The Fourth R: Responsibility

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romoting Responsibility

Responsibilities That Ensure Effective and Equitable School Practices

With sweeping technological changes, increased global economic competition, declining or static student achievement, and increased dropout rates, school personnel are seeking ways to increase student performance by making adjustments to the curriculum, teaching strategies, and standards for students and teachers. The learning climate of each school is based on attitudinal and behavioral patterns of its leadership that significantly impact the level of student achievement. By nurturing collaborative opportunities that work to develop students into integrated human beings, academically astute individuals, and effective future workers, the school serves as a focal point of community dialogue about education in general and equity in particular.

The lists included in this section outline the responsibilities of school staff and other key stakeholders that characterize some of the numerous effective and equitable school practices as they positively impact all students' academic achievement and socialization.

Equity principles are highlighted in bold type.

School Staff Responsibilities

Administrators

Establish and maintain a safe and orderly school environment
Keep physical facilities clean and reasonably attractive, and have damages repaired immediately
Provide a written code of conduct that specifies acceptable student behavior, due process, discipline procedures, and consequences
Administer reprimands in a neutral, objective way, focusing on students' behavior, not their personalities; refrain from administering unreasonable consequences to students
Establish an environment that promotes high expectations for all students' achievement, and where there is no complacency about student achievement
Provide processes for monitoring the school's ongoing instructional efforts; establish an environment in which a positive attitude toward change is encouraged
Train and work with parents to improve their children's academic skills and attitudes toward education
Provide parents with regular information about children's physical, emotional, and academic development at different levels
Arrange programs and activities around parents' work, day care, and transportation needs
Provide leadership and intervention in retention and re-entry programs for dropouts, and operate programs in a setting that focuses on improving student self-esteem and motivation to complete their education
Set concrete goals for at-risk students early in their school careers, and measure progress against these goals
Provide opportunities for staff to be thoroughly trained in equity principles, and proactively participate in such training
Make all visual displays in the entire school reflect diversity
Encourage schoolwide participation in commemorative days, weeks, and months, such as Martin Luther King Jr. Day, National American Indian Day, Hispanic Heritage Week, Black History Month, and Women's History Month, in addition to traditional celebrations
Use nonbiased language, and interact in a positive way with people who are different from you
Apply equity principles when dealing with all staff members
Be responsive to parent, teacher, and student concerns about perceived inequities in materials, programs, or interactions
Train students and teachers about the damaging effects of malicious verbal and physical racial and sexual harassment, establish a policy against such behavior, and instruct staff and students that such behavior will not be tolerated
Diligently carry out state and federal mandates for nondiscrimination in the areas of race, sex, and national origin in all school programs and activities
Arrange flexible meetings to accommodate schedules of working parents and parents needing transportation and child care
Gather information on ways to meet the needs of underserved groups, and model harmonious intercultural relationships
Recruit, hire, and retain staff representing different cultural backgrounds

Teachers

When applied by teachers, several overarching principles reinforce the belief that all children can learn:

Approach instruction systematically with clear goals and objectives, and emphasize achievement and time-on task
Maintain order and discipline in the classroom and school at all times; set high standards and be consistent
Provide multiculturally-based instruction, and create a positive classroom climate
Maintain high expectations for all students, and provide an optimum learning community that challenges students with attainable learning goals and helps students prepare to learn
Encourage students to develop a sense of responsibility and self-reliance, and give them a variety of guided and independent opportunities to complete and practice new concepts and individual and group skills
Continuously strive to improve teaching performance, and use assessment results to evaluate students and determine which teaching methods work most effectively
Inform parents of the importance of homework, and provide information on how to help their children with homework assignments
Assign homework with the intent of its successful completion, review students' work, and give them immediate feedback
Monitor students' understanding of presented materials through clear questions and allotting them equal time to respond
Be attentive to student interests, problems, and accomplishments in their social interactions in and outside the classroom
Communicate positively and frequently with students and parents by phone or notes about the student's progress in school, including academic achievement, social behavior, and attitude
Develop skills for working with parents, welcome parents and encourage them to become involved in their children's education, establish and apply consistent communication procedures to strengthen parent involvement
Teach to different learning styles, and utilize varied teaching styles to reach all students
As early in limited-English-proficient students' school careers as possible, provide supportive and effective instruction that maintains high learning and achievement standards equal to all other students
Work to increase inclusion of female and minority participation in the development and acquisition of curriculum and courses in which they are underrepresented, e.g., math, engineering, science, etc.
Teach students about prejudice and stereotypes and how to recognize the bias in the school materials
Compensate for or replace biased materials in the classroom with an antibias curriculum and resources
Serve on textbook adoption committees and participate in other activities to ensure the selection of nonbiased curriculum materials and resources
Select visuals for use in the classroom that reflect diversity
Never segregate students by gender or race in lines, study groups, or other activities
Always use nonbiased language
Use role models of both sexes and different ethnicities as visiting resource people to the classroom
Participate in staff development activities and trainings geared to recognizing and managing all biases
Participate in training in sexual and racial harassment to learn what to do whenever it occurs in the classroom and on campus
Evaluate your own opinions and behavior from the students' perspective: "What is the effect of my actions and words?"
Promote activities that allow staff and students to benefit from contact with others who are socioeconmically or culturally different from themselves
Give high-needs students the extra time and instruction they need to succeed; support the social and academic resiliency of high-needs students
Create the opportunities for students to develop supportive peer relationships and to serve as peer resources to one another

Counselors

Listen attentively to students' needs, keep an open and non-judgmental mind, provide a warm and supportive environment to discuss students' issues, concerns, and goals
Develop methods of positive reinforcement for students' appropriate behavior, thoughtful choices, and efforts to share, communicate, and pursue further learning opportunities
Offer new ideas and alternatives to motivate students in their pursuit of knowledge and career opportunities
Demonstrate current knowledge of concepts of school counseling, child growth and development, and instructional practices, and be willing to share your expertise with staff
Serve as a liaison with parents and community agencies to help manage students' changing needs socially, behaviorally, and academically
Serve in a referral capacity to identify assistance for students and their families that helps them access community, health, and social service providers as their needs may dictate
Understand fully and accept school policies and regulations
Be trustworthy with all confidential information
Have a clear understanding of the legal and ethical constraints that protect students, their families, and other professionals
Teach communication skills to students that strengthen their ability to resolve conflicts and problem solve issues appropriately without being verbally or physically assaultive
Maintain high expectations for all students' achievement social, academically, and interculturally
Be visible in school activities and personal in interactions with students, staff, and parents
Participate in necessary meetings and inservice workshops
Access and incorporate current and effective counseling approaches and techniques to manage manifestations of cultural and racial stereotypes of minority students and provide more relevancy to students of color in ways that do not alienate them
Expand the awareness of self, students, school staff, and community in multiculturalism educational equity and diversity
Work collaboratively with teachers and all school staff to understand how cultural implications affect instruction and classroom management of minority students and their assessment, counseling, and parental communication
Become familiar with effective methods that provide career guidance opportunities to ethnic minorities, and plan for and identify available culturally relevant career guidance materials for these students
Analyze enrollment data to identify disproportionate enrollments in vocational programs
Ensure that counselors can communicate with limited-English and hearing-impaired students
Access training to identify and resolve discriminatory career guidance practices
Review career guidance materials for racial, gender, socioeconomic, and national origin stereotypes
Develop an affirmative action program for employing minority counselors and counselors with disabilities
Show respect and consideration to everyone regardless of race, national origin, sex, age, marital status, socioeconomic status, parental status, physical condition, sexual orientation, or any other perceived differences
Make a conscious commitment to compensate for your own biases, keeping in mind that you were most likely raised and socialized in a biased environment and may unwittingly demonstrate biased attitudes
Know how to recognize bias and how it limits and demeans people; confront any biased or discriminatory behavior that you encounter; do not condone behavior that you find offensive
Use interest and ability tests that evaluate students' potential and performance regardless of their race, sex, or ethnic identity; use the same criteria for all students when scoring tests used in school
Arrange counseling opportunities for students with special problems, such as pregnancy, teen parenting, language barriers, etc.
Display posters, scholarship announcements, and other bulletin board materials that depict and encourage both females and males of all ethnicities in postsecondary schools, occupational settings, and leadership positions
Use role models of both genders and of different ethnicities when inviting resource people into the schools
Refer students to employers requesting applicants for part-time, temporary, or full-time jobs without regard to race, sex, national origin, or linguistic background
Avoid stereotyping occupations, abilities, and interests when speaking with students and parents

Media Specialists

Organize the media/library resource program to meet the informational, educational, and personal needs of the school staff and students
Ensure that the resource facilities are accessible and flexible in order to support both primary and support functions
Acquire materials and equipment, and organize, house, circulate, and maintain materials and equipment to assure maximum access by staff and students
Provide leadership in planning, developing, implementing, and evaluating the library resource center program, including managing personnel, resources, and facilities
Provide access for students and school staff to information and ideas through a variety of resources and technology
Work on teaching teams to facilitate school, curriculum, and library resource center goals
Provide formal and informal instruction in the use and production of information and ideas, and assist students, teachers, staff in use of electronic information sources and networks
Maintain the facilities or areas where resources and equipment are housed to ensure that they are clean and attractive, and have damages to equipment or areas immediately repaired
Assist teachers in preparing for special instructional, cultural, and parent-school events
Provide reference services for members of the school community, and refer students, teachers, and other school staff to relevant resources inside and outside school resource collection
Work actively with teachers to coordinate integration of information skills and ensure effective use of multimedia
Show respect and consideration to everyone regardless of race, national origin, sex, age, marital status, socioeconomic status, parental status, physical condition, sexual orientation, or any other perceived differences
Appreciate personal and cultural difference in people, and understand and be sensitive to different learning styles and nonverbal behaviors
Interact in a positive way with people who are different from you, and use nonbiased language at school, at home, and in the community
Know how to recognize bias and how it limits and demeans people
Make a conscious commitment to compensate for your own biases, keeping in mind that you were most likely raised and socialized in a biased environment and may unwittingly demonstrate biased attitudes
Confront any biased or discriminatory behavior that you encounter, and do not condone behavior that you find offensive
Use the absence of bias as a key criteria whenever selecting materials, making a conscious effort to select books and materials that represent people of both sexes from diverse cultures and ethnicities in diverse and nontraditional roles who exhibit a wide range of characteristics and behaviors
Assume that boys and girls are equally interested in reading books and other materials
Use female and male role models of diverse ethnicities as invited resource presenters to the library
Highlight diversity in library displays
Avoid stereotyping occupations, abilities, and interests when speaking with students and parents
Guide teachers and students in their assignments through the use of supplementary materials that include the contributions of women and minorities
Build a collection of materials about racism, sexism, and multiculturalism for the school and community libraries
Be sure to hold the same high expectations for all students regardless of race, sex, or national origin
Help stimulate students' interests to expand the goals and expectations beyond those that they already have
In addition to traditional celebrations, support and participate in commemorative days, weeks, and months, such as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and Women's History Month
Take advantage of professional development opportunities to recognize and manage bias and prejudice

Aides

Act as a resource to teachers and a role model to the students
Assist teachers in planning the design of your support role in instructional activities
Locate supplies and equipment, and know how to use them
Help establish an atmosphere of learning by asking and answering questions of your teacher and students
Respect the privacy of the students, parents, and teachers, keeping any information about class records, testing, emotional or behavioral problems of students confidential
Carry out school policies, and enforce rules with fairness
Make every effort to incorporate students' families into the classroom, curriculum, or motivational aspects of learning
Provide information to teachers on students' performance, be willing to maintain records when required
Show initiative without usurping teacher authority
Keep communication lines open by meeting with teacher or other staff regularly
Learn the names of students as quickly as possible, and listen and respond to the students, considering their unique individuality
Be consistently responsible, punctual, and prepared, and dress and speak appropriately for the position you hold
Show respect and consideration to everyone regardless of race, national origin, sex, age, marital status, parental or socioeconomic status, physical condition, sexual orientation, or any other perceived differences
Appreciate personal and cultural differences in people, and understand and be sensitive to different learning styles and nonverbal behavior
Interact in a positive way with people who are different from you, and use nonbiased language at school, at home, and in the community
Know how to recognize bias and how it limits and demeans people
Make a conscious commitment to compensate for your own biases, keeping in mind that you were most likely raised and socialized in a biased environment, and may unwittingly demonstrate biased attitudes
Confront all biased and discriminatory behavior that you encounter, and do not condone behavior you find offensive, instead deal with it directly and contact an appropriate person or agency for assistance to find resolution as may be necessary
Be sure to hold the same high expectations of all students regardless of race, sex, or national origin
Make sure that all visuals presented and displayed in the classroom reflect diversity
Do not segregate students by sex or race at any time or in any activity
Take advantage of professional development opportunities to be trained in recognizing and managing bias
In addition to traditional celebrations, support and participate in commemorative days, weeks, and months, such as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and Women's History Month

Classified Staff Members

Reinforce the idea of school as community by learning students' names, taking their concerns and behavior seriously, and referring them to appropriate staff
Demonstrate knowledge of discipline and student management strategies
Maintain equipment or work areas under your care to ensure their cleanliness and good repair
Demonstrate skills in first aid and safety procedures
Act as a positive adult role model to students
Become involved with school site teams as requested
Be aware of ethical and legal standards and policies involving your role in the classroom or school
Carry out assigned activities as planned and directed by district, school, principal, and teachers
Provide objective feedback to the school, administrators, and teachers on students behavior or progress
Provide assistance with recreational and special events activities as assigned
Learn procedures for dealing with emergencies, i.e., accidents, weather conditions, illnesses
Learn the names of school personnel, both certified and noncertified
Show respect and consideration to everyone regardless of race, sex, age, national origin, marital status, parental or socioeconomic status, physical condition, sexual orientation, or any other perceived differences
Appreciate personal and cultural differences in people, and know how to recognize bias and how it limits and demeans people
Interact in a positive way with people who are different from you, and use nonbiased language at school, at home, and in the community
Make a conscious commitment to compensate for your own biases, such as participating in professional development training and intercultural activities, keeping in mind that you were most likely raised and socialized in a biased environment and may unwittingly demonstrate biased attitudes
Confront all prejudice and discriminatory behavior that you encounter, and never condone behavior that you find offensive, but deal with it directly and report harassment incidents to appropriate agency for follow-up
Avoid stereotyping occupations, abilities, and interests when working with and guiding students
Hold the same high expectations for all students regardless of race, sex, or national origin
Take advantage of professional development training opportunities that help you recognize and manage bias and prejudiceStudent Responsibilities

Student Responsibilities

For female students and students of color it is not just what they are taught, but what they are not taught that hurts them.
—Marta I. Cruz-Janzen, Ph.D. Candidate
University of Denver

Teachers and students work together on an ongoing basis to extend and refine each learner's knowledge and skills. Students' success may be achieved through:

Careful preplanning

Effective classroom management

Positive teacher-student interactions

Effective instruction

Attention to equity issues

Regular assessment

Parents and school staff share the responsibility of making sure that all students understand what is expected of them and that students clearly understand their roles. Student responsibilities are typically found in student handbooks, and when understood and practiced, they promote an effective and equitable learning climate. Students are responsible for many aspects of their own education, and should:

Consider school a privilege and opportunity for endless learning adventures
Punctually attend classes every day and arrive prepared with learning materials ready to work
Dress appropriately for school in ways that do not cause safety and health problems or disruptions
Use class time for learning, and make a determined and concentrated effort to learn
Be accountable for academic work, and finish incomplete lessons before or after school, during lunch, or at some other time to keep up with every assignment
Respect the rights of others to teach and learn
Be fully and positively involved in the school's academic and extracurricular programs
Practice good health habits, acceptable standards of behavior, involved effective citizenship, and a positive attitude toward learning
Know and obey the rules of the school and district
Respect the reasonable exercise of authority by school administrators and teachers to maintain discipline in school and school-sponsored activities
Accept reasonable consequences for breaking school rules
Seek out trustworthy adults when mistreatment occurs
Respect the property of others and of the school, and pay for damages incurred
Pursue issues regarding school policy or procedures responsibly, work with school personnel to solve problems, and set and keep appointments with involved school staff
Learn to appreciate differences in people, and try not to judge others
Treat people who appear different from yourself with respect
Use nonbiased language at school, at home, and in the community
Learn to recognize bias and how it limits and demeans people
Intervene when you see a friend or classmate harassing others or being harassed

Parent Responsibilities

Since parents are charged with teaching their children to be responsible and encouraging them to assume age-appropriate responsibilities, they are their children's principal teachers, not television, peers, or other influences. Therefore, school staff should be aware of their expectations or behaviors that may hinder effective collaboration with parents. For example, staff may hold negative opinions of some families because of family composition, economic status, or racial identity. On the other hand, parents may harbor negative attitudes toward schools or be dissuaded to actively participate in their child's school life because they feel somehow intimidated by the school administration and overwhelmed by the pressure of work and family maintenance.

For parents to become effectively involved in education improvement, they must first understand their own responsibilities, what the school must do to educate their children, what the district and community responsibilities are, and what their children must do to gleen the most from their education. Only when parents understand these responsibilities, commonly outlined in student handbooks, can they hold others accountable to carry them out effectively.

School staff and parents can work together to identify ways to provide an effective and positive learning climate for students. Parents can strengthen children's education and monitor and advocate for equitable educational opportunities in school through their participation in school activities and efforts, such as:

Attend meetings and special events - By attending parent-teacher and board meetings, special assemblies or extracurricular events, and by observing in schools or classrooms, parents increase their understanding of what is occurring in schools.

Work as school volunteers - When parents work as aides or volunteers in a school or classroom, they gain a clearer picture of the structure, content, and equity of the school's educational program.

Vote for school issues - When minorities and women participate in the election of school boards and levies that reflect equity in education, improved school-community relationships result.

Serve on school boards - When minorities and women are represented on the school board, the school tends to be more sensitive to concerns of hiring, discipline, and achievement, and to the provision of equitable education.

When parents participate in one or more school activities, they strengthen the school community because of their involvement. Studies of minority families emphasize that when parents believe they can influence the lives of their children, they are far more likely to support the work of the school and their children's learning efforts.

If parents cannot serve on school boards, vote, volunteer, or visit schools, their most important participation is through daily discussions with their children about what is occurring in school and in the classroom, identifying what is good, exciting, and helpful, or delineating what might be harmful or limiting student progress. By keeping abreast of their children's positive and negative experiences, parents can determine collaboratively with school staff members what can be done to improve situations that interfere with their child's personal growth and academic excellence. The following list of parent responsibilities help guarantee high quality and equitable education:

Prepare children for the future by fostering academic skills and positive attitudes toward education, school, adults, and the role of student
Ensure that children are punctual, attend classes regularly, and are supplied with necessary materials
Ensure that children arrive at school physically and mentally healthy, and they are well- rested, clean, and appropriately dressed
Monitor homework for proper format, thoroughness, completion, and timeliness
Assume the responsibility for children's behavior, and make any necessary restitution should they cause damage
Become informed about programs, issues, and needs of the school and district
Limit television, radio, computer, and video use at home
Talk and problem solve with children, ask open-ended questions, listen to their responses
Work cooperatively with school staff to prevent and resolve problems
Access schools and become involved in all aspects of children's education; attend parent-teacher conferences
Hold teachers and schools accountable for meeting goals that work to improve academic performance, work with school personnel to analyze conditions when goals aren't met, and plan corrective action
Be aware of children's needs and recognize their successes to encourage them as they strive for excellence
When grievances arise, pursue each issue utilizing established school grievance procedures to attain an equitable resolution
Respect the rights of all school staff, students, and parents
Teach children to respect people regardless of any perceived differences
Provide children with opportunities to see and interact in positive ways with people who appear different from themselves or have different orientations
Always use nonbiased language
Teach children about prejudice, how to recognize it, and how it destructively oppresses and demeans others
Take children's complaints about harassment seriously, working with the schools to resolve them
Review textbooks and other materials for bias, and bring all related concerns to the attention of teachers and administrators
Participate in textbook review and selection processes
Involve children in cooperative as well as competitive activities
Contact the school staff and administrators whenever biased interactions occur between staff members and students, utilize grievance procedures for resolution
Do not set up negative expectations for a child with such sayings as, "She'll probably have trouble in math—I always did," or "Watch out for him—he'll take the roof off the school if he gets mad"
Monitor students' use of multimedia, and ensure access to enriched and appropriate learning resources

Collective Responsibilities

There is an awakening...a resurgence. particularly on the part of community groups to address what is the equitable school.
—Barbara Eisenbarth, Sex Equity Consultant
Idaho Department of Education

Education is a community effort that requires that resources and time be invested by all stakeholders to ensure equity in schools. Therefore, the recruitment of families and community members to actively participate in the life of the school can ensure schools' health and well-being.

Promoting strong school-home relations and school-community collaboration assists in the development of students as interested and effective writers, speakers, readers, listeners, and community members. The learning climate, resources, and activities should also support families and community members as well as students.

Particularly when the teaching force is not racially or ethnically representative of the society's diversity, community participation in the school is important to youth's learning experiences to expose students to multicultural individuals and experiences. If all members of the school community acknowledge, understand, and accept individual and collective responsibilities, the goals of public education will guarantee equal rights and equity for all students and enhance student performance.

The following collective responsibilities of a learning community help create a foundation for education stakeholders to discuss and clarify their roles in the educational process:

All stakeholders regard school as a place for serious study and learning
Students, parents, and school staff know and adhere to the written codes of conduct of their school
No student is expected to fall below the level of learning needed to be successful at the next level
Extra learning time is provided for students who need or want it, and students can receive extra help outside regular school hours
Mastery, not age, guides promotion from grade to grade
Programs meet the needs of the whole child within the context of school, family, and community
Electives are taken at a minimum, and problem solving, analysis, interpretation, persuasive writing, and learning to learn are considered among the fundamentals of education
Education focuses on employability rather than merely on job-specific vocational preparation, and requires problem-solving skills, adaptability, command of the English language, the ability to acquire new skills and apply new knowledge, and the ability to work with others
The core academic subjects comprise a common set of concepts, principles, skills, and ways of knowing
Instruction leading to second language proficiency for limited-English-proficient students is not set apart but integrated into the overall curriculum
Respect and consideration are shown to everyone regardless of race, national origin, or sex, and opportunities are provided for all children to achieve maximum intellectual growth and development, regardless of their ethnic background or sex
Everyone makes a conscious commitment to confront and compensate for their own biases, and adults recognize that they were likely raised and socialized in a biased environment and may unwittingly demonstrate biased attitudes
Adults and children do not condone biased or prejudiced behaviors in others

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Date of Last Update: 9/6/01
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