The beginning is the most important part of the work. - Plato
This toolkit was assembled by the ALA Emerging Leaders Class of 2022 on behalf of the ACRL Instruction Section. For more information, see About Us.
This guide is formatted to allow you to read through each section from top to bottom. It will not only provide resources, but also give you time to reflect on your experiences and identities and how they relate to instructional librarianship. This is NOT an exhaustive guide, but rather an introductory course. We recognize that everyone comes to this guide, and to this work, as a whole person, and would encourage that while you engage with these topics, take the time to care for your own mental and psychological capacity by stepping away when necessary, and returning when you're ready.
This guide begins with a definition of Inclusive Pedagogy as an instructional theory and practice.
In Tools for Instruction you will find resources to implement Inclusive Pedagogy in your own work.
The third section deals specifically with engaging in Anti-Racist practices as an essential part of participating in an inclusive educational environment.
The Self-Care section addresses the need for those engaged in this challenging work to actively care for themselves, and when the capacity exists, to care for others as well.
To begin, we encourage you to consider how you're entering into this work by completing the Flower of Power, an Implicit Association Test, or other self-reflective tools. Additionally, consider who your allies are, and how you can support each other. Form a Community of Practice or Critical Friend Group with whom to discuss and work through the issues.
This talk will introduce the "Multi-Dimension" model of privilege, which is a holistic, comprehensive approach to teaching the concept of privilege. Additionally, exercises and suggestions will be offered to practitioners around effective application and pedagogy of the Multi-Dimension model; ultimately helping to create greater awareness and understand of privilege as students, practitioners, and community members.
After watching Justin Ford's presentation, consider the following:
1. Based on Justin's definition of privilege, what groups do you think you belong to that offer you special rights or allowances, without you having to earn them (gender, race, orientation, religious, citizenship, ability, etc.) [re-watch at time-stamp 2:00]
2. If you were making a "privilege pledge," as Justin says he asks his students to do, what would you pledge? [re-watch at time-stamp 10:36]
(taken from https://ed.ted.com/on/KUiceH90/review_open#question-1)
An essential first step toward becoming an anti-racist educator is uncovering your own implicit biases—attitudes and beliefs about certain groups of people you may not even realize you have. In this episode, Hedreich Nichols walks us through an 8-question exercise to help us start to do this work on ourselves.
Find more episodes of The Cult of Pedagogy Podcast with Jennifer Gonzalez.
Teaching strategies, classroom management, education reform, educational technology -- if it has something to do with teaching, we're talking about it. Jennifer Gonzalez interviews educators, students, administrators and parents about the psychological and social dynamics of school, trade secrets, and other juicy things you'll never learn in a textbook.
Thanks to Jen Bonnet at the University of Maine for the template on which this LibGuide was created.