Equity
masterminds:
THINKING TOGETHER IS THE KEY TO SUCCESS
Educational equity is
a big responsibility.
Sharing the work
with colleagues and
equity professionals
provides you with
partnerships, tools
and new possibilities
for transforming
classrooms and
improving schools.
24
Leadership
Gone are the days when your
role as an educator was straightforward and
relatively simple. Your job is now multifac-
eted and has literally become an occupation
that could feel like it involves everything
from soup to nuts, as the old saying goes.
Along with the ever-expanding task of
being responsible for preparing curriculum
and maintaining a 21st century learning
environment – one that is engaging, tech-
savvy and up to date – something else has
been added to your plate: educational equity.
If you happen to be an advocate of those
two little words, like myself, or you’re merely
choosing to experiment with the promises of
equity, you might be feeling overwhelmed.
That is understandable because of the con-
stant rethinking and retooling that is nec-
essary to navigate the myriad elements to
achieve your goals.
Equity demands that you recognize that
some students are at a larger disadvantage
than others, which means you have been
invited to become an educational special-
ist – someone who has much more to do to
stay on top of your game. And, unlike your
professional duties before the current em-
phasis on equity, you must now analyze each
educational offering through a scrutinizing
equity lens. Here is some of what equity re-
quires of you:
• To build a relationship of mutual respect
and grow trust with all of your students, no
matter who they may be.
• To employ “differentiation,” to support
students based on their abilities, interests,
gifts and personal dispositions.
• To conduct yourself as someone who
lifts up your students, while also demanding
excellence.
• To use story-telling to masterfully incor-
porate students’ ethnic, social and cultural
backgrounds into their learning.
• To learn about – and successfully imple-
ment – all the many tools and approaches for
arriving at equity outcomes.
By Aliah K. MaJon