Four Ways to Celebrate Women’s Accomplishments in Your Classroom

In today’s classrooms, celebrating and empowering women is essential for creating a fair and inclusive learning environment. Participate Learning’s Blueprint for a Better World provides a vision for fostering these values by building a future focused on sustainability, peace, and fairness for all. By empowering students with knowledge and skills about the contributions and achievements of women, we help them become compassionate, globally competent individuals ready to become leaders on the world stage.

Here are four practical ways to explore the contributions of women in your classroom:

1. Create a Safe Space for Open Discussion

Encouraging students to express their thoughts about fairness helps build a classroom culture of respect and understanding. Begin by exploring what fairness means and how it applies to everyone. Ask students questions like, “What does fairness look like in our classroom?” or “Why is it important to recognize everyone’s contributions?” By guiding these discussions, you’ll inspire students to think critically about fairness and empathy.

Learn more about global teaching practices, like creating inclusive classrooms, here! 

2. Feature Inspiring Role Models through Books and Stories

Introducing students to the stories of influential women provides a foundation for understanding leadership and resilience. For younger students, books like Maya’s Song by Renee Watson share stories of women who have made lasting impacts in their fields. These stories encourage children to envision their own potential and imagine new possibilities for their futures.

For older students, autobiographies such as I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai offer personal perspectives on courage and advocacy. Learning about leaders from diverse backgrounds shows students that everyone can make a difference and that dedication to positive change leads to lasting impacts.

3. Celebrate Achievements with Classroom Projects

Encourage students to research and celebrate the achievements of women from history and today. Projects could include creating artwork, organizing presentations, or researching influential figures. These activities deepen students’ appreciation for the contributions women make to society, while promoting collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking—key elements of Participate Learning’s Blueprint for a Better World.

4. Encourage Critical Thinking about Stereotypes

Help students explore the concept of stereotypes and their impact on individuals and communities. Activities like identifying stereotypes in media, discussing how language shapes perceptions, and reflecting on their own experiences foster greater awareness and understanding. Encouraging critical thinking helps students to challenge biases and recognize the value of diverse perspectives.

Moving Forward with the Blueprint for a Better World

By empowering and celebrating women in the classroom, educators play a crucial role in preparing students to become compassionate, globally competent individuals. Each small step taken toward recognizing and celebrating women’s achievements contributes to a more inclusive and understanding world.

Download our Blueprint for a Better World to bring these essential, real-world topics into your classroom.

This post was originally published on March 3, 2020 and has been updated.