Equity by Design: Delivering on the Power and Promise of UDL

by Mirko Chardin, Katie R. Novak

When it comes to the hard work of reconstructing our schools into places where  every  student has the opportunity to succeed, Mirko Chardin and Katie Novak are absolutely convinced that teachers should serve as our primary architects. And by "teachers" they mean  legions of teachers  working in close collaboration. After all, it’s teachers who design students’ learning experiences, who build student relationships . . .  who ultimately have the power to change the trajectory of our students’ lives. Equity by Design  is intended to serve as a blueprint for teachers to alter the all-too-predictable outcomes for our historically under-served students. A first of its kind resource, the book makes the critical link between social justice and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) so that we can equip students (and teachers, too) with the will, skill, and collective capacity to enact positive change. Inside you’ll "Every student," Mirko and Katie insist, "deserves the opportunity to be successful regardless of their zip code, the color of their skin, the language they speak, their sexual and/or gender identity, and whether or not they have a disability." Consider  Equity by Design  a critical first step forward in providing that all-important opportunity.

"Our calling is to drop our egos, commit to removing barri­ers, and treat our learners with the unequivocal respect and dignity they deserve." ~Mirko Chardin and Katie Novak

Genres: Education, Nonfiction, Professional Development, Social Justice, Design, Disability, Reference

208 pages, Paperback

Published August 6, 2020

Reviews

[iowagirlreads · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you are looking for a book about UDL and how to
implement the guidelines this is not it. If you are looking for a book about Equity and culturally responsive practices then you will find that here. Don’t get me wrong this was a good read and I learned a lot, but if you don’t already have a decent foundational knowledge of UDL then you won’t find it here. I felt like they slapped UDL and Novak on this book to help it sell more copies, which I get, but they have one chapter that focuses on UDL specifically and then it’s language is snuck in throughout, but again, if you don’t have any background knowledge in UDL you might miss the connection.

If I had gone into this read not expecting UDL to be more prominently discussed or even a focus then yeah this is a great book, with excellent real life examples of culturally responsive teaching.

I also did not understand the use of dark blue pages with white writing that were not an ACCESSIBLE design choice at all. It was hard to read and if you are a highlighter like me, it was a bit of a lost cause.

I read this with a group and one of the members did make the point that this book is a good third point for the WHY behind UDL and why we should be utilizing the guidelines to reach ALL students.

So as far as a rating goes the four stars are because of the Equity focus and for that it’s great. As a UDL book I’d give it 2 stars. There are definitely better options out that if that is what you are looking for.

[Gabby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Out of all the textbooks and PD books I’ve read in my teaching career, I think this one is one of the most important in helping me understand that UDL isn’t just how we teach but also what we teach. While the content in this book was a review for me, I loved the little stories sprinkled throughout that showed how these strategies can work in schools and the impact they’ve had. A quick PD read for anybody who is curious about UDL in schools!

[Maya · Rating 5 out of 5]

10/10 - Fantastic and innovative ways to accommodate your classroom for all students!

[Sarah Furan · Rating 3 out of 5]

While this was a fantastic book for addressing all aspects of UDL, it was visually difficult to read. I don’t know why the publishers chose to print pages of text with white font on blue background for every chapter, but on updated editions, perhaps they can reconsider that contrast on new prints. It made it difficult to read.

[Susanne Huizing · Rating 4 out of 5]

The need for accessibility and OER is more palpable then ever. As our students come back to school post-Covid, we need to do our best to create learning environments for students and teachers to thrive in.

[Tracy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Informative and relevant.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for all educators looking to reflect on their classroom practices and do better for our children.

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Must read for educators, especially MS and HS…I’m still thinking through elementary school

[Christine Fay · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVED THIS BOOK! A must read for any educator!

[Haley H. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great in theory, hard in practice…like everything else in education.

[Halley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clear overview of UDL with helpful rubric included as appendix

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent. Every school should apply all these principles

[Deborah Baker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Always find it amusing when authors cite their own work. This feels like repackaging.

[Ellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

half good half stupid

[Hilary Ledford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Equity by Design helps give teachers the tools to help make education more culturally responsive, inclusive, and -you guessed it- equitable. There are tons of examples and usable frameworks to help teachers at least fight systems that harm historically underserved students. As a high school teacher, I seek to give my students the tools they need to advocate for themselves, their futures, their communities and regularly face systemic barriers. It can be defeating to work within and be a part of education at times when it doesn't work for so many of our students. The principles in Equity by Design would truly enrich all students experiences- next step is to get the whole education system on board. Should be easy, right? 4☆

Read my other reviews on Instagram- @whathilaryreads

[Kristie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Equity by Design is an inspirational book for all educators with concrete ideas for implanting UDL through the equity lens, as UDL and culturally relevant teaching and learning are strongly linked. I enjoyed this well-written book that makes social justice teaching accessible immensely.