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This picture gets at the beginnings of equity, however, it does not get to the deeper issues. These people should not be behind a fence, they should be participating in the game. The achievement gap is perpetuated when students remain dependent learners. In order to build intellective capacity, students must become self-directed, independent learners who stretch themselves and take risks. They cannot do that from the sidelines. They must actively engage in and take ownership of their learning process. 

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This picture is a great example of the difference between equality vs. equity-- a concept that I (as I'm sure many) struggle with. Equality is simply providing the same resources to everyone equally, regardless of individual need. It is not that you "don't care" about their needs, but rather that equal distribution seems to be the most fair avenue. Equity, on the other hand, is meeting individual needs and providing resources accordingly. In the image provided, the goal is for all three spectators to see the ball game. If the person on the left can already see the game over the fence without assistance, then he does not need a box to stand on; this frees up an additional box for the smallest spectator to use, so that all three can enjoy the game.

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This picture attempts to demonstrate the difference between equality and equity.  The first picture shows when each person is given the same supports the outcome does not produce equal access.  The second picture attempts to show that when each is given the support they need (even if the supports are not the same), all three have the same access to the game.  However, there are a few points to consider. First, the image shows that people of color are on the outskirts looking in and not given the opportunity to be true equal participants.  There are barriers for them. Second, the image is discussing a person’s height and the need is obvious.  Not all students' needs are obvious.   Additionally, the image shows each person standing on the same level with the fence the same height for all (the obstacle). Therefore, only the person’s height is relevant to the height of the fence is the only obstacle.  However, this does not represent the true barriers for many students of color.  The fence could be different heights and the people could be standing at different levels representing a variety of  obstacles faced by students of color.  Finally, the picture should include a metaphor demonstrating the removal of barriers faced by many.

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I've seen various versions of this image. One that stuck out to me was with a third panel labeled "justice" and had a chain linked fence for everyone to look through without the need of the extra boxes. So I think this image speaks to how sometimes creating equity is great because it helps fix some problems - making it accessible for everyone, but it had to be a problem that was solved. Whereas if there was no fence or a chain-link fence they could see through, then it was equal from the beginning. So sometimes even with equity we're helping but not getting to the root of the problem.

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The first thing that struck me was - it's a baseball game. In our reading, the author talked about finding genuine connections to the students' culture; this picture is drawn from a specific "world view". The second thing - I seem to recall the author discussing a partnership to learning. This diagram seems to suggest that someone else has decided what the student "needs".

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On the surface, I think the illustration accurately portrays equality and equity.  The first image shows equality because all three people have the same number of crates.  The second image shows equity because each person has the number of crates necessary to see the baseball game.

However, if I further dissect the images with RACIAL EQUITY in mind, the fence is what’s most problematic.  It’s the barrier between some of the people being able to view the field.

The goal of equality is to promote fairness.  This can only be achieved if all people are provided the same access to resources.  On the other hand, equity takes individual needs into account.  It looks at personal circumstances that in may hinder the success of some.

Equity means providing the same opportunities and resources to all.  To achieve this, barriers that get in the way of individual success must be dismantled.

How does this connect to our profession?  As teachers, we must work to dismantle barriers preventing equity in our classrooms.

Classroom studies document that underserved English learners, poor students and students of color routinely receive less instruction in higher order skills development than other students.  As a result, “a disproportionate number of culturally and linguistically diverse students are dependent learners.”  This is at the root of the achievement gap and highlights the importance of culturally responsive teaching.  According to Hammond, CRT “is one of our most powerful tools for helping students find their way out of the gap.” If universally adopted by educators, culturally responsive teaching can be the catalyst for achieving racial equity in schools.

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Durning this weeks reading, I tried to keep this image in the back of my mind. I have used this imagine in my class to help support and explain to students that sometimes we need different things for our education to be fair. What one students might need, another might not. This reading helped me see that although we all need different things, there are somethings everyone needs. For example, we include and integrate universal cultural elements and themes into the classroom, it can really help change the gaps you see within the diverse classrooms we have. Another example would be our classroom rituals and routines. These rituals and routines support all students and even myself as a teacher. It can help students become more self-directed learners.

In chapter two, I found my understanding and perspective of culture to grow. “Culture is the way that every brain makes sense of the world… The brain uses cultural information to turn everyday happenings into meaningful events (Page 22.) This past year, I tried had to know about the visible cultural, where students were from, what they wore, what they ate, what holidays their families celebrate, etc. By reading this chapter my mind was opened up to new ideas, like getting to know the repps of my students cultures. This means families worldview, core beliefs, group values, etc.

Lastly, although I did not view poverty of a culture, I think its important to talk about this. Poverty is not a culture- most families are trapped in poverty and do no embrace this. This is a “condition of the structural inequalities build into our social and economic systems (page 32.)

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I appreciate the comments that others have made on this image. I agree that the fence is such an overlooked part of this picture. The unfairness of being left out of the true experience of playing in the game or being a participant in the stands - isn't truly resolved by either option. However the difference between the two - equality and equity - shows that the same number of boxes - or resources, can be rearranged to help those who need it most - have the same opportunities to view the game. For true equity - this means that some need to give up something in order for others to be at the same level.
This also made me think about the individualism vs. collectivism cultures. As an individualism society, we tend to think much more about our own children getting ahead and competing against others. The collectivism society thinks more about working together so that we all succeed. Many of our students come from countries identified on The Cultural Dimensions Index (page 27) as highly collectivistic cultures.

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The simple take of the image is that we should give people what they need, not just distributing equally.

What many have already pointed out about the fence is true and some have mentioned how it serves to exclude these spectators from the full experience. Racial inequity has many different facets. Those who can afford to attend probably don't think in terms of those who cannot.

In the reading, the author identified the point at which students transitioned from dependent toward independent learners. The author wrote that by the third grade many students of color were already falling behind.  So as a middle school teacher how can I help compensate for this difference?

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The image attempts to represent differences between equality and equity, but the discussion prompt specifically asks about racial equity.  Most literally, the image reflects an attempt to address inequities in height, as there are not clear racial differences between the three people in the image.  I've seen this image many times before, and the creator is clearly trying to make a simple analogy around a non-controversial equity issue (height) to establish with the audience an understanding and comfort level with equity as a general concept.  Undoubtedly, the hope is that acknowledging equity issues in a general, abstract sense would make a possibly resistant audience more likely to further acknowledge how this dynamic can play out with racial disparity.Other have already commented on the choice of baseball, which happens to be an interesting choice given the backdrop of what we are reading.  If one has ever taken a foreigner unfamiliar with the sport to a baseball game, one likely spent three long hours trying to prevent one's guest from being terribly bored and confused.  Baseball is not especially easy to learn intuitively and just from observation. Without learning the context, those unfamiliar with baseball cannot build on their existing knowledge through observation because there is no basic foundation. For example, an avid fan will understand the strategy around a pitcher's choice and placement of pitches, a set of details that will almost certainly be lost on the uninitiated.Without anticipating misunderstandings and gaps in knowledge of the guest, the guest soon loses interest and their disposition becomes that of someone very unlikely to absorbs new information.  To me, that is reflective of how a lack of CRT can create an achievement and skills gap that grows over time.

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I love this definition of equity especially the analogy to the part. In diversity, we appreciate the diversity of our community and we invite everyone to have a seat at the party. When we build a sense of belonging, we help all feel welcomed at the party. When we include you, you have been asked to plan the party. When there is equity, you get a seat at the table that decide the structure of the party, who comes, and its purpose. Hammond wants us to create a classroom where equity is the table on which we build everything we do in our classroom. We plan, instruct, and create curriculum with a lens for equity. Equity is the foundation of everything we do.

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This image is problematic in many ways, not the least of which is the fence. Why should there be a fence that high? I think most baseball parks have fences to keep the ball in and to protect spectators, but it is problematic to me as a representation of equity in education. Also problematic, though, are the scaffolds. Are the same scaffolds to be used for everyone who cannot see over the fence? How about those who fear heights? Or those, like me, who simply fear that the boxes will not hold their weight? I am, then, like some of our dependent learners: hesitant and fearful of even trying to see what is over the fence. My take-away from Ms. Hammond's discussion of the dependent v. the independent learner is that sometimes our scaffolds are not necessarily in the best interests of our dependent learners because they are not necessarily challenging enough...so then we create or aid and abet learned helplessness. I think we need to get out of the way, in terms of offering interventions, and engage in dialogue and suggestions in order to allow even our dependent learners the space "to deal critically and creatively with [their] reality and discover how to participate in the transformation of their world." Easier said than done, though.