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Definition and Explanation: Implicit Biases

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Definition and Explanation: Implicit Biases

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Implicit bias refers to unconscious attitudes or stereotypes that people hold about certain groups, which can affect their actions and decisions without them realizing it. For example, someone might unconsciously associate people from specific cultural backgrounds with particular behaviors, leading to assumptions that may not be accurate. These biases can influence how we interact with others, make judgments, or even interpret situations. Recognizing and addressing these biases is important to ensure fair and respectful interactions with everyone, regardless of their background.

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A framework is a structured guide that provides a clear plan or set of principles to follow when addressing a specific goal. In the context of developing cultural competence, a framework outlines the key steps teachers can take to create inclusive and respectful classrooms where all students feel welcome and supported. Valuing diversity means understanding and respecting the different cultural backgrounds and experiences of students, which helps them feel like they belong. Conducting ongoing self-assessments allows teachers to think about their own biases and teaching methods to make sure they are helping all students. Managing differences means finding ways to handle misunderstandings or conflicts that might come up because of cultural differences in a respectful way. A willingness to develop cultural knowledge is about learning more about students’ traditions and experiences so teachers can connect with them better. Finally, the ability to adapt helps teachers adjust their teaching methods to meet the unique needs of their students. These steps work together to create classrooms that are fair, inclusive, and supportive.

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Implicit bias refers to unconscious attitudes or stereotypes that influence how teachers perceive their students and their families. These biases can impact how teachers assess students’ abilities, treat them in the classroom, and set expectations, often resulting in unequal opportunities and a less inclusive environment.

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Awareness of Implicit Biases | Poorvu Center for Teaching and Learning

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Examples Instructors may assume that certain students know to seek help when they are struggling, although students at higher risk for struggling academically are often less likely to seek help and support. Instructors may assume that students from certain backgrounds or social groups have differi…

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Difference Between Implicit and Explicit 

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Difference Between Implicit and Explicit 

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Definition and Explanation: Cultural Competence 

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Definition and Explanation: Cultural Competence 

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Cultural competence is the ability to effectively interact with and respect people from different cultural backgrounds. It involves valuing diversity, being open to learning about other cultures, and adapting to the unique needs of diverse groups. This skill goes beyond simply tolerating differences as it requires active listening, empathy, and engaging in meaningful relationships. For example, being culturally competent might involve adjusting communication styles to respect cultural norms or incorporating students’ diverse backgrounds into classroom lessons. This not only creates a more inclusive environment but also helps bridge cultural gaps and fosters deeper understanding and collaboration.

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The Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity

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Cultural competence in education is more than just a trend. It's a valuable opportunity to transform pedagogy, institutional goals and procedures, and student-teacher relationships to create more inclusive classrooms.
Culturally competent education has proven benefits for students, institutions, and society as a whole. This blog covers what cultural competence is, the value of teaching cultural competence to educators at all levels of education, and specific strategies for implementing cultural competence in the classroom.
Cultural competence and community are two of Unity Environmental University's core values.
What Is Cultural Competence In Education?

Culture is the set of beliefs and customs shared by a group of people based on their geographical location and/or ethnic background. The U.S. is and always has been a country of many different cultures. Students and professors carry their cultural differences into the classroom with them. These differences can affect how people learn, how information is presented, how students interact with the professor and their peers, and more.

There are many examples of how cultural differences manifest in education:

In some cultures, prolonged eye contact with someone in authority like a teacher is considered rude.

In other cultures, not making eye contact with the teacher is considered disrespectful or a sign of being unfocused.

These are two completely contradictory beliefs about how to show respect in the classroom. This can create confusion or conflict for people with different cultural beliefs about eye contact.

Because cultural differences, big and small, affect learners and teachers in the classroom, cultural competence in education is key to fostering an inclusive learning environment. Cultural competence is more than sharing food and language. It's an ongoing process of learning, understanding, and respecting cultural differences.

Benefits Of Cultivating Cultural Competence In The Classroom

Cultural awareness in education is helpful to both students and educators. The benefits of culturally competent teaching students include but are not limited to:
The positive effects of education reverberate throughout society and the natural environment.

Enhanced mutual respect

Improved communication

A more supportive learning environment

Increased critical thinking and innovation

Teaching cultural competence can help make institutions and classrooms more welcoming and accessible to all types of students. This is especially beneficial to marginalized groups of people who may not always feel welcome in institutions that were historically discriminatory. Higher education is proven to have a positive impact on social mobility, so cultural competence in educational systems can potentially improve social mobility for marginalized groups.

Strategies For Teaching And Implementing Cultural Competence

Culturally competent teaching first requires educators to look inward at their own cultural identity, including any biases and privileges they may have. Awareness in the classroom can lead to deconstructing previously held beliefs and creating new, more inclusive ones. This can then lead to challenging any biases or exclusionary beliefs that others hold. Therefore, it's important for educators to be lifelong learners themselves and practice introspection.

Consider going to graduate school to expand your perspectives and gain up-to-date knowledge and skills. Many universities, including Unity Environmental University, have adopted inclusive pedagogies that recognize and respect the diverse cultural backgrounds of all students.

Integrating Multicultural Curriculum And Resources

Educators can incorporate a diverse range of cultural perspectives into their curriculum. Be intentional about selecting resources that represent a variety of cultures, histories, and contributions to foster a more comprehensive understanding of the world. This includes institutional materials, wall decorations for the classroom, and language used when interacting with students.

With curriculum, try to be as inclusive as possible without sacrificing the quality of education. Strategic instructional design can help schools create highly effective materials that are relevant and engaging to modern students. Incorporating experiential learning can also help students connect what they are learning in the classroom with how it relates to their own lives outside of school.
Ready To Learn More About Unity Environmental University?
Professional Development For Educators

All educators should have an understanding of what cultural competence is and how cultural differences affect learning. Professional development training is vital for new and veteran teachers in K-12 and higher education institutions. Workshops, seminars, and collaborative projects focused on cultural competence can build understanding and accountability for the effective implementation of culturally competent practices and materials.

Trainings can even be specific to certain areas based on the populations they serve. For example, a school with a large percentage of students from Somalia can make sure that teachers and staff have at least a basic understanding of Somali culture, including any cultural values around education. This can help teachers get to know students better and build more authentic relationships.

Unity Environmental University Is Committed To Integrating Cultural Competence In Our Education

Unity Environmental University values diversity and equity, and providing culturally competent education is one of the ways those core values guide our work as a higher learning institution. We also believe in the power of an educated society to address the social, political, and environmental challenges that face our planet. This is articulated in the Unity Environmental University vision statement of being "a multifaceted organization recognized as the thought leader in global ecological, economic, and societal solutions."

Cultural awareness in education will only become increasingly important as our society becomes more diverse and globally connected, and you can find Unity Environmental University at the forefront. We actively seek work from underrepresented demographics for learning materials in our courses. In subjects traditionally associated with the humanities, like communications, languages, media, and art, we often explicitly address cultural competence. Unity tries to avoid the trappings of diversity - without substance - by hiring Subject Matter Experts from diverse backgrounds to develop and iterate our courses.

Example Of Cultural Competence In The Classroom At Unity Environmental University

Zachary Falcon, Esq. is a Professor of Conservation Law and Policy at Unity Environmental University. During the 2024 January term, he taught the American Government: Foundations in Environmental Law class. There were concerns about discussions turning toxic and unmanageable during this time of increasing political polarization and the 2024 election year. He discovered that his students' cultural competence was high.

Professor Falcon remarked, "Though the students came from all walks of life, of different ages, backgrounds, and political affiliations, they showed each other boundless care and respect. In the very first discussion, a student explained that he had made the choice not to vote at all. As [one] might imagine, other students had a range of opinions about that stance, but each one made a point of demonstrating their respect for his choice and the integrity of his motives. Prior to the class, I was prepared to offer guidance on the need for civil discourse. Not only was my guidance unneeded, but the students demonstrated skills and competencies I wish more of us shared."

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What Is Cultural Competence In Education? Why It's Important

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Explore the importance of cultural competence in education, its benefits, and practical strategies to create inclusive classes.

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Arkansas Open Educational Resources (OER)

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This resource explains how religion shapes children’s morals and emotions while highlighting challenges like restricted freedoms or harmful practices. It’s helpful for understanding how students’ beliefs might affect their learning and interactions in class, such as respecting diverse traditions or addressing conflicts tied to religious differences.

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Influence of religion on children and their rights
Nearly 86% of the world's population is religious, including all religions. In numerous countries, religion guides social behavior and plays a significant role in daily life, including for children.
Definition of religion

A religion is a group of beliefs and rituals.

It consists of rules, stories and symbols which are adopted by the society, a group or a person. Religion may be a way of life and/or a search for answers regarding life and death.

Children, like adults, have the freedom to choose and practice their religion, this right being protected by article 14 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child: "States Parties shall respect the right of the child to freedom of thought, conscience and religion."

The African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child of 1999 also defends religious freedom for children in article 9. The Committee on the Rights and Welfare of the Child can draft reports after having investigated a country. In Europe, in the 47 countries making up the Council of Europe, freedom of thought and religion are protected by article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights, for children as well as adults. If a country does not abide by it, it may be punished by the European Court of Human Rights.

Map of different majority religions and beliefs in the world

The notion of religious freedom is not universally recognized and accepted throughout the world. People do not have the same freedom of religion from one country to another.

Theocracies (Vatican City, Saudi Arabia, the Republic of Maldives and the Islamic Republic of Iran) are countries where the clergy exercises power in the name of God and where the practice of other religions is formally prohibited and/or strictly controlled.

Under communist regimes, practice of religion was prohibited. Today, the People's Republic of China and Cuba are officially secular states which practice state atheism. Religious practice is permitted but tightly controlled and regulated.

There are also countries with a state religion. In these countries there is a strong relationship between religion and government. As a general rule, religion is written into the constitution and enjoys an elevated status. These countries include, for example, Jordan, Greece and Cambodia.

Finally, there are numerous secular (neutral regarding religion) and laical (independent of religious authority) nations. This includes the vast majority of countries in the world, for example Mexico, Turkey, France, Ethiopia and Brazil. All recognize freedom of religion and establish a separation of Church and State.

Throughout the world, certain religious minorities are restricted and cannot practice their faith. This affects children belonging to these minorities as well, who do not have access to the same schools and, once adults, will not have access to every profession. Poorly regarded by the state and society, they remain at the margins of the community. In some countries, apostasy (changing one's religion) is a crime punishable by death.

Children, the first victims of religious conflicts

In numerous countries and on every continent, religion can be a source of conflict, and even wars. Unfortunately, children are too commonly the victims. And, unfortunately, examples abound throughout the world.

In the Balkans region of Europe, even though the war is officially over, areas of tension persist between Orthodox Christians, Catholics and Muslims, the latter continuing to be the victims of discrimination. In Ireland, The Troubles between Protestants and Catholics officially ended on 10 April, 1998 with the Good Friday Agreement after 30 years of civil war which resulted in 3,500 deaths, of which many were women and children.

In the Caucasus, at the gates of Europe and Asia, every day people are killed in terrible clashes between Orthodox Christians and Muslims in Chechnya, Dagestan and Nagorno-Karabakh.

In Africa, in Nigeria religious tensions between the predominantly Muslim north and the Christian and animistic south have resulted in a large number of deaths since Christmas 2011. In Egypt, Copts are victims of discrimination and children are the first victims. Access to school, health care and employment are restricted for the Coptic minority.

Controversial and dangerous practices

In some countries, religious extremists strongly discriminate against women and young girls. Under the Taliban regime, in Afghanistan, girls were not allowed to go to school. This ban has since been lifted, but an entire generation of girls was never even taught to read or write. In addition, the regime banned playing in the street, laughing, singing and listening to music. Even if the Taliban is no longer in power, certain customs and traditions remain. Elsewhere still, girls continue to be subjected to discriminatory laws.

All religious fundamentalism, be it Christian, Muslim, Jewish or others, endangers the children's rights, especially those of girls. Certain religious interpretations linked to ancestral traditions can be the source of violence committed against children. Let us look specifically at the cases of female genital mutilation and child marriage.

This is the union of two children or, more often, of a young girl and an adult man, sometimes much older. These marriages can be found throughout the world, but mainly in (Sub-Saharan) Africa and Southern Asia where values such as virginity and fertility of women are very important. Child marriage is not approved by any religion, even if some still use this justification.

In Islamic West Africa, the practice of "sadaka" (offering, donation in Arabic) has become a religious practice. The parents, in order to avoid Hell, give their young girl to a marabout, a religious dignitary, or a member of their family. As this is done without the consent of the young girl, this practice goes against the Quran.
Female circumcision and genital mutilation
Female circumcision is the mutilation of the genitals of girls, during childhood, most commonly done in unsanitary conditions. Mainly situated in Africa, the majority of populations that practice female circumcision are Muslim, but the practice is also found in Christian, as well as Jewish communities. However, no religion mentions or supports this custom.

It stems rather from ancestral tradition and popular beliefs as circumcision was already practiced before the arrival of Christianity and Islam. Recently, religious leaders have publicly opposed these mutilations. For example in Senegal and Egypt, Imams are speaking out to these populations, calling for a ban to put a stop to this dangerous and violent practice.

The consequences of female circumcision are dramatic. Young girls can die from hemorrhages and infections, be infected by HIV/AIDS, and suffer intense physical and psychological pain.

The provision of religion for children

Religion is very important for many societies; it allows children to learn morals, and answers questions regarding life and death, relationships between people and their place in the world, and notions of good and evil. The major religions are all based on ideals of wisdom, solidarity and justice. All this is transmitted to children by their family, school and society so that they may become wise and respectful.
Support of the Rights of the Child by religious authorities
Religious authorities can play an important role in improving the application of the Rights of the Child. As influential and respected members of their communities, religious leaders can encourage the actions and developments of the protection of children. They also possess the necessary influence to stop these practices, customs, sources of violence and discrimination against children.

Religious leaders can become leading actors in the defense of children's rights. For example, this has been the case in Afghanistan, where the promotion of education for young girls has gone through certain religious dignitaries. In Ethiopia, a week of awareness for HIV/AIDS was created by Christian and Muslim religious leaders.

Throughout the world, many religious groups promote and actively defend the Rights of the Child, such as Islamic Relief Worldwide and Secours Catholique. This is explained by the fact that the defense and protection of children is a cornerstone in the philosophies of most religions.

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Children and religion Influence of religion on children and their rights Nearly 86% of the world's population is religious, including all religions. In numerous countries, religion guides social behavior and plays a significant role in daily life, including for children. Definition of religion A religion is a group of beliefs and rituals.

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This resource offers a clear explanation of sexual orientation, emphasizing its role in identity development and addressing common misconceptions, making it valuable for understanding how to support LGBTQ+ teens in an educational setting​. Sexual orientation can influence classroom dynamics as LGBTQ+ students might face challenges such as exclusion, bullying, or feeling isolated during discussions about relationships or families. A supportive classroom, where diversity is celebrated, can help these students feel safe to express themselves and fully engage in their education. Teachers play a crucial role by modeling inclusivity, using inclusive language, and addressing biases promptly to foster a welcoming environment for all students.

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Adolescence is the dawn of sexual attraction. It happens due to the hormonal changes of puberty. These changes involve both the body and the mind - so just thinking about someone attractive can cause physical arousal.

These new feelings can be intense, confusing, sometimes even overwhelming. Teens are beginning to discover what it means to be attracted romantically and physically to others. And recognizing one's sexual orientation is part of that process.

What Is Sexual Orientation?

The term sexual orientation refers to the gender (that is, male or female) to which a person is attracted. There are several types of sexual orientation that are commonly described:

Heterosexual (straight). People who are heterosexual are romantically and physically attracted to members of the opposite sex: males are attracted to females, and females are attracted to males. Heterosexuals are often called "straight."

Homosexual (gay or lesbian). People who are homosexual are romantically and physically attracted to people of the same sex: females are attracted to other females; males are attracted to other males. Homosexuals (whether male or female) are often called "gay." Gay females are also called lesbian.

Bisexual. People who are bisexual are romantically and physically attracted to members of both sexes.

Do We Choose Our Orientation?

Being straight, gay, or bisexual is not something that a person can choose or choose to change. In fact, people don't choose their sexual orientation any more than they choose their height or eye color. It is estimated that about 10% of people are gay. Gay people are represented in all walks of life, across all nationalities, ethnic backgrounds, and in all social and economic groups.

No one fully understands exactly what determines a person's sexual orientation, but it is likely explained by a variety of biological and genetic factors. Medical experts and organizations such as the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the American Psychological Association (APA) view sexual orientation as part of someone's nature. Being gay is also not considered a mental disorder or abnormality.

Despite myths and misconceptions, there is no evidence that being gay is caused by early childhood experiences, parenting styles, or the way someone is raised.

Efforts to change gay people to straight (sometimes called "conversion therapy") have been proven to be ineffective and can be harmful. Health and mental health professionals caution against any efforts to change a person's sexual orientation.

At What Age Do Kids "Know"?

Knowing one's sexual orientation - whether straight or gay - is often something that kids or teens recognize with little doubt from a very young age. Some gay teens say they had same-sex crushes in childhood, just as their heterosexual peers had opposite-sex crushes.

By middle school, as they enter adolescence, many gay teens already recognize their sexual orientation, whether or not they have revealed it to anyone else. Those who didn't realize they were gay at first often say that they always felt different from their peers, but didn't exactly know why.

Becoming aware of - and coming to terms with - one's sexual orientation can take some time. Thinking sexually about both the same sex and the opposite sex is quite common as teens sort through their emerging sexual feelings.

Some teens may experiment with sexual experiences, including those with members of the same sex, as they explore their own sexuality. But these experiences, by themselves, do not necessarily mean that a teen is gay or straight. For many teens, these experiences are simply part of the process of sorting through their emerging sexuality. And despite gender stereotypes, masculine and feminine traits do not necessarily predict whether someone is straight or gay.

Once aware, some gay teens may be quite comfortable and accept their sexuality, while others might find it confusing or difficult to accept.

How Gay Teens Might Feel

Like their straight peers, gay teens may stress about school, grades, college, sports, activities, friends, and fitting in. But in addition, gay and lesbian teens often deal with an extra layer of stress - like whether they have to hide who they are, whether they will be harassed about being gay, or whether they will face stereotypes or judgments if they are honest about who they are.

They often feel different from their friends when the heterosexual people around them start talking about romantic feelings, dating, and sex. For them, it can feel like everyone is expected to be straight. They may feel like they have to pretend to feel things that they don't in order to fit in. They might feel they need to deny who they are or hide an important part of themselves.

Many gay teens worry about whether they will be accepted or rejected by their loved ones, or whether people will feel upset, angry, or disappointed in them. These fears of prejudice, discrimination, rejection, or violence, can lead some teens who aren't straight to keep their sexual orientation secret, even from friends and family who might be supportive.

It can take time for gay teens to process how they feel and to accept this aspect of their own identity before they reveal their sexual orientation to others. Many decide to tell a few accepting, supportive friends and family members about their sexual orientation. This is called coming out.

For most people, coming out takes courage. In some situations, teens who are openly gay may risk facing more harassment than those who haven't revealed their sexual orientation. But many lesbian, gay, and bisexual teens who come out to their friends and families are fully accepted by them and their communities. They feel comfortable and secure about being attracted to people of the same gender. In a recent survey, teens who had come out reported feeling happier and less stressed than those who hadn't.

How Parents Might Feel

Adolescence is a time of transition not just for teens, but for their parents too. Many parents face their teen's emerging sexuality with a mix of confusion and worry. They may feel completely unprepared for this next stage of parenthood. And if their child is gay, it may bring a whole new set of questions and concerns.

Some are surprised to learn the truth, always having thought their child was straight. Others wonder whether the news is really true and whether their teen is sure. They might wonder if they did something to cause their child to be gay - but they shouldn't. There is no evidence that being gay is the result of the way that someone was raised.

Fortunately, many parents of gay teens understand and are accepting right from the start. They feel they have known all along, even before their teen came out to them. They often feel glad that their child chose to confide in them, and are proud of their child for having the courage to tell them.

Other parents feel upset, disappointed, or unable to accept their teen's sexual orientation at first. They may be concerned or worried about whether their son or daughter will be bullied, mistreated, or marginalized. And they might feel protective, worrying that others might judge or reject their child. Some also struggle to reconcile their teen's sexual orientation with their religious or personal beliefs. Sadly, some react with anger, hostility, or rejection.

But many parents find that they just need time to adjust to the news. That's where support groups and other organizations can help. It can be reassuring for them to learn about openly gay people who lead happy, successful lives.

With time, even parents who thought they couldn't possibly accept their teen's sexual orientation are surprised to find that they can reach a place of understanding.

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During the teen years, sexual feelings are awakened in new ways because of the hormonal and physical changes of puberty. It takes time for many kids to understand who they are and who they're becoming. Part of that understanding includes a person's sexual feelings and attractions.

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What is Cultural Competence (Video Example)

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What is Cultural Competence (Video Example)

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Arkansas Open Educational Resources (OER)

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This resource explains what gender identity is and how it affects students in schools. It provides tips for teachers on creating safe spaces, using inclusive language, and understanding challenges faced by gender-diverse students, helping them feel supported and respected.

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This resource talks about how a positive school culture can make learning and socializing better for everyone. It highlights the importance of respecting different beliefs and working together as a community. In the classroom, this could mean creating an inclusive space where students from different backgrounds feel welcome and supported.

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Improving School Culture for a Better Learning Environment

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Not sure how to make your school culture more positive? Here’s what you need to know.

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This resource explains how family engagement positively impacts student success, emphasizing the need for strong partnerships between schools and families. It discusses strategies for overcoming barriers like busy schedules and communication challenges, helping educators create environments where families feel welcomed and valued. In the classroom, this can foster better student behavior, academic growth, and stronger parent-teacher relationships.

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Parents are the experts on their children. Yet, district leaders know that promoting family engagement is far from a simple endeavor.

Educators and administrators play a large role in shaping family-school partnerships. When schools elevate families as true partners and the experts that they are, students benefit significantly. When districts support families through thoughtful, equitable policies and programs, it encourages broader community engagement that can help to enrich student learning and optimize student success.

Decades of research outline a clear need for parent involvement in a child's educational experience. When families are engaged in school, their children are more likely to succeed.

However, the research also shows that there are many common barriers to parental involvement. These barriers-such as a lack of time, childcare needs, and negative perceptions about school and staff-can make it difficult for families to engage in their children's education.

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to family engagement. However, it's crucial to ensure families have a voice in their child's educational experience. Random acts of engagement are not enough; districts must look to systematically involve families across all grade levels.

This guide will equip you with the strategies and tools you need to meaningfully and continuously engage families in their children's learning and development. By the end, you'll understand common barriers to engaging families, equity-centered and technology-supported strategies for connecting with caregivers, and methods for enabling family engagement with survey data.

Table of Contents
1. What Is Family Engagement? 2. The Power of Parent Involvement 3. Identifying Barriers to Family Engagement 4. Strategies for Supporting Family Engagement in Schools 5. Family Engagement Resources

Key Takeaways:

1. Family engagement is fundamental for student success, fostering academic and social-emotional development: Research consistently demonstrates that when families are actively involved in their children's education, it positively impacts their academic performance, as well as their overall well-being. Engaged families provide crucial support systems that complement the efforts of educators, contributing to a more holistic learning experience for students.

2. Common barriers to engagement include busy schedules, childcare needs, and perceptions of school staff being too busy: Despite recognizing the importance of family involvement, many parents face obstacles that hinder their ability to participate fully in their child's educational journey. Factors such as demanding work schedules, lack of access to childcare, and perceptions of educators' unavailability can create significant barriers to meaningful engagement.

3. Effective strategies involve grounding efforts in evidence-based frameworks, inviting family input, ensuring inclusivity, offering flexible involvement options, and leveraging various communication tools: To overcome these barriers, districts must adopt strategies that prioritize evidence-based approaches, actively seek input from families, promote inclusivity, provide flexible opportunities for involvement, and utilize diverse communication tools to facilitate dialogue and collaboration between schools and families.

Download Now: Panorama's Free Family Engagement Toolkit

What is Family Engagement?

Family engagement is the shared responsibility of family members, schools, and communities. District and school leaders often consider family engagement a two-way process that begins in early childhood education, persists through high school, and occurs across multiple settings where children learn.

Relational trust, mutual respect, and cultural responsiveness are pillars of systemic family engagement. The Global Family Research Project, led by researchers at Harvard University, identifies systemic family engagement - that is, parent engagement that is integrated into school structures and educator professional development - as a core component of educational goals, such as student achievement, school turnaround, and school readiness.

Family engagement requires a commitment from school leaders and educators to:

Create and sustain partnerships that are ongoing, mutual, built on trust and respect

Focus on supporting family well-being and student achievement

Honor and support the strengthening of parent-child relationships, which are central to a child's healthy development, school readiness, and well-being.

To recognize the many different types of family configurations, researchers and youth-serving organizations tend to include parents as well as other adult caregivers in the definition of "family." For instance: many early childhood education centers describe family engagement as including biological, adoptive, and foster parents; grandparents; legal guardians and informal guardians; and adult siblings.

Questions to Consider

1. How does our district define "family engagement"?

2. Which types of families in our community need support in advocating for their child? How can we identify the supports that these families need?

3. How can we equip families with resources to empower them to practice social-emotional learning at home?

The Power of Parent Involvement

Why is Family Engagement Important?

Research shows that involving families in their children's education is paramount to student success. When families are meaningfully and continuously engaged in their children's learning and development, it has a positive impact on their child's health, academic, and well-being outcomes. Furthermore, numerous studies have shown that family involvement can benefit all students, especially those less likely to succeed in school.

Cumulative evidence from decades of research indicates that strong relationships among schools, families, and community members can positively impact student achievement and social-emotional health.

Family involvement has been shown to benefit children from diverse ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds. For instance: Latino youth with parents who provide encouragement and emphasize the value of education as a way out of poverty tend to have higher grades.

Schools that engage families find that their students have higher grades, show faster rates of literacy acquisition, attend school more regularly, and are more likely to graduate from high school and attend college.

Children in grades K-3 whose parents participate in school activities tend to develop high-quality work habits and task orientation compared to children whose parents did not participate.

At a more holistic level, many studies support the importance of partnerships among families, schools, and the broader community.

Adolescents whose parents monitor their academic and social activities have lower rates of delinquency and higher rates of social competence and academic growth.

Emerging research suggests that teachers, parents, and administrators can play an instrumental role in facilitating successful partnerships and improving relationships to enhance student achievement.

Research shows that a lack of trust is often what keeps historically marginalized families (which includes families of language learners) from spending time at school.

Parental involvement tends to decline as children progress through elementary school and into middle and high school.

Questions to Consider:

1. Does our staff understand the importance of community engagement?

2. Is our staff equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to support family engagement? If not, how can we better support our staff?

Identifying Barriers to Family Engagement

We know that engaging families is critical for student success-in academics and social-emotional learning- as well as for the overall school climate.

Now, let's discuss the barriers that can prevent families from effectively engaging with school. Many of these barriers - such as families perceiving school staff as too busy to interact with them or that the school doesn't properly communicate opportunities to be involved - are areas that administrators and teachers can improve when they understand the underlying obstacle or challenge.

Common Barriers to Family Engagement

The following factors are commonly cited in research as barriers preventing families from engaging in their child's educational experience:

Busy work schedule for parents

Childcare needs

Staff and school seem too busy

Fears that adults at school will treat their children differently if they raise a concern

Lack of trust

Lack of information about involvement opportunities

Lack of guidance on how to communicate with the school

Transportation-related challenges

Low feelings of belonging with the school community

Measuring Family Engagement

In order to better collaborate with families, districts and schools need to better understand the needs, obstacles and challenges facing caregivers. Too often, educator perceptions of family engagement barriers do not align with families' experiences.

Conducting bi-annual, district-wide family surveys is one way to collect robust data that can elevate family voices and experiences.

By conducting a survey of your families, your school or district can hear from a representative group of parents and guardians, rather than relying only on the perspectives of parents who are already highly engaged in advisory committees or PTA groups.

Panorama Education's Family-School Relationships Survey - developed in partnership with Dr. Karen Mapp and researchers at the Harvard Graduate School of Education - provides districts with a clear picture of family attitudes about a wide array of topics, including:

School Fit: Families' perceptions of how well a school matches their child's developmental needs (e.g., how well do you feel your child's school is preparing him/her for his/her next academic year?)

Family Efficacy: How confident families are with regard to key parenting skills (e.g., how confident are you in your ability to support your child's learning at home?)

School Climate: Perceptions of the overall social and learning climate of their child's school (e.g., to what extent do you think that children enjoy going to your child's school?)

Barriers to Engagement: Factors that can create challenges for families to interact with their child's school. (e.g., how big of a problem are the following issues for becoming involved with your child's current school?)

In aggregating our dataset of responses of over 18,000 parents and guardians from diverse school communities across the country, several themes emerged in terms of common barriers to engagement for families. The most common barrier to engagement is a lack of time, with 54 percent of parents and guardians reporting that their busy schedule is a "medium" to "very large" problem for becoming involved in their child's school. Other top barriers to engagement include:

Childcare needs

A perception that school staff seem too busy

A belief that school staff will treat their child differently if the parent or guardian raises a concern

A lack of information provided from the school about involvement opportunities

Questions to Consider:

1. Are we inviting feedback from all families in our district? If so, are we asking the right questions to truly understand their obstacles and challenges when it comes to engaging with their child's education?

2. Are caregiver voices influencing our family-school partnership programs?

Strategies for Supporting Family Engagement in Schools

Ground your district's strategic planning in an evidence-based family engagement framework

Invite families to share priorities, concerns, and feedback

Bring families into the decision-making process

Assess all family engagement initiatives through an equity lens

Offer flexibility and a variety of options for family involvement

Leverage a variety of tools to facilitate meaningful, two-way communication

The work doesn't stop once your district has identified the barriers or obstacles to family engagement. With survey data readily available, family engagement coordinators and district leaders can take targeted steps to reduce these barriers through targeted strategies that build authentic family-school partnerships.

A strong family engagement plan consists of thoughtful, culturally-responsive, and equity-centered strategies that are grounded in feedback from both caregivers and as educators.

Ground your district's strategic planning in an evidence-based family engagement framework

The Dual Capacity-Building Framework for Family-School Partnerships is a valuable resource to consider when developing family engagement strategies.

Based on existing research and best practices, the Dual Capacity-Building Framework for Family-School Partnerships is designed to support the development of family engagement strategies, policies, and programs. Developed by Dr. Karen Mapp and a team of researchers at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, the framework provides the goals and "essential conditions" necessary for districts to chart a path toward effective family engagement efforts that support student achievement and school improvement.

As one example of this framework in action, Baltimore City Public Schools created a program that sent pre-kindergarten and kindergarten students home with bags containing award-winning children's books and resources for parents on how to promote early childhood literacy at home.

Invite families to share priorities, concerns, and feedback

Using family surveys, administrators can invite caregivers to document their perceptions of their child's experience in school. The data gathered can help districts better understand the experience of all caregivers, delve into potential disparities occurring on demographic and socioeconomic lines, and institute policy and programmatic changes accordingly.

Families can also share any skills or contributions they would like to offer to the school community. School leaders can then provide families with volunteer opportunities to match those skills and interests.

Bring families into the decision-making process

Successful family engagement programs are built on a foundation of joint decision-making and goal setting. Inviting families to take part in this work can increase caregiver engagement and reinforce that their involvement will have a direct impact on their children's education and well-being.

Some districts invite caregivers to be part of their decision-making process through specific councils or committees that are tasked with setting school policies or developing enrichment programs.

Other districts create advisory committees composed of teachers, administrators, parents, and community leaders to solicit and provide input on educational initiatives and policy.

Assess all family engagement initiatives through an equity lens

Your district's family engagement initiatives must be responsive to the attitudes, behaviors, and beliefs of all families. No matter a family's race, ethnicity, culture, or socioeconomic status, every family has both aspirations and concerns for their children's success. Families are the foundation from which teachers build their students' voice, agency, and academic development. Without this understanding, the most well-intentioned efforts can fall short of establishing authentic partnership with families.

In linguistically and culturally diverse communities, it is of particular importance for districts to recognize and honor the traditions and sacrifices of all families. Families of color typically rely heavily on familial and social networks, including extended family members.

Consider the following when evaluating your district's family engagement programs:

In addition to high-quality early learning opportunities for children, is it possible to offer postsecondary education for families through a community partner?

Is it possible to provide economic supports to families in need through grants or fundraising?

Are there formal and informal networks of support for all families, especially those who may not be able to engage with schools in traditional ways?

What assumptions are district leaders, school leaders, and educators making about class, culture, or language that might detract from well-intentioned family engagement initiatives? This is especially important to reflect on when planning ways to welcome parents and families into the classroom.

Are we using plain terms when communicating with parents? How might communication practices or language reflect power versus partnership?

Offer flexibility and a variety of options for family involvement

Flexibility is key. Not all parents have time to visit school in the middle of the day or to attend meetings on school nights. Although some parents may want to be involved in projects or committees, they may lack the time, resources, or social capital to engage.

Here are examples of ways to set up flexible pathways for parental involvement.

Offer supplementary educational resources to support learning at home (both for academics and social-emotional learning) via a school newsletter, social media updates, or in-person workshops. Families should receive frequent, digestible information on curriculum, instructional strategies, student assessment data, and overall student progress.

Set up online and mobile event registration and/or host events for parents online to make it easier for parents to participate. Also consider recording these sessions to share with parents who could not attend live.

When asking for help with fundraising, event planning, or field trip coordination, always include multiple options for parent participation. For example, provide options for helping during and after school hours. Ask parents to recommend community organizations that the school could collaborate with. Make it clear that any and all help-no matter how small the contribution-is valued.

Set up a parent-teacher home visit program. Research points to numerous benefits when teachers visit the homes of their students, including increased connection between teachers and parents, more parental engagement in a child's academics, increased trust and communication, and better student behavior.

Launch a literacy-themed family teacher night, similar to the one that Wake County Public School System piloted (details in this blog post).

When schools offer flexible options for parents to get involved, and parents can start to see the positive benefit of investing in school initiatives, engagement efforts are far more likely to be successful.

Leverage a variety of tools to facilitate meaningful, two-way communication

When implemented effectively, parental engagement strategies employ consistent, two-way, meaningful communication to ensure parents are viewed as full partners in their children's education and included (and truly heard) in decision-making processes that involve their school's various education programs.

According to a 2018 report on community engagement, parents want timely and impactful communication from their child's school. They want to be kept informed without feeling overwhelmed.

Two-way communication (correspondence that goes back-and-forth between parents and educators as equals) is crucial to conveying care and building trust. One-way communication (communication that only flows from the school to the home) is inadequate for deeply attending to families' experiences, strengths, and needs. Districts need to allow for both school- and family- initiated communication that is timely and continuous, focuses on a child's educational experience, and reflects each family's language preference.

In the past decade, technology-enabled family engagement has emerged as a new option for schools. When assessing which tools or mediums are a best fit for your district's unique context (and your families' unique needs), consider some of our favorite options:

Communication Tools: Apart from the main social media platforms, tools such as Remind and ClassDojo make it possible for teachers to virtually bring parents into the classroom. These apps allow teachers and parents to communicate and share information quickly. Both options offer translation capabilities. Another app, Ready4K, offers evidence-based text messages for parents that can deliver an entire family engagement curriculum via SMS.

Video Tools: In addition to connecting with families via Zoom, educators can share news about student work or create lessons for families to view online using platforms such as Educreations, Flipgrid, or Screencastify. These tools also allow educators to record videos of announcements, record lessons to share with parents, or capture student learning through digital portfolios.

Virtual Classroom Spaces: Kidblog and Padlet are popular tools that can create a classroom space in the form of a blog or a class website. The goal is to create a centralized location for families to bookmark and refer back to when they have questions or want to see updates from the school. Maintaining a blog or website can help alleviate the barriers of time and lack of information, as families can refer to these spaces when convenient.

Questions to Consider:

1. What is our district vision for family engagement?

2. How do we ensure that families, staff, and students have a voice in establishing this vision?

3. How can we ensure communication is parent friendly and truly two way?

4. How is our district addressing challenges such as childcare, English-language proficiency, non-traditional work hours, and access to transportation?

5. How can we use the cultural backgrounds of our families to enrich instruction and school climate?

6. What might make a family feel unwelcome or uncared for at our school? How can we address this?

7. What are we doing to actively build trusting relationships with families?

Additional Family Engagement Resources

This guide is just a starting point for exploring the topic of family engagement. Here are some resources to explore next:

There are many other organizations and researchers that specialize in this area. Here are some articles and resources worth bookmarking:

Frequently Asked Questions: 1. What role can technology play in enhancing family-school partnerships?

Technology can serve as a powerful tool for facilitating communication and collaboration between schools and families. Platforms such as mobile apps, social media, and online portals enable real-time sharing of information, resources, and updates about students' progress and school events. Additionally, technology can help bridge gaps related to language barriers, accessibility, and busy schedules, making it easier for families to stay connected and engaged in their child's education.
2. What are some effective ways to involve families in decision-making processes at the school level?
Involving families in decision-making processes empowers them to play an active role in shaping their child's educational experience. Schools can achieve this by establishing parent advisory councils or committees where caregivers have a voice in setting policies, planning programs, and allocating resources. Additionally, schools can conduct regular surveys or focus groups to gather feedback from families on key issues and initiatives, ensuring that their perspectives are taken into account when making important decisions. By fostering a culture of shared governance, schools can strengthen trust and collaboration between educators and families.
3. What are some innovative ways schools can involve families in their child's learning beyond traditional methods?
Schools can explore innovative approaches to involve families in their child's learning experience, such as virtual family workshops or webinars on topics related to academic support, social-emotional learning, or technology integration. Creating interactive learning modules or online resources that families can access at their convenience allows for greater flexibility and engagement. By leveraging technology and creative strategies, schools can create meaningful opportunities for families to actively participate in their child's education.

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Family Engagement in Schools: A Comprehensive Guide

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This comprehensive guide to family engagement provides research, strategies, and best practices to involve parents as true partners in their child's education.

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This resource highlights how poverty affects children’s education and brain development, leading to lower academic performance and emotional challenges. It explains how underfunded schools and lack of resources widen the gap between low-income and wealthy students. In the classroom, teachers might see these effects in students struggling to focus, lacking materials, or facing emotional stress.

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The Socioeconomic Achievement Gap in the US Public Schools - Ballard Brief

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The socioeconomic achievement gap in public schools is a social issue that has evolved over time and affects the whole country.

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As a future teacher, I realize I might have an implicit bias where I assume that students who seem uninterested or disengaged in class do not care about their education. This could lead me to pay less attention to those students, thinking they are not motivated. In reality, they might be dealing with challenges I do not know about, such as anxiety, personal struggles, or low confidence. Acting on this bias could make those students feel ignored and unsupported. To address this, I would focus on engaging with all students by building trust, asking questions to understand their needs, and creating a safe and welcoming environment where they feel comfortable participating and asking for help.

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This resource shows why valuing diversity in the classroom is important. It explains how being inclusive and aware of different cultures helps students connect with others, understand different perspectives, and avoid prejudice. By creating a welcoming environment, teachers can help students become more empathetic and better prepared for a diverse world.

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The Importance of Diversity & Multicultural Awareness in Education

Drexel University School of Education

Cultural diversity in the classroom is on the rise. In 2014, U.S. public schools hit a minority majority milestone with Latino, African-American, and Asian students having surpassed the number of white students. In 2044, the U.S. Census predicts that over half of the nation's population will be people of color, so this trend will likely continue.

In our increasingly diverse and multicultural society, it's more important than ever for teachers to incorporate culturally responsive instruction in the classroom -- whether teaching elementary school, middle school or high school students. And the increase of diversity doesn't only relate to race and ethnicity; it can include students of different religion, economic status, sexual orientation, gender identity, and language background.

Interested in becoming a teacher? Learn more about Drexel's Teacher Certification program.

Why is it Important to Encourage Diversity in Schools and Workplaces?

Fostering inclusion and awareness around multicultural education and taking a culturally responsive approach to teaching benefits all students. Not only does creating greater multicultural awareness and inclusion help students with different backgrounds and needs succeed, but it encourages acceptance and helps prepare students to thrive in an exponentially diverse world. Our Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Wellness Certificate Program is a great opportunity for teachers to learn how to create positive classroom environments and can serve as a foundation for understanding how to promote diversity in your classroom.

Diversity in and out of the classroom will continue to grow, so it's essential we prepare students to adapt to an evolving world and embrace those different from themselves. Learn more how the programs at the Drexel School of Education are helping to prepare more culturally-responsive educators today.

Types of Cultural Diversity in the Classroom

Every student is unique. In order to properly understand and promote cultural awareness, teachers need to understand all the different types of diversity they may encounter in their classrooms including:

Race

A person's skin color can have a great impact on their experience in society. It can also impact how they view themselves and others when engaging in classroom activities.

Ethnicity

Ethnicity relates to a person's culture and nationality. Ethnicity is sometimes confused with race, but it is important to recognize that while some people may have the same skin color, they may come from different places and have vastly different cultural beliefs and views of the world.

Religion

It is important to understand that people have different religious belief or no religious beliefs, and it may impact their participation in the classroom. Students may react differently to lessons based on their religion or may not be able to be present on certain religious holidays.

Language

While English is commonly used in American classrooms, for some students, it is not the language they speak at home. Accommodations should be made to help students for whom English is a second language.

Socioeconomic Status

A student's socioeconomic status can affect their ability to participate in the classroom without some type of accommodation. For instance, access to a computer at home or reliable internet access is not a given for some children. Teachers should be aware of this and the stress it may cause students who may struggle due to a lack of resources.

Sexual Orientation

A student's sexual orientation can have a great impact on how they are experiencing the world. Teachers should understand the struggles that exist and ensure that the lessons taught in their classroom are inclusive.

Gender Identity

Similar to sexual orientation, it is important to understand each student's gender identity and how they would prefer to be recognized. Teachers should respect their student's identity and use preferred pronouns when interacting with their students.

How can you Promote Diversity and Multiculturalism in the Classroom?

There are several ways teachers and administrators, such as principals and coaches, can ensure that both the classroom environment and curriculum are responsive to the increasing cultural diversity of our society. These strategies will encourage all students' cultural awareness, enhancing each student's sense of identity, and foster inclusion in the classroom community.

1. Get to Know Your Students Ensuring that cultural awareness is promoted in the classroom starts with the teacher understanding each individual student. Take the time to learn about each student's cultural background, hobbies, learning styles, and what makes them unique. Demonstrating a genuine interest in learning about each student and their culture will help establish trust and allow you to form a bond with them so they feel valued. If students feel appreciated by and comfortable with the teacher, there's a better chance they'll feel comfortable talking with and respect their peers in the class - and communication is the core to a culturally aware and inclusive classroom.

2. Maintain Consistent Communication Aside from getting to know your students, teachers should also continue to maintain ongoing communication throughout the semester or school year. Scheduling 1-on-1 meetings with students to "check in" every so often will allow you to consistently improve how accessible the classroom is to everyone. Students can talk about whether they felt included in the classroom culture. This can help identify issues or ways to improve the overall experience. It's also an opportunity to discuss their progress in the class and offer guidance on how they can improve, based on their individual needs as a student.

3. Acknowledge and Respect Every Student It's also important for students to celebrate and respect their own diverse backgrounds, as well as each other's. When appropriate, teachers should encourage students to research and learn about their own ethnic and cultural backgrounds. This allows them to better understand their own culture as well as the differences and nuances with their peers. As a bonus, this can be a great ice breaker assignment, allowing students to give presentations about their family traditions and culture to help expose the class to concepts outside of their own familiar comfort zone. Acknowledging these differences and creating a safe space for discussion helps promote understanding in the classroom and beyond. Also, as you encourage students to learn about their diverse backgrounds, remember to take the time to highlight what's offensive and the distinction between cultural celebration and appropriation. Learning how to talk about other cultures in a respectful, mature way is essential for success in life outside the classroom.

4. Practice Cultural Sensitivity While it's important to keep an open dialogue amongst students, it's equally as important to make sure you're being sensitive to everyone's culture, beliefs, and language concerns. Take the time to understand each student's cultural nuances - from learning styles to the language they use - and use these insights to design your lesson plans. For example, provide English language learners with appropriate and relevant resources that help them improve their English comprehension skills. Rather than teach with a traditional lecture style, create learning experiences that are more interactive and require collaboration. These considerations will help ensure that every student feels included, is given the space to learn in their own way and is given a chance to succeed.

5. Incorporate Diversity in the Lesson Plan The classroom environment is important for fostering cultural awareness, but you also should ensure diversity is represented in your actual lesson plan. For example, broaden history lessons so that they encompass the world beyond United States history and culture. Or, use references and analogies to other cultures in your lessons and assignments to help students with diverse backgrounds personally connect. Another great strategy is bringing in diverse speakers to add varying points of view and real-life context to different subjects.There are several ways you can ingrain cultural awareness and diversity into your lesson plan, and it will vary depending on the cultures represented in your classroom and the course you're teaching. Regardless of the subject, always try to present and connect lessons to real-world issues. It's easier to promote cultural awareness within your lessons when there's a real example for students to relate to.

6. Give Students Freedom and Flexibility Teachers often feel like they need to take on a strict, authoritative approach when it comes to managing their classroom. The most valuable lessons are often learned through a student's own experiences, so giving them some freedom in the course encourages more connection to the curriculum. Allow students to read and present their own materials that relate to the fundamental lesson so they can approach the topic from their own perspective. As a teacher, you can act as a facilitator and encourage conversation and healthy debate between diverse opinions. Group assignments are also a great way to expose students to diverse perspectives, allowing them to work together to explore and solve a problem. This will also help prepare them for a diverse workforce where they'll have to partner with a range of people to accomplish their professional goals.

Why is it Multicultural Education Important to Students?

It is important to remind ourselves why diversity and cultural awareness is so crucial in the classroom and the benefits it can have on students now and in the long-term. Teaching diversity exposes students to various cultural and social groups, preparing students to become better citizens in their communities. These culturally responsive teaching strategies will help you to promote diversity in the classroom.

With these culturally responsive teaching strategies in mind, it's important to remind ourselves why diversity and cultural awareness is so crucial in the classroom and the benefits it can have on students now and in the long-term.

Students Become More Empathetic

Promoting awareness and creating a personal connection with diverse cultures in the classroom can prevent students from developing prejudices later in life. It allows them to empathize with people different from themselves since they're more aware of the experiences someone of a different race or cultural group may face.

Students Gain a Better Understanding of Lessons and People

When working and learning with people from a variety of backgrounds and cultures present in the classroom, students gain a more comprehensive understanding of the subject matter. It also teaches students how to use their own strengths and points of view to contribute in a diverse working environment.

Students Become More Open-Minded

Naturally, by exposing students to a diverse range of opinions, thoughts, and cultural backgrounds, you're encouraging them to be more open-minded later in life. This will make them open to new ideas and be able to attain a greater comprehension on a topic by taking in different points of view.

Students Feel More Confident and Safe

Students who learn about different cultures during their education feel more comfortable and safe with these differences later in life. This allows them to interact in a wider range of social groups and feel more confident in themselves as well as in their interactions with others.

Students Are Better Prepared for a Diverse Workplace

With the rise of globalization, it's more important to be able to work with people from different cultures and social groups. If students are exposed to diversity and learn cultural awareness in the classroom, it sets them up to flourish in the workforce.

Learn More About Cultural Diversity in Education

There are additional resources available to help educators grow their knowledge of cultural diversity and apply it to their classrooms. Here are a few sites where you can find more information:

Additionally, Drexel offers programs that can help broaden a teacher's expertise in multicultural education including our online Teaching English as a Second Language and Social Emotional and Behavioral Wellness certification programs. You can also contact us to request more information.

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The Importance of Multicultural Education - School of Education

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As classrooms become more diverse, it's crucial for students to learn about other cultures. Discover how students benefit from classroom diversity with Drexel.

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This resource highlights the importance of ongoing self-assessments to help teachers and students reflect on progress, identify areas for improvement, and build confidence. Regular self-assessment supports a growth mindset and helps educators and students meet learning goals.

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I have seen way too many teachers lugging around huge canvas bags chock full of paperwork to take home and grade. Some have even resorted to moving materials from school to home in carts on wheels to save their back. This is waaayyyyyy too much literal baggage to be dragging home at the end of the night. Trust me - I used to be guilty of this, too. This traditional model of teachers assessing everything as if students are incapable of self-assessment needs to be challenged.

There are countless pieces of research, books, and TED Talks about the power of self-assessment and reflection. Adults have been engaging in self-assessment and reflection for years, and students should have the opportunity to do the same. If you need a reminder about the importance of reflection, check out one of the resources below.

Hate reflecting? Here's a quick read about why we should make time for reflection and how you can become more reflective by practicing a few simple steps.

Prefer to listen? I used Vocaroo to record myself reading the article above.

Is a video more your speed? Watch this TED Talk: Paul Catchlove believes strongly in the power of reflection. Learn more about how a regular practice of reflection can improve your decision-making, career, and relationships.

If students are going to develop into expert learners, they need to track their progress, reflect on their specific skills, and identify areas where they need to spend more time, attention, and work toward improvement. We want students to take an active role not only in their learning but also in the assessment of their progress as learners. Yet students are rarely asked to think about their learning or monitor their progress through ongoing self-assessment.

When we provide the opportunity for students not only to self-reflect but to do it on an ongoing basis, it helps students to:

Appreciate the impact of the work they are doing to increase their knowledge and skills. They will also understand what standards and skills are aligned with their assessments, so they don't mentally file items as "busy work" because they do not understand their purpose or value.

Begin to recognize the areas where they are making strides and growing as well as the areas where they may be stagnating and need additional support. This translates into learners who are able to advocate for themselves by requesting additional help.

Get comfortable thinking about their learning and develop confidence in their ability to improve their skills through hard work and practice, reinforcing a growth mindset!

In The Shift to Student-Led , Catlin Tucker and I share concrete strategies for teachers looking to shift from a teacher-led classroom to a student-led classroom - one that will increase learning and create more balance for educators. One workflow we shift is from teacher assessment to student self-assessment. ( Video )

Here is a form from the book for an ongoing self-assessment - feel free to copy it, make it your own, and use it with your students.

How to Use the Ongoing Self-Assessment Form

There are four sections to the ongoing-self-assessment document. Below are tips on how to best use this resource:

Target Standards/Skills: It's important that these be written in student-friendly language so learners understand what they are being asked to do. You can encourage groups of students to work collaboratively to review each standard, discuss its meaning, and rewrite it in language that makes sense to them, defining student success criteria. This can be done as part of a station rotation or whole-group rotation lesson.

Assignment Title: Providing this section allows the student to decide which piece of work they want to spend time assessing. If you are teaching younger students, you can identify the specific assignment, skill, or behavior you want them to assess. Then, they can link to the work if it lives online or include a photo so you can easily reference the work.

Self-Assessment Score: Included is a simple four-point mastery scale that includes the four stages of beginning, developing, proficient, and mastery; however, if you work with younger learners, you may want to replace the number scale with emojis or other symbols to simplify the self-assessment process.

Explanation/Reflection: This final section encourages students to reflect on the score they gave themselves, explaining what aspects of their work support their self-assessment mark. You can invite students to complete the reflection on this document, record an audio explanation, or capture a short video explaining their self-assessment.

Self-assessment allows students to appreciate the purpose behind the work and fosters metacognitive skills. Self-assessment does not replace the need for assessing student work or providing feedback, but it empowers students to drive their initial reflection and compare their performance to predetermined criteria. Giving students that power, those skills - now that's something to take home with you!

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Establishing Ongoing Student Self-Assessment in the Classroom

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Say goodbye to excessive grading and embrace a student-led approach to learning. Discover the power of student self-assessment w/ UDL and Blended Learning

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This resource explains how managing differences in the classroom is important for creating a welcoming and respectful environment. It talks about using open communication, understanding different cultures, and changing teaching methods to meet the needs of all students. These approaches help students from different backgrounds feel accepted and work well together.

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How to navigate different cultural expectations in classroom management

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Classroom management is a critical aspect of effective teaching that involves establishing and maintaining a productive learning environment. However, managing a classroom becomes even more nuanced when navigating through diverse cultural expectations.

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Willingness to Develop Cultural Knowledge

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Willingness to Develop Cultural Knowledge

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This resource explains how a willingness to develop cultural knowledge helps teachers create inclusive classrooms by learning about their students’ cultural backgrounds, traditions, and perspectives. It highlights practical strategies like encouraging students to share their heritage and using diverse materials in lessons, showing how understanding cultural differences strengthens teacher-student connections.

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6 Ways Teachers Can Foster Cultural Awareness in the Classroom (Opinion)

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Schools that acknowledge the diversity of their student population understand the importance of promoting cultural awareness.

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Ability to Adapt to the Cultural Needs of the Community

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Ability to Adapt to the Cultural Needs of the Community

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This resource explains the importance of adapting to the cultural needs of students by using teaching methods that reflect their backgrounds and experiences. It highlights strategies like incorporating relatable examples, adjusting communication styles, and creating inclusive activities. These practices help ensure all students feel understood and engaged in their learning.

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Addressing implicit bias in the classroom

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This resource explains how teacher bias, whether implicit or explicit, can affect classroom dynamics by shaping expectations and interactions. It highlights the importance of recognizing and addressing bias to create a fair and supportive space for all students. The strategies outlined, such as reflecting on personal biases and using culturally relevant materials, provide practical steps for reducing the negative effects of bias

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Tiara Smith, Laura Fischer, Jennifer Pham

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

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Has your classroom been negatively impacted by teacher bias? If so, you are not alone! Read on to learn more about how to combat it.

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This resource explains how implicit bias affects how teachers see and treat their students, especially those from minority groups. It shows how these unconscious attitudes can create challenges for students and impact their learning and confidence. This is a good fit for this section because it highlights why it is important for teachers to recognize and work on their biases to make the classroom fair and supportive for all students.

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About ScienceDirect
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This resource provides clear examples of how implicit bias can appear in educational settings, such as assumptions about students' abilities based on gender, race, or socioeconomic status. It highlights the negative effects these biases can have on students' learning and well-being. This resource is useful because it not only explains what implicit bias is but also shows real-world examples and offers practical ways to reduce bias in the classroom.

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What is Educational Bias? Examples & How to Avoid it

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If you work in a school setting, you should understand how educational bias affects children. Find the steps you can take to avoid bias in the classroom here.

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As a future teacher, I recognize that implicit biases could influence how I interact with students. For example, I might unconsciously expect more enthusiasm or participation from outspoken students while overlooking quieter ones. This bias could cause me to unintentionally give more attention to certain students and less to others who might need it. To address this, I plan to regularly reflect on my decisions and ensure that all students are treated fairly and given equal opportunities to succeed.