Overview
January 25, 2020 I attended another TST Edworking event. Despite oncoming mini snowstorm and a head cold, I traveled to Willis Tower to continue learning more about the education field and how to improve it.
One of the TST Administrators opened with a quote from the Matrix “This is your last chance. After this, there is no turning back. You take the blue pill—the story ends, you wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill—you stay in Wonderland, and I show you how deep the rabbit hole goes. Remember: all I’m offering is the truth. Nothing more.” The blue pill in education meaning just accepting the status quo and remaining ignorant to the fact that change needs to happen, not only in our minds, but in our hearts. “Take the red pill today” was the theme and follow the most difficult of paths to educational reform.
Panel Discussion: Dr. Maurice Swinney & Dr. LeVar Ammons
Instead of the usual keynote speaker format, today we had a panel discussion with two prominent members leading the charger towards equity reform in education. Some of the key take away ideas I got from the discussion was ‘equity is not diversity inclusion’ (M.S.) and learning to think about equity in the school system is a big ask because it requires a change of how we think, which many people are resistant to. Many people talk about equity, but it never moves past conversation, when it needs to be implemented not only into policy as a thought, but as a practice.
According to Dr. Ammons, some people believe in Storefront Liberalism, which is when everyone can agree that everyone should share resources and every child should be treated equally, until it comes to their own child. Which I completely have seen during my lifetime in the different schools that I have attended and taught at. A lot of people also assume that just because students of color are in the room, that either the rigor decreases for other students because students of color need to catch up to the dominant culture or when students of color are targeted, that the other students get left behind. If we are intentional with our teaching decisions though, everyone benefits from a diverse classroom.
Along with that comes with how teachers are also represented in the classrooms and schools. In Chicago 84% of our students are Black or Latinx, but only 40% of our teachers are Black or Latinx. Obviously teachers should be hired for merit and not to fill a quote, but it makes you wonder why that gap is so far. And with our teachers who are white, making sure that they are increasing their racial consciousness, even if that means having to call them out and facing uncomfortable conversations. Students of color face 291 microaggressions in a 90 day period, and may not feel comfortable addressing their teachers, so we as their colleagues need to be able to combat these microaggressions with racial awareness. Even if those conversations are uncomfortable at first, they get easier over time, and over time students and colleagues will appreciated the time and effort put in to making schools equitable.
Some resources that were shared was the CPS Equity Framework, check out the “America to Me” Docuseries, and PERTS or wayfinder in order to evaluate student concerns and the equity level in your classrooms.
Breakout Sessions:
This events breakout sessions revolved around equity; Equitable Student Behavior Policies, Equitable Staffing, and Equitable Grading Practices. All three sessions were segmented into 15 minute sessions, which in my opinion was not enough time to actually sit and talk with one another about the practices and what are our options. Thankfully each session gave us paperwork to take back, which I’m hoping to take back to my colleagues. Especially for the student behavior policies because I do believe that is one section we are failing at. We are trying to make headway in grading practices, but the system to plug in grades is confusing for us and no one is able to explain it, but some progress is being made.
Under Equitable Staffing provided interesting insight. It was recorded that in Chicago there is one social worker for every fifty students, but in reality it is 1:825. This fact was probably the most interesting for myself, because there is an opportunity that has been offered to earn a Masters in Social Work. Although I do not plan on going into Social Work currently, as an alternative education teacher, I believe that some knowledge in the field can greatly impact my school and classroom. We currently only have a social worker who comes in once a week to meet with students. In the environment I serve, that is not nearly enough. It is constantly said that we have 120 students, so we need 120 counselors. Each of our students have their own traumas and dilemmas, and splitting students just among 20 staff members who all have their own work and sometimes personal trauma to deal with.
Closing
We were left with these final thoughts “Imperfect action is better than perfect inaction”. Start making a difference today so that change can come faster for our students.
Ms. V's Learning Journey 