From the August/September 2021 issue of Equity & Access Pre K-12
Paige Bessick has been a teacher for 14 years. She’s worked as a special education teacher and currently teaches math and literacy skills for the MCPASD dual immersion program with a focus on social-emotional learning and the teaching tolerance standards.
“Teaching about equity is important in every classroom, and the conversations should start with our youngest learners. When we focus on content, character education, and themes like identity and kindness, we can support these critical conversations while building our students’ sense of identity and creating inclusive classrooms.”
Paige does morning meetings with students to help them build trust and relationships. She uses online character education videos, such as The Character Tree, to help them learn to identify and practice positive character traits.
These practices help students develop the non-academic skills needed to be successful in school and help them process the difficult emotions that many have experienced during the events of the past year.
Connect with Paige Bessick on Twitter: @PaigeBessick
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The American Consortium for Equity in Education, publisher of the "Equity & Access" journal, celebrates and connects the educators, associations, community partners and industry leaders who are working to solve problems and create a more equitable environment for historically underserved pre K-12 students throughout the United States.
