Peter Demerath and Michael Goh, OLPD, presented freely-available video resources focusing on how educators can narrow what they refer to as “school-based relationship gaps” at a kickoff event co-hosted by Generation Next on October 30.

Originally tasked by former Minneapolis Mayor (and then-head of Generation Next) R.T. Rybak to rethink achievement gaps, Demerath and Goh’s research revealed a key, largely-overlooked social disparity among students who have rich relationships outside of school, but lack similar trusting, respectful relationships in school.

To address this, Demerath and Goh developed a series of videos which show how seven Minnesota educational leaders are addressing school-based relationship gaps in their own institutions. Developed in close collaboration with researchers and media staff across CEHD, the resource includes six videos (an overview and five additional thematic chapters) along with episode-specific user guides providing discussion questions and additional resources for professional development and learning among educators and school administrators.

Topics include:

• Narrowing Gaps between Families, Communities, and Schools
• Overcoming Institutional Racism
• Narrowing Gaps between Students and Teachers
• The Promise of Culturally Responsive Curriculum and Teaching
• The Role of Leadership

Check out the videos and resources—and share among your networks—at z.umn.edu/rethinkgaps.