Faculty Retreat Focuses on Inclusion in the Classroom

Eighteen teachers representing all of Groton's academic departments spent the week of July 19 discussing inclusion in the classroom and sharing ideas for equalizing the student experience.

 

Members of the Curricular Working Group and the Residential Working Group held an on-campus retreat, touching on topics from inclusive pedagogy and equity in grading to what gender inclusion means in the classroom and how to facilitate difficult conversations about race. Most participants gathered in person, with a few joining online.

 

The week began with a welcome from Headmaster Temba Maqubela, followed by a session called “Telling Our Stories," during which faculty members shared what Director of Diversity and Inclusion Sravani Sen-Das called “cultural identifiers that marked our journey.”

 

For example, Ms. Sen-Das, who organized the retreat, told colleagues about her British education in India and the stark realization—during a master’s program for English literature in London—that she “hadn’t encountered anyone in my books who was anything like me . . . and did not have the lens through which to look at my country and my life.” She described “feeling almost cheated not having the full story” until late in her formal education.

 

She said that Groton students have shared similar stories, which made her realize: “Belonging just doesn’t happen, it has to be deliberate and intentional.”  

 

­­­­­Day two of the retreat focused on “Inclusive Pedagogy,” day three on “Courageous Conversations,” day four on “Equity and Assessments,” and day five on summarizing and reflecting upon the week’s lessons. Throughout the retreat, various teachers offered equity-related presentations—on topics including concrete steps to make students feel included, how to handle controversial subject matter, and how to make all students comfortable approaching teachers for extra help.

 

During Wednesday’s “Courageous Conversations” workshop, presenters included School Chaplain Allison Read and Celene Ibrahim, both teachers in Groton’s Department of Religious Studies and Philosophy, who shared insights gleaned from their respective spiritual leadership about how to give and receive feedback from students effectively and how to offer emotional support during difficult conversations.

 

Thursday’s look at assessments brought up questions about whether class participation should be graded. “Does that allow for all learners and learning styles? Are introverts equally validated or recognized?” asked Ms. Sen-Das. Assistant Head of School Megan Harlan ran a workshop based on the “Grading for Equity” workshop that both Ms. Harlan and Ms. Sen-Das had attended at a People of Color Conference.

 

Other presentations throughout the week included: Classics teacher Amy Martin-Nelson on equity in the classroom; Chinese teacher Shannon Jin on racial language barriers; English teacher Gareth Hadyk-DeLodder on gender-inclusive curricula; history teacher Eric Spierer on interdisciplinary teaching; Academic Dean Kathy Leggat on using feedback to gauge culturally responsive teaching; Ms. Sen-Das on metacognition; Classics teacher Mary Frances Bannard on self-care for teachers; and science teacher Nathan Lamarre-Vincent on the self-examination needed to cultivate an inclusive classroom. Theater Program Director Laurie Sales conducted an exercise that encouraged participants to reflect on themselves as teachers and learners.

 

“Everyone who is here deserves to be heard and counted, to feel that they belong in this community. Sometimes that means seeing oneself in our curriculum, whether in a book that is read or science that is studied or learning history that speaks to one's culture—recognizing that one's opinions and experiences are valued and respected by others,” said Academic Dean Kathy Leggat. “We have all gathered good material at this retreat—ideas that we hope to incorporate throughout the year, as we learn more about our students in order to make this remarkable education more inclusive.”

 

Discussions during the relaxing weeks of summer freed people to think and brainstorm. “It was so good to talk about teaching and learning—looking at good practice and analyzing what we’re doing,” said Ms. Sen-Das. “We have commonality of language and understanding. Faculty across departments are eager to collaborate.”

 

The voluntary retreat capitalized on the expertise of faculty members who have been doing individual training and professional development related to inclusion. Several participants will share summaries of their work with the full faculty at a meeting before school begins. “We are building up our expertise in a way so that we can all lead,” said Ms. Sen-Das.