This activity helps you reflect on the effects of micro-inequities and micro-affirmations. There are four scenarios corresponding to four students: Dee, Richard, Maria, and Brian. Each scenario comes with a short backstory, and you are asked to consider how you might respond to them based on a list of possible options. Immediately following each set of options is a “Pause and Reflect” section that suggests how your response might affect the student. Please think about the options before moving on to the “Pause and Reflect” section of each scenario. At the end you will find a “Summary and Conclusion” section that sums up the key takeaways of this activity.
Scenario Background
Picture yourself in the following scenario:
You are a math teacher at Central Camden. Your students come from diverse backgrounds. The school year started on a positive note, but halfway into the semester you notice widening achievement gaps between students. You’ve just returned the results of the second test and there was a wide range in the scores. Some students are visibly frustrated, while others seem indifferent or distracted. There are four students in particular that you need to speak to, in order to find out what they are going through.
Student 1: Dee
Dee is a very hard-working student but she struggles with certain concepts. She received a 60% on the first test and a 70% on the second test. After class, she approaches you and says, “I just got a 70% on my test. I’m really disappointed.” How would you respond to Dee? Consider the following responses and think about what you might say:
- “I know math is tough for women. My mother always hated it.”
- “Didn’t you do better on this test than on the last one? Where you got a 60?”
- “I also used to struggle with math. Why don’t we analyze the specific problems that you missed so we can see where you had difficulties?”
- “Did you have a difficult week? Is anything going on that might have impacted your grade?”
Pause and Reflect on the Impact of Responses to Dee
How would you respond to Dee?
Option 1 was to say, “I know math is tough for women. My mother always hated it.”
If we say this to Dee, we are unconsciously passing on stereotypical beliefs that math is tough for women, and we can have a powerful negative impact on her chances to succeed in a STEM career. Instead of using a micro-inequity (note that we may have responded differently if Dee had been a male student), we should consider which micro-affirmation we could have used instead.
Option 2 was to say, “Didn’t you do better on this test than on the last one? Where you got a 60?”
This question would be a powerful micro-affirmation because it reminds her that she has made an improvement from the last test. Now let’s say she responds to your question by saying that the improvement was just a matter of “dumb luck.” What can you say to give her a sense of power and control over her own future, which can be critical to career success?
Option 3 was to say, “I also used to struggle with math. Why don’t we analyze the specific problems that you missed so we can see where you had difficulties?”
This response would be a powerful micro-affirmation. By sharing that even you, the math teacher, have struggled, you open the possibility that it is OK to struggle and one can persist in the face of obstacles. Now let’s say she responds to your question with, “What’s the use? I’ll never get this. I should just drop out of this class.” What can you say to give her a sense of power and control over her own future?
Option 4 was to say, “Did you have a difficult week? Is anything going on that might have impacted your grade?”
This would also be a powerful micro-affirmation because it shows that you expect there to be an external reason why she may have done poorly, thus expressing faith in her abilities. Now let’s say she explains that she couldn’t study because her mother was sick the whole week and she had to look after her baby brother. What can you say to give her a sense of power and control over her own future?
Student 2: Richard
You’ve learned that English is not Richard’s first language. Discussion of Richard in the teacher’s lounge reveals that different teachers have different levels of success with him. He does well in the automotive technology course, but his performance in your class has been consistently poor. What would you say to Richard to find out what is going on? Consider the following options and think about the approach you might take to start a conversation with him:
- “I know math is tough for you, especially since English is not your first language. Maybe this class is too much for someone like you.”
- “Richard, you are doing really well in automotive technology. What is it about auto tech that you find easier than this class?”
- “Richard, let’s analyze the specific problems that you missed so we can see where you had difficulties.”
- “How are things going, Richard? What can I do to help make this class easier to understand?”
Pause and Reflect on the Impact of Responses to Richard
How would you start a conversation with Richard?
Option 1 was to say, “I know math is tough for you, especially since English is not your first language. Maybe this class is too much for someone like you.”
If we say this to Richard, we are unconsciously passing on stereotypical beliefs that math is tough for people for whom English is a second language, and we can have a powerful negative impact on his chances to succeed in a STEM career. Instead of using a micro-inequity (note that we may have responded differently if Richard had been fluent in English), we should consider which micro-affirmation we could have used instead.
Option 2 was to say, “Richard, you are doing really well in automotive technology. What is it about auto tech that you find easier than this class?”
Asking Richard this question would be a powerful micro-affirmation. You start by praising him for his performance in a high-skill class, and you ask for the specific behaviors that caused him to do better in that class. This creates a feeling of power and control, which can be critical to career success.
Option 3 was to say, “Richard, let’s analyze the specific problems that you missed so we can see where you had difficulties.”
This would be a powerful micro-affirmation. By offering to help Richard tackle his difficulties, you open the possibility that it is OK to struggle and one can persist in the face of obstacles. Now imagine that Richard says, “I didn’t understand what some of the words meant in the word problems so I just put c on all the responses.” How should you react to his confession? What can you say to give him a sense of power and control over his own future?
Option 4 was to say, “How are things going, Richard? What can I do to help make this class easier to understand?”
This would also be a powerful micro-affirmation because you’re asking Richard for feedback, which gives him the chance to be heard and included. This creates a feeling of power and control. Now imagine that Richard says, “Are there things about math that are like real life like cars or engines? I get lost when it’s all about numbers and equations. And if you slow down for important ideas, it would help.” Consider how you might react to his desire to find connections between math and “real life.” What can you say to further encourage him?
Student 3: Maria
Maria visits you at your office for help. She tries to explain her confusion about one of the problems on the test, but it’s not clear what specifically she doesn’t understand. She is visibly flustered as she says, “So if the chemist has 100 milliliters of a 40% acid solution, I just, I don’t, like how can you know what percent of water to add to make it have less acid? What does the x stand for?” What would you say to Maria? The following are some possible responses. Consider what approach you might take:
- “This is really simple.” You then write out the equation and solution on a piece of paper.
- “The canonical way to solve this problem is…” You go on to explain verbally how variables, constants, and coefficients are used in to solve this type of problem.
- “Let’s break this specific problem down and analyze where you are having trouble, and we can solve it together.”
- “I am so glad you came to me for help, Maria. Let me make sure I understood you correctly. Is it the entire problem that is confusing, or is it just that you don’t know what x stands for?”
Pause and Reflect on the Impact of Responses to Maria
What would you say to Maria?
Option 1 was to say, “This is really simple,” and then write out the equation and solution on a piece of paper for her.
This is one of the most common and overlooked examples of a breakdown in communication. By starting with the words “This is really simple” you signal your impatience and unspoken comment that you found the question stupid. This micro-inequity (you may not have said this if your star pupil asked the same question) may effectively shut Maria down. Time after time, we believe an interaction like this ends successfully, when in fact it increases the chances that someone like Maria will now drop out of this class, and maybe even this career choice.
Option 2 was to say, “The canonical way to solve this problem is…” and then go on to explain verbally how variables, constants, and coefficients are used in to solve this type of problem.
By using words such as “canonical” and by not taking the time to fully understand the nature of Maria’s question, you may be communicating that if she did not understand the material right away, it was because of a lack of mathematical ability. Consider how you could have used a micro-affirmation instead.
Let’s say Maria then asks you to draw the explanation in her notebook. How would you respond to her request?
Option 3 was to say, “Let’s break this specific problem down and analyze where you are having trouble, and we can solve it together.”
This response would be a powerful micro-affirmation. By offering to help Maria tackle her difficulties, you open the possibility that it is OK to struggle and one can persist in the face of obstacles. Let’s say that despite your encouragement, Maria says, “What’s the use? I’ll never get this. I should just drop out of this class.” What can you say to give her a sense of power and control over her own future?
Option 4 was to say, “I am so glad you came to me for help, Maria. Let me make sure I understood you correctly. Is it the entire problem that is confusing, or is it just that you don’t know what x stands for?”
This would also be a powerful micro-affirmation. You applaud Maria for coming to you for help, and this praise will go a long way. Now consider how you should react to Maria’s suggestion that it seemed “stupid” to ask about ideas that had already been covered in the class. Let’s say that despite this, Maria is still dejected and says, “Actually, I have been struggling with the whole idea of dilution and conversions, but it seemed stupid to ask about all the ideas from last month.” What type of validation can you give Maria to help her succeed?
Student 4: Brian
When Brian enters the classroom, he always immediately puts his head down as if to go to sleep. Whenever you try to get him to participate, he responds reluctantly. He received a 60% on the first test and a 70% on the second test. After class, you check in with him to see if he has any questions or concerns. He mumbles, “I studied. I thought I’d get an A. This stuff’s just useless anyways.” How would you respond to Brian? Consider the following responses and think about what you might say:
- “This reminds me of when I used to struggle with problems like this, Brian.”
- “Didn’t you do better on this test than on the last one? Where you got a 60?”
- “Let’s analyze the specific problems that you missed so we can see where you had difficulties.”
- “Did you have a difficult week? Is anything going on that might have impacted your grade?”
Pause and Reflect on the Impact of Responses to Brian
How would you respond to Brian?
Option 1 was to say, “This reminds me of when I used to struggle with problems like this, Brian.”
This response would be a powerful micro-affirmation. By sharing that even you, the math teacher, have struggled, you open the possibility that it is OK to struggle and one can persist in the face of obstacles. But what if Brian says he couldn’t possibly imagine you struggling with your studies? What can you say to assure him that everyone struggles sometimes, and he shouldn’t give up?
Option 2 was to say, “Didn’t you do better on this test than on the last one? Where you got a 60?”
Asking Brian this question would be a powerful micro-affirmation because you’re reminding him that he has made an improvement from the last test. But what if he retorts that it was just “dumb luck”? How should you react to give him a sense of power and control over his own future?
Option 3 was to say, “Let’s analyze the specific problems that you missed so we can see where you had difficulties.”
This response would also be a powerful micro-affirmation. By offering to help Brian tackle his difficulties, you open the possibility that it is OK to struggle and one can persist in the face of obstacles. But what if Brian says there’s no use trying and that he should just drop out? What can you say to give him a sense of power and control over his own future?
Option 4 was to say, “Did you have a difficult week? Is anything going on that might have impacted your grade?”
Asking Brian this question would be a powerful micro-affirmation because it shows that you expect there to be an external reason why he may have done poorly, thus expressing faith in his abilities. Now let’s say he explains that he couldn’t study because his mother was sick the whole week and he had to look after his baby brother. What would you say to him?
Summary and Conclusion
The key learning from this activity is that we as educators need to do three things:
1. Provide our students with tools and techniques to handle micro-inequities.
We have some students with low self-efficacy and others with high self-efficacy. We must be particularly alert when we deal with students with low self-efficacy.
For example, the female student Dee may be crushed if she was told that math was tough, or that she should drop out. But if we have inoculated her against micro-inequities and helped her build a healthy resilience, she may instead say:
- “Well, my cousin Laila does really well in math. In fact she wants to be a math teacher one day. Maybe it’s just tough for some women?”
- “I am disappointed that I didn’t study hard enough for this test. I can do better if I study more. Will you help me with problem 7?”
2. Supply our students with micro-affirmations where possible to increase their chances of succeeding in their chosen careers.
If we reflect on the responses in the various scenarios, we notice how powerful our comments and interactions with our students are in shaping their future. When we conduct exercises with successful adults, it is surprising how many of them remember a single positive comment from a teacher, decades ago, which inspired them to pursue their career.
3. Become aware of our own unconscious biases and stereotypical beliefs, and reduce our resultant micro-inequities.
Did you notice how the suggested list of responses to Brian had almost no stereotypical beliefs about why math would be hard for him? How is this different from the responses to Dee, Maria, and Richard? Did you react differently to male versus female students?
If, for instance, we pass on our unconscious stereotypical beliefs that math is tough for women, we can have a powerful negative impact on female students’ chances to succeed in a high-skill career. Always consider what micro-affirmations you could use.
Uncovering Implicit Biases
Initially developed at Harvard University, and now widely used, Implicit Association Tests (IATs) are excellent self-reflective tools to help uncover implicit biases. These self-assessments can be taken via Project Implicit. Of the multiple options available, the Gender-Science IAT or the Gender-Career IAT are most directly related to this Micromessaging module.