Welcome to DEI Boot Camp
A program to build the capacities of administration across districts & Schools in implementing successful DEI initiatives
Why a DEI Boot Camp?
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) has become a crucial, transformational element in the workplace as well as within our society, but what about our schools?
DEI in our education system is integral to ensuring a system where students and teachers are embraced for their new perspectives, are offered equal access for all opportunities, and are encouraged to share their insights and ideas.
When DEI strategies become common practice in our education system, student productivity, engagement, and achievement levels can drastically improve while teachers unlock student potential for future educational and career success.
What is it?
The DEI Boot Camp consists of planned activities, group work, and reflection time to give all attendees the time and space to successfully comprehend, apply, analyze, and evaluate what they have learned prior to creating or modifying any DEI initiatives or policies at their respective districts or schools. The length of the boot camp is determined by working with each district or school administration to identify available dates and times that would be appropriate for this program. Additionally, upon the completion of the boot camp, a participant from the district or school would be invited to the DEI Ambassador track.
DEI Boot Camp Objective
Provide effective capacity building to administration and educators to help create and sustain student-centered learning environments that affirm racial, linguistic, and cultural identities while preparing students for the rigor and independent learning in accordance with NYSED’s CR-S Education Framework.
Additionally, the DEI Program from Educators of America builds the capacities of educators to empower their students to be agents of social change and build their abilities to connect across lines of difference.
Outcomes for Administration & District Leaders
- Perspective Taking – Administration and educators demonstrate openness to new perspectives and diverse others while gaining the ability to reassess one’s own personal perspective when appropriate – a process that frequently requires courage and/or humility. Additionally, developing the ability to listen while withholding judgment about the new or unfamiliar.
- Communication – Administrators seek points of connection and interact substantively with those who are different from themselves and demonstrate communication skills that enable intercultural communication, including effective listening skills.
- Collaboration – Administrators harness the power of diversity (through “Perspective Taking” and “Communication”) as a source for creativity, innovation, and/or productive collaboration. Demonstrate professionalism by working inclusively and co-creating an environment where each perspective is considered for the cooperative purpose of making progress toward common goals and objectives.
- Cultural knowledge and Self-Awareness – Administrators describe various elements inherent to one’s own culture and to other cultures and recognize and critically reflect upon one’s own cultural biases. Moreover, administrators can critically think about structures of power and institutions from the standpoint of cultural inheritance.