Solving the Achievement Gap Through Equity, Not Equality | Lindsey Ott | TEDxYouth@Columbia

What happens when when we try to fix problems through equality? In education, equality reinforces the achievement gap by applying the same expectations and norms to unequal groups. Instead, we need equity: giving the needed resources to each individual group. Dr. Lindsey F. Ott is a troublemaker and explorer who has the great fortune to also be a teacher. She brings her rebel attitude into the classroom by establishing relationships with each individual student and designing progressive, inquiry driving assignments to meet the needs of each learner. In 2015, Lindsey founded Energy Bee, a consulting firm dedicated to promoting career minded educational opportunities in emerging renewable energy fields, project based learning, and technology integration that provide opportunity for success to all students, regardless of ethnicity, social standing, or previous academic performance. Her most cherished accomplishment is the success of every student, teacher, or soul searcher she meets. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx

[@dmar6770]

It’s about having resources available to allow everyone to reach their full potential! It’s a work in progress but definitely needs attention- especially starting at the early years! Celebrate our differences!

[@principleswise9749]

*Equity is a tricky trap for sub-societies, and is obviously very appropriate for specifically assessed groups or subgroups WHICH CANNOT BE GENERALIZED. AND IT CANNOT BE POLITICALLY APPLIED TO EVERYONE AS A COMMON GOOD, because it is NOT.* *Both Equity and Equality already exist independently of each other.* Now, EQUALITY CAN and must be generalized. Its benefits are socially and emotionally healthy and they are a powerhouse in any free country. Equality Creates and promotes strong individuals, with strong characters, in strong societies of developing strong free nations. ~On the other hand, Equity is designed for those who cannot take full advantage of Equality. But it cannot be implemented at the expense of the average citizen. Thus, the general careless application of Equity CREATES more problems and more disabilities than it solves. This can be seen by subjugating rather than helping THOSE IN NEED. Keeping them marginalized and stigmatized by their circumstances. That is why Equity is the first option for socialist and communist countries, because it perpetuates the needs that they impose by GENERALIZATION on ALL. Its consequences are low self-esteem, poor moral character, reduced faith and increased hopelessness, codependency, lack of motivation, lack of vision and lack of resilience, etc. *(This is why some videos on equity won't admit any comments. Do the left really pretend that people watch their propagandistic material and NOT question the OBVIOUS CONFLICT with REALITY, wich they already know?)*

[@michaelwojcicki3624]

Equity over equality dooms those with the gap, to under achievement and a bitter life of accepted excuses.

[@kellyps2024]

Not true! Equity means that if a child is hungry, learning is a challenge so we provide breakfast so that children can eat before learning. Equity provides students with learning disabilities support with reading or math so that they can continue to learn and thrive. Equity ensures that even if a child is in a wheelchair, they can still participate and learn. I have seen individuals thrive, grow and most importantly, be able to achieve and contribute because one educator understood and made a difference.

[@2007munday]

Equity is setting us up for the lowest performance outcome. I speak as who to overcome language barriers speech problems, poverty, mental illness and learning disabilities and yet succeed. I am thankful for the people who patiently mentor and expected high standards from me.

[@davidsoriano3001]

Equity doesn't set up for the lowest performance outcomes, it actually sets us up for greater outcomes. Schools are given different resources and it's no secret that the "better" schools have more resources than the "bad" schools. Equity would provide the "bad" school with more resources so it can get to the same level as the good school and it would still provide resources that keep the "good" school "good." That is quite honestly amazing that you overcame all those obstacles and I understand it must've not been easy. But equity makes it so that those students don't have to struggle as you did, the standard would still be kept high but students would be provided with the help they need along the way. I am glad to hear that you had mentors who helped you, having mentors is almost like a practice of equity in which you get more help so that you can be at the same level as other students. Thank you for sharing your story with us.

[@arielepouhe80]

It sounds like you received equity, though. Your mentors met you where you were at, while still pushing you to be your best.

[@cristianion2056]

@@davidsoriano3001 oh yeas so i could do the same as Einstein?

[@Dino2GunZ]

@@davidsoriano3001 wow you are so confused you have absolutely no idea how colleges are set-up or schools for that matter your ideology only works in a communist state trying to force your communist ideology into a capitalism state is a set up for failure

[@czeketa6140]

She introduced a beautiful idea without ever explaining HOW she would implement it in real life. I would like to see her lessons with 30 different individual talent-oriented plans applied within 45 minutes! For each class.

[@DaveWard-xc7vd]

Why should the differences be magnified by the classroom? The classroom is the great equalizer. It doesnt care where you came from.

[@daylightsunshine8157]

44444444444⁴4444444

[@mistercutright]

Teachers are supposed to provide the tools they need to suceed, not just provide them grades

[@DaveWard-xc7vd]

Within what limits? Every student should have a desk, a chair, a pencil, paper, books. Beyond that it is up to the student to pay attention to the teacher, do the home work, study for tests and earn passing grades. If the students have the chair, table, pencil, paper and books and still does poorly then no one is to blame but the student. Some people are just born dim.

[@KeithCindyPanama]

What about dim teacher’s teaching dim materials? Also dim politicians. Defund public schools and universities that have failed to teach life skills. Business building and math . Fund Trade schools!!!

[@vfigueroa3042]

Are teachers supposed to pay for those items or make them as well? Teachers in public school spend more of their pay on classroom items than many other professions. Enought dumping on teachers.

[@sae4842]

Educate the teachers on better teaching, specially the bad teachers. Quantify performance of students. Fire bad teachers, replace them with better ones. Keep standards high for students and teachers.

[@docducttape9270]

@@vfigueroa3042 Those poor schools get WAY more government funding than those schools people think of as privileged. The school board and department of education are parasites who take the money meant for students and the schools. Communities that are more wealthy are able to give straight to the schools so the money actually makes it to help them. Too much bureaucracy in the way to ever help these poor kids. Here's a good example, Baltimore received BILLIONS to help it's homeless issue. The federal government sent the money to the city of Baltimore to fund it's homeless programs. The money got put into their system and just disappeared... Not a single dollar went to help a single homeless person. They still don't know where the money went. If schools were able to come up with programs and get the money straight from the government instead of having to pass through the department of education it would be able to actually get to the students. The next best decision is school choice. Let those schools that can't even keep the heat on in the middle of winter close down. Kids don't need to be going there anyway. Let the schools that have all failing kids close down. Sadly the parasite, DOE has latched on to them and is eating their funding. They are lost.

[@andrewfleming4027]

No wonder we haven’t been to the moon since the 60s...

[@vicsyy332]

When you try to make a point get the right decade. It's the 70s dummy.

[@oooSoundOfLifeooo]

@@vicsyy332 Before insulting people get _your_ facts straight. The Apollo program started 1961, first crewed flight was 1968 (Apollo 7) and the first landing on the moon was on July 20th, 1969 (Apollo 11), while the last flight to the moon was December 1972. So you might want to strike a different tone when trying to make an argument.

[@kellyps2024]

That's because we are on our way to Mars!!! Catch up!

[@silly_bear7099]

@@kellyps2024 that was pretty savage

[@kawaiicowboy1774]

Ah yes the grand time when women were the majority of computer programmers instead of now 🙄

[@linkjourney422]

Equity can only work if you can quantify what your wanting to achieve. If you can’t quantify it than you are begging for disaster.

[@shubhambagri97]

I didn't understand it. Let me know

[@sae4842]

You can quantify in education. There is a standard in each grade. If student does not meet it, fail them. Make them repeat the grade/course. Teachers could and should try to learn the level of each students and help the students that are not meeting the standard. Schools could also start educating kids on what 'effort' means, encourage kids to learn, that their efforts counts, show them good role models, better career guidance.

[@mobiusII]

I've been teaching for 7 years and I have never seen a student held back to repeat a grade. That includes a student who slept through every one of my classes and never turned in ONE assignment all year. The harsh reality is that the conveyor-belt system we have would immediately shudder to a stop if all the students who failed to meet the standards of their grade were made to repeat that grade. It's a sad situation.

[@jasonharris836]

They want teachers to differentiate instruction, but they ask them to give a STANDARDIZED test? Seriously?

[@lastlime3792]

With those tests they can then say it’s cause racism.... while there is a room full of 30 different races/skin tones.

[@Dubinski2382]

Equality is offering a shoe store with every available size shoe and letting each student pick the shoe they want.

[@rodneyreynolds3059]

That is correct, however equality is not be provided at the same rate to all at the same cost. That's why we need equity.

[@lastlime3792]

Also only certain students get the equity to see the store....others get to be told they are privileged and don’t have the right skin color....

[@michaelsticht4017]

@@lastlime3792 yea, if they are applying for grants...🙄

[@laserlithuanian]

thank you josh

[@michaelsticht4017]

@@rodneyreynolds3059 who has less equality? Who is told they can't do something that another group can do?

[@danielscott7001]

Basically what this ideology is doing is discouraging the higher achiever and potentially setting up the lower achiever for failure. When you put a lower achiever on the same educational level as the high achiever, the higher achiever tends to see it instead as you bringing them down to the level of the lower achiever while still expecting more of them. Also, the lower achiever may tend to develop less realistic goals for themselves. I am all for shooting for the stars to do what you dream to do in your life, but the reality is not everyone can do everything. People, no matter how you try to look at things, will always have things that they will simply never be able to accomplish or become proficient at.

[@katetosh]

I think you missed the point. It's about creating an education that is customised for each individual student, which is near impossible. It's saying you can't just walk in and teach one way and one way only.

[@Dubinski2382]

Exactly. How is the high achiever not also persistent??

[@kellyps2024]

Based on what data?

[@danielscott7001]

@@kellyps2024 based on the drop out rates of those helped into ivy league colleges by affirmative action

[@hammockcamping2500]

I disagree with the emphasis on closing various types of gaps. I think it's okay to give every individual an optimal learning experience. If this means some groups or individuals accelerate away from others, so be it. It is my understanding that we are largely beneficiaries of those that have IQs over a 120. So I'm not okay diverting academic resources away from those that are cognitively gifted just so you can close gaps. Also, schools will naturally exacerbate inequities because individuals that are fast learners (high g) will accelerate away from the low g students. Which is fine with me! Schools don't need to close all the gaps. Instead they should be helping each individual move towards their potential. Don't throw all your money at the smart kids, and don't throw all your money at the slow ones either. It is especially important that you don't throw all your money at the students that are learning English as a second language. It is extremely important that we slow down immigration because they tax our academic resources with ESL programs and so forth, when the money could instead be spent on those that have a Heritage and history living here legally. I'd hate for music, robotics, or archery classes to be diminished or eliminated so as to allow funding for lots of special ed and lots of ESL courses.

[@dumbass762]

Basically, ur bias, u dont like equity, but it doesnt seem like ur speaking for equality either. Ur just a realist, but focuses on selfish opinions

[@hammockcamping2500]

@@dumbass762 ???

[@sae4842]

I went to school in South America, so not sure how the system is in the US. But if the student is not at the right level, they must go to summer school to catch up on the bad subjects. You will be forced to repeat the whole grade. Respect to teachers is very important too, this I found very different when I went to high school in Canada. Kids here are very unrespectful. It is really up to the kids if they want to put the effort. I saw bad students putting a lot of effort to just pass, they would ask for help to the top students. For group assignments, teachers make the groups in a way that top students can't be in the same group. Just with this alone, you can't do badly in group assignments. In general, you just don't want to repeat the grade. It's embarrassing. Parents are stricter, they will hit you.

[@JD-lt7uv]

High school teachers now need to provide 175 individual lesson plans EVERY DAY. Good luck! 😆

[@michaelsticht4017]

You can't close the achievement gap because not all people will achieve the highest levels of education no matter what you do. Some people are good at certain things, some are good at others, some are extremely intelligent, and some aren't.

[@washingtondale]

Wishful thinking; competition is the only way To succeed individually & collectively.

[@rodneyreynolds3059]

The people who makes up the competition rigs the game for themselves. I disagree with your statement.

[@washingtondale]

I bracketed “fair.” We compete: others are better athletes, better looking, more intelligent, we learn to fight by losing - can’t rig sports, business nor life. equity management is BS.

[@hammockcamping2500]

So what about those intact families that are busily working the right way by providing the nuclear family structure? ....Should their efforts to give their children every possible advantage be diluted by preferentially distributing resources to other individuals?

[@michaelbrinson5881]

This is a perfect example of someone who is educated beyond their intelligence. How do highly educated people not see the obvious flaw and logical conclusion of “equity” policies? It’s either incompetence, maliciousness, or willful ignorance triggered by white guilt.

[@666j1]

because they live in a cult. a new religion to cope with their nihilism

[@kezananafleur8480]

I believe she is trying to solve the success gap instead of the achievement gap. Anyways, thanks! 💗💗🎉🎉

[@Rambleon444]

This is why schools are becoming obsolete. The amount of information/learning you can teach yourself on subjects that keep you interested are off the charts on KZbin compared to antiquated low information boring schools. IMO Schools should focus more on HOW to learn, set goals and to use the vast resources out there to inspire yourself , Instead of just making sure everyone knows for example textbook algebra to get a grade.

[@sae4842]

Yea there should be some classes on life skills. How to learn, how to do your finances, how to pay debt..lol maybe tedtalk discussion class. Information is readily available now, it just needs to reach them..

[@AdrienLegendre]

Agree.

[@terencesweeting9776]

Wow people are really missing the whole point of this. It's not about only giving lower achieving students special treatment, it's about giving all students a more customized program to help them succeed and reach their full potential. This isn't a everyone gets a medal concept, it's a let's look at each student individually and give them what they need. The end result is everyone does better including the higher achieving students.

[@soulfuzz368]

Terence Sweeting what a beautiful fantasy

[@charleneMarie4890]

@@benisrood Montessori schools are usually private and extremely expensive. In my area, the tuition for a Montessori school for elementary-aged students is almost 20 grand a year plus the cost of travel because there are no busing and lunches. There is normally nothing equitable about private schools. Terence is right; people are missing the bigger picture in this message. As someone who benefited from a teacher that came up with an individualized education plan, I can tell you all of my peers (more privileged classmates) are still super successful and were not impacted by me getting just a bit more attention so I'd have some type of chance to achieve my goals. It doesn't mean I didn't work as hard as them or was given passes; I was given the advantage to have a chance that they already had.

[@Prosanity0012]

You’re your teacher in a school that teaches education you’re not a social worker that provides housing in clothing and works just for the needy. All you’re doing is working for the needy

[@marksurfblue]

Equity is a bogus notion and most likely has a political bent. You got lost because you are failing to teach students and instead want to teach via arbitrary grouping.

[@jgood3047]

life is simply winners and losers.... pick one.

[@mgannott02]

This video highlights the divergence and schism between educators and administrators. Admins need to see numbers and standards, while teachers need to see success.

[@sikeshound]

Who are all these people watching this video and commenting like this? Why are you even watching this video if that is how you feel about this issue. You all obviously have never faced any kind of adversity in your lives. Its pretty hard to learn in a classroom if you spent your morning trying to figure out how to even get to school, much less eat some sort of breakfast or have clean clothes to wear. Or your night wondering where your parents are or if you are going to get a decent dinner that day or have a reasonable place to sleep. You all must be in some serious denial if you think that everyone has the same resources that you take for such granted that you dont even have to think about it. This is not a socialist ideal, it is basic human rights and compassion.

[@patientzero7295]

sikeshound People are allowed to disagree with something they don’t like. It’s not only a liberal privelage

[@soulfuzz368]

sikeshound you are in serious denial if you think the resources to deliver these “human rights and compassion” to everyone equitably even exist.

[@DaveWard-xc7vd]

You dont have a right to a house, or a car, or food if someone else has to provide it for you.

[@danielatkins4111]

I watched it to understand someone who disagrees with me.

[@silly_bear7099]

Do you know what a right is?

[@spakuloid]

Tell this to your boss in 5 years.

[@laserlithuanian]

attendance, discipline, effort works wonders. " equity" leftist buzzword means a paternalistic attitude that reinforces victimhood

[@davidsoriano3001]

Equity is not really a leftist buzzword, it is also a teacher buzzword. Where you provide your students with what they need to succeed. There are no victims, just students that get what they need to succeed.

[@laserlithuanian]

@@davidsoriano3001 thank you david

[@jamese8508]

You haven't defined success. You haven't defined equity.

[@DaveWard-xc7vd]

EFFORT is not distributed equally. Why should income be? Only 12% of U.S. adults scored in the highest literacy proficiency levels, and only 9% scored in the highest numeracy levels. While 52% of Americans score below the minimum literacy required for coping with the demands of everyday life and work in a complex, advanced society, and successful secondary school completion and college entry. Gone are the days of a high school dropout getting a job at the car plant making $25.00 an hour tightening lugnuts. People are not being left behind. They are falling behind. America is becoming an ever increasingly technologically driven society and some people are failing to put forth the efforts to keep up.

[@s.a.vanvleck45]

Dead wrong. The fact that some have size 6 feet while others have size 12 feet means that you must provide size 6 shoes to the former and size 12 shoes to the latter, and in a school context, that means SORTING -- you put the size 6 students in one class, so you can address their needs, and you put the size 12 students in a SEPARATE class, so you can address THEIR special needs, to make EVERYONE's feet happy. What she is proposing, to put everyone in the same class -- since she is against sorting -- is to give a size 10 shoe to everyone, exactly the opposite of what she is advocating. This means NOBODY gets happy feet. As for individualized tailored, face it: the public school system doesn't have the smarts and resources to do that. It can't even get half of its students to be literate and numerate at the age of 17. You want this broken system to devise custom-tailured education for EVERY kid? Dream on! Finally, if you do away with standardized testing -- if you do away with tools to measure foot size, how are you going to know what foot size every kid is, and devise your "individualized learning"?

[@hanssvineklev648]

Our population of educators are those most in need of a proper education. Sorting is the way to go. Together with standardized testing--if one doesn't teach to the test--it actually increases equity (which used to mean "fairness" before coming to mean a radical "equality of outcome"). Competition produces a fair environment for those without personal/economic handicaps. Sorting produces a fair environment for those with special needs. Mainstreaming produces an unfair environment for all concerned, including the teacher.

[@rodneyreynolds3059]

@@hanssvineklev648 Standardized test are bias and implicit anyway. Standardized test are not the sole measurement or indicator of a student's potential to be successful.

[@camelamanfredi927]

My personal theory as well! Its hard to relate to little ones not knowing what goes on at home. You have them for just a short amount of time. You are there parents away from home. You are there influence. BUT you must teach them to pass a test. Teachers need help in the classroom. Student teachers. More job opportunities? More funding for education!!!! Why not! They are our future. Why allow them to go to poorly treated school. Stand up for the schools that are being treated poorly. They need your help. Youre a parent?! It's so simple. Just treat others as you would want to be treated and help eachother out every once in a while. They deserve and I won't stop until it's achieved. I promise.

[@oooSoundOfLifeooo]

In the first two minutes you have it all. The 'bad' guy wants to capitalize on his heritage and become an environmental engineer. The 'good' student, who maybe doesn't have the same capacity (that's called life) wants to become a cosmetologist (btw, in other countries becoming a cosmetologist is not called 'studying', just saying...). So the woman giving the talk (who on earth put her on a TED event !?!?) assumes "gender, race, ethnicity, socio-economic background" are the main dividers. *_HELLOOO, IQ ANYONE ???_* (What shows _her_ IQ, btw, is that race and ethnicity are basically the same.) I'm really stuggling to listen to that load stupidity.

[@Prosanity0012]

Your education philosophies like San Francisco law enforcement judicial system

[@ScoutSniper3124]

Show me the minority family or individual whose family has focused on education, who's achieved academic success as a result and then is somehow at a disadvantage in America. That person I will support and stand alongside. But what I see is families and individuals of ALL races who think that they don't have to bother EARNING their place in society, they assume due to "Equity" they are OWED something. I will NEVER support that.

[@Superman32211]

This is why other countries our killing us in the STEM fields...they encourage a culture of competition among kids to succeed in the classroom. They don’t separate kids by intellectual talents and give them customized curriculums.

[@THEFAMILYGRIND]

Big Country but that strategy is rooted in those countries cultures.

[@THEFAMILYGRIND]

Fysiel Not entirely.

[@slyfox4564]

Equity is not equality. How can it be equal if you give special treatment to certain people and not others?

[@lastlime3792]

That’s why they do away with equality,civil rights,1st amendment,cry about racism while pushing and creating actual racism. It’s a magical elixir that people keep selling, certain people are making money off it, others are trapped in selling it and drinking it.

[@JD-lt7uv]

There is a large achievement between professional athletes and the non-athletic. Where's the EQUITY?! That's life. Get over it.

[@r.hudsonmadeo5745]

When the Chinese missiles, built by a meritocraticly educated workforce, begin falling hopefully the blast wave will equitably annihilate evenly across the United States and not just focus its destructive forces on the immediate area of impact. It would be a shame if only the cosmeticians were affected. What utter nonsense. How about we provide adequate bussing services and meal plans for all our students and hold everyone to the same standards of rigor and expectations of success?

[@iLoveNerdsLikeMe]

While I read all the comments on this video I just thought about how misinformed and misunderstood the concept of equity is. If we look at special education in our country we could clearly see how giving children an education considerate of their needs is beneficial to them in ways that can’t be matched. The bigger issue though is that when you write of equity as a political agenda you forget that the children who Dr. Ott was talking about aren’t in classrooms with extreme numbers of higher achieving children. They are in classrooms with students who look like them, face the same or similar life situations as them, and they all could benefit from a teacher who isn’t striving for a standard. Teaching should be about helping create a better society. As I learned though studying exceptional learners, you need to see that students given the right method of teaching can achieve things they never would have been able to reach with the proper opportunity. Don’t get caught up in yourself and miss the point.

[@docducttape9270]

Have you been to special Ed in public schools? Apparently you have not. They put those kids in a small classroom at the end of the school hidden away and give them a crossword puzzle to do to keep them busy. They try to keep them occupied during school so they don't disrupt other students. That's it. Not sure how you think a public school that can't teach regular kids regular lessons is going to be able to teach them specialized material when many of them don't even have enough regular text books. Maybe if the funding went from the government straight to the schools we could do something. But as long as this parasite called the department of education is intercepting all the money the schools won't receive a dime. Go ahead, check it out. These failing schools already get the bulk of the funding. It just doesn't make it to the schools. It's no coincidence the schools got worse and worse and the DOE got larger and larger. You can actually make a graph and line them up perfectly. As the DOE for bigger it sucked off more education dollars meant for students.

[@AdrienLegendre]

Agree. Improve the teachers.

[@Thimosisalame]

wow

[@DaveWard-xc7vd]

You should walk into the classroom and handout an assignment that represents a standard that your students should meet. If they fail to meet that standard they should then be given remedial assistance.

[@DaveWard-xc7vd]

@@teresamondragon8336 No. It would be exactly the same for all students. Such as standardized practice problems. Standardized one on one remediation and standardized retesting. No giving extra points because the student is sad.

[@teresamondragon6199]

Assistance for a child with a learning disability in reading is going to look a lot different than an assist for a child who can't write because of a broken hand. Each case is unique just like each child is unique. The assistance needs to counteract the barrier/problem.

[@DaveWard-xc7vd]

@@teresamondragon6199 But that isnt what equity means. It means giving everyone whatever they need to be equal in outcome to everyone else. Equity aims at making sure that everyone's lifestyle is equal even if it may come at the cost of unequal distribution of access and goods. Marx - From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs. Communism 101.

[@DaveWard-xc7vd]

@@teresamondragon6199 You dont understand what equity really means. They have filled your head with a bunch of nonsense. "Some students will have different expectations on an assignment, such as only writing three paragraphs instead of five." Should those students receive the same diploma as the students who were not given preferential treatment? Would they be as qualified as the students who did the more challenging work? The answer is no. Equity allows you to reach someone else's potential, not your own.

[@teresamondragon6199]

Furrowed Brow that is EXACTLY what equity means. I have 20 years experience of teaching special ed and general education classes. I have two different teaching credentials. I have taught in settings from general education primary grades to juvenile hall in high school. Have you ever taught or spent time in any classroom?

[@GentleArt]

What this lady doesn't seem to understand is she has a limited amount of time. Ultimately she's going to have to give certain students way more time than others. And the students that are getting less of her attention are not getting as good of an education

[@iamhezzmena]

Social Equity destroys on the long-term. PERIOD

[@koolchem6653]

I wonder if that 3.6 gpa is based on a custom/personalized curriculum that meets her capacity to learn the material.

[@AdrienLegendre]

The differing "talents" do not reflect differing innate abilities. Student differences arise because teachers provide all students with an equally ineffective education, and differences arise because some students have the "talent" to learn despite this dysfunctional environment. We need to correct the social problems, but we also need better teachers, not excuses about "equity" and "equality."

[@johnnynick3621]

She actually said very little and used a lot of words to do so. Of course you don't group students with vastly different levels of knowledge and skills together in the same classroom. It is unfair to ALL the students. Classes should be divided into groups with comparable abilities, but that is now frowned upon as being unfair to slower learners. What she appears to be advocating is spending more resources and time on slower learners at the expense of the faster learners. THAT is what people like her call EQUITY. I call it "dumbing down."

[@oooSoundOfLifeooo]

EVERYBODY: watch the movie "Homeless to Harvard" - it's even on KZbin. End of discussion. (Great acting too by the way)

[@Kevin-rz6iy]

The soft bigotry of low expectations.

[@awuma]

This speaker presents a nice vision of raising everyone to fulfil their potential, but "equity" generally means bringing down the level of the best. A bit of bait and switch here.

[@DaveWard-xc7vd]

No. Equality is giving everyone the opportunity to have a pair of shoes.

[@DaveWard-xc7vd]

High analytical. In other words HIGH IQ.

[@DaveWard-xc7vd]

So how do you test for high practical abilities? Or for high creative abilities?

[@fromeveryting29]

The goal for every person and society should be to get everyone to contribute in the ways they are best fit to. That's how people can experience meaning, mastery and their life as valuable. School should be a place where kids get general knowledge, learn social and introspective skills, and recieves the tools to develop their set of skills. "Sucess" isn't economic utility. Money are a means to something else. Personal flourishing. Every person can be a sucess if the get the opportunity to florish and contribute. That can be being a person who spreads joy and loves to help and support others. Or it can be to do advanced science. Or to make beautiful art, or debate philosophy and ethics, or help others connect with their bodies, or help animals. There is a plurality of goods society needs, therefor we need and should value a plurality of talents.

[@DaveWard-xc7vd]

Equity is just Left speak for REPARATIONS.

[@kashennasistrunk9503]

"We absolutely must abandon standardized talent sorting in education and immediately embrace individualized talent developing education"... So powerful and I totally agree!

[@AdrienLegendre]

Standardized teaching means the same test provided to students under the same conditions. Standardization is good. These tests may be invalid because the fail to teach what is taught in the classroom.

[@jennigomlo]

She’s very good at staying the obvious but doesn’t provide a viable solution. Her solutions are not humanly possible for a teacher who has their own life to deal with.

[@DaveWard-xc7vd]

If teachers manage to get equity practices into our school systems then parents should petition for a graduated diploma system. Special needs students should not receive the same diploma that high achieving students receive if they haven't had to do the same work and are not held to the same standards. An "S" diploma for special needs students.

[@DaveWard-xc7vd]

Equity allows you to reach someone else's potential, not your own.

[@michaelwojcicki3624]

Very illogical concept; prioritise self esteem over education and eliminates standard testing, so the uneducated cannot be differentiated, from the learned.

[@onorman6]

obed norman - KZbin

[@Joshbo5H]

What

[@DaveWard-xc7vd]

You are setting your students up for failure. When they show up late to work they will have been conditioned by teachers like you to expect their boss to take into account their socioeconomic history when deciding upon what action to take in dealing with their tardiness. That's not going to happen. If teachers would stop trying to parent and just focus on teaching then perhaps parents would go back to parenting.

[@lalaboards]

Furrowed Brow Well played . That woman is a bloody Commie psychopath and needs to be fired ,then sent to Cuba so she can enjoy her policies first hand !!!!!

[@tajahalewis5251]

You're looking at this all wrong. Her ideas still involve teaching the students what they need to learn, its just that she's pushing for students to learn in different ways rather than trying to teach in a way that forces them in a box that may be hard to fit into.

[@lalaboards]

Tajah Lewis no she is promoting equity equality of outcome .This has been the problem since the DOE was formed in 79 .... lowering the standards . And teaching Ebonics instead of holding all the students to the highest standards possible has created division , and extremely substandard results for our youth that is visible today ..., it’s been tried and failed !

[@lalaboards]

Micke B can u explain .....????

[@lalaboards]

Micke B So you just say stuff ? Then your statement is mute .

[@donjindra]

This is the road to ruin.

[@GentleArt]

Adversity creates strong heathly humans...

[@danielscott7001]

If the student "can't fit that pair of shoes," they shouldn't be in that grade, class, or educational level. If you don't make the cut, you don't pass. End of story.

[@meganhall7096]

Shoes aren't a metaphor for the curriculum. The curriculum is the walk (or run). Shoes are how you get there. So, for example, if a student has ADHD and needs to get up and walk around once every hour, then allowing them to do so is giving them a pair of shoes that fits. Or, if a student has a dyslexia, and they need special education classes once a week in order to learn how to cope with their disability, that is giving them a pair of shoes that fits. Both students still need to run the race and pass the test. And they have the ability, ultimately. It's just a matter of giving them the correct tools they need to be able to run.

[@DaveWard-xc7vd]

@@meganhall7096 Shoes are the metaphor for education. She wants to tailor education to the individual student. She wants to give each student a pair of shoes that fit. Work on your reading and comprehension.

[@DaveWard-xc7vd]

@rabblerouser Yes. Students should be tested for intelligence and sifted into classrooms accordingly.

[@DaveWard-xc7vd]

@rabblerouser Correct. Schools should not be in the business of enacting social justice. Teachers should teach.

[@danielscott7001]

@@meganhall7096 sometimes there isn't a pair of shoes that can "get you there."

[@bademoxy]

any wonder teacher's unions have no limit on the amount of money they claim to require- they want to make people equal who are BORN unequal -an impossibility in nature and in human nature. we cannot be equal because we are not identical to each other. btw- regarding "white students being the top achievers" is false-it's Asians ,particularly in practical fields where actual effort is more important than feelings. all that is possible is to give the same opportunity to each person-if they don't possess the ability or enough drive to compensate in order to pass the same standards, then they don't MERIT the same scores. an educational degree is NOT A RIGHT- it must be earned.

[@jaxxbeast]

bademoxy You are factually incorrect. Whites are still at the top of achievement followed by SOME Asians.

[@Manmodor007]

Everyone has seen the illustration of "equity", 3 people trying to watch a baseball game over a fence. Shortest one has 2 boxes, middle has one, tallest person has none. That illustration is ridiculous and so is this "teacher". Here's the real example: you work hard, become successful and achieve a life long goal of watching your favorite team live, best seats in the stadium. The tickets were expensive $900 each. Well equity says it's 900 for you cause that's what you can afford, but another guy who also worked hard could only afford $15 so that's all he had to pay. It's a bs way of trying to get everyone to be socialist. As a employer what's the value of a education transcript if I can't tell the capability of person. Can't tell the incapable from the capable. You can't successfully run a economy where everyone gets a gold star or trophy for participating.

[@DaveWard-xc7vd]

This womans views are dangerous. Her plan would destroy accreditation in education.

[@edwardline4394]

Sounds like you enjoy living in a society that unfairly privileges structurally sound bridges over bridges that collapse. How do you live with yourself?

[@charliethomson2789]

@@edwardline4394 God imagine thinking this was a good point

[@soulfuzz368]

Charlie Thomson I thought it was rather effective sarcasm.

[@DaveWard-xc7vd]

You are a truly misguided person and should not be in the classroom.

[@danogunner]

Soooo communism? Cool