2017 All-School

Seminar Day Update

FEBRUARY 20, 2017
Purpose

Provide Clarity
Correct Misconceptions and Address Assumptions
Explain the Academic Goals for the Day
Theme for the Day: Understanding Todays
Struggle for Racial Civil Rights
Civil Rights: the guarantee from unequal treatment based on
certain characteristics such as age, disability, gender, race,
and sexual orientation.
Theme for the Day: Understanding Todays
Struggle for Racial Civil Rights
What moments in history have led to these rights being
guaranteed for all Americans?
How has the enactment and enforcement of these laws
helped to guarantee equal treatment for individuals based
on their race?
What are the hurdles to equal treatment for individuals
based on their race?
 Goals for the Day

To Commit Minds to Inquiry, Hearts to Compassion, and Lives

to the Service of Humanity

Mindsto Inquiry and Hearts to Compassion

Use and development of critical thinking skills
Use and development of social emotional skills
 Lives to the Service of Humanity: Why not
a day of service?
Severallarge service projects
Extracurricular and Adviser Program Service
School Partnerships and Exchanges
These projects follow a learn, act, and reflect model
A day such as this All-School Seminar Day helps students
build understanding and gives them a better chance to enter
service with an attitude of partnership.
 Minds to Inquiry, Hearts to Compassion:
Critical Thinking
Developing independent, critical thinking skills.
Understanding of why we believe what we believe.
Ensuring our thinking is broad and fair-minded.
Minds to Inquiry, Hearts to Compassion:
Social Emotional Skill Development
Self-awareness of ones emotions and
ability to manage those emotions
Perspective-taking and empathy
Understanding of how ones
experiences fit within the greater social
context
Structure for the Day
Keynote Speaker
Common Lesson
Two workshops from over 100 options
Closing Adviser Check-in
Keynote Speakers
Contemporary, influential people to speak to our students
National Book Award winners
Knowledgeable about the topic for the day
Proud tradition of offering students opportunities to hear
prominent speakers, many of whom are alumni
Donald Rumsfeld
Mark Kirk
Richard Williamson
Scott Turow
Michael S. Rogers
Susan Grant
Jack Steinberger
Peter Henry
Goals for the Common Lesson
Promote critical thinking
Review goals for the day
Teach students guidelines for civil discourse
Promote self-awareness and self-reflection
Practice civil discourse about a contemporary topic
 Examples: Common Lesson
Dakota Access Pipeline
Background information
What is the pipeline? What will the pipeline do to provide American access
to oil?
What is its route? What was its originally planned route? Why was it
changed?
Who are the Sioux? Why are they upset about the route for the pipeline?
Discussion
Why are the protestors upset about the pipeline?
What are the benefits of the pipeline?
Pro-Pipeline Anti-Pipeline
Workshops
A variety of entry points and ways to experience the day
Workshop Topics
Current Events (39)
Examining Racial Identity (27)
History (13)
Performing Arts (12)
Literature (7)
Media (6)
 Examples: Take a Knee?
In what ways can symbols mean different things to different people based on the
person's race?
What types and methods of protests by individuals and groups do we think are
acceptable?
Should athletes or other popular culture figures use their status to advocate for
causes they deem important?
If you support (oppose) his individual protest, express the reasoning behind
those who oppose (support) his protest.
In what ways does the reasoning above refine your thinking or help you
understand the point-of-view of those who disagree with you?
Examples: One Person, One Vote
Background Information
History of enfranchisement in America from the colonial period to the
Voting Rights Act
Examination of primary source documents
Historical example of a literacy test
Examples: One Person, One Vote
Current Events
North Carolina State Conference of the NAACP, et al v Patrick L McCrory (2016)
Excerpts from NAACP complaint, NC Legislatures rationale, District Court
ruling, Appellate Court ruling
Discussion
In your opinion, what points expressed by the legislature and the District Court do
you think are the strongest in concluding the law did not violate the Voting Rights
Act?
In your opinion, what points expressed by the NAACP and the Appellate Court do
you think are the strongest in concluding the law violated the Voting Rights Act?
Example: Student-led
Presentation
Evaluation
Surveys of both students and staff
Inwhat ways did the keynote speakers improve your
understanding of previous struggles for civil rights?
Feedback on workshop sessions
What did you learn?
What would you change?
What would you keep in future seminar days?
If you did not attend, why not?
Student Attendance on the day and in specific workshops