Culturally Responsive School Leadership Essay

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.

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

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

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

For supervisors and teachers to promote a school culture that embraces and supports a diverse community, they should be culturally responsive. That is, they must believe that all students could potentially attain success in their academic endeavors. Students should also be provided with access to quality programs and services. Acknowledging their culture, language, and experiences can be helpful as well. These aforementioned factors must be utilized to facilitate the students’ learning and development. Glickman, Gordon, & Ross-Gordon (2014) made a powerful and profound statement about embracing and supporting culturally responsive schools. They said, “If we need to change schools and the way we teach to close the achievement gap, then addressing

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.

I would like to request approval to take an elective from another department during the Summer 2017 term. I do plan to take to take PAD 5035, Performance Management, but would also like approval to take one of the following courses below:

The principal understands the educational needs of the community and has structured the school around that concept. According to the article, Preparing and Supporting Diverse, Culturally Competent Leaders, “Educational leaders who are not culturally competent cannot be fully effective”

A key theme of this book is that effective leadership requires considerable self-knowledge about one's own cultural beliefs and assumptions. Terrell and Lindsey (2009) review historical and contemporary beliefs about race, ethnicity, language, gender, and social class, and they challenge readers to examine their own experiences and beliefs in these areas. They suggest that development of a culturally proficient perspective will help provide prospective leaders with an ethical framework for their

In the “It 's Not the Culture of Poverty, It 's the Poverty of Culture: The Problem with Teacher Education”, Ladson-Billings states that the shortcomings of the teacher education that educators receive when working with students. The problem is that teacher education is filled with certain perceptions and thoughts about the students beforehand and that can affect how they see and treat them in the classroom. One of the major points within the article is how culture has become the answer to most questions in education, even though there is a lack of understanding to what culture is and how it plays in education and using as to blame for problems that can occur with students. Another major point that is stated by Ladson-Billings is the idea of culture is being used incorrectly with education, culture is something that is not simply one thing but made up many different aspects and educators are using culture as a way to put down students and using it as justification for their shortcomings. In “Whose Culture Has Culture Capital?” by Tara Yosso, one of the main points is that racism is embedded in the systems implemented and therefore creates a hierarchy in society. As a result of the hierarchy, it implies that there are groups that are superior and some that are inferior. Another main point is that with this hierarchy, it creates this environment and divides people based on differences and it affects

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.

The focus of my reflection for last week encompassses Standard 3- Cultural Leadership. A petite five year old was the topic for an EC meeting and an unscheduled fire drill! This precious child is the victim of child abuse; fortunately, with the help of a caring foster family and school family, her resilience is shining through.

Global awareness and culturally responsive teachers are necessary for student achievement. Successful teachers need to understand how cultural differences effect student academic growth. In my own school, a young teacher was frustrated with her kindergarten student, a first-generation, Vietnamese-American, who refused to look at her and speak up. Unknown to this teacher was the fact that within this child’s culture, it is considered rude for children to look directly at adults, or even to speak to them when unsure of answers. This lack of knowledge and understanding on the part of the teacher created tension in the classroom and underscored an area for professional development for that teacher, specifically, and perhaps others as well.