Changing Schools, Growing Teachers, Creating Spaces for Equitable Learning: Toward a Systemic Re-envisioning of Educational Practices

Systemic and seismic changes across multiple dimensions of schooling are needed to create equitable schools. We highlight a promising set of intentional and illustrative practices at one university that illustrate how equity can be highlighted across educational systems. While our efforts are ongoing, we explore a commitment to equity and social justice across: (1) A professional development school network. (2) An elementary education program. (3) Focal classrooms committed to equity practices. (4) Teacher education courses embedded in schools. This paper draws on data collected at each systemic level listed above. We use these data to illustrate the importance of intentional and simultaneous efforts to change practices across classrooms, schools, teacher professional development spaces, and teacher education courses. While our efforts are ongoing and inevitably incomplete, we maintain that this systemic confluence contributes to comprehensive and sustainable structures that support more equitable learning experiences for children, teachers, preservice teachers, and university faculty.