• Subscribe

    Sign up here for our monthly newsletter.

    • Learning Forward

    Equity and excellence in teaching and learning.

    Menu

    Voices Of Equity

    Beginning teachers are crucial partners and emerging leaders of equity education

    By Learning Forward
    December 2013
    In Ontario, Canada, equity education is a priority for every district school board. Boards, schools, administrators, and teachers must have support in meeting the challenges to move ahead in accordance with provincial equity policy and recommendations. The Ontario Ministry of Education, recognizing this need in 2009, established an equity policy that states, “To improve outcomes for students at risk, all partners must work to identify and remove barriers and must actively seek to create the conditions needed for student success” (Ontario Ministry of Education, 2009, p. 5). Beginning teachers are crucial partners and emerging leaders of equity education. Some of the equity concerns these teachers face are issues tied to representation, achievement, discipline, graduation, and overall school experiences for students who are racialized and historically

    Read the remaining content with membership access. Join or log in below to continue.

    Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo. Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit, sed quia non numquam eius modi tempora incidunt ut labore et dolore magnam aliquam quaerat voluptatem.

    Log In
       
    Forgot password? Click here to reset
    New User? Click here to register

    Authors

    Nichole West-Burns, Karen Murray, and Jennifer Watt

    Nicole West-Burns (nicole.west.burns@utoronto.ca) is director of school services for the Centre for Urban Schooling at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto. Karen Murray (karen.murray@tdsb.on.ca) is program co-ordinator for beginning teachers and Jennifer Watt (jennifer.watt@ontario.ca) is instruction leader for beginning teachers in the Toronto District School Board.

    In 7th grade, students can explore equity by using dialogue poetry to examine the concept of power from different perspectives , such as manager and worker.

    Topics for Demonstration Classrooms

    Topics for demonstration classrooms
    Grade Inquiry question rooted in theory Demonstration classroom focus
    Kindergarten How can I teach students the importance of social justice issues by first focusing on big ideas such as fairness — ideas that students can relate to authentically? Early learners interrogate inequalities in society while building a positive self-image. Students focus on a picture book on the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and apply their knowledge of fairness to their lives and to his life.
    Grades 3-4 How might students’ examination of newspaper articles on the topic of their community and personal interviews with members of the students’ community (including parents) impact students’ perceptions of the community where they live? Students explore the idea that there is beauty and value in their community and answer this question: How do our community heroes add beauty and value to the community?
    Grade 7 Can culturally responsive and relevant pedagogy make a difference in a predominantly privileged gifted class and a predominantly underprivileged special needs class? Students use dialogue poetry to examine the concept of power from different perspectives (e.g. manager/worker, master/enslaved, bully/transgendered person).

    Creating Culturally Responsive and Relevant Classroom Spaces

    voices-of-equity

    References

    Murray, K. & West-Burns, N. (2011). Equity continuum: Action for critical transformation in schools and classrooms. Toronto, Ontario, Canada: Centre for Urban Schooling/OISE, University of Toronto.

    Ontario Ministry of Education. (2009). Realizing the promise of diversity: Ontario’s equity and inclusive education strategy. Available at www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/policyfunding/equity.pdf.

    Image for aesthetic effect only - Learning-forward-logo-square
    + posts

    Learning Forward is the only professional association devoted exclusively to those who work in educator professional development. We help our members plan, implement, and measure high-quality professional learning so they can achieve success with their systems, schools, and students.

    Search
    The Learning Professional

    Published Date
    Reset

    CURRENT ISSUE

  • Subscribe

    • Recent Issues

    LEARNING TO PIVOT
    August 2024

    Sometimes new information and situations call for major change. This issue...

    GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES
    June 2024

    What does professional learning look like around the world? This issue...

    WHERE TECHNOLOGY CAN TAKE US
    April 2024

    Technology is both a topic and a tool for professional learning. This...

    EVALUATING PROFESSIONAL LEARNING
    February 2024

    How do you know your professional learning is working? This issue digs...

  • © Copyright Learning Forward
    • Skip to content