Two years on from the start of the pandemic and we’re starting to see a glimmer of hope and pieces of normalcy return to our schools and classrooms. But as we move forward, we cannot ignore the lingering impact of pandemic disruptions.

Equity is not a buzzword. It’s not a synonym for diversity. So, what is it? Fenesha Hubbard and Joyce Smith of NWEA join the pod to show what schools and classrooms would look like if we truly valued equity in the context of instruction.

This episode will explore elements of culturally responsive teaching, supportive environments, and the actions that educators and leaders can take to create a space where students belong, feel valued, and thereby are more likely to take risks, make mistakes, and build a sense of self-efficacy that will serve them well in their academic journeys and in their lives beyond school.

This session examines elements of student ‘voice and choice’ as critical enabling elements needed to build in students that kind of self-efficacy that will help them thrive and meet their full potential as learners.

In this collection of Teach. Learn. Grow. posts, Erin Beard, content design coordinator on NWEA’s professional learning team, offers validation, information, strategies, and tools educators can use in any kind of learning space to support their students in social-emotional learning and overcoming toxic stress and trauma.

Culturally responsive texts can be a child’s window to the world or a mirror to their inner self. See how early literacy and social-emotional learning go hand in hand.

Learn more about the relationship between self-efficacy and the achievement gap for English language learners (ELLs).