Fayette County Schools

Equity TrainingAugust 2014

Norms of collaborative work

• Equity of Voice

• Active Listening

• Respect for all Perspectives

• Safety and Confidentiality

Some of Our Starting Points andBottom Lines…

The purpose of this is to support teachers and to develop teacher leadership in doing inquiry with

equity at the center.

Some of Our Starting Points andBottom Lines…

There are some basic assumptions with which we approach this work:

One: There are inequities in our schools that we, as teachers and educational leaders, are well situated to investigate and address.

Two: All students can learn, are capable of learning and achieving to high standards of excellence.

Three: As teachers and educators, we have the right and a responsibility to pursue this social project of fighting for equity.

Four: As teachers and educational leaders, we can learn how to do this and so can other teachers.

Some of Our Starting Points andBottom Lines…

Sooo what do we do TODAY?

• We want to debate strategy, theories, and the best ways to approach this work, but not whether or not it is possible.

• We will continue to talk about the “whys” and “hows” and in what ways we might work.

Excerpted and adapted from T. Malarkey and M. Williams.

Teacher Research Collaborative, Notes on Leadership, Day

3, August 16, 2002.

WE ARE DIVERSE!

StatsStudents 3,812

ELL 2.0%

Economically Disadvantaged

76.6%

Students with Disabilities 13.3%

57%

37%

5%1%

Student PopulationBlack or African American White Hipanic/Latino Asian

What is Equity?

For instance, some see equity as being about equal access or opportunities, while others focus on equity of outcomes.

These differences often do not surface directly;

hence the importance of being explicit about what we mean by equity.

Either write a metaphor/simile or draw a picture representing “education equity”

“In educational terms, ‘equity” is the principle of altering current practices and perspectives to teach for social transformation and to promote equitable learning outcomes for students of all social groups.”

“Equity is the approach”

“Equality is the goal.”

Lee, E. (2002). Coaching for Equity.Reflections, 5(1). Santa Cruz, CA: New Teacher Center

A simile uses like/as to compare two things

A metaphor compares two things by saying it is the same as

another otherwise unrelated object

INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING SIGNIFICANT CHARACTERISTICS:

Equity, according to ourdefinition,

4 Characteristics• Equitable outcomes for all students in our classrooms, our

schools, and the system as a whole, as measured by multiple forms of assessment. This means that student learning and achievement (and success or failure) are not predictable by race, class, language, gender, or other relevant social factors.

• School and classroom environments where students’ differences and backgrounds are celebrated and respected and their unique gifts are cultivated.

• Teaching practices and organizational policies that promote these results; that create inclusive, multicultural classrooms and school environments for children and adults; and that interrupt inequitable patterns.

• Individual awareness and responsibility; educators who acknowledge the realities of oppression and how it has affected their own and others’ lives;

SomervilleElementary

Domains for Equity Consideration

Content

PedagogyClimate

• Content- What is taught• Climate- classroom and

school environment• Pedagogy- How we

teach/strategies we use

Self-Assessment + - N/A

Teach the history and traditions of major cultural and ethnic groups in TennesseeProvide classroom activities that foster understanding and appreciation of all ethnicities and abilitiesProvide opportunities for students of different racial, ethnic, language, gender or sexual orientation groups to interact and work together.Identify and discuss with students contemporary or school examples of overt racism and discriminationRecognize and point out to students values that strengthen equity bondsConstruct and use heterogeneous groups; regroup as neededDistinguish between equality and equity and appropriately treat students the same or differently based on their race, ethnicity, disability, culture, gender or level of academic achievementIdentify and use students’ strengths and weaknesses in designing learning activitiesUse eye contact in a supportive wayUse alternative instructional strategies, e.g., cooperative groups, buddiesConvey confidence that each student can meet well-defined standards and demands for competenceProvide a classroom climate that is physically and emotionally invitingDisplay enthusiasm for learning tasks with all studentsPraise equitablyCall on students equitablyUse (teacher) physical proximity equitablyCheck for understanding on directions equitablyUse positive and negative disciplinary measures equitablyDisplay student work equitablyMonitor student progress equitablyShow equitable interest in studentsCommunicate with parents equitablyIdentify and bring to the attention of school officials any policies or procedures that inadvertently penalize certain races, cultures, sexes or abilities.

Awareness

Action

Analysis

Attitude Change

Northwest Elementary

Self-Assessment + - N/A

Teach the history and traditions of major cultural and ethnic groups in TennesseeProvide classroom activities that foster understanding and appreciation of all ethnicities and abilitiesProvide opportunities for students of different racial, ethnic, language, gender or sexual orientation groups to interact and work together.Identify and discuss with students contemporary or school examples of overt racism and discriminationRecognize and point out to students values that strengthen equity bondsConstruct and use heterogeneous groups; regroup as neededDistinguish between equality and equity and appropriately treat students the same or differently based on their race, ethnicity, disability, culture, gender or level of academic achievementIdentify and use students’ strengths and weaknesses in designing learning activitiesUse eye contact in a supportive wayUse alternative instructional strategies, e.g., cooperative groups, buddiesConvey confidence that each student can meet well-defined standards and demands for competenceProvide a classroom climate that is physically and emotionally invitingDisplay enthusiasm for learning tasks with all studentsPraise equitablyCall on students equitablyUse (teacher) physical proximity equitablyCheck for understanding on directions equitablyUse positive and negative disciplinary measures equitablyDisplay student work equitablyMonitor student progress equitablyShow equitable interest in studentsCommunicate with parents equitablyIdentify and bring to the attention of school officials any policies or procedures that inadvertently penalize certain races, cultures, sexes or abilities.

Research shows that…

• New teachers do not typically come from the ethnic, linguistic, cultural, or economic backgrounds of the students they teach

• New teachers self-report that they feel ill equipped to work with students of diverse back grounds

• The curriculum, pedagogy and power dynamic of schools perpetuate inequities

• Many of us feel undereducated about issues of equity regarding race, culture and language; therefore, we are tentative about addressing them in conversations.

– Adapted from New Teacher, Mentoring for Equity Day 1

OaklandElementary

Change

As James Baldwin wrote,

“Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.”

Evidence of Practice

• How would you know if a teacher is providing equitable access to the core curriculum?

• What might be evidence of a teacher’s personal beliefs, attitudes and expectations of diverse cultures?

• What might be evidence of an equitable and safe learning community?

Central Elementary

Scenarios

• Pick a scenario and work through with your partner• Use the characteristics and keeping the domains in

mind• Briefly analyze the case (language, culture, race)• Consider:– What challenge is the teacher facing?– Within the Four A’s cycle, where will you enter?

Southwest Elementary

LaGrange Moscow Elementary

WE ARE DIVERSE!

• […]it is our duty to our students to provide a frame which at least affirms their worth, supports their community identity, challenges them to full growth and protects their human dignity.

• Marshall, C. (2006). When the frame becomes the picture. In E. Lee et al. (Eds). Beyond Heroes and Holidays: A Practical Guide to K-12 Anti-Racist, Multicultural Education and Staff Development. (2nd ed. Rev.) (pp. 109-113). Washington, DC: Teaching for Change.