Belonging Through a Culture of Dignity: The Keys to Successful Equity Implementation

While efforts to achieve equity in education are prominent in school districts across this country, the effective implementation that results in meaningful change remains elusive. Even with access to compelling theories and approaches such as multicultural education, culturally responsive teaching, culturally relevant instruction, culturally sustaining pedagogy, schools still struggle to implement equitable change that reshapes the academic experiences of students marginalized by the prevailing history, culture, and traditions in public education. Instead of getting it right with equity implementation, many schools and districts remain trapped in a cycle of equity dysfunction.

In Belonging through a Culture of Dignity, Cobb and Krownapple argue that the cause of these struggles are largely based on the failure of educators to consider the foundational elements upon which educational equity is based, belonging and dignity. Through this work, the authors make these concepts accessible and explain their importance in the implementation of educational equity initiatives.

Though the importance of dignity and belonging might appear to be self-evident at first glance, it's not until these concepts are truly unpacked, that educators realize the dire need for belonging through dignity. Once these fundamental human needs are understood, educators can gain clarity of the barriers to meaningful student relationships, especially across dimensions of difference such as race, class, and culture. Even the most relational and responsive educators need this clarity due to the normalization of what the authors refer to as dignity distortions. Cobb and Krownapple challenge that normalization and offer three concepts as keys to successful equity initiatives: inclusion, belonging, and dignity. Through their work, the authors aim to equip educators with the tools necessary to deliver the promise of democracy through schools by breaking the cycle of equity dysfunction once and for all.

Author: Floyd Cobb, John Krownapple
Publisher: Mimi and Todd Press
Published: 12/02/2019
Pages: 262
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.78lbs
Size: 9.00h x 6.00w x 0.55d
ISBN: 9781950089024

About the Author
Cobb, Floyd: - Floyd Cobb is a consultant with The Core Collaborative and is a co-developer of the IncludED content, which focuses on issues of educational equity. Floyd has almost 20 years of experience in the field of education spanning the P-20 continuum, holding roles as a teacher, school leader, district curriculum leader, and a state-wide policy implementer. He holds a Doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction from the Morgridge College of Education at the University of Denver. There, he is an adjunct faculty member and teaches courses in curriculum and instruction, and social in-equality through the lenses of race, class, and gender. In 2017, Floyd was awarded the Ruth Murray Underhill Teaching Award for excellence in teaching, which is given annually to one adjunct faculty member at the University of Denver.Krownapple, John: - John Krownapple specializes in professional and organizational learning and development in the areas of inclusion, equity, and social justice. He is a co-developer of The Core Collaborative's IncludED solutions. John's mission is to help each of us get in touch with our own worth and value so that we can, in turn, honor human dignity on interpersonal, organizational, and structural levels. In doing so, John believes that we create climates of belonging that accelerate growth as effective organizations, inclusive communities, and as a truly democratic society. Simply put, we can improve quality of our lives and the lives of others through the concept of dignity. An inspirational speaker and workshop facilitator, John is currently an adjunct professor at Johns Hopkins University where his coursework focuses on issues that emerge from diversity. He also serves as the coordinator of diversity, equity, and inclusion for the Howard County Public School System.