Creating Equity in the Classroom

to begin this presentation on creating equity in the classroom,

I'm going to begin by discussing and defining what equity is.

So equity

pretty much means we are striving to

help achieve the best outcome for each student. Um,

so this might look like the treatment of each student might be a little different.

Um, it is based off of the students

unique and individual needs and strengths and interests.

Um, so you want, will want to know these things for each one of your students.

Um, Equity is not giving students equal treatment,

but it is supporting students in the ways that they need to be successful.

So we have equality versus equity and I have two images here.

Um, the top one is probably the most, um, well known image out of the two.

Um, and in the images you can see on the left, they have equality defined with, um,

each of the

boys or men.

Um,

they each have one box to stand on to try to look over the fence to see the game.

Um, they all have the equal amount of resources, um, equal

defining obstacle, which would be the fence that they're trying to look over.

Um, all so that they can have the equal chance to see the game.

But as you can see that, um,

not all the

people can see the game even though they have equal resources on the right.

Um,

the resources are adjusted a little bit depending

on the individual student or persons needs.

So the guy on the left,

he's tall enough to be able to see over the fence without any additional resources.

The one in the middle

needs one box to stand on in order to see the,

see the game over the fence

and the person on the right needs two boxes to be able to see the game over the fence. Um

So they don't have the equal amount of resources, but they have the

um,

just enough resources that they individually need to overcome their obstacles.

So similar concept on the bottom,

this one is a little more inclusive of individual needs. So same idea

on the left with equality.

They are each given one box to um get up on and hopes to see over the fence to see the game

on the right, you'll see a little bit of a difference.

So the person on the left doesn't need any boxes once again because

um they don't need that additional resource to see over the fence.

The person in the middle needs two boxes

um

To see over the fence because

one

was barely enough.

Um and then the person on the right, um has individual needs to where,

that the box wasn't, um, giving them the access they needed to, to seal with fence.

Um, so that person was provided the ramp.

Um so it's just a little different,

but it's exactly what they needed to overcome their obstacles.

Um

So next we're going to talk about, um,

dimensions of diversity.

So

let's go to this wheel first.

So when I refer to dimensions of diversity, this is the overall idea

and concept that I'm trying to discuss.

I know it's a little hard to see. Um but back on this slide it's a four layers model.

So in layer one which is the center of the circle, um

that's about personality.

The individuals likes,

dislikes values and beliefs and this is what's unique to them um

And their personal experience layer to which is the next ring,

right outside the center ring

is the internal layer

or internal dimension.

And this is the aspects of diversity that we have no control over.

So these are like the first things that we see in others, whether it be skin color,

height, um

whether they have a physical limitation or disability, hair color. Um

Things like that. It's just the very first thing that we see in others.

Layer three, which would be the next outer ring um is the external dimension.

And these aspects we do have some control over in these

aspects typically influence or impact the relationships we build with one another

um in any career or life choices.

Um And then layer four is the organizational dimension.

And this concerns the aspects of culture found in the work setting.

Um

So if we go back to

the dimension, so the very center is the personality um likes, dislikes beliefs,

values.

The next outer ring is internal dimension, which is the one that we see when

first things we see when we look at somebody.

Um So that could be race or gender, physical ability, ethnicity, et cetera.

The external dimension,

which is the third ring is the woman's that we can control a little bit.

Um So this is income, marital status, um

work experience, religion etcetera.

And then that outermost layer is the

organizational um

dimension.

And this is work choice, career choice, um

Things like that management status

and those are things that you can

work for and try to control even more.

Um But this also is affected by cultural background.

Um So there might be limitations in the work area that

um some ethnicities might face more than others or gender bias.

Um

more than others.

So we will move on to professional development

um to create a more equitable classroom,

we have to become better teachers

attending school wide and personal professional development

seminars is an effective way to build equity in the classroom and school.

Um As teachers, we should be lifelong learners,

we should be promoting lifelong learning to our students and their families.

Um So we have to continue to learn

ourselves and grow and develop our own perspectives.

So learning more about the backgrounds and cultures

that our students are coming from can only

help us build rapport with them and connect with them on a more personal level.

Learning strategies to avoid

bias and welcoming student differences is very

essential because this will ensure that the

development of a positive learning environment for

students and staff is being created.

So, um,

just ways that we can open up and talk to each other whether this be um,

just having morning conversation with our students or our staff members

um, to just build that deeper, more vulnerable level.

Mm hmm.

And then that leads us into building report.

So welcome and get to know your students. Um this is very, very important.

You're going to be spending a lot of time with them.

Um welcoming and accepting your students for who they are and what they can bring

into your classroom each day is the starting block for building rapport with them,

acknowledging um, their abilities and their strengths,

their needs and their interests only will help motivate them.

And um,

I hope you connect on a deeper level. Get to know your students by talking with them.

Um, have them complete student interest in learning inventories to see

how they learn best,

what they like to learn about what they like

to do outside of school and their hobbies and

um, what motivates them.

What doesn't motivate them um in any experiences that they want to tell you about,

where they really feel like they learned something or that they really liked um,

what their teacher did.

And this just gives you more insight into their

brains and who they are as people and students.

Um, and it's also very important to be vulnerable about yourself,

be open with them about who you are and how you learn best and um,

ways that you might not learn best and just showing them

that you're a person to.

Um, learning strategies,

diverse learning strategies and inclusive learning strategies is important.

Um, knowing your students learning styles is super important as well.

And you can find those out with the inventories we talked about.

Um, but by having them complete these inventories,

you can better know hire students learn best

what they're interested in and what motivates them.

Um,

Using a variety of collaboration activities and learning styles

allow students to work with their peers in several ways, um,

to build community within the classroom and to give them opportunities

to get to know their classmates outside of their immediate friends.

Um, and then incorporating technology partner work centers.

Um,

and groups discussions allows for students to interact

with each other in a variety of voice.

Mm hmm.

Being transparent as a teacher is super important.

Um, whether it be about yourself or your expectations for that class and um,

the individual students.

Um, so it's important to acknowledge,

address and explain all topics, all ideas, all differences.

So it's essential to discuss and explain equity and equality with students.

These terms need to be explained in a way that they can understand. Um,

and that is very meaningful to them and they can make connections to using

pictures and scenarios can help them better

understand the difference between equity and equality

and understand um

what that should look like in the classroom and why

you guys are striving to be an equitable class.

Have the students come up with their own examples to

share with the class about the difference between equity and

equality so that they can make those meaningful connections and

just apply um these new terms to something that they'll understand

being transparent with your classroom expectations. It's very important to

um setting clear expectations for your classroom

in allowing students to help create those expectations um is super important and

beneficial um and allows them to feel involved and that their ideas are important

and that they're being heard.

Clark expectations allows for students to know how to behave and allows you

as a teacher to be consistent yet equitable in um the consequences,

whether that be positive or negative positive being that they've

follow your expectations and reached those um or negative being that

they chose a an alternative behavior that goes against your expectations

regarding curriculum and content representation matters.

Um review all learning materials before using them

when teaching.

Be on the lookout for bias.

It's hard to avoid

complete bias

or completely avoid all bias.

Um but if you do notice that bias appears

in the materials that you are planning to use,

Make note to um address it with the class, help them learn how to recognize bias.

You guys can analyze it together as a class.

This exposes students to negative bias and what

to do when they run into negative bias.

How to see it, recognize it and how to think differently from it.

Um use culturally inclusive content when designing lesson activities.

This ensures that all populations in your classroom can be identified,

can't identify themselves within the materials.

So if you're choosing to read a story that day,

make sure that um ethnicities in the book of the characters represent um a variety

have backgrounds.

So students can see themselves within the content,

helping help all students gain experience with diverse city in a positive way.

This just means that the more exposure kids have to diversity, the less um

uncomfortable or awkward that they might feel

when they confront diversity in real life.

Um

like

just knowing how to interact with it and respectfully acknowledge diversity.

Um and respectfully ask questions that they

have any super important skills to learn.

Mm hmm.

Mm. Honestly, my bibliography

of the three sources I used from blackboard

and then one additional that I found myself.

Thank you

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