Supporting Equity and Inclusion in Every Classroom

Help every student reach their potential with challenging, standards-based activities 

Equity in the classroom means ensuring every student, regardless of circumstance, has the resources and support needed to be successful. Equitable classrooms do not allow for individual factors to limit a student from reaching their full learning potential. The first, important step for education leaders to do in support of classroom equity is to evaluate existing learning activities and materials from a perspective of equity and inclusion. 

Teachers have a deep understanding of their student population which allows them to plan rigorous, differentiated activities providing targeted support for various subgroups represented on their roster (subgroup referring to any cohort of students sharing similar characteristics). 

Where faculty need the support of their administrators is access to tools and resources needed to meet the needs of each of their students.

There is no such thing as a typical student. Therefore there can be no universal solution - but there are tools available to schools and districts looking to support teachers while improving equity and inclusion within their walls. When evaluating instructional tools through an equity lens, remember that every student occupying a seat in a classroom brings with them different: 

  • Biases

  • Traumas

  • Identities

  • Ethnicities

  • Experiences

  • Assumptions

  • Backgrounds

Every student is entitled to, and deserves, a premium education preparing them for college and/or career. That’s where your expertise is needed - and Breakout EDU’s solutions can help. 

The impact of instructional materials

The pandemic held a spotlight on existing educational inequity. To best support the complex and varied student populations of a school, the unique perspectives of students must first be acknowledged and accepted. Every institution has growth opportunities within their sphere of control - one of which is a renewed commitment to selecting and encouraging the use of instructional materials that celebrate diversity and prioritize inclusion. 

High-quality instructional materials are standards-aligned and prioritize the student experience while promoting critical thinking. Innovative solutions also save teachers prep time while also providing students with insightful feedback outside the traditional binary system of yes/no or correct/incorrect. These types of materials push students to think outside the box, consider multiple perspectives, and accept that more than one solution to a problem exists. 

Hands-on and digital Breakout EDU games are intentionally designed to push thinking throughout the zone of proximal development. Our games are fully customizable by teachers to easily meet the unique needs of their students and provide them with precisely what they need in an educational experience to succeed. Breakout EDU games yield classrooms with fully engaged students working together to solve complex puzzles using a combination of logic and content knowledge. In addition to customization, teachers can also pre-set student groups randomly or group by ability in alignment with their larger instructional strategy. Every student participates, learns, and feels valued in a Breakout EDU classroom.

Solving problems is messy work. With it comes conflict resolution, trial-and-error, and a deeper understanding of one's learning preferences. 

A comprehensive solution

Instructional materials are the primary tools at a school's disposal for promoting equity and addressing equity issues. By fostering a safe and inclusive learning environment, schools help every student feel valued and supported. They also break down barriers preventing some students from reaching their full potential. 

Three key advantages of investing in quality materials supporting student engagement, learning, and inclusion include: 

  1. Collaboration: putting students into diverse groups and giving them a common task to work on allows them to learn from one another, be inspired by one another, while honing conflict resolution and interpersonal skills. 

  2. Role-playing: when students experience a situation or try to solve a problem from a perspective other than their own, they further develop a sense of awareness and empathy through the act of witnessing the experiences of others. 

  3. Student-led discussions: conversation is a great way for students to interact with one another, practice active listening skills, and create a culture of safe sharing and respect. A particularly effective time to embrace these discussions is when an activity ends to debrief what worked well and share learnings. 

Breakout EDU lends itself to all of these ancillary benefits and more. Our games can serve as quick 5-minute challenges for learners all the way up to full class period experiences. Savor the engagement by adding in instructional techniques like brainstorming sessions, debrief conversations, strategic student groupings, role-playing, and establishing targeted student roles and responsibilities to assume during the activity. In this way, every learner's needs are supported regardless of their background or ability. Breakout EDU is the ultimate equitable solution for classrooms.

A final note

Classroom activities that promote equity help create a more inclusive and supportive learning environment for every student in your care. By providing opportunities for students to learn from each other, develop their communication and collaboration skills, and explore issues of equity and inclusion, teachers can help foster a sense of belonging and empowerment among all students.

Consider adding Breakout EDU into your instructional repertoire in the new year. Click here for a free trial of our games to witness the impacts of authentic equity and rigor in your classrooms.