Professional Development

Teaching Asian American History & Contributions
This workshop provides educators with an overview of Asian American history from the 1700s to the 2000s, highlighting key events, legal battles, and contributions that have shaped U.S. immigration and citizenship laws. Through historical case studies and classroom-ready resources, teachers will gain practical strategies to integrate Asian American history into their curriculum.

Disrupting Microaggressions Against Asian Americans: An Anti-Bias Workshop for Educators
In this workshop, educators from all disciplines come together to deepen their understanding of their AAPI students. Together, we explore the complex history and multifaceted identity of the AAPI community, unpack shared experiences and stories, counter harmful stereotypes and misconceptions, and address the troubling issue of anti-Asian hate. Educators will leave with a better understanding of the AAPI diaspora, narratives, and lived experiences, empowering them to create more inclusive and culturally responsive educational spaces.

Exploring Asian American Literature
This workshop introduces educators to Asian American literature, looking at works that grapple with themes such as history, identity, gender, politics, and more. We highlight several AAPI authors and their work, encompassing a range of literary modes, from memoirs and novels to poems and short stories. This workshop empowers participants to teach AAPI and multiracial voices to generate more robust, meaningful, and inclusive conversation. 

Harnessing the Power of Graphic Novels in the Classroom
Graphic novels and comic books are an integral tool in increasing literacy and engagement in the classroom. Through this workshop, educators will learn the scholarship and research behind the benefits of using comics and graphic novels in the classroom while also gaining access to learning activities and materials to support this work. Participants will learn about the current research on literacy in social studies and how graphic novels improve literacy, reading comprehension, and engagement. 

Integrating AAPI Histories: Curricular Points of Entry for US History
This curriculum design workshop is tailored to middle and high school teachers, equipping them with practical strategies and a wealth of resources to seamlessly incorporate AAPI history into their social studies curricula. Educators will use AAPI histories and narratives to discover innovative ways to align their lessons with NJ learning standards. They will have the opportunity to collaborate, share their own curricular experiences, and reimagine their curricula.

Roots & Routes: 250 Years of Asian American History in New Jersey
Did you know that there were Asian Americans who enlisted to fight in the Revolutionary War? Or that Asian Americans have a long history of engaging in solidarity and resistance in New Jersey? This workshop explores the 250 years of Asian American history in New Jersey, featured on the Teach Asian American Stories map, “Roots & Routes: Asian American Contributions in the Garden State.” 

The Self Beyond the Stereotype: Deconstructing Narratives of the Model Minority Myth
The “model minority myth” is the pervasive idea that Asians are able to achieve unlimited success in the United States regardless of their status as racial minorities, thus serving as the “model” racial group. This myth becomes internalized by Asian Americans and weaponized against other communities of color. This workshop explores the functions of the model minority myth and critiques its common narratives in the field of Asian American studies.

Teaching Advanced Concepts Through Asian American History
In collaboration with Immigrant History Initiative

This Immigrant History Initiative (IHI) workshop focuses on how to teach the critical concepts of intersectionality and cross-racial solidarity through an Asian American history lens. In this session, we closely examine a few historical case studies at the intersections of race and gender, and examples of cross-racial solidarity. Educators will explore a selection of IHI’s lesson plans and learn how to adapt them into their classrooms, leaving with access to a Google Drive folder of hand-outs and primary sources.

Where is the PI in AAPI? Centering Oceania Histories in K-12 Classrooms
This workshop sheds light on some of the many overlooked histories of Oceania, or the Pacific Islands, to recenter the “PI” in “AAPI.” This 90-min session will give an overview of U.S. Pacific Islander history, covering topics of colonization and military intervention, and interrogate the common misconstructions of the Pacific and its people. Participants will receive free Pacific Islander lesson plans to adapt these histories into their classrooms of different grade levels.