Note: Please plan breakfast/lunch and social time for staff before beginning this work.

Part 1: Setting the Stage (30 minutes) – (All Schools)
· Post and review Essential Questions for today:
1. How can we deepen our Courageous Conversations and increase our own engagement around issues of race in our school?
2. How can we gain a better understanding of the unique gifts and challenges each student brings to our classroom?
3. How can we individually (and collectively) change and improve our classroom practice in order to help more students of color be successful?
· Post and review your school’s specific Outcomes for Today and Agenda
· Review 4 Agreements for Courageous Conversations and your own Staff Norms – connect and clarify these agreements and norms
· Determine grouping strategy for Part 2B (Dialogue)
a. Use pre-assigned groups
b. Use random grouping (Seasonal Partners)
c. Team/grade level assignments
· Assign roles for small groups (facilitator, recorder, reporter)
· Questions and clarifications

Part 2: New Learning (45 minutes) (Schools Choose) The purpose of this section is to “take in” information that will be discussed and applied in Parts 2B and 3.

Choose one of three: View video, read articles, or examine data.
Note: This part may be done all at once, or interspersed with Part 2B below, depending on which input you choose.

Part 2B: Conversation: Facilitated Dialogue (45 minutes) The purpose of this section is to deepen understanding and listen to a variety of viewpoints.

· Small groups discuss and record their ideas, using your choice of guiding questions and protocols provided (30 minutes)
· Small groups report back to the larger group with important ideas (15 minutes)

~ Break: 15 minutes ~

Part 3: Application to Our Practice (45 minutes) (All Schools)
The purpose of this section is to apply the ideas generated from the new learning in Part 2 to our individual and collective classroom and school practice.

* Using a Literature Circle Protocol, discuss the three questions below. (Note to Facilitator: Some examples are provided to push conversation forward if needed. Feel free to generate more examples you might use with your staff.)
1. How can we increase rigor (challenge) in our classrooms?
Examples:
a. Use of higher order questions for each lessons
b. Give choices for assessment of student learning
c. Peer observations and walk-throughs
d. Other……..
2. How can we deepen our relationships with students (caring)?
Examples:
a. Mentoring program
b. CARE project (Collaborative Action Research for Equity)
c. Greeting students in hallways, increasing personal interactions
d. Other………
3. How can we make instruction and content more relevant to more students (connections)?
Examples:
a. Give choices in learning based on interest and skills
b. Activate prior knowledge
c. Flexible grouping
d. Other………

Part 4: Reflection (30 minutes) (All Schools) The purpose of this section is to begin reflecting in writing on the ideas and dialogue we are having today.

* Using the Chalk Talk Protocol, do silent reflection on the following three questions.
1. What are the most important ways of increasing rigor/challenge?
2. What are the most important points about deepening relationships?
3. What are the most important ways we can increase relevance and make connections for more students?

* Every staff member should fill out the Evaluative Reflection Form to turn in to their principal.