Five Practices for Equity-Focused School Leadership


Book Description

This timely and essential book provides a comprehensive guide for school leaders who desire to engage their school communities in transformative systemic change. Sharon I. Radd, Gretchen Givens Generett, Mark Anthony Gooden, and George Theoharis offer five practices to increase educational equity and eliminate marginalization based on race, disability, socioeconomics, language, gender and sexual identity, and religion. For each dimension of diversity, the authors provide background information for understanding the current realities in schools and beyond, and they suggest "disruptive practices" to replace the status quo in order to achieve full inclusion and educational excellence for every child. Assuming that leadership to create equity is a unique practice, the book offers * Clear explanations of foundational terms and concepts, such as equity, systemic inequity, paradigms and cognitive dissonance, and privilege; * Specific recommendations for how to build support and sustainability by engaging colleagues and other stakeholders in constructive dialogues with multiple perspectives; * Detailed descriptions of routines and roles for building effective equity-leadership teams; * Guidelines and tools for performing an equity audit, including environmental scans; * A change framework to skillfully transform your system; and * Reflection activities for self-discovery, understanding, and personal and professional growth. A call to action that is both passionate and practical, Five Practices for Equity-Focused School Leadership is an indispensable roadmap for educators undertaking the journey toward an education system that acknowledges and advances the worth and potential of all students.







Equity in the Learning Society


Book Description

Existing equity strategies for postcompulsory education and training in Australia were examined to assess their effectiveness in a learning society. First, the equity and access policies in schools, vocational education and training (VET), higher education, and adult community education were compared. Next, educational outcomes of target groups in each sector were examined to identify patterns of participation for specific disadvantaged groups and to determine the extent to which structural factors affect patterns of participation in each sector. The feasibility of developing access and equity policies that would transcend sectoral boundaries was also explored. The following were among the study's key findings: (1) government equity strategies could be improved by targeting low socioeconomic status students within all equity groups, reporting performance so as to focus on outcomes, and strengthening pathways to employment from education and training; (2) performance reporting could be improved by collecting and publishing data in all sectors to the standard set by the VET sector; and (3) although it is not necessary to redefine equity in the context of lifelong learning, governments may need to develop new approaches to equity policies and programs to ensure that workers are able to participate effectively in the knowledge economy. (Contains 130 references.) (MN)




Equity by Design


Book Description

"Our calling is to drop our egos, commit to removing barriers, and treat our learners with the unequivocal respect and dignity they deserve." --Mirko Chardin and Katie Novak When it comes to the hard work of reconstructing our schools into places where every student has the opportunity to succeed, Mirko Chardin and Katie Novak are absolutely convinced that teachers should serve as our primary architects. And by "teachers" they mean legions of teachers working in close collaboration. After all, it’s teachers who design students’ learning experiences, who build student relationships . . . who ultimately have the power to change the trajectory of our students’ lives. Equity by Design is intended to serve as a blueprint for teachers to alter the all-too-predictable outcomes for our historically under-served students. A first of its kind resource, the book makes the critical link between social justice and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) so that we can equip students (and teachers, too) with the will, skill, and collective capacity to enact positive change. Inside you’ll find: Concrete strategies for designing and delivering a culturally responsive, sustainable, and equitable framework for all students Rich examples, case studies, and implementation spotlights of educators, students (including Parkland survivors), and programs that have embraced a social justice imperative Evidence-based application of best practices for UDL to create more inclusive and equitable classrooms A flexible format to facilitate use with individual teachers, teacher teams, and as the basis for whole-school implementation "Every student," Mirko and Katie insist, "deserves the opportunity to be successful regardless of their zip code, the color of their skin, the language they speak, their sexual and/or gender identity, and whether or not they have a disability." Consider Equity by Design a critical first step forward in providing that all-important opportunity. Also From Corwin: Hammond/Culturally Responsive Teaching & the Brain: 9781483308012 Moore/The Guide for White Women Who Teach Black Boys: 9781506351681 France/Reclaiming Professional Learning: 9781544360669




Equity-Centered Trauma-Informed Education


Book Description

Educators must both respond to the impact of trauma, and prevent trauma at school. Trauma-informed initiatives tend to focus on the challenging behaviors of students and ascribe them to circumstances that students are facing outside of school. This approach ignores the reality that inequity itself causes trauma, and that schools often heighten inequities when implementing trauma-informed practices that are not based in educational equity. In this fresh look at trauma-informed practice, Alex Shevrin Venet urges educators to shift equity to the center as they consider policies and professional development. Using a framework of six principles for equity-centered trauma-informed education, Venet offers practical action steps that teachers and school leaders can take from any starting point, using the resources and influence at their disposal to make shifts in practice, pedagogy, and policy. Overthrowing inequitable systems is a process, not an overnight change. But transformation is possible when educators work together, and teachers can do more than they realize from within their own classrooms.




Powering a Learning Society During an Age of Disruption


Book Description

This open access book presents contemporary perspectives on the role of a learning society from the lens of leading practitioners, experts from universities, governments, and industry leaders. The think pieces argue for a learning society as a major driver of change with far-reaching influence on learning to serve the needs of economies and societies. The book is a testimonial to the importance of ‘learning communities.’ It highlights the pivotal role that can be played by non-traditional actors such as city and urban planners, citizens, transport professionals, and technology companies. This collection seeks to contribute to the discourse on strengthening the fabric of a learning society crucial for future economic and social development, particularly in the aftermath of the coronavirus disease.




Equity and Inclusion in Higher Education


Book Description

Faculty across disciplines want to provide equitable and inclusive classrooms to support all students, but they are overwhelmed by the content they must cover and have no time to address equity and inclusion in their teaching. Equity and inclusion need not be seen as extra work but as important objectives that guide curriculum development. This book provides strategies to create a more purposeful, intentional curriculum that addresses equity and inclusion across disciplines without compromising content. We bring together practical lesson plans and instructional options that faculty can use and adapt to deliver content in a way that is mindful of inclusion and equity.




Equity in the Classroom


Book Description

Almost 200 years after public schools moved toward free education for all children, educators are still exploring the best approaches for promoting equitable student growth. In early 2020, Covid-19 operational changes and the challenge to confront America's most profound racial problems exposed many equity issues in schools. As a result, educators were called to reimagine the field of education as the curtain closed on the first quarter of the 21st century. The essays in this book challenge classroom instructors to consider new approaches to education theory, classroom praxis and teaching content. The chapters herein draw on mixed-methods and narrative form essays to provide practical tools and techniques for building equitable schools. Viewing schools as extensions of society-at-large, this book delivers innovative curricular approaches to STEM education, the Humanities and applied theater. The authors offer methods for empowering student voices, managing moments of crisis, increasing representation in computer science and implementing restorative justice disciplinary practices in learning institutions. Essays provide all educators with proven instructional models for curricular equity with the goal of moving America closer to a multicultural democracy.




Lifelong Learning, Participation and Equity


Book Description

In many countries, schools, universities and other traditional learning institutions are not providing for the educational needs of all members of the community. Many communities, particularly in regional, rural and disadvantaged areas, can offer only limited educational options. This book addresses the challenge of identifying effective ways of accommodating the learning needs of all people and in so doing achieving the goals of lifelong learning for all.




Equity in Schools and Society


Book Description

This book examines equity issues in school and society, drawing on history, sociology, literature, cultural expressions, films, and theory. The main objectives of the text are: to increase critical awareness of issues concerning equity in schools and society for students and teachers; to discuss the complexities of both school and society as institutions and search for paradigms which can highlight the dilemmas and lived experiences of teachers as they grapple with the interpretation and implementation of goals, policies and work to address students' needs; to generate greater awareness of the political economy of schools and societies; to increase understanding of hidden biases such as racism, classism and sexism in order to develop practical strategies of delaing with these forms of oppression; to enhance the acquisition of critical intellectual skills related to both comprehension and analysis of teaching and learning in a culturally diverse context; and to generate and reformulate teachers' roles in relation of the multiple demands of teaching and learning in complex environments.