CREATING INCLUSIVE MATH CLASSROOMS

CURTIS MITCHELL AND JED PETERSON, KIRKWOOD DEI FELLOWS

Images: NPR.org, Parade.com

INTRODUCTION AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

• Curtis Mitchell and Jed Peterson

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• Kirkwood Faculty DEI Fellows group

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• American College and University Educators (ACUE) course “Inclusive Teaching for Equitable Learning”

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• Colleen Schmitt, Kirkwood DEI Fellow, for syllabus slides

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INCLUSIVE SYLLABI RECOMMENDATIONS

• Welcome students to the course
• Introduce yourself
• Name, pronouns, what you want students to call you
• Best ways to communicate with you
• Use student-friendly language and visuals
• Minimize use of jargon (e.g. “Office Hours”)
• Define words or concepts that may be unfamiliar
• Use inclusive and warm language
• Give students information they need to succeed
• Describe academic and other support resources

LANGUAGE

• Inclusive language
• Learn and use students’ pronouns, preferred names, and pronunciation
• Take notes
• Lead by example
• Avoid binary or gender-specific language (“You guys,” “Ladies and Gentlemen”)

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• Tone
• “Warm” vs. “Cold”
• Adversarial vs. Approachable
• Encouraging, reassuring

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WARM VS. COLD LANGUAGE

�Useful resources from University of Massachusetts Amherst�https://www.umass.edu/ctl/resources/deeper-dives/inclusive-syllabus-design

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POLICIES

• Very strict policies around attendance and late work tend to disproportionately impact members of disadvantaged groups

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• Designing policies that uphold academic standards while allowing for flexibility conveys empathy and understanding of student needs

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• Policies with built-in flexibility are preferable to ones that require you to make a lot of judgment calls

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MANAGING IMPLICIT BIAS

• It is easy to see Conscious Bias, but can be difficult to see Implicit Bias.
• Implicit or unconscious bias is the programing that comes to us courtesy of our culture, whether that is family culture or societal culture. We develop preferences for or against people, places, or actions. We don’t know even know these biases are there, but they can influence our actions in very disturbing ways as teachers.
• What are some examples of Implicit Bias?
• How might Implicit Bias affect our teaching?
• How might Implicit Bias affect our grading?
• The importance of Empathy

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REDUCING MICROAGGRESSIONS

• Derald Wing Sue said a Microaggression is “the everyday slights and insults experienced by a minority group or one group because of their minority group status.”
• Much like “Implicit” Bias, “Micro” means small, hard to see, but present
• What are some examples of Microaggressions?
• How do Microaggressions connect with Privilege?
• How can we avoid Microaggressions?
• How can we help students who have experienced Microaggressions?
• What affect can Microaggressions have on student persistence?

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ADDRESSING IMPOSTER SYNDROME

• Imposter Syndrome can consist of many factors, including: feeling like a fraud, feeling self-conscious about deficiencies, feeling different from those around you, being a perfectionist, and not enjoying success. It can be localized to certain situations or be a constant burden.
• What are some examples of Imposter Syndrome?
• How can we normalize the feelings toward Imposter Syndrome?
• How can we counteract traditional stereotypes?
• How can we change our courses to address Imposter Syndrome?
• How can we create a sense of belonging and foster a growth mindset?

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CHOICE OF EXAMPLES

• Examples & problems ideally reflect that reflect students’ lives and experiences

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• Examples & problems should reflect a diverse society

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• Community agreements can help manage discussions that come out of real-world examples (and other conflict)

SHARING

• What questions do you have?

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• What experiences have you had with these or other strategies for promoting belonging and inclusion? How have they worked?