Theoretical Foundations

Culturally Responsive Teaching

              When considering my culturally responsive competencies I think of engagement.  One of my strongest teaching mantras is student engagement.  Engagement is and will continue to be one of my strengths.  There are many ways to engage students.  Having recently learned about the classroom management spectrum, I know I am not on the discipline focus end of the spectrum.  I happen to be on the opposite end of the spectrum which is engagement focus.  I have always and always will be a proactive person and teacher. This is one of my core beliefs and philosophies. I like the engagement end of the spectrum because I feel like I have a bigger say in the outcome. Part of being proactive is looking for ways as a teacher to prevent problems in the class.  I want to use classroom management techniques to try and prevent issues in the classroom before they flourish. 

          I model this in the classroom in many ways.  Some of them are subtle and some are overt.  One way I model engagement that is culturally responsive is I act extremely positive and animated to all students.  I show enthusiasm regardless of the students looks or other personal characteristics.  This shows them I am not biased towards any students, I do not have favorites, and it shows I am comfortable communicating with all kinds of people.  I engage all students equally.  Another way I model engagement is to develop strong connections with the students.  When the students realize I care about their personal interests outside of school, then they see I am fully engaged in their learning atmosphere.  The hope is that the more engaged I am, the more they will show engagement back.  Another way I help facilitate engagement is, I like to create opportunities during the class period for the students to work in groups, move around, and do something rather than listening to me lecturing for the entire period.  This allows students who do not enjoy lectures to maintain engagement and to help prevent negative interactions.

         Another concept my teaching philosophy is based upon is community.  I believe teaching the students to think of their success in terms of the collective group of classmates' success is essential.  A major flaw of American society is teaching everyone to be independent. Teaching the students to rely on each other for help is key to building a strong classroom community.  When the students learn empathy for one another then the classroom environment is a peaceful place to be.  I believe if a student or classmate is struggling than it is partly the responsibility of the community to help.  Many students come from backgrounds or families where help is not readily available. It will be my responsibility to teach the students to build a bond with their fellow classmates.  I believe if a community is safe and built on trust then it can be a basis for accomplishing most goals.  Part of building community is having a student led classroom environment.  In my classroom the students will have a direct influence on most of the decision-making process.

           Expectations are a focal point of my teaching philosophy.   I have really made it a priority of my teaching strategy.  Expectations are a way to hold people accountable.  Expectations are a way to show students I have confidence in them and care about their well being.   I often reflect upon my own experiences as a student.  I did not have any expectations for myself or expectations from my family about my educational goals.  I would have benefitted in a major way if I knew people that had high expectations for me.  Sometimes students act out or do not achieve to their capability because people have low expectations for the students.  I want to set the bar high and always push the students to reach there potential.

         I will continue to improve upon my expectation level for students.  I sometimes let prior experiences or implicit biases affect my expectation level.  One of my strengths is empathy, and sometimes I let that empathy affect my expectation level for the students.   I am aware of this issue and constantly self-reflecting.  Going forward I will continue to be cognizant of the character fault and continue to work on the issue.  Being self-aware is the hard part. The other easier part is learning new techniques. For me to improve on my student expectations, I need to learn new concepts and ideas. I am willing to learn new strategies and willing to change for the better. 

           Restorative practices is a another concept I focus on, which is based on positive relationships that students and adults have with each other.  This resonates with me because according to the authors of, Better than Carrots or Sticks: Restorative Practices for Positive Classroom Management, “it is harder for students to act defiantly or disrespectful towards adults who clearly care about them and their future.”  From my personal experience as a teacher and throughout life, I have seen most people will be more civil in daily interactions if you have a trust-based, caring relationship with them.  Furthermore, one of my core tenants is to be a good human.  This includes building relationships with others that are based on trust and empathy. I believe if I build a strong bond with my students, then teaching them traditional academics will be much easier.  How can I expect a student to learn the common core curriculum if they think I do not care about them? This is why I will begin all school years by building a strong positive relationship with my students, families, and coworkers.

           A strategy I can use in the classroom is called circles.  I can have the students sit in a circle instead of the traditional rows of desks.  In the circle we can have regular curriculum discussions or SEL related topics like how to clearly communicate while in a stressful situation.  The circle represents equality and clear communication because everyone can see each other’s face.  This type of discussion also allows speakers to feel heard. 

        For students to feel comfortable participating in the circle talk or any other restorative practice, I need to start by building a trust-based relationship and a comfortable positive classroom environment. I need to be strategic when implementing the circle discussion and any other related strategies for restorative practices.  Before I conduct a circle talk, I need to have a clear set of procedures related to the circle discussion.  One of the procedures would be that only one person speaks at a time.  Another procedure would be to have an item that represents a microphone or related object to identify the person speaking.  I would model good behavior and speaking expectations.  Furthermore, I need to be patient with students who do not like to speak in front of their peers.  I would emphasize that the classroom is a safe space, and all voices are welcome and equal.