What Works: Promising Practices for Black Student Success & Educator Well-Being

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FREE WEBINAR

Location: Online
Time: 7:00 – 8:30 PM EST, Q&A from 8:30- 9:00 on EST
Date: Thursday, September 24th

What is actually making a difference for Black students and educators in K–12 schools right now?

Join Harmony Movement and the Ontario Alliance of Black School Educators (ONABSE) for a free virtual event spotlighting promising practices from across Canada and the United States that are improving student achievement, strengthening belonging, supporting educator well-being, and creating more affirming school communities.

Ontario Alliance of Black School Educators Logo
Harmony Movement logo
Join us as we go deeper into initiatives, strategies, and approaches that have been leading to positive change in communities across Canada and the United States.

Six educators, researchers, school system leaders, and community changemakers will each have 15 minutes to share one initiative or solution, including the story behind the work, what it looks like in practice, what they have learned, and the impact they are seeing.

Together, we’ll explore approaches related to areas such as culturally responsive practice, Black student belonging, educator recruitment and retention, anti-Black racism, mentorship, student success, school culture, and system-level change.

The evening will conclude with an optional 30-minute live Q&A from 8:30 – 9:00 pm EST, giving participants the opportunity to ask questions, hear directly from presenters, and think more deeply about how these promising practices could be adapted within their own schools, boards, districts, and communities.

Speakers:

The Ontario Alliance of Black School Educators is dedicated to advocacy and the empowerment of Black education professionals, students, and their families. Over the years, various initiatives we’ve implemented and supported have shown that, above all else, community drives meaningful change and tangible outcomes for addressing anti-Black racism. Our latest initiative, The Black Flourishing in Education Project, will continue this work, focusing on education, health, wellness, and the power of community. We’ll share the results of some of our former initiatives and outline the next steps for this upcoming project. 
 
Presented by Deborah Buchanan-Walford, President, ONABSE
Belonging operates not only as a feeling but as essential protective infrastructure for thriving in schools. Drawing on evidence from multiple studies and informants, this presentation demonstrates how relational, cultural, and professional learning infrastructures sustain school belonging for Black students and the educators who serve them.  
 
Kamryn S. Morris, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, University of Washington
Come learn about our innovative project using an Africentric Math Cohort to increase the presence of African Nova Scotian students and students of African Ancestry in S.T.E.M. programs through self-awareness and self-confidence through Math and Literacy. 
 
Presented by Malik Adams, school counselor, Black Educators Association and NSABSE member
How can educators centre Black voices, historical narratives, and contributions in a K-12 curriculum when the education system has historically erased and marginalized our stories? Building on her experience developing a senior-level history course centred on the Black Canadian experience, Doreen will share the positive impact this work has on students, and key lessons around “Sankofa”– “going back to move forward”.
 
Doreen Bonsu, Teacher at Halton Catholic District School Board, PhD student at OISE
In a time marked by rapid technological change, social uncertainty, and shifting global realities, young people are navigating an educational landscape unlike any before them. This presentation offers a critical and timely response to the challenges facing Generation Alpha, asking how educators can better understand and support this emerging cohort of learners. Rather than framing young people through a deficit lens, the research emphasizes aligning educational practices with the skills, creativity, and digital fluency that Generation Alpha already possesses.
 
Sahra Mohamud, Ph.D. Student, Curriculum & Pedagogy; Communications Officer, Transforming Teacher Education through Post-Developmental Pedagogies, Department of Curriculum, Teaching and Learning, University of Toronto
The language we use reflects our beliefs, assumptions, and biases. When it comes to anti-Black language, these words and expressions are connected to the broader realities of anti-Black racism that continue to shape how Black people are perceived, treated, and experienced in our schools. Harmony Movement’s new Addressing Anti-Black Language addition to the Words Matter Campaign trains school staff and students on how to recognize and respond to anti-Black racism in school communities. Grounded in the understanding that language can reinforce and perpetuate racism, the content moves beyond identifying words or comments to understanding their impact, interrupting harm, and fostering accountability, repair, and meaningful change.
 
Justine Hicks, Program Manager, Harmony Movement

Who Should Attend

  • K–12 educators and administrators
  • School board and district leaders, equity and human rights staff, student support professionals
  • Researchers
  • Community organizations
  • Anyone interested in advancing Black student success and educator well-being

Why Attend?

Come away with practical ideas, emerging approaches, lessons from implementation, and examples of what is possible when schools move from identifying inequities to intentionally changing practice.

Registration is free, but advance registration is required.

Register today and join educators and leaders from across Canada and the United States to explore what is working—and what we can learn from one another.

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