Home / News

News

Equity is an Expectation

Equity is an Expectation

                                  Equity is an Expectation

 


There is a deep need for equity in education.  All students need to be challenged and know their schools have their best interest in mind.  Schools need to make sure the needs of diverse students are met and they are receiving an equitable education.  This means school districts need to ensure equity in resources and educational opportunities.  This requires schools to recognize that not all students are the same and those with less will need more attention and support.

Research has shown we cannot separate learning needs and non-academic needs nor should this be entirely put on schools. We need support systems built within our communities.  Dr. Pedro Noguera, a  Professor of Education at New York University and the Executive Director of the Metropolitan Center for Research on Equity and the Transformation of Schools, states, “Our achievement gap is due to social inequality. We must invest in children of color: They are the future.” In his efforts to support all students, Dr. Noguera developed 10 practices to promote achievement for all students.


1.Challenge the normalization of failure. Race and class should not predict achievement. 

  1. Stand up and speak out for equity. Schools must confront the ways in which some students are denied learning opportunities. 
  2. Embrace immigrant students and their culture. 
  3. Provide students with clear guidance on what it takes to succeed, including such things as study skills, “code-switching,” and seeing models of excellent work
  4. Build partnerships with parents based on shared interests. Faculties must be trained to communicate respectfully and effectively across race and class differences and work with parents to help reinforce school objectives at home.
  5. Align discipline practices to educational goals. Get buy-in from all staff on expectations, values, and norms that reconnect students to learning, rather than exclude them from learning. Teachers must make education matter to students. 
  6. Rethink remediation and focus on acceleration. Monitor learning and provide access to enriched, rigorous curriculum with needed support and personalized interventions. 
  7. Implement evidence-based practices and evaluate for effectiveness. Consider such things as block scheduling, peer study groups, content literacy, extracurricular activities, and mentoring.
  8. Build partnerships within the community to address student needs. 
  9. Teach the way that students learn, rather than expecting them to adjust their learning to a rigid, set way of teaching. Teachers should focus on evidence of mastery and performance, viewing the work produced as a reflection of their teaching.

These practices, if implemented, can help support us in our efforts to close the achievement gap. As we work to close the gap, the students of today will be better prepared to contribute to society with confidence, strong skill sets and a desire to make this world a better place.

Changing the Trajectory for Black Students

Changing the Trajectory for Black Students

             

 

        
Statistics state that black children are three times more likely to drop out of school and twice as likely to be suspended from school.  In addition, the  percentage of black students in special education programs is staggering . There are more statistics that could be brought to light such as blacks’ social and economic realities, the rate of infant mortality and the disparities within the criminal justice system. Yes, this information is startling yet crucial to know. We need to know and then decide how we can change this broken system. This system that is working against us rather than for us.

One important place to look is within our school system. Children go to school from as early as 4 years of age until 17 where they spend almost 7 hours a day, 5 days a week for almost 200 days a year. If children are spending that much time in school, we would hope they are learning from teachers who enjoy, inspire and affirm them.  Teachers that want students to work towards academic   and not compromise their cultural identities.  Evidently, that is not the case and we must work to make classrooms better for black children.

Let’s start with racial bias. Racial bias is dangerous. As a result, there are lower expectations for black students and harsher penalties.  A team of Princeton University researchers studied federal data that covered 32 million white and black students across 96,000 schools. Black students experienced more expulsions, arrests and faced more law enforcement interventions than white students. Racial bias incites disparities in school regulation.

How can we put equity in the center of education?
One approach would be teachers incorporating historical content into their instruction. Introducing all students to the history and life experiences of diverse cultures. Enriching those experiences with literature, music and films. Teachers need to learn ways to honor and respect the history of their students. This will strengthen the teachers cultural awareness and ultimately their beliefs. 
Students develop and grow academically from educators who are culturally aware. They also benefit from teachers who have high expectations and see the potential in their students no matter their background.

Strengthening the Culture in Your Work Environment

Strengthening the Culture in Your Work Environment

Strengthening the Culture in Your Work Environment

 

 

 

 

It's Monday and many of us are off to work. In an ideal work environment,  our place of employment should be a space and place where everyone feels safe, comfortable, respected and valued. It’s also where each employee feels a sense of belonging.

Financebuzz completed a survey and discovered that 46% of workers feel isolated from their team and 30% felt it’s challenging to collaborate with their colleagues. Although work culture varies from place to place, a healthy environment should be built on the belief that we will support the joy and growth of the employees and foster a culture of collaboration, engagement and inclusion.

Forbes.com shared 4 tips to strengthen the culture in a workplace.  When you take these steps into consideration, it can build stronger, supportive teams.

  1.  Frequent and repetitive communication.  A Salesforce survey was completed and it was discovered that 86% of employees cited there was a lack of collaboration and this was the cause for failure in the workplace. The more you communicate the same message, you’re less likely to have miscommunication.  A nother study was conducted with Elizabeth Gerber and Paul Leonardi on the outcome of managers who over-communicate.  They determined that supervisors who communicated the same message in a variety of ways like zoom calls, text messages and emails completed projects in a timely fashion. 
  2. Let’s collaborate. Inclusive work environments focus on strengths rather than weaknesses.  Everyone, on all levels should feel empowered and contribute their thoughts and skills.  Teams that have a well balanced mix of skills and talents tend to be more successful.
  3. I see you.  A Gallup poll pointed out that those who don’t feel recognized are twice as likely to leave their job.  Acknowledging people at work helps to maintain and improve productivity and motivation.  It also makes everyone feel like they are part of a team. Reward Gateway stated, “70% of workers say motivation and morale would improve if managers said thank you more and noticed good work.” Praise and recognition should occur frequently.  No more waiting until someone’s annual performance review.
  4. It’s ok to be yourself.  Although we may have many things in common with our colleagues, we are all different.  Therefore, managers and supervisors should lead the task in maintaining good relationships with their team.  Get to know your team on a personal level.  We are all more than employees at a job.  We have hobbies and interests that we could possibly share.  In fact, working remotely has allowed teams to have a glimpse into our personal lives.  Hopefully, when we move back into what we once called “normal,” we can strengthen our relationships and better understand each other.

The steps above can move your team in the right direction.  If you want more collaboration with your team and increased productivity strengthen your team's relationships.  Research conducted by EY’s Center for Talent Innovation, shows that “39% of respondents feel the greatest sense of belonging when their colleagues checked in with them, both personally and professionally.” Furthermore, “when people feel like they belong at work, they are more productive, motivated, engaged and 3.5 times more likely to contribute to their fullest potential.” Let's do the work and make a difference in our work environments.

x