Noticing Implicit Racial Bias in Our Stories and Ourselves

Navigating the stress of racial conflict or conversation is not easy. Recent national tensions regarding race and diversity have led some societal institutions to reform how they address racial injustice. Moreover, the rise in hate has left schools and educators overwhelmed. Less understood and discussed is how racial stress and conflict influence processes essential in teaching and learning. This keynote and workshop will focus on helping educators resolve stressful diversity encounters in schooling relationships. 
 
In the keynote, Drs. Walter Gilliam and Howard Stevenson will share time outlining the key aspects of their research on implicit bias and racial literacy. Through examples and stories, they will explain how unintentional biases and the stress of trying to “do the right thing” in diverse contexts can be overwhelming and yet resolvable.
 
The goals of this keynote are to inspire:
1.    Interest in current research on racial bias and disparities in early childhood classroom experiences for teachers and children 
2.    interest in how racial stress can impair effective teaching during classroom and school interactions; 
3.    motivation to try mindfulness approaches to resolve diversity conflicts while teaching