Beliefs about Students
CaCCSS for ALL
Bias and Stereotyping

Bias is an inclination to present or hold a
partial perspective at the expense of
(possibly equally valid) alternatives.
A particular tendency or inclination,
especially one that prevents unprejudiced
consideration of a question; prejudice.
Definition of Bias

Is an opinion, prejudgment or attitude
about a group or its individual members.
A prejudice can be positive, but in our
usage refers to a negative attitude.
Definition of Prejudice

An exaggerated belief, image or distorted
truth about a person or group – a
generalization that allows for little or no
individual differences or social variation.
Definition of Stereotype
 What
are your thoughts about
what you read last night?
 What are the implications?
Dyad
How was this teacher able to uncover bias
in her classroom?
 What strategies did she use to make her
classroom more equitable?
 What are some ways that educators can
become aware of and change practices
that adversely affect their
students?

Small Group

Children begin as toddlers.

Early in life, most children acquire a full
set of biases that can be observed in
verbal slurs, ethnic jokes and acts of
discrimination.
How do we learn prejudice?

Scientific research has demonstrated that
biases thought to be absent or
extinguished remain as “mental residue”
in most of us.

Project Implicit’s Website
http://implicit.harvard.edu
Hidden Bias
A growing number of studies show a link
between hidden biases and actual
behavior.
 Hidden biases can reveal themselves in
action, especially when a person’s efforts
to control behavior consciously flags
under stress, distraction, relaxation or
competition.

Biases and Behavior
Conscious
attitudes and
beliefs can change!
The first step may be to admit biases.
 Commit to just treatment.

What can you do?

Watch the video.
Examples of Stereotyes
What bias might you bring to your work
with students, colleagues, and parents?
 Where does your bias come from?
 What can you do to examine and change
this?

PES Questions