Every student—and teacher!—should think critically about how bias seeps into their thinking. With effort, we have the power to recognize harmful patterns of thinking, challenge them, and right them. Fortunately, there is a growing body of resources available to help. Anti-bias learning can happen in any grade or subject, and often includes extracurricular activities as well.
We've curated several organizations and sites to help you with this important work, along with a library of resources from the Shaped blog that can help you combat bias, no matter what form it takes.
Confronting Bias in the Classroom
Anti-Bias Organizations and Resources
The following companies have plenty of assets to get you started in battling bias not only in the classroom, but also at home and in yourself.
- Learning for Justice is a project of the Southern Poverty Law Center devoted to providing free resources to educators. From lessons and posters to a comprehensive library of student texts and webinars, this site can provide you with both classroom resources and professional development opportunities.
- The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) offers a variety of anti-bias resources focused on early learning. Check out their events or review their anti-bias resources, especially those created for families.
- PBS LearningMedia has videos, lesson plans, and resources devoted to teaching about bias across many subjects and grades. Explore the biases hidden in big data and medical research with these resources.
- We at HMH are also creating our own curriculum grounded in culturally responsive pedagogy, Confronting Racism: Case Studies and Conversations on African American History. Written by Dr. Tyrone C. Howard, Confronting Racism helps teachers and students meaningfully discuss racial divisions that exist in America. Contact us now to request a preview.
Museum Offerings
The Smithsonian museums in Washington, D.C., offer a vast amount of tools to help educators as well.
- The National Museum of African American History and Culture has a variety of resources for educators exploring the museum’s initiatives on race and racism. Check out their STEM initiative to learn more about POC who have contributed to the sciences and technology.
- We Are Not a Stereotype, a free video series from the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center for educators in and out of the classroom, breaks down bias against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. This series also features our own Heinemann authors Robert Kim and Liz Kleinrock.
- The National Museum of the American Indian offers free virtual field trips to help students recognize that Native nations and people live all across the country.
Resources from HMH
For more discussions, assets, and strategies, we've organized our resources from Shaped below. Learn more about equity, racial justice, and media literacy and how you can implement these lessons.
Superintendent of Providence Public Schools Harrison Peters describes the changes his district is making to ensure equity for all students.
Dr. Tyrone Howard shares insights for educators on leading difficult race-related discussions in the classroom.
It's a term used often, but what is equity in education? Hear from experts on their definition of the term and what role access plays in achieving equitable education.
What is racial literacy? Dr. Tyrone Howard, ICLE senior fellow and professor of education at UCLA, calls on teachers to develop the racial literacy needed to talk about race in their classrooms.
Education leaders can assess how they are doing when it comes to racial justice in education and equity in the classroom by examining these five crucial areas.
The switch to remote learning for K-12 schools due to the coronavirus outbreak sheds light on equity and access issues for certain students.
Teachers should read or assign culturally responsive books with characters of different cultures, races, religions, genders, and other identities to help them understand themselves and each other.
Implement these culturally responsive teaching strategies and instruction practices in the classroom to help students feel included, validated, valued, and safe.
Learn how to start a GSA in your high school (or middle school or university). Educators can host a Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) club and help students feel safe and supported when they identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community. GSAs provide a safe, supportive space for students who identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community, along with their cisgender allies.
Show support for LGBTQ students and help them feel safe and welcomed in schools with these six strategies for educators.
Explore LGBTQ authors for Pride Month this year. These LGBTQ books were published from the 19th century through today.
Listen to a podcast on teaching media literacy in the classroom and developing effective media literacy programs in schools, featuring Katy Byron (MediaWise at Poynter) and Erik Palmer (author and former teacher).
The media literate person needs to understand how statistics can be manipulated—and that's where statistics literacy comes in.
How media literate are you? Take our quiz, then try our four tips for teaching media literacy in the classroom.
As teachers, we have a responsibility to help students become media literate, including teaching them how to avoid being duped by fake social media posts.
Explain to students that not every website on the internet is legitimate, and they shouldn't get distracted by hyperlinks and ads.
Dock, host of Shaping the Future, reflects on the recent podcast episode on media literacy.
