Building Equity: Policies and Practices to Empower All Learners

by Dominique Smith, Nancy Frey,, Ian Pumpian, Douglas Fisher

Imagine a school with a diverse student body where every student feels safe and valued, and all students—regardless of race, culture, home language, sexual orientation, gender identity, academic history, and individual challenges—have the opportunity to succeed with challenging classes, projects, and activities. In this school, teachers notice and meet students' individual instructional needs and foster a harmonious and supportive environment—and students feel empowered to learn, to grow, and to pursue their dreams.

Genres: Education, Nonfiction

215 pages, Paperback

Published July 25, 2017

Reviews

[Becca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read for a grad class. I knew that I wanted my class for this summer to help me process the Black Lives Matter protests and my desire to be an actively antiracist educator. This book was eye-opening for me as I wrestled with just how much work we have to do to dismantle the systemic racism that is part of our education system. There were some very practical ideas for how to begin this work and I hope to do what I can starting in my small sphere of influence.

[George Kasnic · Rating 2 out of 5]

Funny thing is, I like the premise behind this book. But it is all but unreadable. I could not pick it up, nor could it hold my attention. It is too self congratulatory. It smacks of the outdated attitude that as teachers we should happily work beyond our duty day. (And I am an NBCT so my opinion is informed.). It is dry. It is turgid.

This is all too sad, because it outlined a system which has merit and can be effective. You will just have to look elsewhere to figure that out. Just ugh.

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the anecdotes in this book, as a teacher it makes it easier for me to think about putting the theory into practice. I also appreciate the problem solving approach, I hate when a book laments about problems rather then discussing realistic changes that can be done at multiple levels (admin, school, classroom etc) to make improvements. This book gave me both those immediate changes and long term changes to consider.

[A Canadian · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book does an excellent job of explaining the key aspect of equity and makes a convincing case for student wellness, socio-emotional development, aspirations, goals, and teacher instructions as being equity pieces as well. Honestly, the book doesn't quite come together in the end - the review/audit framework discussed isn't flushed out enough in Chapter 6.

[Adam Gutschenritter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was looking more for classroom practices, and a few examples were offered, but most were focused on whole school policies and practices. Still, some of what they say I am already doing...but offered a few additional ideas I could adopt within my own classroom.

[Megan Kosakowski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gives me a lot to think about as an educator! However, I feel this was geared more towards leadership teams for revamping school wide procedures, and I want to know what I can do in my classroom TODAY.

[Meg · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really practical book on equity strategies in school. They have a great framework with ample research to back it up. The examples they give are realistic, practical, and funny at times. Definitely a 5 for this genre.

[Mikayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite enjoyed this book. All about building equity in classrooms. Chapters were longer than I think they needed to be. Good information for teachers and education leaders. I'll be keeping this book in my library.

[Hollie Nelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really, really want to connect with a group of teachers who all believe the tenets of book. Then, I want us to start our own school.

[Meghan Bruns · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book made me think. A lot. Some of the later chapters resonated with me about students feeling empowered by making decisions, sometimes through class, or school, jobs. We empower students to take ownership of their learning through OPTIONS. CHOICE.

Another takeaway is that shared vocabulary and strategies help teachers create equitable and quality instruction. 💡

It was not a quick read but I am glad I read it. It definitely hit home with me as I’m working on teams wrestling with these conversations.