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M2 – Foundations of Becoming the GOAT – Interactive

Dr. Erica Booker

Created on March 1, 2026

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MODULE 2 · FOUNDATIONS OF BECOMING THE GOAT

You've learned the WHY. Now let's practice the HOW.

"Is the student ready for the learning, or is the learning ready for the student?"

— Module 2 Essential Question

In this section, you'll apply the core ideas from Understanding Learner Differences through three hands-on activities — then check your knowledge with a quick assessment.

🔄 Activity 1: Deficit vs. Asset Thinking
💬 Activity 2: Student Voice Explorer
🔁 Activity 3: Reframe the Question
✅ Knowledge Check (3 questions)

START ACTIVITIES

Activity 1 of 3

Deficit Thinking or Asset Thinking?

Click each scenario card to reveal how it's framed — and why it matters.

Deficit Thinking

ASSET THINKING

Frames difference as a strength to build on
Frames difference as a problem to fix

DEFICIT THINKING

ASSET THINKING

Card

Card

Treating unfamiliarity as a gap to avoid rather than a chance to build bridges between Carlos's knowledge and new content.

Maria is a stronger visual communicator. I'll offer a video option alongside the written assignment.

Carlos doesn't know American holiday traditions, so I'll skip those references and just move on.

Recognizing Maria's strength and designing multiple ways to demonstrate learning.

Title

Title

Use this side to give more information about a topic.

Use this side to give more information about a topic.

Subtitle

Subtitle

DEFICIT THINKING

ASSET THINKING

Card

Card

Processing speed treated as a limitation rather than a difference that can be accommodated.

DeShawn learns differently due to dyslexia. I'll leverage audiobook versions and oral presentation options.

Jasmine processes slowly, so she probably can't keep up with discussion. I'll call on faster students.

Different learning profiles can maintain rigor while removing barriers.

Title

Title

Use this side to give more information about a topic.

Use this side to give more information about a topic.

Subtitle

Subtitle

ASSET THINKING

Card

Card

DEFICIT THINKING

Anh has a name I'm not sure how to pronounce. I'll ask her to teach me the correct pronunciation.

Respecting names signals belonging and cultural awareness.

River's family structure doesn't match our examples, so the content probably won't feel relevant.

Title

Title

Assumes the curriculum cannot connect to River's experience.

Use this side to give more information about a topic.

Use this side to give more information about a topic.

Subtitle

Subtitle

NEXT ACTIVITY

Back

Activity 2 of 3

Their Words Tell the Story

Click each student to hear what happened when their differences were overlooked.

Jasmine
Anh
Carlos
River
Maria
DeShawn

THE PATTERN

When differences are ignored, misunderstood, or treated as inconveniences, students experience disconnection, shame, reduced participation, and begin to question whether school is for them.

Back

NEXT ACTIVITY

ELA

Activity 3 of 3

Reframe the Question

GOAT-centered educators ask different questions. Click each tab to see the shift in action — then reveal the reframe.

Assignment Design

Math

ELA

Attention/Focus

Social Studies

Science

Deficit Approach

"We're reading To Kill a Mockingbird because it's a classic and it's in our curriculum."

Reveal Responsive Approach (click to reveal)

See What This Looks Like (click to reveal)

Reflect & Respond

How could you reframe this statement into an asset-based approach?

(click to reveal)

"This reframe moves us from gatekeeping to bridge-building. Every question we ask in the classroom either opens a door or closes one"

TAKE THE KNOWLEDGE CHECK

Back

ELA

Activity 3 of 3

Reframe the Question

GOAT-centered educators ask different questions. Click each tab to see the shift in action — then reveal the reframe.

Science

Social Studies

Attention/Focus

Assignment Design

Math

ELA

See What This Looks Like (click to reveal)

Deficit Approach

"Some students just aren't ready for algebra yet. They need to master the basics first before moving on."

Reflect & Respond

Reveal Responsive Approach (click to reveal)

How could you reframe this statement into an asset-based approach?

(click to reveal)

"This reframe moves us from gatekeeping to bridge-building. Every question we ask in the classroom either opens a door or closes one"

Back

ELA

Activity 3 of 3

Reframe the Question

GOAT-centered educators ask different questions. Click each tab to see the shift in action — then reveal the reframe.

Math

ELA

Attention/Focus

Social Studies

Science

Assignment Design

Deficit Approach

"Some students can't handle this assignment, so we should give them an easier version."

See What This Looks Like (click to reveal)

Reflect & Respond

How could you reframe this statement into an asset-based approach?

Reveal Responsive Approach (click to reveal)

(click to reveal)

"This reframe moves us from gatekeeping to bridge-building. Every question we ask in the classroom either opens a door or closes one"

Back

ELA

Activity 3 of 3

Reframe the Question

GOAT-centered educators ask different questions. Click each tab to see the shift in action — then reveal the reframe.

Assignment Design

Math

Social Studies

ELA

Science

Attention/Focus

Deficit Approach

"Why can't this student just focus? They need to try harder and pay attention."

See What This Looks Like (click to reveal)

Reflect & Respond

Reveal Responsive Approach (click to reveal)

How could you reframe this statement into an asset-based approach?

(click to reveal)

"This reframe moves us from gatekeeping to bridge-building. Every question we ask in the classroom either opens a door or closes one"

TAKE THE KNOWLEDGE CHECK

Back

ELA

Activity 3 of 3

Reframe the Question

GOAT-centered educators ask different questions. Click each tab to see the shift in action — then reveal the reframe.

Assignment Design

Math

Social Studies

ELA

Attention/Focus

Science

Deficit Approach

"Some students just don't understand science concepts, so we need to simplify it for them."

See What This Looks Like (click to reveal)

Reflect & Respond

Reflect & Respond How could you reframe this statement into an asset-based approach?

Reveal Responsive Approach (click to reveal)

(click to reveal)

"This reframe moves us from gatekeeping to bridge-building. Every question we ask in the classroom either opens a door or closes one"

TAKE THE KNOWLEDGE CHECK

Back

ELA

Activity 3 of 3

Reframe the Question

GOAT-centered educators ask different questions. Click each tab to see the shift in action — then reveal the reframe.

Assignment Design

Math

Social Studies

ELA

Attention/Focus

Science

Deficit Approach

"Students just need to memorize facts to understand history and social studies."

See What This Looks Like (click to reveal)

Reflect & Respond

Reveal Responsive Approach (click to reveal)

How could you reframe this statement into an asset-based approach?

(click to reveal)

"This reframe moves us from gatekeeping to bridge-building. Every question we ask in the classroom either opens a door or closes one"

TAKE THE KNOWLEDGE CHECK

Back

Activity 1 of 3

"This reframe moves us from gatekeeping to bridge-building. Every question we ask in the classroom either opens a door or closes one"

Activity 2 of 3

"This reframe moves us from gatekeeping to bridge-building. Every question we ask in the classroom either opens a door or closes one"

Activity 3 of 3

"This reframe moves us from gatekeeping to bridge-building. Every question we ask in the classroom either opens a door or closes one"

Module 2 Complete!

Foundations of Becoming the GOAT

What You've practiced

• Distinguishing deficit thinking from asset-based framing • Connecting student voices to instructional impact • Reframing classroom questions from gatekeeping to bridge-building • Demonstrating knowledge through a 3-question check

"When students' differences are recognized, valued, and leveraged — they thrive."

— Zaretta Hammond Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain

Check Works Cited

Works Cited

Anthropic. (2025). Claude (claude-sonnet-4-6) [Large language model]. https://www.anthropic.com Gay, Geneva. Culturally Responsive Teaching: Theory, Research, and Practice. 3rd ed., Teachers College Press, 2018. Hammond, Zaretta. Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain: Promoting Authentic Engagement and Rigor Among Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students. Corwin, 2015. Ladson-Billings, Gloria. "Toward a Theory of Culturally Relevant Pedagogy." American Educational Research Journal, vol. 32, no. 3, 1995, pp. 465-491. Muhammad, Gholdy. Cultivating Genius: An Equity Framework for Culturally and Historically Responsive Literacy. Scholastic, 2020. Paris, Django, and H. Samy Alim, editors. Culturally Sustaining Pedagogies: Teaching and Learning for Justice in a Changing World. Teachers College Press, 2017. Steele, Claude M. Whistling Vivaldi: How Stereotypes Affect Us and What We Can Do. W.W. Norton & Company, 2010.

Review Activities

Not quite. Look back at the module's essential question: "Is the student ready for the learning, or is the learning ready for the student?" Try again.

TRY AGAIN

River — 10th Grade

What Happened The lesson examples represented only one type of family structure, leaving some students unseen. Reflection Prompt What's one way to audit your lesson materials for representation?

Example Responsive Approach: "All students can engage in scientific thinking when given opportunities to explore, experiment, and make meaning through multiple pathways. We design learning experiences that allow students to investigate, question, and connect concepts to the real world."

Carlos — 7th Grade

What Happened Prior knowledge gaps weren't recognized. Assumptions were made about shared cultural experiences. Reflection Prompt How might you check prior knowledge before using cultural references?

That answer IS something students experience when differences are ignored. Read the question carefully — it asks what they do NOT experience. Try again.

TRY AGAIN

Correct! The key shift is from asking whether students are ready for predetermined learning to asking whether instruction is designed to meet students where they are.

NEXT QUESTION

Correct! When differences are ignored or pathologized, students experience negative outcomes such as disconnection, shame, and reduced participation. Improved problem-solving happens when differences are recognized and used as assets.

NEXT QUESTION

Example Responsive Approach: "Students develop deeper understanding when they analyze perspectives, make connections to their lives, and engage with history as an active process. We design learning that encourages inquiry, discussion, and critical thinking."

Chunked tasks and clear time expectations
  • Movement breaks and brain breaks
  • Visual schedules and cues
  • Interactive and engaging lesson design
Student impact: "I can focus better when I know what to do and feel supported."

Discussion-based learning and debates
  • Connections to current events
  • Exploring multiple cultural perspectives
  • Project-based and inquiry learning
Student impact: "I see how history connects to my life and the world around me."

Not quite. The module emphasizes that student differences are not problems to fix or reasons to lower expectations. They are foundational to how students learn. Try again.

TRY AGAIN

Jasmine — 8th Grade

What Happened Processing speed differences weren't accommodated. Participation required instant responses. Reflection Prompt What one strategy could give Jasmine more access to class discussion?

Multiple ways to demonstrate learning (video, writing, presentation)
  • Clear scaffolding and supports
  • Chunked instructions and guided steps
  • Choice in how students show understanding
Student impact: "I was able to show what I know in a way that works for me."

Multiple ways to represent problems (visual, symbolic, verbal)
  • Use of manipulatives and models
  • Scaffolded problem-solving steps
  • Flexible grouping and peer collaboration
Student impact: "I finally understand math in a way that makes sense to me."

Example RESPONSIVE APPROACH: "We're offering diverse texts—books at varied complexity levels, with different themes and perspectives. Students access texts that both challenge them and connect to their interests and experiences.

DeShawn — 9th Grade

What Happened Learning differences were framed as deficits, leading to labeling and shame. Reflection Prompt How would you describe DeShawn to a parent using asset-based language?

Example Responsive Approach: "All students can engage in rigorous learning when we provide appropriate scaffolds. Instead of lowering expectations, we design multiple pathways for students to access and demonstrate their understanding."

Correct! Student differences are assets, strengths, funds of knowledge, and sources of resilience that support learning. Responsive instruction leverages these differences rather than treating them as problems to fix.

COMPLETE

Hands-on experiments and inquiry-based learning
  • Use of models, visuals, and simulations
  • Collaborative investigations
  • Real-world problem-solving
Student impact: "I understand science better when I can explore and test ideas myself."

Example Responsive Approach: "Focus is a skill that can be developed. We can support this student by building routines, providing structured supports, and designing engaging learning experiences that sustain attention."

Example Responsive Approach: "All students can engage with algebraic thinking when provided with the right supports, representations, and entry points. We design instruction that scaffolds understanding while maintaining access to grade-level content."

What this looks like:
  • Range of reading levels with same themes
  • Multiple entry points to complex ideas
  • Student choice based on interest and readiness
  • Connections to contemporary issues and varied experiences
Student impact: "I finally found books that interest me AND challenge me."

Maria — 11th Grade

What Happened A one-size-fits-all assignment prevented the student from demonstrating knowledge through her strengths. Reflection Prompt What could the teacher have done while still maintaining academic rigor?

Anh — 6th Grade

What Happened Individual differences were treated as inconvenient rather than important. Name mispronunciation signals cultural invisibility. Reflection Prompt How does honoring a student's name reflect asset-based thinking?