Culturally Responsive Teaching
Implicit Bias Vs. Explicit Bias
Implicit Bias in Action
Hidden Biases
NYSED: Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Education Framework
2022-2023 DRAFTS: RCSD Social Studies Practices RCSD Framework Feed back Link
Please provide feedback around the language in the framework as well as the resources being shared. We want this to be something that reflects our RCSD scholars and the cultures we are so lucky to learn from each and every day.
Kimberlé Crenshaw
What is intersectionality, and what does it have to do with me? -March 29th, 2017
Here at YW Boston, intersectionality is central to the work we do.
We know that everyone reading this has come to follow YW Boston’s work from different entry points. Some of us hold women’s empowerment close to heart, perhaps seeking a more equitable world for ourselves or our daughters. Some of us have experienced racial discrimination personally, perhaps through generations of our family. Some of us have little experience with social justice, but seek a better understanding of inequity in Greater Boston. All of us seek change in our community, no matter how we became involved.
Despite our shared vision, social equity work can oftentimes feel exclusionary to those who are not familiar with the lingo. Intersectionality, in particular, is a term that many people and organizations assert an importance for, but that others are unclear on. Understanding the terminology used in equity work is a useful tool for people expanding their knowledge on the issues they care about.
If you’ve ever scratched your head when a friend, colleague, or writer has spoken of intersectionality (or you’d like to deepen your understanding of the theory), this post is for you.
What is it and where does it come from?
Intersectionality, n.
The interconnected nature of social categorizations such as race, class, and gender, regarded as creating overlapping and interdependent systems of discrimination or disadvantage; a theoretical approach based on such a premise. (Oxford Dictionary)
Intersectionality is a framework for conceptualizing a person, group of people, or social problem as affected by a number of discriminations and disadvantages. It takes into account people’s overlapping identities and experiences in order to understand the complexity of prejudices they face.
In other words, intersectional theory asserts that people are often disadvantaged by multiple sources of oppression: their race, class, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, and other identity markers. Intersectionality recognizes that identity markers (e.g. “woman” and “black”) do not exist independently of each other, and that each informs the others, often creating a complex convergence of oppression. For instance, a black man and a white woman make $0.74 and $0.78 to a white man’s dollar, respectively. Black women, faced with multiple forms of oppression, only make $0.64. Understanding intersectionality is essential to combatting the interwoven prejudices people face in their daily lives.
Kimberlé Crenshaw, law professor and social theorist, first coined the term intersectionality in her 1989 paper “Demarginalizing The Intersection Of Race And Sex: A Black Feminist Critique Of Antidiscrimination Doctrine, Feminist Theory And Antiracist Politics.” The theory emerged two decades earlier, however, when black feminists began to speak out about the white, middle-class nature of the mainstream feminist movement. Many black women found it difficult to identify with the issues of the mainstream (white) feminist movement, issues such as the pressure to be a homemaker. Black women, who often had to work in order to keep their family afloat and therefore did not have the luxury of being homemakers, did not feel as though these issues pertained to their experiences. At the same time, many black women experienced sexism while participating in the Civil Rights movement and were often shut out of leadership positions. This intersectional experience of facing racism in the feminist movement and sexism in civil rights encouraged black women to call for a feminist practice that centralized their lived experiences.
The Combahee River Collective, a black feminist lesbian organization, released the Combahee River Collective Statement in 1978 to define and encourage black feminism. In the introduction these women state that “The synthesis of these oppressions creates the conditions of our lives. As Black women we see Black feminism as the logical political movement to combat the manifold and simultaneous oppressions that all women of color face.” They fought not only for representation in both the Civil Rights and feminist movements, but also for recognition as black women, rather than just black or just women.
Crenshaw expanded on the Collective’s theory, stating that in order to understand the oppression of black women, it is necessary to look at the intersection of blackness and womanhood. While many who championed intersectionality early on were African American women, the theory has proven necessary to understanding a wide range of difference, including individuals’ sexual orientation, age, class, disability, and more.
Nowadays, intersectionality is considered crucial to social equity work. Activists and community organizations are calling for and participating in more dynamic conversations about the differences in experience among people with different overlapping identities. Without an intersectional lens, events and movements that aim to address injustice towards one group may end up perpetuating systems of inequities towards other groups. Intersectionality fully informs YW Boston’s work, by encouraging nuanced conversations around inequity in Boston. It enlightens us to health disparities among women of color, provides pathways for our youth leaders to understand identity, and is crucial to the advocacy work we support.
What can I do?
Intersectionality may seem theoretical, but it is meant to be utilized. No matter how or when you have become involved with equity work, it is always possible to more fully integrate intersectionality into your view of these issues.
Is your work toward social equity intersectional? Check out these tips and reflect:
Recognize difference.
Oftentimes, it is easier to believe and to explain to others that “all women feel” a certain way or that “LGBTQ+ people believe” some common understanding, but this does not reflect reality. We must recognize that all unique experiences of identity, and particularly ones that involve multiple overlapping oppressions, are valid.
Do not shy away from recognizing that people experience the world differently based on their overlapping identity markers. Because of the way we have been socialized to continue feeding systems of oppression, we often feel it is rude to formally recognize others’ difference. We see this in how people are uncomfortable naming another person’s perceived race or asking for someone’s preferred pronouns. However, we must recognize these identities as a way to step beyond our assumptions that our experience is common. One way of doing so is when you attend rallies, take a look at the signs that others hold — how do they assert their identity and how does this inform the issues they care most about?
Avoid oversimplified language.
Once we recognize this difference, we can move away from language that seeks to define people by a singular identity. You may have heard after the Women’s March that many trans folks and allies felt uncomfortable with the vagina-centric themes of the march. Assuming that all women have vaginas or are defined by their bodies is an oversimplification that erases the experiences of those who exist beyond the gender binary. By avoiding language that assumes our own experiences are baseline, we can open ourselves up to listening to others’ points of view.
Analyze the space you occupy.
Becoming comfortable recognizing difference also involves recognizing when that difference is not represented in the spaces you occupy. Diversity of all kinds matter in your workplace, your activism, your community spaces, and more. If you are meeting with a local LGBTQ+ organization, is there representation of LGBTQ+ people of color? You may feel that your workplace is racially and ethnically diverse, but is it accessible to people with disabilities? Take note of the welcoming or distancing practices of the spaces you frequent.
Seek other points of view.
Explore the narratives of those with different interlocking identities than you. This includes surrounding yourself with others with differing interwoven identities, but keep in mind that oftentimes, even when you have a diverse group of people in an activist space, it falls on people to educate others about the oppressions they face. When these people share their experiences, take the opportunity to listen. However, do not expect people with identity markers other than your own to be there or to want to educate others. In your own time, seek out existing intersectional narratives, from your podcasts to your television. If you are unsure about a concept or want to learn more about a specific intersection of identity, Google it! This will help you be better prepared to enter into conversations with others and progress together.
Show up.
Do not expect people who face different systems of oppression than you to rally for causes you care about if you do not rally for theirs. As you hear about issues others face, learn about the work that is currently being done around these topics. Listen and defer to those who live with these intersectional identities each day. As you do, you will likely deepen your understanding of your own identity and the subjects you care about most.
Additional Resources:
Check out this TED talk by Kimberlé Crenshaw (who coined the term “intersectionality”).
On your quest for more intersectional viewpoints, check out this list of podcasts.
Listen to women share their thoughts on intersectionality here and here.
Resources:
Basic Principles for Equity Literacy by Paul Gorski
Resource guide including considerations and strategies for teaching social studies to ELLs.
Extensive collection of instructional strategies for ELLs organized by language skill and proficiency levels. Designed for use by ESOL teachers and content teachers to appropriately scaffold instruction.
Brief 1: What is Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Education?
Brief 2: What is the Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Framework?
Brief 3: What do students gain when culturally responsive-sustaining education guides our education system?
Brief 4: Why should schools focus on the cultures of their students?
Brief 5: What are the four principles of the Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Framework?
Brief 6: How does implementing CR-S improve your school community as a whole?
Articles & Professional Development:
Journey Forward What is Bias Activity?
Cultural Awareness Session The Academic Value of Ethnic Studies
Avoiding Racial Equity Detours by Paul Gorski
What the Words Say by Emily Hanford
Language & Culture Resources
Resources to understand the language and cultural backgrounds of ELL students. (From Language RBERN)
Additional Resources
My Positionality Web Graphic Organizer (Teach and Transform)
• Reflecting on My Cultural Beliefs and Expectations (SupportEd)
FIGURE 2.3 - Reflecting on My Cultural Beliefs and Expectations
• Culturally Responsive Teaching Checklist (Re-Imagining Migration)
• Culturally-Responsive Teaching Strategies and Examples Downloadable List
• Colorín Colorado Culturally Responsive Instruction: Resource List
• Culturally Responsive Classrooms (Scholastic)
• Culturally Responsive & Inclusive Curriculum Resources: Creating Culturally Responsive Curriculum
• Culturally Responsive Teaching and The Brain by Zaretta Hammond
• Culturally Responsive Curriculum Scorecards
• Culturally Responsive Curriculum Scorecard Toolkit
• Culturally Responsive Differentiated Instructional Strategies
• eTeachNY Integrating Culturally Responsive Sustaining Education (CRSE)
• Learning for Justice (Formerly Teaching Tolerance)
Books for Students
EDUTOPIA: All Ages Promote Diversity K-8 Culturally Responsive: K-12
Starting your class library? The ELL Classroom
Diversity & Inclusion Read Alouds Colours of Us: Young Adult List
Lewis Library Recommendations goodreads: high school list Dr. Gaya Shakes (Secondary Texts)
LeMoine & Associates Educational Consulting– N. LeMoine, CEO
African American Mexican American Native American Hawaiian American
Picture Books
All Are Welcome written by Alexandra Penfold, illustrated by Suzanne Kaufman
Black Girl Magic: A Poem written by Mahogany L. Browne, illustrated by Jess X. Snow
Don’t Call Me Grandma written by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson, illustrated by Elizabeth Zunon
Drawn Together written by Minh Lê, illustrated by Dan Santat
Hot Hot Roti for Dada-Ji written by F. Zia, illustrated by Ken Min
I Am Enough written by Grace Byers, illustrated by Keturah A. Bobo
Last Stop on Market Street written by Matt de la Peña, illustrated by Christian Robinson
Let the Children March written by Monica Clark-Anderson, illustrated by Frank Morrison
Looking for Bongo written and illustrated by Eric Velasquez
Mixed written and illustrated by Arree Chung
Pink is For Boys written by Robb Pearlman, illustrated by Eda Kaban
The Librarian of Basra: A True Story from Iraq written and illustrated by Jeanette Winter
The Name Jar written and illustrated by Yangsook Choi
Dreamers written and illustrated by Yuyi Morales
Young Readers
Alvin Ho: Allergic to Girls, School, and Other Scary Things written by Lenore Look, illustrated by LeUyen Pham
Get Ready for Gabi written by Marisa Montes, illustrated by Joe Cepeda
Bobby vs. Girls (Accidentally) written by Lisa Yee, illustrated by Dan Santat
Juana and Lucas written and illustrated by Juana Medina
Rickshaw Girl written by Mitali Perkins, illustrated by Jamie Hogan
Shai & Emmie Star in Break an Egg! written by Quvenzhané Wallis and Nancy Ohlin, illustrated by Sharee Miller
The Great Cake Mystery: Precious Ramotswe’s Very First Case written by Alexander McCall Smith
You Should Meet Katherine Johnson written by Thea Feldman, illustrated by Alyssa Petersen
Middle School
Amal Unbound by Aisha Saeed
Amina’s Voice by Hena Khan
Betty Before X by Ilyasah Shabazz and Renée Watson
Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan
Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt
Front Desk by Kelly Yang
Habibi by Naomi Shihab Nye
Harbor Me by Jacqueline Woodson
Marcus Vega Doesn’t Speak Spanish by Pablo Cartaya
The Crossover by Kwame Alexander
The House That Lou Built by Mae Respicio
The First Rule of Punk by Celia C. Pérez
The Gauntlet by Karuna Riazi
The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
The Stars Beneath Our Feet by David Barclay Moore
Young Adult - High School
All American Boys by Jason Reynolds
American Street by Ibi Zoboi
Calling My Name by Liara Tamani
Dear Martin by Nic Stone
I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L Sánchez
Little & Lion by Brandy Colbert
Love, Hate & Other Filters by Samira Ahmed
Marcelo in the Real World by Francisco X. Stork
The 57 Bus: A True Story of Two Teenagers and the Crime That Changed Their Lives by Dashka Slater
The Astonishing Color of After by Emily X.R. Pan
The Education of Margot Sanchez by Lilliam Rivera
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon
Piecing Me Together by Renée Watson
The Dangerous Art of Blending In by Angelo Surmelis
To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han
Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan
Wrong in All the Right Ways by Tiffany Brownlee
Are there books that you and your students love that need to be added to these lists? Do you see any books that your students don't like and want off the list? Please reach out and let us know! These lists are here to support all that you do in lifting up our scholars with all that they are and all that they will be.
Tools For Formative Assessment And Reflection
56 Formative Assessment Ideas, curated by David Wees, Formative assessment specialist, New Visions for Public Schools
75 Tools to Improve Student Learning – Stefanie Wager, Iowa DOE
Reflective Writing and Thinking – UTM Experiential Education Office