Week 4 Discussion - Equity and Excellence

Equity and Excellence

Monday, January 27, 2020, 8:34 PM

If a student teacher were to walk in my classroom, they would see many examples of

equity and excellence. In my classroom, there is an expectation of high standa

rds on

both me and my students. Before each class, I stand in the hallway to greet each

student by name as they enter my room. From there my students are expected to take

their seats and begin working. They are aware of the expectations that set a tone of

rigor and excellence. Incorporating differing ideas, viewpoints, and stories comes easily

with my curriculum as does discussion. While I see this in several of the Social Studies

and English classes in my school, it is nothing that my school actively striv

es toward.

Most of the administrative team members see the value in promoting excellence and

equity, but it is not something that is pushed until a moment of reaction. I would love to

see more consistent equitable practices in the classrooms on my campus.

There are

small steps that we could take to get the ball rolling towards being more equitable such

as ensuring bulletin boards, instructional material, and visuals around the classroom

reflect the backgrounds of our students and teachers. The administrativ

e team could

offer professional development that would help teachers use strategies that promote

equity and excellence in the classroom. Small instructional changes would make the

world of difference in many of the classrooms at my school. While I do think

there are

some teachers at my school who strive to make their classrooms excellent and

equitable, there is still a lot of work to be done, cultural and instructional, as a school.

Equity and Excellence

Monday, January 27, 2020, 8:34 PM

If a student teacher were to walk in my classroom, they would see many examples of

equity and excellence. In my classroom, there is an expectation of high standards on

both me and my students. Before each class, I stand in the hallway to greet each

student by name as they enter my room. From there my students are expected to take

their seats and begin working. They are aware of the expectations that set a tone of

rigor and excellence. Incorporating differing ideas, viewpoints, and stories comes easily

with my curriculum as does discussion. While I see this in several of the Social Studies

and English classes in my school, it is nothing that my school actively strives toward.

Most of the administrative team members see the value in promoting excellence and

equity, but it is not something that is pushed until a moment of reaction. I would love to

see more consistent equitable practices in the classrooms on my campus. There are

small steps that we could take to get the ball rolling towards being more equitable such

as ensuring bulletin boards, instructional material, and visuals around the classroom

reflect the backgrounds of our students and teachers. The administrative team could

offer professional development that would help teachers use strategies that promote

equity and excellence in the classroom. Small instructional changes would make the

world of difference in many of the classrooms at my school. While I do think there are

some teachers at my school who strive to make their classrooms excellent and

equitable, there is still a lot of work to be done, cultural and instructional, as a school.