Address Inequity, Combat Bias, Foster Cultural Competence

With new offerings connecting directly with MSEA member needs, the partnership of First Book and MSEA is back offering more books, resources, and school supplies.

The focus this year is on equity, bias, and cultural competency and — like last year — the partnership includes a curated selection of high-quality new books focusing on the theme with opportunities for educators at Title I schools to purchase them at deeply discounted rates.

Every educator, Title I or not, can access the full range of resources to lift their students and school and further promote cultural competency.

But there’s more. The 2018–2019 MSEA/First Book program also includes five new highlighted resources that include:

• A cultural calendar to track events and opportunities to highlight in the classroom

• A workbook filled with conversation starters, tips, activities, and more for students and educators

• An educator bias self-assessment tool

• A trauma-aware educator workshop at the 2018 MSEA Convention

• Funding to help Title I educators buy books from the First Book Marketplace, plus a huge library of themed collections for all educators with free tip sheets for broadening opportunities and conversations — and emails, social media challenges, videos, blogs, and more to help connect the dots on how the First Book resources can help combat bias and inequity.

Last year, hundreds of Maryland educators took advantage of the partnership, scoring stacks of books for their classrooms. Don’t miss these resources that every educator needs in their 21st century toolbox.