FREE RESOURCE 5 Critical Components of Equity-Focused Teaching

Equity-focused Teaching is a corrective measure that enables teachers to recognize and interrupt historical and present patterns of educational disengagement that disproportionately affect underprivileged and minority students. It acknowledges that systemic injustices influence all students’ individual and group-based experiences with social identity and establish dramatically varied power relationships in and out of the classroom, influencing kids’ learning and achievement.

Equity-focused Teaching’s remedial effort includes intentionally building a learning environment in which students: – 

• Feel recognized and encouraged in their educational endeavors.
• Share accountability for the learning community’s equal involvement and respect of all members.
• Having equal access to education
• Parity in obtaining favorable course outcomes

 Now let’s discuss five critical components of equity-focused Teaching.

5 Critical Components of Equity-Focused Teaching

1. Identify Biases within Yourself and Society as a Whole

Regardless of how often we care about every one of the students and their well-being, it is critical to have an open mind when it comes to seeing and addressing our prejudices. These are probably present for us in ways we can’t yet see or comprehend, but being more conscious of our preconceptions, discomforts, and misconceptions makes us better educators and more equipped to be successful members of society when discrepancies need to be exposed and eliminated.

Researching historical and contemporary disparities, obtaining feedback, and modifying our methods are just a few ways to get started. When we are ready to examine our ideas and contrast them with what our students believe, feel, and experience in the classroom, we may better comprehend our influence on making learning more suitable and available to all. As our students keep learning, we must continue to grow as mentors, seizing opportunities to observe models of our ideas in practice across different course subjects, grades, and communities.

2. Broaden Accessibility For Students and Their Families

As technology advances, more opportunities are emerging in computer science, and our society’s developing requirements increasingly rely on virtual conceptions. Our job is to do everything possible to provide this access to our kids and their families. In addition to this assistance, it can provide members of the family with the tools and fundamental understanding of CS as well as other concepts they require to be personally questioned and triumph in their endeavors, furthering the instance we set for our younger generation: these opportunities are not only accessible but motivated for all.

3. Bring Comprehensive Culture Into the Classroom

Without discovering means to integrate many cultures into the classroom, it would be hard to discuss, let alone apply, teaching techniques specific to our students’ distinct experiences. Hanover Research identified practical approaches for teachers to increase fairness in the classroom:

• Make use of random response tactics.
• Ask demanding questions of all students in an equitable manner.
• Use a variety of methods to measure student comprehension.
• Create classroom rules together and equitably enforce them.
• Look for alternative viewpoints and responses to questions.
• When possible, show children how and why things are done.
• Recognize each student’s statement or reaction, even if it is erroneous.
• When planning your calendar, consider all religious holidays, not only when schools are closed.

4. Establish a Justice-Oriented Base

Social justice does not materialize singly or attained by a single training method. Students studying this topic examine themselves, people, institutions, and events to identify patterns of injustice, intolerance, or discrimination and investigate potential solutions to the issues they’ve uncovered. In OECD nations, 5% to 40% of kids drop out, leaving them with inadequate skills and high unemployment rates. Social justice supporters wish to create a society where all people have equitable access to resources and are treated fairly regardless of color, gender, religion, sexual orientation, financial level, or handicap.

5. Institute an Asset-Based Approach to Learning and Problem Solving

Teachers can also improve the classroom community by providing learning activities based on their students’ backgrounds.

Also Read, 7 Best Suited Remote Learning Online Educational Activities For Your Kids .

Students’ prior knowledge will be strengthened by new material that contains diverse views. Teachers must be conscious of the messages conveyed by the learning tools they employ. For example, to assess if books prioritize certain narratives, instructors must examine whether they tell an event — such as the Civil War — from many viewpoints or favor the prevailing culture.

Teachers should use books, articles, and lessons that feature different voices and cultures when selecting class resources. Educators may also need to consult with colleagues or citizens from diverse groups to understand their cultures better.

Conclusion

Education should be accessible to all. Education significantly impacts how people spend their adult life; a greater degree of education indicates higher incomes, improved health, and longer life. So as educators, we must constantly question how we can use these concepts and move them to a higher level. Teaching with an equitable lens necessitates an examination of current and forthcoming teachings, listening to scholars’ and families’ reactions, adapting to changes in society and requirements, and constantly operating from an open and purposeful stance.

For additional information on FREE RESOURCE 5 Critical Components of Equity-Focused Teaching, see the 21KSchool website.