Unconscious bias is like water to a fish: We all live with it whether we know it or not.

This workshop will use an assets-based approach to help participants reflect on their own beliefs and gain an awareness of how those beliefs and biases affect their relationships with students and families. Participants will examine the role that bias and privilege play in influencing our relationships with families and discuss specific strategies to use in order to capitalize on the knowledge that students and families bring from their homes, communities, and other life experiences (Cuevas, 2019; González, N., Moll, L., & Amanti, C., 2005; Lopez, 2001).

Participants will consider the various ways families engage in their children’s education and develop an action plan for engaging with all families in the school community.