Equipping Educators for Equity Through Ethnic-Racial Identity | E4

“I think conversations about diversity, identity and race are crucial in education but many teachers don't know how to lead these discussions. I really appreciate how the…E⁴ training gave me concrete ways to have these conversations with my students. The project and lessons helped to build the vocabulary, understanding and confidence that I think teachers want and need. I also really like that this program acknowledges that all people have a culture and race – I think that it is really important that there isn't one race or culture that is seen as the standard or the norm.”

“I appreciated that I was able to do the work on developing my own ERI in a space that was constructive and would mitigate the harm I, as a white man, might inflict on my students. If I were to do this in the presence of my students or not engage with it at all, the likelihood of causing harm would be high. The support and coaching in the E⁴ program allowed me to grow, challenge my assumptions, and continue my journey in a safe and constructive environment.”

“Short-term, the training helps teachers begin and/or continue their identity journey with new activities and tools for reflection. Long-term, I believe this training has made me more thoughtful in how I plan my lessons around student needs while being more culturally responsive. Additionally, the training supports life-long growth through identity development, which has positive impacts on our own sense of community and belonging.”

“Short term, I think this will really help with learning how to build relationships and how to handle "hot" moments in class. Long term, I think that learning about yourself, especially because teachers have to do the IP is great because it allows us to think about our own identities and how it has shaped our experiences. It helped me to also reassess how and why I do things and how it may affect students and my classroom.”

“I do believe that they are worthwhile because the training is a powerful tool in identity development for all educators. The E⁴ model creates a cohort of educators that have similar goals and a strong foundation of the Identity Project. The discussions and conversations were impactful for all participants and allowed us to work through our own biases.”

“I do believe that they are worthwhile because the training is a powerful tool in identity development for all educators. The E⁴ model creates a cohort of educators that have similar goals and a strong foundation of the Identity Project. The discussions and conversations were impactful for all participants and allowed us to work through our own biases.”

“…the E⁴ program helps build that relationship between teachers as well as students. I also think that building stronger teacher connections and relationships is something all schools have neglected and need to prioritize and this program and training could be integral to that end. I have learned so much from the other teachers I did the training with and it was important and illuminating to hear their stories and experiences, as well as their questions.”

“Working with a core group of educators that are all striving to effect positive change and growth in the lives of our students. It was a wonderful experience to work with all of the teachers and Harvard research team. I gained invaluable curricular and personal resources.”

“The benefits are not limited to my career, they're applied to my personal life as well. Doing the reflective, in-depth personal work to understand my own ERI in a safe, constructive environment has allowed me to be a more mindful, supportive, and thoughtful teacher. What's more is that I feel I'm engaging with my community in more productive ways as an advocate, volunteer, and neighbor because I understand how I belong and what resources I have to offer throughout my community.”