Leadership magazine Nov/Dec 2015 V45 No 2 | Page 8

Ensuring Equity in Teaching TO THE NEW STANDARDS – A CASE STUDY Working through an equity lens, Bay Area educators have succeeded in building the framework necessary for addressing all students’ needs. 8 Leadership Education equity is about closing and eliminating the achievement and opportunity gaps. Horace Mann said, “Education ... beyond all other devices of human origin, is a great equalizer of conditions of men, the balance-wheel of the social machinery.” Similarly, social justice is the view that everyone deserves equal economic, political and social rights and opportunity. Social justice aims to open doors of access and opportunity for everyone, particularly those in the greatest need. Therefore, the real issue becomes “how,” which is viewed as both a challenge and opportunity. Common Core State Standards, as adopted by California, have their emphasis on academic rigor. However, Common Core alone does not eliminate or narrow the achievement gap. Before Common Core was adopted many schools tried to address the issue of low levels of support consistent with poor academic achievement. There is no significant and consistent increase in student achievement until there is a sound educational systems approach to learning, with a focus on equity facilitated by leadership. One such school in the San Francisco Bay Area that went through four principals in just 18 months dealt with the issues of low achievement and support. The superintendent hired yet again another principal and warned him that, if the staff had faith and trusted the new guy, they would walk on hot coals for him; if they did not, the principal would be thrown into the hot coals. Needless to say, this did not provide the principal with a lot of confidence. But he reflected on what he could do different from his predecessors. He only needed to do a few things: First, he needed to listen and gain an understanding of the school’s culture. Second, he needed to support the staff on what they said they needed. He understood that teachers need to feel supported and valued. Finally, after listening, learning and supporting, he was able to share with staff what he thought was necessary for addressing all students’ needs. He intended to provide a By Frank Wells