Blog Post #1: Breaking Down Bias, Building Better Teaching

 

Addressing Bias in Education

Bias is a complex subject, especially in the classroom. Although typically viewed in a negative light, bias itself is not inherently good or bad. Biases are simply “the automated processes in our brains that inform our decision-making” (Ebarvia 14). However, many of our biases are the result of being socialized in a society that too often normalizes problematic behavior like sexism, racism, classism, homophobia, etc. As educators, we have a duty to be aware of that socialization and our own biases, to work against them.

Of course, no good teacher ever intentionally creates an ineffective lesson or unsafe classroom environment. But bias can be a sneaky issue that can easily inform our instruction. In her 2023 book Get Free: Antibias Literacy Instruction for Stronger Readers, Writers, and Thinkers, Tricia Ebarvia discusses five types of bias that can commonly influence educators. By examining them, we will be able to better understand not only bias, but ourselves. We can use that knowledge to create more effective, safe classrooms and lessons for everyone. 

The Curse of Knowledge

This bias, which can also be known as an “expert blind spot,” is what happens when we don’t understand how students don’t understand class material. We have a deep understanding of what we teach, but that can make it difficult to recognize how or why students might be struggling. If we don’t keep in touch with how students feel when reading a text for the first time compared to our own 10th reading of it, we risk doing them a disservice by skipping over essential steps of the teaching process or approaching a unit at a mismatched pace.

Nostalgia

At first glance, nostalgia, or reminiscing about the past, hardly seems like an issue. However, if we focus too much on how lessons were taught when we were students or on past students, we are stopped from “fully appreciating the strengths that our students today bring to the classroom” (Ebarvia 20). Our memories of the past are often seen through glasses that are too rose-tinted to be accurate. More importantly, the world and our classrooms are constantly going to become more and more diverse, and we have to let go of nostalgia to fully embrace that.

Anchoring

The anchoring bias is tricky because it typically comes from well-intentioned places. This bias is “when we rely too heavily on one piece of information when processing information or making decisions—and often, unknowingly” (Ebarvia 22). A good example of this that Ebarvia provides is showing other educators our class lists and asking for information about our incoming students. While this seems diligent, it actually can give us false labels about our students that can impact how we see and treat them.

In-Group Bias

This is the bias we show towards people who are like us. Because we often think of bias as a negative thing, the in-group bias can often go unchecked. We risk showing favoritism toward students who are similar to us and overlooking the talents or needs of others. Like the majority of teachers, I am a primarily white, cisgender woman. I was a quiet, academically-inclined, rule-following student. I have definitely noticed that it is easier for me to connect with and teach students who fit those labels, but I need to make sure that I make extra effort with the students I’m not as similar to. That way, I can better understand all of my students and help them throughout the school year without leaving anyone feeling unacknowledged or left out.

Just World Hypothesis

The just world hypothesis is people’s tendency to believe that what others have and get is what they deserve. In the United States, the constant message of the American dream and helping yourself can lead to this bias and create a toxic environment of victim-blaming. Sure, some students may not do well on a test simply because they neglected to study or pay attention in class. But more often than not, the issue is not that simple. The student might have to work to help their family and not have time to study, or be too hungry to focus in class. It’s important to consider the whole picture and what we might not know before we assume anything about a student or their performance. After all, our job is to teach students, not judge or belittle their efforts and backgrounds.

How will I create an anti-bias lifestyle and ELA classroom? 

Unfortunately, bias is a fact of life. We educators cannot just magically erase it from within the walls of our classrooms. However, “we can surface the ways in which our biases have worked and continue to work for and against us daily” (Ebarvia 6). If biases can unintentionally inform our teaching, the best way to be anti-bias is to be intentional and actively work against them. Let’s look at some methods Ebarvia suggests and how to best implement them in the classroom.

Check Your Privilege

Ebarvia points out that many of us can become defensive when it comes to privilege and have a tendency to recall negative experiences before positive ones. But being defensive over the truth does not help anyone. Count your privileges and be grateful for them, and consider how having them has impacted you. As I said above, I’m primarily white and a cisgender woman. I’m also straight, able-bodied, a fluent English speaker, and a U.S. citizen. I’m a middle-class college student who is lucky enough to receive support from my family and be covered by their insurance. I have access to the internet and own a car and driver’s license. 

And on and on my list goes. But many of my students will not have those same privileges, and I have to be aware of that. As Ebarvia says, “Our privilege, in other words, does not need to come at another person’s expense” (38). I need to advocate for my students with less on their checklist and do everything in my power to help them and others like them succeed. Teachers like me should be attending informational events, doing our own research, creating petitions, and reflecting deeply on our own lives and practices.

Reflection and Action

At the end of the day, one of the best tools to combat bias in our instruction is simply reflecting. We need to reflect on our lives, our students' lives, our communities, and our lesson plans to make the necessary adjustments to be anti-bias.

Make sure your lessons are diverse, but authentically and consistently diverse. Don’t be afraid to step away from the traditional literary canon, and certainly don’t just choose one text because the main character is African-American, or because it includes both Spanish and English. Make sure your students will be able to connect with and see themselves in writings throughout the whole school year.

Get to know and include your students. Connect with and build authentic relationships with all of them. Learn from them and their experiences while they learn from you. Ebarvia recommends making lists to remind you of their strengths so you can highlight them in class. Make every student know that every student is respected and valued in your classroom. That emphasis on equality and connection will make creating an anti-bias classroom a much less daunting journey.

Works Cited

Ebarvia, Tricia. Get Free. Available from: Wichita State University, SAGE Publications, Inc. (US), 2023.