In the ever-changing landscape of student demographics and diversity initiatives, teachers face the challenge of creating a classroom environment that goes beyond celebrations of heroes and holidays. Whether we are educators beginning the journey or far down the path into multiculturalism and inclusivity, there is always room to grow. What are some practical strategies and best practices to become the educator with whom all children thrive? 

1. Villa Academy
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee
Seattle Girls’ School
Beyond the Why and Into the How:
Inclusive Classroom Practices
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)
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2. About Seattle Girls’ School
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3. Dimensions of Identity and Culture
This model of identifiers and culture was created by Karen Bradberry and Johnnie Foreman for NAIS Summer Diversity Institute,
adapted from Loden and Rosener’s Workforce America! (1991) and from Diverse Teams at Work, Gardenswartz & Rowe (SHRM 2003).
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

4. Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)
The Jones Model of Cultural Competence
Cultural Self-
Awareness
Cultural
Intelligence
Cross-Cultural
Effectiveness
Skills
Countering
Oppression
through
Inclusion

5. Experiences Across Difference
Internalized Oppression/Dominance
Stereotype Threat
Accumulated Impact/
Microaggressions
Code/Mode Switching
Fish Seeing the Water
“Normal” versus “Good”
“Intent” versus “Impact”
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

6. What Can We Do
to Increase Inclusion and
Responsiveness?
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://sites.google.com/site/sgsprofessionaloutreach/)
- Increasing Trust
- Distinguishing
Behaviors
- Overcoming History
and Impact
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7. Do You See Me?
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- Representation on the
Walls
- Representation in the
Curriculum
- Interest in Personal
Story (Sharing of
Personal Story)
- Interactions In and Out
of the Classroom
- Demonstration of Care

8. Do You Hear Me?
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://sites.google.com/site/sgsprofessionaloutreach/)
- Incorporation of Prior
Knowledge and Experience
- Seeking and Responding
to Student Feedback
- Student Choice in the
Curriculum
- Empathy Reflex
- Authoritative Discipline

9. Will You Treat Me Fairly?
- Clear and High
Expectations
- Equal Discipline and
Rewards
- Support in Struggle and
Push in Success
- Consistent and
Predictable Assessment
- Different Kinds of
Success
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://sites.google.com/site/sgsprofessionaloutreach/)

10. - Understanding of
Identity and Experience
- Interruption of Exclusive
or Oppressive Behavior
- Teaching and
Discussing Cultural and
Power Difference
- Encouragement of and
Practice with
Collaboration
Will You Protect Me?
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

11. You Win Some, You Lose Some
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12. Developmentally Appropriate
Diversity Work
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13. Timeline for Early Awareness of
Difference and Oppression
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Age Signs
6 months Can discern racial feature differences
3 years Awareness of own and others’ gender.
Beginning awareness of gender roles
5 years Desire to categorize – self, others
Curiosity about meaning of differences
Aware of biases
7 years Can regulate biases versus behaviors
Starting to parrot adult messages
3rd grade Are aware of societal stereotypes
5th grade Have internalized stereotypical messages

14. When They’re Little
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)
Theme: Trying to Understand the World
 Curiosity based questions about difference
 Find out what they’re actually asking
 Find out why they’re asking
 Answer their questions straightforwardly
 Model and coach humility, delight, and
curiosity about difference
 Be mindful of children’s media – it’s not
always good for kids

15. Curricular Approaches
 Exposure Base
 Allowing Questions
 Gentle Guidance
 Modeling Comfort With Discussions
 Expanding Definition of What’s Possible
 Fairness, Kindness, and Rightness
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

16. Examples
 The Black Santa Story
 The Jackie Robinson Story
 What Makes a Family?
 Alternate Fairy Tales
 Dress-Up Corner
 Guest Speakers That Defy Stereotypes
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

17. The Middle Years
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)
Theme: Who Am I? How Do I Have Power?
 “Friendship Extinction Event”
 Identity search through grouping
 Good and bad cliques
 Open their horizons about identity
 Be steady through their rollercoaster
 Coach more, teach less

18. Curricular Approaches
 Experiential And Discovery Base
 Facilitating Questions and Discussions
 Media Literacy
 Patterns and Systems
 Values and Actions
 Autonomy and Choice
 Justice and Activism
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

19. Examples
 Products of Puberty
 Barbie Math
 Nacirema
 What’s So Funny?
 Video Documentary Project
 Pay It Forward
 Data Manipulations
 Problem-Solving Through Coding
 The Scholar’s Club
 Teaching Younger Youth
 Correlation versus Causation Reasoning
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

20. Parents: Partners or Foes?
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

21. What Parents Fear and
What We Can Do About It
 “I don’t have any language around this…”
 “I want to protect their innocence…”
 “Are you teaching my kids values?”
 “I don’t want my kid to feel spotlighted…”
 “How will this get my kid into college?”
 Heads Up Communication
 Resources and Language
 Clear Reiteration of Mission and Values
 Research and Your Expertise
 Explicit Communication of Parents’ Roles
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22. Stretching the Inclusive Boundaries
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23. Presenter Information
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee
6th Faculty and
Professional Outreach
Seattle Girls’ School
2706 S Jackson Street
Seattle WA 98144
(206) 805-6562
rlee@seattlegirlsschool.org
http://tiny.cc/rosettalee
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

24. Resources
 Joshua M. Aronson, Ph.D., “Improving Achievement &
Narrowing the Gap,” Learning and the Brain
Conference, Cambridge, MA, November 2003
 Allan G. Johnson, Privilege, Power, and Difference.
 Miss Representation, documentary film on media and
women
 United Nations Population Fund Statistics on Gender
Equality as of 2005
http://www.unfpa.org/swp/2005/presskit/factsheets/facts
_gender.htm
 Learning to be critically literate of mass media
http://www.medialit.org/
 Media Guide for Parents and Educators
http://www.commonsensemedia.org/
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

25. Resources
• Karen Bradberry and Johnnie Foreman, “Privilege and
Power,” Summer Diversity Institute, National Association
of Independent Schools, 2009
• Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman, Nurture Shock
• Kevin Jennings, GLSEN (Gay Lesbian and Straight Education
Network) www.glsen.org
Johnnie McKinley, “Leveling the Playing Field and Raising
African American Students’ Achievement in Twenty-nine
Urban Classrooms,” New Horizons for Learning,
http://www.newhorizons.org/strategies/differentiated/
mckinley.htm
Michael J Nakkula and Eric Toshalis, Understanding Youth.
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

26. In the Later Years
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)
Theme: My Future Place in the World
 Gender and sexuality stereotypes
 Power play through social status
 The role of inclusivity in their college,
professional, and personal lives
 Charging them to “practice for the real thing”
 Define values and boundaries, then accept
that they will push
 Be their consultant