Educational Resources & Tech Tools 08/31/2019

• Three Key Groups Too Often Left Out of Diversity Assessments of Campus Climates - Higher Education

  • a crappy climate does not enhance the likelihood that students from diverse backgrounds will enroll, achieve and graduate.
  • Too often left out of the litany of surveys, interviews and town halls designed to learn about campus climate – and, ultimately, the decision-making process – are the people who have the true on-the-ground understanding of what is really taking place.
  • They are the custodians, food service employees and groundskeepers who are engaged in more invisible work within our organizations. These individuals are key to any meaningful, intentional and honest assessment of what is really occurring on our campuses.
  • we found these three groups are absolutely central to conversations on student success. Namely, because they serve as the primary educators (yes, “educators”) that provide validation for low-income, nontraditional and students of color who often do not receive these messages of support from their own faculty or administrators.

  • Such employees within our organizations often come from the same communities as students of color and are often people of color themselves, whereas students’ faculty members overwhelmingly are not. While the voices of these key groups are needed in conversations on student success. so, too, are they needed for discussions of campus climate. And here is why.

     

    They have a true pulse for the climate and culture of the campus. Quite often, they are among the first to hear, see or say that something has gone wrong. They are also often the ones tasked with pulling down fliers and posters from extremist groups that are designed to spread hate, bias and fear.

  • they often have deep and authentic relationships with students, particularly those who are from the most marginalized backgrounds.
  • hey can provide deep insight into the climate experienced by marginalized communities – as they are too often the recipients of subtle slights, insults and sharpness from many faculty, staff and administrators who see them as second-class citizens.

• White Teachers Need to See Color. Here's Why. - WeAreTeachers

  tags: diversity inclusion DEI whiteness white privilege

  • Every person of color has a similar story where an elder takes time to talk about the way their physical appearance is interpreted by white people. Do white people talk about how to make themselves appear more culturally aware in interviews?
  • Every time a white teacher says, “I don’t see color,” you abandon a child in an educational void by refusing to recognize them for who they are. Additionally you fail to prepare them to enter a world who will see their color as a factor to their success and abilities.

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.