Culturally Responsive Teaching

Introduction

When I think of Cultural Responsive Teaching, I first think of the system, power dynamics, and history of education. The Literature calls this, Critical Race Theory which sees past and current school system as socially constructed to maintain the society order of stereotyping blacks as lesser humans, illiterate and criminals (Slavery by Another Name, 2012.) One of my first courses within JHU was Race, Power, and Policy in Education. Within this course I was introduced to the research of Ladson-Billings (1995.) According to Ladson-Billings (1995) , members of minority groups internalize stereotypes maintaining the social order Conceptual categories like ` ` school achievement,’ ’ middle class,’ maleness,’ beauty,’ intelligence,’ become normative set of whiteness, while categories like ` gangs,’ welfare recipients,’ basketball players,’ and ` the underclass’ ’become categories of blackness. In addition, according to Deb,McKee, history books and classes frequently spread false or derogatory information about black people, such as “the underclass, welfare recipients and gang members.’ As a black women educator, teaching a curriculum that includes History, as a part of the Literacy Curriculum, I am intentionally aware of the perspectives, voices, and characters that I put in front of my students. It is my role to give my students a curriculum that is diverse in authors, voices, perspectives, and characters that to not further spread the stereotypes that hold the systems of power in place.

As an educator to over eighty percent black and brown students, I am intentional to combat these stereotypes. I ground myself in the words from Wilson (2012) who says, education is a means of liberation, and true education produces transformers vs conformers (Wilson,2012.) In order to start to allow students to become transformers, we must equip students with the skills needed to create change, such as strong communication skills, critical thinking, and social emotional strengths.

It is a passion of mine to allow students to find their voices. For too many years the experiences of black and brown persons has been silenced. In 2021, while I was teaching in Memphis, there was a bill passed, House Bill No. 580 / Senate Bill No.623. This Bill bans teachers from teaching certain concepts of race and racism in public schools outside of approved books within the curriculum. Teachers will risk losing valuable state funding for the entire school if they violate the new measure. I was out ragged when this Bill came out, as it was another attempt to silent the voices of black and brown people.

Within reading the work of Freire (2000) within one of my JHU course it become clear the role teachers have in breaking down authoritarianism within schools and putting a stop to students thinking for themselves. When teachers and students are creating together, both taking on the role of learner, true educational liberation is experienced. This requires teachers to change their position from teacher, to learner taught in dialogue along with the students (Freire, P 2000.)

Preparation Layer

One of the most important ways to prepare for Culturally Responsive Teaching is to engage in self reflection. Self reflection on your childhood, privileges, and bias. One way that I was able to do this is through a Cultural Self Study.

CulturalSelfStudy_CompereSavannah.pdf

Cultural Self Study

The varying layers of my identity that make the person I am today and shape the teacher that I am. Three salient dimensions of my identity are those of race, gender, and social class. I identify as a Black, Female, in the middle class. I did not become aware of the roles these dimensions play until high school in which I experienced events that were direct biases from my identities.

I have an Haitian immigrant Father who throughout my whole childhood, told me I had to succeed because that's what my dad came here for. High School was when I first realized that I was Biracial, Black and White when I did not fit in. Peers would say I was either too black or not black enough. With this experience as a child and now reflecting upon it, I see how it has made me into a person that is intentional in making others feel comfortable and welcomed.

Culturally Responsive Classroom Plan

Another aspect of my planning to effectively demonstrate Culturally Responsive Teaching is my CRT Classroom Plan which can be found below.

Within this classroom plan there is large emphasis on highlighting student voices. As noted, a passion that I have is for students to learn the power in their voice and then to use it. As noted in my Cultural Self Study I was compelled by the work of Bacon, J.K. and Bell, L.A as they write, the voices, stories, and lived experiences of people of color are muted, and or not acknowledged, affirmed, or valued (Bacon, J.K. 2019; Bell, L.A. 1997.)

AssessmentC_Classroom Plan_CompereSavannah.pdf

Within this plan I note that an aspect of group dialogue that is essential includes fostering an environment that enables participants to speak and listen openly (Dessel, A 2006.) In order for this to happen students must feel safe, seen, and cared for. This requires teachers to go beyond the regular teacher student interactions. Instead students must engage in what Hammond (2015) calls trust generators. There are serval different trust generators; selective vulnerability, Familiarity, Similarly of Interest, and Concern. In addition, teachers should plan to allow student to express themeselesves within the classroom.

DEI National Leadership Team

A way that I have engaged in DEI beyond JHU coursework that furthers my understanding of CRT is joining my schools National DEI Team. As a part of this team, I am in continuous trainings and meetings. I am also responsible for the creation of information and presentation materials for training the staff at my school.

2022-2023 DEI National Leadership Team (NLT) Overview

When I first heard about this oppournity to Join the DEI National Leadership Team, I was excited to expand my knowledge and skills within DEI work. I looked through the job discription and applied. This document is the overview of the role.

This is my welcome letter to the 2022-23 DEI National Leadership Team

DEI 2022-23 NLT_School Pairing

This document that shows all the DEI members for different Rocketship Schools. My name, Savannah Compere, is under San Jose, RSA.

Below, is screenshot of our first DEI meeting on my calendar as part of the preparation to lead DEI learning spaces.

Our first Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) National Leadership Team (NLT) meeting on my calendar. This was the first time that the entire California, DEI team for 2022-2023 came together. During this meeting, I was able to hear accounts of long time DEI NTL memebrs within Rockethship. I was inspired for what my first year was going to look like and the impact that I would make on my campus

Execution Layer

Affirmations

As mentioned, students of color are faced with numerous stereotypes . These stereotypes can have large effects in students having negative self talk. As a Culturally Responsive Educator, I intentionally planned for students to engage in Positive Self talk through Affirmations. Students wrote "I am" statements on potsy notes.

I then took the affirmations students wrote and posted them to the threshold of my room. I also added a mirror in the middle. As students enter my space, they look in the mirror and tell themselves a positive affirmation to combat the messages society tells them.

Below are a few of the posty notes students created.

According to Costa (2000) employing "Habits of Mind" requires a composite of many skills, attitudes, and past experiences. It means that we value one pattern of thinking over another and we can use this pattern of thought when needed. The more I have students writing and staying positive affirmations, the stronger I make this habit of mind for them to use when needed. This sets students up to better handle life challenges, as their brain is patterned to see the good, and their skills to tackle the challenge.

In this video we see students entering the classroom, as they look in the mirror and tell themselves a positive affirmation. We see students, stopping, looking at themselves in the mirror and saying affirmations such as " I am dazzling, I am intelligent, I am glad to be who I am, and I am smart"

These statements are then brought back up throughout the lesson, when the topic is difficult, to remind students of their strengths.

Weekly Journals

Another way that I planned for building personal connections for students is having students engaged in weekly journals. As a teacher with over 28 students in one class, it can be challenging to build and sustain personal relationships with students. One way that I planned to combat this, is having students engage in daily journals. Students know that I care about what they have to say, and that I will respond to them.

Student #1 journal.pdf

Student # 1 Journal

Through reading student #1 journal, I learned that this student has a hard time expressing emotions. One question I asked was "When was the last time you felt happy" the student replied "I don't remember the last time I felt happy, I never am, I don't have feelings"

Student #2ournal.pdf

Student # 2 Journal

Through reading student #2 journal I learned, this student has had experiences of being left out. They shared a story of being at the park and their sister and friends did not want to play with them.

STUDENT JOURNAL #3.pdf

Student #3 journal

Through reading student #3 journal I learned, this students proudest moment was when they overcame their fear of going on an airplane and how important this way for them. I was also able to learn that this student plays soccer.

I am Poems

Another aspect of my teaching that is anchored in being a Culturally Responsive Teacher is to allow space for students to express themselves in the way they wish in a safe space that we as a class have created. I am intentional in allowing space for my students to engage in creative writing activities throughout the year. I Am poems, was an assignment in which students created a personal narrative poem, starting with ‘I Am’ with room for creativity and critical thinking practice and development for students.

I am Poem.pdf

I Am Poem Template

I am Poem Students 1,2,3.pdf

This document highlights three students 'I Am Poem'

We can see from the I Am Poems and Weekly Jounrals that my students have immense social emotion awareness. Students were able to express clear emotions and expressions of themselves such as ‘sad’, ‘black girl’, ‘not smart’ and “head is going to explode." As a Culturally Responsive Teacher I now had to respond to the social needs of my students. With learning that my students had immense emotions, I wanted to create a socially and intellectually safe learning environment for all. One way I started to create this space was reading books about emotions, such as ‘Find Your Calm’ by Gabi Garcia.

Find Your Calm Lesson Plan.pdf

Students then had a class dialogue in which students shared what different emotions look like/ feel like for them, and then strategies they can employ.

In this video we hear students share that worry for them feels like they lose their breath, heaviness and heat in their chest, and they shake in their feet and hands. Another student brought up the saying "there is an elephant on my chest" Further students note that worry for them feels like their hearts beat really fast, and head hurts with fast thoughts.

Next in our conservation we discuss what we can do. Students name actions such as, positive self talk. I ask students for an example, students name "I am strong" ,"I am amazing", and "I am worthy". Students also name the strategy of going for a walk, deep breathing, counting your fingers, and drawing.

Cultural Pride and Leadership

As a cultural responsive teacher it is my role to allow students to feel confident in themselves. An aspect of this is that students know their cultural, have space to learn more, than can teach their cultural to someone else. In addition, one of the best ways to plan for a culturally responsive classroom is to let students lead. In particular, to allow students to teach about their own culture, demonstrating pride, and deepening the connections within the classroom.

My Country Research Planner Adcoacy.pdf

This is the research planner used to students to research and organize facts about their country/ culture.

I then wanted space in the classroom for students to present about their culture. Each Friday we have "Culture Day '' in which students present to the class. Students were responsible for creating their own presentations within the groups they made. Having students create presentations and present it to the class demonstrates students higher order thinking skills as they had to research about their countries and decide what to include in their presentations for the class.

Fostering inclusion and awareness around multicultural education and taking a culturally responsive approach to teaching benefits all students. Not only does creating greater multicultural awareness and inclusion help students with different backgrounds and needs succeed, but it encourages acceptance and helps prepare students to thrive in an exponentially diverse world. When students leave my classroom they have more knowledge and awareness of other cultures, and know to show respect as they did to their peers in the classroom.

Below are three students presentations they created within groups on google slides.

Copy for JHU of the African brothers .pdf

Cultural Presentation: Ethiopian and Eritrean

Copy for JHU of About my culture.pdf

Cultural Presentation: Mexico

Copy for JHU of Black girls.pdf

Cultural Presentation: Black Culture

Below are videos of student presenting their Cultural Projects to the class.

Black Culture Presentation Video

Mexcian Culture Presentation Video

Ethiopian/Eritrean Presentation

Classroom Dialogue

Freire (2000) and Shor ( 1995) write in lengths about the use of classroom dialogue in a culturally responsive classroom. In particular, how the teacher is no longer merely the-one-who-teaches, but one who is himself is taught in dialogue with the students, who in turn while being taught also teach. This allows students the space to take lead in their learning and learn/ teach their peers. Every week students respond to a ‘Response to Literature” question as a group. During this time, I am circulating the room, and students are independently with their groups working to answer the question. The Cooperative Learning Institute defines cooperative learning as “the instructional use of small groups so that students work together to maximize their own and each other’s learning” (Johnson & Johnson, n.d. para. 5). In addition, Hardiman, in her text The Brain-Targeted Teaching Model for 21st-Century Schools, also calls on student collaboration as a brain targeted teaching strategy. She states that teachers should strive to design “instructional activities that are rigorous, engaging, differentiated, and meaningful” and she lists among these “creating opportunities for peer-tutoring and cooperative group work” (Hardiman, 2012, p. 47).

This is an example of a Response to Literature question that students worked on.

Below is a video of students within their groups working to complete the question.

In this video we see students in groups engaged in conservation with each other. One student tells his group ‘this is not enough evidence’ and then the group goes to find more evidence to back up their answer. This advice coming from a peer will have more impact than just myself telling them.

Students share that they are taking turns writing, and sharing their ideas. One student reminds his group ‘we need our closing sentence”. What we see is as students strive to “synthesize the big ideas, form opinions, and share,” high performing students support their peers that read at lower levels (Edutopia, 2019.) This is showing students the power and leadership they have within their own learning.

Additionally, cooperative work supports English Language Learners (ELL) growth through giving ELL students more practice speaking, listening, and receiving support from peers they may feel more comfortable with. Fenner and Snyder state that “pair and group work provide excellent opportunities for ELLs' oral language development because each student has more time to talk than in a large group discussion, and students often feel more comfortable sharing their ideas in a small group environment” (n.d., para. 2). I have witnessed this in my own classroom, with certain ELL students in the above video, growing in confidence to share aloud after having had support from a dual language peer.

TEDTalk - Critical Race Theory

As I mentioned in the beginning of this page when I think of Culturally Responsive Teaching, I first think of the system, power dynamics, and history of education which is, Critical Race Theory. Critical Race Theory sees past and current school systems as socially constructed to maintain the society order of stereotyping blacks as lesser humans, illiterate and criminals (Slavery by Another Name, 2012.)

This semester within one of my JHU courses, the professor asked us to choose any topic of interest, in which we would craft a script describing our topic. Then to record ourselves, TEDtalk style for the final assessment. Of course, my brain automatically chose Critical Race Theory for my topic. During my Race, Policy, and Education course at JHU two semesters ago, I had to analyze an old or past policy and prove how it upholds power dynamics within education. I looked at a House Bill that bans teachers from teaching certain concepts of race and racism in public schools outside of approved books within the curriculum. This Bill was passed that year in Tennessee, where I was teaching. This paper is one of the most influential papers on my career, in that it was the first time I got to dive into Critical Race Theory. I was thrilled to have the chance to come back to that paper to expand upon, and show the impact my education has had on my work within the classroom.

In my TEDTalk, I discuss what Critical Race Theory is, the important people who have founding research in Critical Race Theory. I also take a moment to note the importance of history, and take a look back to see how systems haven't gone away but have been transformed to maintain the racial power dynamics within society. I then speak upon how CRT is seen operating throughout education. First looking at CRT within the curriculum, and then how it was and is taught. Woodson, C.G in his book ‘The Mis Education argues that very few blacks have benefited from the education system, and have actually endured harm from the misinformation learned and social norms accepted.

I end my TEDTalk with highlighting what I do in my classroom to combat societal messages, uplift my student voices, remind me they are important, and teach them power and leadership skills within my classroom. I stop speaking and let you hear from my students. The Items that I mentioned within my TEDTalk, are also displayed here as well, the Daily Affirmations and Cultural Presentations.

CRT Section Conclusion & Reflection

Culturally responsive teaching is a living and breathing practice. It is a commitment that must be made by the educator in order to reach all of their students. It requires continuous reflection to be better equipped to serve students socially and academically. Culturally responsive teaching also differs year to year, as students' needs differ. Without it we would not be doing our most in closing the educational gap that exists within our country.

Engaging in this work makes teaching more beautiful as it teaches us about the rich and diverse cultures to allow us to view our students in a holistic way. Within my classroom I have taken steps to ensure that I am being culturally responsive through the steps that I have taken within my classroom such as, daily affirmations, weekly journals, community meetings, and cultural presentation has brought joy into the classroom for myself and the students. This work must continue to be done and adapted with each new class so that I can reach my students and meet their needs to better impact my students.

All children are capable of learning and engaging in higher level thinking, no matter their background. It is the responsibility of the educator to bridge the gap between the student and the skills demanded by the curriculum. This is done through a commitment to ongoing reflection so that we may become more culturally responsive in our teaching practice.

References

Page updated

Google Sites

Report abuse