How would you interpret this as a new school employee?

[Anonymous]

In a training for new school employees, I was shown a video with the following quote: “You will be held accountable for ensuring that every student is having not only access and opportunity but equitable outcomes.” How would you interpret this and would it concern you?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In a training for new school employees, I was shown a video with the following quote: “You will be held accountable for ensuring that every student is having not only access and opportunity but equitable outcomes.” How would you interpret this and would it concern you?

Equitable outcomes does not mean equal outcomes--just that there's not unfairness.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In a training for new school employees, I was shown a video with the following quote: “You will be held accountable for ensuring that every student is having not only access and opportunity but equitable outcomes.” How would you interpret this and would it concern you?

Equitable outcomes does not mean equal outcomes--just that there's not unfairness.

This. Just don’t create artificial barriers to success and you’ll be fine. You can ask for the staff development teacher or counselor what could be an artificial barrier for your students. What was really eye opening and mind changing for me was about the things I believed were natural consequences, but actually were out of the control of 11 and 12 year olds. Like having a pencil. Once I started just letting anyone borrow a pencil without the riganarole of kea I got a shoe, the number of assignments turned in on time shot up.

[Anonymous]

* keeping a kid’s shoe

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the responses. I’m trying to dig deeper on what equitable outcomes means since it’s part of what I will be evaluated on, it sounds like. If it doesn’t mean equal outcomes, then what does it mean in terms of learning outcomes, scores, grades, etc. ?

[Anonymous]

I would interpret that as you should be helping your all your students achieve. When I am evaluated I have to show that all students are making measurable progress compared to where they started, using multiple data points.

[Anonymous]

It doesn't mean that every student will get the same grades or scores (obviously) but that the distribution of scores should be the same for boys and girls and among students of different races. And that if the distribution is different, you have ideas about why and what you're doing about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In a training for new school employees, I was shown a video with the following quote: “You will be held accountable for ensuring that every student is having not only access and opportunity but equitable outcomes.” How would you interpret this and would it concern you?

Equitable outcomes does not mean equal outcomes--just that there's not unfairness.

This. Just don’t create artificial barriers to success and you’ll be fine. You can ask for the staff development teacher or counselor what could be an artificial barrier for your students. What was really eye opening and mind changing for me was about the things I believed were natural consequences, but actually were out of the control of 11 and 12 year olds. Like having a pencil. Once I started just letting anyone borrow a pencil without the riganarole of kea I got a shoe, the number of assignments turned in on time shot up.

Very clear example. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In a training for new school employees, I was shown a video with the following quote: “You will be held accountable for ensuring that every student is having not only access and opportunity but equitable outcomes.” How would you interpret this and would it concern you?

What school district is this?

[Anonymous]

Our interpretation doesn’t matter. It depends on the interpretation of your school administration since they will be doing your evaluation. Ask them directly for clarification. This could mean many things. Which district or school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It doesn't mean that every student will get the same grades or scores (obviously) but that the distribution of scores should be the same for boys and girls and among students of different races. And that if the distribution is different, you have ideas about why and what you're doing about it.

This. And it's worrisome because you can't control everything that's contributing to the inequities. Much of it comes from home and the students bring it with them each day.

[Anonymous]

How did you become a teacher without any discussion or awareness of equity issues and their impact on how children learn? Genuinely curious.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How did you become a teacher without any discussion or awareness of equity issues and their impact on how children learn? Genuinely curious.

They need to focus on how to teach kids how to read and write and not on equity. Everyone knows that students should be given equity of opportunity but that doesn’t mean the same results.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks for the responses. I’m trying to dig deeper on what equitable outcomes means since it’s part of what I will be evaluated on, it sounds like. If it doesn’t mean equal outcomes, then what does it mean in terms of learning outcomes, scores, grades, etc. ?

None of this was covered in your Ed classes?

I find that really odd. I did alt cert and recall a seminar on Teaching for Equitable Outcomes. Basically, if you are teaching in a way that I can predict girls being more successful on your tests than boys or some other group consistently unde performing, we need to look at how you can teach differently. It is not about everyone having the same scores. But you do need to differentiate in instruction and sometimes in process and product in order to reach every kid. Every student should show growth. Even kids who are ELLs or have special needs. Otherwise what are they getting out of your class? Sometimes all I need to do is to offer readings at two levels and make sure to offer both levels so that kids can stretch themselves. Or chunking a project so that at least 75% of it gets done in school rather than 0% at home where no parent is available.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How did you become a teacher without any discussion or awareness of equity issues and their impact on how children learn? Genuinely curious.

They need to focus on how to teach kids how to read and write and not on equity. Everyone knows that students should be given equity of opportunity but that doesn’t mean the same results.

You don’t understand what equity of opportunity is.