What Message Are You Sending? How to Create a Diverse CTE Classroom Presented by The NYS Nontraditional Employment & Training (NET) Project & The CTE Technical Assistance Center of NY HOW DIVERSITY ISSUES CAN AFFECT CTE ENROLLMENT AND ENGAGEMENT & WHY IT MATTERS POLL QUESTION #1 WHAT IS MEANT BY THE TERM DIVERSITY? — Diversity has traditionally been thought of in terms of the ‘visible’ differences between people, such as gender and race — The focus is on eliminating discrimination based on these differences. — This often results in setting quotas or targets. Ex: Having a certain number of women or people of color enrolled in a particular program, or sitting on a corporate board, etc… — An emerging view of diversity: “Diversity is about recognising, respecting and valuing differences based on ethnicity, gender, colour, age, race, religion, disability, national origin and sexual orientation. It also includes an infinite range of individual unique characteristics and experiences…” -Chubb Insurance Group Diversity Statement http://web.mit.edu/ombud/publications/micro-affirm-ineq.pdf http://www.deloitte.com/ POLL QUESTION #2 DIVERSITY ISSUES AND HOW WE COMMUNICATE — Research conducted at MIT revealed that a very powerful form of human communication happens through “micro messages”. — Individuals send anywhere from 40 to 150 micro messages to one another during a ten-minute conversation! — Micro messages can be affirming and make us feel included or negative and make us feel excluded. — Negative messages are referred to as microinequities. http://web.mit.edu/ombud/publications/micro-affirm-ineq.pdf NOTICE ANYTHING? http://www.careerpathwaysonline.com/ NOTICE ANYTHING? http://www.careerpathwaysonline.com/ NOTICE ANYTHING? http://www.careerpathwaysonline.com/ WHAT ARE MICROINEQUITIES? — Microinequity: a subtle message, sometimes subconscious, that devalues, discourages and ultimately impairs performance. Because these messages are subtle, they are often overlooked or dismissed. They are also built into organizational culture. — “Microinequities are those everyday inequities through which individuals are treated differently because of their gender, race, sexual identity, or other “outsider” status. Taken by itself, a microinequity may have little effect. Yet when these behaviors occur again and again, they often have a damaging cumulative effect, creating an environment that is chilly.” -Bernice Sandler, Senior Scholar at the Women's Research and Education Institute in Washington, DC http://www.stemequitypipeline.org/_documents/Small%20Slights%20Article.pdf EXAMPLES OF CLASSROOM MICROINEQUITIES — Focusing on women’s appearance rather than accomplishments or describing women by their appearance. — Assigning tasks according to stereotyped roles — Interrupting, talking over, or ignoring women or people of color. — Professors/Instructors are less likely to cite examples of notable achievements by women and people of color. http://www.stemequitypipeline.org/_documents/Small%20Slights%20Article.pdf http://www.usu.edu%2Fprovost%2Ffaculty%2Fdevelopment%2Finstructional_excellence%2F2009%2Fpreparing _syllabi%2FUSU%2520Improving%2520the%2520climate%2520in%2520science%2520and%2520engineering. ppt SITUATIONAL CLASSROOM MICROINEQUITIES — Kevin bakes a cake in his home and career skills course. The teacher tastes it and says, “Not bad for a boy!” — An auto tech teacher gathers the class around a car. Noticing that Nina is hanging back, the instructor asks her to move in closer stating that “she won’t break a nail or anything.” — A teacher asks Stephen, who is Latino, when he first came to the U.S. Skit VII: Classroom Interaction Cast: Ms. Class, a female teacher; Bill, an active boy; Jack, a quiet boy; Susie, an active girl; Jill, a quiet girl. Ms. Class: Who has an example of a function he constructed for homework? (Susie and Bill raise their hands.) — Ms. Class: Bill, let's hear your example. — Bill: I chose y equals 2x. — Ms. Class: Good, Bill. Would you be able to graph your function? — Bill: Sure. — Ms. Class: What would the graph look like? — Bill: A curve? — Ms. Class: Try again, Bill. — Bill: How about a line. — Ms. Class: Yes, Bill. Good. Does anyone else have an example of a function? — (Susie's hand is still up, and Jill quietly raises her hand. Jack's hand is conspicuously not raised.) — Ms. Class: Susie? — Susie: What if you have y equals x squared? — Ms. Class: Good, Susie. Jack what about your idea? — http://www.woodrow.org/teachers/math/gender/07skits.html NYS DEMOGRAPHICS: GENDER & RACE The gender breakdown of NYS is: — 52.3% women — 47.7% men The race/ethnicity breakdown of NYS is: — 0.3% American Indian Alaskan Native (AIAN) — 7.4% Asian — 14.5% Black — 17.7% Hispanic/Latina — 0% Native Hawaiian/Alaskan Native — 0.4% Other — 1.5% Two or More Races — and 58.2% White. 2008-2010 American Community Survey NYS DEMOGRAPHICS: POVERTY — Developed in 1963, the federal poverty measure assumes that food costs are one third of total family costs. If we were to use a slightly higher and accepted threshold of 150% of the poverty measure, 22.6% of New Yorker’s would be found to be living in poverty. http://cardi.cornell.edu/cals/devsoc/outreach/cardi/loader.cfm?csModule=security/getfile&PageID=214205 NYS DEMOGRAPHICS: UNEMPLOYMENT http://www.fiscalpolicy.org/FPI_FactSheet_UnemploymentCrisis_20100310.pdf JOB OPENINGS IN NEW YORK STATE — Between 2008 and 2018, New York will create 2.8 million job vacancies both from new jobs and from job openings due to retirement. — Between 2008 and 2018, new jobs in New York requiring postsecondary education and training will grow by 359,000 while jobs for high school graduates and dropouts will grow by 137,000. — 63% of all jobs in New York (6.1 million jobs) will require some postsecondary training beyond high school in 2018. http://www9.georgetown.edu/grad/gppi/hpi/cew/pdfs/newyork.pdf JOBS IN NEW YORK BY SKILL LEVEL http://www.fmsworkforcesolutions.org/Middle-Skills%20Jobs%20report%20%28r%29.pdf Gender Breakdown of CTE Enrollment in 8 Clusters at the Secondary Level 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 www.nysed.gov Female Male Gender Breakdown of CTE Enrollment in 8 Clusters at the Post-secondary Level 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 www.nysed.gov Female Male WHAT DOES ANY OF THIS HAVE TO DO WITH DIVERSITY AND MICROINEQUITIES? — According to the 2011 report, “New York’s Forgotten Middle-Skill Jobs”, there are 30 middle-skill jobs New York State can’t live without. — CTE can help prepare students for each and every single one of these jobs, but we will not have the workforce we need until we can effectively recruit, and not fill jobs based on traditional roles. — Unless we can achieve equity in academics and careers, there will continue to be negative economic consequences (worker shortages => stagnant economic development). http://www.fmsworkforcesolutions.org/Middle-Skills%20Jobs%20report%20%28r%29.pdf http://www.fmsworkforcesolutions.org/Middle-Skills%20Jobs%20report%20%28r%29.pdf Sample Occupations Within the Clusters, NYS — Agriculture & Natural Resources o Veterinary Assistant | 81% Female; 19% Male | $31,130/annual o Cartographer | 82% Male; 18% Female | $68,210 o Forester | 96% Male; 4% Female | $62,100 — Architecture & Construction o Carpenter | 99% Male; 1% Female | $65,890 o Electrician | 98% Male; 2% Female | $81,790 o Equipment Operator | 99% Male; 1% Female | $76,910 — Health Sciences o Medical Technologist | 65% Female; 35% Male | $67,260 o Dental Hygienist | 95% Female; 5% Male; | $75,280 o Registered Nurse | 91% female; 9% Male | $83,770 https://career.berkeley.edu/plan/CareerClusters.pdf American Community Survey Data, 2009-2011 http://www.thenetproject.org/resources/middle_skill.htm THE BUSINESS CASE FOR DIVERSITY — The changing demographics of the United States are transforming the culture and buying habits of this nation. This metamorphosis is occurring more rapidly than anticipated. — Recruiting, retaining, and promoting diverse employees is critical to an organization’s success in this evolving marketplace. — Organization’s with a more diverse talent pool, especially at senior levels, manifest a workplace culture of openness and in turn, perform better. http://www.workforcediversitynetwork.com/docs/business_case_3.pdf http://www.deloitte.com/assets/DcomAustralia/Local%20Assets/Documents/Services/Consulting/Human%20Capital/Diversity/Deloitte_Only_skin_deep_12 _September_2011.pdf WHAT ROLE DOES/CAN CTE PLAY? — According to the National Women’s Law Center, “career and technical education can lead to economic security for girls”. — Traditionally male-dominated fields pay an average median hourly wage of $18.48, while traditional female fields pay $14.26. — Working to eliminate inequities in career and technical education can help create a robust workforce and spread economic opportunity. — As the list of middle-skill jobs slide showed, CTE has a significant role to play in preparing the future workforce of NYS! POLL QUESTION #3 WHAT CAN YOU DO? — Diversify course content: include diverse guest speakers; provide examples of contributions by women and people of color; include diverse images and messages in your classroom (posters, artwork, etc…) — Make diversity a part of your class; consider developing a diversity and respect statement. — Develop course guidelines for class discussion and behavior that are inclusive — Be sensitive to terminology (Fireman, policeman, the nurse, she; the dentist, he …) http://www.usu.edu%2Fprovost%2Ffaculty%2Fdevelopment%2Finstructional_excellence%2F2009%2F preparing_syllabi%2FUSU%2520Improving%2520the%2520climate%2520in%2520science%2520and %2520engineering.ppt WHAT CAN YOU DO CONT’D? — Utilize school/campus diversity resources: gender equity coordinators; school clubs, career offices, mentoring programs, etc… — Be aware of what students you praise and what students you criticize/have difficulty dealing with — Try and make your students understand why and how diversity is important in the U.S. workforce — Open a dialogue: ask your students if they feel included in the classroom http://www.usu.edu%2Fprovost%2Ffaculty%2Fdevelopment%2Finstructional_excellence%2F2009%2F preparing_syllabi%2FUSU%2520Improving%2520the%2520climate%2520in%2520science%2520and %2520engineering.ppt RESOURCES FOR YOUR CLASSROOM Recruitment: — National Institute for Women in Trades, Technology and Science (IWITTS): http://www.iwitts.org/store — The NET Project: http://thenetproject.org/ Best Practices: — National Women’s Law Center: http://www.nwlc.org/resource/how-promote-genderequity-career-and-technical-education-primer-schools — CTE TAC: http://www.nyctecenter.org/spn/page/Best-Practices — National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity: http://www.napequity.org/stem/#gsc.tab=0 RESOURCES FOR YOUR CLASSROOM CONT’D Mentoring: — For students in Science and Engineering: http://www.mentornet.net/ Collaboration: — National Girls Collaborative Project http://www.ngcproject.org/ Professional Organizations: — — Nat’l Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) http://www.nawic.org/nawic/default.asp American Assembly for Men in Nursing (AAMN) http://aamn.org/ Thank You! — Cara Long, Deputy Director & NET Project Director, Center for Women in Government & Civil Society, University at Albany www.albany.edu/womeningov | www.thenetproject.org [email protected] P: 518-442-3888 — CTE Technical Assistance Center of NY www.nyctecenter.org [email protected] P. 518-723-2137 F. 518-723-2140