The Unintended Oppressor: How Teachers Can Unknowingly Harm Students

Have you ever considered how even the most well-intentioned teachers can unintentionally harm their students? Teaching is one of the most impactful professions, shaping young minds and futures, yet it also carries immense responsibility. Words, actions, and teaching practices that seem harmless may inadvertently lead to a toxic learning environment, diminished self-esteem, and reduced academic performance. This phenomenon often stems from implicit biases, cultural misunderstandings, or systemic issues embedded within educational institutions.

In this article, we explore how teachers can unknowingly become oppressors in their classrooms and provide actionable strategies for fostering a more inclusive, equitable, and supportive learning environment. As I emphasize in my book, Who Says I Can't: Four-Year Plan to Achieve Reading Proficiency by Fourth Grade, acknowledging and addressing these barriers is crucial to unlocking every student’s potential.

Power Imbalance

Classrooms inherently possess a power dynamic, with teachers in positions of authority. This imbalance, when misused or unexamined, can suppress students’ growth and create an oppressive environment.

1. Authoritarian Approach Exerting excessive control over students can stifle their autonomy and creativity. For example, rigid rules that leave no room for student choice—such as dictating every aspect of their learning process—may leave students feeling powerless and disengaged. As highlighted in Rosenshine’s Principles of Instruction (2012), balancing authority with student autonomy enhances engagement and learning outcomes.
2. Disregarding Student Voices Ignoring students’ concerns, ideas, or feedback marginalizes their perspectives. Research shows that students thrive when they feel their voices are heard and validated, contributing to a sense of belonging in the classroom (Duke & Pearson, 2002).

Cultural Insensitivity

Cultural biases can unknowingly alienate students from diverse backgrounds, reinforcing feelings of exclusion.

1. Cultural Bias Presenting information from a singular, dominant cultural perspective overlooks the richness of students’ lived experiences. For example, a literature curriculum focused exclusively on Western authors can alienate students who do not see their identities reflected in the material. Inclusive teaching, as Duke and Pearson emphasize, ensures that diverse perspectives are represented and valued.
2. Stereotyping and Microaggressions Subtle comments or assumptions about students’ abilities based on their race, gender, or background perpetuate harmful stereotypes. For instance, expecting lower academic performance from marginalized students reinforces systemic biases and creates a self-fulfilling prophecy (National Reading Panel, 2000).

Emotional Manipulation

Teachers hold significant emotional influence over their students. Misusing this power, even unintentionally, can have lasting effects.

1. Shaming or Humiliation Publicly criticizing a student’s mistakes as a form of discipline can lead to long-term self-esteem issues. For example, correcting a struggling reader by saying, “You’re never paying attention,” may discourage them from participating in future activities. Palincsar and Brown (1984) suggest that fostering comprehension and confidence in struggling learners mitigates the need for harmful disciplinary tactics.
2. Emotional Blackmail Using phrases like, “If you cared about this class, you’d try harder,” manipulates students into compliance while undermining trust and motivation.

Inequitable Treatment

Inequities in how students are treated often stem from implicit biases, resulting in an uneven playing field.

1. Favoritism Showing preference to high-achieving or well-behaved students can alienate others, fostering resentment. For example, praising only a handful of students regularly may discourage quieter or struggling learners from trying to excel.
2. Discrimination Treating students differently based on race, gender, or other characteristics exacerbates systemic inequities. Research highlights the need for culturally responsive teaching practices to address these disparities (Zadina, 2014).

Lack of Accommodations

A one-size-fits-all approach to teaching overlooks the diverse needs of students.

1. Inaccessible Materials Failing to provide resources for students with disabilities creates barriers to their academic success. For instance, using text-heavy assignments without audio alternatives excludes visually impaired learners.
2. Inflexible Teaching Methods Rigid teaching strategies that don’t adapt to students’ unique learning styles—such as relying solely on lectures—can disengage students who need hands-on or visual learning approaches.

Microaggressions

Microaggressions are subtle but damaging actions that perpetuate stereotypes or dismiss identities.

1. Subtle Biases Comments like, “You’re so articulate for someone from your neighborhood,” carry hidden prejudices that diminish a student’s accomplishments.
2. Erasure Ignoring a student’s name, cultural identity, or experiences contributes to feelings of invisibility. For example, consistently mispronouncing a student’s name without effort to correct it sends the message that their identity is unimportant.

Teacher-Student Boundary Issues

Maintaining professional boundaries is essential to fostering trust and safety.

1. Inappropriate Relationships Overstepping professional boundaries, such as sharing overly personal information, can create power imbalances and blur roles.
2. Grooming While rare, grooming behavior is a serious violation that exploits the inherent power dynamics in teacher-student relationships.

Systemic and Institutional Oppression

Systemic issues within schools often perpetuate inequalities.

1. Perpetuating Systemic Inequalities For instance, tracking students into lower-level classes based on biased assessments reinforces disparities in opportunity and achievement.
2. Ignoring Systemic Issues Teachers who fail to address systemic challenges like racism, sexism, or ableism contribute to a culture of silence that harms marginalized students.

Case Study: Ms. Johnson and Her Student

Ms. Johnson, a 5th-grade teacher, had a struggling student. Rather than offering support, she made dismissive remarks like, “You’re not cut out for this class,” and refused accommodations.

Issues with Ms. Johnson’s Approach

1. Lack of Empathy: She ignored the student’s challenges.
2. Fixed Mindset: She assumed the student’s abilities were static.
3. Inequitable Treatment: The student received less support compared to peers.

Action Plan

To avoid becoming an unintended oppressor, teachers should:

1. Recognize and Challenge Biases: Reflect on your assumptions and practices.
2. Practice Empathy: Understand students’ struggles and strengths.
3. Create Inclusive Classrooms: Incorporate diverse voices and perspectives.
4. Provide Equitable Support: Adapt methods and materials to meet all students’ needs.
5. Engage in Ongoing Learning: Commit to professional development in equity and inclusion.

Conclusion

Teachers hold the power to either uplift or oppress their students. By reflecting on their practices and committing to equity, educators can transform classrooms into spaces of growth, understanding, and success for all students. As highlighted in Who Says I Can't, every student deserves the opportunity to thrive—and it’s our responsibility to remove the barriers that stand in their way. Let’s start making that change today.

Bibliography

1. Lavert, G. (Year). Who Says I Can't: Four-Year Plan to Achieve Reading Proficiency by Fourth Grade. Publisher.
2. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. (2000). Report of the National Reading Panel: Teaching children to read... National Institutes of Health.
3. Duke, N. K., & Pearson, P. D. (2002). Effective practices for developing reading comprehension. Journal of Education, 189(1-2), 107-122.
4. Rosenshine, B. (2012). Principles of instruction. American Educator, 36(1), 12-39.
5. Zadina, J. N. (2014). Multiple Pathways to the Student Brain. Jossey-Bass.
6. Palincsar, A. S., & Brown, A. L. (1984). Reciprocal teaching of comprehension-fostering and comprehension-monitoring activities. Cognition and Instruction, 1(2), 117-175.
7. Brown, P. C., Roediger, H. L., & McDaniel, M. A. (2014). Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning. Harvard University Press.