RM Winter 2017 FINAL

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Reading Matters
Justice Matters
| 8| Reading Matters | Volume 16 • Winter 2016 |
Planting Seeds for New Perspectives: Bringing
Equity into the Literacy Classroom
By Grace Farley and Rachael L. Ross, Clemson University
ABSTRACT—American classrooms are becoming increasingly
diverse. Teachers are charged with meeting the diverse needs of
the individual learners in their classrooms. Teachers should enact
equitable practices that allow students of various backgrounds to
engage in learning that incorporates their diverse culture and provides
opportunities to learn about others. Social justice education seeks to
create classrooms where students feel their voices are heard and their
identity matters. This article shares a framework that teachers can
use to evaluate everyday situations to arrive at the most equitable
outcome for their students. The authors also share ideas for classroom
instruction that promote social justice. Teachers can begin planting
seeds of social justice through their equitable classroom practices.
Prejudice embedded in the fabric of a nation can appear to
be impossible to change, especially when we repeatedly learn
of tragedies across the country that are committed on the basis
of deeply-held beliefs of ignorance and hatred toward a specific
group of people. In the midst of these unjust acts, schools remain
a potentially powerful avenue in which to shift these mentalities
in future generations. The Southern Law Poverty Center (2010)
explains “[b]ecause stereotypes underlie hate, and because almost
half of all hate crimes are committed by young men under 20,
[acceptance] education is critical. Schools are an ideal environment
to counter bias, because they mix youth of different backgrounds,
place them on equal footing and allow one-on-one interaction.”
Whether it is in pre-k or high school, the amount of time
students spend in school is one of our biggest assets for planting
seeds of acceptance. In order to create a more just society, schools
need to better include the voices of non-majority students.
All students should be educated on the value of diversity
and given the knowledge and tools to combat historical and
present-day inequities. Social justice education seeks to create
classrooms that promote social equity where all children feel
valued and secure in their identity through equity pedagogy.
From a social justice framework, equity pedagogy promotes
teaching that investigates the nature of power structures that
are inherent in our current racial, socioeconomic, and class
hierarchies. Beyond simply recognizing differences, equity
pedagogy takes a critical stance that moves from word to actions
to ensure all students are provided a just and fair education.
The need for a focus on equity pedagogy grows even more
essential as the amount of ethnic, socioeconomic, and cultural
diversity increases. Ethnic diversity is increasing rapidly as a result
of natural population growth and recent immigration (Boser,
2014). Additionally, this kind of education is important if we are
to tackle the issues of inequity within our own school systems
that are the result of past injustices against particular groups
of people. Our education system cannot be separated from our
government and political systems, the historic oppression and
inequity (e.g., segregation and Jim Crow Laws; the invasion and
forced assimilation of Native American communities) that has
had a lasting effect on the degree of academic engagement,
achievement, and corresponding economic success that
students from these communities are able to enjoy (Bell, 2007).
Ideally, all students would encounter a culturally-relevant
pedagogy (Ladsen-Billings, 2014) and learn about the value
of diversity by the very nature of schools themselves—where
all students would have teachers and peers from a variety
of backgrounds. The reality is that our schools remain quite
segregated and our teachers are mostly white, cis-gendered
women (born with female anatomy and who identify as female)
(Boser, 2014). In fact, the amount of diversity among teachers has
decreased recently though the amount of diversity among students
continues to increase (Boser, 2014). As a result, teachers need to be
even more intentional about tackling topics of inclusive diversity
and corresponding issues of social equity as part of the school day.
In order to do this, teachers must include all students in the
curriculum, challenge anything that prevents their full inclusion,
and provide opportunities for all students to learn about equity
issues. Research has shown that attention to cultural context
within a learning environment greatly affects student achievement
(González, Moll, & Amanti, 2005). If students connect with the
material and see themselves represented in the learning, they can
learn more and perform at higher levels. Furthermore, students
who have developed an understanding of equity and respect can
use those tools to educate those around them. In order to become
advocates for positive change to this end, young people need to
have their own identities validated, challenge their own ignorance
and biases, develop a conscious understanding of the role of
inequity in their world, and find their voice to take action for justice.
Preparing to Be an Equitable Educator
The first steps toward supporting students in an equitable
classroom involve developing a lens to recognize inequity and
then finding the tools to act on these issues. Universities have
a unique opportunity to instill these mindsets in their teacher
candidates so they enter the field motivated to create equitable
classrooms. By offering courses related to social justice and
the 21st century learner, preservice teachers can develop the
mindset of an equitable educator through understanding
equity pedagogy. Teachers in the field can also begin to
develop these attitudes and beliefs by diving into the literature
and seeking out activities, resources, and ideas that promote
equity in the classroom. This article provides a list of resources
and ideas that teachers can take into their classrooms.