TRAINING RACIAL BIAS OUT OF TEACHERS (WHO EVER SAID THAT WE COULD?) Howie Knoff

Training Racial Bias Out of Teachers (Who Ever Said That We Could?)

Will Ine ective Implicit Bias In-Service Programs Create a Bias Toward Schools’ Inaction?

By Howie Kno

This past year, a series of somewhat unrelated events merged to create an indelible “call to action” that will hopefully improve the equity and excellence of our schools for generations to come.

The first set of events involved the - pandemic, the closing of school buildings, the move to virtual instruction and education, and a continuing, inconsistent pattern of virtual, hybrid, or on-site instruction this current school year as schools tried to balance the physical health of students and educators with their academic and social-emotional health.

The second set of events involved the -year history of prejudice, inequity, and suppression of Blacks in America that dates back to when slaves first arrived in our country. ut this history crystallized this past year with the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, ayshard roo s and additional blac citizens during 2020) at the hands of police officers. These atrocities redoubled the efforts of the Black Lives Matter social movement that was founded in in response to the acquittal of Trayvon Martin’s murderer.

The Merging of These Events Is Evident

•Black (and Hispanic) Americans have disproportionately died (or become ill) from - resulting in financial, social, emotional, and other disruptions to the school-aged children in these homes.

•Black (Hispanic, Native American, poor, and rural) students have disproportionately less access to computers, high quality computers, and internet connections and bandwidth such that their ability to engage in virtual instruction has been impaired.

•Black (Hispanic, Native American, poor, and rural) students have disproportionately higher rates of virtual, hybrid, and on-site attendance problems since the pandemic began.

•Many educators covered less academic (or no new academic) material during virtual instruction last year and into the early part of this year, and Black (Hispanic and poor) students are still taught more often by new, ine perienced, and ever-changing teachers.

Overall, Black (Hispanic, Native American, rural, and poor) students have been hit disproportionately harder by the Pandemic than other student groups. They have experienced additional disparities such as more food insecurity, and the lack of access and availability of critical social, health, and community services.

The Pandemic Reinforces the History of Educational Inequity and Disparity

Relative to the social, economic, and educational inequities and disparities noted above, most educators understand the student-specific academic and health, mental health, and wellness effects of this pandemic—particularly among students of color, living in poverty, with disabilities, English-language learners, and students who are homeless. These educators also know that most of these the social, economic, and educational inequities and disparities have existed for generations, and that they were not magically transformed or resolved by the Brown v.Board of Education of Topeka decision on May 17, 1954.

For our part, we have discussed these and related topics many times over the past year (see Knoff, 2020a, 2020b, 2020c, 2019), extending the discussion to the inequities in educational funding for schools that teach predominantly students of color, and how this funding may triangulate to decrease these students’ achievement while increasing the disproportionate discipline referrals and school suspensions that they experience.

But Now Let’s Add Some Wrinkles

At a systems level, the additional funding that districts need due to the Pandemic is sparking serious national and state legislative discussions as to whether now is the time to fully address (a) the inequitable funding of schools that teach predominantly students of color, and (b) the full funding for students with disabilities across our country. Indeed, attention to the former has integrated into the educational funds built into the American Rescue Act, and President Biden is on-record as supporting the “full funding” of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

At the staff level, rekindled attention on implicit racial bias has initiated a wave of district- and school-level implicit bias discussions and trainings to address this significant problem. However, relative to implicit bias training, there are a number of issues and concerns.

Can Implicit Bias be “Trained” Out of Educators?

Education Week (Sparks, 2020) published an article questioning whether teachers can be “trained” out of their implicit biases. Among the many important points, the article stated:

Several large-scale analyses of research on implicit-bias training suggest it more often changes short-term knowledge about the vocabulary of diversity than long-term changes in behavior. Several specific common strategies—such as thinking positive thoughts about stereotyped groups, meditating or making decisions more “slowly” to avoid stereotypes, or simply being aware of the possibility of implicit biases while making decisions—have all so far failed to show benefits that last even a day or two.

In some cases, diversity and anti-bias training can paradoxically lead to more stereotyping, if participants come to think of biases as common and uncontrollable, and can lead white participants to feel threatened without yielding benefits for participants of color. Rather, evidence suggests staff training can be helpful,

but only as part of a comprehensive strategy that includes identifying specific problems and strategies to address structures that perpetuate bias in a school system.

Given this information, it appears that the answer to our first question above is: “No, we really cannot train educators — through a professional development program — out of their implicit racial biases.”

A significant concern relative to this first question and answer, however, is that some educational leaders across the country do not know this research, and they are requiring their staff’s participation in “one-shot” implicit bias in-service sessions with the hope that these will alleviate any problems they have in this area.

This, in fact, includes some state departments of education—that are thinking about requiring implicit bias training for all educators across their respective states, as well as a number of school districts that are also considering this training for their students.

[Parenthetically, there are all too many consultants available to provide these in-service sessions, and to up-sell the district to more expensive “programs” that are unresearched and untested, and that run the risk of creating new or exacerbating old issues and problems.] A second concern here is that some educators (and others) may misinterpret the statement that “implicit bias training is not successful with teachers in schools,” and conclude (as in the quote above) that teachers’ implicit bias—when it is present—cannot be changed.

This, Then, May Create Either a Bias Toward Inaction or a Resistance to Action

The bias toward inaction will occur when educators view implicit bias as intractable and ask, “Why bother planning and allocating the time, effort, training, discussion, and resources to something that cannot be changed?”

The resistance to action will occur when educators plan a well-designed, systemic implicit bias change effort only to have colleagues view it as pointless, asking, “Why commit to and engage in any training, discussion, or initiative that attempts to change something that cannot be changed?”

Given this, the research cited in the Education Week article must not be allowed to result either in a bias toward inaction or a resistance to action. To prevent that, it is essential to describe the elements of an implicit bias initiative that have the highest probability of success.

How Do We Decrease or Eliminate Implicit Racial Bias in Schools?

Critically, no one ever said implicit bias could be decreased or eliminated in schools through an in-service program or a “pre-packaged” approach. In fact, as implicit bias is historical and systemic in nature, it is not surprising that short-term approaches or initiatives to address it have not been terribly successful. In the final analysis, systemic problems need consistent, coordinated, and sustained systemic and community-wide solutions.

To this end, the above-referenced Education Week article noted that research suggests stand-alone anti-bias training may not change long-term behavior. For leaders working to make their schools more equitable, studies suggest some alternatives to common pitfalls.

Among the alternatives suggested in the article were the following:

•Integrate training in a comprehensive diversity plan that involves teachers and other adults at school in reviewing policy, practices, and structures that can promote bias—not just a stand-alone professional development session.

•Set specific goals based on the needs of your school and any problems you have identified to be addressed.

•Acknowledge that conversations about bias will be uncomfortable and give participants tools to manage their emotions while accepting feedback.

•Emphasize a few clear strategies for managing bias with examples of what anti-biased awareness and behavior would look like in practice for different groups within the school (e.g., math teachers, guidance counselors, discipline officers). school’s larger diversity goals, such as increasing the proportion of students of color referred to advanced courses or shrinking discipline gaps.

These recommendations emphasize the importance of integrating an implicit bias initiative into a district’s strategic plan and school improvement policies, procedures, practices, and other processes. They also recognize that the systemic change process must not be rushed relative to the progressive involvement of students, staff, administration, families, and community partners.

Beyond this, we think it is important to take a science-to-practice perspective on what different educators may need (through an implicit bias initiative) to change any biases that are present and active. The point here is that there are a number of possible “root causes” underlying implicit bias, and a “one size fits all” methodology that attempts to simultaneously address all of these causes is as unlikely to work as a one-shot in-service session.

Some Reasons Educators May Demonstrate Implicit Bias Thoughts and Actions

Gaps in Knowledge and Information

Some educators (and students) demonstrate bias because they do not have (a) the social, interactional, or factual information, knowledge, and understanding regarding past and present Black history and culture; (b) the background knowledge and information about the social and individual psychology of personal attitudes and beliefs; or (c) the problem-solving knowledge and information regarding ways to analyze and understand events or situations involving different cultures and races.

Issues Related to Personal Beliefs or Attributions

bias because they have faulty attitudes, expectations, beliefs, and/or attributions about Black (and other minority—or other) individuals that range from being inaccurate, unfair, or unfeeling to those that are biased or prejudicial. When they are unaware of these beliefs or attributions (or their implications), they could be considered implicit. When they are aware of them, the bias or prejudice would be considered “motivated” (see below).

While determining their origin is necessary in many cases, the more essential task is to make the educator consciously and explicitly aware of their faulty beliefs or attributions, and then to change them.

Individual Skills and Responses

Some educators (and students) have the knowledge and information, as well as the “right” beliefs or attributions. . . but they demonstrate bias nonetheless because they do not have the prosocial skills or responses to interact effectively with Black (or other minority background) students (or even adults). Sometimes this occurs because these educators have not been taught the needed interpersonal, social problem-solving, conflict prevention or resolution, or emotional control, communication, or coping skills. At other times, the skill gap exists because the educator is having difficulty applying specific skills to specific situations.

Motivation and Accountability

Some educators (and students) have the knowledge and information, the right beliefs or attributions, and the prosocial skills and responses. . . but they choose not to demonstrate them with Black (or other minority background) students (or even adults). As noted earlier, this situation involves explicit, planned, and conscious bias or prejudice. This situation is even worse when others around the educator do not hold him or her accountable for the inappropriate — if not shocking and shameful — behavior. There is no “middle road” here. Educators who are consciously biased or prejudiced need immediate feedback (or, in persistent cases, sanctions) and remediation. At an extreme level, such educators need to be terminated, and the documentation of the situation needs to be retained in their personnel files. . . and shared with other potential employers as appropriate.

Consistency

Some educators (and students) have inconsistent or selective beliefs or attributions, and/or prosocial skills and responses to the degree that their interactions with Black (or other minority background) students (or adults) are similarly inconsistent and situational. While the source of the inconsistency might be evaluated, these educators need to be made aware of their inconsistencies, as well as the expectation that continued inconsistency is not acceptable.

Once again, over the course of a comprehensive implicit bias initiative—in a school or across a district—ongoing, layered, and multi-dimensional presentation, training, discussion, implementation, coaching, mentoring, supervision, and evaluation activities need to be planned and provided that cover the different root causes above in an effective way.

But simultaneously, there needs to be a clear and consistent message (and action) that such biases will not be accepted, and that frequent, ongoing, or significant incidents will not be tolerated and will be directly addressed.

Summary

A recent Education Week article summarized several large-scale research analyses that concluded that implicit bias training in schools (a) “more often changes short-term knowledge about the vocabulary of diversity than long-term changes in behavior”; that (b) such

such trainings fail “to show benefits that last even a day or two”; and (c) “(i)n some cases, diversity and anti-bias training can paradoxically lead to more stereotyping, if participants come to think of biases as common and uncontrollable, and can lead white participants to feel threatened without yielding benefits for participants of color.”

These results should discourage educational leaders from offering “one-shot” implicit bias in-service sessions with the hope that they will alleviate any potential or actual staff issues in this area.

But these results should not be interpreted to mean that “implicit bias training cannot be successful with educators in schools,” or that educators’ implicit bias — when it is present — cannot be changed.

To accomplish this, however, requires a systemic and community-wide initiative that (a) is part of a comprehensive diversity plan involving changes in policies, practices, and structures; and (b) is integrated into a district’s strategic planning and continuous school improvement activities and processes. The issues related to racial inequity—in education and elsewhere in our society—need to be addressed from “top-down” and “bottom-up” organizational and personnel perspectives. The top-down requires the involvement of federal, state, and district-level leaders. The bottom-up requires the involvement of students, staff, administrators, families, and community partners.

This is not easy work. But this is work we must no longer avoid.

Howie Knoff, PhD, NCSP, is an international consultant, speaker, and author specializing in school improvement and strategic planning, social-emotional learning and social skills training, multi-tiered systems of support, and interventions with behaviorally challenging students. He is a practitioner who has also been a university professor (22 years), and State Department of Education federal grant director (13 years). The author of 24 books and 100+ articles/book chapters, he was the 21st President of the National Association of School Psychologists. His Project ACHIEVE website is www.projectachieve.info, and he can be reached at knoffprojectachieve@earthlink.net.

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Chicago Public Schools Take a New Look at Media Literacy as They Focus on Student Preparation for Civic Life

By Erin McNeill

Large school districts are taking another look at their role in preparing students for civic life in the 21st century, and thinking about how revised media literacy policies might play a role. Let’s consider the Chicago Public Schools new strategic plan, “Ready for Civic Life,” which connects the dots as educators place equity in a central position when discussing civic engagement.

Three years ago, after Illinois passed a civics requirement for high school, Chicago made youth civic engagement a priority. Now, a planning group led by Heather Van Benthuysen, director, Social Science and Civic Engagement, has launched phase II. Throughout, there’s an acknowledgement of how power is exercised and how students can recognize it and take back their own power: “When living in a culture of continuous and accelerated change, critical perspectives that examine power and address inequity must be practiced daily so that they become inherent. Through this, youth will not only be able to read the world, they will be able to shape it.”

In phase II the planners highlight the connections between media literacy, civic engagement, and equity, both in school and when young people head out into the world. This plan embodies the concept that media messages are shaping us as individuals and as a society, and that understanding this concept is so important to recognizing the need to use a critical eye on our sources of information and how we employ them.

The plan names seven “powerful practices” for civic life, among them, media literacy. “These practices shape the way we work together in every classroom, every school, and across the district because we know they will lead to increased academic outcomes, engaged youth, and valued and invested school communities,” the plan states.

To develop a districtwide media literacy strategy, the planners convened stakeholders such as educators, district administrators, and other experts to create a vision for CPS high school graduates who are media savvy and equipped to use media to acquire information and to use media tools that allow them to engage. At the top of their recommendations for the district is to develop a policy to require teaching media literacy skills across grade levels every year. The planning group also recommends the district identify standards, develop lessons, and provide teacher training.

I asked Ms. Van Benthuysen about this emphasis on policy. She said, "Media is pervasive – and it shapes our values, our policies, our biases, our culture. If we are to

have an informed, engaged citizenry we must prepare youth to not only navigate, but be powerful in our media-dominant, disinformation-rich world. Therefore we need policies that require critical media literacy instruction at every grade level, across content areas, through social, political, environment, and economic contexts. This can't be done in a unit of study, it must be embedded within core instruction."

Every school district that believes in equity and sees civic participation as part of the answer to addressing power systems and changing our world, may want to consider media literacy policies that ensure students have the tools and skills they need now, and when they graduate. Schools can start with the Chicago Public Schools strategic plan as a model. Erin McNeill is a journalist, a parent, and founder of Media Literacy Now, a national education policy initiative that is leading systemic change in states across the country to ensure that all K-12 schools are teaching a comprehensive set of media literacy and digital citizenship skills that students need for health, well-being, economic participation, and citizenship.

8 Ways to Implement SEL Now

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INFORM. Ground your team in research. Learn more about the need for and efficacy of social and emotional learning to strategize about how it addresses your school’s mission. Visit Classroom Champions’ website to learn more about What is SEL? And Why SEL Matters:

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CULTIVATE. Nurture a culture of growth by recognizing that a new curriculum requires a learning curve. Integrate time into your existing staff meetings to reflect, connect, and collaborate on the importance of SEL. Classroom Champions provides ongoing professional growth opportunities and customizable PD for educators to come together to talk about best practices:

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EMBED. Weave SEL into your weekly schedule so that the learning becomes habits of mind. Build a base of understanding to best reflect your school’s mission and values. Classroom Champions offers 30-minute weekly lesson plans which are easily extendable and integrate seamlessly into existing core curricular areas:

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ENGAGE. Leverage technology and the power of media by inviting in others’ voices to share their learnings in school and in life. Use this multimedia whether teaching in person or remotely. Sign up for a free 30-day trial to explore the first of eight media-rich, thematic units, Goal Setting:

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COMMUNICATE. Invite families into the conversation by providing them with turnkey SEL resources to rely on at home. Provide just-in-time advice and guidance , parent to parent. Share Classroom Champions’ SEL Comes Home video series with caregivers so that they can underscore the same learning objectives at home:

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GATHER FEEDBACK. Consider how you will gauge impact and efficacy to best understand how your students continue to grow. Align programmatic goals with your school’s vision. Check out CC’s Impact Report, assembled by a research team dedicated to improving the lives of kids:

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CHERISH THE LITTLE THINGS. Celebrate the small wins by setting and reflecting on short- and long-term goals. Classroom Champions and the athlete mentors consider themselves teaching partners in this effort to bring SEL to all! Please reach out to us to learn more:

Kate@ClassroomChampions.org