The Importance of Representation in School | Inés García | TEDxGunnHighSchool

Summary

This heartfelt script explores the crucial role of representation in education. The speaker shares a personal story of feeling isolated as a Latina in a STEM lab, highlighting the challenges of being underrepresented. Through the lens of personal growth, the script emphasizes the importance of supportive educators, diverse curricula, and inclusive policies in helping students reach their potential. The speaker urges the audience to become allies, advocate for change, and create a school environment where every student feels seen, heard, and empowered to pursue their dreams.

Takeaways

• 😀 Representation is crucial for individuals to see their potential and pursue their dreams, as highlighted in the poem by Rupi Kaur about a butterfly surrounded by moths.
• 😀 Lack of representation in STEM fields can lead to feelings of isolation and self-doubt, as experienced by the speaker during their first summer working in a lab.
• 😀 A 2019 U.S. Census Bureau study revealed that Latinas make up less than 2% of the STEM workforce, illustrating the significant underrepresentation of minority groups in science and technology.
• 😀 Representation in education, especially through diverse curricula and staff, helps students feel seen and empowers them to succeed.
• 😀 Teachers' implicit biases, such as favoring certain races or genders, can negatively affect students' academic performance and self-perception.
• 😀 The Pygmalion Effect shows how high expectations from teachers can lead to improved performance, encouraging students to believe in themselves.
• 😀 A supportive teacher can be life-changing, as demonstrated by the speaker's experience in trigonometry class, where a teacher's encouragement improved their confidence and success.
• 😀 A lack of diverse representation in the curriculum can make it harder for students to relate to what they are learning, which is why reading diverse narratives is important for empathy and understanding.
• 😀 California's Assembly Bill 331, if passed, would mandate ethnic studies as a graduation requirement, promoting greater representation for Black, Indigenous, and Latino students in the classroom.
• 😀 The speaker advocates for the importance of allyship in schools, highlighting how student-led clubs and diverse communities can help support representation and push for change.
• 😀 Personal stories, like the speaker's experience with their mentor Mimi Portela, show how having an ally can help students see themselves in fields where they feel underrepresented, such as STEM.

Q & A

How does the poem 'The Butterfly' by Rupi Kaur relate to the speaker's experience?

The poem reflects the feeling of being isolated and not seeing oneself represented. It describes a butterfly surrounded by moths, which symbolizes the speaker's own experience as the only Latina in a lab environment, struggling with a lack of representation in the STEM field.

Why is representation important in education, according to the speaker?

Representation in education is vital because it helps students see their own potential and feel empowered. Without representation, students may feel isolated and disconnected from their dreams, as the speaker felt when she was the only Latina in the lab.

What impact did the speaker's lack of representation in the lab have on her behavior?

The lack of representation caused the speaker to become self-conscious, speak less, take fewer risks, and feel more isolated. This affected her confidence and her ability to engage fully in the lab environment.

How does the U.S. Census Bureau study on STEM workforce diversity relate to the speaker’s story?

The study highlights the underrepresentation of Latinos in STEM fields, particularly women, which mirrors the speaker’s own experience in the lab where she was the only Latina. This statistic reinforces the idea of how isolating a lack of representation can be.

What is the Pygmalion effect and how does it apply to the speaker’s experience in high school?

The Pygmalion effect refers to the phenomenon where high expectations lead to improved performance. In the speaker’s case, when her teacher believed in her and encouraged her, her confidence grew, and she became more engaged and successful in her trigonometry class.

What role do teachers play in fostering an environment of support and representation?

Teachers are crucial in helping students feel represented and supported. They can act as allies, push students to achieve their best, and help them see their potential, which can positively impact a student's academic performance and self-confidence.

What did the study by USC researchers reveal about teacher biases?

The study revealed that teachers, despite being accurate in grading student work, exhibited biases in their expectations of students' abilities. These biases were particularly strong against Black, Latinx, and female students, which could negatively affect those students' academic success.

Why is it not enough to just hire more diverse teachers?

While hiring more diverse teachers is important, it is not enough. Teachers need to actively support and advocate for all students, including students of color, LGBTQ+ students, and students with disabilities. This advocacy helps students feel empowered and capable of achieving their goals.

What benefits can come from implementing a diverse curriculum in schools?

A diverse curriculum can help students develop empathy, reduce ignorance, and foster a better understanding of different perspectives and cultures. It allows students to see themselves reflected in the material, which can boost their confidence and sense of belonging.

How does Assembly Bill 331 aim to improve representation in schools in California?

Assembly Bill 331, if passed, would require a semester of ethnic studies as a graduation requirement in California. The bill would focus on the experiences and contributions of Asian, Black, Latino, and Indigenous Americans, offering students more representation and fostering a more inclusive educational environment.