Equity and Discipline Practices
Presentation Abstract
How do implicit bias impact discipline in schools? Educators are faced with many new students every year and in these moments, as students mingle and interact with one another, educators begin to make crucial observations that will affect perceptions and expectations of students.
Research has shown that before educators even have a conversation with a student, they have already formulated a number of opinions based on that student's race, appearance, and other factors and begun to form a certain set of expectations.
Many don't want to admit that they have bias especially in the education field, but implicit bias is important to understand and matter because EVERYONE possesses these unconscious associations.
Regardless of how much we think of ourselves as open-minded educators, the reality is that our subconscious is at work. We, too, are learning every move of our students: their dress, their personal hygiene and grooming, their use of language, and their behaviors. Admitting it may be uncomfortable, but almost all of us have looked at a student at one time or another and thought, solely based on their appearance, "That student is going to be someone," or "that student is going to be trouble." These subconscious thoughts and feelings are known as implicit biases. Implicit bias affects our decisions, behaviors, and interactions with others; they can be positive or negative, and can have harmful effects when they influence our decision-making. These decisions have a huge impact on discipline in schools and our communities.
An equitable education system helps all students develop the knowledge and skills they need to be engaged and become productive members of society. More importantly, giving all children an equitable start would lead to better economic and social outcomes for individuals, for homes, communities, and for our nation.
Recommended Citation
Flowers, Dr. Michele F., "Equity and Discipline Practices" (2019). Georgia Association for Positive Behavior Support Conference. 40.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/gapbs/2019/2019/40
Equity and Discipline Practices
How do implicit bias impact discipline in schools? Educators are faced with many new students every year and in these moments, as students mingle and interact with one another, educators begin to make crucial observations that will affect perceptions and expectations of students.
Research has shown that before educators even have a conversation with a student, they have already formulated a number of opinions based on that student's race, appearance, and other factors and begun to form a certain set of expectations.
Many don't want to admit that they have bias especially in the education field, but implicit bias is important to understand and matter because EVERYONE possesses these unconscious associations.
Regardless of how much we think of ourselves as open-minded educators, the reality is that our subconscious is at work. We, too, are learning every move of our students: their dress, their personal hygiene and grooming, their use of language, and their behaviors. Admitting it may be uncomfortable, but almost all of us have looked at a student at one time or another and thought, solely based on their appearance, "That student is going to be someone," or "that student is going to be trouble." These subconscious thoughts and feelings are known as implicit biases. Implicit bias affects our decisions, behaviors, and interactions with others; they can be positive or negative, and can have harmful effects when they influence our decision-making. These decisions have a huge impact on discipline in schools and our communities.
An equitable education system helps all students develop the knowledge and skills they need to be engaged and become productive members of society. More importantly, giving all children an equitable start would lead to better economic and social outcomes for individuals, for homes, communities, and for our nation.
