Anitracist project explores local history

Anitracist project explores local history
Posted on 04/27/2023
4th grade students explore local history
In an effort to continue the culturally responsive work being done in ER Schools, the district has partnered with Kesha James and Shane Wiegand of the Antiracist Curriculum Project to offer new curriculum opportunities for students. The Anitracist Curriculum Project team is committed to empowering students, educators, and communities with instructional resources about their local history of racism and civil rights through the exploration of local history through rich primary sources. To learn more about the Antiracist Curriculum Project click here
The fourth grade team recently had the opportunity to participate in professional learning with the Antiracist Curriculum Project to learn about their inquiry about enslavement. The team is currently implementing the enslavement inquiry with their students. Students are actively engaged in exploration of racism, segregation, and antiracism through student centered practices and protocols that promote inquiry, discussion, and questioning throughout. The teachers have reported students saying things like, "I can't believe this happened so close to us" or "Nathaniel Rochester had a city named after him, but he owned enslaved people." 
This is an important step in the curriculum work being done in ER, and the district looks forward to additional opportunities for other grade levels to work with the Antiracist Curriculum Project to offer these new learning opportunities for students.