Courageous Conversations: Understanding and Facilitating Difficult Dialogues on Racial and Gender Realities for Educators and Administrators
Format
Individual Presentation
First Presenter's Institution
Stephen F. Austin State University
Second Presenter's Institution
Stephen F. Austin State University
Third Presenter's Institution
NA
Fourth Presenter's Institution
NA
Fifth Presenter's Institution
NA
Strand #1
Heart: Social & Emotional Skills
Strand #2
Head: Academic Achievement & Leadership
Relevance
This session will help participants develop social and emotional skills as well as leadership skills to combat bias and racism in the school community.
Brief Program Description
This session will explore the clash of racial and gender realities in our schools and the negative impacts on students and staff. Participants will understand the three types of microaggressions and examine the harmful impacts of each on the school community. Participants will also explore strategies for handling microaggressions when they occur, facilitating difficult dialogues, and the principles of racism reduction to foster a culturally inclusive and anti-racist school community.
Summary
Microaggressions can be defined as brief and commonplace daily verbal, behavioral or environmental indignities, whether intentional or unintentional, which communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative slights, invalidations, and insults to an individual or group because of their marginalized status in society (Sue, 2010). Microaggressions are subtle, stunning, often automatic verbal and non-verbal exchanges which are ‘put downs’. They have also been described as subtle insults delivered through dismissive looks, gestures and tones (verbal, nonverbal, and/or visual) toward people of color, women or LGBT persons– often automatically or unconsciously. Simply stated, microaggressions are brief, everyday exchanges that send denigrating messages to marginalized groups. Microaggressions are constant and continual and symbolize past historic injustices. Studies reveal, that microaggressions, while seemingly trivial in nature have major consequences for marginalized groups in our society (Sue, 2010). Microaggressions are cumulative and any one may represent the feather that breaks the camel's back. It is imperative that educators are equipped with the knowledge and skills facilitate difficult dialogues to combat microaggressions and foster a culturally inclusive and anti-racist school community.
This session will explore the clash of racial and gender realities in our schools and the negative impacts on students and staff. Participants will understand the three types of microaggressions and examine the harmful impacts of each on the school community. Participants will also explore strategies for handling microaggressions when they occur, facilitating difficult dialogues, and the principles of racism reduction to foster a culturally inclusive and anti-racist school community.
Evidence
Social and Emotional Skills.
Learning Objectives
Participants will understand the three types of microaggressions and examine the harmful impacts of each on the school community. Participants will also explore strategies for handling microaggressions when they occur, facilitating difficult dialogues, and the principles of racism reduction to foster a culturally inclusive and anti-racist school community.
Biographical Sketch
Summer Pannell, PhD – Stephen F. Austin State University
Dr. Summer Pannell has spent over two decades working in education as a teacher, administrator, researcher, and professor of educational leadership. She has published and presented numerous works on leadership preparation, leadership evaluation, and restorative discipline and secured over half a million dollars in research grant funds to explore effective practices in education. Dr. Pannell currently teaches principal and superintendent preparation courses and doctoral courses and serves as the director of the National Leadership Development Consortium. She is also a certified Restorative Discipline Practices trainer and the founder and director of the National Institute for Restorative Discipline.
Brian Uriegas, EdD – Stephen F. Austin State University
Dr. Brian Uriegas currently serves as an Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership in the principal preparation program. Before joining the SFASU faculty, Dr. Uriegas served as a teacher, coach, and administrator in Texas public schools. Dr. Uriegas has published and presented on issues related to educational leadership at the local, state, and national levels.
Keyword Descriptors
Cultural Awareness, Climate, Racism, Anti-Racist, Microaggressions, School Improvement, Culture, Leadership
Presentation Year
2021
Start Date
3-10-2021 1:40 PM
End Date
3-10-2021 2:40 PM
Recommended Citation
Pannell, Summer and Uriegas, Brian, "Courageous Conversations: Understanding and Facilitating Difficult Dialogues on Racial and Gender Realities for Educators and Administrators" (2021). National Youth Advocacy and Resilience Conference. 62.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/nyar_savannah/2021/2021/62
Courageous Conversations: Understanding and Facilitating Difficult Dialogues on Racial and Gender Realities for Educators and Administrators
This session will explore the clash of racial and gender realities in our schools and the negative impacts on students and staff. Participants will understand the three types of microaggressions and examine the harmful impacts of each on the school community. Participants will also explore strategies for handling microaggressions when they occur, facilitating difficult dialogues, and the principles of racism reduction to foster a culturally inclusive and anti-racist school community.
