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Spotlight on DEI in Middle School Classrooms

Latin
Students in Anne Smith’s Latin class learned about Phillis Wheatley, America’s first female and African-American poet to be published in the United States. Wheatley studied and wrote in elegiac couplets based on ancient Greek and Roman poets. Mrs. Smith’s students read a verse from Wheatley’s poem "Aurora," which means ‘dawn’ or ‘morning light’ in Latin.
 
Eighth Grade English
Students in Lila Corgan and Kirsten Small’s eighth grade English classes discussed the “Black is Beautiful” cultural movement in connection with their study of Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun. Students listened to the music of Nina Simone and read excerpts from the Autobiography of Malcolm X as part of a discussion on assimilationism and Pan-Africanism, concepts that are explored in Hansberry’s play.

Science 
Students in Sean Legnini’s science classes read an article about the current fight over lobster fishing rights between commercial fishermen and the Mi’kmaw people of Nova Scotia. In connection, students discussed the importance of fishing seasons and issues with overfishing, local indigenous cultures and ancestral livelihoods, how important food is for our cultures and economies, as well as how important choosing fishing locations is to maintaining a healthy ecosystem.
 
Students in Caroline Feldman’s eighth grade science class learned about Henrietta Lacks as a lead-in to a debate on bioethics. In the format of a Harkness Discussion, students responded to the questions: “Is it ethical to continue to use Henrietta Lacks’ cells for research?” and “What is an equitable way to distribute vaccines to people across the world?”
 
Professional Development
Brandon Rotondo attended a panel called Co-conspiratorship: How White Educators Should Approach & Teach Black History, which was put on by the Abolitionist Teaching Network.
 
Ace Schwarz and Sean Legnini are attending a four-part series on Social Justice Teaching in the Science Classroom this month, which features multiple speakers and roundtable discussions offered by the National Science Teaching Association.
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The Shipley School is a private, coeducational day school for pre-kindergarten through 12th grade students, located in Bryn Mawr, PA. Through our commitment to educational excellence, we develop within each student a love of learning and a desire for compassionate participation in the world.