Educator s Equity Workbook

Transcription

1 HARMONY EDUCATION SERIES Edcator s Eqity Workbook SECOND EDITION

2 Edcator s Eqity Workbook This workbook is part of Harmony Movement s Harmony Edcation Series. The workbook has been developed with spport from the Ontario Ministry of Edcation. Harmony Movement offers interactive, innovative workshops for school board employees, stdents, parents and commnity members who are interested in confronting prejdice in or society and in embracing and respecting differences. If yor school or board wold like to book a workshop or reqest additional copies of this workbook, please edcator@harmony.ca or phone Yo can also visit or website at Edcator s Eqity Workbook is prodced by Harmony Movement. Athor: Lead Writer: Editor: Contribtors: Consltants: Reviewers: Design: Project Director: Harmony Movement Helen Anderson Talin Vartanian Sidrah Ahmad, Helen Anderson, Rima Dib, Roz Espin, Silvia Mscedere, Sheena Resplandor, Koryn Stanley, Yaya Yao Dale Godin, Peterborogh Victoria Northmberland Clarington Catholic DSB Lari Se Robertson, Disability Awareness Consltants Nicole Robinson, Waterloo Region District School Board j wallace, Halton District School Board Anne Chirakal, Peel District School Board Reena Devani, Peel District School Board Chris D soza, Dfferin-Peel Catholic District School Board Hiren Mistry, York University FondArt Creative Chek Kwan The photographs in this book originally appeared in the national exhibition Them = Us: Photographic Jorneys Across Or Cltral Bondaries 1997 The National Movement for Harmony in Canada. The exhibition was a joint project of Harmony Movement, PhotoSensitive and Kodak Canada Inc., with financial spport from Canadian Heritage. Original copyright for all photographs is held by PhotoSensitive and/or the individal photographers credited within this work. All photographs are reprodced from Harmony Harmonie 1998 The National Movement for Harmony in Canada, ISBN Front cover photos (left to right): Fred Thornhill, Caroline Hayer, Stan Behal Back cover photos (left to right): Stan Behal, Yri Dojc, Sid Tabak Second Edition, September 2013 ISBN Copyright 2012, 2013 by Harmony Movement All rights reserved. Disponible en français

3 Table of Contents Introdction Teacher Rationale: Eqity = Sccess...1 Realizing the Promise of Diversity...2 Working Throgh the Workbook...4 Understanding Eqity...5 Eqity-Based Analysis...6 Activity Grop A: Self Check-In A1. The Effects of Or Own Biases and Fears A2. Comfort Zones and Learning Edges A3. Remote Controlled Life A4. The Seven Gifts of the Grandfathers Activity Grop B: Prejdices and Stereotypes B1. The Image Game B2. Personal Lenses B3. Them = Us Photos B4. Prejdgment Personalized B5. Visalizing the Invisible B6. Call It What It Is B7. The Airplane Game B8. Gender Stereotypes B9. Know Yor LGBTQ Alphabet Activity Grop C: Power, Privilege and Discrimination C1. Types of Power C2. The Power Triangle C3. The Great Game of Power C4. Societal Privileges and Obstacles C5. Discrimination Escalation C6. Identifying Discrimination C7. Individal or Systemic Discrimination? C8. Discrimination Scenarios C9. Becoming an Agent of Change... 57

4 Activity Grop D: Learning Abot Or Commnity D1. Test Yor Knowledge: Canadian History D2. Test Yor Knowledge: First Nations, Métis, and Init Commnities D3. Or Diversity D4. The Ideal Stdent D5. Knowing Yor School Commnity D6. Circle Wisdom Activity Grop E: Real-Life Scenarios E1. Commonly-Held Beliefs E2. Myths and Realities E3. What Wold Yo Do? E4. A Provocative Case Stdy E5. Opportnities and Obstacles in Life E6. Opportnities and Obstacles at School Activity Grop F: Moving Forward F1. Yor Ideal Classroom F2. Yor Ideal School F3. Connecting With the Crriclm F4. Inclsive Classrooms F5. Bringing Eqity to Stdent Assessment F6. Approaching Edcation Throgh the Seven Gifts of the Grandfathers Wrapping Up Becoming a Leader for Change/Strategy Planning Personal Reflection Statement of Commitment Looking Forward Appendices Appendix A: Adapting Activities for the Classroom Appendix B: Usefl Terms Bibliography

5 Introdction Teacher Rationale: Eqity = Sccess This workbook is designed to help yo spport the sccess of all stdents. Thank yo for demonstrating yor commitment to eqity and to the wellbeing of yor stdents and colleages. The Edcator s Eqity Workbook has been created to help yo bild on yor sccesses as an edcator and develop tools to address some of the challenges yo enconter. Harmony Movement s Edcator s Eqity Workbook aims to spport schools and teachers in implementing the Ontario Ministry of Edcation s Realizing the Promise of Diversity: Ontario s Eqity and Inclsive Edcation Strategy, and in creating more eqitable, inclsive and welcoming learning environments. The Ministry recognizes that when stdents feel respected, reflected and welcomed in their learning environments, stdent engagement increases, performance improves and achievement gaps are redced. This Edcator s Eqity Workbook is a resorce to aid Professional Learning Commnities and individal edcators in self-reflective practice. This toolkit is designed to spport edcators to: develop an eqity lens approach to increase efficacy in working with stdents, colleages and commnity members; examine the edcation system and professional practices throgh an eqity lens; nderstand how ineqity manifests at the systemic and individal levels; explore how power and privilege may lead to ineqity and exclsion; identify and address ineqitable power relations; deepen or nderstanding of the impact of bias and stereotypes on stdents, colleages, administrators, and orselves; and promote critical and analytical thinking skills that align with expectations of the crriclm. Eqity and excellence go hand in hand In a trly eqitable system, factors sch as race, gender, and socio-economic stats do not prevent stdents from achieving ambitios otcomes. Or experience shows that barriers can be removed when all edcation partners create the conditions needed for sccess. ~ Ontario Ministry of Edcation Reach Every Stdent: Energizing Ontario Edcation Edcator s Eqity Workbook 1

6 Realizing the Promise of Diversity The Ontario Ministry of Edcation s Realizing the Promise of Diversity: Ontario s Eqity and Inclsive Edcation Strategy was lanched in April It is designed to spport the fndamental hman rights garanteed by the Ontario Hman Rights Code and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The Strategy calls for each school to create and spport a positive school climate that fosters and promotes eqity, inclsive edcation, and diversity. Eqity: A condition or state of fair, inclsive and respectfl treatment of all people. Eqity does not mean treating people the same withot regard for individal differences. Inclsive Edcation: Edcation that is based on the principles of acceptance and inclsion of all stdents. Stdents see themselves reflected in their crriclm, their physical srrondings, and the broader environment, in which diversity is honored and all individals are respected. Diversity: The presence of a wide range of hman qalities and attribtes within a grop, organization, or society. The dimensions of diversity inclde, bt are not limited to, ancestry, cltre, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, langage, physical and intellectal ability, race, religion, sex, sexal orientation and socioeconomic stats. The Eqity and Inclsive Edcation Strategy aims to identify and address discriminatory biases and systemic barriers, sch as racism, religios intolerance, ableism, and homophobia, experienced by stdents, staff and parents/gardians, to help ensre that everyone feels respected and welcomed in their learning environments. Three core priorities of the Eqity and Inclsive Edcation Strategy: Improving stdent achievement Redcing achievement gaps Increasing pblic confidence in Ontario s edcation system Gilbert Dclos 2 HARMONY MOVEMENT

7 Stan Behal, PhotoSensitive The Strategy is implemented within the context of the Edcation Act, which affirms the constittional rights of Catholic and French-langage rights holders in Ontario. The Strategy respects the Aboriginal and treaty rights recognized by the Constittion Act, The Strategy also reflects the vales otlined in the Ontario Catholic School Gradate Expectations. The Ontario Ministry of Edcation directs each school board to develop and implement an Eqity and Inclsive Edcation Policy and religios accommodation gidelines. The Ministry s Policy/Program Memorandm No.119, Developing and Implementing Eqity and Inclsive Edcation Policy in Ontario Schools, otlines eight areas of focs: 1. Board policies, programs, gidelines and practices 2. Shared and committed leadership 3. School-commnity relationships 4. Inclsive crriclm and assessment practices 5. Religios accommodation 6. School climate and the prevention of discrimination and harassment 7. Professional learning 8. Accontability and transparency The Strategy, the Policy/Program Memorandm No.119, and the docment Eqity and Inclsive Edcation in Ontario Schools: Gidelines for Policy Development and Implementation 2009 are tools to provide direction, spport and gidance to boards and schools to create more eqitable and inclsive learning environments, where stdents can achieve their highest potential. Edcator s Eqity Workbook 3

8 Working Throgh The Workbook This workbook is intended to spport yo by offering the opportnity to reflect and examine the lenses with which yo view the world. The following for giding principles are adapted from American eqity and diversity theorist Pal C. Gorski. Consider them as yo work throgh the process: Allow yorself to be challenged Eqity work is high stakes. Becase eqity is abot changing power strctres, it can be ncomfortable and, more often than not, emotionally charged. When yo are prepared for this and willing to allow yorself to be challenged, yo create new possibilities for professional and personal growth, finding innovative soltions to past challenges. Acknowledge yor expertise Yo are an expert in yor field and bring mch knowledge and experience to yor role as an edcator. As an individal with a commitment to eqity, yor life experience and ethical knowledge are the fondation of this expertise. Yo have the skills and ability to make positive change in yor school commnity and to have a profond impact on the lives of yor stdents. Acknowledge the need for even greater expertise We are all life-long learners on isses of eqity and inclsion. These isses have an impact on the experiences of or stdents, colleages and commnity members, not to mention orselves, in mltifaceted ways. The better we are able to perceive orselves, or stdents and or schools throgh an eqity lens, the better prepared we will be to meet the needs of or stdents and commnities. Challenge yorself to think critically and to ask qestions We will narrow the gaps in stdent achievement only when we identify and address the root cases of these gaps. Ask yorself, how can the edcation system better meet the needs of all stdents? How can or practices as edcators better address these challenges? 4 HARMONY MOVEMENT

9 Understanding Eqity In order to sccessflly navigate throgh this workbook, it is important that the following terms are nderstood: Eqality: Treating all people the same, regardless of individal differences. Eqal treatment is not necessarily fair treatment, becase it overlooks the fact that differences in opportnities and resorces exist to begin with. Eqality of treatment does not necessarily prodce eqality of reslt, and does not necessarily allow all people to scceed eqally. For example, eqality of treatment wold mean giving everyone the exact same spport, sch as giving everyone the same amont of time to complete an exam regardless of learning disabilities or specialized learning needs. Eqity: Giving fair treatment to all people based on their individal or grop needs, even when that treatment is not the same as what others receive. Eqity seeks to consider a person s or grop s specific circmstances, past and present, and act accordingly to ensre sccess. Eqity takes into accont the needs of individals and grops that have experienced and contine to experience systemic obstacles or challenges, in order to ensre the achievement of eqal stats in society for all. For example, eqity of treatment wold mean providing all people and grops with the resorces that they individally need to scceed, sch as taking into accont an individal s abilities at exam time, so that a stdent with a learning disability or visal impairment wold receive more time if needed. Eqality = Sameness of Treatment Eqity = Sameness of Reslt Eqality is giving everyone a shoe. Eqity is giving everyone a shoe that fits. ~ From everyday-democracy.org Using an Eqity-Based Analysis is noticing that not everyone has feet. Edcator s Eqity Workbook 5

10 Eqity-Based Analysis The primary objective of this workbook is to explore or personal eqity lenses, rather than to provide lesson plans or draw crriclm connections. This is becase lesson plans and crriclm connections are specific to grade, sbject, context and stdent demographics; whereas with a polished eqity lens, we can analyze and stdy how any material or environment can contribte to eqity and inclsion. Every lesson and every environment therefore becomes a moment to teach abot eqity and inclsion. Ensring the sccess of all stdents and closing achievement gaps isn t necessarily abot spending precios hors searching for or creating the perfect lesson plan. It is abot developing the ability to approach any lesson plan from the perspective of eqity and inclsion. E.B.A., or Eqity-Based Analysis, is an essential tool that will help yo ensre that all stdents feel respected, reflected, welcomed and eqipped to scceed in yor classroom, school and commnity. E.B.A. is a set of qestions to ask yorself in yor daily work. These qestions can be applied to crriclm, lesson plans, resorce materials, classroom or school environment, physical srrondings, staff, interactions between staff and stdents, interactions amongst staff, interactions amongst stdents, assessment tools, etc. These qestions are relevant to all aspects of the edcation system and to a stdent s experience of school. When examining yor own practices, materials, and environment, always remember to ask yorself: Who is represented? How are they represented? Who is not represented? Who has power? What kind(s) of power do they have? What impact do these representations have on stdents? How can I empower my own stdents? Keep in mind the following, as well as any other aspects yo may want to add: Race Ethnicity Gender identity Ability Socio-economic stats Sexal orientation Faith Mental and physical health Langage Family stats Body size Aboriginal commnities 6 HARMONY MOVEMENT

11 Think of yor own school and classroom: Who is represented in yor crriclm materials? How are they represented? For example, what races are depicted freqently and positively in yor materials? What abilities? Langages? Faiths? Who is not present? Who is represented on yor staff? Who is not? Where and how is mental health discssed in the crriclm/classroom/ school? Where are people of diverse sexal orientations represented in the crriclm/classroom/school? Where are people of diverse gender identities represented? How are they represented? Where are First Nations, Métis and Init people represented? How are they represented? Where are diverse families and hoseholds represented? (e.g., singleparent hoseholds, foster care, grop homes, mlti-racial families, mltigenerational hoseholds, same-sex parents, mlti-family hoseholds, etc.) What can yo do to make yor school more inclsive? What is the difference between tokenism and meaningfl inclsion? Is one grop still depicted as dominant or normal while other grops are seen as different? What is reqired for meaningfl inclsion? Throghot this workbook, we se varios terms to refer to the original inhabitants of this land and their descendants. At times we differentiate between First Nations, Métis and Init people, thogh we also se terms sch as First Peoples and Aboriginal to refer to all three categories. We do this in recognition of the contested natre of all of these terms, as well as in recognition of those people who identify as Aboriginal bt have been denied more specific knowledge of their ancestry. Edcator s Eqity Workbook 7