Recognizes and refrains from deficit assumptions about students, families, and communities

Key Definitions

Deficit Perspectives

"Approaching students based upon our perceptions of their weaknesses rather than their strengths. Such a perspective deteriorates expectations for students and weakens educators’ abilities to recognize giftedness in its various forms (Ford & Grantham, 2003). The most devastating brand of this sort of deficit thinking emerges when we mistake difference for deficit." (Gorski, 2010, p. 2)

Readings and Resources

Unlearning Deficit Ideology and the Scornful Gaze, by Paul Gorski

Gorski breaks down the roots of deficit ideology and the ways it pathologizes disenfranchised communities. This powerful article problematizes the underlying logic behind many education terms and programs we often consider equitable. For a shorter read, ask staff to focus on pages 1-9 which ask educators to question their current thinking and understand the sociopolitical context within which marginalized communities operate.

"The Art of Applying Highly Operational Practices" by Yvette Jackson

In chapter 7 of her book, Pedagogy of Confidence, Jackson outlines strategies for educators and school leaders to explicitly learn about and build curricula and build relationships based on students' strengths. Jackson explicitly pushes against the low-expectation, deficit ideology that drives many educators' perceptions of students of color, particularly poor and working class students of color.

"Helping Students of Color Meet High Expectations" by Ronald Ferguson

Ferguson outlines a key framework and mindset for teachers who get students to do their best work within urban classrooms: high perfectionism, high help. In short, Ferguson argues that such teachers communicate that (1) they love to help when students get confused and make mistakes; and (2) that they will continue to press until students understand and complete work with high accuracy. This combination of conditions--high perfectionism, high help--is an anti-racist strategy for narrowing opportunity and achievement gaps.

Schooltalk: Rethinking What We Say about-and to Students Everyday

This article by Mica Pollock encourages you to examine how your classroom communication helps—or hinders—your students’ development. This is a powerful article to think about how deficit thinking shows up in our language and how we must interrupt those patterns in order to achieve equity for our students.

Reflection and Application

If you have worked on Competency 1, Attribute 2, have your group re-articulate key takeaways and examples of deficit thinking they need to be aware of based on their positionality.

Next, ask your group(s) to read Gorski's article on the Unlearning Deficit Ideology and the Scornful Gaze. This can be done prior to arriving or during your time together in a jigsaw.

Consider breaking into jigsaw groups to discuss the article and the following questions:

What deficit messages have you heard other people say about your school community? Have you ever shared deficit messages with friends or family about your school community?
What’s an example of an opportunity gap students of color face in your school? How is this different from an achievement gap?
What is a program at your school/within MPS that is based on “fixing” students of color rather than fixing the conditions that marginalize them? How could you reshape that practice for racial equity?
How do deficit assumptions show up in interactions with families at your school? What assumptions are they based upon?
How do we refrain from deficit approaches in our work as educators?

Next, use the articles by Yvette Jackson and Ronald Ferguson to investigate the question: How can we work to refrain and counteract the deficit perspectives at work in our school?

Consider asking teachers to read one of the two articles and come prepared to share one action they are committed to putting into practice.

Alternatively, ask staff to read "Helping Students of Color Meet High Expectations" by Ronald Ferguson. Then have a small group discussion:

Why is "high help, high perfectionism" considered an anti-racist teaching strategy?
What does "high help, high perfectionism" look like in practice?
What shifts would you need to make to become more of a "high help, high perfectionism" teacher?
Based on this discussion, what is one commitment you will make in the next six weeks to create an environment that better support students of color?

Focus on Teacher Language:

The language we use to speak about and to students every day can be powerful evidence of and play into our deficit assumptions. Use the Schooltalk presentation to walk through the article Schooltalk: Rethinking What We Say about-and to Students Everyday. Quotes for the welcome activity can be found here.

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