The Four Components of an Equitable Classroom (Opinion) Editor’s Note: This week I was honored to be awarded the Editor’s Choice monthly content award for my last entry entitled ‘Breaking the Class Ceiling.’ It is an honor to author this blog throughout the school year and I look forward to completing three additional posts before a summer break. Thank you again to everyone who has supported, read, retweeted and hopefully learned from this blog. Let’s keep working. “What would Rhianna do? A little over midway through this school year, I had a tough conversation with two members of my English/Language Arts Department. “At the end of the day, we have to push our students harder. Following that conversation, one of the teachers talked to me about an idea she came up with from the meeting. “I want to have a serious talk with my students. Thus began her running encouragement for her students to ‘be like diamonds.’ Some classrooms buckle under the pressure while others thrive and turn into touchstones of equitable learning experiences. 1. 2. 3.
8 Powerful Ways to Promote Equity in the Classroom Every student in my classroom deserves an equal chance. Agree or disagree? Responding to the level of diversity in your classroom is more important than ever. But all too often, our education system reinforces the same inequalities it was designed to overcome. Actively promoting equity in the classroom helps remove barriers so all of your students can succeed. We put together a list of eight steps you can take today to build an open and equitable classroom for all your students. But first, let’s dive into the what and why of equity in the classroom. What does equity in the classroom mean? Equity in the classroom means making sure every student has the resources and support they need to be successful. In an equitable classroom, individual factors don’t hold back students from reaching their full learning potential — factors like: RaceCultureGenderReligionEthnicitySexual orientation Immigration statusIndividual experiencesSocio-economic status Equity versus equality But it’s not equitable. 1. 2.
Teaching Strategies to Promote Student Equity Designing a classroom learning environment where all students are being attended to (even the ones who may not seem to be engaged) may seem like an impossible task when you are in a classroom of twenty elementary students. Luckily, there are a host of teaching strategies that foster this type of learning environment. Sometimes these strategies are referred to as "equitable teaching strategies" or teaching so that all students are given an "equal" opportunity to learn and thrive. Often times, teachers think they have designed this wonderful lesson where all students will be willfully engaged and motivated to participate, however, in actuality, there may only be a few students who are engaged in the lesson. Here are a few specific teaching strategies that elementary teachers can use to promote student engagement and foster classroom equity. The Whip Around Strategy Small Group Work Varied Approaches The easiest way to do this is to differentiate learning. Effective Questioning Random Calling
4 Practices to Promote Equity in the Classroom | Northeastern University The United States is comprised of over 300 million individuals with unique cultures, identities, and backgrounds, and the population is only becoming more diverse over time. A recent Pew Research Center analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data, for example, determined that the “post-Millennial generation”—those born from 1997 to 2012—is “the most racially and ethnically diverse generation” in the country’s history. As this and other types of diversity have continued to increase in society today, the need for equity among people of different backgrounds has become equally relevant. Conversations about issues such as LGBTQ discrimination or the “Black Lives Matter” movement, among many others, are making their way into workplaces, schools, and communities more often than ever before. In educational institutions especially, there is a desire among students, teachers, and administration alike to embrace this diversity and create equity in the classroom. Download Our Free Guide to Earning Your EdD
6 Ways You Can Promote Gender Equality In Your Classroom | TeachThought 6 Ways You Can Promote Gender Equality In Your Classroom contributed by Jesse Johnson As young children begin to notice the differences in social expectations for gender roles, the ways teachers interact with students stand to have a great impact on their ability to participate in their education. These interactions also create long-lasting effects in other areas of their lives, at times limiting their self-image and their perception of the opportunities that are available or appropriate for them. Here are a few ways some teachers create a gender bias, often unknowingly, as well as strategies for encouraging and also to promote gender equality within the classroom. Whether they are causes or effects, three factors of gender equity in the classroom. 3 Factors That Contribute To Gender Inequality In The Classroom Contributing Factor #1: Teachers Pay More Attention to Boys Contributing Factor #2: Interactions with Boys are More Public 1. 2. Consider questions such as: 3. 4. 5. 6. Conclusion
Miles to go: The continuing quest for gender equity in the classroom - kappanonline.org Gender-conscious teaching can help all students dismantle stereotypes and grow without the restrictions that come from bias. In the 1990s, a number of scholarly and popular publications raised concerns about the challenges girls were facing both in and out of school. For example, in their well-known book Failing at Fairness (1994), researchers Myra and David Sadker revealed persistent biases against girls by many educators, as well as the widespread under-recognition of learning disabilities among girls and the fact that girls were performing relatively poorly on standardized tests despite having higher grades than boys. Today, some people may wonder whether we still need to be talking about how girls are doing in school. The idea that girls are doing just fine in school is not uncommon, nor is it new. One might ask, then, who has it worse in the nation’s schools, boys or girls? The state of girls’ education Gender consciousness References Crenshaw, K.W., Ocen, P., & Nanda, J. (2015).
Creating Equity by Closing the Learner Experience Gap | engage2learn By: Dr. Kent Scribner, Superintendent Juan Cabrera, and Shannon K. Buerk Abstract Why is it important that learners acquire “soft skills?” What could equity look like? Recently, El Paso ISD and Fort Worth ISD each hosted an event where educators, policy-makers, and business leaders from across the nation walked through classrooms to see equity in action. Why is it important that these learners are getting access to these skills? 3 Pervasive Gaps for Children of Poverty The research on the gaps for children of poverty entering school is clear and compelling. In contrast, thought leadership and employer surveys about thriving in the 21st century converges on just this set of critical skills: (1) communication skills, (2) cognitive agility skills, and (3) social, emotional skills. If we want to close the equity gap for our learners, we have to give all of them experiences every day that guarantee and accelerate their opportunities to acquire these critical skill sets. Scenario 1: Inequity Dr.
Increasing Equity for All Students When I served as a mentor to new teachers, one of the greatest challenges I faced was trying to help other white teachers recognize and adapt to cultural differences in their new classrooms. This was especially difficult because for many white educators, race is an uncomfortable subject they’d rather not acknowledge. I’ve heard several white educators say, “I treat all my kids the same.” Likewise, refusing to discuss race frankly and openly can stymie a school’s growth and keep us from building a shared understanding of how our assumptions might advantage some students over others. Here are some steps leaders might take toward reducing bias in their schools and increasing equity to meet the needs of all students. Ground Your School in a Simple, Student-Centered Mission One of my colleagues always sings the praises of a former principal who did this well. Difficult conversations may be easier if we keep them focused on students rather than the other educators in the room.