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Facilitating a Group Discussion Guide (opens in new tab)
A Welcoming and Affirming School Environment is where the school community is represented and treated with dignity and respect. The environment ensures all cultural identities are affirmed and valued.
Instructions: Meet with the participating group of teachers. Use the guiding questions to discuss the item and estimate together where your school or classes are overall on the progression. Be candid – this activity is most valuable as a formative learning experience. If you cannot come to agreement, add comments and go to the next item. We recommend spending about 45 minutes discussing and completing the rubric. If needed, use the CRS Facilitation Guide for Adult Group Rubrics. Your ratings and comments will not be saved until you click SUBMIT at the bottom of the page.
Cultural Responsiveness (CR) is in its initial phase
CR is practiced in some situations
CR is practiced in most situations
CR is continuously practiced and promoted
Dedication to culturally responsive practices across the school experience
What do we see in the common areas of our school that connect to the languages, cultures, and identities of students and the community? Do we see materials that students created and that celebrate the identities of all students? How often are these displays updated?
Displays in the hallways and common areas (e.g., outside classrooms, in the cafeteria, hallways, libraries, etc.) of our school represent few of the identities of students.
Displays in the hallways and common areas of our school represent some of the languages, cultures, and identities of students and the community.
Displays in the hallways and common areas of our school represent most of the languages, cultures, and identities of students and the community and are sometimes updated.
Displays in the hallways and common areas of our school celebrate all languages, cultures, and identities of students and the community and are regularly updated with student input.
What kinds of things are included in classrooms that reflect students' languages, cultures, and identities? Are there materials that were created by students? What particular attention is given to marginalized students?
There is little visible evidence in classrooms (e.g., books, displays, student work, etc.) that affirms student interests, identities, and/or personal/academic experiences.
There is some visible evidence in classrooms that affirms student interests, identities, and/or personal/academic experiences.
There is a great deal of visible evidence in classrooms that affirms student interests, identities, and/or personal/academic experiences with attention to representing marginalized students.
There is a great deal of co-created and visible evidence in classrooms that affirms student interests, identities, and/or personal/academic experiences with attention to representing marginalized students.
School practices include all voices
When communicating with families, what are some of the ways we attend to their languages, cultures, and identities? To what extent do we use multiple modes (e.g., website, text messages, email, robocalls, flyers, etc.) to ensure we're reaching all families?
Information and communications for families pay limited attention to language, culture, identity, and accessibility.
Information and communications for families sometimes attend to language, culture, identity, and accessibility.
Information and communications for families attend to language, culture, identity, and accessibility, which are available in multiple modes (e.g., website, text messages, email, robocalls, flyers, etc.).
Information and communications for families attend to language, culture, identity, and accessibility, which are available in multiple modes, and focus on engaging difficult-to-reach families.
What opportunities do we provide to students and families to give input and feedback about school and classroom culture? How do we incorporate their input and feedback to make adjustments?
We rarely (around once per year) offer opportunities for input and feedback about school and classroom culture from students and families.
We sometimes (about 2-3 times per year) offer opportunities for input and feedback about school and classroom culture from students and families.
We regularly (about 3+ times per year) offer opportunities for input and feedback about school and classroom culture from students and families with efforts to include marginalized groups.
We regularly (about 3+ times per year) offer opportunities for input and feedback about school and classroom culture from families and students with efforts to include marginalized groups, and we regularly use the input to inform adjustments going forward.
What is our view about students speaking the language(s) they are comfortable with in our class and school? Are there specific times, spaces, or contexts (e.g., recess, hallways, group work, talking amongst peers, etc.) where students' preferred languages and dialects are more valued?
We expect students to use standard academic English at all times in school.
We sometimes allow students to use the languages and dialects they are most comfortable with at school (e.g., recess, hallways, group work, talking amongst peers, etc.).
We allow students to use the languages and dialects they are most comfortable with at school.
We encourage students to use the languages and dialects they are most comfortable with at school because multiple languages are valued.
The quality of connections amongst school community members
In what ways do we develop relationships with students outside of academic contexts? Do we make an effort to build relationships with all of our students?
Relationship building with students rarely (about 2-3 times per year) extends beyond academic contexts.
We sometimes (about 1-2 times per month) take time to learn about students and their interests outside of academic contexts.
We consistently (around daily) take time to learn about students and their interests outside of academic contexts.
We consistently (around daily) take time to learn about students and their interests outside of academic contexts with particular effort to engage marginalized students.
When students raise sensitive social issues in class, how do we respond? How often do we make space to listen and talk to students about the issues they raise?
When students initiate discussions on important and/or sensitive school or broader social issues (e.g., current events and political issues at the school, local, and global levels), we rarely engage with them.
When students initiate discussions on important and/or sensitive school or broader social issues, we make some space for the discussions.
When students initiate discussions on important and/or sensitive school or broader social issues, we make intentional space for the discussion.
When students initiate discussions on important and/or sensitive school or broader social issues, we make intentional space for the discussion, and we incorporate what we discuss into relevant learning opportunities.
The extent of cooperation amongst school community members
To what extent and in what ways do school leaders involve faculty, staff, and students in setting school-wide expectations, rules, and procedures? To what extent are we empowered to co-create school-wide policies with our colleagues, students, and school leaders so that everyone in the school community embraces these policies?
School leaders set and enforce school-wide expectations, rules, and procedures.
School leaders set and enforce school-wide expectations, rules, and procedures, and leaders ask for our input on these policies.
We work together with school leaders to construct school-wide expectations, rules, and procedures that are transparent.
We work together with school leaders, colleagues, and students to construct school-wide expectations, rules, and procedures that are equitable, transparent, and, when possible, restorative.
In what ways do we involve students in setting up the physical organization of our classrooms? Are classrooms set up in a way that works well for all of our students?
We mainly arrange our classrooms as we think best.
We sometimes arrange our classrooms with student input.
We arrange our classrooms with ongoing student input.
We work together with students to arrange our classrooms to fit the learning needs of all students.
