Teachers of Color Project: Avonworth, Hampton, and South Fayette

This journey map offers a visual overview of the Inclusive Innovation process for this project. The project story follows below.

Connect and Commit

To begin addressing the recruitment and retention needs and potential strategies within Avonworth School District, Hampton Township School District, and South Fayette Township School District created a core team. The team was comprised of both district-level leaders and teachers.

During the first phase of the Inclusive Innovation process, Connect and Commit, the team focused on building relationships and trust and elevating the voices of teachers of color. The team evaluated the community’s cultural wealth to draw upon in addressing their challenges. They developed a community charter in which they agreed upon values, goals, and agreements for equitable communication and collaboration.

Inquire and Investigate

In exploring the challenge, the core team, educators (paraeducators, early career teachers, veteran teachers), and district leaders analyzed data from surveys and empathy interviews to identify themes and root causes.

To elevate the voice of teachers, educators took part in a journey mapping activity to allow Center for Inclusive Innovation staff and district leaders to understand the actions, thoughts, barriers, and conditions teachers of color must traverse to become classroom teachers.

In addition to the Journey mapping tool, the Center for Inclusive Innovation provided the three school districts with analyzed data from empathy interviews to help analyze the root causes and to develop an informed understanding of the district’s challenge with recruiting and retaining teachers of color. From this deep analysis, the district developed a problem of practice

Design and Develop

In response to the identified problem of practice, which aims to enhance teacher/educator recruitment and retention methods to reflect the diversity of the student body. The Digital Promise Design Studio provided a comprehensive framework for co-creating a solution. This program, slated to launch in the 2022-2023 school year, aims to support and retain teachers of color.

To address the practice, the district leader and educator codesign strategies to address the problem of practice and meet the desired outcomes through a series of design studios.

• Design studios: Collaborative workshops district leadership met with teachers and school leaders to ideate, sketch, and develop design solutions for specific challenges or projects.

To guide the direction of the design process, they posed three questions to ensure the effectiveness of the retention program:

• What is your lived experience on your journey to becoming a teacher?
• What has our experience been since becoming a teacher?
• How are you supported in your work as a teacher of color in your district?

These questions are designed to help someone understand various aspects of the experiences and challenges faced by teachers of color in a specific district. They are intended to provide insights into the teachers’ journeys, their experiences in the teaching profession, and the support they receive within the district. The questions aim to gather qualitative information that can guide the design of a retention program to improve the effectiveness and satisfaction of teachers of color in the district. The questions cover the following areas:

Lived Experience on the Journey to Becoming a Teacher:
This question seeks to understand the personal background, motivations, and challenges that individuals of color faced as they pursued a career in teaching. It helps uncover unique stories and perspectives that could influence their teaching approach and interactions with students and other staff.

Experience Since Becoming a Teacher:
This question focuses on the teachers’ experiences within the teaching profession, including their successes, obstacles, and overall satisfaction. It helps identify any ongoing challenges or issues they might have encountered after entering the teaching field.

Support for Teachers of Color in the District:
This question explores the level of support and resources provided to teachers of color within the district. It aims to uncover whether the district is adequately addressing the needs of these teachers and whether they feel valued and supported in their roles. This information is crucial for understanding potential areas of improvement in terms of professional development, mentorship, and inclusivity.

“Having a student of color hugging and saying they are thankful to have a Black teacher is everything. I do this work for her. I do this for all students of color. I do this work for childhood me.” – Deshanna Wisniewski, Classroom Teacher & Teaching is My Favorite Executive Team Leader

Implement and Iterate

Attendees of the first convening of Teaching is My Favorite Color.

In response to the growing shortage of teachers of color in the Pittsburgh Metro Area, three school districts, Avonworth School District, Hampton Township School District, and South Fayette Township School District, collaborated to create and implement a regional approach. This collaborative effort aims to address the issue by fostering a sense of community and professional development for teachers of color.

The regional initiative, “Teaching is My Favorite Color,” is a professional learning community and network specifically designed for teachers of color. Through this initiative, the districts organize gatherings to facilitate mentorship programs for new teachers and foster professional learning communities through workshops and guest speaker sessions.

Flier from the first convening of Teaching is My Favorite Color

Teaching is My Favorite Color

• Professional Learning Community
• Gatherings for teachers of color
• Provides mentor pairing for new teachers
• Cultivates professional learning communities through workshops
• Guest speakers (Teachers, Administrators, Researchers)

Included Sessions & Discussions

• Reflections From The Classroom. Space for teachers to speak and hears about the experiences of other teachers of color from within their district and across the region.
• Having an Affirming Classroom for Students of Color: Classroom discussions about race, students seeing themselves in the classroom through books/decorations, inviting students to share their culture, stretching it to the community.
• A Sense of Belonging: Navigating bias with coworkers, finding your people, understanding the unspoken/hidden rules, the cultural switch
• Building a Community: Networking, leaning on each other, sharing about ourselves, open communication, what we have in common, what brings us together

Dr. Variline Kinloch, President of Johnson C. Smith University, and Former Renée and Richard Goldman Dean of the University of Pittsburgh School of Education engaging with attendees.

The convenings feature speakers and facilitated conversations, providing teachers of color with an opportunity to connect and engage in open discussions about their experiences. Notably, the districts ensured that teachers of color took the lead in planning these convenings, with district administrators stepping back and offering support.

This intentional approach guarantees that the events genuinely represent the experiences of teachers of color and effectively address their specific needs. By empowering teachers of color and providing a platform for their voices to be heard, this collaborative regional initiative aims to attract and retain a more diverse and inclusive teaching workforce in the Pittsburgh Metro Area.

“Before, I was seen as just one thing, and now I’m seen as something more similar to how I see myself.” – Lauren Rodgriuez, Classroom Teacher & Teaching is My Favorite Executive Team Leader

Solution Impact

The “Teaching is My Favorite Color” program offers a multitude of benefits that positively impact both teachers of color and the broader school communities in the Pittsburgh Metro Area. These benefits stem from its intentional and collaborative approach, focused on empowering educators of color and fostering a supportive professional learning community:

Empowerment and Amplification of Voices: By placing teachers of color at the forefront, the program empowers educators to share their experiences openly and fosters a sense of agency in their professional journey, creating a more inclusive work environment.

Building a Sense of Belonging: The program facilitates discussions on cultural identity, connecting teachers of color with peers who share similar backgrounds, combating feelings of isolation, and improving overall well-being.

Professional Development Opportunities: Workshops and guest speaker sessions offer continuous professional growth for teachers, exposing them to innovative teaching practices and research, leading to improved classroom effectiveness.

Attracting and Retaining Diverse Teachers: The program’s emphasis on inclusivity and support makes it an attractive prospect for educators seeking inclusive workplaces, helping to attract and retain a diverse teaching workforce.

The program’s emphasis on inclusivity, empowerment, and support sends a powerful message to potential educators of color considering entering the profession. By actively working to create a more welcoming and supportive environment, the initiative becomes an attractive prospect for educators seeking inclusive workplaces. As a result, the program helps to attract and retain a diverse teaching workforce, enriching the educational experiences of all students.

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