Issue link: http://latinschool.uberflip.com/i/326961
31 L AT I N S C H O O L O F C H I C A G O Kasey Taylor Lower School Spanish John Choi Upper School Science Elizabeth Denevi Director of Studies and Professional Development Brandon Woods Upper School English Taylor strives to integrate conversations about tolerance and difference into her Spanish curriculum in natural, fluid and relevant ways. is, she feels, is where teachers of even the youngest students can have a meaningful impact on how they interact with the world. "We are not just teaching K through 12. We are teaching K through a lifetime. As teachers, we are giving our students the tools they will need to relate to people of all walks of life." "We can't address diversity and equity issues with our students unless we have reflected on these issues ourselves," says Choi, explaining his efforts to bring faculty and staff together in informal settings to talk about diversity issues. e conversations can be uncomfortable, but teachers need to have them. "If we aren't comfortable talking about this, how are we going to empower our students to have a voice on these issues once they leave Latin?" For Denevi, it's about academic excellence. Research has found that having a racially diverse classroom has a direct impact on the academic performance of all students. In classrooms where at least one-third of students are of color, the data shows, students are better critical thinkers and communicators and stronger writers. Beyond the research, Denevi feels it comes down to a simple question: "We are Latin School of Chicago. Can we be a truly excellent school if we don't look like our city?" Woods recently added two literature electives to the English curriculum: "Shackles to Shadows," about the legacy of slavery, and "Gay America." In both classes, he challenges his students to step out of their comfort zone to consider a diversity of opinions. "I imagine students would say that this has been one of the great difficulties of the class and one of the great joys." It is a willingness to embrace the "difficulties," at all levels in all classes, that will move the conversation on equity forward at Latin, he says.