Equitable Instruction
ANet has been on a long journey toward achieving equitable instruction for all students. As an organization, we are redefining what it means to live out these definitions and identify places to disrupt inequities. The resources below are intended to support teachers and leaders in integrating an equity lens into their schools and classrooms. To dig deeper, reach out to your ANet coach.
Equitable Instruction Resources
Develop an Equity Mindset
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Infographics highlighting the specific language in how we define equity.
Tips for Implementation: Complete a close read of these definitions in grade-level teams. Discuss the ways your school’s vision for equity does (or does not) mirror this framing.
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An article from Anet’s blog that defines growth mindset, shares the research behind its purpose, and provides a quick strategy for implementation.
Tips for Implementation: Read in small groups of colleagues. Discuss the tangible ways growth mindset is encouraged for students in your building.
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Two articles from ANet’s blog that describe the effects of both high and low expectations on students.
Tips for Implementation: Read in small groups of colleagues. Discuss the tangible ways high expectations are communicated to students in your building.
Equitable Instruction Resources
Diversify Text Selection
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List of ways to identify good anti-bias children’s books.
Tips for Implementation: With a small, representative school team, pick 2-3 books to analyze, discuss, and norm on criteria for each indicator. Dedicate time for the group to share their learnings and to support others in using this tool. Eventually, consider ways to encourage students to also be critical consumers of texts.
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Compilation of student tasks, texts, and plans that represent a diverse mix of stories and perspectives.
Tips for Implementation: Before implementing any teaching resources, commit to individual or group learning using the professional development resources. Treat a webinar or podcast like a book club with a leadership or grade-level team. Share what you learn and then experiment with resources like lesson studies or peer observations.
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Tracker to help evaluate texts with the goal of modifying a collection to better represent an array of races & ethnicities, genders, abilities, and socioeconomic backgrounds.
Tips for Implementation: Read the guide first for detailed steps for implementation. Then start small; try taking an inventory of a subset of your curriculum or classroom library by filling out the tracker. Aim to complete this activity with a team of diverse identities, experiences, and perspectives, including student representatives.
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Equitable Instruction Resources
Bring a Social Justice Lens to Mathematics
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Specific planning guidance to support Black, LatinX, and Multilingual students to thrive in grades 6-8.
Tips for Implementation: Based on your school’s vision for equitable instruction, choose one or more of the five Strides to read, discuss, and implement as a professional learning experience. In particular, Stride 1 provides guidance for dismantling racist practices via a yearlong course of study on the impact of educators’ biases on mathematics instruction.
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Position paper that defines what social justice means in mathematics instruction with broad steps for implementation.
Tips for Implementation: Read the position statement and suggested implementation steps. Recognize which steps have not yet been taken at your school, and create a plan to implement one or more of them.
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Equitable Instruction Resources
Evaluate Instructional Materials and Assessments
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Rubrics to help determine the extent to which a schools’ curricula are (or are not) culturally responsive.
Tips for Implementation: The scorecard works best with a team of at least 3 people with diverse identities and roles. These people do not have to be education professionals! If you don’t have the time or capacity to complete the entire document, you can choose one individual section to get a targeted assessment.
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Public webinar designed to show the connection between high-quality instructional materials and equitable outcomes for all students.
Tips for Implementation: After watching the on-demand recording, reflect on how your school or districts’ instructional materials align with an anti-racist commitment.
Materials:
Creating a Coherent System to Support Instruction Aligned with State Standards - RAND
Practice What You TEACH - Aspen Institute
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Public webinar designed to define principles of equitable assessment strategy and unpack the essentials of assessment selection and prioritization.
Tips for Implementation: After watching the on-demand recording, reflect on how student voice and the lived experiences of people from marginalized populations are prioritized in your own school or district.
Materials:
3 Principles for Assessments During Instructional Recovery and Beyond
COVID Update - Academic Recovery Plan Template
A Smart Approach to Testing Makes the Most of Precious Student Time
Confront Inequity/Who Has the Privilege to Be Empowered
Council of Great City Schools Assessment Report
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Equitable Instruction Resources
Spark Anti-Racist Conversations and Action
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Facilitated conversation that includes PowerPoint presentations and detailed materials and activities.
Tips for Implementation: Select singular materials or engage in a multi-stage project for leading anti-bias action.
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Public webinar designed to understand ANet’s role in supporting anti-racism learning and development.
Tips for Implementation: Watch the on-demand recording and share your key takeaways with colleagues in your school or district.
Materials:
ANet’s Anti-Racist Policy and Standards
Taking Anti-Racist Action, Together: A Message from ANet’s CEO
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Protocol to improve the quality and impact of anti-racist actions when addressing a problem, grounded in Equity Literacy Abilities.
Tips for Implementation: Engage in this thinking strategy to help solve challenges within yourself or collaboratively.
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Framework to support educators in identifying what they know and what they need to learn/address as it relates to identity, mindset, and learning conditions.
Tips for Implementation: Use this framework for reflection, courageous conversations, and planning to improve the student experience and adult collaboration through lenses such as identity, mindset, and learning conditions.
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Public webinar designed to illustrate how an anti-racist commitment can impact professional learning strategy implementation.
Tips for Implementation: After watching the on-demand recording, reflect on how your school or districts’ assessment strategy aligns with an anti-racist commitment.
Materials:
Criteria for a High-Quality Professional Learning Plan
ANet’s Equitable Instruction Definitions
Professional Learning Strategy Support for Districts & Systems
ANet’s Professional Learning Services
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Equitable Instruction Resources
Start a Book Club
Disclaimer: Many of these links take you to external organizations. It is your responsibility to ensure you comply with any copyright or permissions restrictions before using these materials.
Designing for EVERY Student
Our role as educators is to support each other toward accomplishing educational equity. Asking and answering the question “why does equitable instruction in math/literacy and all content areas matter to me/my students?” is important to build a vision of excellence and actively advance instruction toward that vision. These definitions are designed to support in that work.
To engage in building a vision of equity with your team, explore our Equitable Instruction Infographic and Equitable Instruction Definitions to learn more.
Educational Equity
A guarantee that educators engage ALL students with meaningful support that they need to reach and exceed a common standard through high-quality instruction.
Institutional Equity
Leadership, practices and culture that guarantee educators engage ALL students with meaningful support they need to meet and exceed a common standard through high-quality instruction.
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