Promoting Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Classroom

Developing the Hearts and Minds of Future Educators

Equity in education has been top of mind for Dr. Joshua Cole throughout his career, first as a “bright-eyed, bushy-tailed” 23-year-old teaching in rural Michigan and inner-city Detroit, then as a teacher and administrator in suburban Richmond, Virginia, and now as executive director of strategic engagement and adjunct professor at Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of Education.

In schools, Joshua helped lead efforts to address the needs of populations with large transient rates, high percentages of students eligible for free and reduced-price lunch, and students with learning disabilities as well as supported fellow staff through the process. He brings his cumulative experience to VCU, where he works to develop culturally responsive, critically reflective educators from the outset.

A key way this is done is through the Innovative Teacher Pipeline, one of the Office of Strategic Engagement’s signature programs. The program provides DEI-focused professional development, the opportunity to teach in urban and “hard-to-staff” schools, engage community-based learning, participate in training on pedagogy and practice, and attend a seminar series on how to become an antiracist educator. Joshua’s team is coaching 20 teaching candidates who were selected for the program this year.

Joshua’s Advice for Taking Action

Check your ego at the door. No DEI program will work if your heart and mind aren’t in it. To truly engage in DEI, you need to be open-minded, empathetic and willing to be vulnerable. The first step is to put your ego aside and commit to developing a trust in and compassion for others. Be ready to draw from your own life experiences, but more so, to learn from others about life experiences you haven’t had that will help you in your journey.

Make DEI a priority in job interviews. As you’re interviewing for your first teacher job, ask the principal what the school is doing to promote DEI. Inquire specifics about school demographics and the needs the school is aiming to meet. Is there adequate support to meet those needs? Do the school’s values jibe with your desire to grow as a culturally responsive, reflective teacher? Is there a place for you to take an active role in promoting DEI?

Never stop learning. DEI is a kind of learning that evolves and deepens over time. Recent events have demonstrated that while progress has been made, there is a long road ahead. We need to remain comfortable in sometimes uncomfortable and hard conversations. We learn new lessons and skills, and grow stronger in our resolve to create a nurturing environment for all.