Reading to Belong

Reading to Belong equips educators with tools to facilitate conversations about identity to ensure that all students feel a sense of belonging, empathy, and can advocate for a more just world

Alyson Lamont, Ed.D is a district-level instructional specialist. She holds a Doctor of Education degree from Teachers College, Columbia University, and has been published in several academic journals: Phi Delta Kappan, Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood, and Berkeley Review of Education. Pamela Washington is currently serving as an elementary principal, where she provides instructional leadership. She received her Principal Certificate from Danforth (University of Washington) and Master's Degree in Literacy from Seattle University. Emilie Hard recently retired as a district Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning. She also served as a district Director of Equity, elementary school principal and classroom teacher. She was a contributing author in Learning and Leading with Habits of Mind (Costa & Kallick, 2008), and holds a Masters Degree in Education from the University of Oregon.

PREFACE INTRODUCTION: Why This Work? Chapter 1: Class Communities: Foundations for Safe Conversation Spaces Chapter 2: Identity & Belonging: Student Understanding of Self Chapter 3: Knowledge, Perspective & Empathy: Understanding Others Chapter 4: Advocacy & Action: Now What? Chapter 5: When Things Don't Go as Planned Chapter 6: Leading This Work Appendix: Leading with an Equity Lens: A Reflection Tool for Educational Leaders Appendix: Discussion Prompts for Supporting Identity, Empathy and Advocacy Appendix: Building a Robust, Diverse Classroom Library References