Model Your Values and Vision

You and your students can go beyond the classroom by advocating for equity in your school and school district.

Practice equity, inclusion, empathy and respect in your own classroom. Your actions, more than your words, will have the greatest impact on your students. They are looking to you for leadership and ally-ship. You can play a formative role in helping them build critical skills for navigating the complexities of race.

Talking about racism is just a start. Taking action is the biggest driver of change. Create opportunities and strategies to move from awareness and analysis to action and impact. You and your students can go beyond the classroom by advocating for equity in your school and school district. Speak up and speak out. Be intentional about supporting more voices and leadership of people of color. And be proactive by proposing bold and concrete solutions that embody the values and vision of equity and inclusion for all.

< Previous: Process is as Important as Content

In This Section:

1. Create a Welcoming Classroom and School
2. Root Out Biases and Barriers
3. Encourage Self-Expression
4. Be Open Yourself
5. Engage, Don’t Avoid
6. Create Opportunities for Discussion
7. Talk About Racism and Racial Equity
8. Establish and Enforce Group Norms
9. Process is as Important as Content
10. Model Your Values and Vision

Download the Full Resource Guide:

This comprehensive NEA resource guide includes tools & resources for talking about race, conducting racial equity assessments, strategic planning, ideas for capacity building and action, FAQs, and a directory of web pages, documents and allied organizations focused on racial justice in education.
Download the PDF >