CRC Winter 2020 DQ II
Discussion Questions - Section II
Answer the following questions by responding below. Please be precise in your answers and respond to 2 other participants. You will screenshot your responses and include them in your LRP.
- What did you learn from these articles and videos?
- What do you do to make your students feel comfortable in your classroom?
- How important is creating a culturally responsive classroom for you?
- How have these articles and videos influenced your view/teaching pedagogy in culturally responsive classrooms?
- Do you think culturally responsive classrooms can benefit you as a teacher and the school as a whole? If so, how? If not, why?
The articles and videos demonstrate the importance of establishing a student centered, culturally responsive classroom in which student's cultures are identified and promoted for student well-being and greater achievement. Since we get a variety of students from different countries at Hokulani Elementary School, we need to be cognizant of their needs. I like to have students share about their families and their traditions through interviewing their grandparents and parents. It's really interesting when the students start talking about their family traditions because they get to see the differences and how similar their families truly are. I also like to share literature that exhibits different cultures and how they might be feeling. Incorporating SEL strategies helps students feel like they belong.
ReplyDeleteCreating a culturally responsive classroom is very important to me because it shows my students that I care and respect them and their families. The articles and videos reminded me of ways that I can begin to reinforce my belief and understanding of having a culturally responsive classroom. I especially liked the article "Reading Your Way to a Culturally Responsive Classroom" because I love reading literature stories to students as introductions to units of studies and for everyday read aloud stories. It's amazing how students still love read aloud stories in 2nd grade.
Culturally responsive classrooms benefit me as a teacher and the whole school. A good example can be seen in the video "Education: Culture Matters". It demonstrated that when the whole school is culture or community based, students thrive in a learning process that pertains to them. Each community is different and each community needs to discover what will work for them. It seemed that the community based learning happened across the various grade levels and amongst the teachers as well. There needs to be that genuine care and respect between the groups. i wonder how we could achieve that community based learning, when test scores are an important factor in education. How would our school bridge those two factors?
I agree with you that having the students share about their families and go through activities like interviewing family members can really help students get to know each other. It also gives them an opportunity to explore their differences and similarities. I think it is also good for teachers to learn about their families and background as well. Being able to incorporate their culture and differences can help build the relationship between peers too. SEL strategies are also important in helping teach students about their emotions and how to form positive relationships. I teach 2nd grade as well and I read to my students everyday; there are so many amazing books. I thought it was also interesting how the article explained that not exposing students to multicultural books could lead to subconscious white privilege ideas(being that is what a lot of books' themes come from). It just goes to show how early on children learn and how important it is to provide a culturally responsive classroom. I also wonder about test scores and how little they reflect the true learning that could occur when SEL and culturally responsive classrooms are viewed as more important than only these subject scores.
DeleteDona Ahuna
DeleteMahalo Lynn for sharing your mana'o. I like how you have your students share their family traditions and how they can see for themselves how similar cultures are and how they can celebrate the differences. I too believe that incorporating social emotional learning and cultural awareness in the classroom can have a profound effect on students' well-being. I also agree that using literature to teach about cultures is a very positive platform, however, I think that we still have to inspire more ethnic writers to publish more books. We need more books about every culture, every race, and every family.
Communities are different and each has its own unique needs just like schools, but I think a commonality that we all share is the need to understand each other's culture to create mutual respect and regard for one another. I too agree that our communities benefit when our classrooms are culturally responsive.
That is a great question that you ask. Right now during this pandemic, I feel that every lesson that I do face to face or distance learning is so crucial to their academic learning that I honestly do leave out fun activities I used to do that incorporate their families and their culture. I feel like time is of the essence and since we are still taking the SBA, I feel as though I need to at least expose my students to the content that they will be tested on. But after reading the articles and watching the videos I can still incorporate culturally responsive teaching through short stories as you mentioned too.
DeleteHaving good communication with our student's parents is a good way to learn their cultures. Some parents are very shy because they feel that they are not welcome or sometimes shy of their culture. Incorporating their culture in the classroom will make them feel accepted and when they do that they will be more open to helping their students in the classroom and in school.
DeleteHi Lynn, It is awesome to see that you incorporate having your elementary students share about their families traditions! I really liked how you did that by having your student interview their grandparents! I recently did something similar with my Juniors this past Thanksgiving. It was really neat to see my students write about a particular celebration that their familyʻs ancestors celebrated in their home country. I learned so much doing that writing activity and my students really took pride in their work! Great job!
DeleteThese articles and videos made me realize just how important it is to reach students on their level. The part in the article about learning styles was interesting to me. During my professional career looking at the way students learn has kind of been on the forefront. Building relationships has always been an important part of creating a welcoming environment. Really getting to know the background of the students is really important as well.
ReplyDeleteIn my own classroom I make students feel comfortable by establishing routines in the beginning of the year. I do the best I can to create a warm and welcoming environment with positive peer interactions. I build relationships with the students and try to ensure a positive environment so that they create positive relationships too. Creating a culturally responsive classroom is important to me.
Understanding the background and culture of students and really connecting the content they are learning to where they are and who they are can make an impact. The video explained that there is data now that shows how creating this kind of classroom has lasting effects. When students know they belong and have a sense of security and trust they are going to learn better. Their brains are going to be able to make the connections; especially if their prior knowledge and experiences are taken into consideration. The videos and articles really show what an impact it can have and I want to be able to best reach my students. If I can teach more effectively by learning more about them and how I can reach them it will help lead them to success in school and life.
A culturally responsive classroom could benefit me as a teacher because in creating this kind of classroom it builds relationships and trust. Understanding my students and where they come from and their backgrounds can help me teach them better. As a school creating this environment and having it be known that each student is accepted and that each and every person wants them to succeed will help the students learn they can. Supporting the students from all aspects from classroom to the school as a whole will help create a more positive environment where they begin to truly believe they can succeed no matter their uniqueness.
Dona Ahuna
DeleteAloha and mahalo for your comments. It's true that trust begins to form by building relationships with our students. As you mentioned, building a relationship creates a welcoming classroom environment. I think that building relationships with the families are important as well. When you establish a relationship with parents and caretakers, it's easier to address the needs of the student.
I like the way you create a positive environment for your students especially with peer interactions and how learning and understanding your students' cultures help to connect content. This is so important because it's meeting the students where they are in time and space as you so eloquently put it. These practices do benefit the students as well as the teacher because of the authentic connections and relationships that are established. You hit the nail on the head by saying that culturally responsive classrooms fosters acceptance and that it becomes a part of the school environment. This ultimately leads to student success.
Aloha,
DeleteI agree that building relationships with students is a crucial part to creating a welcoming environment. By creating a culturally responsive space it adds another level of depth that gives me a deeper understanding of each student and their needs. As an academy counselor it is important for me to get to know each student on a deeper level so that I can provide the right supports that will help meet their needs. In my experience, students are more receptive when they are included in the counseling process and their ideas/thoughts are validated. They are more open to sharing about themselves which is inclusive of their culture and background. We then try to make connections with how this could have an impact on how they make decisions and respond to certain situations.
I agree with you all! I found the article and videos to be confirming of my values regarding a culturally responsive classroom. It is hugely important! Upon diving into this course, I started to think about my own cultural background and how it may affect my teaching, my students and the culture of our class. I teach ELA and social studies and we talk alot about ethnicity, race and cultural similarities and differences. Understanding and acceptance of others is critical. These open forum discussions are inclusive and accepting of everyone and allow students to feel comfortable in who they are. There is not a huge amount of diversity at my school, but enough to embrace. I believe a fully culturally responsive classroom/school can benefit me as a teacher because it secures the connections and relationships between me and my students. We all know making connections with our students is key to a healthy classroom community. Thank you all for sharing, Holly Kemsley
DeleteDona Ahuna
ReplyDeleteI have learned that to truly have a culturally responsive classroom, a teacher has to know and understand his or her own culture. A teacher also has to know and understand the cultures of his or her students in the classroom. When the teacher establishes that foundation, then the other pieces for a culturally responsive classroom can start to take shape. I have learned that one facet to a culturally responsive classroom include having a teacher who incorporates the cultures of the students into the instruction and curriculum. This is new for me because I have never thought of incorporating cultures in other subject areas besides Social Studies or English Language Arts. Another facet is a teacher who has an awareness of the concepts of White privilege that can be shown through various forms of racism and biases. When a teacher is aware of this, she or he can make sure that other cultures are equally represented throughout the curriculum. Students will thrive when they see their cultures in books, art, science, and other subjects. They can make connections and can see themselves as equal to others. Sharing other cultures and intentionally planning to address race in the classrooms create and foster harmony and understanding. Teachers should enact a color awareness approach as opposed to a color blindness approach when addressing culture and race.
To make students feel comfortable in my classroom I would have them share about themselves. They would share their full names and the story about their names. They would share their favorites such as color, toy, book, food etc. They would share about their families and pets. We would also have "Warrior Connect" circle in the morning where students could share how they are feeling and why. If something serious came up, I would talk to them privately and ask if they needed to talk to a school counselor.
Creating a culturally responsive classroom is very important for me because I see the value in learning about different cultures. I see different ethnicities as an asset and not a deficit. There is so much to learn about cultures and have a better understanding about the dynamics of the students' family life. I think a culturally responsive classroom fosters inclusivity of all.
These articles and videos have confirmed by own beliefs about the importance of ones cultural identity. I think that more colleges need to have courses on cultural responsiveness especially for those who are majoring in education. Cultural responsiveness has to be incorporated in all areas of education from pre kindergarten to college.
Culturally responsive classrooms can and do benefit me as a teacher. More culturally responsive classrooms are an asset to a school campus because there will be less racial biases that are prevalent among teacher colleagues, administration, students, and families. When schools can break down the barriers around racism through cultural responsiveness, our communities will benefit and inequities will be addressed. The benefits are like a ripple effect starting with one pebble thrown into the center, but the effects reach the entire pond.
I also took away the idea that to have a culturally responsive classroom you must also be aware of your own culture as well as any biases that may be there. Truly understanding ourselves will help us teach our students more effectively. The part in your response where you said, "I see different ethnicities as an asset and not a deficit." really made me think about the way I learned about different cultures when I was in school. Learning about our students' cultures and integrating the importance of learning about differences can help create a more solid student community in the classroom and school wide. Breaking down racism in the classroom and making sure educators are aware of how to create a culturally responsive classroom is important in guiding future generations. I agree with your analogy at the end too; creating these kinds of communities will create a ripple effect and the benefits are clear through the research that has been done so far.
DeleteHi, Dona.
DeleteYou made numerous great points in your response. I completely agree with you that the typical way one would incorporate culture would be through either social studies or english. However, as you stated, it's definitely possible to do so in other subject areas as well! It could be as simple as a changing a math word-problem to reflect a more "local" character and situation. I also agree with you that ethnic differences are an asset rather than a deficit. Your exercise of having students share a little about themselves is a great activity and chance for students to be proud of who they are, as well as the class to better understand each other to see how they can build positive relationships. Thanks for sharing- Donald D.
One of my favorite activities to help my students share their culture is helping me decorate my windows. I have large glass windows in my room, that are divided into 12 panes about the size of a piece of paper. I have my students write and draw about themselves to help decorate the windows. They need to make a rough draft, and then a final copy before it is displayed. During this time, I would give my students the opportunity to represent their culture by letting them research where they are from, flags and traditions. When the drawings are ready to be placed, I give the students an option to present their work and then let them place it on the window. It stays there all year. I use that art as a tool to help learn about my students. Many of them are multilingual but not marked as EL, so I will ask them if they speak another language with their families and tell them how impressed I am that they can speak more than one language. It helps to build relationships with my students as well, because they can see who shares traditions, languages and favorite things.
DeleteDaphna Ehrenhalt
Aloha Dona,
DeleteI agree with you that to truly have a culturally responsive classroom, a teacher has to know and understand his or her own culture. I didn't initially think of this, but you are so right! Thank you for this realization. I also agree that a teacher also has to know and understand the cultures of his or her students in the classroom. This might take a lot of effort. I have students from all over the world, but after taking this course I realize how important this is. I need to make that extra effort to learn about other cultures.
I really like your ideas on how to make students feel comfortable. I do something very similar. I have my students share about themselves including tell the class about their families as well as about their favorites. The "Warrior Connect" circle in the morning sounds effective. It gives the students an opportunity first thing in the morning to express themselves and communicate their feelings. It 's definitely important to talk to them privately and refer them to a counselor if needed. Great job! Keep up the good work.
I agree that a culturally responsive classroom is very important. Our students will only reach their full potentials when they are accepted for who they are. I too see different ethnicities as an asset. Life would be so boring if we all looked the same! Lastly, a culturally responsive classroom fosters inclusivity for everyone. Our students deserve to feel accepted. I teach Kindergarten and its super important at this age and all ages for our students to not feel excluded but rather feel part of an 'ohana.
I agree that more teachers need to learn about culturally responsive classrooms. I don't remember taking a course in college on this. Maybe I did, but I have been out of college for over 20 years so perhaps I just forgot. With this being said, professional development made should be made mandatory for our teachers.
I appreciate your thoughts on how culturally responsive classrooms can benefit you as a teacher. I feel the same way that if there were more culturally responsive classrooms at a school that there would be less racial biases among everyone! You are exactly right. The more we are educated the better. The ripple effect is a perfect way to explain it. One pebble thrown into the center can reach the entire pond. Perhaps you can be that one pebble in your school! Best wishes, Sierra Mahin
Hi Daphna, I really identify with your comments, especially being open about being part of the LGBTQ+ community. I, too, share who I am and show pictures of my family including my wife and our combined eight children. This allows for my students to know me on a deeper personal level and, like you, several have shared how they identify. If I am vulnerable to them, I am hoping they can be vulnerable to me and hopefully to their classmates. Diversity is real. I want to have conversations and expose my students to all sorts of cultures, people and places. This will foster acceptance of differences, compassion and respect(I hope).Thank you for sharing, Holly
DeleteAfter reading your post, I really liked how you talked about building that foundation of knowing our own culture first and then learning the culture of our students. I never thought about it that way and I completely agree that we need to be comfortable with our own culture first before we begin to explore those of our students. Thank you for putting it into perspective for me like this. I will definitely use this as my foundation as I build a culturally responsive classroom.
DeleteAloha Dona!
DeleteI appreciated the fact that you were reflective in your own practice and did not initially think of integrating culture into content areas outside of ELA and Social Studies. I did not either. I teach Middle School Math and the kids at our school would not normally understand the examples since they talked about snow, bridges, deep ponds, horse drawn carriages and the like. I have since made it a point to find curriculum examples that they can relate to or have had an experience with. Our Native population is roughly 94% at our school so giving the kids the chance to see themselves in the stories or problems helps them tremendously to connect and to draw from their own understanding. I also like that you mentioned the teacher also has to know their own culture to build a culturally responsive classroom. I had different ethnicities and so do many of our kids. We are a Hawaiian focused charter school so I have to be mindful that kids come with a mixed plate of cultures and each one is important to highlight! And one thing that I have taken away from your post an absolutely has touched my heart was your implementation of "Warrior Connect Circle" which helps them socio-emotionally to talk about things and find solutions to move forward. That was not an important aspect while we were growing up so I love that you found a way to get kids to connect to their feelings and find a safe space to share it.
Daphna Ehrenhalt
ReplyDelete1. What I learned from these articles and videos is that the teacher should make the first move. We must make our classrooms open and inviting from the beginning of the year, so that students will be comfortable to express themselves, giving students differentiated instruction to allow access. To do this, teachers need to do their own research into the cultures represented within their classroom each year. This is not a one and done exercise, however, it can be scaffolded and built upon.
2. In my physical classroom, what I have done to make my students feel comfortable is through two different methods. First, as a teacher in Hawai’i, I have books, posters and decorations that reflect the culture of Hawai’i as well as other cultures represented at our school. I have searched for books in various languages represented in the Pacific Islands. When I worked in Philadelphia, the majority of my students were Black and Latinix, and from all over the globe. I made it a point to find books that represented themselves in my room. Second, as a member of the LGBTQ+ community, I wanted to make sure LGBTQ+ students felt represented in my classroom, and I did so by color-coding my room in rainbows. This was a small way for my students who understood that a rainbow was a symbol of gay pride, knew I was a safe space for them to come out and simply exist without being bullied. For every year that I have taught middle school, I have had at least one student come out to me before their parents.
3. It is extremely important for me to create a culturally responsive classroom because without it, many of my students would not feel comfortable enough to learn with me. The more they see themselves in the classroom and curriculum, the more they will be willing to try again. I’ve seen students who are underrepresented give up easily because they don’t see anyone like them succeeding. There are no stories with them as a main character. When they see people like them in places of power, they understand that they can do it too. It is finding the right materials and supports that need to be put in place to empower my students.
4. These articles and videos reflect my own beliefs as a teacher. As I am learning more about the culture of where I live, I recognize how important it is for that to be represented in my classroom and in the work my students do. When planning for the 20-21 curriculum, I voiced that we needed to look at more diverse characters in the novels we were using. We ended up creating a unit on Hello Universe by Erin Entrada Kelly. The novel had a Filipino boy as one of its main characters, and this child was in a SPED program! The novel didn’t just focus on him, there were other characters who were equally diverse. One of the novels from the year before was The Giver by Lois Lowry, and that is a fine novel, but the main character was a white boy who lived in a mostly utopian society. So much of his expositional surroundings had to be explained to my students because they couldn’t imagine having all of the things they needed at their fingertips, or a world where everyone was “equal”. When we finally had a chance to use another novel, Hello Universe was so much more accessible. The articles and videos cemented that I am on the path to creating a culturally responsive classroom.
5. I believe having a culturally responsive classroom can benefit me as a teacher, and my school as a whole because my students would see my room as a place where they can be who they truly are. A safe place for them to exist and grow without the boundaries that society has put upon them. Talking openly about race and culture will make that space safe. As someone who is not from Hawai’i, I make it clear to my students that I want to learn about their cultures because my own education had not taught me much. Being open to my students shows them that I care for them and who they are.
Hi, Daphna.
DeleteYou made some very interesting points, many of which resonate with me. I agree with you that we need to be culturally responsive from the beginning of the year. That way, we can create a classroom environment that is safe, inclusive, and respectful of each others similarities and differences from the start. This in turn will create a more positive learning environment.
I also agree with you that creating a CRC promotes trust and respect between teacher and student. Without it, students are not likely inclined to do the work or tasks they need to complete. Or, they may not be comfortable reaching out for help if they feel that they are "excluded" or "different." Great points overall! Donald D.
I completely agree about the teacher needing to make the first move. One sign that you care or are interested could be all one student needs to open up and grow. I am so glad to hear that you try your very best to differentiate your lessons and take the time to research cultures. This is something I personally need to work on. One of my first connections with my students tends to be about food. I love to eat any type of cuisine and this is an easy segway into connecting with them. I truly love what you've done to your classroom with the rainbows. Students should definitely be able to express themselves culturally, but also express other aspects of growing up. One of those factors could even be breaking away from a traditional culture so students could freely express love. If being culture or sexuality, if a student is happy and comfortable in your class, they are ready to learn.
DeleteI agree that as teachers, we make and should make the first move to establishing the environment on how we want our classrooms to be all year. Being that you're not from Hawaii, I really appreciate reading how much you care about your students and your eagerness to learn about there cultures.
Delete1. What did you learn from these articles and videos?
ReplyDeleteI learned that a CRC strives to motivate students of an ethnic minority, who- historically- have struggled in their academics and have been socially ostracized due to their differences with their peers and potentially even their teachers. Having a CRC not only embraces cultural differences, but it also works towards finding commonalities between all students, no matter their culture or ethnic heritage. Culturally responsive teaching is designed to help empower students by using meaningful and relevant cultural connections to foster academic and social success, as well as awareness towards every single students’ culture; not just the majority.
2. What do you do to make your students feel comfortable in your classroom?
Currently, I try to build a rapport and connections with them. I feel that I personally build successful relationships with many students, however, it is difficult to build relationships with EVERY student. By building a connection, students are more likely to trust me and therefore know that I genuinely care about them as a person. This leads to them feeling comfortable and safe while in my class.
3. How important is creating a culturally responsive classroom to you?
It is VERY important; probably one of the most important elements in my opinion. Creating a CRC means that there is also cultural INCLUSION and makes people feel safe and welcomed.
4. How have these articles and videos influenced your view/teaching pedagogy on culturally responsive classrooms?
These videos and articles have influenced my pedagogy for a CRC by bringing to light that in order to best suit my students, I need to be as culturally inclusive as possible. This led me to embrace the differences of my students even more than I already have, and to adjust curriculum (where possible) to incorporate culture at the community level to be relevant to their immediate lives and surroundings.
5. Do you think culturally responsive classrooms can benefit you as a teacher and the school as a whole? If so, how? If not, why?
Yes, CRC’s can definitely benefit me as a teacher and my school community as a whole. I learned in the videos and articles that it is not only important to recognize and be cognizant of cultural differences, but to EMBRACE them as well so that students feel respected and not “out of the circle.” It is also important to find similarities within cultures in the classroom and school. That way, everyone can build positive relationships.
I agree complete with your your statement about finding similarities within cultures. I love the idea that even though we are different, we are alike in so many ways. It really is a beautiful thing to think about. This idea not only builds positive relationships between students and teachers, but they will feel happy and comfortable in your classroom. A happy and comfortable student makes the primed and ready for learning. And though it is difficult to build a relationship with every student, the ones that need it the most are sometimes the hardest to get through too. The others will happily and easily follow. Hopefully this can be done by incorporating more levels of a CRC into your own classroom.
DeleteI totally agree that our students that are members of the minority are very shy of their culture. Showing them that their culture is as important as the other student's culture or the teacher's culture will give more confidence. They will feel important as well. When they feel accepted, they will have the confidence to shine.
DeleteI agree with your comment about cultural inclusion. We often talk about inclusion with our SPED students, but we rarely talk about including our ELs or our first generation students. Creating space for them is really important because in that space, they can feel safe enough to share who they are with us and the class.
ReplyDelete- Daphna Ehrenhalt
I learned a lot from a lot from the articles and videos. They also built upon prior knowledge that I have already researched. My biggest take from them was the importance of connecting with your students, giving them the safe space to be themselves, and having a strong sense of community in the classroom. All of these aspects deal with incorporating and acknowledging everyone's unique cultures into every lesson. I also took in the point of not only recognizing the cultures of the students, but also knowing and honoring their learning styles.
ReplyDeleteAs a middle school RTI math teacher, many of my students are EL students. They, or their parents, come from different parts of the world. I have some, but not many Hawaiians in my classes as well. I use the DOE Google meets. This gives me the opportunity to greet each student individually. I take this time to greet them in their culture’s unique greeting. They at first thought it was silly, but now seem very comfortable returning the gesture. I also try to take math, which can be very abstract, and incorporate it into real world lessons and problem solving. This usually starts out with a class discussion. I typically ask students how their family does certain things or what traditions they follow. It is always a great discussion. These students are learning about me and each other. I always relate or share how my family celebrates and does things.
Creating a culturally responsive classroom is very important to me. Through my research, I know that having a CRC is a major key to having students feel comfortable and safe in my classroom. Students that feel this way have a very calm amygdala. This part of the brain can easily be over activated. Once that happens, the students' hippocampus can not work to its fullest ability. So, they end up not storing information into their memory. This being said, a happy, calm, and comfortable student’s brain is prepared to learn more; and part of a happy, calm, and comfortable setting is a culturally responsive classroom.
These articles and videos have put more of a light on how important it is to have a culturally responsive classroom. I now know that I need to also incorporate lessons/activities that meet every student's learning style. I am hoping this class will give me more ideas on how to make my virtual math lesson more culturally responsive.
I do believe that having a culturally responsive classroom is great for the teachers, students, schools, and communities. Not only will students gain more from their teacher’s lessons, but there will be a strong bond and sense of togetherness in all of the tiers of education. I am sure most teachers would agree that, not only when their students are learning in your classroom, but when they are willing to open up and be themselves, it is a joy and one of the reasons I became a teacher.
Brittney, I also have conversations with my students about traditions, especially more so around the holidays. Itʻs fun to listen to my studentʻs share their stories with each other and respond positively to them. These conversations can definitely help calm the amygdala because they are talking about something familiar and safe to them. Since, their amygdala is calm, learning can occur. But I agree with you about the math lessons, I hope this course will provide us strategies to make distance learning math lessons more culturally responsive.
DeleteThank you for your insight and stating your three key takeaways. I agree that building a connection, providing a safe environment, and having a strong sense of community in the classroom are three fabulous ways to begin the process of creating a culturally responsive classroom. Another valuable part of your reflection that is worth responding to is that the majority of your students come from around the world. I think that a very important part of this PD for me, is to remember that by simply incorporating Hawaiian culture in the classroom, I am still falling short of my goal to create a culturally inclusive classroom, because as you stated- not all of my class is Hawaiian. But, I do feel that by introducing the students to the Ha Framework, we can begin conversations regarding Belonging, and tie it all back to the fact that we are all living in Hawaii and we need to respect and learn about the culture here. I think that the Ha Framework is quite flexible in terms of creating an inclusive environment for everyone. Personally, I am currently trying to expand my knowledge of other cultures in order to really generate connections with everyone in the classroom. One of the best ways to do so, I believe, is to allow my students to teach me about their own cultures.
DeleteI learned about the historical roots and reasons why culturally responsive teaching came about. This was to close the achievement gap between white students and students of color. With the increase of culturally diverse students, and having 90% of teachers identify as white, it makes sense why there might be a disparity level of student achievement. However, I know that not all white teachers fall into this category. I also learned that culturally responsive teaching means to infuse culture into the curriculum and empower learners to be engaged in what they are learning. But in order to have a culturally responsive classroom, it is important for teachers to get inservice training about multicultural education.
ReplyDeleteAs a fifth grade general education teacher I help make my students feel comfortable in the classroom by having small conversations before class starts with groups of students about what they enjoy and what they do at home with their families. I find that these conversations make them feel happy by talking about what they like and in turn makes them feel like they can trust me and are safe.
I believe that creating a culturally responsive classroom is very important as it highlights everyoneʻs culture, strengths, and uniqueness. Also, when cultures are at the forefront, students have a sense of pride in who they are as a person and who they represent in school.
After watching the videos and reading the articles, it is very apparent how effective culturally responsive teaching can affect learners of all ages. I thought "Reading Your Way to a CRC" was very inspiring as it shared ideas of picture books that I can potentially read to my students. I thought that reading picture books is a safe way to open up a conversation about race and ethnicity.
I believe that having a culturally responsive classroom is beneficial for myself and my school as strong relationship will be created and there will be an overall increased engagement in class. Also, having a CRC will allow students to feel safe in the classroom and at school.
What did you learn from these articles and videos?
ReplyDeleteFrom the articles and videos, I learned that culturally responsive teaching is knowing the cultures and backgrounds of your students and integrating the values into your teaching practices. It is important for teachers to make the first steps when sharing about their backgrounds. I was also reminded that we need to consider that male and female cultures are important to discuss and bring awareness to. I liked how the second video talked about using current events as teaching opportunities to address culture because students will be able to see how what they are learning in class is directly applicable to society.
What do you do to make your students feel comfortable in your classroom?
I try to make sure that students feel comfortable by letting them talk about things without being judged or teased by their classmates. I try to make our classroom a safe place where students can share things. One of our units that we study is about different winter celebrations around the world. We compare different customs, clothing, countries' flags, food, etc. during this unit. Since I teach kindergarten, I make sure that I model positive ways of reacting to new things. I think it is important that I set the tone for how to react to something different and teach students the language that is appropriate for dealing with seeing something new and different. I teach them reaction phrases like “Wow that’s really cool!” or “I’ve never seen that before.” and then teach them to ask questions about it so that they can learn what it is like “What does that taste like?” or “How did you make that?” or “Where did that come from?”. I want to teach them how to be open minded about new things. Then when we start doing show and tell in the second semester, they will feel safe to share and talk about what they want with the peers.
Another really simple thing that I do is using clipart that my students can relate to when I have to make a worksheet or slideshow. For example, for my math slideshows I will use clipart of plumerias, slippers, spam musubis, taro, etc. because that is what they are familiar with. It gets them really excited because they are able to connect to the pictures that they see. And sometimes only a few students know the clipart so they have the opportunity to be the teacher and share what they know about that clipart.
How important is creating a culturally responsive classroom to you?
I think it is really important to create a culturally responsive classroom because I think this is an important part of helping students be successful in the future. We can’t ignore students’ backgrounds and races because dealing with these things is important as an adult. So it only makes sense that we start by making our classrooms culturally responsive so that our students can broaden their understanding of different cultures.
How have these articles and videos influenced your view/teaching pedagogy on culturally responsive classrooms?
Yes. The articles and videos have made me more aware of being socially responsive. I hope that I will learn from this course how to do a better job of making my classroom culturally responsive. This would definitely help me be a better educator and help me connect with my students.
Do you think culturally responsive classrooms can benefit you as a teacher and the school as a whole? If so, how? If not, why?
A culturally responsive classroom will help create stronger relationships between teachers and students. If each classroom is culturally responsive then our school and community will also become more culturally responsive. Students and teachers will be more understanding and compassionate to different cultures, backgrounds, costumes, and values. This is extremely important living in Hawaii where there are so many different cultures in our communities.
I love that you put so much thought into something as small, but meaningful as clipart. It really is something students do notice.
DeleteTo connect with my students, I tend to have them do a lot of reflection work and then give them a little bit of my background, they really appreciate it. It helps to create more empathetic learners and even critical thinkers.
The articles and videos have changed my view of culturally responsive classroom. I have learned that it is very important to differentiate instruction with different cultures. I am a special educator and I differentiate a lot according to their learning styles, present level of educational performance, and behavior. I never thought of differentiating my instructions to meet their culture. When we differentiate instruction with culture in mind, students are given the opportunity to feel successful, accepted, and proud of where they came from.
ReplyDeleteNow that I have more understanding of culturally responsive classroom, I have to be MORE sensitive of who they are and not just what they are. Creating a classroom with culture in mind will give my students a feeling of acceptance. It will also broaden their understanding and learning of other students’ culture.
Having a culturally responsive classroom or a school is very important. We need to deepen our interest in our students cultures so families can feel openness. Families and students needs to feel that they are valued by showing genuine care so they become responsible and contributing members of our community.
Aloha,
DeleteI think that by reading these articles and watching these videos I have a deeper understanding of what a culturally responsive classroom is and its benefits. I am an academy counselor and would compare creating a culturally responsive classroom to creating a safe and welcoming environment when working with my students. Similar to your thoughts, I think taking into consideration a student’s culture while counseling could help me gain a better understanding of how to best support my students and meet their specific needs. When building a rapport with my students I can learn more about their culture and traditions and hopefully increase my chances of success to guide them based on their morals and values that have helped shaped them into who they are. Being able to replicate this cultural responsiveness/ safe environment at the school and in the community will help reinforce acceptance and understanding of each other’s cultures.
All students need is acceptance. even if we have the same culture, we are all different in many ways. They want to be a part of the classroom no matter what culture they have. Accepting and understanding their culture will help them to be more open to learning. We have to understand the what, the why, and the how of each culture so we can make them feel included and important part of our classroom and eventually our community.
DeleteTeaching special education is so challenging already, but I can see how adding this component will allow your differentiation to go to another level. I think that your students will feel all the more valued and validated as you learn more about their cultures and celebrate them together as a class.
Delete1. What I learned from these articles and videos is that Students of color, low income students, immigrant students and students that come from very diverse cultures have a disadvantage in education than white students. Schools need to develop curriculum based on different cultures and backgrounds that students have interest in and that reflect their own family and living situations. We tend to marginalize students because of these cultural differences. A lot of times these students do not have the same opportunities. Teachers, Counselors, and all staff need to be aware of the differences of their students and learn about the different cultures and backgrounds of those they interact with on a daily basis. Only by understanding and learning the skills can we become effective teacher’s or mentors to help these students socially and academically to become successful citizens.
ReplyDelete2. My Office is filled with positive sayings, pictures and all types of nick knacks that effect the multi cultures that I interact with daily. I try and make my students feel comfortable from our very first meeting. I send out a welcome email to all my incoming freshman to introduce myself and pass on relevant information with my different contact data. I make sure that my furniture is arranged in such a way that my students face me so that we make that important eye contact and they feel that I am listening to them and that I care about what they are talking about. I use my experience of growing up and going to school in Hawaii and have a diverse set of friends to help me understand the students that I work with.
3. I think it is so important to make my office as comfortable and inviting so that students who need my help are able to open up and talk about their issues. I constantly try to make connections and build strong, open and honest relationships with my students. I really care about my students and want our relationship to be built on trust and honesty. I want them to feel that my office is a safe space for us to communicate.
4. These articles and videos opened my eyes to how important it is to be culturally sensitive to the needs of the diverse students I encounter daily. I really need to listen to my students and learn and embrace their differences. I believe that teachers and students can learn from each. Teachers have the responsibility to open up the conversations about cultural differences and help all students understand that we are all different in some ways, but we should be able to have the same opportunities.
5. Culturally responsive classrooms can benefit both teachers and students in that it teaches all of us to embrace each other’s cultures and to recognize that there are differences and that’s okay. CRC should be taught throughout the educational years so that students are taught at a young age about cultural differences. CRC can empower the schools to structure their support, effort and curriculum to include these students who are on the fringes and invite them all in to the classroom. This in turn will build relationships across these racial inequities and help students and teachers become socially and academically better persons.
Hi! Thanks for sharing your experiences and thoughts!
DeleteIt sounds like you are a secondary counselor; I am a secondary teacher and as I was reading through the texts and watching the videos, I thought about how a truly culturally responsive school would need all personnel on board. I appreciate seeing how you already incorporate CRT into your daily routine and are intentional about addressing student needs. I appreciate what you said about embracing your students' differences and I hope that through this course we can all learn how to foster that among our students, and I hope that we can share what we have learned with the other stakeholders at our schools to create a truly culturally sensitive and responsive environment across our campuses. Thanks again for sharing!
-K. Ayin
I really like how you have gone out of your way to make your office/environment a welcoming place for the students. I am sure that as soon as they enter they already can sense that whoever works there is a safe person for them to confide in. Also, it really helps that you are leveraging your background experiences to be more relatable to your students and connect with them.
DeleteI can definitely relate to what you are saying about making your office/environment a comfortable place for your students. I am a counselor, so this is definitely important to me as our office space should be welcoming, a place where student's aren't afraid to ask for help. I also believe in building a strong, trusting relationship with my student first as they tend to open up more once this connection is established.
DeleteI enjoyed reading your post. You had done a lot to create a culturally responsive environment. Like you, I teach at a school with a large population of low income, immigrant, and diverse cultures. Many teachers try to build relationships with the students, and spending time to open up and talk about their issues is key. I can do a better job of decorating my environment to make students feel comfortable, putting up sayings, rearranging the furniture, and making sure that all students have the opportunity to see, listen, and connect with me. Mahalo for sharing.
DeleteI learned that my classroom and instruction has culturally responsive characteristics already. There are so many ways to make sure the classroom climate is equitable. I learned that making the classroom environment culturally responsive can help students feel more accepted and comfortable in discussions and learning. Every student should be held to the same high expectations. Regardless of their background each student can be held to the same standards.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the research I have tried to make it a habit to equally make eye contact with each of my students during instruction. Since the classroom only has half the students each day I make it a point to ask the students if they have anything they would like to share with me or the class. In the morning I carve out a time to give the students a chance to share anything they would like. I also took the time to reflect on my own biases. After taking this course I realized that I try to make the classroom environment inviting and safe. I have taken the time throughout the year to get to know my students and their backgrounds. Knowing where the students come from is important and helps me be able to gauge when they are having a bad day or need extra support in one way or another. I make it a point to thank my students for their hard work and give immediate feedback on assignments and discussions. After reading I realized that I already use several strategies that I read about.
One strategy I already use that I read about in the articles are culturally diverse books. The curriculum that we use at my school includes spanish language on the online platform and translates the questions and answers into spanish. The stories are diverse and when there is an opportunity I read aloud stories from different cultures and stories that represent different cultures and ethnicities. I often use the think-pair-share strategy as well. Allowing for think time is important and gives each student time to reflect and form their answers. This strategy also gives me an opportunity to hear any misconceptions students may have; then I can help students who need extra support and can formatively assess during the pair time. For my small groups in math and reading I group the students together who have similar skill levels. This allows me to focus on the skills the students need in order to progress in the grade level. I also met with each student individually and had them set their own personal academic goals and the steps they will take in order to meet their goals. After reading and thinking about the lessons I will teach my students I have decided to use various strategies in my CRC implementation plan.
For my lessons I am going to use the strategy of interviewing. Each student is going to interview their family members and ask about their own cultural background. When they learn their nationality/ heritage I am then going to have them engage in a research project to learn about the music and art that their own culture uses to express their beliefs and practices. I chose this strategy because it allows the students to learn more about their own culture and nationality. Then the students will present their findings about their own nationality and the music and art they found that represents their culture. Each student will present their information and then after each student presents they will engage in discussions about the similarities and differences between their different cultures/ nationalities. I will also send home a letter explaining the lesson and what research the students will engage in.
I like that you will be having your students interview their family members and ask about their cultural background. We do this same activity in second grade and I have seen great pride and joy when students present their findings. Families particularly enjoy getting involved in this assignment as they too have that same sense of pride when teaching their children about their heritage. I am excited for you to do this and experience this with your students.
DeleteHello! Thank you for your post!
DeleteI really like how you use the students background as a baseline of the student on any given day. Knowing what keeps them happy and succeeding would be most beneficial along with knowing when to give them space. Then the student would see your confidence that you understand and that they need time to recuperate.
Your strategy sounds great in your last paragraph! Students (myself included) don't always know where their family came from. Other students would see the connections they have with students and I too could connect with students from this strategy.
1. What did you learn from these articles and videos?
ReplyDeleteI learned a lot from these articles and videos. The biggest take away that I learned is the role of the teacher and their importance in creating and establishing a learning environment that is safe and welcoming to all students. Teachers must connect with students to build relationships of trust and respect with their students while also displaying that same trust and respect to them. I also learned that as a teacher, I have been doing a better job than I thought at creating a school environment of cultural responsiveness.
2. What do you do to make your students feel comfortable in your classroom?
In second grade, it’s easy for my students to get really comfortable with me as they want to share everything and anything they can with me. I enjoy getting to know my students and I make it a point to listen, and give immediate feedback that shows that I care about what they shared with me. I emphasize and model kindness and respect so that my students know how I expect to be treated and how we will be treating each other. To help my students get comfortable in my classroom with their peers, I make it clear at the start of the year that in my classroom we are respectful, kind, and open to learning about each other. Our school has a “Positive Action” behavior program that promotes wellness to our students social, emotional, physical health and my favorite lesson that I explicitly teach at the beginning of the year, (and refer to often throughout the year) is how our similarities and differences are the things that make us unique and special. I know that this helps my students feel comfortable and open about sharing their thoughts, opinions, and personal experiences with myself and their peers.
3.How important is creating a culturally responsive classroom to you?
It is very important to me to create a culturally responsive classroom. I can think of many instances where I have helped to make and keep my classroom as a warm and welcoming safe space for students to be themselves.
4.How have these articles and videos influenced your view/teaching pedagogy on culturally responsive classrooms?
These articles and videos helped me understand how important it is to have a culturally responsive classroom. I learned that CRC needs to occur not only in the classrooms but in the school as a whole to better help meet the needs of all students. This year has been challenging due to the Covid-19 pandemic and I hope this course will help me learn how I can do a better job of making my “virtual classrooms” more culturally responsive.
5.Do you think culturally responsive classrooms can benefit you as a teacher and the school as a whole? If so, how? If not, why?
I believe CRC can benefit myself as a teacher in helping students to feel safe, welcomed, accepted, and comfortable to be themselves and practice their different learning styles. It can also help me to better connect and engage my students and build a relationship of trust with them. I also believe CRC can benefit our school as a whole. CRC is not targeted to one particular age group of students and I believe it can benefit all students from early education, elementary, middle school and high school.
Aloha,
DeleteI enjoyed reading your discussion question responses. I also learned that the role of the teacher and their importance in creating and establishing a learning environment is very important. We have a huge roll, but hey we are teachers so we already know that. However, these articles helped to remind me that the entire classroom will grown and flourish because of me! We have a huge responsibility! We must be the leader and the example of how to respect one another.
You sound like an amazing teacher! You enjoy getting to know your students and you listen to them. This is key! Students need to be listening to. Sometimes they come from homes where they are not listened to. Our students need to know that we care. My school also uses "Positive Action." Its good to know that other schools across the state are using the same curriculum.
I'm glad to hear that creating a culturally responsive classroom is very important to you too. It is very important to me too! It would be amazing if all teachers felt the same way and made it a priority to make their classrooms a welcoming and safe space. Unfortunately, I don't think this is the case. Maybe things have changed since I was in high school, but I do have some memories of feeling excluded because of my ethnicity.
This year has definitely been the most challenging for me too. It sounds like you have only been teaching on-line. Is that correct? My school was able to allow Kindergarten to come to school in-person twice a week starting back in December. It has definitely made a difference to have my students in person. I hope you gain some useful knowledge to help you learn how to better make your "virtual classroom" more culturally responsive.
I too believe that CRC can benefit me as a teacher. I feel that our classroom will be a happier place to be if we can make our students feel safe, welcomed, accepted and comfortable. When they feel this way they will learn better. Our students will be more engaged and have better relationships with us and with the other students. You are so right that CRC is not just for one age group: it is for every age group.
Aloha! I really connected with your post about what you learned about CRC from the articles. When you said that you realized that you're actually doing a better job than you thought, I nodded my head in agreement. After learning about CRC strategies with literature, I realized that I have been doing some of those strategies as part of my goal to ask students to use their critical-thinking skills. Although I'm a secondary teacher, I feel that there are similarities with your experience as a second grade teacher. Like you, I set the tone at the beginning of the year that kindness, respect and acceptance are important parts of my classroom learning environment. I also agree that the virtual learning environment makes it challenging to effectively use CRC. One thing that I keep in mind with virtual teaching is that I'm teaching to the entire family - to everyone in the house - not just the student. Many of my students are learning in their living rooms with other family members listening to my lessons. This fact has made me more aware about being respectful at all times and creating a classroom of inclusion.
DeleteI have learned from the articles and videos the importance to have Culturally Responsive Classroom. With so many cultures in our state, we really have to design our lesson or at least incorporate in our lessons our students culture. Creating a culture based instruction will enhanced our students learning. Although they are different, they will feel their importance as part of our classrooms and the school community. I am a special education teacher and differentiated instruction is a must and including their culture in the instruction will be an icing in their learning. The articles and videos cemented the real importance of including culture in our instruction. Our students needs to know that they became who they are because of their families culture.
ReplyDeleteCulturally responsive classroom will not only benefit me as a teacher but will also benefit the students and their families. When we embrace their culture, they will feel accepted as a member of our society. When they feel acceptance, they will blossom and will be a contributing member of our society. We can learn from each other’s culture.
I completely agree with you on the importance of incorporating the breadth of cultures that make up our state! As a special education teacher it is imperative to work with the general ed teacher to show students the different teacher cultures in the room and for you to encourage students who are already coming into the classroom with struggles that they have a place in the room and the learning.
DeleteIt is powerful when everyone feels embraced and empowered, especially the students because they will engage with the learning more and this will help them grow as you describe, into contributing members of our society.
I agree that when a student feels accepted, they will blossom and as a result, become a contributing member to society. I teach at a military school so I don't have the privilege of watching the student develop their identity, but always hope that what they learn in my classroom in kindergarten plays a role in them not only becoming a fine member of society, but a contributing member of society!
DeleteI learned that a culturally responsive classroom refers to a space for students where they can feel comfortable, their ethnic backgrounds are celebrated instead of suppressed. I didn't really know what culturally responsive classroom was before reading these articles and watching the videos. So basically I learned that as teachers, if we can educate ourselves about ours students’ ethnic backgrounds we will be able to better serve our students. In reading the article, "Reading Your Way to a Culturally Responsive Classroom," learned that I was using a color-blind approach. I don't talk about race or race related experiences. However I learned that this can send the negative message to children of color. This is something that I need to change.
ReplyDeleteI make my students comfortable by listening to them and showing them that I care about them. I do my best to listen to them and to give them an opportunity to express themselves. We have circle time everyday so they are given the opportunity to communicate their needs. I do my best to give everyone equal time to share so that everyone feels included.
Creating a culturally responsible classroom is extremely important to me. I want to celebrate my students' differences. I want my students to be able to teach and show us about their culture. I have student from all over the world. They should be given the opportunity to be themselves and be free of prejudices.
These articles and videos have influenced my view and teaching pedagogy on culturally responsive classrooms. I now know the importance of being a good role model. My students are watching my every move. They will learn how to respect other students' cultures by watching me. I am going to add lessons on CRC to my curriculum. I can no longer push it under the rug and pretend it doesn't exist.
Having a culturally responsive classroom can benefit me as a teacher and the school as a whole. I would like to share what I have learned with my fellow kindergarten teachers. If this learning can spread across my grade level and school my entire school will benefit. The culture at my school will be more accepting and when our school is accepting our students.
Ha! I'm right there with you, I want to share this pedagogy with other teachers so that we can collaborate and change units of instruction to incorporate the rich cultures of our classrooms into our teaching.
DeleteI really like that you already recognize areas that you need to work on, the color blind approach seemed logically until we realize that this approach leaves out so many students in the room. As a white female teacher, I also need to be better with addressing this in my classroom. At the high school level, my students are more aware and some more outspoken than others, if I get something wrong they are sometimes quick to let me know and other times it comes back when I least expect so it's definitely a fine line and I want to get better with learning about the cultures in my classroom as well so that students feel comfortable sharing and also correcting me.
I appreciated the opportunity to read your thoughts. I was in the same boat as you, not having an educated understanding of what a culturally responsive classroom referred to. I love the new found knowledge we share that as we ourselves understand the cultural backgrounds of our students (and ourselves) we can create classrooms with teachers that are better able to teach and students that are more receptive and ready to learn.
DeleteHi! I really like how you admitted that you were not really sure what a culturally responsive classroom was before you read. I agree that that is how I was. While reading and looking stuff up, I knew that I was doing some of the methods to create a culturally responsive classroom, but I was not really sure of what it was. This post also gave me some clarity into the entire thing! I really like how you do circle time. But perhaps you could also give them the chance to say what is on their mind anonymously? There may be some students who may not be as open to saying things aloud in front of their classmates, or to your face. Perhaps by giving your students the chance to share it anonymously, it might help those who are too shy or afraid to speak up in class.
DeleteWhat did you learn from these articles and videos?
ReplyDeleteI learned that our English curriculum needs to be severely updated to include culturally relevant texts and learning for students. I especially appreciated the Education: Culture Matters video from Kamehameha Schools because it clearly outlined the culturally relevant teachings at every age level. Teachers who teach AP or English cannot complain that taking on culturally relevant teaching is not possible with all that needs to be taught and the short time allotted.
What do you do to make your students feel comfortable in your classroom?
In my classroom specifically I display student work all over the walls. In addition, I do like to get to know my students but I think the biggest cultural relevance is our ten minutes of current events at the start of every class. We watch CNN10 and discuss the events, I sometimes wish we had more time to discuss the news events but time can be limited and so this is an area that I need to work on.
How important is creating a culturally responsive classroom for you?
Of the highest importance. I am saddened that our units of instruction are not founded in Hawaiian culture and branched out. I've taught 9th and 10th grade English so far at my school and neither course has Hawaiian literature incorporated into units of instruction. 10th grade is all about culture and Hawaiian is not even mentioned. I re-wrote some aspects of 9th grade last year and used Hawaiian tragic love stories to teach Romeo & Juliet. The students loved it! This year's focus has been on student cultures and the students have responded with great enthusiasm. I want to continue to build this discussion school wide so that we incorporate more culture into our units.
How have these articles and videos influenced your view/teaching pedagogy in culturally responsive classrooms?
The articles were interesting to learn the background of this pedagogical method, specifically the explanation and background of Culturally Responsive Teaching by Michael Vavrus. The videos reiterated my desire to push for more cultural inclusion in units of instruction, especially in my English department.
Do you think culturally responsive classrooms can benefit you as a teacher and the school as a whole? If so, how? If not, why?
Absolutely! We need to meet the students in their cultures so that they feel welcomed and not just dictate curriculum that students have no experience with. As a school we must have these conversations and build out curriculum that integrates subject collaborations and also cultural relevance for all students and faculty!
I appreciated having the opportunity to read over your thoughts. I agree that our schools, especially since we have such a mix of cultures in Hawaii, need more books that foster a love of, and greater knowledge of the ethnicities of those we teach. I recently found a website, firstbook.org, where I have found resources from old and new authors that sell books that represent other cultures at a fraction of the price. This will become a great resource for me.
DeleteAs a fellow language arts teacher, I want to echo the concern you bring up about the lack of Hawaiian and Pacific Island literature and resources in the ELA curriculum that we are encouraged to use. And great work finding ways to recenter students' lives in your classroom. Even those of us who try mightily to incorporate Hawaiian lit and other texts/media often have to start from scratch to build our curriculum with little help from the DOE to make these changes. There is much work to do to make Hawaiiʻs classrooms more culture-focused and culturally responsive.
DeleteI appreciate you taking the initiative at your school to bring in more Hawaiian Literature into your class curriculum. By making those connections to your students' cultural you made Shakespeare seem more understandable and enjoyable to your students. Which in turn I am sure made a deeper connection for them. Your actions reminds us that our students benefit from us teachers taking the extra time to make those connections for them. It is important to make our curriculum relatable to our students so that they are engaged and want to continue learning more. Thank you for sharing your successes!
Deletehi! I really like how you brought up that our English curriculum needs to be more updated. I both agree and disagree. I think some of the books that the students read are classics and should be read! They teach us both the foundation of literature and can teach us many different life lessons. (I am thinking of Romeo and Juliet for example.) On the other hand, we are in the twenty first century, and there are so many more culturally relevant books now than there were fifty years ago. I think we need to find that balance so we can include both the past, but also the present. I do like the idea of CNN10! When I was a student teacher in Colorado, everyday my mentor teacher would play CNN10, and I thought it was a great way to see what was going on around the world! I feel like nowadays, students do not get as much exposure to the outside world since the bulk of our time is spent on our phone. However, I think that does a great job at showing different cultures and current events happening.
DeleteWhat did you learn from these articles and videos?
ReplyDeleteCulturally responsive classrooms provide a setting in which students [those of color, immigrant students and those who come from lower socioeconomic homes...however, inclusive of all students] feel comfortable and valued through recognizing, acknowledging and celebrating different cultures, languages and perspectives throughout the year. Teachers create such classrooms first, as they reflect upon their own culture and understand the cultures of the students they teach. Classroom teaching and learning reflects the needs of the students. The teacher is constantly learning and the classroom changes as the teacher and students change. Benefits of creating such classrooms include: improvement on test scores, students feel better connected to their community, students trust people in their schools and they enjoy learning.
What do you do to make your students feel comfortable in your classroom?
In my classroom I often share stories of my life. This kind of sharing has stimulated lots of conversations and share-outs of my student's own connections and personal stories. These conversations have created a safe environment in which students feel safe to share. In Kindergarten, we color a lot. Students are always asked to color the people they draw. Students are always reminded of the different skin colors we see and the variety of options they have in colors to use for their people skin.
How important is creating a culturally responsive classroom for you?
Creating a culturally responsive classroom is extremely important to me. I want to help my students feel comfortable coming to school each day. I would also like to help my students, at the young age they are at, see others through a lens of understanding, kindness and acceptance.
How have these articles and videos influenced your view/teaching pedagogy in culturally responsive classrooms?
The articles and videos have influenced my view of teaching. It has made me more aware of what it means to have a culturally responsive classroom. It has caused me to reflect upon things things that I can do to create a classroom where students feel comfortable, happy and are able to learn through a method most beneficial to them.
Do you think culturally responsive classrooms can benefit you as a teacher and the school as a whole? If so, how? If not, why? Culturally responsive classrooms will certainly benefit me as a teacher as well as our school. I teach at a title-one school. Many students come from low income households. In our school and classroom we have a wide range of students from a variety of ethnicities. Overall test scores are low and many students struggle as they move up grades. Having a culturally responsive classroom may have to potential to close gaps as we provide a classroom that fits the needs of each student.
I too am a kindergarten teacher and as you stated, our students are encouraged to see our color differences everyday when they color their people. We do encourage them to respect one another even for their differences. But like you, I feel we need to help them feel value in what those differences are and how they make us each unique individuals. By creating this welcoming environment we let them know school is a safe place to express their ideas. Through collaboration they will learn from one another and hopefully help close the gap in our title one schools. Keep up the great work with our little ones!
DeleteFrom the article “Culturally Responsive Teaching,” I learned more of its history and background. Specifically, I was reminded of the goal to “increase the engagement and motivation of students of color who historically have been both unsuccessful academically and socially alienated from their public schools” (Varvus). I got to dig deeper into Paulo Freire’s and James Banks’s philosophies and studies as well as the conclusions they reached. These are some lasting insights: teachers must be lifelong learners who are actively reflecting on their practice and mindset; teachers of all backgrounds must understand White privilege and the way White/Euro-American values are centered in traditional education and fight against such systems that overlook and degenerate other ways of knowing; empathy, trust, and respect are foundations for a multicultural classroom that understand learning is based on relationships.
ReplyDeleteFrom the video “Education: Culture Matters,” I was reminded that Hawaiian culture places an emphasis on lifelong learning that is essential to survival. ‘Ōlelo noʻeau like “Ma ka hana ka ʻike - learning is in doing” and “Aʻohe pau ka ʻike i ka halau hoʻokahi - all learning is not gained in one place” demonstrate the deep importance and value of learning in the culture. In classrooms effectively using culture-based teaching, trust and respect are foundations, and students see themselves in content before they see others. In other words, representation is a the heart of the movement. Teachers with a “High CBE” rating instilled greater kuleana, trust, and joy in student learning. Finally, the video made the essential point that schools should be of a community, not at odds with it.
In my own classroom, I try to make students comfortable by being dependable, caring, invested in each individualʻs growth, and able to hold all to high expectations. I also show my investment in our schoolʻs Hawaiian-culture focus through language, instructional strategies, curriculum, and assessment. In this way, creating a culturally responsive classroom is incredibly important to me. I want every one of my kids to feel at home, know they are valued and seen, and know that I share the values that they, their families, and their culture do.
I appreciate that these articles and videos reinforced some of the foundations of culturally responsive classrooms and helped me understand the history of multicultural education and culturally responsive pedagogy both in the U.S. and in Hawaiʻi. I know that this can benefit me as a teacher and the school as a whole because culture based education is better for kids’ social-emotional health, academic success, and sense of identity and place that will ground them as they make plans for the future. I truly believe that teachers, especially here, need to center Hawaiian culture and values in every classroom and be sure that relationships of trust and respect lay a foundation for the academic work we do.
Mahalo for your reflection. I also believe that to build relationships with students in turn builds trust. I truly believe the start of school year that these relationships needs to be built without this the remainder of school year will be hard to establish classroom management, communication and respect amongst students and teacher. During my counseling sessions with my students it always starts with general conversation about their day, current events, or even how my day is going. This is just to break the ice. I try to be humorous as well, to add some laughter and gage my future encounters with the students as we continue to work together. This helps me to see what extra supports the student may need as well. I let the student lead the conversation with me implementing clarification and appropriate questions.
ReplyDeleteFrom these articles and videos I learned that Culturally Responsive Teaching reform was created to motivate and engage all students in classrooms, especially those of color. In our history these students have been less successful academically and felt alienated from their public schools. By practicing CRT, teachers acknowledge students’ cultures and embeds parts of their culture within the curriculum. This helps students make meaningful cultural connections and makes the curriculum more relevant to their lives. This will encourage students to become lifelong learners. One way to integrate culture into the classroom is through culture literature. Literature can celebrate your students’ culture and differences and opens the class discussions to include all learners. This allows students to see and value each other's different attributes that are related to their race and culture. I also learned of the three Race Related Teaching Practices (RRTP). They are color blind, color aware, and social justice approach. I admit up until now I have been a color blind teacher. I treat all of my students equal, tell them we all deserve to have the same rights, and encourage them to be their best self. I have taught and celebrated the cultures around us in our Hawaii community. But I have not taught and celebrated my students' race and cultural differences my military families come from. I acknowledge that we all are different and unique in the way we look, what we eat, and that we celebrate with different traditions. I do my best to make everyone feel welcomed in my class by treating them fairly. I encourage my students to speak respectfully to others, even when they disagree with one another. I do bring in literature to support these SEL discussions and lessons. I also do activities about cultures and traditions as they relate to holidays celebrated largely. However, I strive for collaboration among my students. I let all of my students know their voice is valued in my class by encouraging them to share their thoughts, opinions and knowledge with one another across the curriculum. When teaching vocabulary and new subject matter I ask them to share their prior knowledge and experience. I have students build upon each other's ideas and learn from one another.
ReplyDeleteCont. of response: It is important for me to create a more Culturally Responsive classroom as a public educator of kindergarten students on a military base. I want all of my students to value education, and become lifelong learners. My students will be in many different schools across the nation and throughout the world. It is my job to help spark their curiosity, no matter who they are and where they will go in life. I know, especially now with all of the cultural unjust in our country, that this is important. Here in Hawaii we are surrounded with a melting pot of cultures and I have grown to respect them all. But my students will not always live in communities that are as inclusive as we are in Hawaii. I want my students to value who they are and where they come from.
DeleteThese articles and videos have brought more clarity to my teaching. I realize I have just touched the surface of being inclusive in my “color blind” world of teaching. I need to become more “color aware.” If I want to truly help the whole child grow I need to help myself and my students to learn more about one another’s race and cultures. I appreciated the examples given to address race in early childhood classrooms. I plan to research these texts mentioned and purchase a few to use in lessons. I appreciated the video about our Kamehameha schools programs. When I worked in other public schools across the island I felt more of a connection to bring in the Hawaiian culture. But it is not a part of our school culture and a regular part of our curriculum. In the last video I liked how it was stated that to become a culturally responsive teacher you really need to self reflect as a teacher. Then, the teacher needs to take the first step to welcome your students and their families to share their culture. Yes, I believe that culturally responsive teaching will benefit me as a teacher. I am always looking for a way to make a deeper connection with my students and families. This will help my relationships, as well as theirs with their peers. I hope it will affect my school in a positive way eventually. It begins with me, sharing my successes and experiences with my coworkers and hopefully they too will be more culturally responsive. I feel it is very important with us having such a culturally diverse military community.
By reading the assigned articles and watching the videos, I learned the importance of creating a classroom that is inviting, comfortable, familiar, and safe for students of all ethnicities. Teachers should be trained to understand the significance of equity and cultural diversity and be able to learn strategies for differentiated instruction and integrate of culture into the curriculum. I appreciated the examples shared such as being intentional in talking about color awareness through literature and actions. When I reflect back to childhood books that my teachers shared in class, most were based off of European characters. I remember reading a couple of Asian based books entitled Momotaro-san and The Five Chinese Brothers. Because I had a connection to the culture being that I am part Asian, they were some of my favorite books. I found the stories to be familiar such as in the appearance of the characters’ eyes and hair, wardrobe, and food. I agree that we teachers must become “a student of differences.” We need to learn about our students’ backgrounds through ways such as creating questionnaires, researching their culture, visiting homes, involving parents at school, and finding cultural leaders in the community. Culture can be brought into the classroom by including labels of things printed in multiple languages, having artifacts and literature that represents the students’ ethnic background, and creating student-centered lessons involving a variety of experiential learning.
ReplyDeleteI try to make my students feel comfortable in class by focusing on relationships. During the first week of school, I learn how to say each student’s name correctly. They are greeted by name everyday upon entering class. I try to find out about students’ lives by sending questionnaires, Do Nows, discussions, and 1-on-1 conversations. I share stories and general personal information in hopes that students can find similarities or want to discuss differences. When conversing with individuals, I practice active listening and take notes so that I have conversation-starting information for future talks. I speak students’ names often and try to be encouraging each day.
Creating a culturally responsive classroom is very important to me after reading the articles and viewing the videos. They have influenced my view/teaching pedagogy on culturally responsive classrooms. Now that I have some background information, I have learned that cultural support needs to be expanded in my classroom. I thought that bringing local and Hawaiian culture into the classroom was sufficient, especially when the Department of Education promotes Nā Hopena A‘o (HĀ). After this particular lesson, I understand the need to reach as many students as possible by showing acceptance and appreciation for who they are and where they came from by learning about their culture and incorporating it into our curriculum. In this way, students can feel a sense of belonging and it will be a great example for other students to learn cultural appreciation.
Culturally responsive classrooms can benefit me as a teacher and the school as a whole. I recently returned to public school teaching after being away for 22 years and the culture mix has changed a lot. In keeping current with the times, I must make adjustments to my curriculum and consider the benefits for all students by being culturally aware. The amount of students from different places and EL learners entering our schools continue to change our classroom make-up. By being intentional about recognizing different cultures, learning about them, and embracing the similarities and differences in lessons, students and teachers have a chance of being more accepting of one another.
I was struck by several thoughts as I read your response. First of all, I really like how you have stressed that you learn your students name and how to correctly pronounce it. That is so important to making a student feel welcome and embraced as an individual. I have known teachers who have changed student's names to something they were able to pronounce more easily (for example, ignoring a first name and only using the last name) which never sat well with me. Names are so important in various cultures including the Hawaiian culture so I really appreciated your stressing of this practice.
DeleteAs a local girl, your mention of children's literature featuring the stories of Momotaro and the Five Chinese Brothers immediately brought forth memories of both books and the illustrations that accompanied them. Every mention of a tsunami causes me to think about the Five Chinese Brothers search for treasures as the waters recede. My search for children's literature featuring Filipino and Marshallese characters appropriate for an upper elementary classroom continues.
I have also incorporated local and Hawaiian culture in my classroom and thought it was sufficient although I can see how that needs to continue to be expanded to include all ethnicities to fully represent our learners.
Welcome back and thank you for helping me bring back some happy childhood memories and making me think some more about making my classroom more culturally responsive in the coming school year.
These articles and videos have given me quite a bit to think about in terms of my own background, upbringing, education, and teaching practice. Coming to terms with your own biases and really taking a long, hard look at them is uncomfortable. That first reading shared that CRT is "a democratic, student-centered pedagogy" which is ideal and something I work hard to develop in the classroom. The second reading and its discussion of RRTP and the categories of color-blind, color-aware, and social justice once again forced me to think about where my teaching practice currently lies which is somewhere on the spectrum between color-blind and color-aware. I related best with the video of Culture Matters as I identify as part-Hawaiian, was educated in the islands, and have personally interacted with several of the individuals included in the video. I found it hardest to identify with that final video and I think that was probably very telling in itself. Perhaps the self reflection and self-awareness is the biggest takeaway I have from the readings and videos.
ReplyDeleteTo help students feel comfortable in the classroom, I turn over ownership to let students know that this is their safe space - it is a place where we will make mistakes, learn from those same mistakes, make a bunch more and ask questions of ourselves and each other. We do take time to get to know each other as individuals and family culture is a big part of that ongoing conversation. This past year brought many challenges with effectively running a virtual classroom however it did provide an opportunity for students to see into each other's home lives a bit more than we've ever had before. We entered each other's living rooms for large portions of our day; we had a chance to interact with home environments - parents, siblings, extended family members. We had multi-generational interactions which often gave us other perspectives on class projects. It made the classroom awkward in terms of what we normally consider "school" while simultaneously being very comfortable as a learning environment for students. A blending of the two extremes would probably be my goal - to make the institutional classroom environment feel as comfortable as being at home.
Creating a culturally responsive classroom is very important to me because I am as culturally diverse as my students. I think it is vital for students to see themselves in their learning and I have spent time looking for children's literature that embraces different cultures. Finding Pacific Islanders represented in children's literature was challenging.
These articles and videos have influenced my viewpoint and teaching pedagogy in culturally responsive classrooms by forcing me to examine my current practice closely. Only through a thorough understanding of that lens can I strive to make changes to improve my practice. I am wary of making only superficial, shallow attempts at creating a culturally responsive classroom so I am hopeful that being aware of that possibility combined with additional work and study in this course will help me to avoid falling into that trap.
A culturally responsive classroom can absolutely benefit me as a teacher because it allows students to be fully comfortable with themselves, to see themselves in what they are learning, and for us to discuss the impact of race and culture in society. Being culturally responsive benefits the school as it then reflects the greater community it serves. I think this would help to bridge the disconnect we sometimes see between families and the school and the importance of education. It sends the message of "I see you".
Thank you for your post! I enjoyed reading it.
DeleteI agree that finding our own biases is very uncomfortable. I don't think about it much but it would be very enlightening for me to know my own. Yes I agree, knowing how to self reflect and have self-awareness of ourselves is very important to move forward with more CRT. We can't just tell students to complete something if we ourselves haven't tried it ourselves.
In your second paragraph, you made me realize that this past year teaching virtually was an "awkward" type of classroom. I mean I knew it but to remember it now. The poor students were directed to show their homes to everyone and try to still succeed at the same time. With last year completed and comparing to the classroom currently, we do have the obligation to use that experience by (as you put it) "blending of the two extremes."
Lastly, I agree with you when you believe CRT will connect schools with the community. Parents and family members will see and hear their child showing a commitment to their school. That in turn can allow parents and family members to support their child and reach back to their child's school.
I learned a lot from these articles. One of the most important points that I got from the reading and the articles is the importance of a culturally responsive classroom. I think it is important because it helps target all students in the classroom- not just the majority of students, but also the minority students. One of the things that I like the most from the second article is how it talks about colorblindness in the classroom. While I think it is important to treat everyone the same regardless of the color or culture of a student, I think it is very important to make it aware that you do know the difference. Like the article says, if you act colorblind, students will think that they are not being valued or recognized in the class. However, if you are aware of the different colors and cultures of the classroom, then you can use that to help enhance the classroom community/ procedures. Something that I would take with me from the articles is the possibility of using literature as a way to introduce different cultures. I think this is a great way because literature can give you some great first hand accounts of someone's culture. However, in bringing in literature, we do have to be mindful of what kind of article it is and written by who. This will give us a good indication if the literature is true to the culture.
ReplyDeleteTo make students feel comfortable in my classroom, I try to create relationships with them and a positive classroom climate. From the first day of school, I will do what I can to create positive relationships between myself and my students and my class. In doing so, my students will know that this is a safe place where they are able to succeed and prosper. Also, by creating these positive relationships, then students will feel more comfortable to ask for help or what not.
These articles and videos have influenced by viewpoint and teaching pedagogy in culturally responsive classrooms because it showed me just how important this is and how this could really benefit students of all colors. I think this also gave me a good start on where I should go from here on. This gave me some ideas and showed me the importance of CRT so that I can continue to implement it/ implement it more in my classroom.
I think a culturally responsive classroom can benefit me and the school as a whole. I work at a school where there are a lot of minority students. I have had some minority students in my class, and I see how they are different. I think if I am able to incorporate CRT into my classroom, it will help everyone, not only the minority students. I think it could also benefit the school as a whole! However, I do think to do so, it will take training so that all the teachers are on the same page and offering the same supports. Hopefully by doing this, we will see an uptick of scores from minority students.
Hi Kasey!
DeleteThanks for sharing your thoughts! I think it's important to know the populations at our schools and understand how their culture has shaped their experiences so far and I love that you addressed both the minority and majority students and how everyone could benefit from CRT.
I also agree with your last paragraph about how CRT could benefit an entire school. I do think that the more teachers and faculty are on board with CRT, the better we can address student need. I hadn't thought about the need for all staff to have CRT training, so I am glad you brought that up. At my school, I think it would best be done internally by teachers at our school level who have been trained and could bring it to colleagues with practical and relevant application.
Thanks again for sharing your thoughts!
-K. Ayin
(1) Having a culturally responsive teaching practice will help me as an educator. Also known as CRT but not to be confused with Critical Race Theory, acknowledges students backgrounds and complexities of culture. I learned in different lessons I can incorporate more diverse readings and videos to help students feel accepted. I always knew being “colorblind” was not a good term, I like the term color aware. I told them that privilege is not necessarily a bad thing, but you can use your own privilege to help to advance others. It can help to fight discrimination.
ReplyDelete(2) I was told to send home a controversial subject letter and allow students to opt out. If this topic makes them uncomfortable their parents do have the ability to opt them out and request an alternative assignment.
One thing I do in my classroom to make sure my students feel comfortable is to mostly focus on journaling. It allows students to speak their minds without fear of judgment and if they feel like they’re part of the dominant culture, they are able to dissect why they feel the way they do in private. They are allowed to share the way they think if they so choose when I share my own experiences. By allowing them to hear my experiences it helps them to open up to each other as well. Additionally when we have small group discussions I allow them to opt out or choose their group so they feel safe with their talking partners. I do think students need to talk to each other so they can further see different perspectives, but this is where journaling comes in handy. They can cite something another group said and explain their own thoughts on it.
(3) It’s very important for me to create a culturally responsive classroom, but a little bit harder to do in practice. In doing so, I’ve had to send home a “controversial subject” letter and allow parents to opt their children out. Students oftentimes don’t understand why their parents have chosen to opt them out of the lesson. I think parents need to have a conversation on why they chose to and allow students to decide.
(4) I think this articles and videos have influence by teaching pedagogy on culturally responsive classrooms because it gave me a deeper understanding to why I want to have one. I was on the fence about doing some of my culture based activities because my school has me send home “a notice about controversial issues” but this helps me to further explain why it’s important and important for me to do it regardless. I’m thinking that I need to do this later in the quarter because of building student rapport, but it’s hard because it directly affects the first couple of units I teach in quarter 1.
(5) I get to learn about my students’ cultures in a culturally responsive environment. I get a deeper look into why they do things the way they do and why they think the way they think. I can hear about parts of their culture they struggle with and how they are coming to terms with it. Culturally responsive teaching is a learner center environment. For students that do not feel a strong connection to their ethnic culture, I tend to encourage them to look at their able-bodied culture or military culture, or even gender and age. I think this helps the school as a whole because we do have a very transient military population in Hawai’i and specifically our school. It really helps to get perspectives out in a safe way.
Hi there!
DeleteThanks for sharing, I appreciated being about to read over your thoughts and opinions. I found it interesting that you mentioned journaling as a way of having your students feel comfortable. That seems like a fun and unique tactic! I am glad to hear it is working in your classroom. I also appreciate the term color-aware! That is the first time I have heard of the term. I also appreciated the look into the three types covered in the article being colorblind, color aware, and socially just. Upon reflection, I am not 100% sure where I fall at the moment. Probably somewhere between color aware and working towards social justice; however, I definitely want to include more socially just lessons into my curriculum.
Again, thanks for sharing!
1. What did you learn from these articles and videos?
ReplyDeleteI learned that Culturally Responsive teaching has been around much longer than I assumed. Because it has resurfaced as a "buzzword" recently, I thought it was a new movement; instead it is a movement that has been trying to address culturally diverse needs and classroom inequality longer than I have been involved in the public education system. I also learned that children recognize race and start to make decisions based on race at a much younger age than I assumed. I teach in a secondary setting, but I now see the importance of addressing race and diversity at all levels of education.
2. What do you do to make your students feel comfortable in your classroom?
To make students comfortable in my room, I schedule 1-1 conferences with them once or twice per quarter. This helps the students learn that I am an advocate for them and that I genuinely care about their experiences not just at school but in life. I also attempt to choose novels and texts that address a variety of experiences, though--admittedly--I have a higher number of white and black experiences represented than any other races, and the number of white and black students that I teach is a minority. I also encourage students to write in their home languages. Very few students take this opportunity, and I think it's because they feel inadequate in both English and their home languages -- this is and area I'd like to grow in: How to encourage students to feel comfortable and confident using their own languages and English.
3. How important is creating a culturally responsive classroom to you?
Creating a culturally responsive classroom is very important to me. I want to foster cultural sensitivity and awareness so we can celebrate the different cultures the students bring with them to school. I think fostering an awareness and acceptance within the classroom will translate to the workplace, or post-secondary options, and I think it will benefit the students long term. My hope is that in my classroom, my students will learn to celebrate each others' differences and learn to use each others' skills to build a better future.
4. How have these articles and videos influenced your view/teaching pedagogy on culturally responsive classrooms?
These videos and readings have given me a baseline to talk about cultural responsiveness within a classroom setting. I learned new vocabulary and historic contexts, and it has made me aware of the need to address culture explicitly, and not as a "side note" or a "bonus" as part of project. Culture and race needs to be talked about directly, and students need to develop a vocabulary for talking about this with each other as well.
5. Do you think culturally responsive classrooms can benefit you as a teacher and the school as a whole? If so, how? If not, why?
Yes, I think culturally responsive classrooms can benefit me as a teacher and the school as a whole because when students learn to accept and celebrate each other's differences, a ripple effect will take place and students across campus will foster a greater sense of belonging. In turn, this sense of belonging could foster school spirit/pride, or kindness towards one another. I think students need to learn that race can be talked about directly and in ways that are respectful. In a secondary setting, I believe that if more students had language and outlets to talk about differences and experience the value in someone else's thought process and experience, the school would experience fewer fights and race-based discipline action.
Hi K. Ayin, thank you for sharing. I like the idea of encouraging students writing in their own language. I am wondering, how much time do you spend during the 1-1 conferences and what questions do you ask?
DeleteI too did not realize that CRC has been around for as long as it has. It was really eye opening to read about how CRC started. Considering that it isn't new, its unfortunate that it seems like a buzzword for us now. Hopefully this wont be the case in generations to come.
DeleteI admire your goal of wanting to grow in your ability to encourage students to feel comfortable and confident using their own languages and English. This seems like a daunting task, but I agree that if students are able to do this, they will be able to find a sense of pride in their culture and themselves. Too often students seem to feel shame about their culture, especially if they are EL students. In reality I think we have so much to learn from them as their different perspectives can broaden our own.
1. From these article and videos I learned of the importance of Culturally Responsive Teaching.
ReplyDeleteI read and viewed about the history and examples of CRT and how it is being used here in Hawaii. I learned that CRT is not something that I can throw into a class once and it is CRT but I need to incorporate it constantly so that not only the students succeed but I as well can teach to better understand my students and their learning needs.
2. After reading this section, I realize how much more I should do to make my students feel comfortable in my classroom. My students feel most comfortable emailing me with their questions mainly about the work they are trying to complete. Student journaling has helped my students feel comfortable. Most of the time the students are really nice and have not much to express. I also have conferencing once a semester with my students. Individual conversations about their goals for my class and after high school. These approaches help but I see the value of CRT for my students to be learning with it in the classroom. Students feeling that sense of belonging because their culture matters to everyone and not just themselves.
3. Using my very little experiences and referencing to the articles and videos, I feel this is very important for my students. My students effort in my class is always to get to the next level in coursework but I see how if I used CRT in my classroom they could gain so much more in their education and their lives. Lasting experiences that will help them become successful after they graduate.
4. I feel influenced by this section to research different means of CRT for my students. I know it will not be an easy task and I have to tell myself that it is a learning process for myself but I do realize my approach in teaching needs to be different. This will be beneficial for my students and myself.
5. I do see the benefit for myself. Like mentioned in the articles and one of the videos, I need to find out my own bias and prejudice I might have. Once I can figure those out and overcome those, I can become a better teacher for the students. As a school I think more teachers incorporating CRT would bring a deeper level of school pride amongst students and staff. If they feel more welcomed, they would respect their school in different ways.
Hi, thank you for sharing. I agree with you that is not something that we can just do one day it is done. We have to constantly be working towards creating that safe learning environment. I am wondering if you give them prompts when they journal?
DeleteI like the point you made about how CRT cannot be "thrown" into a class once, but needs consistency for both students and the teacher. This is a great reminder for myself as sometimes I feel so overwhelmed with the increase of expectations from admin or the state now days, and it may be difficult to find time to implement these skills, but should be made a priority because of the importance level and the long term effects it will have on me, my students, and the world.
DeleteHi! I completely agree with you that CRT is not a one and done thing, but rather needs to be done throughout the school year. I can say this from experience, I would start CRT, forget about it due to other "priorities" and then need to teach it all over again in the end. After reading and watching these videos, I was reminded that CRT shouldn't be ignored and can help improve the classroom in so many ways!
DeleteAfter reading the articles and watching the videos I learned that a Culturally Responsive classroom’s goal is to engage students in learning. It is an attempt to help reduce the academic gap that exists between children of low economic status. Culturally responsive classrooms are welcoming and are student centered learning communities. It is a way to show students that we care and value them.
ReplyDeleteI currently stand outside the door to greet my students by name. I also give them an “All About Me” paper and I ask them to complete the sentence “I wish my teacher knew…” where they can tell me anything they feel is important. I give them the example of letting me know they have a job and work late. It is not mandatory that they say hello to me or that they have to share. I also have them journal by asking them three questions.
It is important to create a Culturally Responsive classroom because I feel students will be more willing to participate and therefore understand the material and learn.
The readings and videos have clarified some of misconceptions about a Culturally Responsive classroom. I realized I am doing some things that allow students to feel welcomed.
Culturally Responsive classrooms can help me as a teacher and the school because we can create a learning environment. Students will know that it is a safe space for them to acquire knowledge and become productive members of society.
Aloha! I enjoyed reading your response and agree with many of your points. Like you, I feel that a culturally responsive classroom helps students feel more willing to participate and learn the material. I think that CRC builds a sense of curiosity with students. Another connection that I made to your response is the fact that you stand outside your door to greet students by name. This is such an important - and quick - way to connect with students and set the tone at the beginning of class. When I taught in the classroom, my students never understood why I closed the door in between classes. I did this so that I could take a minute to say goodbye to the previous class and mentally prepare for the next class before I opened the door and greeted each of them by name. Sometimes, it's the little things that matter. Here in Hawai'i, I also connect with students because I know a lot of their "aunties" and "uncles". Just simply saying, "How's uncle Kawika?" lets them know that I care and "see" them. I bet that you are doing amazing work in your culturally responsive classroom...great job!
DeleteHi! I really like that you make students feel welcomed by greeting them by name. That is something I would like to try doing in the mornings when I open my classroom door to let my students in. I usually do a general "Good morning" to everyone waiting outside my classroom, but I like the idea of a more personalized greeting to start the day on a positive note. I also like your idea of having students complete the "I wish my teacher knew..." prompt. Sometimes I forget that if a student is acting out in class, it may be a reflection of something going on at home. While I do my best to communicate with parents and build rapport with them, there may be more going on at home that I am unaware of. By asking my students to openly share with me, I think this will help build trust between myself and my students.
DeleteIn this section I learned about strategies to create a Culturally Responsive classroom. The strategies that I found useful and I will implement are to hold high expectations for all students and help all students learn, modeling, scaffolding, and clarification of challenging curriculum, and the Cultural Research Project. I found those three appealing because I believe they will most benefit students. I know that students will rise to the expectations that the teacher is asking of them. I will be able to teach students the content in different ways, and we will learn about their cultures so they feel they are important.
ReplyDeleteThe information learned has inspired me to connect with parents to build a good relationship. In addition to fostering relationships with students, having high expectations, I would like for parents to know that I am available to help their child learn the material. Parents can help students maintain accountability by checking that they have completed their homework or encouraging them to attend tutoring or asking questions in class. I believe that a phone call with a praise of their child will brighten up a parent’s day. In case I need to call regarding another matter, we have established a good rapport.
Strategies that I already use and will continue to use in my classroom are learning students’ names within the first two weeks of school. Although there are many changes within the first weeks of school, I always make it a point to greet students at the door using their first name. It does not take a long time and it can spark a conversation. I feel students are more willing to share what is going on in their lives and they ask how I am doing as well.
The strategies that I will use in my CRC Implementation Plan are fostering a welcoming environment. I chose this strategy because students have been away from school for a year. They need to feel heard and valued in my classroom.
Aloha, I agree that you should have high expectations of your students. I always inform my students of my expectations and where they should be in terms of their learning. As the teacher, utilizing some of the things you mentioned, like modeling, scaffolding and clarification of curriculum contributes to the academic success of our students. As you mentioned, establishing relationships is also important, where that will also motivate students to accept your expectations and work towards reaching them. It is beneficial to also establish and foster relationships with parents as well. I think that parents should be part of the education of their children, it can also help when any issues arise with their child and how to address these issues.
DeleteI really liked how you decided to not only work with students, but with their parents as well. Students learn about race and culture from their home environment so I completely agree that its important to make sure you have good rapport with their parents. Furthermore if you are going to have serious conversations about race and culture, you need to know if their parents and home environment are in support of this. One way to determine this is by getting to know parents.
DeleteI think the strategy of getting to know students names within the first two weeks of school is extremely important. From a non educator stand point this might not seem significant, but as a fellow educator, I've seen how knowing or not knowing a students name can make all the difference. Students feel seen and valued when you know their name. Often they think teachers or counselors don't know their names so when you are able to identify them they feel important. On the flip side, when you don't know who a student is this can make them feel invisible. This can cause a student to not verbalize what they are feeling or even close off from having important conversations. You choosing to use this strategy each school year will lay the foundations necessary to have a culturally responsive classroom.
When I think about having a culturally responsive classroom, I think about my fellow educators who are Hawaiian or "local" and able to connect with their students differently than I can as non-native. My first year teaching in Hawai'i was very humbling because I thought that I had a connection with the culture but I realized that students didn't see me as local so I needed to earn their trust and respect, not the other way around. The learning curve was steep, but one thing tip that I learned from a fellow teacher was to use common Hawaiian and Pidgin words, like 'okole, pau, and kuleana. Although this was a very basic thing to do, it was a step towards being a culturally responsive educator.
ReplyDeleteIn section 2, I learned more about how to create a culturally responsive classroom. In the article, "Culturally Responsive Teaching", I connected with the idea that CRC is “designed to help empower children and youth by using meaningful cultural connections to convey academic and social knowledge and attitudes” (p. 1) Helping students make personal connections with literature and other lessons is one aspect that I love about teaching because I think we can learn from all things alike and different. Another aspect of CRC that is important is the connection with the community, with parents and families of my students. I have to admit that sometimes I forget to send out my weekly email, which seems to be the easiest way to connect with parents. However, I learned from the articles and videos that connecting with families and community means more than just sending the weekly newsletter or email home. In the article, "Reading Your Way to a Culturally Responsive Classroom", the author points to the fact that race-related teaching practices (RRTP) "may help children develop positive racial identity, build relationships across races, and be aware of race-related injustices, and help to stop them." This was a very powerful statement in the article. What I gleaned from this sentence is that when I implement race-related teaching practices, I include the child's culture, family, and community into my lesson plans and learning outcomes. In such a way, I also connect with the student and the parents' home culture and that of the larger community.
This idea also flows into the main message from the video "Education: Culture Matters" by Kamehameha Schools. Watching this video made me realize the growth I have had as a teacher with place-based education and connecting with my students' culture. I now feel comfortable using common Hawaiian words and phrases into my daily connections with students and parents. I also think more about incorporating Hawaiian literature with my curriculum, especially with poetry and short stories. One aspect of the video that I would like to improve upon is the idea that culture-based education helps to build a relationship of trust and fosters respect.
I definitely think that culturally responsive classroom benefits my students and their families. I believe that when I include my students' culture into my curriculum, I help my students connect to their heritage and the culture of their peers. Because I teach virtually, it's very important for me to include the CRC strategies, like fostering a welcoming environment and using culture-based literature, so that my online students can make connections with each other and foster respect and community within our classroom
Hi Diane, I am really glad you have some kind coworkers that are helping you learn the ropes in how to connect with the kids! That is so helpful as a first year teacher in Hawaii. I learned that as well, the student need to trust you before they can learn from you. On the mainland respect towards teachers is pretty automatic. Here is is a little different. Especially if they do not view you as a local and see you as an outsider. Making connection with students is key. Adding cultural responsiveness to your classroom is going to really help the students connect with you on a personal level as well and with each other. Keep up the good work!
DeleteAloha Diane, it is interesting in what you experienced when first beginning to teach here in Hawaii. I have heard the same thing from other teachers who have moved to Hawaii to begin their teaching career, where some have been successful, while seeing others leave and return to the US mainland. Based on your statements, you were able to overcome the challenges and I applaud that. I thought about moving to the mainland to teach and I think I would face something similar as culture is very different, not just the school but individual. Hawaii is a unique place and culturally diverse where understanding culture and infusing it within your curriculum is important for student academic success.
DeleteI learned that culturally responsive teaching is designed to help empower students, it does so by using meaningful and relevant cultural connections to foster academic and social success, as well as awareness towards every single student's culture in the classroom. Also I learned what CRC strives to do which is to motivate students of an ethnic minority, in the past these students have had a tendency to struggle in their academics. Having a CRC not only embraces cultural differences, but it also works towards finding similarities between all students, no matter their culture or ethnicity. To make my students feel comfortable in my classroom I have created a relaxing learning environment. I recently have added lamps, a couch, yoga balls, and other comfy chairs to make my room feel welcoming. I have the Hawaiian & the American flag up in my room as well. I feel that I personally build successful relationships with many students by asking them about their weekend or what they do for fun. By building a connection, students are more likely to trust me and come to me when they have an issue with an assignment or even an issue outside of school. Creating a culturally responsive classroom is important to me. Creating a CRC means that there is also culture included and makes people feel welcomed. These videos and articles have influenced my pedagogy for a CRC by making a strong point that in order to best accommodate my students, I need to be as culturally inclusive as possible. This encourages me to embrace the differences of my students and to adjust curriculum to incorporate culture at the community level to be relevant to their home lives and surroundings. I learned in the videos and articles that it is not only important to recognize cultural differences and to embrace them as well so that students feel like they have belonging. Yes, CRC’s can benefit me as a teacher and my school community as a whole. I think they can benefit us to become more connected and to grow in understanding one another.
ReplyDeleteHi there! I love how you mentioned the idea about how CRC is not just about embracing and learning about our differences, but also tying in that although we have differences we are all still in essence the same. I feel like I try to share our differences and celebrate it, however I do not tie in as much that regardless of these things we are all humans going through relatable situations. I also agree that building connections are the foundation of creating a culturally responsive classroom, as without this it can be difficult for students to share and form mindsets about openness and community.
DeleteHi Mara,
DeleteI love that you focused on how a culturally responsive classroom empowers students. I originally thought CRT was importance for a sense of belonging, but I now know, as you point out, how it actually motivated students and increases their academic and social success.
There were several valuable pieces of information that was learned from the articles and video and are very relevant to in helping me to understand the context and emphasized how important it is to establish a culturally responsive teaching (CRT) classroom.
ReplyDeleteOne of these things is the historical context on how CRT came about. It is important to understand why CRT was developed in order to better develop[ effective lessons. I found it interesting that a lot of the why stems from what was happening in society at the time. Our country went through a period of tensions and the growth of cultural diversity and the disparity in education between the varying segments of the population. CRT is basically, a response to the academic achievement differential based on rese, socioeconomic class and level of English language ability.
Other key items that was learned from this section is that CRT strives to increase engagement and motivation of students who historically have been academically unsuccessful and socially alienated. It is also important to infuse the culture of such students in to the curriculum and make meaningful connections with community cultures. CRT needs to be a two-way communicative process, decreasing student passivity and increasing student involvement.
In order for teachers to to implement successful CRT, teachers need to incorporate the cultural context teaching and learning into the curriculum by using students' prior learning and their own cultural perceptions; build interpersonal relationships with students; and adjust teaching approaches that conflict with student learning styles.
One of the things that I do to make students comfortable is to establish a relationship and get to know the students, in what they are willing to share. I learn about their cultural background, their likes and dislikes, etc. I also encourage students to be open about their background and to also be respectful of each other and the diversity in the classroom.
Creating a culturally responsive classroom is important as I do believe that it can contribute to academic success for all students. Not only will students feel comfortable with each other and myself, but also be wiling to participate without any feeling of intimidations. It is also important to learn from each other through the lens of cultural differences and celebrate the diversity.
These articles will influence my teaching in that it further emphasizes the importance of developing a culturally responsive classroom. Although I have attempted CRT in the past, I have not stuck with it. The information has also provided a historical context as to why CRT was developed and further validates the need for its implementation and continuous use in the classroom.
Hawaii being a culturally diverse state with the school populations reflecting that diversity, there is a benefit to me as a teacher and the school as a whole to have culturally responsive classrooms. I believe that we would have less issues in terms of behavior and discipline and increased academic success. This success would not only be reflected in specific populations but the entire school as a whole, when one group is successful it can contribute to other groups being successful, the school as a whole will also achieve.
Hi there!I loved reading your thoughts about bringing in a CRT mindset into the classroom, especially how Hawaii is so closely related to this. I love how you also included learning about a students cultural background and encouraging students to respect each other to make them feel comfortable. Its very difficult to begin CRT without these things, and I am sure your students feel very comfortable in your class. I can also relate about not sticking with CRT, as it can be hard keeping up with. However I am glad we both see the importance of continuing, and that it can have lasting effects that sticks with our students.
DeleteHi Glenn,
DeleteThank you for sharing your thoughts on the importance of CRT. I also agree with you how important it is to connect with our students and understand their background and build that foundational relationship. I was also intrigued to learn about the historical context of how CRT came to be. I also agree that with Hawaii being such a culturally diverse population of students its lends it self great opportunity for providing a culturally rich and diverse education.
What did you learn from these articles and videos?
ReplyDeleteFrom the articles and videos, I learned that is is key to establish a classroom that is filled with culture and accepts all, no matter where they come from. The teaching and learning comes second to this, and that without these key foundations of bringing culture and safety into the classroom, it is difficult to progress in all other areas. I was unfamiliar with cultural responsiveness, and learned that a culturally responsive classroom is when students can bring forward their own experiences of their own cultures, and celebrate it alongside others. This is also when students can take hold of their learning, and experience the classroom in their own way in relation to their own life. The outcome of this brings students together and informs them about their peers and the world around them.
What do you do to make your students feel comfortable in your classroom?
To make my students feel comfortable in the classroom, I try to model being open and accepting myself first. I know that if I model being open to all backgrounds and celebrate them, that students will follow. I also encourage a lot of sharing about backgrounds, and the understanding that we all come from different lives and that makes us the same. For example, I have begun doing morning meetings where my students can share anything they want with each other, and a lot of students share difficult things/different things like different family situations, and different cultural backgrounds.
How important is creating a culturally responsive classroom to you?
Creating a culturally responsive classroom is very important to me, because I understand that they can't learn as well if they do not feel comfortable being themselves and celebrating their own true selves. Through these articles especially, I was reminded how important it is to celebrate diversity and who you are, as well as others and where they come from. This is how we connect, and grow as people and as a community.
How have these articles and videos influenced your view/teaching pedagogy on culturally responsive classrooms?
These articles influence my view/teaching pedagogy on culturally responsive classrooms by reminding me that although it is difficult to incorporate it and bring time for it, it makes a huge difference on student performance and has to be a priority. I am definitely not informed as well as I should be on culturally responsive classroom strategies, and these resources made me realize that incorporating these ideas into the classroom can do more than influence their understanding of cultures, but bring a sense of community and acceptance into the classroom. I have so many students who come together in my classroom, and they all come from different backgrounds. However, a lot of their situations are similar to each other as well, and I learned that bringing this to attention can form stronger bonds and improve classroom achievement as a whole.
Do you think culturally responsive classrooms can benefit you as a teacher and the school as a whole? If so, how? If not, why?
I think culturally responsive classrooms can benefit myself as a teacher and the school as a whole because it opens up a person, and teaches them that there is more to the world than our own experiences, AND we can use our experiences to connect and change the world as well. These ideas are ones that many of my students have within themselves, but just are not given the space to share it. I know that it can benefit a person as a whole, and especially being brought up as a young child learning it, it will snowball into an effect creating a person who can connect with others and make a difference.
Hi! I really like your idea of having morning meetings with your students where they can openly share anything they want. Having second graders, I have a room full of students who want to share all about their lives, and I often struggle to set aside time for them to do so with all the other things we need to accomplish. However, as we've learned through the articles and videos, it is so important that we do find the time for our students to make connections between their cultures and the content we are teaching and for them to build a community that is accepting of everyone. I can relate to what you said about not being very informed about culturally responsive teaching strategies, so I'm looking forward to learning more through this course.
Delete1. The articles and videos affirmed my previous understanding of the importance of creating a classroom culture that is a welcoming and safe place for all students. Here in Hawaii we have students with a wide range of ethnic backgrounds, so it is important that we implement curricula that addresses our students’ backgrounds and identities so that they embrace their culture and our classrooms become a place that fosters acceptance and respect. I found the article “Reading Your Way to a Culturally Responsive Classroom” to be eye-opening, especially the part where it addressed the three categories of race-related teaching practices. I’ve heard that teaching students to be “color-blind” is not the correct way to teach them about race, but I hadn’t heard of the color-aware and social justice approach. I think my current teaching practices would fall under color-aware, but I see the value in teaching students about social justice. I would like to learn more strategies on how to do this at the lower elementary level. I get nervous that these topics might be controversial and parents might cause conflict, but I want to be able to adopt this RRTP.
ReplyDelete2. It is important to me to create an environment where my students feel comfortable. Being that I teach second grade, many of them already love to share openly about themselves and tell me about their lives (even without me asking first). I make it a point to listen to what they have to share and respond to them so they know I’m listening and care about what they have to say. I also try to incorporate time for students to share what they did over the weekend or breaks, so they all get a chance to talk. As much as possible, I also try to have students work with a partner or in small groups so they can learn how to cooperate and work with others. With Covid, it’s been a bit of a challenge to have students work together, but when they do, it’s great to see the collaboration that takes place. Group work is a great teaching practice to help students learn to respect others.
3. After learning more about what a culturally responsive classroom is through this section of the course, I think it is very important that I create a culturally responsive classroom. I want my classroom to be a place where students feel recognized, valued, respected, and welcomed. I want my students to embrace their cultures and identities and in turn, embrace others who come from different cultures.
4. Through the articles and videos, I’ve learned that culturally responsive classrooms are more than just teaching our students to be respectful of people of all different cultures. It is also about explicitly teaching our students about race, different cultural practices, and making an active effort to connect the content we are teaching to the different cultures represented in our classrooms. When students feel valued and respected and can make relevant connections between themselves and the content they are learning, then student engagement increases and learning improves. Students become excited about what they are learning and are therefore more likely to thrive.
5. I believe I as well as my school as a whole can benefit from adopting culturally responsive classrooms. By doing so, I believe my classroom and the school campus will become an environment where all students feel welcomed and respected. I think there would be a decrease in bullying and an increase in student learning. If students are taught to embrace who they are as well as embrace those who are different from them, I think that the school environment would prosper and students would be less likely to tease or bully others. In return, students would be more excited to come to school and learn, especially if the content reflects their culture, and student learning would improve.
I also found the Reading Your Way to a Culturally Responsive Classroom to be very eye-opening. Talking about race and culture can be a very sensitive subject. As a first grade teacher, I have the same concerns about how to approach it in the right away and not offend any parent or student. Having your students share their peers is such a great way to build relationships and make connections. From your thoughtful comments, I can tell that your kids are very respected and valued. It is so true that as we adopt these culturally responsive classrooms, the bullying should decrease. I look forward to learning more CRC strategies with you.
DeleteI too feel as if we had culturally responsive schools there would be more student learning and respect all around. Embracing oneself and who an individual is really shapes who they think and grow. It would be nice if students could come to school no matter what their culture is at home, knowing that it is appreciated, respected, and valued at school.
DeleteAloha Christi-Ann,
DeleteWhen I read the article “Reading You Way to a Culturally Responsive Classroom,” I also found the part about race-related teaching practices interesting. Going back and looking at how I use CRT in my classroom now, I feel that I am hovering around the color-aware area. The social justice area seems like a good way to get my high schoolers critically-thinking about race, gender, and sexuality issues our country is facing, but I am not sure how I could appropriately implement the strategy. I know that it will also be a matter of taking myself out of my comfort zone to discuss these issues with my students. However, I think it is important to cover these issues and incorporate CRT into the classroom because it can have a drastic impact on how students view themselves and others in our school and community, which would lead to a reduction in bullying, as you mentioned.
What did you learn from these articles and videos?
ReplyDeleteFrom the articles and videos, I learned that it is key to establish a classroom that is filled with culture and accepts all, no matter where they come from. The teaching and learning comes second to this, and that without these key foundations of bringing culture and safety into the classroom, it is difficult to progress in all other areas. I was unfamiliar with cultural responsiveness, and learned that a culturally responsive classroom is when students can bring forward their own experiences of their own cultures, and celebrate it alongside others. This is also when students can take hold of their learning, and experience the classroom in their own way in relation to their own life. The outcome of this brings students together and informs them about their peers and the world around them.
What do you do to make your students feel comfortable in your classroom?
To make my students feel comfortable in the classroom, I try to model being open and accepting myself first. I know that if I model being open to all backgrounds and celebrate them, that students will follow. I also encourage a lot of sharing about backgrounds, and the understanding that we all come from different lives and that makes us the same. For example, I have begun doing morning meetings where my students can share anything they want with each other, and a lot of students share difficult things/different things like different family situations, and different cultural backgrounds.
How important is creating a culturally responsive classroom to you?
Creating a culturally responsive classroom is very important to me, because I understand that they can't learn as well if they do not feel comfortable being themselves and celebrating their own true selves. Through these articles especially, I was reminded how important it is to celebrate diversity and who you are, as well as others and where they come from. This is how we connect, and grow as people and as a community.
How have these articles and videos influenced your view/teaching pedagogy on culturally responsive classrooms?
These articles influence my view/teaching pedagogy on culturally responsive classrooms by reminding me that although it is difficult to incorporate it and bring time for it, it makes a huge difference on student performance and has to be a priority. I am definitely not informed as well as I should be on culturally responsive classroom strategies, and these resources made me realize that incorporating these ideas into the classroom can do more than influence their understanding of cultures, but bring a sense of community and acceptance into the classroom. I have so many students who come together in my classroom, and they all come from different backgrounds. However, a lot of their situations are similar to each other as well, and I learned that bringing this to attention can form stronger bonds and improve classroom achievement as a whole.
Do you think culturally responsive classrooms can benefit you as a teacher and the school as a whole? If so, how? If not, why?
I think culturally responsive classrooms can benefit myself as a teacher and the school as a whole because it opens up a person, and teaches them that there is more to the world than our own experiences, AND we can use our experiences to connect and change the world as well. These ideas are ones that many of my students have within themselves, but just are not given the space to share it. I know that it can benefit a person as a whole, and especially being brought up as a young child learning it, it will snowball into an effect creating a person who can connect with others and make a difference.
Hi Tori,
DeleteLike you, I was unawareness of culturally responsiveness. But, it sounds as though both of us were doing things to support the students culture without even knowing it. You have set up your classroom that is kind, respectful, and accepting of others. Allowing the students to share makes learning so meaningful as they make connections to their own lives outside of the classroom. Every morning I also start with a Morning Meeting that has a sharing component. I love how open you are with your students and how you celebrate their diversity. Together we will learn so many new CRT strategies that we can implement in our classrooms. I think that is will enhance the connections we have with our students and their relationships with each other. I look forward to learning with you!
Hi Tori,
DeleteI really like how you said that you like to set an example as a role model for your students. This is something I would like to actively think about more with my own students. Because they are upper level high school students and I am a relatively new teacher, I sometimes have a hard time thinking of myself as a role model. But that is exactly what we are to our students and we can be the ones to set the example that they all should strive for. Additionally, I really like how you said that you give time for students to share with each other about things other than just school work or the school day. This is something that I also like to do with my students. From doing this I have learned so much about my students and they learn more about each other, which allows them to relate with one another.
In the articles, I learned that culturally responsive teaching (CRT) is about increasing student engagement and motivating the minority students. Teachers can do this by respecting their students' diverse backgrounds and making meaningful connections to their students’ cultural heritage. In the second article, I learned that people could have a color blind approach, color aware, or social justice approach. This call to civic action will help fight discrimination and promote racial acceptance. Through the use of children’s books, we can address racial differences and open up the difficult conversations.
ReplyDeleteIn the videos, I learned more about the importance of bringing the home culture to the school culture. I especially liked how the AP English teacher said that she starts at home and moves outward to other cultures. I like how she wants her students to see themselves in the literature. That comment really resonated with me because I haven’t thought about culture in that way before.
In my classroom, I try to create a friendly and welcoming environment that encourages the students to build relationships with each other and myself. Creating that trust and making the connections with the students is just as important as my lesson plan. I also have a wide variety of literature books that represent people of all different races. Reading these books is fun because the students see themselves in the pictures and the stories. One way that we learn about each other’s cultures is during Social Studies. As we are learning about culture, the students bring in an artifact about themselves and their culture. The students love seeing each other’s artifacts, learning about their friends’ cultures, and finding the similarities between their races.
Creating a culturally responsive classroom is very important to me. There are many students from all different backgrounds in my class. This is one of those years that I feel that I am having trouble connecting to my students. This class came at the right time and going forward, I really need to make a greater effort to approach learning through my students’ knowledge, experiences, and cultural beliefs.
These articles did in fact change the way that I will approach culture responsiveness in my classroom. In all honesty, most of the time I had the color blind approach. As a first grade teacher, I truly felt that the students did not see skin color or race. When my students talked to me about other students, race did not enter the conversation. I thought that I was doing the right thing by not bringing it up. In the second article, I realized that in not openly discussing culture, the students would form their own biases and opinions about race. Now I hope to take a more color aware approach or social justice approach. This means having conversations about race and using those teachable moments to discuss ways we can act on racial injustice.
I do think that having a culturally responsive classroom will definitely help my students. As mentioned earlier, it really resonated with me when the AP teacher said that she starts with the learning at home. The students started by reading about the Hawaiian culture. The teacher built a foundation for the students and something for them to always refer back to. In the first video, it was evident that having a clear cultural identity really helped the students all throughout their lives. I really liked how their culture helped define their identify and core values. I also think that CRT will benefit my school. We focus on educating the whole child, building relationships, and making learning meaningful.
Just like you, the article about the three different types of race-related teaching practices (RRTPs) influenced my view and approach towards culturally responsive classrooms. I'm a high school counselor and at times I feel like I too use the color blind approach, not realizing the negative effect not talking about race and culture can have on my students. Reflecting back on different situations, I can now see how I missed out on real teachable moments and opportunities to use the color aware or social justice approach. Moving forward I need to really reflect on my own biases and opinions so that I can use these approaches with my students in a way that helps them develop appropriate views of race and culture.
DeleteHi there!
DeleteThank you for sharing your thoughts and findings after reading the articles and watching the videos. I found your comment insightful. It also resonated with my when the AP teacher says that she starts with learning at home. I loved that she included Hawaiian literature into her classroom and then expanded outwards! She seemed to believe that the students responded well to this which I am sure if true. I most certainly would like to build that type of cultural framework within my own classroom as well. I also think it is great that you create a welcoming environment by focusing on building relationships. I truly believe relationships are the key to all within education.
Again, thanks for sharing!
Hi Tiffany,
DeleteI totally agree with your comment in that I too feel I was taking a color blind approach. I believed my students didn't see race and color so it was something we rarely talk about. I am constantly reminding students to treat each other kindly and respectfully, but rarely address race and background. This was definitely my take away. Trying to find ways to incorporate those conversations about race. One of the great suggestions I'm going to try is through literature. I love how you have different books in your library that represent students different cultures.
1.) I learned that the main point of culturally responsive teaching (CRT) is to make learning more culturally relevant so that students feel seen and cared for at school. Studies show that culture based education helps to create a sense of responsibility, an environment of trust to support learning and it enhances student’s sense of self worth. This leads to a positive environment and students enjoying learning. CRT is student centered and is focused on making connections between student’s cultural backgrounds and academic knowledge for success. It is believed to help reduce the academic achievement gap. Furthermore, it's a way of showing students that we see the cultural and racial differences among us and welcome or value those differences. Doing this is key to helping students feel welcome and connected at school.
ReplyDelete2.) As a school counselor I try my best to provide my students with a safe environment in which they feel comfortable to share what they are feeling. I have posters with positive quotes on my walls, have picked a color scheme with brighter colors, and have student pictures and cards on my walls to show students that others trust me too. I always try to greet students with a smile (its been tough with COVID to do this), am aware of the tone of voice I use when welcoming students, and whenever possible try to use laughter since I believe that is one thing that everyone can understand regardless of their cultural background. I hope that by doing these things students feel that I am sincere and genuine.
3.) Creating a culturally responsive classroom is extremely important to me. I want all my students to feel like I see all of who they are so that they can be open and honest with me. A student’s cultural background is a huge part of their lives and can often cause barriers to learning and growing if others are not aware of it. For example, in some cultures older siblings are expected to care for and raise their younger siblings so that their parents can work. This can impact a student’s attendance, how much time they can devote to homework, if they are able to stay after school for tutoring or extra curricular activities, how much sleep they are able to get, etc. If a teacher or counselor does not take the time to understand this student’s culture, there will always be a disconnect or misunderstanding between them. A student will be viewed as unmotivated or careless when in fact they are simply following the expectations placed on them culturally. Keeping this in mind will help remind me to connect with my students first before making any assumptions about their actions or behavior.
4.) The articles and videos helped me understand that culturally responsive classrooms are not just about treating everyone with respect. While respect is part of CRC, it is more than that. This was solidified by the article “Reading Your Way to a Culturally Responsive Classroom.” The article identified 3 different types of race-related teaching practices (RRTPs): color-blind, color-aware and social justice approach. Learning about these RRTPs showed me that there are various ways and degrees to which I can provide my students with cultural responsiveness.
5.) Yes I do believe that culturally responsive classrooms can benefit me as a counselor and the school as a whole. If as a school we adopted more CRT strategies I believe students would feel a stronger sense of belonging. If they felt like they belonged, we would see an increase in attendance and academic performance. Furthermore I think that if teachers used more CRT strategies, it would change the way they would deal with students. CRC forces the adults on campus to reflect upon our own biases and experiences. By doing this we are able to build better relationships with our students.
I like how you have changed your counseling room with colored walls and posters with positive quotes. I think when students walk in the room feeling like you care about your room they have a good chance you care about them...its a vibe. I wish that there were more posters available for teachers in all subjects for all classrooms. When reading articles and listening to speakers they always say we should create a welcoming environment but it takes time and money to also do that but it is not given through the school. I think more classrooms could look and be more inviting if the schools/department of education actually thought this had value and acted upon it.
DeleteWhat did you learn from these articles and videos?
ReplyDeleteI feel as though I have learned a lot from these articles and videos. I have learned more about the history and foundations of culturally responsive classrooms. I have learned more about the active role that teachers play in developing them, and have garnered more strategies and ideas on how to effectively fill that role. I have learned more about the research and data supporting culturally responsive classrooms and the outcomes that they bring. I have learned more about the critical role that culturally responsive classrooms play in a diverse and culturally rich place such as Hawaii, and how it would benefit our keiki.
What do you do to make your students feel comfortable in your classroom?
The effort towards making my students feel comfortable in my classroom begins before the school year starts. I first try to create a classroom environment that is inclusive and representative to the student body. This might include posting different languages around my room, or having cultural posters or artwork, or having images of peoples of different backgrounds. I also try to arrange my desks in a way that encourages student interaction and community. Once the school year begins, I hope to make students feel comfortable by establishing easy to follow routines and to build relationships with each of my students. I find that playing different types of music, from different cultures or languages, and celebrating different types of holidays to be two easy ways to integrate culture into my classroom and to make students feel more at ease. I hope that throughout this course I will find further strategies to make my students more comfortable within my classroom.
How important is creating a culturally responsive classroom to you?
Creating a culturally responsive classroom is most important to me. I feel that the question I think is more important to me at this stage is how important it is to create a culturally responsive curriculum within secondary mathematics. There does not seem to be the time, for me personally, to focus on creating well-thought out lessons that can highlight cultural aspects of mathematics. I have slowly begun to create lessons as often as I can that can integrate elements of culture and diversity. I hope that overtime (unfortunately, this time may be over years), I will be able to create enough lessons that I am integrating these critical elements daily into my curriculum. One part of the article “Culturally Responsive Teaching” by Michael Vavrus discussed future directions, and mentioned that “CRT is at a stage where accessible and verifiable data-bases of culturally appropriate teaching materials and unit plans need to be more widely available”. I found this statement resonating with me, as I have struggled to find resources to implement within a secondary mathematics classroom. I know that we, as teachers of today, are on the edge of CRT and are a bit of a pioneering group. Therefore creating these resources and sharing them is an integral part of our teaching responsibilities. I do hope that moving forward, educators can unite in developing such needed materials.
How have these articles and videos influenced your view/teaching pedagogy on culturally responsive classrooms?
DeleteAfter reviewing these articles and videos, I feel more informed and confident in the teacher’s role in implementing culturally responsive teaching. One key component of CRT as defined by the article “Culturally Responsive Teaching” by Michael Vavrus is the creation of students to be active participants within their own education and not to have teachers be just transmitters of information. I found this statement had me reflecting upon my own teaching practices. While I do prioritize student interaction and de-prioritize teacher talk, I often find that within my own mathematics classroom the routines of notes and practice often win out with weekly activities or games thrown in. I find that resources are limited and creating them often takes a significant amount of time when time is in short supply. I have taken a step back to view my own teaching practices, and realize that I do need to implement culture more into my curriculum and that even if it is a slow process, it is one that I need to continue with nonetheless. Additionally, I found that in order to effectively make changes in my teaching practices/pedagogy, that I need to further educate myself. As a new teacher in Hawaii, I find that I am often ignorant to much of the cultural aspects that are represented within my school. I hope to be able to focus on developing my own base knowledge. As recommended in the Office Chat video, I hope to be able to do independent research, speak to my students, look into home visits, seek out community leaders - all in order to help me develop a better developed knowledge base to which I can relate to students. I also found the video on Education: Culture Matters to be particularly enlightening, as it relates to Hawaii specifically, and shows just how ingrained the culture is within the education system. As I am teaching in Hawaii and now call this place home, I must better educate myself so that this can be reflected in my own teaching pedagogy. This much is stated within the article “Culturally Responsive Teaching” by Michael Vavrus, which said “Culturally responsive teachers are life-long learners of culture and its implications for teaching and learning in their particular settings. Therefore, CRT is enhanced by foundational academic knowledge in the study of culture”. Another way that this article has impacted my own teaching pedagogy revolves around my own role in “ helping students recognize strengths and significance of their cultures, families, and communities, and to see their own lives and perspectives as subjects worthy of study” (Culturally Responsive Teaching Article).I feel that this notion is imperative. I have not ever fully committed myself to trying to realize this within my classroom. I hope to further research and reflect upon actionable steps to accomplish this.
Do you think culturally responsive classrooms can benefit you as a teacher and the school as a whole? If so, how? If not, why?
DeleteI do believe that culturally responsive classrooms can greatly benefit myself, as a teacher, and my school as a whole. In simple terms, culturally responsive classrooms benefit students and thus will benefit myself and my school. Connecting culture with education and education with culture go hand in hand. I think that culturally responsive classrooms will help make students feel comfortable, help them develop socially and academically, and help students successfully find/establish their role within society. These can be established through culturally responsive classrooms, and are the goals of both teachers and schools alike. I believe even more so, that culturally responsive classrooms can benefit teachers, schools, and students of Hawaii as this state is a cultural melting pot of so many unique cultures. Many of these unique cultures do not fall within the typical norms of the historically white-centric frames of the American education system. Therefore, culturally responsive classrooms are a critical foundation which teachers and schools need to rely upon in order to be successful.
What did you learn from these articles and videos? I learned more about Culturally Responsive teaching and that it takes time to have a culturally responsive classroom. You have to be willing and open minded to do so. Also that it is not an individual effort but everyone needs to buy in, such as student, teacher, school, and parents. Well, it would be best if everyone was on board. In the Culturally Responsive Teaching reading it states, “As the nation’s student body continues to grow more culturally and racially diverse, the demographic composition of teachers remains extremely homogenous racially with nearly 90% of all teachers identifying themselves as White.” I find that surprising. Maybe it is because we are here in Hawaii but I thought that was a lot of “white” teachers compared to other ethnicities and I suppose with more “white” teachers it would be even harder to have culturally responsive teaching. In the video with Dr. Kavatus Newell I found it interesting as she spoke of things that teachers need to do for a culturally responsive classroom because I feel a lot is on the teacher and it takes a lot of time on top of the lesson planning already. I think the things she mentioned are great but it would be hard, not impossible but hard. For example, making readings in many languages for each culture. I think if it was dominiately Hawaiian then we could do that and English but in Hawaii there are at least 10 different ethnicities and that would be a lot to do. If given more time I think it could work.
ReplyDeleteWhat do you do to make your students feel comfortable in your classroom? I always greet them and I try to get to know them personally, what their interests are and support them in all ways that I can. My students know that respect is huge in my classroom and you can agree to disagree. I try to listen to what they have to say. I share about who I am so that they can get to know me as well.
How important is creating a culturally responsive classroom to you? I think it is important because culture shapes who you are. I try to keep things open in my class and if any student has something to share about their culture I am open to listen and learn.
How have these articles and videos influenced your view/teaching pedagogy on culturally responsive classrooms? I think that the points I have read and listened to that I can do with the current time given I would gladly do such as modifying my lessons to be more culturally responsive or making sure my biases are just my own. And even asking for thoughts on different opinions so that everyone can see different points of view. I also think it would be nice if there was actually an implementation of culturally responsive classrooms so that we could mimic it but I think the curriculum part is bigger than the teacher. If there was something we could use then I do not see why there would be a problem implementing it.
Do you think culturally responsive classrooms can benefit you as a teacher and the school as a whole? If so, how? If not, why? Yes, I think it can benefit us because when students feel comfortable they learn best.
Hi!
DeleteI agree that implementing a culturally responsive strategies is daunting and can seem time consuming. I think as individuals it would take a lot of extra planning, especially if presented with cultures or values unfamiliar to you. I think it would be helpful if as a state, we began a CRC implementation plan across all schools. Our DOE has a diverse population and we know how beneficial these strategies would be. More importantly, if it was mandated statewide, we'd have PLC to collaborate and adjust units based on current student information gathered from questionaries.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
Thank you for your response. I agree that often times it can be difficult and time consuming to include culturally responsive strategies in our classroom, I experience the same thing in my classroom as well. I agree, also, that is is important for teachers to do this though. I also agree that it would be good for the schools or the DOE to provide more resources for teachers to implement these strategies in the classrooms. One thing that they do have is the Ha framework. I just recently learned more about this and plan to continue to implement this in my classroom to be more culturally responsive and to make use of the unique cultural aspects of Hawai'i.
DeleteAfter watching the videos and reading the articles I learned that Culturally Responsive Teaching is important in order to have a classroom that creates higher engagement and success for all students. Something I do to make all students feel comfortable in my classroom is we take time to study all my students culture and background. We start the school year off with a culture unit where each student gets to research their own culture and share with their classmates. I find this experience to be a great start to the year. It creates a classroom where all my students feel welcomed and represented. It is very important to create a culturally responsive classroom to me. At the core of my teaching belief is for all students to feel valued and feel they can be successful. I enjoyed watching the video about culture in Hawaiian Education. It was eye opening for me to hear that school is the vehicle that shares culture. Our culture is something that is important to all of us, but it was very powerful to me that school is so important in sharing all of our cultural backgrounds. It was so powerful to see how they integrate and use their Hawaiian culture to drive their education in all aspects. A culturally responsive classroom would benefit me especially at the school I teach at. At my school, Aiea Elementary School we serve a population of almost 60% English Learning Students. Therefore, they would benefit from teaching where they feel represented in. By representing students in the learning it will help to build more positive teacher and student relationships as well as a strong school community where all learners will be engaged and successful.
ReplyDeleteAloha Kelcey,
DeleteThank you for sharing what you do with your students to create a comfortable classroom environment. Having the students research things from their own cultural background is a great way to get them thinking about their own cultural heritage and identity. It can also help the other students see how unique and interesting the class makeup is as a whole. At the beginning of this school year, I did a “school locker” activity where the students had to create a Google Slide and fill their virtual locker with things that represent who they are (e.g., flags for dual-nationalities or languages spoken, religious objects, objects representing hobbies & interests, etc.). The students enjoyed the activity for a variety of reasons, especially the novelty of not having lockers at our school. I showed the created slides on the monitor and the students had fun trying to guess whose locker it belonged to.
Thanks for sharing Kelcey! I love your beginning of the year activity! It sounds very engaging! I teach first grade and something I like to do in the beginning of the year is have my students complete an All About Me activity. It's an activity that they complete with their parents at home, where they share their personal interests and cool facts about themselves. Similar to yours, I also have my students share their All About Me activities with the class so that they are able to feel represented, while also learning about similarities/differences between themselves and their peers.
DeleteHi Kelcey,
DeleteI absolutely love that you start your year off with students exploring their cultures. I am sure it allows you to learn about your students without having to do all the research yourself, allows students to share about themselves in their own words and on their own terms, and sets the tone for the rest of the year.
I think it is really cool that you start of your year exploring their different cultures. That must be a great way to get to know your students and to learn more about their cultural backgrounds. I think this is a great strategy and I would like to incorporate it into my classroom as well in order to be more culturally responsive and to better support my students.
DeleteAfter reading through the articles and watching the videos, one of the important things I learned about CRT is that it also involves decreasing teacher-centered approaches in the classroom in favor of student-centered approaches. This means that the students are taking a more active lead in the classroom and the teacher is not doing lecture-based instruction as much. Another thing that I learned was the concept of race-related teaching strategies. There are three categories: Color-blind, color-aware, and social justice. Color-blind involves avoiding the discussion, color-aware means discussing the topic in the curriculum or as it comes up in class, and social justice involves getting the students to actively participate in solving problems in our community. Although I am not as consistent with CRT in my own classroom at the moment, I feel that when I do introduce CRT curriculum it falls under the “color-aware” category.
ReplyDeleteTo make students feel comfortable in my own classroom, it usually starts at the very beginning of class; I stand outside of the door and greet students as they come in. I use their first names when I do it and smile to help the students feel welcomed into the classroom. We often follow classroom norms which the students develop on their own and place on a poster on the wall. Some of these classroom norms include how they can earn breaks, or cell phone usage policies. The kids thought it would be nice to have a dock where they can charge their phones so I got one and placed it in the back. It is a good way for them to monitor themselves, as well. For curriculum, the students have a fair amount of choice about what we do next. With each assignment, I try to give the students the chance to express themselves creatively. For example, in quarter 3 we created “American Mix-tapes” where the students found songs that they felt represented them or their families.
I would say that having a culturally responsive classroom is quite important to me. I was a mixed kid raised on the mainland in a predominantly white school. I didn’t think much about it recently, but I feel that I missed out on a lot of opportunities because there wasn’t much representation for black kids or mixed kids in the curriculum in that district. As the articles/videos stated, I didn’t really see myself in the books that we read. I am not entirely sure how much it affected my understanding or learning, but it definitely affected my sense of personal identity. I would like to avoid this sort of thing in my classroom and give my students the chance to explore different types of literature and cultures in my classroom.
The articles and videos in this module helped me get a better idea of how I can personally integrate CRT into my classroom to benefit my students. Even though a lot of the ideas and examples were geared towards early education, I could still see how I can incorporate this into my secondary curriculum. It would be a good opportunity to open up a dialogue about the importance of culture in our society, and get my students to think critically about what we can do to improve the community that we live in. I feel that implementing CRT in the classroom will help my students become more empathetic towards others and will lead them to be responsible adults once they leave our high school campus.
Hi Steven,
DeleteI agree with your comment about how the CRC model decreases teacher-centered approaches in classrooms. I try to facilitate more student led assignments, but often struggle with time management. I want students to have time to explore, but feel pressure to meet specific grade level pacing guides. Do you ever feel this way?
Also, I really loved your "American Mix-Tapes" project! Based on my understanding of CRC, it appears that project really hit the hammer on the nail. It's great to know that students had the freedom to represent their families with an appropriate song. This sounds like a very engaging project for students!
Thanks for sharing your ideas.
Hi Steven,
DeleteAs commented above, I also agree that the CRC model decreases teacher-centered approaches in the classroom and allows for a more student approach that unpacks the diverse thinkers in our classrooms. As we develop relationships with our students, we are able to plan for lessons in ways students can express their cultural identity and experiences in meaningful ways.
Thanks for sharing your project idea as well! I've been thinking about how to incorporate a similar project for my 2nd graders as they love to sing and dance. I do think this would be a great opportunity for them to express their experiences and pull on their own cultural backgrounds to share with the class.
Thank you for sharing,
Chassidy
1. What did you learn from these articles and videos?
ReplyDeleteI learned that culturally based education increases students’ success because it views the child as a whole, rather than a passing pupil. Teachers foster an environment centered around the student and their cultural and family values, thus allowing instruction to be more relevant to the learner. These strategies can be challenging to implement at first since there is limited diversity found in curriculum and it takes time developing relationships deep enough to understand their cultural backgrounds. However, it is apparent that cultural responsiveness must integrated throughout instruction. Furthermore, students apart of culturally based education understand their teacher values them as a whole and instills trust to create strong and meaningful relationships. This allows students to be active learners and engage during discussions. Students can apply their personal experiences within instruction which makes learning more memorable and meaningful.
2. What do you do to make your students feel comfortable in your classroom?
To make my students feel comfortable in our classroom, I worked very hard to develop and maintain strong relationships with all my students. Each day, I stand at the door and give them a joyous welcome. Following this, students move onto their morning work. One component of our morning work is our “Daily Check-In Board”. Each student has a sheet protector with ten emojis describing basic feelings such as excited, fine, angry, frustrated, tired, etc. Before we begin instruction, students complete their “Daily Check-In Board” by circling one or more emotions, then explaining why they feel this way. I find that students are very open to sharing when given the opportunity to privately write it down. After a few minutes, I walk around the classroom and have a brief conversation about each students’ board. Another way I help students to feel comfortable in our classroom is by having bimonthly “lunch bunches”. A group of 3-5 students come upstairs and we enjoy lunch together, follow by activity that includes drawing, a small craft, or playing a board game. During our lunch bunches, my students and I “talk story” about non-school things like afterschool extra curriculars, their families, or what they did over the weekend.
3. How important is creating a culturally responsive classroom to you?
I believe it is very important to create a culturally responsive classroom. The articles indicate the benefits and positive impacts cultural responsiveness. Personally, I have been a learner in a non-culturally responsiveness classroom during my undergrad. It feels uncomfortable and unapproachable. I am usually proud of all my ethnicities and my different cultural experiences. However, this classroom made me feel small; I felt shame to share my experiences because I knew they were polar experiences in comparison to my peers. As an elementary teacher, my students spend most of their day with me. I would hate for them to ever feel the same way I did. I want to embrace the differences our classroom and teach students how their diverse experiences can bring positive change to our world. Additionally, creating a culturally responsive classroom teaches students how to respectfully approach and ask questions to those that share different experiences or beliefs, which in turn will help them mature into respectful and understanding adults.
I agree that with new standards, it would be a great way to see how I could include culturally responsive teaching into the classroom. In my grade level, we are always looking for ways to improve our curriculum. We also make sure to find ways to adapt things that we have already created to best fit the needs of our students. With a new teacher on our grade level this year, I agree that this is a great opportunity for me to think about ways to adjust or add culturally responsive practices into our curriculum. I appreciate this course will give me an opportunity to learn about more strategies to utilize in the classroom and also inspire me to continue to create a culturally responsive classroom throughout the whole school year.
Delete
ReplyDelete4. How have these articles and videos influenced your view/ teaching pedagogy in culturally responsive classrooms?
The articles and videos have had a positive influence in my teaching pedagogy in relation to the importance of having a culturally responsive classroom. I’ve always been cognizant of creating an environment that’s welcoming to all learners, regardless of differences such as culture. However, these articles have inspired me to spend more time integrating these strategies within my instruction. For example, there are new social studies standards, HCSSS, coming out and we need to create and adjust units so that they align to HCSSS. As we analyze the standards and create units, it would be a great time to see areas to integrate these strategies.
5. Do you think culturally responsive classrooms can benefit you as a teacher and the school as a whole? If so, how? If not, why?
Yes, I think culturally responsive classrooms can benefit both myself as a teacher and our school. I teach at a Title 1 elementary school with large and diverse population of ELL students. If each classroom is intentionally creating culturally responsive classrooms, students will feel safe, welcomed, and included. This cultivates an environment for student success and will help improve learning, therefore improving test scores. Additionally, students will learn in an environment that recognizes and appreciates different cultures, which will help them to mature into respectful adults that understand how to collaborate and compromise. Furthermore, fostering a school that embraces a culturally responsive approach will be recognized by the community and shows families how much their kids are valued and cared for. This encourages families to participate in school activities which allows families to connect and create an inclusive community.
Aloha Sybil,
DeleteThank you for sharing your thoughts on how a culturally responsive classroom can benefit you as a teacher as well as the school as a whole. I agree that it can be enhance the school community by developing intentional classrooms that embrace ELL students so that they feel safe, welcomed and included. As a fellow Title 1 teacher, I have seen the importance of needing to support our ELL students so that curriculum and learning experiences are provided to meet their individual needs.
I also agree with you that an environment that recognizes and appreciates different cultures will help to foster globally aware citizens that understands how to collaborate with those who may disagree with them. The suggestion of incorporating the community to show how students are valued is great idea in support of developing a culturally responsive community.
Thank you for sharing,
Chassidy
What I learned from these articles and videos is the importance of moving to social justice as the goal of being culturally responsive. I always knew that the "color blind" approach was inadequate, but I might have stopped at cultural awareness. I think the social justice component is more relevant now than ever, given the trajectory of recent events. I was not surprised to learn that students in culturally responsive classrooms feel greater responsibility towards the community, have more trust, and enjoy learning more. It makes sense, given that students feel more valued, validated, and accepted in a classroom where the teacher employs Race-Related Teaching Practices.
ReplyDeleteIm my classroom, I do try to acknowledge the various cultures that are represented. I ask students to share about their cultures and/or home life, and try to validate them as much as possible. We do a lot of get to know you activities all year, but especially at the beginning of the year. I ask my students lots of questions, both one on one and in a whole group, as I am genuinely curious and want to learn more about their cultures. They generally respond well to that, and are happy to share about themselves.
It is very important to me to create a culturally responsive classroom. Growing up here in Hawaii, I was raised to value the various cultures and have friends from a variety of backgrounds. Having lived on the mainland for many years, I know what it is like to feel like a minority and to feel marginalized or misunderstood. As much as it is in my power, I do not want my students to experience those same things.
These articles and videos influenced my pedagogy most by giving me explicit permission or even a charge not only to bring up social justice issues, but to actively help my students to pursue them together. This is something that I value personally but was unsure as to how to bring this conviction into the classroom. I also learned of the role that literature plays in being culturally responsive and got ideas as to how to incorporate them into my class.
I think that culturally responsive classrooms will benefit everyone concerned: students, teachers, school, and community. This is not optional given the population of our school, as well as the current state of affairs in our nation. Students will simply learn more effectively in such a classroom, and they will be more equipped personally to venture out into the world as they get older and be positive influencers who know how to value people and build community.
Thanks for sharing! Similar to you, I also try to acknowledge the various cultures that are represented in my classroom by having students share about their home lives often. Starting from the beginning of the school year, we have morning sharing where students share how they are feeling that day and why, as well as one personal/interesting fact about themselves that they would like their peers to know. I love learning about student interests and similarities/differences between their cultures and mine.
DeleteTESTING
ReplyDeleteThrough reading the articles and videos provided by the course instructor, I learned that culture matters in teaching and learning, as it provides a positive context for students in schools and other educational settings. According to the Education Matters Video, Education is presumed as a vehicle of which we transmit culture, cultural values, norms, practices, and behaviors. With that being said, an approach that I enjoyed learning about was Culture Based Education (CBE). CBE helps to create relevant connections, while also keeping students engaged. CBA creates responsibility where students want to give back to the community, creates an environment of trust to support learning, and allows for students to enjoy their learning environment. Ultimately, students know how they fit into their community, as well as know their own self-worth. From the Office Chat Video, I learned that in order to gain cultural awareness in the classroom, we must first do some self-reflection. We can’t expect our students to understand their own culture, if we don’t even understand our own. In the classroom, beginning from day 1, there must be an openness initiated by the teacher where students feel valued and where teachers show they care (e.g. by bridging school with home culture).
ReplyDeleteIn order to make sure my students feel comfortable in my classroom, something that I like to do every day, starting from the first day of school, is having morning sharing. During our morning sharing time, students are to share how they are feeling that day and why and one other personal thing that they would like the class to know. Often times, students love to share what they did on their weekend or a recent accomplishment. Students also sometimes have a difficult time thinking of something to share, so I usually give them a daily “Would You Rather?” question or have them share a favorite (e.g. favorite food, color, school subject). Students love morning sharing time because it gives them an opportunity to be heard. Students also love hearing about similarities/differences between one another. I’d also like to point out that it’s important for students to reflect on their feelings and why they are feeling that way. Students may be feeling or acting in certain ways because of things that are affecting them outside of school. By sharing their feelings and /or emotions and why they are feeling that way, it opens up a relationship of trust between myself and my students, and also allows for them to feel comfortable in the classroom.
The articles and videos have influenced my view/teaching pedagogy on culturally responsive classrooms because I was really able to learn about how it can positively affect students’ socio-emotional development and educational outcomes. By implementing culture throughout my curriculum, students can gain a better understanding of themselves and their peers. Through practicing strategies such as CBE and Race-related teaching practices (RRTP), I know that I can have a positive impact on my students’ acceptance of their own race and others’ races. Culturally responsive classrooms can benefit all schools and educators because it allows for teachers/staff to self-reflect on their own thoughts on culture, while also allowing for students to feel comfortable in their learning environment and where their ethnic backgrounds are celebrated instead of suppressed.
I love the idea of a morning sharing time. I had a few questions about it. What grade do you teach? How do you set boundaries about what is appropriate to share or not? Do you just open up the floor for sharing or do you have specific prompts for the students to answer? I feel like this is such a wonderful opportunity to delve into social justice. Thank you in advance for any isight you give.
Delete1. What did you learn from these articles and videos?
ReplyDeleteFrom these articles and videos, I learned the true meaning behind culturally responsive teaching. In this course, we are focusing on the ethnic backgrounds of culturally responsive teaching, which means it may play a bigger role than I had thought it would. I also learned that there are three categories of race related teaching practices: color-blind, color-aware, and social justice approaches. Some approaches are more effective in culturally responsive practices than others. There was also a video that talking about culture based teaching in Hawaii. In their video, it shows how culture-based learned has supported students in their socio-emotional and academic learning. I learned that culture is a part of our identity and learning about our culture can help us look understand things in a more worldly perspective. In the last video, Dr. Newell explains culturally responsive teaching and how we should approach culturally responsive teaching. Culturally responsive teaching starts with the teacher creating an environment for culturally responsive teaching. One that is welcoming, positive, and respectful of the cultures that the students bring to the classroom. Everyone plays a big role in culturally responsive teaching, including the teachers, the students, the family, the school, and the community. We all should learn and appreciate people’s backgrounds and cultures to support our students.
2. What do you do to make your students feel comfortable in your classroom?
In my classroom, I create a positive environment by being a positive teacher. I have had students who used to refuse to go to school, but by creating a learning environment positive and fun, it encouraged them to come to school everyday. I also give opportunities for students to collaborate with their peers. When students are able to have academic discussions, they are not only hearing my thoughts and ideas, but the thoughts and ideas of their peers. This shows that there are many solutions to a problem, and helps everyone be comfortable with with sharing their ideas to others.
3. How important is creating a culturally responsive classroom to you?
I believe that creating a culturally responsive classroom is important for me because of my own culture and background. Although I was born in America, English was not my first language because my parents spoke Chinese. In school, people would make fun of me when I had to speak with my family in my dialect. I was so embarrassed to practice things for my culture because of that reason. I am glad that my family still taught me things from my culture and told me stories that connected me to my culture, because I do believe that I have a better understanding and respect of other people’s culture because of it.
4. How have these articles and videos influenced your view/teaching pedagogy on culturally responsive classrooms?
In the past, I thought I was being culturally responsive in a positive way, but after this section, I understand that I need to have a different approach. In my current practices, I usually have discussions with students about the topic, and have them relate it back to their own lives. I realize now that what I am doing is using a color-blind approach to be culturally responsive. I need to be more intentional with incorporating cultures into my instruction so that students can feel a sense of belonging in the classroom.
5. Do you think culturally responsive classrooms can benefit you as a teacher and the school as a whole? If so, how? If not, why?
I believe that everyone will benefit from being culturally responsive. We live in a society that has a lot of injustices, a lot of which come from being uneducated and disrespectful about one’s culture and race. When we can connect to our own culture and use that information to connect with other people’s cultures, we can thrive in a society that supports each other regardless of who we are and what our culture is.
Cathleen, thank you for being so vulnerable and for sharing your experiences. It is always important to hear these personal stories so we can realize and be aware that these things really happen. It is not okay for anyone to feel ashamed of their language and culture. It is so sad to be teased to silence. I know a culturally responsive classroom will benefit all students. But especially if it stops one student in my class from feeling embarrassed to speak their language or practice their culture, it is worth it.
DeleteWhat did you learn from these articles and videos?
ReplyDeleteWhat I took away from the articles and videos were basically that a CRC starts with culturally responsive teaching. CRT focuses on the whole child, creating relevant connections and engages students. A study specifically showed students trusting people in school, enjoy attending school and feels a sense of belonging by protecting their environment and community. An interesting read was in an article that talked about the impact in early education. The article talked about how there are three categories of Race-Related Teaching Practices (RRTP) which are: color-blind, color-aware and social justice practices. They stated how the color-blind approach is ineffective and potentially harmful, the color-aware approach is when teachers intentionally teach about race, valuing race, while the social justice approach is ideal because it "empowers children to play a role in acting against discrimination."
What do you do to make your students feel comfortable in your classroom?
I feel like students feel comfortable in our classroom because we build community through whole group and small group discussions/ activities. Students work together to solve problems, have "play" time to build relationships with one another and help one another in times of need. I do emphasize that we are a "class family" where we are here to help and support one another at all times.
How important is creating a culturally responsive classroom for you?
Teaching in Hawai'i, creating a culturally responsive classroom is extremely important. We have students of all ethnic backgrounds and nationalities. I want each student to feel comfortable and seen for who they are, and allow them to be who they are!
How have these articles and videos influenced your view/teaching pedagogy in culturally responsive classrooms?
I want to shift from a color-blind/color-awareness approach to a full social justice approach. Upon starting to teach, my colleague told me stories she had in her kindergarten classroom where parents called her "racist" for implementing various teaching/activities such as Thanksgiving and something else (I can't exactly remember). After hearing her encounters I was scared to do activities on any holiday and even talk about anything other than academics, anything outside of textbooks. After reading the second article, I saw that there are ways to implement reading and activities to create awareness and open-minded kids. I realize that it starts with me at the kindergarten/ foundational level.
Do you think culturally responsive classrooms can benefit you as a teacher and the school as a whole? If so, how? If not, why?
Yes, definitely. Our school is located on a military base, so about 87% of our students come from military families. Students are constantly moving throughout their lives (commonly every 3 years), and when they come to Hawai'i they get a culture shock because of how diverse our state is. The majority of our staff are of asian/mixed descent and a lot of times students have not seen "our kind" nonetheless someone/ so many people with black hair and brown eyes. Teaching students through the social justice approach rather than the color-blind approach could allow students to feel more comfortable with their teacher and classroom environment, and many positive effects thereafter.
Thank you for your post Jennifer. I also love how this is a whole child approach. I think undoing the separate boxes of school life and home life is really helpful for our students. If we acknowledge that who they are at home is important, they can feel like they can live authentically as themselves. I feel like it is difficult trying to be different people. It is also difficult hiding parts of who you are. It of course is each student's choice to share the parts of who they are with us that they want, but their openness should be based on what they want to share, not limited to what is okay in the school environment.
DeleteI appreciated that you want to shift from a color-blind/color aware approach to a full social justice approach. I also want to do the same. I have definitely worked toward shifting from color-blind to color-aware. But now I think I see the importance of needing to shift to a social justice approach to teaching.
Jennifer, I agree with you about being scared to touch on anything outside of the textbooks. I have also heard horror stories from other teachers and have often been scared to do or say certain things that might be interpreted the wrong way or considered racist. I like the approach of shifting from color blind or color aware to more of a social justice approach. I agree with you that this might be a way to help both students who are new to the state and born and raised kids to feel more comfortable and accepted within the diverse classroom setting.
DeleteThese articles and videos helped give me a good foundation and baseline understanding of a culturally responsive classroom. I appreciated hearing what the Kamehameha Schools English Department head said. She was talking about how at first, the texts didn’t relate to the students, and they weren’t very engaged in it. Everything changed in her classroom when she brought in Hawai`ian texts that were interesting and culturally relevant to her students. I also liked how she said she would start there and then branch out, noting the importance of including other people and cultures in the learning. I also learned that culturally responsive education truly allows students to take ownership and authority over their own learning.
ReplyDeleteIn my classroom, I try to start off with a funny meme scale of how they are feeling today. For example, if I put up a picture of a sheep scale, I ask them what kind of sheep they are today. They hold up their numbers and look around to see if anyone shares the same sheep feeling. I always remind them that whatever number they are today, however they feel, it is good to be aware of where they are at. The main thing is that they showed up for a class today. Wherever they are, give their best for the day and don’t compare themselves to someone else’s best or even their best yesterday. Another thing I do in my class is check in with their understanding frequently. If I notice a certain student looks a little confused, I will ask them how they are doing after class. If they have expressed that they want me to check in frequently with them because it is difficult for them to ask for help, I try to do that. I also email students or leave notes on students’ desks who might have difficulty talking and would rather write their feelings. The most recent new thing I am trying to be conscious of doing is using my students’ preferred names and preferred pronouns. I have one student this year who has mentioned that they prefer they/them pronouns. I have been conscious of using it when referring to them. I have also been trying to include they/them pronouns in examples to make them feel more included.
As a teacher, it is my job to lean into those conversations and difficult topics because it matters. Saying nothing and avoiding it sometimes sends the loudest message. As a teacher, my job is to provide a space where their cultures are celebrated. It is my job to bring texts that allow us to explore topics related to bigger issues. It is important to me to create a culturally responsive classroom because at the root of it, I want my students to know that they matter. All of who they are, where they come from, and what they bring to our classroom community are important and necessary. It is necessary that they show up as authentically themselves so that we can learn from them. It is essential that they bring knowledge of their cultural history so we as a class and society can grow. It is vital that they bring their opinions to the table so we can all commit to the sometimes uncomfortable struggle of forward progress. The article and videos have challenged my teaching pedagogy and teaching philosophy. It is not only about sprinkling in culture but fully immersing it into the unit. It is not just about acknowledging and celebrating differences, it is also about discussing barriers those differences have caused and how we can be a part of the solution.
I think a culturally responsive approach can benefit me as a teacher and my school in many ways. There would be more involvement and engagement. I bet this would mean attendance and overall grades increase because students want to learn. There would probably be fewer behavior problems and calls home because students are taking more ownership. In culturally responsive classrooms, students will also be developing the skills of empathy, compassion, and how to take positive action. So they would most likely be the guardians of a positive classroom environment. There would be more school pride, care, and concern for not just their friends but others.
Aloha e Elissa,
DeleteThank you for your response! I love that I can see your passion to include everyone in your classroom as authentically as possible. One thing that stood out to me was when you mentioned that culture shouldnʻt just be sprinkled on but that students should be immersed in it. I agree that taking the time to be more culturally responsive would most likely reduce the behavior issues in the classroom as students start to realize that their cultures are valued. I remember when I had a Marshallese student in my class for Pacific Island Studies. In our school, like many schools across Hawaiʻi, Micronesian students struggle with acceptance and discrimination. I made it a point to have all my students share about their own culture so that we could have that discussion on stereotypes. What they realized was that every culture has stereotypes and that it is not fair to discriminate against someone based on a single story.
Hi Elissa,
DeleteI liked reading your reflection especially when you talk about "leaning into conversations even though they may be difficult to have". I really agree about this and when I do this, sometimes I am concerned that I may get an email the next day from the parent or the principal asking me to talk about what happened in the conversation with their child. I believe that we. as teachers, have a job to do not only educating students with academics, but also educating them about life lessons and being the best global citizens that they can be. I have also been in many conversations with my students especially when they have brought in an opinion (which is obviously from their parents) about something very racially sensitive, and I have challenged this, and given them another perspective. It is the right thing to do, and I will not stop, because I want all my students to know that they matter.
Elissa, I liked that you mentioned how the videos/reading challenged your teaching pedagogy and that it would need to be more than just sprinkled here and there. It made me think about my own teaching practices and how I can better integrate these culturally responsive strategies and instructional practices into my content. I liked how the article taught students to question why instead of leading them straight to an answer, I think we need more of that!
DeleteWhat did you learn from these articles and videos?
ReplyDeleteThese articles and videos emphasized the importance of a culturally competent classroom so students from all races, cultures, and backgrounds feel they belong and are relevant. The use of diverse literature is a great way to allow students to feel represented in the classroom. Further, they showed that when culture is a component of a classroom and learning, students achieve more and are more engaged. A culturally responsive classroom is one where students learn more and feel as though they belong.
What do you do to make your students feel comfortable in your classroom?
I am not a classroom teacher, I am a school counselor so students visit my office instead of spending the whole day in it. However, things I do include having posters on the wall that show children of many different races, I have advocacy posters and signs stating that all are welcome, (to include LGBTQ), I've used my DonorsChoose money to purchase books with children of many races backgrounds, etc. so that when I use bibliotherapy with students they can feel represented. I also purchase the skin color crayons in bulk so students can use them in my office but also can take one back to their class if they need one there.
How important is creating a culturally responsive classroom to you?
Creating a culturally responsive classroom is incredibly important to me. As a school counselor, my mission is to work towards students feeling welcome and included. I work towards students feeling a sense of belonging on a daily basis. I know that in order for students to feel as though they belong, they need to feel represented and seen, which only happens in a culturally responsive classroom.
How have these articles and videos influenced your view/teaching pedagogy on culturally responsive classrooms?
I've felt that a culturally responsive classroom was essential for students to feel like they belong for a long time, but the articles and videos showed that it is also crucial for student learning. The articles and videos have shown me the importance of a culturally responsive classroom for student achievement.
Do you think culturally responsive classrooms can benefit you as a teacher and the school as a whole? If so, how? If not, why?
I do think that culturally responsive classrooms can benefit me as a teacher and a school as a whole. I work with student behavior on a daily basis, and at times we struggle to know what is causing what- but if I knew that students felt welcome and seen in their classrooms, and their cultures were integrated into their learning, I would know that the behaviors weren't related to that. Further, if we had culturally responsive classrooms school-wide, we would increase the sense of belonging in the school, which leads to buy-in from the students and their families, leading to success across the board.
Hi Katharine! I liked how you mentioned that you learned that culture is a component of learning. I have never thought of that before but after going through the content, I agree with you. I really like how although you are not a classroom teacher, you try to make your students feel welcomed and that they belong. I think that that is very important as a counselor. Getting more culturally responsive books and coloring supplies is something I would like to do in my classroom. Thank you for sharing your insights and ideas!
DeleteHi Katherine,
DeleteYour view on the topic of culturally responsive classrooms as a counselor stood out to me. What you said about students feeling represented and seen is so true. I have students act out because of this reason. It is so easy to get caught up in curriculum, testing and school stuff that we forget to check in with our students or just notice the little things they want us to notice.
I agree that CRC can benefit myself and the entire school. Making students feel welcome and allowing them opportunities to embrace their culture would definitely benefit all students but especially hard to reach students. Involving parents and building those relationships can also benefit the classroom and the school.
From the content provided, I learned that there are many ways to approach being a culturally responsive teacher and not one specific way. I learned how appreciating students for all of their differences, including their race and ethnicity, can help them feel welcome and included within the classroom. Additionally, we should be inviting all cultures into the classroom regularly by working it into the day to day curriculum instead of just going over it once in a while or for a special lesson only.
ReplyDeleteTo help my students feel more comfortable in my own classroom, I like to check in with each of them individually at least every other day. This allows me to learn about them as people and get in touch with what is going on in their lives outside of school. Not only is this a great way to build relationships, but it also gives me a chance to learn more about their background and where they come from.
Creating a culturally responsive classroom is very important to me because I want to make sure that my students feel heard and understood when they are in my classroom. It is important for students to feel like they are welcome and accepted in the classroom, which in turn creates a better learning environment for the students. I want my students to know that I care about them and respect them so that they feel comfortable enough with me to ask for help when they need it.
The content provided here did a great job of explaining how important it is to have a culturally responsive classroom. From the videos and articles provided, it is clear that I need to make sure this is something I am incorporating daily into my curriculum and classroom procedures.
I think that having culturally responsive classrooms can benefit both myself and the school immensely. It is a great way to build trusting relationships with students and to get to know them better. These are things that can help make my job easier, because students will learn better when they feel safe and accepted, making it so I do not have to repeat myself as much or work with students after school who did not get work done during the school day.
Hi Kristen! I agree with you that we should be inviting all cultures into the classroom on a daily basis. I am guilty of only going over it once or for a special lesson only but have learned from these articles and reading that that it not culturally responsive teaching. I like your idea of doing check-ins with your students. I think that this is something that I would like to do to. I think having multiple modes of check-ins would also be good as sometimes students may be shy to only talk. Thank you for sharing!
DeleteHi Kristen,
DeleteI also learned that there are many ways to approach being a CRC. Making students feel welcome is so important, and I like how multiple sources addressed this. I also liked how you talked about how CRC can benefit both you and the school. Building relationships with students and families is so important to teachers and schools. Again these sources did a great job of showing and explaining why this is so important.
Overall I felt like the article and videos gave great advice on how to integrate culture into the classroom and how teachers can easily incorporate things into their everyday teaching without doing any separate or extra work.
I learned from the reading that children are actually aware of race at a very young age. Teachers often think that students don’t notice race and so they often ignore teaching it in the classroom which makes them “color-blind.” Teachers should change their teaching into a more “color-aware” approach and be mindful about these students. One way that teachers can do this is by teaching through relevant children’s literature. Books are mirrors in which they can relate to and see themselves but it can also be windows in which students are exposed to new cultural perspectives. I also learned from the videos that Hawaii is very unique and a lot of values that teachers in Hawaii try to instill is to learn by doing and experiencing things on their own. This is one way to incorporate culture into the classroom. Teachers can understand how other cultures learn best and try to shape their strategies to these cultures.
ReplyDeleteI make my students feel comfortable in my classroom by talking to them and listening to them. I think by just listening to what they have to say and responding in a positive way allows for connections to be made. I think it’s important to create a culturally responsive classroom because this would allow students to be more expressive and themselves and learn the way they are most comfortable. These videos and articles have changed my perspective because I feel that I can be more aware of the kinds of literacy I choose to read in my class. Although my students are in fourth grade, I feel that they could still benefit from learning through cultural picture books if it aligns with the standards. I could also try to understand how different ethnicities in my classroom learn best and try to teach in that style more. I definitely think that culturally responsive classrooms can benefit me and the school because I think the school culture as a whole would change to be more accepting and open. I also think from doing this, students can be more successful as well.
Aloha-
DeleteI agree that I was surprised to learn how young a baby becomes aware of race (3 months!). I can see how the color-blind approach is much more evident in our classes and I think it is because many people donʻt want to step on anyoneʻs toes. Sometimes I have had colleagues tell me that they donʻt want to do anything culturally relevant because they feel they donʻt want to disrespect the cultures. I always tell them that they should lead with that, and be up front to students. In fact, they should allow the students to take the lead and take a back seat so that they might be able to learn a bit about their own studentʻs cultures. I think we are just worried that we wonʻt be doing things the politically correct way so we end up avoiding it all together. As the professor in the Office Chat mentioned, the task is great but that doesnʻt mean that we can use it as an excuse not to do it!
I was surprised also that children are actually aware of race at such a young age. I teach middle school and have a son who is 9 asking some of the important questions about race. Growing up in the 70s I never thought about race but yes, as I recall all the books and educational materials were geared towards white values and beliefs. Luckily now we have more literature to choose from to have positive discussions about race with our keiki.
Delete1. What did you learn from these articles and videos?
ReplyDeleteBy reading these articles and watching the videos, I learned about the nature of culturally responsive teaching. I learned that there are three categories of race related teaching practices: color-blind, color-aware, and social justice approaches. It seem like some approaches are more effective in culturally responsive practices than others. There was also a video that talking about culture based teaching in Hawai'i. In this video, it shows how culture-based learned has supported students in their socio-emotional and academic learning. I learned that culture is a part of our identity and learning about our culture can help us look understand things in a more worldly perspective. Overall, I learned more about culturally responsive teaching and why it is important to incorporate into our classrooms, especially in a culturally unique environment like Hawai'i.
2. What do you do to make your students feel comfortable in your classroom?
In order to make my students comfortable in my classroom, I do a number of different things. I take the time to get to know my students in order to better support them and to relate to them for effectively. I try to also let my students go to know me. It is important for people to understand each other in order to feel comfortable and work well with each other.
3. How important is creating a culturally responsive classroom to you?
Creating a culturally responsive classroom is very important to me because I want my students to feel accepted and safe and to reach their full potential. I know that many of my students come from diverse and different backgrounds. I feel like by learning and understanding these backgrounds, I can more effectively create a positive learning environment for them.
4. How have these articles and videos influenced your view/teaching pedagogy on culturally responsive classrooms?
These videos and articles have opened my eyes to some of the ways that I will be able to improve the cultural responsiveness in my classroom. In my current practices, I usually have discussions with students about the topic, and have them relate it back to their own lives. I realize now that what I am doing is using a color-blind approach to be culturally responsive. I need to be more intentional with incorporating cultures into my instruction so that students can feel a sense of belonging in the classroom.
5. Do you think culturally responsive classrooms can benefit you as a teacher and the school as a whole? If so, how? If not, why?
Yes, I believe that everyone will benefit from being culturally responsive. We live in a society that has a lot of injustices, a lot of which come from being uneducated and disrespectful about one’s culture. When we can connect to our own culture and use that information to connect with other people’s cultures, we can thrive in a society that supports each other regardless of who we are and what our culture is.
Aloha! I enjoyed reading your post and found many similarities with my own takeaways. The correlation between culture based learning and academic success also resonated with me. I find, as educators, we often look at it in the opposite way; academics coming first and infusion of culture as secondary. To learn that the statistics and research support a model where academics thrive through culture based learning really inspired me and gave me hope that CBE will continue to gain traction and recognition. Making opportunities for our students to learn about us is also something I find incredibly important when building community within a classroom. So often we do the asking and the probing to learn about our students we forget that in order for connection to be made it’s a reciprocal process. Thank you for sharing your insights and reflections on culturally responsive classrooms and the importance you place on it for your students.
DeleteWhat did you learn from these articles and videos?
ReplyDeleteFrom the reading, I learned the three categories of race related teaching practices (RRTP). They are color-blind, color-aware, and social justice approach. I admit to doing the color-blind approach which the article says is most common but ineffective and potentially harmful. Being color-aware means discussing race in direct and positive ways, use teachable moments about discrimination and bias, and promote further exploration into race related questions through media and activities. Social justice approach has students act on race related injustices. The first video by Kamehameha Schools taught me Hawaiian educational proverbs such as He Aupuni Palapala Ko’u (mine is the kingdom of education). I also learned that culturally based education (CBE) supports socio-emotional development, academic outcomes, connects past/present/future through relationships, and engages students. Some strategies I learned about culturally responsive teaching (CRT) are: make the classroom inviting, labels in different languages, students share relevant artifacts and symbols from their cultures into the classroom, multicultural literature so students can see themselves reflected in the literature and curriculum. Differentiate instruction keeping the student’s culture in mind.
What do you do to make your students feel comfortable in your classroom?
I do several things to make students feel comfortable and welcomed in my classroom. First, I greet all students at the door at the beginning of class with a salutation and a smile. I call them by their name and make sure I pronounce their name correctly. Everyone agrees to follow the TRIBES classroom agreements - attentive listening, mutual respect, no put downs, right to pass/participate, show appreciation. Everyone also agrees to hold each other accountable if the rules are not followed. I spend the first two weeks of school doing inclusion activities where we get to know one another on a deeper level. I also give students a voice in class by giving me feedback about lessons and what they want to learn and do in future assignments. I give lots of positive feedback, use humor, and emphasize effort.
How important is creating a culturally responsive classroom to you?
Creating a culturally responsive classroom is very important to me. I understand that it can have a huge impact on student learning, attendance, and effort. Although I have been teaching and coaching for over 25 years I am still learning and trying out new strategies to continue to improve what I do for the benefit of my students. I am looking forward to learning from my classmates and this course!
How have these articles and videos influenced your view/teaching pedagogy on culturally responsive classrooms?
These articles and videos got me very excited to be learning about culturally responsive teaching. I even took time to look up more Hawaiian proverbs about education and made some posters for my classroom. The articles and videos further strengthened my belief that we all should strive to make our classrooms and curriculum as culturally responsive as we can so we are giving students every opportunity to learn and be successful.
Do you think culturally responsive classrooms can benefit you as a teacher and the school as a whole? If so, how? If not, why?
Yes I strongly believe that culturally responsive classrooms would benefit both myself and the school as a whole because students would want to be here, want to give their best effort and want to learn. There is no better feeling for a teacher than seeing the student’s eyes light up in that Aha! Moment. We all want our students to learn and be successful. Culturally responsive classrooms and schools strive to make all students feel welcomed, cared for, respected, supported, and worthy.
Aloha! I appreciated reading your post and found similarities in my own takeaways from this section. This year I have really made it a priority to find texts that reflect our students and their experiences to bring into the classroom. It makes such a difference when students can connect to what we are reading and opens up so much more rich dialogue and inquiry. Even when the texts we read don’t share cultural connectivity I try to help my students find the relevancy and use it as an opportunity to see things through other perspectives. I enjoyed reading how you spend time building community in your classroom in the first few weeks of school and especially giving them voice and feedback in what they are interested in learning about. I commend you for all the work you do in engaging your students and taking a genuine interest in learning who they are.
DeleteAloha, your responses were great. I particularly liked to read that you had looked up the Hawaiian proverbs about education and had them posted in the classroom for all the students to see. I think this is very important, especially being in Hawaii, that we need to inform to our children just how much the monarchy of Hawaii valued education and how they went to great lengths to promote this. I think that the kingdom of Hawaii was very progressive in their thinking and how they viewed education even so long ago. They knew that to create an educated society, they needed to promote high literacy rates.
DeleteAloha e Katharine. Even though you are a counselor, I really like your culturally responsive strategies you use to make students feel comfortable when they come and see you. I like the idea of having posters on the wall that show children of many different races, displying advocacy posters and signs stating that all are welcome, (to include LGBTQ), using your DonorsChoose money to purchase books with children of many races backgrounds, etc. so that when I use bibliotherapy with students they can feel represented. As a Drawing & Painting teacher, I really love the skin color crayons you give students so they can use them. I am definitely going to use that idea to purchase color pencils, pastels, and paint that students can use to match their skin color. Being a counselor, you need students to feel comfortable because many times when they come to see you it's about a problem that is really bothering them. Making them feel respected and that you care is so important so they can communicate openly with you.
ReplyDeleteAloha e Elissa, I love your strategies that you shared on how you make students comforable in your classroom and I am going to use them. I can see how you make students comfortable through using humor and your funny meme scale. That is a great way to start class with a chuckle. I actually saw a funny meme scale with Nicolas Cage's different faces on it! I like how you speak to your students privately and ask them if they need help or clarification. That shows respect and caring. Then remembering that and following up with them in the future really shows how much you care about them. One adaptation I have done in my Drawing & Painting class that you mention is that I have my students to a daily artistic journaling activity. I choose topics that deal with the five core SEL principles and have my students write or draw their responses. For students who don't write well or would rather express how they feel through their art, I have found it to be a great way to get students to open up. I then follow up with them about their artwork and get them support if needed.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the article and watching the 2 videos I have learned the importance of incorporating culture in our classrooms and in my counseling sessions. After reading the articles, I didn’t realize that a lot of the children’s books that I grew up reading were mainly about “white” people. I was obviously not “color aware” when I grew up. I also learned about some books and ways in which we can teach younger children about being culturally aware. I also like how in one of the videos, we teach culture to our new teachers. I find that this is super important in meeting the students where they are first, before we begin teaching.
ReplyDeleteIn order to make my students comfortable in my counseling sessions, I usually ask them questions regarding their hobbies and interests. I really put a lot of effort into relationship building with my students so that they begin to trust me and see me as a person who can help. To do this, in sessions I have asked them about their culture when it comes to holidays and their traditions, but I never thought to intentionally ask them about their culture to make them feel comfortable. I will definitely try to think of other strategies to incorporate culture into my sessions.
Creating a culturally responsive classroom is very important to me because it shows my students that I care and respect them and their culture. It also shows them that I am interested in learning about their culture which helps to build trust and respect.
After viewing and reading this article, I realized that I need to incorporate more culture into my counseling sessions. I realized that I barely do it and would like to talk to students about their cultures and traditions. This will greatly help me when I am counseling the students to meet them where they are and try to come up with some interventions that are culturally appropriate.
I definitely think that culturally responsive classrooms can benefit me and my school because it will help to create a relationship of trust and respect with our students. When they feel like we understand and believe in them, they will perform better academically.
Hello! It was interesting to read your reflection because of your perspective as a counselor. I think not only will talking about their culture help them academically as you said but will also allow you to have better conversations with your students. You will be able to understand their academic and social goals based on what their culture is rather than relying on the Western idea that all students want to do well academically and go to college. I would be interested to see how you incorporate more culturally centered conversations into your counseling sessions.
DeleteHi,
DeleteI can certainly relate to your experiences, as I wear both the hats of a counselor and an academic support for teachers. Building relationships with all our students is of utmost importance. I believe that when they recognize our genuine understanding of their backgrounds and identities, they are more inclined to open up and share their thoughts and experiences. During counseling sessions, I often inquire about their family's cultural traditions and how they approach situations that might be related to why they are seeking support. It's a way to foster a deeper connection and show students that we genuinely care.
1. In the article by Wanless and Crawford, “Reading Your Way to a Culturally Responsive Classroom”, I learned about three different race-related teaching practices or RRTPs: color-blind, color-aware, and social justice. The kinds of RRTPs that we want to strive for are color-aware and social justice. Color-awareness is “direct and positive” acknowledgement of different cultures and is important but not where it should stop. The goal is to constantly have a social justice approach where teachers “...[seek] out teachable moments that specifically have to do with unfairness or discrimination…” We can start with media as an entry point since it is a mirror where we can see ourselves represented. Throughout the process of creating a culturally responsive curriculum we should reflect on perspectives of colleagues and champions in the student’s life to ensure that the content matches reality.
ReplyDeleteIn the Youtube video “Education: Culture Matters” posted by Kamehameha Schools, I learned about how Euro-centric education systems do not work for most students. Instead, Kamehameha schools take a different approach that is grounded in the ideas from Hawaiian values that “learning is doing” and “all knowledge is not gained in one place.”
Driving home the importance of culturally relevant literature, Dr. Kavatus Newell noted that including different languages, relevant artifacts and symbols, and multicultural texts and integration throughout the curriculum are key to an inclusive classroom. In the Youtube video “Office Chat: Culturally Responsive Teaching” posted by jstclairatumw, Dr. Newell was straightforward about the necessity of doing the work to make a culturally responsive classroom. One statement Dr. Newell made that stuck with me was that a widely diverse population does not excuse us from the task of doing research, talking to community leaders, and even making home visits to reach a deep understanding of the students.
2. One step that I take to make students comfortable in my classroom is to encourage them to bring their own experiences into what they are learning. Instead of me trying to connect what they are learning to their life, I ask them, “How can you use this knowledge in your life?” or “Can you give me an example of this in your life?” This is one way of connecting what they learn in the classroom to what they experience outside of the classroom.
Another strategy I use is asking questions about ideas that students have about other cultures or even their own culture. For example, asking why students will say that they are not smart because they are Micronesian or why they use the word “gay” as an insult. In this way, I challenge negative views students have about other cultures by cultivating an environment of respectful curiosity.
3. Creating a culturally responsive classroom is extremely important to me because doing so will ensure that students take rigorous and relevant learning rather than a bunch of random facts that they can regurgitate on their next standardized test. This will hopefully lead to them being life-long learners.
4. One big question that came up, “am I qualified to teach culture-based education?” which has now become, “where do I start in my journey to become a culturally responsive teacher?” Even if it feels like a huge undertaking to create a culturally responsive curriculum, it is still a must. Even starting with just one book is something I can do right now to ensure my students have a high quality education that will nurture them as global citizens.
5. I definitely think that culturally responsive classrooms can benefit me and my school. As I have said before, I believe that having a culturally responsive classroom will create life-long learners that are global citizens by creating a foundation for them that is based on who they are.
I really appreciated how you talked about how you make sure that you have students build connections to their learning. I can often find myself creating real-life examples or sharing my own personal experiences with my students. It is important for students to be able to apply their learning into their own lives. It is equally important for students to have opportunities to share how they apply their learning to their lives. I believe that this could spark great discussions amongst students. They can start to build connections with one another or even learn about new ways they could see their learning from school in their own lives at home.
DeleteJaelin, Thank you for explaining the way you make learning comfortable for students by asking them how they can apply the learning in their own lives. I recently completed another course that had a similar strategy of asking students how math is relevant in their favorite lives as a way to lessen math anxiety. I am so used to telling students why the topics we are learning are so important to their lives, that I had not realized that to make it meaningful would be for them to create those connections simply by posing those questions you gave. I also appreciate you reframing the question of “Am I qualified…?” to “Where do I start…?” to allow for a growth mindset approach. Your ideas are helping me be less anxious about learning this different approach.
DeleteFrom the first day of school, I always do my best to get to know each student individually. I will always spark conversations with each student to learn more about them. I think that by doing this, I create a strong relationship with each student because I am showing that I care and want to know more about them.
ReplyDeleteI think that creating a culturally responsive classroom is important. In order for students to be able to learn, they first need to feel safe in their classroom. To build a classroom where students feel comfortable, I believe that you have to make them feel as if they are at home. Culturally responsive teaching allows students to feel like they are accepted, understood, and valued in the classroom. These articles were a good reminder for me to purposefully make sure that I include culturally responsive teaching into my classroom regularly. I find myself practicing some of the strategies discussed a lot in the beginning of the school year but start to drift off as time goes by. I want to work on being more consistent and intentional with creating a culturally responsive classroom.
I think that culturally responsive classrooms can benefit you as a teacher and the school as a whole because it again makes students feel like we are a family. You want each student to feel as though they can be themselves when they are at school. Each student and teacher spends so much of their life in the classroom and at school. Therefore, it is important for them to feel at ease when they walk into this place.
This reference you make to feeling like a family when a culturally responsive classroom exists is spot on. This past year when our school went through a WASC accreditation, after their student interview process, one of the things that students continuously mentioned about our school and the teachers was a feeling of community and family. I loved hearing that. Even when I speak with students who have transferred here from other schools, they say the same thing. I couldn't be more proud. But the question remains, how do we replicate that in every classroom, on every campus?
DeleteAloha Shelby, it's great that you make time to spark conversation with each of your students. It's something so simple, yet something that often get's overlooked. At my school, we do what's called "empath interviews" where we meet with students individually and get to know who they are both in and out of the classroom. After completing these interviews I can see a positive difference in students through their engagement, interaction with me, and overall interest in the class. Mahalo for sharing!
DeleteHi Shelby,
DeleteI agree that one of the most meaningful and effective things we can do as educators is to get to know our students, starting on day one. These strong relationships, I believe, lead to increased trust, respect, classroom culture, and academic achievement. It is so impactful for students to know that we see them as a whole person, rather than just a student. I also agree that it is important to be consistent with culturally responsive teaching strategies. One thing I learned in another PD class I just finished is about habit mapping. Basically, we focus on the habits we want to see from ourselves and our students and use them to shape the lessons we teach. This has been a great way for me to be consistent with the strategies I implement and has made it easier to reflect on what strategies have been most impactful.
My takeaways from these videos and article was that there isn't one correct method that works the best, but that as an educator, it's important to know your diversity of your students and your community, and build your classroom environment from there. In one of the videos, I liked what the interviewee mentioned when she said that creating a culturally responsive classroom is a means of differentiating instruction. Our classes are so diverse; the more we learn to help each other and our students make these connections, the better our learning environments will be. In my classes, I use Hawaiian words (and English words) sometimes when referencing things, and also make it a point to use correct pronunciation when learning names. I also have a lesson on identity and culture, where students learn a little more about their families, where they come from, and the story behind their names. I often tell stories about my life as it pertains to the content, and I think in doing all of these things, it helps students to see different perspectives and ways of thinking. I think students can feel more connected, and can therefore, feel more comfortable with me as their teacher. In terms of feeling more comfortable with peers in their class they might not know well, we do collaborative/team building activities, and have a lot of discussions. Creating a culturally responsive classroom is important to me in being the best possible teacher and human that I can be. I'm a very reflective person, and I'm always considering ways I can improve myself, and my teaching practices. Coming into this PD class with prior knowledge about how impactful culture, or a lack thereof can be, makes me want to learn other ways to implement culturally responsive teaching practices. Although I was already aware, it helps me to get realigned with these outcomes. I think it's very important for students to know their past so that they can build a future for themselves based on those values and lessons. In our school, we've been taking steps towards learning about our "place" and the significance of historical spaces in our district. We are located in a geographically "hard to staff" location and we often get teachers here that leave in a couple years to return back to the continental United States. By learning as much as we can about the host culture and the cultures of other students who we serve, we can better understand how to meet them where they are at, and understand who they are as individuals.
ReplyDeleteHi Ashely,
DeleteUsing Hawaiian words along with English words is such a great way to make your class culturally responsive. I remember another teacher presented about how she also both Hawaiian and English in her class and she said the students really enjoyed it and learned very quickly. It also keeps the Hawaiian Language alive which is so important for Hawaii. I agree that it's important that we as teachers share our own stories in order to make our students feel more comfortable with us. I believe that teachers lead by example and we are responsible for setting the culture in our classrooms.
Aloha Ashley,
DeleteI really appreciated your mention of using Hawaiian words as well as English in your classroom. Also, considering that our students families come from here as well as places around the world, your making it a priority to correctly pronounce your students names is a great example of making students feel seen and important in the place that they have come to learn. Feeling seen and included is always so vital to students' becoming comfortable enough to relax and learn and becoming comfortable enough to share things about themselves with their fellow classmates and you.
I apologize. I did not log in so my blog post showed up as anonymous, but this is S. Kaleinani Sagapolutele. Mahalo!
ReplyDelete1. I discovered that cultural based learning centers on the idea of whole child empowerment. I've come to understand that integrating cultural education with socio-emotional growth enhances students’ educational achievements. I support the idea that incorporating the students’ knowledge of their culture within lesson plans establishes stronger feelings of cultural values in each child. I've learned that if students practice cultural responsiveness, it encourages them to build trusting and respectful relationships through communication. When educators incorporate resources that reflect the cultures of their students, these students can identify with the content and establish deeper connections than they normally would.
ReplyDelete2. To establish a sense of comfort in my classroom, I prioritize building relationships with my students and fostering a safe, inclusive environment. The initial two weeks of the school year are dedicated to establishing clear expectations and developing a mutual understanding among us. During this period, students gain an understanding of what is considered appropriate and inappropriate behavior. As we engage in activities aimed at getting to know one another, I lead by example. I demonstrate the kind of respectful responses I expect from my students. In cases where inappropriate behaviors or responses emerge, I address them promptly and effectively.
3. Establishing a culturally responsive classroom is important to me because I remember the discomfort of being in a class that lacked this responsiveness when I was a student. From my personal experiences, I understand that a classroom lacking cultural responsiveness can lead to instances of bullying and can negatively impact one's self-perception.I distinctly remember feeling nervous about sharing aspects of my own culture, given the negative comments I had witnessed from my peers. Even though these comments were not directly aimed at me, they still made a negative impact on my self-esteem. We must always remind our students to embrace their cultural heritage because cultures are sustained through generations of practice. Without this ongoing cultural practice, we risk losing our diverse heritages.
4. Developing a culturally responsive classroom has become a priority after reading and watching the various articles and videos. These resources have positively impacted my view on teaching and the importance of cultural responsiveness in education. With this new knowledge, I've recognized that I need to be more intentional when it comes to cultural support within my classroom. I learned that CRT is more about focusing on the individual student rather than the whole group.
5. I believe that CRC can benefit me as a teacher and can benefit the entire school because it provides a baseline for acceptance and understanding. In a large school like the one I work in, collaboration often involves individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds. This diversity can sometimes lead to disagreements and conflicts. However, if we adopt CRC as a standard practice, it can not only serve as a tool for students but for educators as well. By doing so, we can potentially reduce the occurrence of conflicts and promote a more respectful working environment.
Aloha Tayler, I really like that you folks spend the first two weeks getting to know your students. I think this is very important and often overlooked. The beginning of the school year is very hectic (for teachers and students) and teachers often hit the ground running. However, if we take time to really take things slow in the beginning and get to know our students it sets a solid foundation for the rest of the school year. Mahalo for sharing!
DeleteWell stated Taylor! You mentioned some keywords and main points that stuck out for me in creating essential CRC and teaching Cultural Responsiveness skills. It empowers children, promotes social-emotional learning, and overall results in educational growth. Yes, recognizing culture is being intentional with our lessons and literature, so that students can relate and form deeper connections. CRC focuses on acceptance and understanding, which is super important, and culture does matter!
DeleteAloha and mahalo for your post. I can identify with so many things that you mentioned! Especially about the essential importance of creating a CRC in a very large school. The larger the school is, it seems easier for students to fall through the cracks, especially if they feel that they don't belong. Your post got me thinking about the importance of a culturally response SCHOOL, and just how powerful that could be for all students and faculty in a large school. The data on such a study would be very interesting...pre and post CRC activities and whole school events. Inspired!
DeleteHi S. Kaleinani Sagapolutele,
ReplyDeleteI love how you identified cultural differences as something that is beautiful and to not shy away from it. I agree that for some, it may be easier to want to fit in rather than stand out. I believe that with CRC we can encourage those students to see the value in being their own unique individual. I also celebrate birthdays in my classroom and believe that it creates a stronger sense of belonging. I like to ask them if they have any birthday plans and this conversation usually sparks an interest in not only the birthday child but their peers as well.
1. The videos and articles have reaffirmed the importance of culture based education for me. The kingdom of Hawai'i had a high value on education, with a variety of ways of gaining knowledge (not just in the classroom. The video, Education: Culture Matters, mentions that culture is part of the education process by implementing cultural values, norms, and practices. A lot of schools are now putting a lot of focus on those cultural values, norms, and practices as well.
ReplyDelete2. To make my students feel comfortable in my classroom we start off the school year by creating a list of norms and agreements. The students have a say as to what is on that list, therefore more buy-in to upholding the agreements. I also do "empathy interviews" with my advisory students to get to know them better as a person, not just a student.
3. I think it's very important to create a culturally responsive classroom. I feel that every student should feel like they belong and are seen both in and out of the classroom setting. I'm excited to take this course and learn more about how to properly implement cultural responsiveness into my own classroom.
4. I don't think the articles and videos have had a huge change on my view on culturally responsive classrooms, but reaffirmed how important I think this process is. Again, I think it's very important for all students to feel a sense of belonging and highlighting their own personal cultures helps to accomplish this.
5. Yes, I do believe that culturally responsive classrooms can benefit teachers and the school as a whole. Having a culturally responsive classroom and school can improve student engagement, increase a sense of community within the school, and ultimately prepare students for a diverse world.
What did you learn from these articles and videos? I have learned that in order for a classroom to be fully culturally responsive, it needs a high level of rigor for cultures. Although you can do things, by reading a book from a different culture, but there are many simple ways in which you can ensure that you are incorporating culture effectively. Culturally responsive classrooms are not surface level classrooms, they dig deep and students and teachers get a better understanding of one another.
ReplyDeleteWhat do you do to make your students feel comfortable in your classroom? In my classroom, we do a lot of community circle and Tribes activities where students do different activities that can help build the bond with each other. We have focused on having students share different things that they may like, such as colors and different foods. Sometimes sharing different foods helps students with a common culture be able to connect and that makes them comfortable.
How important is creating a culturally responsive classroom for you? I think creating a culturally responsive classroom very important especially when we live in Hawai'i. We come from a place where people are so different and the cultures here have once blended to where cultures have taken on routines that they may have not once thought of. For me, I believe that this is by far the most important aspect in order for all students to feel safe and comfortable.
How have these articles and videos influenced your view/teaching pedagogy in culturally responsive classrooms? These articles and videos have helped to clear up misconceptions that I previously had. In my mind, I felt that having a culturally responsive classroom would be time consuming and I would have to think of extravagant ideas to incorporate culture. But as I watched and read through these articles, it is a task that can be completed!
Do you think culturally responsive classrooms can benefit you as a teacher and the school as a whole? If so, how? If not, why? I definitely believe that culturally responsive classrooms can create a culturally responsive teacher who understands and takes the time to learn about their student. I believe that this benefits the teacher because it will take away from behaviors that would possible happen. Creating a culturally responsive classroom can help to create a culturally responsive school in which everyone feels welcomed and cared for.
I
Hi Candice,
DeleteI hold a deep appreciation for the Tribes concept. From my perspective, integrating Tribes into the classroom is an effective way to foster a culturally responsive learning environment. Furthermore, I concur that, after reading and watching the videos, it becomes evident that the incorporation of can be straightforward and need not be overly elaborate. Additionally, when we integrate culturally responsive teaching into our practices, it sends a clear message to students that we genuinely care about their well being and value their unique identities and experiences.
Hi Candice,
DeleteI am so glad you mentioned Tribes activities. When I first taught at a middle school year ago, we did them religiously with our advisory students, but over the years and after transferring schools, I have not kept up with those team-building exercises. Now that your post has reminded of doing them, there are activities I can incorporate into my morning meetings with my fourth graders. I also agree that the resources showed that being culturally responsive isn't time-consuming. There are strategies many teachers already do that just need to be sharpened or implemented with intention.
Hi Candice! I agree with you when you say that it is important to create a culturally responsive classroom, especially here in Hawaii. Hawaii is a melting pot of cultures and within our classrooms, there are many different cultures. Because of this, it is important to incorporate the many different cultures within our classroom and get to know the many cultures. I also like how you mention Tribes in your post. Our school used to incorporate Tribes activities within our classrooms but has slowly drifted away from using Tribes. Maybe it's time to bring back the Tribes activities and try to incorporate cultural aspects within those activities. Thanks for sharing your post!
DeleteAloha Kaleinani!
ReplyDeleteI love your idea of having vocabulary from different languages around the classroom. We do this a lot for English, but imagine how fun and interesting it would be for students to see words that they hear or use at home with their families. It would also be exciting for them to hear their friends and teachers using the same word. I would feel proud and joyful that the people in my classroom are making an effort to connect with me. I also loved that you wrote that everyone has a story and every story may be written in an environment that we may not be familiar with. This I feel is the basis for culturally responsiveness, the understanding that we are different and that we may need to learn more about each other to fully understand us and our choices. Thank you so much for sharing!
Part 1: What did you learn from these articles and videos?
ReplyDeleteThere were quite a few Aha moments for me while reading the article and watching the two accompanied videos for this section. One of the biggest takeaways for me was the three levels of Race Related Teaching Practices (RRTPs): color blind, color aware, and social justice. Before this section, I had not heard the term Race Related Teaching Practices and definitely was not aware of these three different categories. In the article I learned that at the moment my classroom falls into the color aware category, but that I should aspire to be reaching the social justice category. It was helpful to learn the differences between these three types of classrooms and to read about specific examples for ways to transition my current classroom dynamic into a social justice strategy instead.
One of the things that really resonated with me in the video Education: Culture Matters was the Hawaiian saying “All knowledge is not gained in one place”. This is something I have believed since beginning my teaching journey as a freshman in college. I think it is incredibly limiting to only expect learning to occur within the four walls of a classroom. Learning is something we aspire to incorporate into all aspects of our lives. Everything we do and everyone we meet has something to share with us, or something we can learn from. I enjoyed this video a lot and really identified a lot with what was shared. I loved the idea that a parent mentioned that teachers and schools are working to build strong roots for our students so that they can grow their branches later on and be firm in their foundation. I think this is something that is so crucial for our students and utilizing culturally responsive teaching strategies can only help improve the foundation we are helping our students to create.
What do you do to make your students feel comfortable in your classroom?
To make my students feel comfortable in my classroom I make sure that my classroom feels like a welcoming environment that they are a part of and where they feel like they have ownership over the space. Some ways I do this are to incorporate class jobs into our classroom, showcase student work regarding our content but also their unique characteristics, as well as set up the classroom in a welcoming way that promotes collaboration. I also greet all of my students at the door everyday and follow up with them about their personal lives and what we have discussed in the past. I reach out to families each week to report positive behavior or interactions we have had that week. I show students through my words and actions that I value them first as human beings, and second as students. I always tell my students that it is one thing to be a good student, but it is a different thing to be a good person and that I am working to help them all become good people (and hopefully good students as well). I model the behaviors I want to see in class and recognize or praise students who are showcasing positive relationships, interactions, or behaviors in class.
How important is creating a culturally responsive classroom for you?
Creating a culturally responsive classroom is very important to me. I am lucky enough to live in a community with so much diversity and understand how this diversity can positively impact our learning experiences. We are fortunate to have students with all different kinds of backgrounds, and each student brings their own unique perspective from their lived experiences to the table. These experiences lead to so many teachable moments or meaningful lessons and I believe it is my job to delve deeper into these learning opportunities rather than avoiding them by creating a color blind space for my students.
Aloha Madison,
DeleteMuch like you, I was not particularly aware of the three categories in RRTPs. I have been teaching for over two decades, and feel like I maintain something between a color aware and a social justice classroom. My personal bent very much leans towards the social justice end of the spectrum, but I have often veered back towards the color aware category in order to avoid serious conflict with my administration, who is always trying to avoid conflict with irate parents. However, reading and viewing the materials in this section has given me the reinforcement I don't get from my administration, to do what is right for social justice lessons for my students. The material has given me the reassurance that I am not alone in this endeavor. I hope you do not wait as long as I have to just go for it and incorporate these lessons and teaching moments, so that your students benefit where my past students have had to infer the lessons I only inferred.
What did you learn from these articles and videos?
ReplyDeleteThe article of “Reading Your Way to a Culturally Responsive Classroom” discusses the importance of addressing race and promoting racial diversity in early education classrooms, specifically through the use of children's literature. It emphasizes the need to acknowledge and celebrate children's racial and cultural identities from a young age. The goal is to create an inclusive and supportive environment that values and respects children of all backgrounds. What new thing I learned was Race-Related Teaching Practices (RRTPs).
Color-Blind Approach: This approach avoids discussing race with children, which can send the message that race is not recognized or acknowledged.
Color-Aware Approach: This approach involves intentionally teaching children about race, emphasizing that racial diversity is important and should be valued.
Social Justice Approach: This approach empowers children to recognize and act against discrimination and injustice related to race.
What do you do to make your students feel comfortable in your classroom?
In my current teaching practice, I endeavor to foster a connection with my students both inside and outside the classroom, demonstrating a genuine interest in their backgrounds and a deep respect for their cultures. This approach often results in positive interactions, as many of my students appreciate the opportunity to share aspects of their lives and cultural experiences with me. By showing this respect and interest, I believe we strengthen our teacher-student relationships.
How important is creating a culturally responsive classroom to you?
I believe that creating a culturally responsive classroom is of paramount importance for both me and my students. When students feel welcomed and included in the classroom, they become more open-hearted, motivated, and engaged in their learning. This motivation and sense of comfort are key factors contributing to students' success. The number of students and the extent to which I can guide them toward success are significant considerations for me.
How have these articles and videos influenced your view/teaching pedagogy on culturally responsive classrooms?
Among the video and articles, what influenced me the most were the strategies of Race-Related Teaching Practices (RRTPs). This strategy has opened my eyes to the importance of addressing race and cultural diversity in the classroom. It has shown me that creating a culturally responsive classroom is not just about being inclusive but also about actively engaging with and acknowledging students' racial and cultural backgrounds, something I have never done in my class. To actively engage with and acknowledge students' racial and cultural backgrounds, I would like to utilize relevant literature and give students a chance to practice within the class.
Do you think culturally responsive classrooms can benefit you as a teacher and the school as a whole? If so, how? If not, why?
Yes. I strongly think culturally responsive classrooms can benefit me as a teacher and the school as a whole. I'm based in Hawaii, a place known for its rich blend of ethnicities and cultures. Our school reflects this diversity, with a wide range of student backgrounds, including a significant population of English Language Learners (ELLs). It's evident that cultural awareness is gaining importance. Our state's education system is taking proactive steps by requiring teachers to attain education in ELL instruction through mandatory credits and seated hours dedicated to teaching ELL students. Creating a culturally responsive classroom is key to establishing a learning environment that fosters safety, comfort, and enjoyment. This, in turn, motivates students to step out of their comfort zones and embark on a successful learning journey. It also motivates me as a teacher too!
Hello!
DeleteI also learned for the first time that the color-blind approach can be harmful-- and that by using it, we aren't acknowledging an essential part of out students' identity. You make an excellent point about how a culturally responsive classroom isn't just about including cultures, but to actively engage with and acknowledge students' racial/ cultural backgrounds.
Our school also has a significant EL population (I'm in Waipahu), and I've seen the impact of teachers acknowledging students' language and culture. Students are engaged in class, and visit the teachers after school. EL teachers are caring, and do what they can to minimize the drop-out rate for their students. One initiative introduced a couple of years ago is that the morning 1-minute warning announcement is in English AND several other languages (the voice recordings are from our own students). The school recently published a book with stories compiled from our EL students, which include folktales from their home countries.
1) I have learned that being culturally responsive is more than just getting-to-know-you activities at the beginning of the school year. It requires an active approach to incorporating students’ backgrounds and cultures into the classroom environment.
ReplyDeleteDuring summer breaks, I purchase picture books with topics of diversity, such as “The Name Jar” and “All Are Welcome,” with the intent of reading to my students and sparking discussions, but I am disappointed to say, that I never get to them. When I find myself in a time crunch, I always push those activities to the side to make room for curriculum and assessment. After reading “Reading Your Way to a Culturally Responsive Classroom,” I have a better understanding of how using those picture books could facilitate discussions in cultural awareness and social justice: How does Unhei feel about sharing her name with the class? Why does she feel that way? What advice would you give her? Have you ever felt uncomfortable about sharing your experiences or ideas with others?
2) After viewing the course materials, I realized that I have been getting to know my students only at a surface level. I ask them to tell me about their interests and what they did over the weekend, but I rarely seek information beyond that. As part of my morning routine, I occasionally have students greet each other in American Sign Language, Spanish, or Japanese, all ways that I taught them. One thing I will start to do is to ask for volunteers to teach us a new greeting in their language.
3) Creating a culturally responsive classroom is very important to me. I want all my students to feel they belong and that the experiences and ideas they bring to the classroom are important and celebrated. My school is very data-driven. Where are you in the curriculum? Are you on track with the pacing guide? How did your students score on the summative assessments and universal screener? How are your students expected to do on the Smarter Balanced Assessment? Because of this, I feel the pressure to stick to the curriculum and standards and avoid bringing in anything else that may interrupt my pace. However, viewing the Kamehameha Schools video showed the benefits of culture in student learning, social-emotional development, and outcomes. I look forward to learning strategies I can incorporate students’ experiences and culture into classroom instruction.
4) I have learned that there is more I need to do to make students feel welcome and comfortable in my classroom. Our current math curriculum was recently modified to include cultural awareness in their word problems, such as cultural foods, and while it helps students become aware of other cultures, it may not necessarily be relevant to them individually. Things I plan for, but push aside, such as reading aloud picture books with diverse themes, need to have a place in my classroom. I can seek advice from my colleagues who have taken this course, or similar, on what they have done to transform their classrooms to be culturally responsive.
5) I do know that creating a culturally responsive classroom will take time. It takes time to learn about my students’ backgrounds, to modify instruction so that it is culturally relevant, and to adjust my mindset. I cannot and should not be the main source of information. Each child brings in knowledge and experiences that can be shared with the class. As Dr. Kavatus Newell said in the Office Chat video, being culturally responsive facilitates differentiation. Students are provided with different ways of receiving and understanding information, as well as demonstrating their learning in different ways. When they feel they belong, they will play a more active role in their learning and will have a better understanding of themselves and the impact they have on others.
Hi!
DeleteI'll admit that when there's a time crunch and I'm really behind on my pacing guide, anything that is not directly related to the standards/ content I'm required to teach gets moved to the side without a second thought. I always think that maybe there will be time next semester... or next year. Our school is also very data driven (and it's a WASC year to boot). There is a lot of pressure to keep up with the pacing, but I agree that the benefits of a culturally responsive classroom is worth adjustments in pacing and/or incorporating them into our lessons.
The school I teach at has a high EL population, and one of our struggles is that the drop out rate for them is higher. I like how you pointed out that a culturally responsive classroom provides differentiation. I think that this would increase student buy-in, when students can see that they do belong in the class, that what is taught is pertinent to them (and not only those of a different race). I believe that incorporating culturally responsive practices would help decrease the drop-out rate of our EL students.
Thank you for being realistic and pointing out that becoming truely culturally responsive will take time. We are always so busy! But, as you said, each student will bring in more knowledge and as I learn from them, each year should my classroom will become more and more reponsive. I can continually be looking for small things that I can do to include all races. Over time we can only get better and over time it will become easier and just part of what we do everyday. Dawn Kuna
Delete1. What did you learn from these articles and videos?
ReplyDeleteFrom the article/ videos, I learned about Race-related teaching practices (e.g. color-aware approach, social justice), and why the color-blind approach can actually be harmful. I had no idea that not addressing culture at all could actually cause harm– that students would believe that we as teachers don’t recognize an integral part of their identity. I also learned more about the benefits of culturally-responsive teaching, including improved feelings of self-worth, increased engagement, and improved scores in reading and math. Finally, I learned about how culturally-responsive strategies provide differentiation, allowing students to feel more comfortable and better identify with what they are learning. This in turn would provide them with better access to their education.
2. What do you do to make your students feel comfortable in your classroom?
One of the first things I do is to introduce myself– if they know me and what to expect, that can relieve some anxiety. I tell them upfront that I’m neurodivergent, and so my communication (and personality) is rather different. I’m not a formal person by nature (students can call me “Miss”), and my personality is straightforward/ direct. I try to be as transparent as possible, and I explain that this is a sign of respect. I try to be as explicit with my instructions as possible, because I know that there is anxiety and stress when directions aren’t clear and expectations are uncertain. There is always an agenda at the beginning of class, so students have a routine and know what to expect. There’s nothing more unfair than getting in trouble for doing something they didn’t know they weren’t supposed to do (or vice versa). That’s probably the former SPED teacher in me though– and as someone who had too many issues with understanding social cues and norms.
I sometimes use Pidgin in the classroom, and use some of the phrases that are more common in their culture. This speech is interspersed with more formal language (academic, with medical terminology) that they will be used to hearing in post-high school education and/or the medical field. A number of students are English Learners, and they are free to speak in their native language with peers during small group discussions.
3. How important is creating a culturally responsive classroom to you?
I believe it is very important to create a culturally responsive classroom, after learning about its impact. I want to maximize my students’ learning, and improve their engagement and reading and math scores. This in turn would increase their odds in accomplishing their future education and career goals to become healthcare workers and serve their community.
4. How have these articles and videos influenced your view/teaching pedagogy on culturally responsive classrooms?
The article and videos have shown me what can happen if culturally-responsive practices aren’t used, and the benefits when they are. I never realized that the color-blind approach could be so harmful to students– what the implications were if I never said anything. I discussed with my students earlier about why racist/ ableist slurs were never appropriate, but never really considered what would happen if I didn’t explicitly bring race/ culture up.
5. Do you think culturally responsive classrooms can benefit you as a teacher and the school as a whole? If so, how? If not, why?
I think that a culturally responsive classroom can benefit me as a teacher and as a school as a whole. A culturally responsive classroom will increase student engagement, and they will have more trust in the school once they realize that a large part of their identity is seen and valued. This in turn would increase their academic outcomes and increase their chances of success in education/ careers post high-school. Students’ families will also note their academic improvement and engagement, which may result in more support for the school.
I agree about not knowing how the color blind approach could be so harmful. I usually avoided brining up race for fear of starting more racial tension. But the article we read really made me reflect on myself as a student. I grew up as a majority, so I never even had to think about race. My race was always represented. But I began to wonder what it would be like to go to a school in which I wasn't felt seen. And that the holidays were celebrated in different ways than in my culture. I can't know how I would have felt, but, either I would be mad at my parents and culture for being so different and "wrong" or I would become very shy as to hide how different I was from everyone else. Neither which are healthy attitudes to be bringing home from a place that is supposed to educate and inspire. Thanks for your thoughts.
DeleteHi! I agree with you when you say that a culturally responsive classroom will increase student engagement, which will help increase their chances of success in education and careers post-high school. By creating the environment for the students, the students will be more willing to learn and engage in school. I also like how you mentioned that you use Pidgin within your classroom. I didn't think about how using Pidgin is a way to incorporate culture within the classroom. Many students here do use Pidgin so I think that talking to them in a language that they are used to hearing all around them can help build that culture. Thank you for sharing your post!
DeleteI am similar to you in that I try to be as transparent as possible. The kids know me as the real me, as I don't change my personality in front of the kids. I also let my students call me Miss as I feel they are still being respectful even though they are not saying my full name. We call older people Auntie and Uncle here in Hawaii so I feel that Miss is similar and respectful. Some of my colleagues do not allow the kids to just say Miss or Mr and go into a long discussion about how we don't just call the kids boy or girl. I think though that the kids are being respectful.
DeleteDawn Kuna
ReplyDeleteWhat did you learn from these articles and videos?
From these, I have learned that it is essential for teachers to create culturally responisve classrooms so that ALL students have an inviting setting in which to learn. If a student does not feel comfortable or welcome becuase thier culture is not acknowledged or the practices in the classroom go against their social norms, the level of discomfort may decrease the ability for the student to concentrate or just not feel important or welcomed. Those negative feelings will get in the way of the student reaching his or her full potential. Culture is part of education and it is important that all cultures are accounted for. As Dr. Newell in the last video pointed out that this can be a "monumental" task for teachers. However, this does not excuse teachers from the responsibility.
What do you do to make your students feel comfortable in your classroom?
Firstly, I make sure that my room is tidy, clean and a comfortalbe temperature. I have posters through out. Some just to cheer up the room. I have other posters of female scientist of many different races with a quote from them. I encourage the students to come talk to me if they are not comfortable.
How important is creating a culturally responsive classroom for you?
It is important to me. The students have the right to be comfortable and have a safe space in which to learn. I refelct on myself as a student and realize that, as the majority, my culture has always been recognized and at the forefront of all of every class and lesson. This made me comfortable and as a result I was able to do well. Every student should have this chance.
How have these articles and videos influenced your view/teaching pedagogy in culturally responsive classrooms? I am reflecting on what I already do, what I can do and how it has and will affect my students. I think it could be interesting to have a questionaire at the beginnng of the school year inquiring about what culture(s) the students belong to. Once I know who is in my room, I can start making sure their cultures and even some thiat are not represented are seen. It is really a way of encouraging world citizenship.
Do you think culturally responsive classrooms can benefit you as a teacher and the school as a whole? If so, how? If not, why? Yes. Reaching the students on a deeper level and creating that relationship will motivate and excite the students. It will form a bond of trust between the teacher and student. It will also create more respect between the cultures as the students learn about each other. The parents of all children will feel more connected and possibly more involved in their childs education when they feel their culture is being included.
I appreciated your post and many things you mentioned I could identify with and stood out to me. In particular, you helped me recall the mentioning that it is a 'monumental task' for us teachers to create a wonderful, seemless CRC, which is why it is all the more critical for us to accomplish. You also mentioned the clear correlation between students feeling welcome and part of the culture of the classroom, and a student's engagement in the curricula and the willingness/ability to be able to soak up what the teacher is trying to share with their students due to cultural barriers, or feeling like they don't belong. So many important reasons for us to create CRC! Mahalo :)
DeleteWhat stood out for me the most was the article about the race related teaching practices in classrooms–color blind, color aware, and a social justice approach. My teaching and art lessons fall into the category of color aware. I am cognizant of students' culture(s), family traditions, and ethnicities and try to make art lessons that incorporate these important values. However, after reading about color aware not being enough to make a culturally relevant classroom, I agree that I should do my best to make it more socially just. It is not enough that I am teaching kids to be socially aware and seeing value in their race and others’ ethnicity. I would like to go one step beyond as the article suggests. A social justice approach can empower children to speak out against injustices. As a teacher I can help kids talk about race in a more direct and positive light instead of just having students do art about a certain culture. I can do more to facilitate a culturally responsive classroom.
ReplyDeleteI greet my students at the door at every period, and I call them by name and check in with them. This also helps me to get a quick assessment of students and their current mood. I spend time learning all of my students' names and how to pronounce them correctly. We have a highly diverse population so it is sometimes quite challenging to get their names right. I always apologize and have them teach me the correct pronunciation until I get it right.
I take the time to build relationships with my students. This can be difficult sometimes as I teach art, and often my classes are quite large. I try to pick a couple of kids each period to sit with and get to know them, asking open ended questions and also sharing stuff about myself.
Creating a CRC is extremely important to me. We have such a multi-ethnic population, and I am also a mixed racial person. Growing up as a mixed person, I always put my white side on a higher scale than my other ethnicities, which I did on my own without my family telling me this. The article addressed that most books and educational books reflect the values and beliefs of a white culture. I suppose it is from this white perspective that I learned that at a young age without even knowing it.
I would like my students to know and believe that ALL cultures and backgrounds are valued. I need to have a safe and nurturing environment so that kids can express themselves. I need to learn to facilitate a positive classroom in which all races are valued and cared for and to have those heavy discussions when kids do not feel valued. It is not enough to just introduce and talk about culture as I learned from my own upbringing that kids can be influenced subconsciously. Therefore, it is important to build a classroom that can have these open yet challenging discussions.
I thought that I was doing an ok job at having culturally appropriate art lessons in my classroom. However, after reading the articles and watching the videos, I realize that simply introducing color awareness is not enough to make it beneficial for all kids. I need to go beyond and to be a true CRC. I want to incorporate strategies that are race related so that all my students can feel comfortable and even empowered to discuss injustices.
I believe that a CRC can definitely benefit me and the school as a whole if we educators can freely discuss social awareness. By taking a look at my own prejudices and biases I can be better equipped to help my students take a look at theirs. We can create a positive learning environment where students feel cared for, loved, valued, and empowered to speak up when they see unfairness in the world around them.
I loved your response to the assigned discussion questions. I respect that you are able to critique yourself, being aware of how being color aware is just not enough, and how you should incorporate the social justice approach because it empowers children to speak out against injustices. I especially liked that you know the value of relationships, taking the time to get to know students, and opening yourself up to them so they can get to know you. This absolutely plays into the ideal CRC’s and is key in education. And yes, your idea of taking on the discussions about injustices, as well as reflecting on your own prejudices and biases is a great start.
DeleteI learned a lot from the articles and videos shared. Now, I have a clear picture and idea of what a Culturally Responsive Classroom (CRC) entails. A CRC is a place where students of diverse backgrounds (e.g. races) feel safe, accepted, respected, and valued. Each student can be themselves, build confidence, and learn positive racial identity regardless of their ethnic backgrounds. I really loved the article “Reading your way to a CR classroom” and the book “I love my hair” by Tarpley in 2001 because it touched me personally having curly hair and lots of it. Wow, I wish I learned in a CRC, this could’ve helped me build confidence much earlier in life. This was a good example and strategy of incorporating the right literature. It led children to make connections of hair to races and how parents cared differently for their hair as showing love and celebrating differences. This example also emphasized the importance of building strong relationships. The teacher is able to instill acceptance and trust through dramatic play.
ReplyDeleteI also appreciated learning what RRTP (race related teaching practices) is. There are 3 categories; color blind, color aware, and social justice approach. Based on what I read and perceived, the color blind approach is outdated or ineffective in promoting CRC’s. Whereas the color aware category is appropriate because it helps guide children in forming their identities from a young age. It directly addresses such a sensitive topic, and doesn’t avoid or ignore it. I support this approach because it recognizes differences and can teach lessons about different perspectives. The social justice approach seems like a step up from color awareness, in teaching students how to recognize discrimination and injustices and taking a stand against it. In general, one main strategy I learned is that I can create a CRC by selecting a variety of the right literature, where people of color are represented in a positive way, and students could expand their understanding of others.
Lastly, the most important thing I learned from these articles and videos is that culture matters! Culture is the root of us all, our upbringing, beliefs, way of life and how we learn. Culture affects the way we relate to the world and communicate with one other. If we take the time to get to know each other, we can build stronger relationships, and expand our knowledge and understanding. The video “He Aupuni Palapala Ko’u” referencing King Kamehameha the 3rd was a good refresher and example of how cultural learning (e.g. Kamemeha school) positively impacts student learning. It is a good example of how we can teach different cultures and different perspectives.
What did I learn from these articles and videos?
ReplyDeleteI learned many things from watching these videos and reading the articles…especially in regards to what it feels like to place yourself in your students' shoes. Hearing their first-hand perspective was very illuminating.
What do I do to make your students feel comfortable in your classroom?
I learn what their name is, how to pronounce it, and what they prefer, then refer to them by their preferred name each day. I try to learn as much as I can about their respective cultures, but it’s so hard to find time for other activities outside of content time. I try to create a classroom environment that is welcoming and safe. I also feed them; that works wonders!
How important is creating a culturally responsive classroom to me?
Extremely important! I am just unsure as to how to blend culturally responsive time and lessons into my content. That is something I am hoping to learn more about in this course. I hope to find some small ways to incorporate these ideals into my everyday classroom, while also making time for larger culturally responsive units.
How have these articles and videos influenced my view/teaching pedagogy on culturally responsive classrooms?
Hearing the students’ first-hand perspective is very illuminating. These are things that most students would keep to themselves and wouldn’t share with the class. Many cultures teach their children to blend in at school and assimilate when it is their own individualistic cultures that create their very identity and must be recognized and honored in the classroom.
Do I think culturally responsive classrooms can benefit you as a teacher and the school as a whole? If so, how? If not, why?
Absolutely. How can a student be expected to learn when their culture and identity is not being recognized, let alone honored and used as a teaching opportunity? I am imagining a whole-school cultural event in which students present and teach others about their individual cultures. I have no idea in what form this could take, but I am feeling inspired!