EDI in Education: Addressing Current Classroom Challenges

September 2024

The Necessity of EDI

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) is a cornerstone of the modern UK education system. By fostering inclusion and embracing a diverse range of perspectives, schools create a more positive environment for current students and a more welcoming one for future generations. Implementing comprehensive curriculums and providing EDI-focused development courses for staff are crucial initiatives. However, recent events like the Southport riots have highlighted the difficulties that educators face in upholding these principles in an increasingly polarised England. The violent clashes and the underlying tensions they expose have left many teachers feeling anxious as they return to the classroom. People are raising concerns not only about their safety but also about how to effectively engage with students on these sensitive topics.

Educators are seeking more robust support systems in schools, and clear guidelines on managing discussions around diversity, for the wellbeing of not only their students, but themselves. The need for EDI is more urgent than ever, yet it also demands a careful, nuanced approach that acknowledges the current social climate and the pressures it places on both teachers and students. 

Immersive EDI Solutions 

Our EDI courses aim to subvert the traditional development courses offered to teachers by using a ‘scenario-based learning (SBL) approach’ to create immersive, highly realistic classroom environments for teachers to interact with online. 

Ideal for teacher education programs wanting to provide a realistic experience for trainee teachers in a safe environment, our solutions offer digital scenarios for teachers to respond to. These also offer real-time feedback from more experienced teachers. A feedback report is generated at the completion of each module indicating the candidate’s alignment with that of experienced teachers. Resources, readings, and strategies for practice are also provided to assist teachers with further development, supporting their knowledge of current issues and how best to approach these issues with students.

We offer three modules across all our EDI courses:

Module One: Mutual Trust and Respect

Create an environment of mutual trust and respect where students feel they belong. Teachers are key role models who can influence the attitudes and values of their students. Students need to be given opportunities to expand their knowledge and understanding of different cultures and identities in a manner appropriate to the subject being taught.

Module Two: Inclusive Practises

This module focuses on ways in which teachers can create classrooms where all students, regardless of their backgrounds and identities are given opportunities to collaborate and interact in a collegial way. Expert teachers discuss the importance of avoiding sexism, racism, and homophobic language and how to handle tensions if they arise.

Module Three: Celebrating Diversity and Challenging Stereotypes

This module focuses on creating opportunities so all students can reach their potential. Expert teachers share how they have ensured no student is disadvantaged by teaching practices and curricula.

These EDI courses have been developed with the modern teacher in mind, based on years of research in the education industry. By incorporating the advice of experienced teachers, candidates are learning from those who have overcome similar challenges. We offer EDI courses as part of our T-ITaP and T-Insight programmes, suited for Intensive Training and Practise candidates and general teacher training/development candidates, respectively. As part of T-Insight, we offer EDI courses for both pre-service and in-service teachers teaching in primary and secondary school contexts. 

Scenario Based Learning in Education

SBL supports a realistic application of theory. This allows candidates to bridge the gap between theory and practise. A leading criticism of EDI-focused development courses is whether participants learn effectively from presentation-style courses that don’t engage audiences. Allowing candidates to practise in a simulated classroom environment provides a safe place for teachers to develop. This helps them feel more prepared to face these challenges in a classroom setting. 

SBL also promotes peer interaction and learning, fostering a collaborative learning environment where participants can learn from other’s experiences. Participants learn from more experienced teachers in these modules, and can also compare and contrast answers with fellow teacher trainees. Peer support is vital to help teachers feel supported and confident, which in turn improves their pupils’ learning experience.

With the growing demand and necessity of EDI training for teachers, digital solutions provide increased accessibility to these networks. This is particularly helpful for teacher trainees in rural contexts. Online SBL training supports improved overall access to professional development without compromising on realism. While in-person training can be effective, it is often costly for both the organisation and trainees who need to travel. Additionally, candidates feel more pressure to answer ‘correctly’ and perform well instantaneously. Online, immersive training provides a safer environment for teachers to make mistakes and learn from them. This supports them in feeling sufficiently prepared to approach an in-person classroom environment.

Looking to the 2024-2025 Academic Year 

Teachers may face increased stress as they navigate the complexities of addressing tensions surrounding the Southport riots with students. Children and teenagers are impressionable and concern about radicalisation in young people is at the forefront of the recent unrest. Teachers need to prioritise students’ emotional, social and psychological health alongside enhancing learning outcomes. Due to the number of hours young people spend at school, teachers often identify inflammatory behaviour before anybody else. Teachers also have the responsibility of supporting students who are feeling distressed by recent events. It is imperative to equip them with the necessary resources to assist in this capacity.

There is a growing call for clear guidance from the government on how to approach discussions about the riots. Teachers should be provided with training opportunities to foster an inclusive, safe learning environment for both themselves and their students. Our mission at TSP is to provide a research-based, cost effective, and immersive EDI development solution that teacher training providers can implement on a wide scale. The system integrates seamlessly with pre-existing teacher training methods and allows organisations to track participant progress.

We empower educators through technology and help them navigate difficult conversations with confidence and sensitivity. If you’re interested in learning about how our solutions could be integrated in your organisation, get in touch with us here.

Learn more about:

 (1) T-ITaP

(2) T-Insight for Pre-Service Teachers

(3) T-Insight for In-Service Primary Teachers

(4) T-Insight for In-Service Secondary Teachers