Every student in our schools enters with a unique cultural background.  As such, it is essential that school stakeholders and district leaders work tirelessly to build an inclusive environment that respects and acknowledges every learner’s rich customs, characteristics, and experiences to make learning increasingly relevant, engaging, and effective.  

This workshop will explore current research, literature, and best practices on culturally responsive pedagogy and will include practical strategies designed to help break the cycle of academic underachievement amongst BIPOC students in the NYC public school system.  New York City students live in a diverse, vibrant, and inspiring city - a city that also reflects the complex system of biases and inequalities deeply rooted in the country’s history, culture, and institutions.  Participants will learn about many of the issues that lead to academic, social, and professional underdevelopment for many students of color in our schools.  They will be empowered to better understand culturally responsive teaching as a response to those issues and how CR-SE can improve outcomes for student learners.  This experience will incorporate the cooperative learning group model and will challenge participants to reflect on their backgrounds and experiences to explore the issues that minority students confront through dialogue and discussion-based activities.