One of the best field trips we take every fall — maybe all year long — is to the annual MARD会议 (Mid Atlantic Region Diversity Conference), which took place last weekend. 部分车间, 部分演讲嘉宾, the goal of the conference is to simultaneously expose and celebrate students’ various identities. You’re encour年龄d to be real and to talk frankly about who you are with others who are like you, but also with those who aren’t to broaden their minds and build empathy.
The event’s “silent movement” activity really epitomizes the goal of the day: Keynote speaker and activist Rodney Glasgow gathers all 400 student and 教师 attendees together in a gymnasium, 然后让学生安静地回答有关他们种族的问题, 宗教, 性取向, 经济背景, 家庭动力学, 学习的挑战, 身体残疾的, 等等，在体育馆中间的一个圆圈里进进出出. 以这种方式自我认同需要勇气和脆弱. 作为一名老师，看到这些让我很震撼. 你的回答是否诚实?罗德尼在练习结束时问学生们. “你对诚实感到自在吗?? 如果没有，为什么没有呢?”
这是索莱伯里学校第三年参加该活动. Each year, more and more students sign up to go — this year, twice as many kids went as last year. Here’s what a few of our students had to say, and why we’ll be back for a fourth time next year:
“MARD是一次很棒的经历. Being with people who can understand being biracial or struggling with the same issues regarding 宗教 or family structure was such a comforting thing. 通过这种联系，我感到很舒服, I at times felt uncomfortable because of the powerful conversations we had about almost unspoken issues in the world today. 获得的知识是难以形容的. 谢谢你给我这个机会.” paola“21
“MARD一直是一次很棒的经历，我很享受每年的访问. 它似乎一年比一年好, and I look forward to hearing other point of views and voices from all the different ethnicities. 我希望这种活动能经常发生!” 特洛伊的20
“This was my second year going to MARD, and I swear I 学习 new things each time. Being at MARD allows me to truly represent myself and be surrounded by people who understand what I have been through or am going through. 这是一个如此开放和接受真实的空间. We talked about things we normally wouldn't in the classroom at a level of closeness that shapes your way of thinking. I truly appreciate these trips and you can already mark me down for next year.” 阿梅尔20
最后, 我的同事说几句话, 韦德娱乐app下载地址学校的老师萨拉·兰泽塔说, 关于她的第一次MARD经历:
“MARD会议对我的影响非常大. 我仍然, 一周后, processing the experience through many lenses: as a first-time participant, 出席会议的学生的指导老师, 教育家, 教练, 女人, 妈妈。, 妻子, 女儿, 有色人种, 特权人士, person whose privileges and rights are being 问题ed and/or taken away, 一个人.
There were so many moments, big and small, that resonated with me in one manner or another. 我有一种自豪感, watching our Solebury students be brave enough and passionate enough to speak or show their truth in front of a crowd of 400+ peers and adults. I had feelings of connectedness in sessions with other 教育家s who have a 分享d goal of trying to create safe spaces for our students (our future) to simultaneously 成长, 学习, 分享, 问题, excel, and be challenged while not being be beaten down by all of the pressures, 恐惧, 不公平现象, 和生活的挫折. I also had (and continue to have) feelings of hope as our Solebury students talked to us and each other on the ride home, 之后在校园里一对一的聊天, 在组装中, standing with excitement in front of their peers with smiles and tears, arm in arm with each other with ideas for how to keep the momentum going and asking of us, 大人们, how to bring the feelings and experiences of the MARD conference here to Solebury so that the movement and momentum will continue and be expanded.
我还在处理，但我加入了...我受到了冲击，没有回头路了.” 莎拉Lanzetta