5 Ways to Support Teachers in Combatting Inequities

How District Leaders and School Administrators can Help Teachers Build Fair and Just Classrooms

1. Provide ongoing training and support on developing cultural competencies and being an antiracist. As citizens, and especially as teachers, it is fundamental that we listen deeply to those who are different from us. This way, we can understand how to relate without preconceived notions of their identity and experience. To increase learning opportunities for all students, teachers must be knowledgeable about the social and cultural contexts of teaching and learning. 
   • Leading with Diversity: Cultural Competencies for Teacher Preparation and Professional Development by The Education Alliance at Brown University is a comprehensive resource that can be used for ongoing training and support. 
   • How to be an Antiracist is an interview with Dr. Ibram X Kendi, founding director of the Antiracist Research and Policy Center at American University and is a powerful discussion on dismantling the systems of racism. 
2. Provide teaching and curriculum resources that support social justice and establish culturally responsive classrooms. 
   • D.C. Area Educators for Social Justice offers a hub of resources for educators including easily accessible lessons and activities from the Zinn Education Project, searchable by topic and theme.
   • Resources for Culturally Responsive Teaching includes teacher-recommended resources to build a culturally responsive classroom such as Zaretta Hammond’s book, Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain: Promoting Authentic Engagement and Rigor Among Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students. 
3. Ensure that social-emotional learning and development is explicitly taught and embedded within your school culture, allowing all students to access educational opportunities. 
   • The Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL) has created a SEL roadmap offering 4 critical practices with 3-5 activities for each area. 
   • SEL Lessons and Activities for Teachers offers 4 weeks of daily discussion questions and activities that students can do at home. Technology is not required. 
   • The Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports features a user-friendly guide to supporting states, districts, schools, educators and students through a MTSS framework during the 20-21 school year. 
4. Provide initial and ongoing tech training and support. Teachers need to become well-versed in navigating the Learning Management System of your organization and in using its embedded tools and resources. Learning to maximize the use of technology is critical for effective online instruction for all students. 
   • National Standards for Quality Online Learning includes the essential framework for K-12 organizations in developing quality online learning plans. 
   • Cognia, a leading education improvement organization, offers quick checklists to support digital learning. 
   • The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) offers resources for creating transformational learning experiences online with evidence-based strategies and skills along with technical support.
5. Lastly, as always, continue to offer teachers opportunities to lead, to share resources and to serve as subject area experts as well as mentors to newer teachers in the field. 
   • Provide new teachers with curriculum guides that include resources for implementation along with example schedules. This can help them streamline their planning and instead, focus on establishing culturally responsive classrooms and effectively implementing instructional plans.