Antiracism and Universal Design for Learning: Building Expressways to Success A Four-Part Series

Pain. Power. And Honor: Moving Forward Differently and Effectively 

Teachers and leaders will build expressways to success by examining their inclusive and equitable practices in light of the book Antiracism and Universal Design for Learning: Building Expressways to Success by Andratesha Fritzgerald. 

This four-part series will address the impact of racism and bias on outcomes for students of color and students with disabilities and how to begin moving forward differently and effectively. 

During and after each session there will be opportunities to interact with the content. 

The first 300 registrants will receive the book Antiracism and Universal Design for Learning, written by Andratesha Fritzgerald. 

Session 1 – Tuesday, April 13th –  3:00 – 4:30 PST

Safety: Two Eyes. One Vision. Two Roads. One Mission. (Chapters 1 – 3)

When the two roads of antiracism and universal design for learning (UDL) come together, we purposefully create safe, honoring, challenging and welcoming learning environments for Black and Brown learners. This session will focus on honor as a vehicle in instructional decision making that brings antiracist strategies together with the inclusivity of universal design for learning.

Session 2 – Tuesday, April 20th –  3:00 – 4:30 PST

Engagement: Learning to Drive (Chapters 4 – 5)

Driving is equally proactive and reactive. When learning to drive, we have to be safe, but we also must engage with the road when we are comfortable and plan for when we are in uncomfortable situations. No one can fully learn to drive without getting behind the wheel. Our biases and fears about learners can keep us from trusting them to drive their learning. Antiracist practices and

UDL, when merged together, help equip participants to engage students and the community in new ways that improve outcomes. 

Session 3 – Tuesday, April 27th –  3:00 – 4:30 PST

Supported and Challenged: Honor in Action (Chapters 6 – 7)

Learning and transfer of learning occur when multiple representations are used because they allow students to make connections within, as well as between, concepts. In short, there is not one means of representation that will be optimal for all learners; providing options for representation is essential. In the same way that on-ramps get us from where we are to an expressway that

moves us toward where we want to go, multiple means of representation open up access to learners in a way that fuels their vehicle of learning. 

Session 4 – Tuesday, May 4th –  3:00 – 4:30 PST

Creating Community, Navigating Construction (Chapters 8 – 10)

The UDL framework emphasizes the importance of building expert learners in any context. Learning and expertise are not static. They are continuous processes that involve practice, adjustment, and refinement for every member of the learning community. CAST defines expert learners as purposeful and motivated, resourceful and knowledgeable, and strategic and goal-directed.  Expert learning takes shape differently when we create communities of support and construction zones of safe practice.