CHALLENGING IMPLICIT BIAS Equity Day One

HOW DOES IMPLICIT BIAS IMPACT OUR TEACHING? Collaboratively we can:  develop shared language and what implicit bias is. (skill)  analyze the context of Carver. (reasoning)  Specifically multicultural student and community characteristics which may impact teaching and learning

NORMS Pausing Pausing Paraphrasing Paraphrasing Probing for Specificity Probing for Specificity Pursuing a balance between advocacy and inquiry Pursuing a balance between advocacy and inquiry Presuming positive intentions Presuming positive intentions Putting ideas on the table and pulling them off Putting ideas on the table and pulling them off Paying attention to self and others Paying attention to self and others

PAYING ATTENTION TO SELF AND OTHERS Collaborative work is facilitated when each team member is explicitly conscious of self and others- not only aware of what he or she is saying, but also how it is said and how others are responding to it. We need to be curious about other people’s impressions and understandings but not judgmental. As we come to understand someone else’s way of processing information, we are better able to communicate with them. Collaborative work is facilitated when each team member is explicitly conscious of self and others- not only aware of what he or she is saying, but also how it is said and how others are responding to it. We need to be curious about other people’s impressions and understandings but not judgmental. As we come to understand someone else’s way of processing information, we are better able to communicate with them.

FOUR AGREEMENTS OF COURAGEOUS CONVERSATIONS Stay engaged Stay engaged Experience discomfort Experience discomfort Speak your truth Speak your truth Expect and accept non-closure Expect and accept non-closure

IMPLICIT BIAS Bias is a universal human condition that we must recognize and manage, not a personal defect. Bias is a universal human condition that we must recognize and manage, not a personal defect. Implicit bias is an involuntary reflex rooted in the unconscious mind and distinct from explicit, targeted racism. Implicit bias is an involuntary reflex rooted in the unconscious mind and distinct from explicit, targeted racism. One can slow down and tune in to bias. With awareness, we can replace biases with listening and affirming thoughts. One can slow down and tune in to bias. With awareness, we can replace biases with listening and affirming thoughts.

BIAS Take ten minutes in your group to discuss your experiences around beliefs and bias. Take ten minutes in your group to discuss your experiences around beliefs and bias.

STRATEGIC PLAN GOAL: EMPLOYEE EXCELLENCE Create an environment in which employees strive for excellence, collaborate as part of a team, and are confident and competent in supporting student learning. Create an environment in which employees strive for excellence, collaborate as part of a team, and are confident and competent in supporting student learning. content/uploads/2014/10/DCSD_strategicplan_fullversion.pdf content/uploads/2014/10/DCSD_strategicplan_fullversion.pdf

EMPLOYEE EXCELLENCE INITIATIVE EMPLOYEE EXCELLENCE EMPLOYEE EXCELLENCE Establish plans for expanding mental health awareness education and cultural competency training to all staff in the district. [staff will work more effectively with all students] strategicplan-initiatives pdf strategicplan-initiatives pdf

IMPLICIT ASSOCIATION TESTS

SILENT REFLECTION Think of a student with whom you’ve struggled to build a relationship. What assumptions might you have made about this student or family? How might implicit bias be at play? Think of a student with whom you’ve struggled to build a relationship. What assumptions might you have made about this student or family? How might implicit bias be at play?

CONTINUUM Cultural destructiveness Cultural incapacity(Reactive) Cultural blindness Cultural precompetence Cultural competence(Proactive) Cultural proficiency

CULTURAL DESTRUCTIVENESS See the differences and stomp it out. See the differences and stomp it out.

DESCRIPTORS Language at this point disparage, negate, or purge cultures that are different from your own. Language at this point disparage, negate, or purge cultures that are different from your own. Examples are genocide, eliminating certain historical accounts of cultures from school curricula, lessons centered only around the dominant culture.

CULTURAL INCAPACITY  See the difference and make it wrong. Elevate the superiority of your own cultural values and beliefs and suppress cultures that are different from your own.

DESCRIPTORS Descriptive language describes non-dominant groups are less important or less worthy. Descriptive language describes non-dominant groups are less important or less worthy. Examples include lowered expectations for student groups, parents, or families.

CULTURAL BLINDNESS  See the difference and act like you don’t. Act as if differences among cultures do not exist and/or refuse to recognize any differences.

DESCRIPTORS Assumptions here include that whatever disparities may have existed have been fixed or never really even existed. Assumptions here include that whatever disparities may have existed have been fixed or never really even existed. Examples include treating all students the same, or not seeing color.

CULTURAL PRECOMPETENCE  See the difference and respond inappropriately. Recognize that lack of knowledge, experience, and understanding of other cultures limits your ability to effectively interact with them.

DESCRIPTORS Responses are non- systemic and haphazard, often requiring little or no change to meet needs. Responses are non- systemic and haphazard, often requiring little or no change to meet needs. Includes delegation of diversity work to those who have been underserved, and acknowledging culture inappropriately through events such as Black History Month.

CULTURAL COMPETENCE  See the difference and interact with other cultural groups in ways that recognize and value their differences and motivate you to assess your own skills, expand your knowledge and resources, and ultimately cause you to adapt your relational behavior.

DESCRIPTORS Ongoing self-education and respectful responses to others. Ongoing self-education and respectful responses to others. Examples include advocacy for others as equal participants and support for claims of social justice.

CULTURAL PROFICIENCY  See the difference, respond positively, engage and adapt. Honor the differences among cultures, seeing diversity as a benefit and interacting knowledgeably and respectfully among a variety of cultural groups.

DESCRIPTORS Entails an ever-evolving journey leading to personal and organizational transformations. Entails an ever-evolving journey leading to personal and organizational transformations. Adapting curricula and pedagogy to place students’ cultural attributes at the center of classroom learning.

GOOD TEACHING  Includes planned events for structured collaboration and requires higher order thinking skills. Culturally proficient teachers reflect on lessons and ask themselves these questions: Who is not being served well by this lesson? Who is at the margins as a result of this lesson? Who is at the center? What are ways to bring those at the margins to the center?

DCSD VISION AND MISSION STATEMENTS FOR EQUITY Vison Vison Transform our institutions by eliminating inequitable practices and cultivate the unique gifts, talents, and interests of every child. Transform our institutions by eliminating inequitable practices and cultivate the unique gifts, talents, and interests of every child. Mission Mission Ensuring that success and failure are not predictable by student identity (race, economic, social, or other cultural factors). Ensuring that success and failure are not predictable by student identity (race, economic, social, or other cultural factors).

NORMS AND OUTCOMES  How did we do?  Norm of Paying Attention to Self and Others  Did we:  develop shared language and what implicit bias is. (skill)  analyze the context of Carver. (reasoning)

RESOURCES  NEA Resource  Teaching Tolerance