Grow as an Educator

Resources to help you grow as a culturally responsive educator

• Best Practices for Serving LGBTQ Students webinar from Learning for Justice

• Culturally Responsive Teaching: Four Misconceptions - Podcast with Zaretta Hammond who shares information that is based on neuroscience to build cognitive capacity in our students. 

• Culturally Responsive Teaching Matters! - This article contains strategies for K-12 which can be integrated immediately within the learning environment. 

• Dimensions of Equity by Zaretta Hammond

• Funds of Knowledge - “Funds of Knowledge” is a term coined by Luis Moll, Professor of Education at the University of Arizona, to describe students’ prior knowledge because of their unique, family, cultural and experiential backgrounds. Teachers can work as a bridge between the students' home world and the classroom by providing lessons and classroom experiences that are culturally relevant to the student. Using students’ “funds of knowledge” also has the potential to make students more confident about their ability to teach and learn within the classroom by demonstrating that their unique skills are a classroom asset, not a deficit.  Interested in learning more? Watch this short video on the Funds of Knowledge.

• Learning for Justice - formerly known as Teaching Tolerance - provides free resources to educators  to supplement the curriculum, to inform teachers' practices, and to create civil and inclusive school communities where children are respected, valued and welcome participants.  Learning for Justice materials emphasize social justice and anti-bias. The anti-bias approach encourages children and young people to challenge prejudice and learn how to be agents of change in their own lives.  Learning for Justice resources resources show how anti-bias education works through the four domains of identity, diversity, justice and action. 

• Lesson Plan on Identity-Based Bullying from the ADL - This lesson plan helps educators lead students through an examination of identity and bullying. Scenarios are listed for students to have the opportunity to problem solve through difficult situations. 

• Style Guide for Inclusive Communications - From Capital Region BOCES. This eight-page guide highlights how school districts can communicate in a way that welcomes and affirms all people. The guide builds upon the work of many other leading organizations, including but not limited to Tangible Development, the National Center on Disability and Journalism, the National Education Association, the Society of Professional Journalists and the National PTA.

• Teaching Young Children About Bias, Diversity, and Social Justice - This article offers strategies to teachers to use at the elementary level to begin to explore these areas. 

• The Power of Protocols for Equity - This article by Zaretta Hammond discusses various strategies to use to create community by incorporating protocols and increased discussion in your classroom.

Use these tools to evaluate your practices

The cultural proficiency rubrics serve as a lens to evaluate the effectiveness of our interactions across cultures.  The goal is to move all practices toward the far right side of the rubric in every category.  (Source:  Culturally Proficient Inquiry, Lindsey, Graham, Westphal, Jew, 2008)

• Anti-Bias Checklist - Use this checklist to create an anti-bias learning environment 

• Assessment and Accountability Rubric

• Curriculum and Instruction Rubric

• Examples of Equitable Practices in K-12 School Staff

NYSED Resources

• Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Education Framework-NYSED

• Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Education Framework - NYSED - Resource for Educators and Families

• NYSED Diversity, Equity & Inclusion  in New York Schools Framework - The Board of Regents calls on all schools in New York State to develop policies that advance diversity, equity and inclusion as a priority in their schools.