Daniela Cupples

Confronting Implicit Bias

(Work for On-Line Session #2)
Step #1: Iris Module: Classroom Diversity: An Introduction Module:
1. Work through texts, videos, and recordings at http://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/module/div/#content
2. Based on the Ms. Christie case study information, answer the following challenge question:
a) What should teachers understand in order to address student diversity in their classrooms?
Our student population is becoming increasingly diverse: different races, ethnicities, cultures, and
socioeconomic backgrounds all influence student learning. Student diversity impacts learning, it
impacts students background knowledge, which impacts how students make connections with the
content they are learning.
Cultural differences: More than 1000 cultures are represented in schools in the US.
Linguistic differences: Students speak many different languages and demonstrate a wide range of
academic, physical, and social proficiencies. One in five school age students speak a different
language at home or speak English with difficulty.
Disabilities: 11% of students, in public school, receive special education services.
Family situational differences: Students come from different family backgrounds: such as twoparent, adoptive, divorced, single-parent, grandparent or relative lead household.
Socioeconomic level or status differences: This includes income, education, and occupation of
household members. One in five school-aged children lives in poverty in the US.
Socioeconomic levels often affect student achievement:

Low SES: lower achievement levels than middle and high SES families.
Low SES: Lower language skills at beginning of kindergarten.
Low SES: Test scores at least 10% lower than average in math and reading.
Low SES: More absences lead to learning gaps.
Lower education level of parent affects parent child interaction.

b) How do our personal perceptions create implicit biases within us?

Personal perceptions may lead us to stereotype individual students and student groups.
Stereotypes lead us to quickly categorize students, but fail to look at the greater picture and
recognize that students are individuals. Implicit bias is composed of the attitudes or stereotypes that
affect our understanding, actions, and decisions on an unconscious level. Associations in our subconscious
cause us to have feelings and attitudes about other people based on race, ethnicity, culture, or
appearance. This can lead to dangerous biases because we may assume things about our students.

Example: Not all cheerleaders are white middle class students.

Why are implicit biases dangerous?
Stereotypes are part of the human experience. However, as educational practitioners we need to
be aware of them, reflect upon our practice, and make sure that our interactions with students are
not governed by implicit biases. A teachers perspective on a particular group of students may be

shaped by stereotypes and therefore lead the teacher to interact differently with different groups
of the student population. Therefore, it is important for teachers to understand their perceptions
about students who come from different backgrounds. Furthermore, we need to understand how
these perceptions might change our expectations for the students we are teaching.
c) What are five ways diversity influences student learning?
1.

Cultural diversity affects student learning: Culturally based behaviors may affect student
behavior, communication patterns, interactions with others, and learning styles. Tone of
voice, facial expressions, gestures and body language vary across cultures. Teachers need to
be aware of these differences as students may not respond according to the teachers
expectations because of cultural differences. Instruction may be confusing to the students
because of different cultural backgrounds.

2.

Linguistic differences affect student learning: Students who speak a different language at
home or dont speak English fluently, may have limited understanding of the required
language and therefore struggle to understand the content that is taught.

3.

Exceptionalities affect student learning: Disabilities include a diverse range of challenges and
impairments that affect student learning in many different ways. The physical, cognitive,
social and emotional development of the student may be delayed or impaired, thus affecting
the students ability to learn. Disabilities include autism, deaf-blindness, deafness,
developmental delay, emotional disturbance, hearing impairment, intellectual disability,
multiple disabilities, orthopedic impairment, other health impairment, specific learning
disability, speech or language impairment, traumatic brain injury, and visual impairment
including blindness. Giftedness is also an exceptionality; gifted students progress at a faster
pace and need to be challenged.

4.

Family situational differences affect student learning: Since not all students live in a
traditional two parent household, students have different family experiences and traditions,
which shape their interactions with others and their ability to make connections with new
material.

5.

Socioeconomic level or status differences: The socio economic level of the students family
can have a great impact on student learning. Students from lower SES levels often have fewer
opportunities to engage in learning activities at home and have less support at home.

d) To obtain success in a diverse classroom, what should a teacher consider?

Diversity Challenges

Teaching Considerations

Present materials in different formats. Address different learning styles and

Diversity:
include multiple modes of instruction. Include visual, auditory, kinesthetic,
Diversity leads to different ways
and tactile activities. The use of technology provides many ways to address
of learning.
different learning styles.
Celebrate cultural diversity in the classroom:
Cultural:
Create an environment of understanding and appreciation for
Instruction may be confusing to
different cultural backgrounds.
the students because of
Incorporate units about contributions from individuals from different
different cultural backgrounds.
cultural groups.
Help students form connections to their own experiences.
Use role-playing, exercises, and story-telling to align teaching with
students cultural experiences.
Incorporate multicultural perspectives into the traditional curriculum
and provide multicultural resources in all subjects.
Family:
Family circumstances may cause
the student to struggle in
school.
Linguistic:
Limited English proficiency may
lead to difficulties mastering
academic content.

Create positive relationships with students and their families. Getting to

know students, their families, and the challenges the students face is
important. This will increase communication and help teachers support
students better.
Sheltered instruction provides many ways to support English learners.
Speak slower and use clear enunciation.
Use high frequency vocabulary for instruction.
Use direct instruction, modeling, small group
Explain academic vocabulary
Repeat concepts, restate material in different ways, and include
visuals.

Exceptionalities:
Differentiate instruction: scaffold tasks to the abilities of the students.
Disabilities and giftedness affect Provide additional resources at the students level and provide extra support
student learning.
for struggling students. Accelerate instruction for gifted and talented
students and provide independent learning opportunities.
Socioeconomic:
Limited exposure and access to
additional educational resources
and support.

Provide additional access to educational resources in the classroom, during,

before and after school or at recess. Examples: Students, who do not have
access to technology at home, should be given extra opportunities to use
technology resources at school.

Step #2: Echevarria and Graves Chapter 8

Describe the potential integrated nature of in-services, action research, and professional learning
communities.
Professional development in many different formats is an integral part of teacher preparation. It is a
continuous process that spans a teachers career. Successful educators need to be reflective individuals
who continuously analyze the effectiveness of their lessons in their respective classrooms. Professional
development is most effective when it is part of a school culture that sets the goal of continuous
improvement. Different forms of PD all support the continuous reflection on the success of particular
professional practices, tools, and strategies. Therefore, in-services which bring in new ideas, tools, and
strategies should be part of a long term professional development plan. Teachers should be given
opportunities to collaborate and apply newly learned ideas, tools and strategies, and reflect upon their
effectiveness.
Action research gives teachers an opportunity to set clear goals, create a plan that selects best
approaches and strategies, implement the plan, and reflect on the effectiveness of the plan.
Professional learning communities provide an additional long-term support network where teachers
collaborate with peers, specialized instructional staff, and parents to best use curricular resources to
support all learners. Professional learning is closely integrated into instruction, thus providing
opportunities for teachers to analyze the effectiveness of tools used.

1. Select ONE of the case studies provided on pages 153 and 154. Based on the case study, answer the
following questions:
Case study:
When Agnessa was six years old, an American family adopted her from an orphanage in Russia. She has
an older brother who is the biological child of her parents. Now in third grade, Agnessa has very limited
literacy skills. Even her spoken English is quite limited when she interacts with students and the teacher
in class. Her family is concerned that Agnessa doesnt seem to be making sufficient academic progress
and she has had a number of behavior problems in school. She has been caught stealing twice this year,
and she is often uncooperative in class.
a. What is the main issue being presented? Why did you identify this as being most important?
The main issue is that Agnessa has very limited literacy skills, which lead to academic, social and
behavior problems in class. I identified her limited literacy skills as most important, because I
view them as the underlying cause for the other issues. Agnessas limited oral language skills
cause many other issues, such as her inability to successfully communicate with other students
and the teacher, which severely impacts her learning. As the academic content becomes more
complex, she falls further behind, gets frustrated and acts out, which is apparent in her
behavior problems.

b. Refer back to your work in step #1. How does the material presented in the Iris module help
you arrive at a decision regarding what case study issue is most important?
The module helped me understand that there may be underlying causes to Agnessas behavior.
Her social, cultural and linguistic background before she was adopted can have a lasting impact
on her literacy skills. She may have experienced severe neglect in early childhood, which could
have contributed to a general delay in her language development. We have no information
regarding her first language acquisition. Social interactions in the orphanage may have been
focused on survival and stealing may have been a way to survive. Her first language is radically
different from English, a very limited transfer of skills is possible, Cultural differences may also
affect her interaction with others and behavior. As the gap widens, Agnessas behavior issues
may escalate, she is not able to successfully communicate and feel accepted and understood in
class and therefore exhibit antisocial behaviors.
c. If this student was in your class, what are three strengths you possess that will assist you in
meeting the students needs (reference Figure 8.1)? List one past experience that has helped
you develop these strengths?
I would set the following goals:
i. Form a personal connection with the student and her family to better support the
student.
ii. Analyze assessment data, previous school experiences, assess language proficiency,
learning and behavior patterns, and create personalized learning and behavior goals for
the student.
iii. Implement a learning plan through sheltered instruction, use multiple delivery modes,
and integrate cultural experiences.
Strengths:
1. My focus on student centered approaches and connections.
2. As an English learner from a different cultural background, Im able to empathize with
the student and know how difficult it can be to gain confidence speaking in a foreign
language.
3. My instructional background in educational technology enables me to provide and
integrate additional personalized delivery modes through technology.
Working in the computer lab, where I work with all students in the entire school has helped me
develop these strengths. It has helped me learn to understand the importance of forming
positive connections with students. Making connections that motivate and support student
learning and strengthen student confidence is an essential part of my professional practice.

Step #3: Application: Attending an In-service session

1. Watch Jeff-Duncan Andrades presentation at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33NIzUYRKpc
2. How does the material shared by Dr. Duncan-Andrade coordinate with what you learned during the
first two steps of this assignment?
Dr. Duncan-Andrades material connected deeply with the message that a students socio-economic,
racial or cultural background influences learning. Life stresses, such as poverty, hunger, racism, and
violence deeply affect the student and may cause depression, attention problems, intrusive thoughts,
flashbacks, disrupted sleep, and extreme anxiety. A students inability to focus my not be ADD or
ADHD. Dr. Duncan-Andrade stressed the importance of connecting with students and taking an interest
in their lives and not giving up when students dont seem to respond. Understanding that students go
back to their stressful home life and that change therefore may be gradual and incremental.
3. What are two significant, new pieces of information you learned from Dr. Duncan-Andrades
presentation? Why do you believe each of the items you listed is significant for your success as a
teacher?
HOPE: Dr. Duncan-Andrade stressed the importance of hope. A great teacher is the most valuable
material resource in helping students close the gap between most pressing needs and education. It is
important for me to believe that it is my purpose to make a difference in my students lives. Teachers
face many challenges and cant be successful without hope.
Control the part you can control, the micro system, your classroom! Teachers have no control over
the macro system, violence, poverty, racism, community issues. Students bring what happens in their
lives with them into the classroom and that affects their behavior and learning. However, teachers can
provide a space for all students where they feel accepted and comfortable to learn and gain an
understanding that education can provide an opportunity to change their lives.
4. What personal insights have you obtained about identifying and controlling your personal, implicit
biases?
The assignment gave me a deeper insight into student diversity. I learned that my students may face
many issues that seem unimaginable to me. Having water for dinner, or facing the fact that a fellow
student was stabbed to death isnt something Ive ever faced. Thinking about and becoming aware of
how my personal experiences regarding, socio-economic backgrounds, cultures, languages, and races
have shaped my world view, interactions, and expectations, has given me an opportunity to become
conscious of implicit biases. Becoming conscious of these subconscious issues is a first step in
controlling implicit bias and making sure that my actions in the classroom are not governed by implicit
bias. The Christian perspective also helps me control personal and implicit biases because it guides me
to accept all children as gifts of God.