social filters becomes the gateway to accelerating the learning for all ( Vygotsky , 1978 ).
Broadening CCTP to include experiences for students of color is a “ how ” that needs to be explored at all levels of the system . Just providing a book with “ black or brown folks ” is not CCTP . Teaching students how to understand a different perspective and how the experiences of the text may or may not align to your personal experiences is one way to deepen the thought processes of students .
It is noteworthy that white students need to know how the experiences of other cultures may differ from their own . This analysis of students ’ cultural differences can provide a better understanding of different perspectives and will provide a catalyst for Americans to have healthy conversations regarding race . If we continue to hide that there are different perspectives within America , our students will leave our school system with a misguided perspective that the “ dominant culture ” is the only way to access the American Dream .
The ‘ what ’ should address the entire system
Last but not least , there is the “ what ,” which refers to the results of equity . The effective implementation of equity will transform the adults in the system . Educators continue to believe increasing test scores is the only desirable educational outcome of equity . I encourage you to engage a different perspective . The desired “ what ” of equity is developing a system that is more reflective and takes immediate action of the situational and institutional barriers within the system that greatly impact the adults ’/ educators ’ ability to reach and teach all students .
The system will be impacted at three levels : district , site and classroom . The system approach to educational equity will include implementing accountability structures to push the top and accelerate the bottom of the different student groups . We must take clearer steps to articulate that equity is not just about black and brown students . It ’ s about all students .
The district will have a governing board that clearly understands advocating for silent and silenced voices may provoke privileged parents . We have resounding evidence
20 Leadership
The site level is where we have boots on the ground . School site leadership makes or breaks the implementing of equity .
that when certain middle class parents engage the system at the board level , they can move the system .
As Alfie Kohn indicates in his article “ Only for My Kids ,” privileged parents believe in transformation for “ others ” but not for their kids . The equity leaders in the system must be ready to demonstrate and operationalize their definition of courage . This “ what ” of advocating against privilege is the hidden inequity of our system .
As a courageous equity leader , I share with my clients that if it is predictable , then it is preventable . An equity-driven district predicts the good , the bad and the ugly and plans accordingly .
Boots on the ground
The site level is where we have boots on the ground . School site leadership is the make or break of implementing equity .
An interesting revelation is emerging from school principals that requires immediate attention . School instructional leadership must clearly distinguish between two key elements of instruction . When principals say , “ Good teaching will improve outcomes for all students ,” my response to principals and instructional coaches is , “ Good and great teaching are third cousins ; not brother and sister .”
There are stark differences between the good and great . Effective differentiated instruction , with students being the producers of knowledge rather than the consumers of knowledge , is moving toward great teaching .
Good teaching for all is an equal strategy , and differentiated teaching is an equity strategy .
Our site principals must cultivate a school culture where the adults are comfortable being uncomfortable . In order to deeply experience the impact of equity , leaders must begin cultivating a learning environment where racially disaggregated student data is a norm of the school culture , and teachers use the data to have healthy instructional conversations to increase the learning of the top and bottom student groups . We can no longer think that the absence of racial , linguistic and socio‐economic data will somehow close the racial achievement gap .
Equity-driven site leaders have an insatiable appetite for coaching up mediocre instruction . In implementing equity , the leader works toward being a masterful instructional leader . If we are committed to effectively implementing equity , the site leader needs to know the elements of an effective lesson . Effective leaders know what good and great tastes like . More importantly , they know how to coach up to achieve greatness . It ’ s all about mindset . The third level of implementing is in the classroom . This is where the rubber meets the road . As stated earlier , Culturally Conscious Teaching Practices is an approach to engage eager learners .
Classroom equity is 75 percent mindset and 25 percent strategies . The teachers ’ expectations are critical to implementing equity . Teachers must understand that what they believe influences their actions with students .
The work of Carol Dweck involves moving the conversations and actions of teaching adults and students to transform their thinking from a “ fixed mindset to a growth mindset .” For students of color , teachers must understand that the “ stereotype threat ” is real . Teachers with an equity mindset understand that race , culture and language are always to be considered as positive instructional attributes when designing lessons .
Equity‐driven classes don ’ t wait for students to experience destructive struggles , but instead , they anticipate the struggle and plan effectively to minimize that for the students . The masterful teacher also knows cognitive struggle is how learning