This year, New York University’s Metropolitan Center for Research on Equity and the Transformation of Schools (Metro Center) is hosting its annual Equity Now Conference on May 17, 2024, in New York.
The conference theme is Equity Now: 70 Years of Brown vs. Board Conference. The Metro Center convenes educators, parents/caregivers, youth, community organizers, and technical assistance providers for a full day of learning.
Experts from WestEd’s Resilient and Healthy Schools and Communities team will present two interactive sessions that focus on deepening restorative practices and cultivating inclusive classrooms.
See below to learn more about our sessions.
Friday, May 17
Paradigms, Not Programs: Deepening Our Restorative Practice
Time: 10:55 a.m.–12:50 p.m. (Eastern)
Presenters: Lauren Trout and Krystal Wu
Often reduced to strategies, restorative work is commonly implemented divorced from its original intentions and implemented adjacent to equity initiatives, rather than as a bridge towards equity. The field of restorative practices sits at a crossroads: will restorative practices be a blueprint for transformation, or will it be co-opted by the very systems it aims to shift? In this experiential and interactive session, participants will examine restorative practices as a paradigm via reflection, dialogue, and resources; identify culturally responsive implementation readiness and integrity drivers; and apply session ideas to complex restorative implementation challenges.
Trout is a Senior Program Associate for the Resilient and Healthy Schools and Communities team and leads WestEd’s restorative practices body of work. Trout works with schools, communities, and larger education and justice systems to provide training, coaching, and technical support. Trout’s work centers on equity and focuses on climate and culture, harm prevention, sustainable implementation, and community-driven change.
As a Program Associate with Resilient and Healthy Schools and Communities, Krystal Wu (she/her) delivers technical assistance, designs professional learning, and develops evidence-based resources to support the cultivation of safe and supportive learning environments.
Cultivating Inclusive Classrooms: Heart-Centered Teaching and Learning
Time: 10:55 a.m.–12:50 p.m. (Eastern)
Presenters: Antoinette Miller and Tim Ojetunde
Classrooms characterized by belonging, connection, and community support the academic and holistic development of students. Professional learning focusing on educator identity, purpose, and mindsets offer a foundation for developing safe and supportive learning environments. This session aims to support districts and schools as they focus on building restorative practices into their behavior, discipline, and overall schoolwide practices. Participants will learn strategies to align their teaching practices with those that encourage students and adults alike to bring their whole selves to the classroom and to learning.
Miller (she/her) is a Program Associate with Resilient and Healthy Schools and Communities. She provides coaching, technical assistance, and professional learning to schools, districts, and county offices of education.
Timothy Ojetunde (he/him) is a School Climate and Data Use Program Associate who supports local educational agencies and county offices of education in centering equity and improving education outcomes for all.
Rooting Restorative Practices in Identity and Community
Time: 1:20 p.m.–2:30 p.m. (Eastern)
Presenters: Tim Ojetunde and Krystal Wu
Restorative practices are rooted in the belief that we can co-create the conditions for everyone in our ecosystem to experience abundance, belonging, and thriving. Learn about how a network of schools harnessed the power of a culturally responsive, identity-conscious restorative continuum to position restorative practices as a way of being, not just a program to be implemented. Participants will explore and experience examples of proactive restorative practices for youth and adults grounded in identity, community, culture, and collaboration. Participants will leave with a copy of the restorative continuum and ideas for how to use it as a resource in their own contexts.