Description: This workshop is open to all leaders and educators. The session will provide opportunities for courageous conversations. During the session, we will 'lean in' with self and others as we explore a range of provocations that are designed for us to challenge our assumptions, ask challenging questions, reflect upon our lived experiences, and nurture our critical consciousness, which are some of the "points of departure" as we courageously plan systemic and sustainable action. Some of the provocations include the brilliance and wisdom of bell hooks, Isabel Wilkerson, Paulo Freire, Margaret Wheatly, Zaretta Hammond, Danau Tanu, Daniel Wickner, Darnell Fine, and Audre Lorde. We will dialogue around abstract concepts such as identities, power, privilege, oppression, historical and systemic racism, fear, vulnerability, and leadership. We will then find specificity around these abstract concepts that will have relevance and impact to adult and student learning and well being. This session is designed as participatory, where the facilitator and the participants are co-learners, co-investigators, and co-creators of learning grounded on trust, reciprocity and partnership. Furthermore, we also hope to explore dispositions, mindsets, and frameworks to support us in courageously leading anti-racist anti-bias change at schools, in large organisations, and in the classrooms. Congruent to our belief that our action on DEIJ is a political act and a moral imperative, this workshop will hopefully enable us to understand that "education is a practice of freedom".
Joel Jr Llaban is a Learning Specialist / Instructional Coach in the ES Teaching and Learning of The International School of Kuala Lumpur. Previously, he worked at Cebu International School, The International School of Beijing, and The International School of Brussels. He has been working in education for 18 years as a classroom teacher with concurrent involvement and leadership in schoolwide curriculum, assessment, professional development, and strategic planning. He also served as a department coordinator and an accreditation coordinator. He is trained in international accreditation as a team evaluator and has been involved in accreditation visits to different international schools representing NEASC and CIS. Currently, Joel serves in the newly formed CIS Board Committee on DEIJ and Anti Racism. Joel holds a Master of Education in International Education Administration and a Certificate of International School Leadership from The Principals Training Center. He is a proud member of AIELOC and Diversity Collaborative. Joel's pronouns are he/him/his. Follow him on Twitter @JoelJrLLABAN.
