Hi everyone! I joined Cohort 21 to be part of a supportive and innovative community of educators who are committed to growing professionally, tackling challenges collaboratively, and driving change in their schools. So far it has been such an engaging experience. I value the opportunity to learn from others, gain new perspectives, and work on purposeful goals that align with my passion for equity, inclusion, and student-centered learning.
My goal for this year is one that I think has been a lifelong goal as an educator:
- Building a school-wide culture of inclusivity and belonging by addressing systemic inequities and empowering student voices.
This goal stems from my experiences with students expressing feelings of marginalization and a lack of trust in my current school community. I want to create opportunities for students, especially those from underrepresented groups, to feel seen, heard, and valued.
My experience in Cohort 21 will hopefully give me the opportunity to learn from others who have successfully implemented inclusive practices or addressed systemic inequities in their schools.I look forward to using the Cohort 21 network to refine my ideas and hold myself accountable for making tangible progress. And I look forward to exploring strategies to center student voices in addressing issues like racism, bias, and exclusion within the school culture.
This work is deeply important because it goes beyond immediate tasks to shape the long-term experiences and outcomes of the students I teach. It is probably clear that it is the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Justice strand that resonates most with me. This school year has had many challenges, thus far which has revealed to me significant gaps in how the school communicates, supports, and fosters trust among students, staff, and administration in addressing issues of equity and justice.
Questions I continue to have:
How can we embed the principles of diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice into our school culture rather than reacting to incidents as they arise?
How do we ensure that the responsibility for addressing equity concerns is shared across all staff and administration, rather than falling on a few individuals or groups?
What opportunities can we create for students to lead or co-create initiatives that address these challenges and promote systemic change?
So glad you joined Cohort 21! Looking forward to your reflections on teaching and your Action Plan.
@sfleming
Thank you for sharing your ideas early.! Your commitment to building a culture of inclusivity and belonging resonates deeply, and I admire how you’re anchoring your work in systemic change rather than reacting to individual incidents. This proactive approach has the potential to create lasting impact in your school community.
Your focus on empowering student voices and addressing systemic inequities is powerful. I appreciate how you’re framing this work as not just addressing challenges but shaping the long-term experiences and outcomes for your students. It’s clear that you’re tackling some deeply important questions, and your reflection shows a strong understanding of the complexity of this work.
Your guiding questions are spot-on. I particularly love the focus on embedding DEIJ principles into daily practices. It’s critical for these principles to become part of the fabric of school culture. One idea might be to start small by identifying areas where daily practices (like advisory groups, classroom discussions, or student leadership opportunities) could naturally integrate DEIJ values. Sometimes these small shifts create the momentum needed for larger systemic change.
On distributing responsibility, your goal to ensure that equity work is shared across staff is key. You might explore ways to make DEIJ goals a part of professional development and performance conversations, ensuring everyone has ownership of the work. Sharing the responsibility could also help prevent burnout among the few who often take on these initiatives.
Lastly, your emphasis on student voice is essential. Creating spaces where students can safely share their experiences, and even lead initiatives, is incredibly empowering. If you haven’t already, you could survey students to better understand their perspectives and needs, ensuring their input directly informs your action plan.
Cohort 21 is the perfect space to share ideas, seek feedback, and collaborate with like-minded educators. I can’t wait to see how your goals evolve over the year.
Justin