Supporting Equity Through Choice

Supporting Equity Through Choice

We all like choices. Walk into any restaurant and you’ll immediately see the appeal of choices. You may see choices in brightly colored and lit-up signs behind the counter, with or without photos. You might see the choices once you have had a seat and are handed a nicely designed menu. There might be sandwich boards on the sidewalk to lure you in with the special of the day. Or, as we are sheltered in place, you might scroll endless choices on your phone as you contemplate pick up or delivery of your culinary desires.

Choices help us to navigate access to the things we want. If we are vegan, following a special diet, have a food allergy, or are just picky eaters, we can choose foods that work for us. Choices ensure that we get what we need, but they also add to the enjoyment of the meal.

Choices are great for learning, too! In fact, they are vital if you want to clench engagement and empower students as learners. And, now that we are learning from home, choices allow our learners to choose activities that fit their learning situation. For example, some of my learners do not have computers at home, so they are learning from smartphones and tablets. They are also sharing devices with other siblings, so they might need to use the computer only for a limited time and then use low- or no-tech means to complete their work. Some students don’t have art supplies at home. How can they all learn from home?

The answer is CHOICE! I created multiple online lessons using high-tech and low-tech options. I put those lessons into a tic-tac-toe board, and students must choose 3 projects to complete by the end of the school year, making a tic-tac-toe on the board. Students can choose the three that are the most feasible using items they have at home.

Image of my Thui Pham lesson workspace, with lots of colorful blocks designating choices that students can make in creating their graphic zines.

Within each workspace, I also have choices so students can further fine-tune their experience. Think of this as asking for no salt on fries, or no pickles on your burger. By allowing these small adjustments, students can self-select adjustments that make the lesson more interesting.

At first, I worried that students would simply choose the easiest path through a project, skipping planning steps and jumping straight into the project without fully understanding the concept. Indeed, some students go straight for the “do” section and don’t bother with the instructions. But then they realize that they need to go back to the instructions and resources because they don’t know what to do. And, to be honest, their understanding (or lack thereof) will be evident when they start giving and receiving feedback for their work, so other students will begin suggesting that they go back to the instructions to review.

This system requires a little more planning and building up-front. It requires knowing my students and their needs. It also requires some time to carefully curate resources and build learning spaces for my students to learn in. But the result is empowered learners who are excited to learn because they get to choose what they want to do. The products they make (their beautiful art!) show that they are invested in their work and really understand the concepts we’re studying. Or, to revisit the restaurant metaphor one more time — the proof is in the mango pudding, which has been carefully crafted and delivered to my door. Though we’ve had to find new ways to learn (and “dine out”), we can still produce amazing things.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Follow Me