Copyright Staten Island Advance
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — New York City education officials announced several public schools will participate in a pilot program focused on hidden voices of Muslim Americans and Jewish Americans in United States history. Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos announced the kickoff date and participating schools for pilot programs focusing on Hidden Voices: Muslim Americans in U.S. History and Hidden Voices: Jewish Americans in U.S. History — which will be included in social studies curriculum in public schools. On Staten Island, Susan E. Wagner High School will be part of the pilot program for Hidden Voices: Jewish Americans in U.S. History. Additionally, the city Department of Education announced a new partnership with the Jewish Community Relations Council to bring the national Student to Student program, which brings Jewish students to visit classrooms and share their experiences, to subset schools participating in the Jewish Americans pilot. The program will serve as a model for a brand-new Citywide Multicultural Student Coalition in the DOE, where students from a wide range of backgrounds share their culture, experiences, and identity with their peers. “These Hidden Voices pilot programs embody NYCPS’ dedication to inclusion,” said Aviles-Ramos. “Our students represent every possible background and identity, and our curricular materials and classroom conversations should reflect that rich legacy. Today’s announcement is about deepening the use of our Hidden Voices resources through implementation support as well as building bridges through our new multicultural student coalition, which will build on JCRC’s Student to Student model. At NYCPS, we are equipping schools with the knowledge and tools to foster cultural understanding and tell a more complete story of our city.” The Hidden Voices resources are not separate curricula, but the city Department of Education’s approach to providing students with opportunities to see themselves reflected in the resources while gaining perspectives on communities different from their own. The materials will be integrated into the city’s Passport to Social Studies and Civics for All curricula. The pilot programs kicked off Monday with a professional learning session, asking participants to develop lessons aligned to the Hidden Voices guides and provide feedback on the implementation of these materials. Additionally, participants worked to integrate profiles from Hidden Voices into their curriculum, complete surveys and feedback after each lesson, and take part in focus groups of students and teachers to discuss learnings. Both sets of curricular resources were first announced in spring 2024 and were written and developed in partnership with scholars from institutions across the country, cultural organizations, and relevant community groups. Both Hidden Voices curricula are available to all K-12 public schools in the city and are available online for free download for any educator. Additionally, the new Citywide Multicultural Student Coalition, a citywide group of high schoolers from a range of identities and backgrounds, will engage students in meaningful conversations about culture, identity, and bridge-building. Applications are available and will close on Dec. 3. High schoolers from across the city are encouraged to apply. The Hidden Voices initiative was created in direct response to feedback from educators looking for support to embed content into their lessons that reflect the cultures and diversities of their classrooms. Hidden Voices comes with posters, comics and images with engaging lessons that include strategies for teachers and leaders.
