Power and Privilege: DISCUSSION ABOUT EQUITY IN THE CLASSROOM Jody Zepp, 2015 Maryland Teacher of the Year Josh Parker, 2012 Maryland Teacher of the year

Terms of engagement When we mention power and privilege in a school – what are we talking about? How do we play a role in the power dynamics in a classroom? How does privilege intersect with student achievement? Suspension?

Terms of engagement Power (in the context of schooling) – the ability of a person or group of people to withhold the access to advantageous resources or the opportunity to participate safely and without reasonable restraint into the every day functions of a school. Privilege (in the context of schooling) – having the possession of a position or status that exclusively comes with access and opportunity to safety, promotion and attention in the schoolhouse. This possession is exclusively given to people on the basis of some inherent or ascribed characteristic, color, personality trait(s) or socioeconomic achievement.

The problem we all live with What are the biggest challenges we face with equity? What is not working for traditionally underserved students and how does power and privilege play a part?

What Now? What are some principles and strategies that when used, can mitigate the negative impacts of a power imbalance or abuse of privilege?

What Now? Principles in Theory Principles in Practice Engage the discomfort Hold discussions at the school level and classroom level where teachers and administrators must face the data and where they see disparity, question their contribution to the problem Share the power Build in opportunities to decrease the power distance between teachers/administrators and students. Create opportunities where teachers, administrators and students can collaborate on projects and school-level decisions together. Check Your Privilege/Use Your Privilege Get to know the disadvantages of staff and students that may be foreign to you and try to find ways to even the playing field in that category.

Thank you! …and don’t forget the survey please. Josh Parker JOSHPARKER1422@GMAIL.COM @MDTOY2012 Jody Zepp JODY_zepp@hcpss.org @MDTOY2015 @NNSTOY #teachersleading