Day 3 of the Equity and Inclusion Challenge

Day 3 of the Equity and Inclusion Challenge

Today's question asks...
Who is obviously represented and welcome in the space? 
Who is left out?

As I reflected on the environment, I noticed that our school has many inclusive places around the school and in our classrooms. There were sports games on offer, different fields to play on, tables to sit on, hallways to roam. There was even a very mixed-aged, mixed-genders group of students sitting in front of the office where people sit who don't have hats (We have a no hat - no play rule) and there were both those with and those without hats. The walls have the learner profile words (Thinker, Communicator, etc...) painted on the walls in many languages including: English, Spanish, Korean, and Chinese.

If the environment, in its structure was inclusive, was there evidence of exclusivity? The exclusivity was found in a way that was socially constructed. There were only boys playing four square at morning break time. The walk ways seemed to have more Girls that tended to walk and talk in same age, same class, same nationality groupings.

In class, those people that participate frequently segregate themselves from the non-eager participants.

What can we do to break down the socially constructed barriers?

Day 2 of the Equity and Inclusion Challenge

It is interesting when you focus your observations, what you discover.  As the challenge implies, I wanted to focus on Equity and Inclusion. At first; inquiry and observation led to more questions.  How would I record what I noticed? How could I teach and observe?  Doubts entered my mind.  What would I really learn?  But staying positive, I persisted.  

I decided to observe while we did our opening grade level assembly, where we co-create the week's homework for the class.

First thoughts included:

Students and teachers both have a voice in this activity.

Students opinions are validated.

Not all students use their voice.

Some students raise their hands.

Some students say what they think.  

Then more questions bubbled up: 

Do students in the front speak more than the ones who chose to sit in the back?  Does seat choice affect participation?  What does equity look like in the classroom?  How can we create more of it? How can we include everyone's voice?  What are the environmental factors we could change? How are the patterns of conversation different with when I teach? Is it different from my teaching partner?  

In the next lesson, my teaching partner led the discussion and I decided to map the conversation. That was interesting. I wondered if taking a map of one day would really show me anything.  So, I planned to keep the maps and map patterns of conversations over time to see bigger patterns. It was the 100th Day of school and we planned a Math lesson using social skills to work in groups to collect 100 items from nature and turn it into a piece of artwork.  

The Day 2 questions and my hypotheses were:

• What patterns do you notice?
• Whose voices tend to be the loudest?
• The kids have multiple options to speak.  Some of the students who volunteer to talk, volunteer regularly. There were a few students, who appeared not to be paying attention, who volunteered insights.  

Conclusions...

What I think happens in discussions, may not be as accurate as I think.  Children who appeared not to paying attention, might be. There seemed to be no hard and fast rules.  

I look forward to what I might learn tomorrow...

Tomorrow's Task:

• NOTICE: Spend some time observing the physical space at school – in the halls, in classrooms, in shared spaces, in offices. 

Reflection Questions:

• Who is obviously represented and welcome in the space?  Who is left out?

21 Day Equity and Inclusion Challenge

Who is in?  I am in!  Are you?



My Sunday night journey on Twitter led me to Michael Matera (@mrmatera), author of Explore Like A Pirate, who is leading a 21 Day Challenge described in the video above.



The Day 1 reflection question asks you to reflect on why you signed up and what you hope to get out of this experience...

I hope to join a community of like-minded teachers who care about helping each student to find his voice.  I teach in an international school with many English language learners.  It is a International Baccalaureate School that values Student Agency.  In fact, my small group PLC at school, is studying what student agency looks like.  My current theory is that for students to experience 'agency' they must find their 'voice' first. Let us see how if this is still how I think at the end of the 21 Day Challenge...





Tomorrow I will start on Day 2, and I will spend some time observing social interactions today. I will ask myself @mrmatera's questions...

What patterns do you notice?

Whose voices tend to be the loudest? 

Whose voices tend to be ignored?

Who sits with whom? 

Is there a pattern related to identity?



Will you join me on the journey?  Comment or reply below!  I would love to hear from you.



Cheers,

Kate