Order the Leading Equity Book Today!Ā 

Read the Transcript

Topic: The Importance of Safety for Students

- Safety as a foundation for love, belonging, self-esteem, and learning engagement
- The positive impact of safety on students' learning and educational risks
- The power of belonging and feeling included in the learning environment
- The role of self-actualization in students' respect for themselves and their teacher

Topic: The Connection Between Safety and Assimilation

- Defining assimilation as acquiring the habits, attitudes, and mode of life of a dominant culture
- Criticizing the concept of an "embracing culture" in the definition of assimilation
- Historical examples, such as Native American boarding schools, that challenge the idea of assimilation as an embracing culture
- The challenges faced by marginalized individuals in fitting into a dominant culture's norms and expectations

Topic: The Pitfalls of Niceness in Education

- Niceness prioritizing the comfort of individuals with dominant identities
- The hinderance of progress towards dismantling inequity through niceness
- The avoidance of confronting red flags in achievement, behavior, and other data through niceness
- The disciplining of those who disrupt structures and dominant ideologies through niceness

Topic: Acts of Isms and Phobias

- Highlighting the harm caused by acts of racism, sexism, and homophobia
- Emphasizing the impact of these acts on individuals' well-being
- Challenging the notion of intent versus impact in instances of mistreatment
- The need to address and confront acts of isms and phobias

Topic: Deflections and Hindrances to Acceptance

- Explaining deflections as a means of avoiding responsibility and blame shifting
- The negative impact of deflections on acceptance and progress towards equality
- Identifying the need to acknowledge room for growth and improvement in addressing equity issues
- Exposing the limited effectiveness of superficial diversity and equity training without meaningful action for students

Topic: Moving Towards Proactivity and Belonging

- Advocating for proactive measures to ensure a sense of belonging for all students
- Highlighting the importance of supporting students' multiple identities and experiences
- Challenging reactionary responses and calling for meaningful action before issues arise
- Promoting acceptance, support, and inclusion as core values for every student
- Final thoughts and reflection on the importance of making all students feel accepted and included

Additional Resources

Book Dr. Eakins

Watch The Art of Advocacy Show

Learn more about our Student Affinity Groups

Free Course on Implicit Bias

20 Diversity Equity and Inclusion Activities

FREE AUDIO COURSE: Race, Advocacy, and Social Justice Studies

Hosted by Dr. Sheldon L. Eakins

A Weekly Livestream

Follow us every Thursday at 6:30 PM Eastern to learn ways that you can develop your advocacy skills in your school/community from experts in education.  

This show is built on three principles

  • The  Power of Preparation- Discover ways to develop a plan to address inequities in schools.
  • The Power of Persuasion- Gain an understanding of the art of influence and create a sense of urgency towards change.
  • The Power of Persistence- Recognize how to endure challenges as they may arise.
Follow the Channel

Free Course

Enroll in this free course to learn about your biases and how to address them.

This course includes:

  • 11 video lessons
  • 5 downloadable resources
  • 1.0 Hour Professional Development Certificate
Learn More

An Affinity Space for Student Voices

Are you ready to transform the culture inside your district or school for the better? Enroll in the Advocacy Room today!

Learn More

Subscribe & Review in iTunes

Are you subscribed to the podcast? If you’re not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don’t want you to miss an episode. Click here to subscribe in iTunes!

Now if you enjoy listening to the show, I would be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other advocates find the podcast and they’re also fun for me to go in and read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you!

Let's Connect on Instagram!

Transform your school and your classroom with these best practices in equity

Leading Equity delivers an eye-opening and actionable discussion of how to transform a classroom or school into a more equitable place. Through explorations of ten concrete steps that you can take right now, Dr. Sheldon L. Eakins offers you the skills, resources, and concepts youā€™ll need to address common equity deficiencies in education.

Close

50% Complete

Two Step

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.