Status refers to the perceived competence or value assigned to people in a learning space. These perceptions often shape who participates, whose ideas are heard, and who feels a sense of belonging. Many educators intentionally design classrooms that encourage student engagement and participation, and reflecting on status offers another lens for strengthening those efforts.

The Knowles Teacher Initiative: Plotting your status as a Learner resource invites educators to examine their own experiences as learners by plotting their academic, social, and societal status. Used individually, it helps teachers recognize how their past experiences have shaped their perspectives as educators and reflect on which students’ experiences may mirror their own and which may differ. When used in departments or professional learning communities (PLCs), the tool encourages teachers to share reflections and identify approaches that collectively elevate students’ academic and social status. Across settings, this reflective process expands educators’ toolkits for promoting equitable participation and deepening belonging in math and science classrooms.

Knowles Teacher Initiative_ Plotting Your Status