• II-C-1: Respects Differences
    Unsatisfactory
     
    Needs Improvement
     
    Proficient
     
    Exemplary
     
    Establishes an environment in which students demonstrate limited respect for individual differences. Establishes an environment in which students generally demonstrate respect for individual differences Consistently uses strategies and practices that are likely to enable students to demonstrate respect for and affirm their own and others’ differences related to background, identity, language, strengths, and challenges. Establishes an environment in which students respect and affirm their own and others’ differences and are supported to share and explore differences and similarities related to background, identity, language, strengths, and challenges. Is able to model this practice.
    Why Proficiency in this Element Matters
    • As educators, respecting differences means continually striving to recognize and own one’s differences (ie. background, culture, ethnicity, language, gender, privilege, etc), which shape an inclusive worldview and prevent blind spots that lead to exclusionary instructional practices and learning environments shaped by implicit biases.  
    • Tapping into students’ cultural and linguistic knowledge better equips educators to cultivate daily learning experiences that promote authentic and sustained learning.  
    • As educators gain competency in respecting students’ differences they will better build genuine, transformative relationships with students that nurture a sustained learning partnership. In other words, knowing more than superficial information about students allows educators to make strategic pedagogical choices to meet students’ unique learning needs and ensure an academically safe learning environment. It also allows the cultivation of trusting relationships between teacher-student, student-student and families.
    • Ultimately, building an inclusive and asset-based  learning environment is central to creating access points for all students to engage in meaningful and cognitively demanding work in the classroom. This bridges the opportunity gap.
    Reflection Questions

    These questions may help to assess how effectively common obstacles to consistent/sustained proficiency in this element are addressed

    For Educators For Evaluators/Coaches
    Describe how you complement students’ worldview in respect to learning, and how you empower them to meet high academic goals?

    How does the educator adjust practice to reflect an asset-based approach to incorporating culturally relevant pedagogy in instruction?  
    How well do you know individual students? Does your knowledge of students  suggest an authentic relationship that has the potential to build trust, rapport and alliance, which leads to deep learning in the classroom? What evidence in instruction points to the educator leveraging relational equity as a key lever to developing his/her instructional plan for students?
    In what ways does your knowledge of your students inform curricular, pedagogical and interpersonal choices in the classroom? What variables in the learning environment appear to support the educator’s respect of differences in regard to student learning?
    How does your privilege and students’ privilege, impact learning outcomes and opportunities gaps present in the classroom? How can you and your students mitigate these privileges to work toward a more inclusive and equitable classroom and school culture? How does the educator use language and instructional approaches to demonstrate social justice in teaching and student support?
    What instructional practices should be observed? What student impacts should be expected?
    For TEACHERS this may look like.

    1. Teacher lacks awareness of own privilege or ways in which privilege affects student lives, learning, and opportunity. Teacher is unaware of inequitable power structures within the classroom and fails to use developmentally appropriate instructional strategies that explicitly disrupt any such power structures and foster equitable engagement and learning opportunities.

    1. Teacher demonstrates occasional awareness of origins and manifestations of teacher’s and/or students’ privilege (i.e., as an adult, as a white person, native English speaker, as a straight person, as a cis-identifying person, as an economically advantaged person). Teacher may be unaware of inequitable power structures within the classroom and/ or fails to use developmentally appropriate instructional strategies that explicitly disrupt any such power structures and foster equitable engagement and learning opportunities.

    1. Teacher demonstrates consistent awareness of origins and manifestations of teacher’s and/or students’ privilege (i.e., as an adult, as a white person, native English speaker,  as a straight person, as a cis-identifying person, as an economically advantaged person). Teacher demonstrates cognizance of inequitable power structures within the classroom and uses developmentally appropriate instructional strategies that explicitly disrupt any such power structures and foster equitable engagement and learning opportunities.

    1. Teacher demonstrates consistent awareness of origins and manifestations of teacher’s and/or students’ privilege (i.e., as an adult, as a white person, native English speaker, as a straight person, as a cis-identifying person, as an economically advantaged person). Teacher demonstrates cognizance of inequitable power structures within the classroom and uses developmentally appropriate instructional strategies that explicitly disrupt any such power structures and foster equitable engagement and learning opportunities. Teacher is able to model this element for peers.

    1. Teacher uses curricular materials (ie. books, documentaries, posters, etc.) that may unintentionally reflect biases toward individual differences such as gender identity, sexual orientation, class, race, ethnicity, culture, identity, language, family structure, strengths, and challenges.

    1. Teacher sometimes incorporates curricular materials (ie. books, documentaries, posters, etc.) that portray limited types of individual differences, or discusses individual differences at a surface or cursory level.

    1. Teacher consistently incorporates curricular materials (ie books, documentaries, posters, etc.). that portray the range of individual differences in affirming ways, discussing them at a concrete level that goes beyond the surface.

    1. Teacher consistently imbeds the affirmation of the full range of individual differences and creates opportunities for students to contribute personal supplemental materials and resources (ie. books, documentaries, posters, etc.) that reflect those differences.

    1. Classroom environment and materials available to students may intentionally or unintentionally reflect biases toward individual differences such as gender identity, sexual orientation, class, race, ethnicity, culture, language, family structure, strengths, and challenges.

    1. Classroom environment and materials may represent some types of individual differences, but such connections are not made explicit and/or may be limited or lacking in developmentally appropriate approaches.

    1. Classroom environment and materials (e.g., student work, independent reading selections) portray the full range of individual differences (e.g., gender identity, sexual orientation, class, race, ethnicity, culture, language, family structure, strengths, and challenges) in a developmentally affirming way.

    1. Classroom environment and materials (e.g., student work, independent reading selections) portray the full range of individual differences (e.g., gender identity, sexual orientation, class, race, ethnicity, culture, language, family structure, strengths, and challenges) in a developmentally appropriate and  affirming way. Teacher is able to articulate his/her decisions in choosing classroom materials that affirm differences.

    1. Teacher does not facilitate opportunities for students to learn about and develop respect for one another's differences.

    1. Teacher occasionally facilitates opportunities for students to learn about and embraces differences within the class.

    1. Teacher consistently facilitates activities that allow students to explore and embrace their own and other's differences in experience and in language.

    1. Teacher consistently facilitates activities that allow students to explore and embrace their own and other's differences in experience and language and is able to model this practice for peers. Teacher consistently creates opportunities for students to contribute representations of themselves and their language in discussions and activities.

    1. Teacher's interactions with other professionals, students, and families do not convey respect for differences.

    1. Teacher's interactions with other professionals, students, and families convey a surface or cursory level of respect for differences.

    1. Teacher's interactions with other professionals, students, and families consistently convey respect for the full range of individuals’ differences.

    1. Teacher's interactions with other professionals, students, and families consistently convey respect and value for the full range of individuals’  differences. Teacher is instrumental in establishing a culture of respect within his/her classroom and the school.
    As a result, the IMPACT on STUDENTS may be...

    1. Students interact with one another in a way that does not demonstrate awareness of or respect for individual differences.

    1. Students interact with one another in a ways that demonstrate a limited awareness of and respect for individuals’ differences.

    1. Students consistently interact with one another in a way that demonstrates a tangible awareness of, respect for, and acceptance of individuals’ differences.

    1. Without prompting, students regularly interact with one another in a way that demonstrates awareness of, respect for and acceptances of individuals’ differences. Students are able to self-monitor by helping one another to interact in a respectful way.

    1. Students' classroom materials represent homogenous rather than diverse authors and characters

    1. Students' classroom materials only sometimes reflect diversity of gender identity, sexual orientation, class, race, ethnicity, culture, identity, language, family structure, strengths, and challenges.

    1. Students' classroom materials consistently reflect diversity of background, race, ethnicity, culture, identity, language, family structure, strengths, and challenges. There is some evidence of opportunities for student dialogue on diversity, negotiation on understanding perspective, as well as interactive learning through an asset based approach.

    1. Classroom materials consistently affirm individual and cultural differences.  Students have the opportunity to self-select materials and areas for inquiry that reflect a diversity of background, race, ethnicity, culture, identity, language, family structure, strengths, and challenges.There is sufficient evidence of opportunities for student dialogue on diversity, negotiation on understanding perspective, as well as interactive learning through an asset based approach.

    1. Student writing, and other work, does not affirm their own individual differences or the differences of others.

    1. Student writing, and other work, only occasionally affirms their own differences and/or the differences of others.

    1. Student writing and other work provide multiple opportunities to consistently affirm their own differences and the differences of others.

    1. Students are able to navigate complex topics and their writing and other work demonstrates affirmation and appreciation of individual differences (e.g, gender identity, sexual orientation, class, race, ethnicity, culture, identity, language, family structure, strengths, and challenge).
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