This page explores the ways in which you can intervene as a GTA with your students and colleagues when you notice bias is appearing. It also looks at what it means to take an inclusive approach to intervening with students in their learning.
What is the distinction between carefulness and thoughtfulness? What is your approach?
What is problematic about "helping" underrepresented groups? What are some of the underlying assumptions with this focus?
What kinds of support can you set up to keep yourself accountable?
Which students are more likely to approach you than others? Why do you think they feel confident to ask you questions?
Under which circumstances is it appropriate to help some students more than others?
During one of the labs this week [...] The lab assistants were going around and explaining what to do to people in groups which was helpful because it is easier to lipread and it feels easier to ask questions. This helped me feel more included and confident in the lab.
Quotation from a student in Engineering at the University of Sheffield (Taken from the DiCE project 2023)
The front page test is a handy thought experiment for your decision-making ethics: how would you feel if your actions were on the front page of a major newspaper? Would you squirm or would you stand proud?
There are many ways to think about making ethical decisions: sticking to promises, considering the net good and bad consequences, considering what would happen if everyone behaved the same way, and others. The front page test is simple and cuts through much of the noise to how you truly feel about an action.
In this except Robin DiAngelo discusses how a fear of offending people can lead to perpetuating the problem of racism and how we should address talking about race rather than avoiding it.
"Silence from a position of power is a power move" DiAngelo (2022)
