How can you use documentaries to teach diversity and inclusion?

2 Prepare your students for watching

The second step is to prepare your students for watching the documentaries. You want to activate their prior knowledge, set the context, and establish the purpose of watching. You can use activities, such as brainstorming, discussion, or anticipation guides, to help your students connect the documentaries to their own lives and the curriculum. You can also review the vocabulary, concepts, and facts that the documentaries will introduce or explore. You should also prepare your students for the emotions, opinions, and questions that the documentaries may evoke, and establish some ground rules for respectful and constructive communication.

4 Debrief your students after watching

The fourth step is to debrief your students after watching the documentaries. You want to help your students summarize, synthesize, and evaluate what they learned from the documentaries, and to apply it to their own lives and the world around them. You can use activities, such as exit tickets, summaries, or reflections, to help your students consolidate and communicate their learning. You can also use activities, such as debates, projects, or action plans, to help your students extend and apply their learning. You should also provide your students with opportunities to share their feedback, opinions, and questions, and to listen to and learn from each other.

5 Follow up with your students

The fifth step is to follow up with your students after the debriefing. You want to reinforce and deepen your students' learning from the documentaries, and to encourage them to continue exploring the topics and issues that they raised. You can use activities, such as quizzes, essays, or presentations, to assess your students' learning and progress. You can also use activities, such as research, interviews, or service learning, to help your students investigate and address the challenges and opportunities that the documentaries highlighted. You should also provide your students with resources, such as books, websites, or podcasts, to help them learn more about the documentaries and their subjects.

6 Evaluate your use of documentaries

The sixth and final step is to evaluate your use of documentaries as a teaching tool. You want to reflect on the strengths and weaknesses of your documentary selection, preparation, engagement, debriefing, and follow-up, and to identify the areas for improvement and innovation. You can use feedback, surveys, or portfolios, to collect data and evidence from your students and yourself. You can also use journals, peer observations, or professional development, to share your insights and experiences with other teachers. You should also celebrate your successes and challenges, and recognize the impact that documentaries can have on your teaching and your students' learning.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?