I attended a Zoom session on February 8th from 6 to 7pm, which was hosted and conducted by Dr. Marcus Croom and guided by Dr. Dianne Wellington. Dr. Marcus Croom is an assistant instructor of literacy, culture and language at the University of Illinois in Chicago and a critical race researcher. He has written a number of books addressing 21st century enduring issues throughout school systems and classrooms. During his event, Dr. Croom discussed the various ways that racial inequalities are displayed in classrooms as well as the potential effects that the lack of racial knowledge and awareness can have on academic thinking, student identification, effectiveness of teachers, and literacy methods of instruction. This event was extremely eye opening. A number of interesting ideas and topics were touched upon that I have never been presented with before, putting a significant amount of new and existing ideas into new perspectives.
One of the most interesting ideas Dr. Croom touched upon during his event was his study on race in literacy. He highlights findings from studies he and other colleagues have done within different classrooms to document teachers’ understanding of race and how they can often, intentionally and unintentionally, discriminate against students of color, or minority groups. According to these research studies, a variety of forms of racism and discrimination are frequently observed in classroom settings, such as prejudices in instructional strategies, a curriculum lacking in diversity and representation, discriminatory disciplinary measures, and the reinforcement of racial stereotypes. The utilization of emojis in the classroom was one startling example given by Dr. Croom during his presentation. Emojis are widely used forms of communication that frequently do not fairly represent a range of diverse groups. Not only teachers, but everyday people often use primarily white characters, which makes people of other races and groups feel excluded and less significant. In response, Dr. Croom stressed throughout this lecture that in order to establish more inclusive and equitable learning environments for all children, educators must critically evaluate and oppose these discriminatory processes. Croom advocates for the development of racial literacies as a main solution to combat racism in classrooms. Teachers can improve their knowledge of race, racism, and anti-racist beliefs by encouraging diverse racial literacy. They can then include these viewpoints into lesson plans. Creating inclusive classroom environments where all students feel valued, included, and respected are a few examples of teaching strategies. Other examples include addressing specific biases and prejudices, incorporating varied perspectives into curriculum, and developing culturally responsive teaching solutions. Through continuous reflection and the elimination of racial prejudices, educators can work to undermine systematic racist policies and procedures in the classroom and advance social justice and inclusivity for all children.
I found Dr. Marcus Croom’s presentation to be really insightful. This incident highlighted the critical role that educators play in creating inclusive environments while also casting a great deal of light on the extent of racial and minority disparities in educational settings. His observations about how racial biases appear in classrooms, even in seemingly innocent ways like emojis, emphasized how critical it is to confront these problems head-on. Teachers may help create more equitable learning environments where all students feel valued and empowered to thrive by aggressively confronting discriminatory practices and encouraging racial literacy. The essential reminder provided by Dr. Croom’s call to action is the continued effort required to combat systematic racism and advance social justice in education.
