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Transforming Our Classrooms

Are we ready to transform our classes?

There are a plethora of discussions regarding Social Justice in the classroom.
Are we doing all we can as teachers to open the doors to discussions about race, culture, identity and ethnicity amongst ourselves?
What do we see when we see our students? I have heard some teachers state that “all students are the same, I do not see color”. I am so envious of their state of colorblindness!

Or, rather, are we missing out on the opportunity to learn from our students and open our thoughts
regarding microaggression, implicit bias,and microinsults that are sometimes levelled to
students by us?

One of the definitions that I have heard regarding “implicit bias” is that it can be the stereotypes and or attitudes that affect our perceptions of others. The power of these biases is in their subconscious nature. We can start to take away their power when we make a conscious effort to uncover them. Few stereotypes and negative perceptions stand up to critical scrutiny. 

We know that we have many students that are not performing up to their potential, this is what we call the achievement gap. What role do our unconscious biases play in perpetuating that gap?
Are we underestimating certain students, are we in turn underestimating ourselves?
What would our schools look like if every student was seen for who they truly are and were all performing to their full potential? Are we ready to transform our schools and classrooms?

These questions are important for every educator and community member to honestly consider for themselves. 

In future blog posts we will dive deeper into microagressions, microinsults and implicit bias. 

We would love to hear your thoughts and ideas below.

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