Ode to Joy: Teaching Diversity, Centering Joy, Building Community and Connection

Outline

Session Outcomes:
By the end of the session, attendees will be able to:

Apply Culturally Responsive Pedagogy: Integrate joyful and resilient narratives of marginalized communities into their curriculum to provide a more holistic and humanizing educational experience.
Leverage Technology: Utilize digital tools and collaborative technologies to enhance student engagement with diverse perspectives and global narratives.
Set Professional Goals: Develop specific professional learning goals that incorporate culturally responsive teaching practices, supported by current research and innovations in educational technology.
Foster Student Collaboration: Design activities that encourage students to use digital tools to connect with peers globally, work in diverse teams, and explore multiple viewpoints on local and global issues.
Session Outline:
Introduction (10 minutes):

Welcome and session objectives.
Brief discussion on the importance of moving beyond narratives of oppression to include stories of joy in marginalized communities.
Hear from students the impact of integrating joy
Part 1: Culturally Responsive Pedagogy and student voices - examples of what this looks like (20 minutes):

Explore the focus on incorporating narratives of joy and resilience.
Case studies/examples of how these narratives have been successfully integrated into the curriculum.
Demonstrate student examples of this work.
Interactive discussion: Participants reflect on their own practices and identify areas for incorporating more diverse and joyful narratives.

Part 2: Leveraging Technology for Equity (20 minutes):
Demonstration of digital tools that facilitate student engagement with diverse perspectives (e.g., collaborative platforms, global learning networks).
Hands-on activity: Participants explore digital tools and brainstorm ways to use them in their classrooms to enhance cultural responsiveness and inclusion.
Discussion on the importance of staying current with educational research and technological innovations.

Part 3: Professional Goal-Setting/ Lesson and or unit shift (15 minutes):
Guided activity: Attendees set specific professional learning goals that align with the session’s focus on equity and inclusion through technology.
Sharing session: Attendees discuss their goals with peers, providing feedback and support
Part 4: Exploring Student Activities (15 minutes):
Conclusion and Reflection (10 minutes): Recap of key takeaways from the session.
Open floor for questions and reflections.
Encouragement to continue exploring and implementing the session’s principles in their teaching practices.
Follow-Up Resources:Provide participants with a list of resources, including research articles, digital tool recommendations, and networks for continued professional growth.

Supporting research

Gloria Ladson-Billings (1995, 2009): Emphasizes culturally responsive pedagogy that validates students' cultural identities, including narratives of joy and resilience.
Geneva Gay (2010): Advocates for an inclusive curriculum that reflects diverse experiences, highlighting the importance of incorporating joy to balance narratives of adversity.
Bettina Love (2019): In "We Want to Do More Than Survive," Love discusses "Black joy" as a form of resistance and the importance of cultivating joy in education.
Django Paris & H. Samy Alim (2017): In "Culturally Sustaining Pedagogies," they emphasize the role of joy and cultural pride in sustaining students' cultural practices and identities.
bell hooks (2003): In "Teaching Community: A Pedagogy of Hope," hooks highlights the power of joy in education to connect with students and create an inclusive learning environment.
Gholnecsar (Gholdy) Muhammad (2020): In "Cultivating Genius," Muhammad emphasizes the creation of joyful learning spaces for Black and Brown students as a key component of educational equity.
ISTE Standards for Educators (2017): Supports the use of technology to create inclusive and equitable learning environments, facilitating engagement with diverse perspectives.
National Research Council (2012): "Education for Life and Work" underscores the importance of technology in supporting collaborative learning and understanding diverse viewpoints.
Paulo Freire (1970): In "Pedagogy of the Oppressed," Freire discusses the need for education to recognize the full humanity of students, including their joy and hopes.
Lorena Escoto Germán (2021): In "Textured Teaching," Germán emphasizes creating classroom environments that recognize and value students' full selves, including their cultural joy.