Achieving inclusive and equitable education is the first step in developing a culture of peace and prosperity and a world that leaves no one behind. However, what is inclusive and equitable education and how do we achieve social justice through transformative education?
Defining inclusive and equitable education
Education is a human right, as indicated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. For education to be truly inclusive, all learners must be welcomed into the learning environment and become a valued member of the learning community within all educational settings. They must be integrated into the learning community through culturally responsive and culturally competent processes that ensure that all voices are heard and valued.
Equitable education goes beyond providing the same education to all learners. It means providing education that meets their specific needs and ensures all leaners excel and contribute to the well being of the community. Moving beyond inclusive education to inclusive and equitable education means meeting the needs of all learners, and using a strength-based assessment of skills, competencies, knowledge and needs to support individuals to achieve healthy, prosperous and peaceful lives.
How to train teachers and school leaders?
School leaders and teachers are the foundation of inclusive and equitable education. Teaching skills and content knowledge are extremely important in the development of inclusive and equitable education, however without the dispositions that support inclusive and equitable education it is highly unlikely that social justice will be achieved within schools/learning communities. What we call dispositions are the attitudes, beliefs and values held by individuals. In short, no matter how skilled and knowledgeable a teacher or school administrator is, if they are a racist, sexist or a bigot it is highly unlikely they will develop an inclusive and equitable learning environment that promotes social justice and the development of peace and prosperity. Through research, six key dispositions that underpin inclusive and equitable education that should be cultivated and nurtured in teacher education programmes were identified.
The six dispositions are:
- Psychosociocultural consciousness: Knowledgeable about how sociocultural structures impact individual experiences, opportunities and characteristics.
- High expectations: Respect students of all backgrounds and believe that all students can excel and thrive.
- Desire to improve lives: See themselves as competent agents of improvement and equity.
- Social Constructivist approach: Understand that knowledge is situated and constructed through experiences, interactions, interpretations and reflection.
- Holistic Knowledge of every student: Know the lived experiences, background and family of every student; know where they are, next steps and best way to support their holistic learning and development.Culturally Competent: Develop teaching practices that are rooted in the Universal Designed Learning (UDL) opportunities based on students’ Zone of Actual Development, understand each child’s Zone of Proximal Development and level of Typical Intellectual Engagement.
University based teacher education and training programmes should ensure that teaching students and future school administrators possess these dispositions before obtaining their degrees/licenses. These programmes (for pre-service and in-service teachers and school administrators) must be transformative and focus on cultivating and nurturing the skills, competencies and dispositions required for inclusive and equitable education.
Teachers who possess these six dispositions, will be better place to implement inclusive and equitable education and lay the foundations for the future we want: a world that values all members of our communities and strives for peace and prosperity for all.
This blog was written by an invited expert in the framework of the Teacher Task Force’s participation in the European Development Days.
Robert White is a Professor with 25 years of experience as an educator. His work focuses on teacher education, school reform and culturally competent educational services to achieve inclusive and equitable education. He is the coordinator of the Teacher Task Force's Thematic Group on Inclusion and equity in teacher policies and practices.