Cultural Responsibility Of Teachers Essay

What is culturally responsive teaching? Culturally responsive teaching as defined by Gay (2000) and quoted by Griner and Stewart says: “Culturally responsive teaching can be defined as using the cultural knowledge, prior experiences, frames of reference, and performance styles of ethnically diverse students to make learning encounters more relevant to and effective for them” (Griner and Stewart, 589). CRT has certain elements that give opportunities for students to be valuable assets to and in their education, such as: placing a value on the cultural groups and ethnicities students bring into the classroom and giving those cultures

Culturally Responsive Teaching is an emerging field that focuses on student cultural backgrounds and experiences in the development of pedagogy. According to Kea (2013) cultural difference is the single largest difference in U.S. schools and also the most neglected. The goal of Culturally Responsive Teaching is to provide an equal opportunity for all students to learn in school, regardless of their gender, social class, ethnic, racial or cultural characteristics (Banks 2005). Ladson-Billings (1994) suggest that the historic failings of educators in educating non-white students is that educators attempt to insert culture into education rather than insert education into the culture. In other words, educators are not providing an equal multi-culturally relevant education by bringing tokens of culture such as food, national flags, or maps from around the world into the classroom alone. Although these actions promote a sense of multiculturalism, an education that is relative to a diversity of cultures is not necessarily being provided. Culturally Responsive Teaching attempts to bring the various experiences of the student’s cultural home life into the classroom. Schmidt (2005) identifies seven characteristics that must be incorporated into curriculum in order to provide culturally responsive instruction. These characteristics are high expectations,

Public schools are beginning to see a shift in demographics in the United States. There is now a culturally diverse student population and educators need to respond to this shift in order to ensure an equal education for all students. Culture aids in determining how students learn, and culturally responsive teaching is a way teachers can educate culturally diverse students and provide an equal education for all. Culturally responsive teaching is defined by Geneva Gay as using the various characteristics, perspectives, and experiences of many cultures to effectively teach culturally diverse students (2000). Culturally responsive teaching prepares teachers to work with and teach a culturally diverse classroom of students and allows teachers to create a classroom environment that is similar to their students’ home environments so students do not have to assimilate to the dominant culture or change from their home culture to their school culture depending on their setting (Brown). Multicultural education is not only important for ensuring equal education for all students, but also creates youth who will be able to function and be effective citizens in a pluralistic society (Gay 2003). In order to implement culturally responsive teaching, teachers must acknowledge potential biases and reconstruct their attitudes, create a diverse knowledge base, be caring and empowering, and create a classroom environment that is conducive to a culturally diverse

For the purpose of this paper, I have read three different articles that all talk about the common theme of being culturally responsive in the classroom. They also touch on the issue of social justice oriented classrooms. From these articles I will share what I have learned and how they tie into my life as I enter into my teaching career and become a culturally responsive teacher that makes sure to follow social justice.

This first chapter has quick insights of how Cultural Competence could be so effectively with children. What this chapter made me recognized is that it’s essential to building a relationship with students. As the text points that students may be more comfortable with a teacher of their own background, regardless of the teachers background the true success of having a learning environment is based on a sensitive, caring and committed teacher. Having teachers getting to know their students would be encouraging for a teacher-student relationship student might discovery acceptance and comfort in having someone who provides stability and structure by getting to know them. Additionally, teachers should not be scared to permit themselves to be taught

Culturally Responsive Teaching is a pedagogy that recognizes the importance of including students' cultural references in all aspects of learning (Ladson-Billings, 1994). This approach to teaching encompasses how knowledge is both communicated and perceived by the students. The teacher must have a good relationship with the parents, have high expectations, learn about their students culture, have culturally mediated student-centered instruction, willing to reshape the curriculum, and be a facilitator in order to accomplish this method of teaching. These are key points a teacher must be willing to do if they intend to be an effective teacher especially in a highly culturally diverse area like central

Gay (2000) defined culturally responsive teaching as “using the cultural knowledge, prior experiences, frames of reference, and performance styles of ethnically diverse students to make learning encounters more relevant to and effective for them. It is culturally validating and affirming” (p. 29). A quality education requires all students to be exposed to a variety of cultural perspectives that are representative of the nation at large. According to Ladson-Billings (1994), culturally responsive pedagogy must meet three criteria: “An ability to develop students academically, a willingness to nurture and support cultural competence, and the development of a sociopolitical or critical consciousness” (p. 483). Educational institutions have the charge of providing culturally diverse students with equitable educational opportunities as all other non-minority students.

After reading Geneva Gay’s article Preparing for Culturally Responsive Teaching I realized my pedagogy is culturally responsive in many ways. For one, I always

Race, Gender, Class, and ethnicity are the fabrics that form a Multicultural Society. As a teacher, it is important to think about my students’ various cultures and influences their cultures possess over their learning. After all, students are taught within the context of culture. Culture is what we teach whether it is explicit or institutional. Culture is integral to learning, considering culture is dependent on education for its survival. Culture is transferred from one generation to the next using informal or formal education (Convertino, Levinson, Gonzalez 27). As teachers, we should ensure our instruction is relevant to our students, otherwise they will lose interest, and then, they will never learn (Banks 2013). So, teachers should approach their students within a culturally relevant pedagogy.

In order to develop an effective culturally responsive framework, Utely, Obiakor, and Bakken (2011) define culture as the “unique blending of characteristics among individuals within groups and may include variables such as socioeconomic status, life experiences, gender, language, education, sexual orientation, psychological state, and political viewpoints.” Culturally responsive teaching principles are used to empower the student by using their cultural background. Teaching is based on their strengths to include various learning styles, cultural knowledge, and it should be “actively construed” so students can

Sullivan (2010) says this type of approach is “underpinned by an ethos of respect, care, responsibility, and substantive transformation of discriminatory systems.” Teachers must exhibit a level of concern for their students to help them excel. Glickman, Gordon, & Ross-Gordon (2014) demonstrated other ways culturally responsive teachers can cater to a diverse community. Incorporating linguistic diversity, learning about the students’ families and communities to integrate into teaching, utilizing the students’ strengths to help them learn, creating a collaborative classroom environment to reflect a variety of beliefs, enforcing behavioral and academic guidelines, and highlighting the issues of race and culture in an effort to promote awareness and overcome these challenges (p.

Ladson-Billings (1994) describes the culturally responsive classroom as “a pedagogy that empowers students intellectually, socially, emotionally, and politically by using cultural referents to impart knowledge, skills, and attitudes.” I’m in total agreement with their definition because I’ve personally witnessed the power of embedding relatable aspects of students’ daily lives into the curriculum. Four years ago, I moved from Memphis, TN to the Bronx, New York for the sole purpose of diversifying my teaching career and expanding my repertoire as an educator. I had very knowledge about the community of students I served. As a matter of fact, I had never seen a Dominican, Haitian, or Puerto Rican in my whole life. I had a complete culture

Being a culturally responsive teacher is more than implementing multicultural activities and programs within the classroom. It involves confronting issues of power and privilege that arise in the face of diversity, and recognizing the influence this has on a child’s ability to learn. This is particularly difficult in the field of education. Teachers are required to respect the values that are associated with every child’s culture, and the many differences amongst them including, physical and mental ability, gender, ethnicity, race, socioeconomic status, language, religion, sexual orientation, geography, and age. As a result, today’s teachers have to be able to separate their professional and private lives and ignore any bias in the latter.

To promote a working level of cultural competence in the school, we would need to address the fact that minorities aren’t always granted the opportunity to receive high standards of education. Providing quality education should be universal, but that’s not always the case. Minorities are categorized by their socioeconomic status in relation to misconceived ideas about race. Being culturally competent is importance because it allows leaders

A culturally responsive environment in the classroom is essential in building the bridge between home culture and a school culture. Also it is vital to ensure that all students are able to succeed by incorporating and understanding students cultural beliefs and practices. As becoming a culturally responsive teacher means being able to appreciate, understand, and work with children and families from different cultures. ( Coleman, p.177). Developing a positive mind set and the reality check #2: Teachers need not give up on their own family values in order to resect the family values of others.( Coleman, p28). It is important to be open minded to other people different family structures and beliefs.