Equity in Education: De-biasing Indian School Education via Teacher-Student Conversations

Equity in education, which adequately helps all students & allows all teachers to maximize their contributions, gets compromised due to biases.

Key points (TL;DR)

1. Biases exist. Through habit, experience, lack of awareness, or systemic influence. They kill equity in the classroom.
2. Teacher training is one option, but that should be coupled with direct conversations between students and teachers in the class.
3. Focusing on classroom energy, addressing variation in students and learning interests and teaching styles, fun in learning, and quality feedback can automatically reduce many biases based on teachers’ and students’ socio-political, physical, and cognitive makeup.

The black and white students depict a “loss” in a classroom’s progress because of biases. While the teacher has colorful “unique” pathways to engage all students, biases prevent them from reaching students.

Teachers are the torchbearers of building a meaningful society and building the nation. Their job is to educate and create a safe but challenging and inclusive environment for all students. For the last few years, myelin has been associated with affordable private and state-aided schools in the state of Maharashtra. Maharashtra has been considered a progressive state with equality and equity in education. Also has seen a consistent rise in job opportunities in non-government sectors, including manufacturing, automobile, and IT services. So, the overall picture for teachers and what students do after learning looks better than before.

In this equity context, as Myelin, working in India, we follow 2 ideas:

1. A teacher’s purpose is to create interest and curiosity while equipping students with multiple things — skills, social, knowledge, etc.
2. When empathy meets knowledge, we get teaching.

Both ideas fit the ecosystem of education with enough flexibility to improve equity.

But the lack of equity in education isn’t a single-fix problem. The solution is a contextual and dynamic approach that needs ongoing effort. Implicit biases are weaved in the local society because they rest in our brains and the machinery we’ve created around us, which is clearly observed in the schooling system. The biases create a loss in equity because they make learning unfair for some, easy for some, uninteresting and insufficient for some, and opportunistic for others, and the biases ignore the diversity of interests and contexts.

With NEP-2020 becoming effective and promoting equity in learning excellence, a teacher's job now includes successful implementation and change management. It’s necessary for teachers to be aware of how their implicit biases and historical habits affect their interactions with students and contribute to inequitable outcomes.

Teachers’ implicit biases are affecting their expectations of students, their perceptions of students’ abilities, and the feedback they provide to students.

These biases are sometimes based on factors such as student gender, caste, religion, socio-economic status, English language proficiency, and physical appearance.

To address this issue, teachers can participate in professional development programs that focus on identifying and addressing implicit biases in the classroom as a form of “educational psychology.” But these are not “certifications” and “compliance” trainings. These are a form of upskilling and reskilling for teachers who already recognize the problem of bias but aren’t equipped to handle it on instinct in a tech- and diversity-centered world. The end result should be a new style of engagement with students.

Teachers can become more aware of their implicit biases through self-reflection, feedback from colleagues and students, and participation in professional development programs may help identify and address these in the classroom.

Strategies to de-bias can include using data to monitor and evaluate teacher-student interactions, providing equitable feedback to all students, avoiding stereotypes and assumptions about students, and creating a classroom culture that celebrates diversity and inclusivity, primarily through engaging conversations.

Implicit biases can manifest in many different ways, and may vary depending on the individual teacher and the specific school context.

To reduce the loss of equity in the classroom, there has to be equity in how we treat the biases.

Here are some examples of implicit biases that teachers in Indian schools exhibit.

1. Lower expectations of students from certain socio-economic backgrounds based on stereotypes or assumptions about their abilities.
2. Maximize effort for subjects like English and Science but trivialize the value of Geography and Algebra.
3. Unconsciously favour students who conform to dominant cultural norms or expectations, such as speaking English fluently or adhering to traditional gender roles.
4. Overlook or undervalue the contributions of students from religious or caste minority groups. Or they may hold unconscious biases against these groups.
5. Sometimes, teachers perceive students with disabilities as less capable or less deserving of attention and resources than their non-disabled peers, even though the diversity of the world creates opportunities for everyone (in theory).
6. Unconsciously give more attention and praise to students who resemble them in terms of gender, ethnicity, or other characteristics.
7. Unintentionally perpetuate stereotypes about certain subjects or fields of study being more suitable for boys or girls (or different categories of people), which can discourage students from pursuing their interests or talents.

Case Study

Problem:

Emphasizing the importance of science and Maths excellence in schools is often seen as essential for academic success and future career opportunities. However, if teachers prioritize these subjects to the exclusion of other disciplines or fail to recognize the value of diverse talents and skills, it can create a biased perspective.

Some dos and don’ts for teachers who want to avoid implicit biases related to emphasis on science and Maths excellence in schools:

Dos:

• Encourage students to explore their interests and passions in all subjects, not just STEM fields.
• Celebrate diversity and inclusivity by highlighting the contributions of students from different backgrounds, experiences, and talents.
• Provide opportunities for students to learn about a variety of careers and fields, including those that may not be traditionally associated with STEM.
• Recognize that academic success is not the only measure of intelligence or potential, and value each student's unique strengths and abilities.
• Accept natural variations in a single student’s marks, which can sometimes go up and down. This does not mean a student should be particularly punished or rewarded for that change in marks.
• Identify relatable, applicable, and contextually relevant ideas around a topic so a student is naturally motivated, curious, and active to learn more without additional effort from a teacher.

Don’ts:

• Assume that all students should aspire to careers in science or maths, or that these subjects are inherently more valuable than others.
• Overlook or undervalue the contributions of students who excel in non-STEM fields, such as art, literature, or social studies.
• Use language or messaging that implies that STEM fields are more “masculine” or “prestigious” than other fields.
• Ignore or dismiss the challenges that students from underrepresented groups may face in accessing STEM education or pursuing STEM careers.

Conversational solutions to mitigate the bias

S = student, T = teacher

Talking about Math

S: Teacher what if I fail in math again?

T: Why do you think you will fail in math?

S: I don’t understand anything.

S: I failed last time too.

T: This means we have to change our approach.

Talking about Science

S: I want to do reels and design, but my parents want me to get good at science

T: It is possible to earn money and be happy in life doing reels and design. But you’ll see, somewhere, science connects to everything. You’ll learn some things you won’t need. You’ll learn one thing somewhere that will change your life.

T: We teach everything for this reason. Just 1 thing can be so important that your life becomes great because of it.

S: But it’s too difficult; I only like dance reels

T: That’s great, keep doing them, that’s also a skill! (upgradation needs awareness of modern-day skills)

T: You know, your brain has the ability to change with every new thought and learning. The cells inside your brain upgrade themselves. They transform, so what is difficult now becomes easy later.

Orienting students to new careers and skills

T: Everyone used to say math and science are the best options for careers

T: But things have changed

S: How, teacher?

T: Who are your favorite influencers?

S: XYZ

T: What does XYZ do?

S: Give an idea about how influencers do their work and produce content (part of skill upgradation of modern skills).

T: Some people did math and science to create the tools they use for completely other types of work, like making sound effects for movies.

T: Some people used those tools to create art and entertain you.

T: when you look at the whole world, someone needs something. If you take all the people, everything gets used by someone.

S: So I can be like XYZ without science?

T: Kind of, yes. The most important thing is all of these people you like are really good at something, and they used that to make their life.

T: Math and science aren’t the only important things; all skills and art are just as important and meaningful!

T: Let me tell you a story about what our brain does.

T: Shows some parts and highlights how all these things are meant to move and create something (show the cortical homunculus)

Body parts are proportional to how much brain resources each part gets.

The point of showing this is to tell children that it’s not just the stuff inside the head that counts. Your brains — you — are meant to engage all of your body parts because that’s how we are built. And because of that, every skill under the sun is valid. Not just the cognitive work.

Biases in classroom behavior: Classroom energy, Variation, Having fun, and Feedback

Each of these biases is described in terms of observable behavior in a context. Under each context, you’ll see 3 categories of observations: Teachers see, students say, and teachers do. “Teachers do” are solutions teachers can implement in conversation.

1. Classroom energy

There is an energy feedback loop between teachers and students. A teacher can match the energy level of a student/class, or a class can match the energy level of a teacher. If either goes down, it can hamper the other. Teachers can feel enthusiastic when students are. But some teachers can also stop caring about enthusiasm if students are bored and passive. Example: If a class is bored with history, a teacher can also get bored. To avoid this, a teacher can find ways for students to care about a topic so they are enthusiastic without putting a burden on teachers. Referencing entertainment media or absurdity generally grabs attention.

How to identify:

Teachers see

1. A mixed variety of enthusiasm in students will help you identify a trend.
2. The same student has lots of ups and downs in excitement. While not necessary, it might be because of personal reasons, or sometimes some topics are more fun.
3. There have been 2–3 classes of low energy.
4. Students fear they will get punished for not understanding.
5. Students are pretending to understand very well, too well, all the time, so they just want to get it over with.
6. Everyone is constantly looking at the time, or students are heads down while writing or listening.
7. There is very little movement and gestures in class.
8. Everyone shows 1 single emotion (excitement has variety).

Students say

1. Teacher, I am not understanding; this is confusing/difficult.
2. Teacher “We” are tired. (Saying “We” indicates students can feel students' energy but don’t want to get singled out.)
3. Students repeat what others say during Q&A or open discussions.
4. Students say nothing, it’s a 1-way street.

Teachers do

1. Give students something exciting to look forward to in the topic (which will appear in the very same lecture). This increases anticipation and excitement.
2. The teacher uses (prescribed references from a TV show/cartoon) to grab attention.
3. Ask one student who seems enthusiastic to describe what makes them enthusiastic about a topic.
4. The teacher takes a break from the lecture and tells a story about how something about the topic happened in life (teachers should be storytellers).
5. Greet students enthusiastically and leave them on a high note. This primes the class for the next class to be exciting, too. And students become feedback for high energy to the next teacher. Always end on a high note.
6. Teachers add a sense of incompleteness to the high note, like a cliffhanger TV show finale, that naturally triggers curiosity to find out more.

2. Variation

When a set of learning and practice questions lack diversity or if an exam cycle across the year is monotonous, students won’t meet the learning potential. There is a bias to favor the same type of questions because they are familiar and feel easy, but this bias hurts learning. Diversity of inputs increases the generalizability of learning, so the very exam students give and the questions they practice must take diverse forms to expand specific learning into generalized learning.

Example: Solving one type of equation can get a student good at solving just that. But transforming that equation and using words, pictures, real-life contexts, etc., will help the brain tackle many more similar and novel equations.

How to identify:

Teachers see

1. Students are plateauing on 1 type of problem with lots of repetition.
2. Students could do a type of problem correctly but are now making errors, this is likely boredom and lack of stimulation interfering with problem-solving. Avoid assessing this problem as students need more practice. Instead, they need more variety.
3. The textbook, homework assignment, workbook, and tuition sheets are all the same type of problems asked with the SAME wording.

Students say

1. Teacher, we can do this.
2. Everyone starts shouting, “finished”.
3. They show boredom.

Teachers do

1. Mix and match wording and arrangement of problems. E.g., Instead of testing 5x + 2 = 12, ask X + X + X + X + X + 1 + 1+ 1 -1 =12. This will help students generalize their learning at a conceptual state.
2. Give real-life contexts that are relatable. This also antibiases “low energy”.
3. Ask students what’s trending and give some insight into it. Connect those ideas to anything they’ve learned.
4. Ask students what the teacher should check out on the internet.
5. Ask for students' opinions and make them feel involved and not ingrained in a power hierarchy.

3. Having fun

Learning/studying is often given a serious mindset where one must not play, laugh, enjoy, or show excitement/passion. A bias toward making the classroom very serious can hamper learning.

Research in psychology and neuroscience clearly shows that having fun in class, having sensory engagement, and making discussions interactive and lively improve learning in multiple ways:

1. Students associate learning with a sense of reward
2. Students’ brains shift gears between 2 modes: Focused thinking and Creative/abstract thinking
3. Student’s memory strengthens

How to identify:

Teachers see

1. The class has no excitement
2. Students have singular emotions during class

Students say

1. Teacher, there is no fun and playtime
2. Students want an early start to their lunch or a short break (indicates the class is not fun)

Teachers do

1. Tell stories
2. Bring objects into the classroom
3. Be silly
4. Ask students to move
5. Fun needs a safe space, and familiarity creates safety unless punishment induces fear. So teachers can be a little more personal in the sense they give students a feeling that they are also heard and important
6. Have fantasy escalations for creativity and curiosity (protocol to be delivered via the app)

4. Feedback

A teacher can have biases to give one type of feedback based on their philosophy of teaching. If this bias is present, students miss out on different types of feedback that help learning.

Students need 5 types of feedback which takes care of “proof of learning” and not just “judgments of learning”.

Judgements of learning occur when a student or a teacher only feels a student has learned or the teacher has taught something. This is a bias based on superficial cues like head nodding, saying yes or ok, expectations, blank expressions, etc. Proof of learning occurs when there is feedback about the learning.

1. Summative feedback — is like exam scores at the end of a semester; it shows how well you’ve reached a learning goal. Stakeholders often focus only on this data. Summative feedback should transform into other forms of feedback for improved long-term learning.
2. Formative feedback — is like building a foundation and working on priority problems to help students learn during the process of learning.
3. Real-time feedback — is immediate, such as answering questions or correcting on the spot.
4. Outcome feedback — focus is on correctness or wrongness and asking for a new attempt to answer.
5. Process feedback — focus is on the methods used to arrive at an answer.

We need to provide ongoing support and training to teachers to ensure that they are equipped to deliver feedback, either in the class (online & offline), or using apps and analytics. Not using different forms of feedback becomes a bias in favor of only some components of learning.

Teachers see

1. Students are making a large variety of errors.
2. Exams are not enough to know what students have learned.

Students say

1. Teacher, I am not understanding what Is wrong
2. Teacher all answers are coming wrong
3. Teacher, is this correct?
4. Teacher check my steps.

Teachers do

1. Give a type of feedback suited to the right type of problem.
2. List all types of errors and cover all types of errors for each student via the feedback protocol.

Takeaway

1. Biases exist. Through habit, experience, lack of awareness, or systemic influence. They kill equity in the classroom.
2. Teacher training is one option, but that should be coupled with direct conversations between students and teachers in the class.
3. Focusing on classroom energy, addressing variation in students and learning interests and teaching styles, fun in learning, and quality feedback can automatically reduce many biases based on teachers’ and students’ socio-political, physical, and cognitive makeup.