How aware are you of the biases in policy and practice that perpetuate disparities among students? How ready are you to engage in awareness building as a driver for change?
In this practice, your team looks at your capacity to grow awareness of biases and assumptions that are detrimental to a school's culture. You will consider your ability to support intellectual and personal work across the school community to build knowledge, commitment, and skill to address equity issues.
1. Download and print the following worksheet which provides a paper activity that collects your responses and guides your next steps.
2. With your team, move thoughtfully through each entry on the rubric for this practice.
3. After reflection, discussion, and reaching consensus on each entry, choose the practice (listed on the rubric) that best represents the current state of practice in your school system or building ("where you are now").
4. next, write down your "evidence," by naming a few items that support your reasoning for the current state of practice you selected. (You don’t need to create a long list or add details.)
If your current state of practice needs work, this activity will help you identify the barriers that are hindering progress. If your status quo is proficient or exemplary, this activity will help you reflect on how you arrived there and may suggest best practices from your previous experience that will help you move toward equity in other areas.