1.4 Instructor identity

Thinking about how equity and inclusion shows up in your teaching requires reflecting on how different aspects of your identity impact both your teaching and your students’ learning experience.

An instructor’s identity has complex effects: it may help create connections with some students, it may help position the instructor as an expert, or it may call into question the instructor’s legitimacy or expertise (Barnett, 2013).

There are many aspects of an instructor’s identity that can matter in the classroom, including group characteristics such as gender or gender expression, race or ethnicity, ability, or age. Individual characteristics, such as personality or teaching style, can also matter – and may be interpreted or experienced differently by students depending aspects of an instructor’s identities (Kardia & Wright, 2004).

We all hold many social identities, some of which may feel more relevant or immutable in the classroom environment in unexpected ways and contexts.

In summary...

This introduction was designed to give you a framework for thinking about inclusive teaching and your own approach to teaching. If you would like to learn more about systemic inequities and how they impact your everyday life and the life of your students, colleagues, and others around you, we invite you to check the Power & Privilege module of this course. 

The remainder of this module will focus on putting inclusive teaching into practice. By providing situations and examples, the next sections will help you apply some of the concepts and ideas to your teaching and think through changes you might make to create more inclusive learning environments.