Glossary

abstraction: removing unnecessary information and focusing on what is truly important in a given situation

algorithm: developing a series of instructions to solve a problem, and evaluating the solution to address any errors

asset-based pedagogies: teaching methods and practices that incorporate students’ cultural identities and lived experiences into the classroom as tools for effective instruction. These types of pedagogies seek to dismantle a deficit approach to educating students of color and instead focusing on their strengths, assets, and communities in the classroom. Examples include culturally relevant teaching, culturally responsive teaching, and culturally sustaining teaching, among others

critical consciousness: teaching students how to identify, analyze, and solve real-world problems, especially those that result in societal inequities against marginalized groups

critical race theory: an academic concept with the core idea that race is a social construct, and racism is not merely the product of individual bias or prejudice, but also something embedded in legal systems and policies

culture: the customs, languages, values, beliefs, and achievements of a group of people

cultural competence: the ability to understand, appreciate, and interact with people from other cultures. Students should be taught to value and affirm their culture of origin while also developing fluency in at least one other culture

cultural identity: how an individual or group identifies themselves according to ties to one or more cultures

culturally relevant pedagogy: a way of teaching that fosters student achievement while helping students to accept and affirm their cultural identity, as well as develop critical perspectives that challenge societal inequities

culturally responsive teaching: a pedagogy that uses students’ customs, characteristics, experiences, and perspectives as tools for better classroom instruction. Students of color see themselves and their communities as belonging in academic spaces

culturally sustaining pedagogy: a way of teaching that explores, honors, and nurtures students’ and communities’ cultural ways of being. This approach considers the evolving identities and languages of students

decomposition: breaking a problem into smaller, more manageable parts

pattern recognition: the ability to use prior knowledge to find patterns that will help solve problems more efficiently

pedagogy: teaching methods and practices; more broadly the art and science of the teaching profession

racial biases: perceptions of, attitudes toward and treatment of a person or group based on their race