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Impact of Various Factors: religious background, sexual orientation, gender identity, culture, family unit, and economic status significantly influence a child or adolescents personal growth and development by shaping the way the see themselves, social interactions, mental health, academic performance and overall wellbeing.  

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Impact of Various Factors: religious background, sexual orientation, gender identity, culture, family unit, and economic status significantly influence a child or adolescents personal growth and development by shaping the way the see themselves, social interactions, mental health, academic performance and overall wellbeing.  

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Implicit Biases and Cultural Competence 

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Implicit Biases and Cultural Competence 

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Implicit biases are the subconscious feelings, attitudes, prejudices, and stereotypes a person subconsciously has. Individuals are unaware they have these feelings.

Cultural Competence is the ability to interact with people from different cultures in a way that is effective and respectful.

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A framework for developing cultural competence should include; self assessments, managing differences, willingness to learn about other cultures, and the ability to adapt to the cultural needs of students. This creates an inclusive and welcoming environment.

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Implicit bias can have a negative impact on teachers perceptions of children and families in many ways including:

Expectations: a teacher may have different expectations for students from different backgrounds assuming a student from certain backgrounds will be ok with lower grades.

Grading: A teacher may grade certain students with higher capabilities harsher than those with low abilities.

Attention: Teachers may pay more attention to a certain group of students.

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Understanding Teacher Bias

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Acknowledging the Impact of Unconscious Bias

Upon clicking on this blog, you may be thinking "I am definitely not biased, so teacher bias does not affect my classroom or my instructional methods," but there's more than meets the eye. Many educators tend to follow the same school of thought, and hence, their students absorb the impact. But how? Within this article we will discuss different types of teacher bias, the impact of said bias, and some anti-bias teaching strategies to guide you to academic success.

What is Bias in Teaching?

In general, teacher bias, also known as educational bias, refers to prejudice against certain groups on the basis of age, gender, race, sexual orientation, or economic standing that causes educators to treat their students unfairly. Teacher bias falls in one of two categories, implicit bias (unconscious bias) or explicit bias. Explicit bias is educational bias that involves educators that are cognizant of the prejudices and attitudes they may possess toward certain groups of students on the basis of things such as race or gender. Implicit bias, though, refers to prejudices that a teacher may have that they are completely unaware of, which can cause damaging consequences in a classroom setting. Both of these types of teacher biases involve using these preconceived notions, opinions, or attitudes toward certain groups to make judgements that aren't quite rooted in facts, resulting in varying treatment of students.

Teacher Bias Examples

Examples of teacher bias, whether explicit or implicit, vary widely, but they are all rooted in the same thing- prejudice. "A common example often refers to academic ability," expressed Jennifer Pham, our National Curriculum Consultant. "Teachers are responsible for student achievement and growth. If they know that students walk in with an identification of ELL or Special Education or Gifted Education, they may make assumptions before getting to know that student, which can affect how they approach their instruction. For example, students identified as ELL may be mistaken for a student with a learning disability. Students with special education or gifted education needs may unnecessarily be given higher or lower level work expectations. Teachers may expect students who speak with certain accents to be poor writers. Students with substandard writing abilities may be stereotyped as lacking intellectual ability. Teachers might treat students with physical disabilities as if they may also have mental disabilities, and thus require more attention." Assumptions such as this can cause a serious amount of damage in the classroom, as every student has the ability to benefit from teachers when given equitable expectations, no matter where they start on their educational journey.

How does Teacher Bias Affect Students?

Teacher bias has the power to deeply affect students in the classroom in multiple ways that affect students' ability to succeed, grow, learn, and feel safe in the classroom. When students see their counterparts being treated differently, they also begin to pick up this learned behavior. "This is another high priority risk," says Jennifer. "When trying to create a culture of inclusion and creating a community of learners, imagine how it would feel to be a student who is experiencing this first-hand and other students are seeing it and inheriting this bias, oftentimes."

The mere act of witnessing the bias that teachers may have has the power to change the way students treat and see one another, and thus, promotes a culture that is anything but inclusive, culturally responsive, or productive when it comes to the development of Social-Emotional Learning skills. In turn, students will not feel as welcome in their classroom, making this environment less than conducive to producing academic success.

Outside of bias related to perceived mental or physical ability, common teacher biases can refer to:

Cultural misconceptions

Perceived capability due to gender

Sexual orientation

Economic standing

Anti Bias Teaching Strategies

Implicit teacher bias, also known as unconscious bias, can be a result of the experiences we have had over the course of our lifetime, but with a little effort, teachers can overcome it! Implementing a few anti-bias teaching strategies may be a little overwhelming, but Jennifer recommends you take the following steps:

1. Overcoming both implicit and explicit teacher bias requires educators to recognize that we are all human and that we all have biases. The problem often lies in the fact that there is a large pool of educators that think "I am not biased," and refuse to acknowledge otherwise. Becoming aware of the fact that we all are biased, even without intending to be, is what can truly set your classroom apart from others when paired with proper training.

2. Allow teachers to get to know their students and co-workers on a deeper level. Set aside time for intentional activities and facilitated questioning that allow for active listening, understanding, and empathy among one another. Though this may sound basic, it doesn't always happen. Oftentimes, teachers walk into the classroom with the thought "it's go time," but if you only look at the student on a surface level, you will accidentally look through the lens of your unconscious bias.

3. Refrain from ignoring a potential issue by saying "I do not see color or race." Though rooted in positive intentions, this mindset is one in which a teacher is essentially saying "this is the way things are and there is nothing that needs to change." Adoption of a more flexible mindset allows teachers to see where bias could be present and to proactively think about what to do when they see it. In doing so, teachers will be able to teach students about how to embrace differences among students and bring out the strength of others that are sometimes built on a cultural or racial background. A way to enhance this effort is to take time to celebrate holidays from the varying cultures present in your classroom outside of those celebrated in your district. This exposure will truly help students feel welcome and extend those welcoming feelings to other students of other cultures.

4. Providing equitable learning opportunities for students is imperative to academic growth. Set high expectations for all students rather than catering to those that teachers may feel are going to benefit the most from a particular challenging activity. Due to unconscious or implicit teacher bias, teachers may initially split up students by perceived ability level, but exposing the entire class to grade level resources and activities can help each student grow. Should a student or a group of students struggle, teachers can still provide extended time and help to those that need it.

5. Uncover biases you may have by taking an assessment such as the Implicit Association Test (IAT). During this assessment, participants will understand more about the attitudes and beliefs they may possess, making it easier to understand where anti bias teaching strategies may be necessary to incorporate.

6. Ensure that all teaching materials are culturally responsive and relevant to make it easier for students to see themselves in the material, making them more receptive to the material and more comfortable. If resources are culturally responsive, they will inherently be a perfect fit in an anti-bias teaching strategy.

Overcoming Teacher Bias

Becoming aware of any potential biases and investing in resources to combat them is essential to creating an environment in which all students feel welcome. Though becoming aware is more than half of the battle, there are tools that can allow educators to do so. From mandatory training for all teachers to digital assessments, there are many tools to keep teachers on the path of enlightenment. As you begin to consider the presence of teacher bias in your classroom, start by taking account of where bias may exist and determine how everything from teaching materials to classroom decor can be updated to align with anti-bias teaching strategies and culturally responsive teaching strategies. If you are currently trying to combat teacher bias in your school/district, we'd like to introduce you to Meaningful Conversations, an add-on to Raz-Plus that facilitates age-appropriate, respectful conversation within classrooms that covers ableism, racism, sexism, and more!

Stop Teacher Bias in its Tracks

Facilitate important conversation in your classroom
with a free trial of Meaningful Conversations.

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Understanding Teacher Bias - Impact of Unconscious Bias | Learning A-Z

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Acknowledging the Impact of Unconscious Bias Upon clicking on this blog, you may be thinking "I am definitely not biased, so teacher bias does not affect my classroom or my instructional methods," but there's more than meets the eye. Many educators tend to follow the same school of thought, and hence, their students absorb the impact.

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I recently stumbled upon a social media thread that asked educators to post three words that they would tell themselves during their first year as a teacher. I found myself replying, "Learn them first". The "them" in my statement referred to the students who would spend the academic year learning and growing with me as their guide.

During my tenure in education, it has become evident that the more I know about the students, the greater my impact on their emotional, social, and academic well-being. Knowing intricate details of why they do what they do, holidays that they celebrate, their family structure, their cultural values and norms, allows me to exercise a level of cultural competence that proves beneficial to my students.

What is Cultural Competence?

As it pertains to the field of education, Diller and Moule, authors of Cultural Competence: A primer for educators, states, "Cultural competence focuses on the ability to successfully teach students who come from cultures other than our own. It entails developing certain personal and interpersonal awareness and sensitivities, developing certain bodies of cultural knowledge, and mastering a set of skills that, taken together, underlie effective cross-cultural teaching."

The average American classroom boasts a melting pot of students who come from various backgrounds with a plethora of beliefs. It is highly likely that teachers will have little cultural compatibility with at least 10% of their class. Therefore, in order for one to deem themselves an effective educator, they must possess more than content knowledge. They must have the ability to not only accept cultural differences, but to respect them and embed them into the core of the learning environment.

Likewise, leaders in education such as superintendents, district leaders, and school administrators must create working environments that are conducive to the melting pot of educators who grace our schools. We are far removed from the American educational system that was once comprised mostly of former white male coaches in leadership roles and white females as teachers. Gone are the days where the bulk of our schools and districts were segregated. Today's educational system is made up of a mesh of races, ethnic backgrounds, religions, and belief systems. All of which carry value and must not only be tolerated, but accepted in order to adequately prepare our students for productive living in our world.

The Importance of Cultural Competence in Teaching

Culturally competent teachers establish classrooms that are inclusive and celebratory of the things that make people different. These classrooms are rich in discussions of cultural differences and what is acceptable and unacceptable among groups of people. In environments that are fostered by culturally competent educators, differences are not regulated to be celebrated during an assigned month. They are acknowledged, discussed, and celebrated throughout the school term. Teachers who lack cultural competence leave greater room for intolerance and bullying to occur under their guidance. They are more likely to misunderstand students who are different from their cultural norm.

Additionally, teachers who are not culturally competent are less likely to build authentic positive relationships with the students and parents who reside outside of their "normal", thus preventing them from truly making a positive difference in the lives of the students who are assigned to their tutelage. In some instances, teachers who are not culturally competent will utilize office referrals as a means to address behaviors that they do not understand as opposed to nurturing differences and using them as teaching and learning opportunities.

Ways to Address Cultural Competency Issues

This land of opportunity that we live in is great in theory; however, it is in practice where we seem to fall into error. Much of this failure stems from our refusal to not only accept but also respect differences. Having culturally competent teachers in every classroom will assist in getting us to the point where theory becomes a way of life. We get there by first acknowledging that there is a deficit of culturally competent teachers in our classrooms, and then we tackle "the how". How do we address cultural competency issues in education?

Take a microscopic look at who we are. We must consider our values and the nuisances that make up our psyche. Did we come from a two-parent home? Were or are we currently a part of the low, middle, or high class? What are our religious beliefs? After pondering all of these things, we should consider how they shape how we respond and relate to others. We must recognize, accept, and improve when the microscope reveals that who we are is preventing us from accepting and understanding others who are not like us.

Be intentional in our pursuit to understand others. School districts spend thousands of dollars annually investing in our ability to understand and teach content standards. Only a small portion of that amount is allotted towards professional development for teachers to acquire the skills necessary to become culturally competent.

This lack of investment is evident when we consider the testimonials of teachers who maintain that although they teach, the students do not care to learn. Most educators would agree that they are most successful working with students whom they have developed an authentic relationship. The more authentic the relationship between student and teacher, the greater the likelihood that the student is receptive to receiving knowledge. Investing financial resources into professional development geared towards helping teachers connect with students who are dissimilar to them will help eliminate the disconnect that prevents students from receiving the education that is being offered.

Look for ways to be inclusive. Our schools should be inviting to the community in which we serve. Regardless if a parent is from a lower or higher tax bracket, the treatment that they receive should be the same. As educators, we should search for ways to make sure that our PTAs, boosters, volunteer lists, and others reflect the body of students we serve. It is counterproductive to have a student body that is made up of various races, income brackets, and religious beliefs to only have a select type of parent representative serve in key volunteer roles.

Traditional event scheduling and invitations to volunteer and participate may not yield the results we need in diversifying inclusion in our schools. We must think outside the box by using mediums such as social media, church gatherings, and celebration dates that are special to different groups to increase inclusiveness.

Competency in utilizing differences as leverage to develop productive human beings is a must. The learners who grace our classrooms deserve to be taught by culturally competent educators who strive to relate to them beyond the information that they are relaying from a textbook.

References
Diller, J.V. and Moule, J. (2005). Cultural competence: A primer for educators. Belmont, CA: Thomas Wadsworth.

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Cultural Competence in Education - TeachHUB

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I recently stumbled upon a social media thread that asked educators to post three words that they would tell themselves during their first year as a teacher. I found myself replying, "Learn them first". The "them" in my statement referred to the students who would spend the academic year learning and growing with me as their guide.

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Creating A Culturally Competent Classroom

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The Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity