Diversity , Equity , and Inclusion ( DEI ) & Academics :
In an Alzar School classroom , teachers inspire students by connecting with students ’ “ funds of knowledge ” ( Moll , Amanti , Neff , and Gonzalez 1992 ), or the strengths , experiences , assets and abilities that students have gained from their families , cultures , and neighborhoods . Teachers also leverage content to challenge students to identify stereotypes or reconsider dominant narratives :
US and World History : Throughout the semester , teachers challenge students with the question : “ Who wrote this history ? Which groups of people are not included ? How is this an incomplete view of history ?" Over the course of the semester , students develop an awareness of implicit bias in storytelling , whether it ' s from a high school history textbook , a documentary , or even their teacher .
Honors English : One unit in the course of study is titled " On North American Culture : Race , Class , and Identity in 20th Century US American Writing ". In one lesson , after reading an essay by Ta-Nehisi Coates , students reflect upon how other authors such as James Baldwin , Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston would react , based on their own writings , historical era , and personal identities .
Precalculus Honors : Students read an excerpt from Inventing the Mathematician : Gender , Race , and Our Cultural Understanding of Mathematics , then reflect upon who they imagine when they think of a ' mathematician .’ Students compare that image to their own identity and reflect upon their experiences in math classes thus far . In a separate assignment , students identify a contemporary mathematician and their area of study , along with aspects of their history and identity . These assignments challenge stereotypes about math and encourage students to view themselves as mathematicians .
Conversations about equity and justice extend beyond the classroom walls . Throughout the semester , students engage in a series of lessons titled “ Critical Conversations .” By exploring topics like identity , allyship , bias , stereotype , among others , students have engaged in vulnerable conversations and have worked to build their awareness and impact as inclusive leaders .
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