21st Century Learning & Development
CONCEPTS OF EQUITY AND DIVERSITY
What it is
Equity and diversity within the classroom is an important resource that teachers have at their disposal, to enrich student learning. As teachers that are new to the classroom, it is important that we take into consideration cultural competency and how we can become educators that, at our core, are accepting and promote diversity and equity within our classrooms and schools (Sheets, 2009). Going hand-in-hand with this, we need to perceive diversity as the norm, which means that it is fundamental to the learning process and we need to understand the importance of learning about the diversity represented within our classrooms (Sheets, 2009). In Canada, our communities are continually changing and become more diverse and with that, so are the students that attend our schools (Pollock and Antonelli, 2009). Various pedagogical behaviours and student cultural displays as outlined in the following table from What is diversity pedagogy? By Rosa Hernandez Sheets (2009), can help ensure that equity and diversity are addressed effectively within the classroom to educate students to become worldly citizens.
Areas of Consideration
There are many difficulties that a student may face when feeling disconnected from the concepts of equity and diversity. These difficulties are unfortunately all too real for many students who are from different cultural backgrounds, members of the LGBTQ community and those who come from low income backgrounds, to name a few. These students may feel afraid or nervous to raise their hand or speak out in class. They may feel as if they cannot express their true personalities out of fear of being judged. Some of these difficulties are caused by underlying issues that are not always apparent and that is something that we as teachers need to take into consideration. There may be issues going on at home that the student carries with them to school that affects how react to certain situations or that negatively affect their grades. If a students does not feel safe and secure, it is almost certain that these insecure feelings will reflect within their academics and attendance. If these happens, the student may possibly be set at a disadvantage that could negatively affect their adult lives. It is important to recognize the connection between the difficulties a student may be facing when considering equity and diversity. As teachers, we need to ensure that our students feel safe and secure within the school so these difficulties are minimized or eradicated completely. Promoting safe schools and addressing equity and diversity within the classroom is an effective way to alleviate some of these issues that students express.
Teaching Strategies
In aiming to create an inclusive environment where diversity is understood and celebrated as the norm, teachers need to ensure they are addressing equity and diversity in their classroom. Teaching to the whole student, modelling acceptance and engaging in activities and discussions with the students are all critical to teaching how to respect and appreciate others differences. Below are some additional teaching strategies that can be utilized to attain these learning goals.
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Hear Me Out - Stories for Schools about Equity and Inclusive Education This video is a great one to show students in order to get them to recognize how words and actions can hurt other people. It is a video that recognizes all kinds of differences and the need to be kind to one another. Showing your students this video close to the beginning of the year might help set the stage for open discussion on the importance of an inclusive classroom and how they plan to appreciate diversity in their class.
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Understanding Prejudice: Teachers Corner: This website is a good resource that gives teachers an activity to help demonstrate stereotypes and how these stereotypes affect the self-perception and behaviour of that person. Students have the opportunity to view stereotypes in a way that they may not have considered before, which allows for a rich learning opportunity.
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The Diversity and Equity Self-Assessment and Planning tool (DEAP): This is a tool that can be used by schools to assist their faculties and departments to better understand working environments relating to equity and diversity and how to plan for needed adjustment as to make all students and classrooms feel a sense of inclusion. The DEAP tool is a self-audit tool that allows for the user to:
(1) understand the demographic profile of their school, classroom and students and/or students,
(2) access how equity and diversity is being practiced and implemented in certain departments or as the school as a whole,
(3) provide an opportunity to reflect in areas of need,
(4) garner any support that is needed to further promote equity and diversity, and
(5) to develop an action plan to implement these improvements. All of this paired together allows for a school/classroom to gain a better sense of equity and diversity, in turn, promoting an inclusive and safe environment for all of those in attendance (Queen’s University, p.2, [n.d.]).
Use of Technology
There are a number of technology resources that the teacher has at their disposal to assist them in providing the richest learning for their students. The following are a few great sites that can be used.
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I AM SYRIA: This website is geared particularly towards teaching students about the Syrian refugee crisis. It includes background information to enhance the teacher’s own understanding as well as teaching strategies and lesson plans to incorporate this topic into their curriculum subject. As a current issue we are faced with today, an understanding of the refugee crisis and of how to welcome and support these students is essential for teachers and peers.
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SPENT: This interactive game is a really enlightening experience for students. People playing it are given fictional scenarios that arise in the life of an unemployed American. Although this simulation is fictional, the scenarios are all too real for a lot of Americans. There are choices that the player needs to consider and decisions that they need to make in order to make it through their day-to-day lives.
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What is Race? Is Race for Real?: This is another online interactive that students can participate in, to help send home the idea that culture is not what you look like. Students learn about what race is and are given the opportunity to match images of people to their culture. Once complete, the images are put into the correct race categories, and the results are often surprising for participants. This teaches students not to assume a person’s cultural identity based on their outward appearances.