Equity, Diversity, Inclusion

and our Biases

My Takeaways from Attending ASCD Empower19 March 15-18
Sharing with the IDT April, 2019
Christina Rothenberg
Objectives and Standards
NBPTS
● Proposition 1: Teachers are committed to students and their learning.
● Proposition 4: Teachers think systematically about their practices and learn from experience.
● Proposition 5: Teachers are Members of Professional Communities.

Teacher Leader Model Standards

● Domain 1: Fosters a Collaborative Culture to Support Educator Development and Student
Learning.
● Domain 2: Accesses and Uses Research to Improve Practice and Student Learning.
● Domain 3: Promotes Professional Learning for Continuous Improvement.
● Domain 4: Facilitates Improvements in Instruction and Student Learning.
● Domain 6: Improves Outreach and Collaboration with Families and Community.
Take a minute and think about...
● What is the difference between equality and equity?
● What does equity mean to you?
● Have you ever thought about your own biases?
Belief Work: Creating Classroom Communities Built on Equity
and Access for all Learners
● Belief Survey Worksheet:
○ Really interesting to see
where everyone’s beliefs
were.
○ Made us realize that we
cannot make assumptions
about other people and their
beliefs.
Belief Work: Creating Classroom Communities Built on Equity
and Access for all Learners

● Building our Universal Equity

Principles: Individual, Pair,
Quad, Octet to identify the five
ideas/concepts that define
educational equity for you.
● We have to address the
implicit bias: Equity is not just
about equity of access, but
equity of outcomes for all.
 Now You Try It!
● Building Our Universal Equity Principles
○ Individual: Write down three things in the “Individual” square about equity (What does it look
like to you? What are your non-negotiables?)
○ Pair: Share your thoughts with a partner, write down the things you agree on.
○ Quad: Partner up with another partner pair and share your thoughts. Write down your newly
shared definitions.
○ Octet: Group of 8, write down your newly shared definitions.
● Share out: what did you notice? Common themes?
● What is one way you can use this graphic organizer in your classroom?
○ Setting class rules/expectations
● What other words do you think we need to have a universal definition for at
our school?
 Equity Principles: Sharing
Group 1

Group 2

Group 3

Group 4

Group 5

Group 6

Group 7

Group 8
 Responsive Renovation: Building a Culturally Responsive
Classroom That Grows Diverse Voices
● Handout
● Scavenger Hunt:
Interesting to identify
and share about our
beliefs and
experiences with
culture.
 Responsive Renovation: Building a Culturally Responsive
Classroom That Grows Diverse Voices

● Handout
● Tree: What in this graphic
challenges or affirms your
thoughts about culture? What
does this imply about how our
classroom practices need to
shift?
 Responsive Renovation: Building a Culturally Responsive
Classroom That Grows Diverse Voices
● Classroom Identity Wheel
● Books in our classroom
should be windows and
mirrors
○ Mirrors allow all students to see
themselves represented
■ Books predominantly
written by white authors,
not an authentic
representation
○ Windows: give a glimpse into a
different culture
○ Sources:
WeNeedDiverseBooks,
DisruptTexts, ProjectLit
 Now You Try It!

● T-P-S how could you use the Classroom Identity Wheel to update the books
in your classroom?
 Is it Equity, or Just Coconut Water? Getting
Beyond the Mantra and Toward Equitable
Action
● Talking about equity is one thing, but we need to take action to create systems that are
disruptive to systemic barriers that have blocked out marginalized students
● We must focus on students of color first, and the barriers to student success
● We all need to be on the same page and have the same definitions of equity, access,
etc.
● Equitable access: not just providing financial aid, but now how are we continuing to
support them? Not just providing a laptop for all, but what about internet at home?
● Unconscious biases: we have layers and lenses that cause our unconscious biases -
race, education, marital status, socio-economic status, age, religion, etc.
● Lenses create: belief gap ->achievement gap->discipline gap ->opportunity gap -
>access gap -> aspiration gap
 My Major Takeaways
● We need shared definitions at our school
● We need to face our own unconscious biases - personal reflection
● Not just food, flags, fun
● It is an issue, we all need to work together
● It’s not a quick fix
● Every session I went to referenced an IDT specialist
 Names and Resources that came up a lot…

● Dr. Eddie Fergus

● Cornelius Minor
● Instagram
○ DisruptTexts
○ WeNeedDiverseBooks
○ ProjectLit
○ TheConsciousKid
 Your Takeaways?

● Did you learn anything new today?

● Are you starting to think about your own biases and practices?
● What, if anything, do you think would be beneficial for us to do as a full
faculty?
● Any other thoughts?