TSD Inclusive
October 2023
"Equity is teaching and learning that is centered on justice, liberation, truth, and freedom."
~Unearthing Joy~
Celebrations and Recognitions
October is full of inclusive holidays and events that reflect the diverse, global landscape in which we live and work. There are holidays and recognitions for virtually every part of the world, including religious observances that may impact work schedules, schools, and more.
MONTHLY
National Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 to October 15): Honoring Hispanic and Latino Americans and their contributions to U.S. culture
Global Diversity Awareness Month: Promoting awareness toward various cultures around the world.
National Disability Employment Awareness Month: Advocating for the inclusion of individuals with disabilities in the workplace.
Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Promoting education, awareness, and support for women impacted
National Polish American Heritage Month: Honoring Polish heritage, culture, and contributions
DAILY
October 2 – International Nonviolence Day
October 9 – Indigenous People’s Day: Honoring the history, culture, and contributions of the indigenous people of the United States
October 10 – World Mental Health Day is a day that advocates for mental health awareness and education
October 11 – National Coming Out Day
October 14 – Defender of Ukraine Day celebrates those who have fought for the freedom of Ukraine
October 15 - Navrati begins (Hindu)
October 15 – 21 – Safe Schools Week
October 16 – Birth of the Bab (Baha’i)
October 17 – Spirit Day is a day is aimed specifically at LGBTQ youth and communal support for them. Wear purple and speak out against bullying!
October 20 – Sikh Holy Day (birth of Guru Granth)
October 22 – International Stuttering Awareness Day
October 23 – 31 – Red Ribbon Week
October 25 – Birth of Baha’u’llah (Baha’i)
October 31 – Halloween
Our Endless Pursuit For Joy
Joy Through Beauty In Humanity & Truthful Narratives
Being culturally and historically responsive in our curriculum and instruction is about more than just connecting students to engaging and impactful learning. It's about the joy of having your identity and experiences centered as cultural advantages that are valued in our classrooms and society. To this end, joy can and should be an educational pursuit, where we ask ourselves:
- How does my curriculum and instruction enable, amplify, and spread joy?
- What types of joy could I bring into the curriculum and instruction?
- How does my curriculum and instruction elevate beauty within humanity?
- How will I write learning objectives that will help my students pursue and embrace joy?
- How will I know if my students are experiencing teh learning practices of joy?
- How do I begin with - and convey the joy of - people of color and others who have been marginalized, oppressed, misrepresented, or underserved?
- How do I tell the truth and genius about peoples who have been historically excluded, oppressed, misrepresented, or underserved?
Joy through Humanity (The HILL Model)
Culturally and Historically Responsive Education (CHRE) calls for the need to humanize pedagogical practices which embrace all parts a students' make up from lived experiences, to their identities, wonderings, joy, and genius. Dr. Muhammad encourages the embracing and embedding of the HILL Model, a CHRE Framework allowing for a students' histories, identities, literacies, and liberation to be welcomed, accepted, and normalized in their learning journeys. We must think about the ways in which we can incorporate this framework into curriculum, lesson planning, professional learning and development and our collective school culture and community.
This framework embodies five pursuits:
- Identity
- Skills
- Intellect
- Criticality
- Joy
Dr. Gholdy Muhammad provides us a brief summary of what these fives pursuits mean and might "look like" in this short clip below.
3 Shifts For A More Culturally Responsive Classroom
Culturally Responsive Instruction is easy as 1-2-3!
When students receive culturally responsive instruction they are more engaged, make personal connections to content, and are more willing to take receive feedback about performance. Here are 3 easy steps you can take to better connect learning to students' lives.
1. Connect Learning To Students' Prior Knowledge & Experiences
Utilize stories, narratives, and examples that resonate with diverse cultural backgrounds. This not only makes the content more engaging, but also fosters a deeper understanding.
2. Inclusive Curriculum Design
Teach historical and current events from multiple perspectives. For instance, when discussing colonization, consider the perspectives of both colonizers and the colonized. Also, regularly examine textbooks and teaching materials for biases or stereotypes, and choose resources that present a more balanced and holistic view of cultures and communities.
3. Build A Collaborative Learning Environment
Create projects where students can delve into their community's history, challenges, and assets. This not only values their community's cultural capital but also makes learning more authentic. Also, seek to foster a classroom environment where students feel safe discussing their experiences and perspectives. Encourage them to ask questions, share stories, and engage in respectful debates.
October is Bilingual Child Month! 🌟
The Troy School District is a place where different cultures and languages come together to create an enriching learning environment. Bilingual Child Month provides us with an opportunity to shine a spotlight on the incredible linguistic talents of our students and the invaluable contributions of our dedicated educators.
Bilingualism is more than just mastering two languages; it's a gateway to understanding different cultures, fostering empathy, and preparing our students for a globalized world. The benefits of being bilingual extend beyond the classroom. Bilingual children often exhibit enhanced problem-solving skills, improved cognitive abilities, and increased opportunities in their future careers.
As a school district, we are committed to nurturing the bilingual skills of our students. Our language programs are designed to provide a solid foundation in, not only the English language, but multiple languages, empowering our students to communicate effectively in an interconnected world. We are grateful to our talented ELD and World Language educators who dedicate their time and expertise to make this possible.
Let's celebrate the diverse linguistic talents of our students and the benefits of bilingualism in our classrooms! Together, we nurture global citizens who bridge cultures and languages. Thank you, parents and educators, for your support! 🌎📚 #BilingualChildMonth #LanguageMatters
Windows, Mirrors, & Sliding Glass Doors
In partnership with Oakland Schools, elementary teachers have a variety of texts that they can utilize with students to address Hispanic & Latino Heritage month. These texts include: Last Stop On Market Street, Milo Imagines The World, and Mango, Abuela, and Me. These texts center diverse narratives, perspectives, and Hispanic & Latino authors. Reading picture books can help build community in the classroom as learners step inside and interpret the feelings and actions of characters together. A detailed Culturally Responsive Read Aloud lesson plan is offered from Teachers College at Columbia University.
Indigenous Peoples' Day
Monday October 9, 2023
Formerly recognized as Christopher Columbus' Day, a total of 20 states including Michigan now recognize this federal holiday as Indigenous People's Day. This shift in recognition started with a conference in the United Nations in 1977 and has grown steadily since. This effort calls on us to reframe our understanding of the "discovery" of "new lands" by European powers, and to respect those peoples who had built civilizations and cultures that persevered for thousands of years prior to European contact. This C3 Inquiry can easily be adapted or modified for any grade level for a more balanced approach in teaching about the origins and impact of European exploration and colonization.
5th Graders Center Indigenous Perspectives
Troy Historic Village | Oct 3rd - Oct 12th
All Troy 5th graders will have the opportunity to center indigenous perspectives and culture in an immersive, authentic learning experience that concludes their first unit of social studies instruction that focused on European, West African, and Indigenous people's interaction in the Atlantic World in the 15th and 16th centuries. Students will learn from local native people on a variety of subjects, including: Medicine Wheel Teachings, Foraging & Harvesting, Clothing & Dance, Songs & Drumming, a Cultural Overview, and have the opportunity to craft a Corn Husk Doll and participate in a celebratory Dance Celebration. We are thankful for our partnership with the Troy Historic Village in developing and offering this powerful teaching and learning opportunity for our elementary community.
An Inclusive & Celebratory Halloween
As Halloween approaches, let's guide our learners in celebrating creatively while respecting diverse cultures and avoiding cultural appropriation in their costume choices. It's essential that costumes do not diminish or stereotype others' traditions or histories. Cultures, their symbols, and traditions are not costumes; they're a rich heritage to be respected. Let's use this opportunity to foster an environment of inclusiveness and mutual respect, ensuring our celebrations are fun and respectful for all. Wishing everyone a mindful and joyful celebration!
October is Bullying Prevention Month!
Since 2006, in the United States, October has been designated Bullying Prevention Month. Bullying can occur in many ways; it may be verbal, physical, through social exclusion, or digitally via email, text, social media, etc.
The Centers for Disease Control reports that students who are bullied are more likely to experience low self-esteem and isolation, perform poorly in school, have few friends in school, have a negative view of school, experience physical symptoms, and experience mental health issues. Effective bullying prevention efforts involve students, parents, teachers, and community members to address larger issues of disrespect, bias, and violence that can contribute to bullying issues in schools. A community-wide effort shows students that adults care about what happens to them and that they are not alone.
For more information, please see:
National Bullying Prevention Month Student Activity Kit
Prevention: Learn how to identify bullying and stand up to it safely
Bullying Facts: What you need to know
National Bullying Prevention Center's Classroom Education and Activities
Let's show unity for kindness, acceptance, and inclusion and send a visible message that no child should ever experience bullying. Unity Day is October 18, on this day spread a message of togetherness and stand in the gap and stand up for someone who needs it.
Red Ribbon Week: "Be Kind to Your Mind"
This is a month-long event to promote kindness, acceptance, and inclusion. Red Ribbon Week is also held the last week of October. During the week of October 26, take the time to promote a drug-free nation or bullying prevention. Click the image to take the Pledge!
Additional information on Red Ribbon Week can be found HERE
Filipino American History Month
Filipino American History Month is celebrated in the United States throughout the month of October. This observance aims to recognize and celebrate the contributions, culture, and heritage of Filipino Americans in the United States. It was officially recognized by the U.S. Congress in 2009, through a resolution introduced by Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez. October was chosen because it commemorates the arrival of the first documented Filipinos in the United States, who landed in Morro Bay, California, on October 18, 1587. During this month, various events, festivals, exhibitions, and cultural activities take place across the country.
Italian American Heritage Month
Italian American Heritage Month is celebrated every year to honor and recognize the centuries of achievements, successes, and valuable contributions of Italian immigrants and Italian Americans. This month was first celebrated in 1989 by a special proclamation of both Congress and President George H. W. Bush. Over 5 million Italians immigrated to the United States between 1820 and 2000. Currently, there are over 26 million Americans of Italian descent residing in the United States. This makes Italian-Americans the fifth largest ethnic group in our nation. Each year Italians around the country take time to celebrate their heritage, history, and culture with festivals and parades.
Polish American Heritage Month
We celebrate Polish American Heritage Month in October, but it wasn’t always that way. Congress first deemed August as Polish American Heritage Month in 1981. Later, it moved to October to commemorate the first Polish settlers — as well as the deaths of General Kazimierz Pułaski and Tadeusz Kościuszko (military leaders who fought in the American Revolution). The switch also enabled schools to participate in celebrations. Whether you’re Polish American or not, it’s important to mark the culture of a people who helped shape this country.
Down Syndrome Awareness Month
Since the 1980s, October has been designated as Down Syndrome Awareness Month to raise public awareness of Down Syndrome and advocate for acceptance and inclusion of people with Down Syndrome.
For more information about Down Syndrome or Down Syndrome Awareness Month, please see the following resources:
Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Breast Cancer Awareness Month (BCAM), also referred to in the United States as National Breast Cancer Awareness Month(NBCAM), is an annual international health campaign organized by major breast cancer charities every October to increase awareness of the disease and raise funds for research into its cause, prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and cure.
LGBTQIA+ History Month Curated Resources
LGBTQ History Month
LGBT History Month is an annual month-long observance of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender history, and the history of the gay rights and related civil rights movements. It was founded in 1994 by Missouri high-school history teacher Rodney Wilson.