Everyone possesses implicit bias. The impact at school, at work, and in the community can be significant. What is it?

Also known as implicit social cognition, implicit bias refers to the attitudes or stereotypes that affect our understanding, actions, and decisions in an unconscious manner.  These biases, which encompass both favorable and unfavorable assessments, are activated involuntarily and without an individual’s awareness or intentional control.
– Kirwan Institute for Race and Ethnicity

Learn more about implicit bias in A Look at Implicit Bias and Microaggressions, a primer on implicit biases in schools and how they can be expressed by students and teachers.

Implicit biases are malleable and can be changed. Find suggestions for what teachers can do to address implicit bias in:

• 5 Keys to Challenging Implicit Bias
• 20 judgments a teacher makes in 1 minute and 28 seconds
• Bias-Proof Your Classroom
• Is Implicit Bias Racist?
• What Teachers Should Know About Implicit Bias Right Now

Here are some ideas for teaching about implicit bias:

• Analyzing How Words Communicate Bias
• An Engaging Word Game Helping Students Grasp Implicit Bias
• Understanding Implicit Bias Through Photography
• Understanding Anti-Bias Education: Bringing the Four Core Goals to Every Facet of Your Curriculum
• Who, Me? Biased? : Understanding Implicit Bias