Inclusivity in the classroom

All Change Makers classrooms are inclusive.

As a team we take this very seriously.

We have noticed that a lot of inclusivity measures are actions that are taken to make a ‘normal’ class more inclusive – in other words to correct for the way that a standard class might exclude individuals with any form of difference.

We think that while really valuable, this practice, at the same time as correcting exclusion, reinforces those very exclusionary experiences and practices.

This is quite a new way of thinking, and as a team we have made the following pledge:

We reject the use of inclusivity practice that establishes the silent exclusion of non-normative experience – whether that relates to gender, sexuality, ethnicity, disability, neurotype, communication preference, (generational) academic experience or socioeconomic mobility. There is no ‘normal’ way to co-exist in the classroom. We define what is normal anew in each and every moment together.

Hauke, E. 2023

We are calling this approach de-normativising the classroom.

Normativity is the idea that some actions or outcomes are good, desirable, or allowable, and others are bad, undesirable, or not allowed. A norm means a standard for evaluating or making judgments about behaviour or outcomes.

We want to make sure that any evaluation in our classroom is about your assessed submissions and not about you.

So we are rejecting the idea that there is a right, desirable or allowable way to be a student, to learn and to be in the classroom.

Obviously, we still want a respectful and collaborative learning space, but we don’t expect everyone to have the same preferences around communication, identity and learning as each other – and we will try to rid our classrooms of this assumption.

How do we do this?

We want to level the learning landscape for every member of our classroom. This means that we will break all the rules and re-make them together so that we are all on the same page – with no assumptions, no prior knowledge or specific experience needed. We have found that this transforms experiences of belonging in the classroom, engagement with our learning and working with and alongside others.

You might see this in action in our approach to team work, feedback, deadlines and how our teachers present themselves. We want you to feel comfortable to bring your whole selves to your learning, but this means that we as teachers need to start that ball rolling ourselves. Hopefully you will experience us as open, supportive and interested in you and your experiences of the world.

We value your individuality and your experiences – you learn best with your whole self – this is how you will make change in the world – which is, after all, the whole point of a Change Makers module.

Making disclosures

We will not ask you to disclose anything personal about yourself in the classroom – it is absolutely your choice what you say about yourself on any occasion, to anyone. We will however make it clear that we are happy to hear anything you would like to share about yourself at any time.

As teachers, we will share our pronouns and establish opportunities for you to share anything about yourself that you would like to.

We will also encourage all students to consider their preferences in terms of learning, communication, working with others, and interactions in the classroom and online. After all, we are all very different individuals and there is no single correct way to exist. We want everyone to feel comfortable to express their preferences without having to disclose anything further.

We also respect that you might not have considered some of these issues before, and that is also ok.

Additionally, you might find that you prefer different things at different times – and that is also important. Building a respectful and supportive learning space is not a single action that we all do in the first week – we have to continually check in with each other and take account of how we are feeling at different times.

What if something makes me uncomfortable?

If anything makes you uncomfortable, please just let your class teacher know. We really want to know about your experiences and how you feel about learning in our classrooms. We are very happy to chat about this at any time. We will listen, and where appropriate, make adjustments or offer support.

We might also make mistakes – please just let us know. We are learning and evolving our practice all the time. We will not get everything right at every moment, but we will be trying our absolute best – and need your help to refine our approach and carry on learning. Don’t feel shy to let us know!

You can speak to your class teacher – either in person or by sending them a Ping in Basecamp. You can also send a Ping to the Field Leader Dr Elizabeth Hauke at any time. Alternatively, you can email our administrator on horizons.changemakers@imperial.ac.uk.

Last updated 24th September 2023