Anti-racism is not an initiative: How professional learning communities may advance equity and social-emotional learning in schools

ABSTRACT

There is a sense of urgency among P-12 educators to dismantle systemic school-based racism and radically transform conditions for teaching and learning in ways that advance equity, social justice, and social-emotional learning (SEL). This transformation cannot be achieved through typical top-down, short-term approaches to school improvement or professional development. In this article we explain how, in an urban school district working to bring Digital Literacy and Computer Science (DLCS) to all students, robust professional learning communities (PLCs) have been leveraged to redress racism and led to changes in teacher mind-sets, more equitable classroom practices, and positive social-emotional learning outcomes. We explain how routine school improvement initiatives, such as stand-alone professional development events, fail to address racist beliefs and behaviors, and are inadequate to the task of advancing SEL. We describe the attributes and outcomes of effective PLCs, including the effects that PLC participation may have on teacher capacity to make anti-racist changes to curriculum and instruction, and advance the social, emotional, and academic learning of all students.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional Resources

Books

1. MacDonald, J., Mohr, N., Dichter, A., and McDonald, E. (2013). The power of protocols. Teachers College Press.

This book introduces readers to the why, the how, and the what of protocols, a critical component of building an effective professional learning community.

2. Safir, S., and Dugan, J. (2021). Street data: A next-generation model for equity, pedagogy, and school transformation. Corwin Press.

This book offers an assets-based approach to understanding and using data in re-envisioning and re-building the education system, rather than the prominent deficit-based approach to fixing ‘problems’ and closing ‘gaps.’

Websites

1. Center of Racial Justice and Youth Engaged Research

Located at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, this Center advances racial justice work in schools, educational research, and teacher education.

2. LiberatED SEL

The website of Dr. Dena Simmons connects readers to the work of LiberatED, a collective focused on developing resources at the intersection of SEL, healing, and justice.

Notes

1. See Mark Granovetter’s (1973) seminal piece, “The Strength of Weak Ties,” in the American Journal of Sociology.

Additional information

Funding

This material is based in part upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. DRL 1837086. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.