouri 65804

Registration for Reading with Ms. Gwen

Thursday, March 28 At 2:00 PM

Meet Best-Selling Illustrator AG Ford

Missouri State University Libraries · Springfield, Missouri