Teaching Bias in the Age of Charlottesville

                Like Oredola, Armstrong, and Wildman, the readings for this week were particularly beneficial in addressing how we, as educators, can enact change within our own classrooms, and how to do it responsibly. Many of the Dos and Don’ts and other guidelines seemed a bit like just common sense, but they were nevertheless useful. In the age of Charlottesville and Vegas, one can never take a bit of common sense for granted, especially when it comes to teaching these issues through the lenses of our biases. 

                One of the things I have been spending more time explicitly teaching is the idea of bias. I’ve worked on teaching students about all that goes into developing our individual biases and what makes us implicitly biased. I’ve reflected more this semester on how bias is unavoidable and closely connected to our culture, family, peers, education, and our powers & privileges (or lack thereof). I’ve met with greater success thus far in the classroom by working with bias early in the year to set the stage for meaningful discussion. Students have responded well, especially when examining the bias of others before being critical of their own (I use myself as the example first, modeling how to check your own bias without beating yourself up over it). Students have been working towards greater objectivity, trying to separate themselves from there bias, but I still want them to delve deeper. 

                What is more important than separating bias, at least in my opinion is merely recognizing it in ourselves and in others. As I teach, I remind my students to watch out for my bias. Even though I strive to be objective, I can’t help but allow some of my bias to seep into my instruction. I use myself as the example to help students practice the skill of recognizing bias. They are then encouraged to use that skill to check for bias when analyzing articles, non-fiction sources, our textbooks, and current events like Charlottesville and Vegas. We all need to separate ourselves from our biases when they lead us astray or when objectivity is necessary. Still, is it even possible (or necessary) to completely remove subjectivity from our real-world interactions? 

                I first found Barrett’s and Beard’s articles handy for creating checklists of dos and don’ts for addressing incendiary issues in class, but then began to realize that most good teachers in the 21^st century already do these things. Or do they? Based on the interactions I’ve had with colleagues and peers (and based on my own bias), it seems teachers already take the steps and precautions Barrett and Beard recommend. Don’t all teachers work to create safe spaces to promote meaningful discussion to help students work through controversial issues with the end goal of producing equity-minded critical thinkers?