Implicit Bias

Title: How The Concept Of Implicit Bias Came Into Being

Morning Edition NPR/Renee Montagne, David Greene/Oct 17, 2016

Link: How The Concept Of Implicit Bias Came Into Being

This interesting segment from Morning Edition talks about implicit bias: what it is and how it affects our society. Mahzarin Banaji, who co-created the theory of implicit bias 20 years ago, talks with the hosts about how our brains, and what we see around us, inform our biases. She also states how we need to ask ourselves why we feel as we do about something. We need to explore our feelings and thoughts to understand our biases.

"At any moment when we discover things about ourselves or about the world that are new, we have to expect the kind of reaction that we're getting. But the mark of an evolved society is how quickly do we come to terms with it" Mahzarin Banaji.


Relevance: Bias is such a relevant topic, especially in these tumultuous times. Hatred, bigotry, misogyny, homophobia; all these seem to meet us at every turn. We need to teach our children better ways to think deep thoughts and ask hard questions.

Fed up with the term 'status quo'

Diana Senechal
"Fed up with the term ‘status quo’"
Washington Post
March 16, 2011

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/post/fed_up_with_the_term_status_quo/2011/03/15/ABIaf2a_blog.html?wprss=rss_educationSummary:

Topic: An interesting discussion concerning change.

This is an interesting discussion about how one side of an argument can be marginalized through the use of one term, “status quo”. The world seems to be simplistically broken down into two groups, those who want things to remain as they are and those who want change.

Key Points: Marginalizing one side of an argument with the clever use of a term, stereotype or oversimplification is a very effective tactic politically or in a debate contest. If the point is to really improve things, then an open an honest discussion between all points of view must be made. Naïve…I know.
Sadly, the point rarely seems to be about actually improving education and instead, seems to be more about who holds the political power and controls the money. Perhaps, as Gatto seems to be saying, the answer to this cancer actually is to scrap the system and start over anew.

Relevance: The debate about the future of education, public education in this case, is raging on. Trying to understand the motives behind all the sides of the debate will be key as we move ahead.

I Don't Think I'm Biased

Article Author name(s): Pat Clark
Title of article: I Don’t Think I’m Biased
Title of journal: Teaching Tolerance
Date of publication: Spring 2010
Volume of the journal: 37

http://www.tolerance.org/magazine/number-37-spring-2010/i-don-t-think-i-m-biased

Summary: When pre-service teachers are asked to become culturally competent it means being asked to consider their own lives and privileges and consider how they have shaped perspective. There are natural responses that occur when teachers are asked to reflect on privilege. Teachers must continue to challenge themselves to take advantage of opportunities to work towards social justice. A specific mindfulness and continued self-examination of personal biases is a key part of becoming a well-rounded educator.
Topic: Pre-Service teachers having the “multicultural encounter” that shapes attitudes about diversity.
Intended audience: Pre-service teachers and teachers, administrators

Teachers are working in the field who do not reflect the race, language traditions or communities of their students- this is making the diversity gap larger. For pre-service teachers there will be a specific “encounter” where teachers are able to consider personal biases. There will be “an experience or event that shatters a person’s current feelings”, and allows people to reconsider attitudes and beliefs. As a result of these reflections, most will experience a variety of responses that traditionally include disbelief, acceptance, discomfort and disclosure. It will be necessary for teachers to feel discomfort and address personal biases in order to expand our teaching abilities and better relate to our students.

Relevant because no teacher will be able to relate or identify with every student they teach. Classes and students and dynamics will constantly change from year to year, and it will be increasingly important teachers adapt to the needs of each class. In order to make these adaptations, teachers will be in a constant cycle of self-evaluation and improvement.