By developing her approach to teaching in this way, she has found that she is able to create an environment in the classroom that celebrates diversity, and “build[s] a community across those differences.”. According to the Census Bureau, by the year 2100, the U.S. minority population will become the majority, with non-Hispanic whites making up about 40% of the U.S. population. Attwood’s unique relationship with equity in education is defined by the fact that she not only works to apply these practices within each of the classes she teaches, but also must encourage and guide aspiring teachers to do the same in their future classrooms. This method of promoting equity in the classroom is derived from the idea that teachers must always be listening for and identifying moments of bias, oppression, and other subconscious, identity-based assumptions and ideas that students bring up in the classroom. Gender pay equity is a big point of contention at many companies. By Jude Miqueli. Thinking about the development of policies for promoting inclusion and equity, it is encouraging to note the progress made in certain countries. Promoting equity is a priority for Kickboard and we are intentional about situating the work we do at the intersection of positive behavioral supports, cultural relevance, restorative practices, and racial equity. The number of students of color enrolled in public schools, for instance, has increased, and they’re expected to be the majority of high school graduates by 2025.Likewise, the number of students with disabilities, English learners, and LGBTQ students in PreK-12 has increased steadily over the past 10 years. However, Attwood challenges that, among many teachers, this concept is far from new. You may also need to restructure some of your lessons and activities accordingly. In this scenario, Attwood believes in stopping the discussion and identifying that the comment was insensitive. For this reason, she has had a unique opportunity to watch her students’ desire for the tools to apply these practices grow over the years. Learn more: For further information about how we support our students, please go to Gender-Based Violence and Prevention and Caring and Safe Schools. Click to Tweet. If students see that you’re invested in school culture, they’ll be more likely to also participate. It’s important that each student in the room feels that they have both the power to speak their mind and that their words will be used productively in conversation. Equality is more commonly associated with social issues, perhaps because more people know what it means. Diversity and inclusion go hand-in-hand, and for diversity practices to be successful, you must facilitate an inclusive work culture. 6. “[Today], more of my students who are becoming teachers realize they have to think about [equity] and understand it…they want to engage these issues and they don’t want to pretend we’re in a color-blind or class-blind or gender-blind reality,” Attwood says. She stresses that this does not mean making the commenter feel bad about what he or she has said but, instead, simply involves calling attention to the comment, explaining why it demotes inclusivity, and dissecting, with the rest of the class, what about the commenter’s experiences and background may have instilled these biases. Industry Advice This framework is also unique because of its emphasis on social justice and activism. The degree that connects advanced research to real-world problem solving. Learn more about how educators can promote equity in the classroom—along with the best practices for addressing other real-life problems within organizations in today’s evolving society—within Northeastern’s Doctor of Education program. Read on to learn about what equity in the classroom is, why it’s relevant, and some of the best practices educators can use to promote it. Planning a lesson is just as important as the execution of the lesson; especially if your class will discuss sensitive topics or ideas. Knowing the difference between equity and equality is the first step to creating a classroom where every child can succeed. Promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Online Classroom, by Chrysafis Vogiatzis This past semester saw many of us try our best to move our (carefully designed to promote in-class interactions) classes to the online space. “Then I name that this is going to be in the room with us, this is a part of the strength of who we are. To start developing an inclusive model at your school, integrate students with special education needs. Teach students how to disagree respectfully. Here, we offer a few key strategies and resources for school leaders and teachers as they model civility and promote equity and inclusion in schools. “[They’re] saying, ‘we are not going to participate in this notion that there’s a kind of bland diversity and inclusion. An important part of promoting equity and diversity is setting norms in your classroom that promote inclusion and openness. When used routinely, this practice promotes a culture of participation and attention. The approach to promoting equity should also vary depending on the ages and maturity levels of the class. In order for approaches in delivering the curriculum to be called inclusive, they must meet the needs of all students, irrespective of whether they are considered to be able or disabled. Promoting equality and diversity in the classroom need not be a challenge and is something that all children should be familiar with from an early age. We must acknowledge our personal biases and seek to understand people with different experiences. Learn how an EdD can give you the skills to enact organizational change in any industry. Equity vs. “I think these have always been very real issues,” she says. The COVID-19 pandemic is exerting an important impact on education. Attwood explains that it’s important she can “communicate being approachable and willing to listen to some students who are feeling that something’s not working in that climate of the classroom.” This, she stresses, is a key factor in creating the open dialogue needed to address these delicate issues. Many of those classrooms are what’s known as inclusive (or inclusion) classrooms. “There are certain guidelines and practices that are more promoted within the discussion [of equity in education], but there’s not a magic recipe for how you do this,” she says. Equality in the Classroom. Read our whitepaper on How to Achieve Equity in Education. Inclusive education values diversity and the unique contributions each student brings to the classroom. together and learn. Show students various representations of their culture and other cultures. “[I try] to make sure that what I teach meets a student where they are, including how those identities and experiences shape how they learn…rather than seeing it as a problem or something I have to manage,” Attwood explains. “If we have learned these patterns that means we can unlearn them,” Attwood says, “But first we have to identify them.”. 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