Students Teaching the Teachers: Sharing the SDLC Experience

Renee Rockford
It wasn’t so unusual that in mid-February, Colorado Academy ‘s faculty took a day away from classes to take part in professional development. What was unusual was that their instructors were six CA students, all Upper Schoolers who last December attended the Student Diversity Leadership Conference in Atlanta: Joanna Cotto, Zoriah Carter, Aliyah Fard, Dee Dennis, Waleed Khalifa, and Jack Van Gilder. 
 
Students talked about their SDLC experiences and led the school’s faculty and staff in a session of sharing, questions, and expressions. That led to applause, tears, and reflection about classroom practices. SDLC is a multiracial, multicultural gathering of upper school student leaders (grades 9 - 12) from across the U.S. The annual conference is led by a diverse team of trained adult and peer facilitators who help participants develop effective cross-cultural communication skills, better understand effective strategies for social justice, practice expression through the arts, and learn networking principles and strategies. It is part of the NAIS People of Color Conference.
 
In the flavor of the popular I Wish My Teacher Knew book by Kyle Schwartz, the student leaders described their experiences as students of color, as members of the LGBT community, as students of varying socioeconomic groups, and as kids who had come to CA from a variety of school settings. They shared examples of things that are already difficult about coming of age are made all the more difficulty by a sense of “otherness.”
 
Students described being more aware and self-conscious of their differences in an independent school; they talked about how their school experiences made them more aware of what neighborhoods they came from, how they spent their free time, or how they looked. They talked about the implicit bias and assumptions that are reinforced by society, and about their genuine wish to help younger children destined to experience the same things.
 
Head of School Dr. Mike Davis underscored that teaching is not just about being subject matter experts, but about being aware of the often-invisible forces at play in students’ lives. “There is such value hearing from our students and from gaining an understanding of what they bring to the classroom; sharing this information can only make us better at what we do, how we teach, and how we support each and every child.”
 
With the help of CA’s Director of Inclusivity, Adrian Green, the six students then led faculty in a series of questions, the responses to which participants expressed by physically moving to different parts of the room; the south part of the Dining Hall if you agree with a particular statement, and the north side if you disagree.
 
The spectrum of responses became clear as students walked the room and handed teachers a microphone to share the “why” behind the “where” that they had chosen. That was followed by breakout sessions during which teachers could discuss ideas and practices. Teachers thanked the students for their courage in leading the sessions. Says Green, “What surprised me wasn't that they (the students) were engaged in this work, but that the students helped create a safe, inclusive, and brave environment for the faculty to immerse themselves in difficult dialogue.”
 
Students, too, expressed gratitude for the ways that CA has challenged them – from attending the diversity conference to providing challenging classroom experiences. Said one student, “I’m grateful for many of the teachers that I’ve had here… You all have helped me grow tremendously and have influenced my life in ways that I can’t even describe.” Another talked about initially wanting to attend a different school, against the objections of his mother. Now he says, “I know CA will set me up to succeed, which is my ultimate goal. I have come to appreciate this place more than just about anything.” That same student, Dee Dennis, reflected on the overwhelmingly positive feedback from the day’s events. “I didn't understand the impact I had until after the sessions. It felt good to share a piece of myself that's often misunderstood, and overall, just take a step forward in the right direction with people who have a lot of influence in our community.”
 
Green adds, “The six brave student facilitators shared stories that shed light on the many challenges underrepresented students face in independent schools, which, in turn, encouraged faculty to share their stories. I am proud that our outstanding student leaders are delivering the language of this work. We all fall along a spectrum. And no matter our social, political, economic, or pedagogical differences, we listened. We leaned in. We grew. We connected. We have our student facilitators to not only thank but to look to as we continue this work.”
 
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