MICRO-MESSAGINGReach and Teach EVERY Student

Idaho PTE Summer ConferenceJuly 21, 2015

National Alliance for Partnerships in EquityIdaho State Division of Professional-Technical Education

College of Southern Idaho

Crystal Ayers, M.Ed.Department Chair, Business and EconomicsCollege of Southern Idaho

Patricia Weber, M.Ed.Director, Center for New Directions

College of Southern Idaho

KEY TAKE AWAYS

• Introduce a new model for educator engagement to achieve equity in the classroom and equality in student outcome.

• Become aware of implicit bias that underlies the micro-messages.

• Understand micro-messaging as a form of communicating implicit bias in the classroom and in our culture.

• Begin to address micro-inequities and apply micro-affirmations in the classroom.

Cultural Stereotypes

Bias

MicromessagesAccumulation

of (Dis)Advantage

Self-efficacy

Behavior

The Culture Wheel

Educator Point of Interruption

Culture shapes our beliefs

Culture forms our biases about people

Communicate our biases

Belief in abilities

Leads to success in career/school

Subtle messages add up

National Alliance for Partnership in Equity

SOLVE THIS POPULAR BRAIN TEASER

A father and his son were in a car accident. The father is killed and his son is seriously injured. The son is taken to the hospital where the surgeon says, “I cannot operate because the boy is my son.”

• 40 to 75 percent of people still cannot solve it

• Those who do solve it struggle with the concept of a woman as a surgeon.

Cultural Stereotypes

Bias

MicromessagesAccumulation

of (Dis)Advantage

Self-efficacy

Behavior

The Culture Wheel

Educator Point of Interruption

Culture shapes our beliefs

Culture forms our biases about people

Communicate our biases

Belief in abilities

Leads to success in career/school

Subtle messages add up

National Alliance for Partnership in Equity

• A hidden – or implicit – bias is a preference for or against a person, thing, or group held at an unconscious level. This means we don’t even know that our minds are holding onto this bias.

• In contrast, an overt – or explicit – bias is an attitude or prejudice that one endorses at a conscious level.

• Bias can also exist in a positive sense. We may favor our family, our community and people with whom we feel a connection based on shared characteristics or experiences.

First Impression Activity

• Pick two people you would sit next to.• Pick two people you would not sit next to.

1

23

4

5 6

7

8 9 10

“Hidden biases are neither a moral failing, nor a sign of a bad person. Most people have them. So it isn’t a matter of being ashamed or embarrassed — as long as we work to identify and overcome our unconscious attitudes and act differently. It starts with making the unconscious conscious.” Zabeen Hirji, Chief Human Resources Officer, RBC

https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/demo/

Male Female

unclemothersisterfatherbrotheraunt

Liberal Arts Science

physicschemistryEnglishhistorymathmusic

Liberal ArtsFemale

ScienceMale

physicschemistryEnglishhistorymathmusicmotherfathersisterbrotheruncleaunt

Liberal ArtsMale

ScienceFemale

physicschemistryEnglishhistorymathmusicmotherfathersisterbrotheruncleaunt

Assume you have them.

Conduct research on yourself.

Make a list of groups different from you and your group.

Ask a trusted friend or associate.

Examine your worldview.

Cultural Stereotypes

Bias

MicromessagesAccumulation

of (Dis)Advantage

Self-efficacy

Behavior

The Culture Wheel

Educator Point of Interruption

Culture shapes our beliefs

Culture forms our biases about people

Communicate our biases

Belief in abilities

Leads to success in career/school

Subtle messages add up

National Alliance for Partnership in Equity

What are Micro-messages?

Small, subtle, often subconscious message we send and receive in our communication with others in the form:

These messages can be either negative (micro-inequities) or positive (micro-affirmations) .

Micro-Messages

Micro-inequities

Negative micro-messages which cause people to feel devalued, slighted, discouraged, or excluded

Micro-affirmations

Positive micro-messages which cause people to feel valued, included, or encouraged

Lands End Catalog 2012

Lands End Catalog 2012

Negative Implicit Bias =Micro-Inequities

Unconscious

Subtle

POWERFUL

37

Key Micro-Messaging Elements

Micromessages

Verbal

Para-Verbal

Non-Verbal

Contextual

Omission

Praise and Criticism

38

Key Micro-Messaging Elements

Micromessages

Verbal

Para-Verbal

Non-Verbal

Contextual

Omission

Praise and Criticism

What is said

How it’s said

Body language

Feedback messages

What is not said or not

done

Who or what else is present-culture,

artifacts, etc.

Why Think About Micro-Messaging?

Small and seemingly insignificant behaviors may result in unfavorable learning outcomes.

Impact Is More Important Than Intent!

Engagement with students in the

classroom

Intent Impact

TeacherMicro-messaging

StudentPerformance

Micro-Affirmations Lead To…

One Thing…

One thing you will start doing/saying…

One thing you will stop doing/saying…

For More Information…

• National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity (NAPE)http://www.napequity.org/• Project Implicit by Harvard

https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/demo/ • Adrian San Miguel, Centers for New Direction,

Idaho Division of Professional-Technical Education208-429-5542 or adrian.sanmiguel@pte.idaho.gov