Responsive Classroom Gap Analysis

There was a time when America was segregated; Caucasians and African Americans were forced to attend different restrooms, restaurants, and water fountains. However, the era of segregation has been terminated; now America embraces and appreciates the various cultures and ethnicities that create this melting pot several people call home. Likewise, it is this melting pot, or mosaic, of races that multitudes of individuals have identified themselves with. Thus, race and ethnicity does matter for it portrays vital and crucial roles in the contemporary American society. Furthermore, ethnicity and race brings communities together in unity, determines which traditions and ideals individuals may choose to value, and imposes an impediment for it categorizes humans unjustly.

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,

“Recent research suggest that racial/ethnic discrimination is a common experience for adolescents of color in schools and other public settings given the overabundance of negative stereotypes that situate Black and Brown youth as dangerous and threatening to society (Nicholas et al, 2008; Rose, 1994).” (Hope, Skoog, Jagers, 2014)

The United States has been plague with racism. While a percentage of Americans choose to deny the existence of it, the problem thrives. In the Brown vs. Board of Education of 1954, the separation of race in public school where outlawed. The southern states had a difficult time adapting to the change, thus causing riots and violence. After years of trying to overcome a dark past, we are still faced with the same problem 60 years later.

Today, we have a diverse student population within our public schools. However, more can still be achieved for equality in our society. The struggle with racism and segregation are still very present in America; we see proof of their existence in the news almost every day. The shootings in Charleston, SC and Ferguson, MO are evidence that heinous crimes, which extend beyond education, are still committed in America based on race. However, the removal of the Confederate flag and movements to end racially-motivated crimes are signs of

I don’t think there is one school district that is not fighting for or have some type of program in place to address the achievement between whites and student of color; but yet the issue doesn’t seem to be going away. As I reflect on the meaning of racism as defined by the authors, they also state that this mistreatment is carried out by societal institutions or people who have been conditioned by society to act, consciously or unconsciously in harmful ways towards people of color. Sadly, I fear that so many of our young people has or is falling prey to the transfer of racism. We (teachers, parents, and the community) have to acknowledge with our kids that race is part of their daily lives; but they do not need to conform and understand how to rise above the stereotypes through encouragement, high expectations, build caring relationships and self-confidence they will

Peter Marin writes about how America is not a “melting pot”. He mentions that though that might not be so bad for America, it does

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

Racial discrimination seems to be an ongoing issue throughout the world, in schools, and in the workplace. The academic success rate in teens and education is going down due to the amount of racial discrimination teens are facing. Most of these studies focus on the racial discrimination in adolescents, researchers are finding that it also has had a big impact on college students and their education.

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

Gaining learning and experience about other cultures background will enrich my multicultural knowledge. Therefore, as an educator I must learn about others culture. As I begin to learn about others cultures I will understand how values influence the ways families interpret the instruction that feels right to them. A close study on Figure 3.1 implies that a teacher’s point view or the way the students are treaty can affect their learning. It keeps narrating the story of a teacher that had to learn her students’ roots, their culture values, to get to know them in order to reach them in an academically level. The cultural values are very important and cannot be overlooked, they shape our intrinsic motivation. Many families try to keep their values and belief intact at home, so their children when they step in a classroom. Monica Brown, is the Department editor of Diversity Dispatch, argues in her article, Educating All Students: Creating Culturally Responsive Teachers, Classrooms, and Schools, that nowadays it is noticeable the diversity growths in schools, however, this is not the problem. The problem is the way teachers have responded to the diversity growth. (Brown, M. 2007). Therefore, this will affect the students learning. Brown cross with a strong point in regarding the lack of sensitivity some educators show towards their students’ culture. As educator I don’t want to be one of many teachers Monica Brown speaks on her article. I will understand that I must respect my

The United States has Changed from a Melting Pot to a Vast Culture with Varying Racial Backgrounds

Have you seen the news about racial discrimination reported so often? Racial Discrimination pops up a great deal of times and is everywhere. When some hear this word the image of a Muslim being hollered at or someone is beating them up. Maybe even a cop stopping a little African American boy just for walking down the sidewalk. One day you could walk past two people in a conversation then suddenly hear a racial slur. Whether we like it or not racial discrimination is everywhere. There are ways to stop it, but first people need to understand what it truly is, its history, what it’s become today, along with effects it has on individuals.

By the year 2060, minorities, now at 37 percent of the U.S. population, are projected to comprise 57 percent of the population. The total minority population would more than double, from 116.2 million to 241.3 million over the period (U.S. Census, 2012). The U.S. Census has projected the U.S. to become a majority-minority nation for the first time by 2043. Disparities in test scores start early as kindergarten and persist throughout 12th grade (US News, 2015). According to Forum on Child and Family Statistics, African American students score lower than White counterparts in reading, mathematics, science cognitive flexibility and approaches to learning (US News, 2015). These statistics demonstrate the diverse landscape and disparities in the

The biggest problem the United States is facing currently and has been, continuously, is racism. This form of prejudice has been seen and acknowledged everywhere from news stations to high schools and colleges. However, racism is usually paired with harsh results such as death, war, and hatred, which affect communities and various ethnic groups. According to sociology professors Yeonjin Lee, Mark Hatzenbuhler, and education personnel, Peter Muennig, Ichiro Kawachi, they discovered collective prejudice within black and white communities displayed a relationship of high mortality risk (2015). Although there are other effects, death and injury are two that encompass the whole issue. We have seen this in our media with the cases of African American college students being attacked on campus grounds to the shooting of Trevon Martin an African American boy who was shot by a neighbor. However, blacks are not the only ones being targeted, so are Muslims, indigenous people, and people of mixed races.