About this session

Friday, 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM

Promoting Equitable Classroom Climates Through Race Conscious Practices and Interactions

Youth interactions in schools should promote positive social-emotional, academic, and behavioral well-being. Unfortunately, racism in schools poses significant challenges to students, particularly racially minoritized youth. This symposium brings together three papers focused on ways racism at the individual and classroom levels impacts youth well-being. Paper one identifies classroom profiles that promote student well-being while addressing educational inequities, analyzing classroom and teacher characteristics that distinguish these profiles. Paper two explores how the teacher-student relationship—specifically its closeness and conflict—evolves over time and how teachers’ beliefs about the causes of racial inequity and the classroom racial climate influence this dynamic. Paper three examines the associations between adolescents’ public racial regard, experiences with school discrimination, and their sense of belonging within the school environment.

Together, these papers underscore the urgent need for race-conscious practices and interactions in educational settings. By fostering equitable classroom climates, we can create supportive environments that not only mitigate the effects of racism but also enhance the overall well-being of all students. The findings from this symposium aim to inform educators, policymakers, and researchers about effective strategies for nurturing inclusive classroom dynamics, ultimately contributing to a more equitable education system. By addressing the complex interplay of racism, teacher-student relationships, and classroom dynamics, this symposium advocates for multilevel changes that prioritizes the needs and experiences of racially minoritized youth, setting a foundation for lasting transformation. The presentations will highlight implications for promoting equitable school and classroom climates through race conscious practices and interactions.

Paper #1
Title	Balancing Corrections with Connections: Identifying Classroom Typologies Across Differing Classroom Contexts
Presenting author	Dr. Juliana Karras, Ph.D., Department of Psychology, San Francisco State University, United States

Paper #2
Title	Teacher’s Racial Inequity Beliefs, Classroom Racial Climate, and Change Over Time in Student-Teacher Relationships
Presenting author	Naila Smith, University of Virginia, United States

Paper #3
Title	School-Based Contributors to Adolescents’ Ethnic-Racial Public Regard
Presenting author	Kristia Wantchekon, M.Ed., Georgetown University, United States

View all paper details

Session chair
Dr. Farzana T. Saleem, Ph.D., Stanford Graduate School of Education, United States

Discussant
Dr. Michael Cunningham, Ph.D., Tulane University, United States

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