Mirror, Window and Glassdoor
The importance of equity in the classroom. This is tough to look at. I suspect all teachers want to feel that they have developed a classroom where all pupils feel valued and included. As a teacher, whilst working in state (this is called “Public” in US terms) education in the UK and at my current international school, I have undergone training to support different communities of learners. We have specifically looked at inclusion based through the lens of race, religion, LGBTQ+, gender and disabilities (both physical and learning). I try to regularly look at how I teach Design and where possible use examples from these different lenses (though I find this can be challenging). As with the use of Technology, I am not interested in shoe-horning different examples, I want them to be relevant and authentic within the classes being taught. As a practitioner, talking with other practitioners, I enjoy discussing how different ideas can be embedded, and I like to think about how I can shift the lens in my own lessons. This is not always effective, but I do enjoy the challenge and I think it is important to continue to develop your own class content. With this in mind, I have always had an open discussion with my pupils and regularly ask for feedback and ideas/thoughts/concepts that could better represent them in class.
However, in terms of coaching, I feel less confident. I guess I never really get to these questions. Actually, now I am writing this, I am thinking that maybe it would be a good place to start but, if I am honest, it is often the last question I would think about. I guess I am nervous about the topic. Despite the wealth of excellent training I have received, I feel ill-equipped in discussing equity. Perhaps as someone who is an “ally” but not directly in any specific group, I feel that I have less of a “right” to give my opinions. Also, as I know myself very well, I don’t want to get it wrong! I don’t want to accidentally cause offence, and I think this leads to avoiding the hard questions. This is not, as some might think, the need to be the coach that knows everything, has all the answers. I am confident in my not knowing and enjoy growing with the people I work with. I think it’s more about feeling lost in the massive vortex that is equity, Where do you start? How do you support? It can be very intimating. I could say that I will change this mindset immediately, but I am trying to be honest throughout this process, and I am not sure I can implement these ideas immediately.
As I say, as a teacher, I am more than happy to discuss, change and adapt. As a coach, I feel that surely there is always someone more “authentic” and “experienced” than me.
However, one thing I will take away for both my role as a teacher and coach is the strategy suggested by Ken Shelton:
Mirror - Ensure in each unit, each student can see themselves and there is an authentic voice.
Window - Ensure that in each unit, each student can look at the lives of others
Sliding Glass Door - Ensure that in each unit, each student can step into the world of someone else (I think this is the hardest to do!)
In my teaching, these will be the 3 questions I will be asking myself, within each unit. I aim to use this and my training to try and improve my own lessons. I think, that I need to gain more confidence about this topic in my lessons, before I can utilise the wealth of knowledge I have in my coaching. So this will continue to be a long, long long journey, one I have been on for a number of years and continue to look into. Though, I would like to add, that this is the reason I enjoy being both a coach and teacher as I can develop and learn both from myself and others ;)
Finally, I would like to add that the statement: Where is the Hope? Where is the Joy? in your lesson, really resonated with me. I think these simple questions could be the starting question used for change. Thanks to @perrerasalysa for making me think about my approach to supporting the development of equity in the classroom.
