Written by: Sommer Jabbar, Kent ISD Project Coordinator of Equity and Student Success

Happy New Year! New year, new you- right? Or maybe, new year, better you. Let’s go with new year, better informed, and more knowledgeable you! 

In education it often seems that every school year we are asked to be a new you. A new you that needs to “buy-in” to new policies, practices, curriculum, etc. Along with educators having to buy-in, it is our job to make sure students also buy-in. Let’s explore what “buy-in” looks like around culturally competent education for both teachers and students.

I think you will be surprised that many of the things you already have put in practice show that you are already bought in and are having students buy-in as well.

What is buy-in?

The formal definition of buy-in is the acceptance of and willingness to actively support and participate in something (such as a proposed new plan or policy).

How can we create buy-in for Educators?

Many times this can feel overwhelming, daunting, and exhaustive. However, what if I told you that you already have all the necessary tools to “buy-in” to being a culturally responsive educator? Here are three ways to make sure that you are on the right path to becoming a culturally responsive educator.

Practice reflects mission and vision of your organization

In our districts, organizations, and at the ISD we have a mission and vision statement that correlates directly to cultural competency. We ensure that all children, families, and stakeholders receive equitable access to services we provide. This commitment to buy-in around cultural competency is being practiced everyday, already!

Use of data to drive decisions

Education and data go together like peanut butter and jelly. Data is critical in helping to drive our decisions for our next moves. Data collected can influence policy and practices to ensure we are being culturally responsive to all students’ needs.

Give grace and space

The work of cultural competency is never ending. This work is equally as taxing as it is rewarding. There will be times when you do not know the answer or say the wrong thing, and that is why it is important to remember to give grace and space to everyone, including yourself. This work is meant to be done collaboratively, all for one and one for all.

How do I create buy-in for students?

Buy-in for students is fairly similar to buy-in for educators. We have to make sure that we create a sense of belonging and community, along with keeping students engaged. Here are three tips to creating student buy-in in your classroom.

Get Social

Getting social with students can look like a number of things, but the one thing that remains constant with being social is building relationships. When students feel a bond between them and their educator, their buy-in increases drastically. Tips for building relationships, trust, and rapport.

Play games

Playing games, at any age and grade, is a great way to engage students in their own learning. Asking students to create and play games gives students the opportunity to buy-in authentically to their education. Here are ways you can add games to your classroom.

Storytelling

Storytelling is a common tradition in many cultures. This tradition allows for students to express themselves, their culture, and traditions with others in a powerful way. Storytelling can create a sense of community in the classroom and trust amongst everyone. A sense of community and trust in your classroom leads to natural buy-in amongst students. Check out these ideas to add storytelling to your classroom.

How can you learn more?

Learn even more about how you can create a culturally responsive classroom by listening to a recent podcast I did with my colleagues from the LLCN brief podcast. Listen to this episode now: “Next Steps in Creating a Culturally Responsive Classroom.”

Another great learning opportunity is happening on March 24th! You can register to learn more from Dr. Gholdy Muhammad, author of Cultivating Genius: An Equity Framework for Culturally and Historically Responsive Literacy. She will  lead a full day workshop to help us reignite the joy in teaching and learning. In this workshop, she will guide participants through her Culturally and Historically Responsive Literacy Framework to expand their focus beyond skills-only teaching and learning. Seating is limited for this event and this workshop will fill quickly, reserve your seat by enrolling today.

New year, same you.

I hope this year you can take a moment to breathe and recognize all the tools and skills you bring to the table. That the “buy-in” we are asking around cultural competency has already been happening. Educators and students alike need to buy-into the commitment of education.  Together we can uplift and strengthen our cultural competency skill set to continue to meet the needs for all children.