Social Justice and Diversity at OMS
By Abby Marish
Gather data about what is done in your school concerning the topic of social justice.
I met with my principal and discussed this topic. I also talked with team members and emailed the staff in order to learn what other teachers did in their classrooms regarding the issue of social justice and diversity. The following is what I learned is taking place at OMS.
- What is in your curriculum? / What do teachers teach?
Sixth Grade Social Studies
Civil Rights Movement Unit- the social climate during those years, Rosa Parks, KKK, right to vote, end of segregation
Study of culture- the 16 areas of culture (food, clothing, customs, etc) and carry this theme throughout the year as we talk about current events around the world and early civilizations
Students choose a country and present to the class about it.
Current events this year: history of labor unions, issue in WI of the right to organize, people in Tunisia, Egypt, fighting for freedom from a dictator, and the current struggle in Libya
Global Issues unit
The history of Dan West, who initiated the idea of giving a cow instead of powdered milk, so the needy could provide for themselves.
Heifer International- their goal is to avoid imposing our culture on them or telling them what they need. H.I. finds out what they need and helps them to develop, totally respecting their culture.
Give Up Day- where we give up a luxury for one day and donate the money we saved to buy an animal for a needy family so they can provide for themselves.
Study of child labor around the world, the implications for factories in the US, the effect of child labor on education, and the history of child labor in this country leading up to the child labor law.
Sixth Grade Reading
The Cay - one of the main themes relates to the roots of prejudice, how it is learned, not ingrained/genetic
Students learn that by personalizing/humanizing through the telling of real stories and seeing commonalities we promote equality in society.
Julie of the Wolves which is the story of an Inuit girl making sense between her current, more modern world and the "old ways" of her ancestry.
Pinballs - includes diversity of home-lives/guardians/foster care
Sixth Grade Math
What’s in a Name?
OMS Mascot Graphing Project
Seventh Grade English
Black history month report
-What is the social and historical significance of the person you researched?
-Why should we remember historical accomplishments and contributions to society?
-Why is history important?
8th Grade Reading – Holocaust Unit
Anne Frank - Discussion centers around why her diary is such a significant piece of literature and how can lessons learned from her be applied to our lives today?
Read poetry from a holocaust survivor named Inge Auerbacher and other holocaust related poems
Watch video of Gerda Wiesman Klein (a survivor)
Watch video of Elie Wiesel while he visits Auschwitz
Students are required to read one choice book related to the holocaust or WWII theme.
8th Grade Math – Holocaust Unit
Students build a 3-D monument to honor Holocaust victims and use geometric shapes and the knowledge they learn throughout the Holocaust unit to apply symbolism to the shapes in their project.
Speaker: Tim Scott
8th Grade Spanish
Watch a video about Ecuador - students write and discuss what they saw in the video, whether they'd like to visit the country or not and why, and some main cultural differences
Day of the Dead WebQuest
Navidad / Posadas caroling
Osceola offers K-12 Spanish
This starts promoting cultural, linguistic, and social awareness at an early age.
Special Education
Use literature to illustrate concepts and bits of civil rights history
Read the book Rosa and had a short discussion about how students at OMS might feel to be restricted on their ride home
Native American legends have messages that seem to resonate with students during social skills lessons
Read Hide and Seek and Number of the Stars
Write reflection paper - what it is like to walk into a concentration camp
Read The Hull House which is located on Halsted Street in Chicago, one of Chicago's poorest neighborhoods (This is now a museum that teaches about neighbors of all different ethnic backgrounds that learn to interact together.)
- What special programs take place?
Mix it Up Day
Food Drives
School wide advisory program
Developmental Designs
Social Contract
Rachel’s Challenge
Extra Curricular Activities/Clubs accept and welcome ALL
(Athletics, FEA, Tatu, Extreme Self-Esteem, Forensics…)
Lunch Buddies (friendship groups)
Anti-bullying policy that includes harassment and sexual harassment
- How do people’s actions in general support Social Justice?
Take bullying issues seriously
Building a sense of community within our advisories
Take opportunities to explain that everyone has a different way of learning and growing and how can we be aware and accept that
Team taught classrooms that include special ed students
Take advantage of teachable moments concerning social justice
Celebrate diversity
- What is your school not doing?
I honestly was so impressed with what is done within my school concerning the topic of social justice and diversity. While our staff and student body are not that diverse and there is always more we can do with this topic, I feel we have a good start. The area that my principal believes we are not addressing as well as we could is supporting LGBT students with support groups.
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