CRC Winter 2020 DQ III
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 in this section?
How has this information influenced a change in your teaching style and/or pedagogy?
What strategies do you already use?
What strategies will you use in your CRC Implementation Plan? Why did you choose those?
Like the title of the article, "A Classroom Where Everyone Feels Welcome" should be the goal of every teacher. I believe that a culturally-responsive classroom fosters a sense of belonging and inclusion. Because our school has families from different countries, it’s always interesting to learn about their cultures and their family traditions. Learning about their culture and their families show the students that they are respected and valued by me. I like to share a little about myself and my family so that the students get to know me as well through pictures and stories.
ReplyDeleteThe strategies that I found interesting were the learning stations. The stations involved playing a game, creating artwork, watching a video, reading an article, completing a puzzle and listening to the teacher teach. I would also provide them with some sort of exit pass to see if they got the intended learning target. Another strategy the students would enjoy is the gamifying of lessons. Creating an “instructional manual” for a project with a rubric and how to complete a project along with rewards for completing tasks would make learning fun for the students. I am excited to try these two strategies when my students come back to the classroom.
A strategy that I have tried to implement is calling on each student to encourage them to share their perspective or thought. I also ask them to explain what the student before has explained to check for understanding. It’s not always a successful practice, but I keep trying. The other strategy that I like to use is peer teaching. The students are able to have a reading buddy or work on assignments together. With the students being as young as they are, talking it out with a peer helps them with their own ideas and understanding.
The various strategies that I have read about have its place in different settings and I may not be able to use all of the strategies, but will focus on a handful of strategies. I love the fact that there are so many strategies made available to me.
Hi, Lynn.
DeleteI really respect and appreciate that you share a little about yourself and family with your students. I, too, like to share a little about myself at the beginning of the year (and periodically throughout the remainder of the year). I think that not only is it important for us as educators to understand where our students are from and the things important in their lives, but also for our students to have some insight on US- their teachers!
I like your current strategy of having students share their perspectives/thoughts. Having them reiterate what the previous students said is beneficial in the sense that they're synthesizing information in a way that makes sense to them which really solidifies the point/concept. Thanks for sharing- Donald D.
Aloha,
DeleteI support the idea from the article “A Classroom Where Everyone Feels Welcome” where this should be the goal of every teacher. I can relate this same idea to counseling as creating a safe, comfortable and inviting environment for students can set the tone for a successful session. By creating these environments, the hope is that the students will feel accepted, empowered and included. Information sharing is definitely reciprocal between myself and the students which gives students a glimpse into who I am as a person and not just a counselor. I feel that this breaks down walls and allows for a deeper connection with each student. I also agree with you on the gamify lessons strategy. Students are in tuned to technology now a days and are able to relate and make connections easier.
I appreciate that you make it a point to get to know your students and their families and their cultural backgrounds. It shows how much you respect and care about them. I also like that you share just as much about yourself as your students do with you. I can tell that you have a great relationship with your students and their families because of this.
DeleteDonald Dias
ReplyDelete1) What did you learn in this section?
I learned that everyone is in consensus that CRC is important. However, the tricky part is finding what and how you can incorporate culture into your specific curriculum. Some subjects may be easier to implement culture, such as social studies and english. However, it may be a little more difficult for other subjects such as science, math, or an elective course. I learned from Mr. Stephen A. Vazquez that the first step in creating a CRC is by being aware of the different cultures in your classroom. This is important because if a teacher is not aware of the different cultures that are present, they themself cannot effectively have a CRC.
2) How has this information influenced a change in your teaching style and/or pedagogy?
This information has prompted me to ask my face to face students a little about their ethnic heritage and where they’re from. Also, it’s a great way for my students to share a little about their family history and how they got here. For example: I have asked my students about their last names, and what ethnicity it represents. This led them to explaining how they got to Hawai’i, and the reason their great grandparents/grandparents/parents came. I noticed that my students seem to be more comfortable with me since I’ve asked them about something other than school or academics.
3) What strategies do you already use?
I currently use icebreakers as mentioned in the blog. The main icebreaker I use is called the “Introduction Flag.” This is where I go over how every country has a flag, and how flags use symbols to represent the country’s history, culture, etc. Then, my students make a flag to represent themselves and what’s important to them including their name, hobbies, things that are important to them, etc.
4) What strategies will you use in your CRC Implementation Plan? Why did you choose those?
I like the idea that Mr. Stephen A. Vazquez stated, in which “...the first step in creating a CRC is by being aware of the different cultures in your classroom…” To build off of this, I have implemented the “flag” activity mentioned in the previous question. Now, I plan to take it another step further by doing a formal project- a culture project. This is where my students will solely focus on one of their ethnicities; specifically the different superstitions of it, different customs and traditions, holidays, and types of food. This will allow them to really dive into their culture and hopefully discover something that they themselves have never known about prior, as well as share that information with the entire class so that EVERYONE is culturally aware.
I really like your Introduction Flag strategy. It seems as though you do a great job at getting to know your students through this activity. I also like how you connect the flagʻs symbols that represents the country to making their own flag and using symbols to represent themselves. Your idea about the culture project is a great idea too. When they talk about their own holidays, traditions, and food they will learn more about themselves and will feel proud to share what they find with the class.
DeleteI really also like your flag activity! In my old math class, because I use to teach Social Studies) I had a huge world map. I would have students decorate mini flags of where they or their parents are from (it was an international middle school). Then, they would pin the flag on the correct area. This activity led to the introduction of ratios and fractions. They students enjoyed ii so much and I loved the cross-curriculum component. Reading your activity made me realize mine was also culture based! I will have to do this activity again!!!!
DeleteI absolutely love your Introduction Flag strategy! What a fun and unique way to get to know your students and for students to get to know their peers. I like how this activity connects the uniqueness of country and their flag and what that country represents to the uniqueness of each student and their ethnic backgrounds, hobbies and interests. I am going to steal this activity and use it with my students! Thank you for this suggestion!
DeleteHi Donald,
DeleteI really enjoyed reading about your flag introduction project. This is something that I want to try in my classroom. It lends it self to allow students the opportunity to share about themselves and their backgrounds. It can also be integrated perfectly with a history lesson about countries flags and how they came to be. Thank you for sharing!
I like the flag idea. I like how you are using flags to represent student's own culture. Some of our students might not have a deep knowledge of their own culture, some of them are too Americanized. This will hopefully spark their interest in their own family background and culture.
DeleteWhat 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.
Aloha,
DeleteI agree with your suggestion of being the first to share your background, setting an example of what you would be expecting from the students. I enjoyed reading your implementation of lessons regarding winter and customs from around the world and proper ways to respond to similarities and differences. The students learn from watching you, and they are also allowed to practice. You have created a safe environment where students can share and feel accepted. In turn, trust is allowed to grow. The use of familiar culturally-connected clipart sounds fun and is something I would like to use for my middle schoolers.
I love that you use local style clipart that students can relate to! I think it is a simple task that is overlooked but can make a huge difference. During covid, I was using bitmojis for everything! I loved that I could make my own phrases so I would make Hawaiian or pidgin words so that my students could relate as well. I also agree with you on the fact that the articles made me aware that I am socially responsible to ensure that all of my students cultures are acknowledged and celebrated. There are so many resources out there that we have no excuse! We must do the work to give our students a diverse education and what better way than to make them a part of the discussion. I think one of the most valuable strategies that was shared was collaborative learning. When we make room for our students to learn from their peers, we invite diversity of learning and we also open the door for so much more life experiences that we can build on and make connections to. I think the hard part as teachers, is that we will have to let go of the mic so that others can speak!
DeleteI love your idea of using clipart in your slides as a way to gain student interest in the lesson. I like how they can build relationships with each other as students share what they know about the clipart. I agree with using the mention of race and culture to understand each other rather than see it as a difference that could divide them. I also love your idea of the reaction phrases for them to learn how to positively react to their peers see something new and different. Great ideas!
DeleteDaphna Ehrenhalt
ReplyDeleteWhat did you learn in this section?
The 27 strategies listed in the Culturally Responsive Teaching article felt like good teaching practices that all teachers should be using. If you use them in your classroom, you are more than likely going to reach students who are not only reluctant learners, but also students from culturally diverse backgrounds.
How has this information influenced a change in your teaching style and/or pedagogy?
I have had to create a curriculum for my science class. Because I am the teacher asking the questions, I use my students’ names in the questions I ask. Parents have sent me messages saying that their child really loved seeing their name in the classwork. Because I am teaching virtually and asynchronously, I don’t really get a chance to talk to my students. I did start a lunch bunch with them so we could get together and learn about each other.
What strategies do you already use?
The first strategy in the first article hit home for me. Pronounce your student’s names properly! I spent years of my childhood never correcting people on how to pronounce my name and as an adult, I still feel awkward doing so. I tell my students to always correct me, even if it’s a million times, get comfortable telling adults how to say your name the right way. My students with traditional Hawaiian names often have very long names. When we have a few minutes of downtime in class, I ask my students about their names, the meanings and how to pronounce them properly. I have them practice correcting me so they can feel comfortable telling other adults later in life. Reading through the article “A Classroom Where Everyone Feels Welcome” covers the strategies I use in my classroom on a regular basis. It was nice to have confirmation that I am on the right path with connecting to my students.
What strategies will you use in your CRC Implementation Plan? Why did you choose those?
The strategy I plan on using is getting to know my students. I am currently teaching 60 asynchronous students, and many of them have not been able to socialize with their teachers or peers. Throughout the year, I have given my students multiple opportunities to submit their assignments, or resubmit them. I have been working with parents and their schedules to help them complete work and turn it in when they have time. Many of our students are EL and their parents are still learning English. I spend time with them and their students on the phone, walking them through how to use Google Classroom. Working with parents also helps to build relationships with students
I think getting to know your students will be a great strategy on building relationships with them as well as their families. Working with 60 asynchronous students is a lot, and applaud your efforts in trying to reach them online. I understand how difficult it can be to teach them how to log onto Google Classroom. But, I also think that during this pandemic, nothing is normal for them or us, so getting to know them and having conversations with them means a lot.
DeleteI really like the fact that you take so much time to get to know how to correctly say your students names. I feel like this is where I really need to put the most effort. I came from a french dominated area, moved to a spanish dominated area, and now I am in a Hawaiian dominated area. I look at words and my whole brain goes to mush! I have a very low students count this school year, so I believe I have conquered that goal. But I know that that will not be the case every school year and I will have to make it my number one priority.
DeleteAloha Daphna,
DeleteI agree with what you stated earlier in your response that all the strategies listed are good teaching practices. I feel that the more teachers, new or seasoned, should take a culturally responsive course. Many strategies can overlap and once they are incorporated, it should feel more natural in a classroom setting.
I like that you do your best pronounce names correctly as you have had your own personal experience with your own name being mispronounced. Names are so important in many cultures and have stories attached to them. Like you've mentioned about your students with long Hawaiian names. They have so much meaning and thought behind it. A story about who they are and where they come from. Mahalo for doing your best with the pronunciation.
I also like that you are striving to build relationships with your students' parents as well. This is a great engagement tool. I too am striving to build relationships with parents. Thank you for your thoughts.
Hi, Daphna.
DeleteYour strategy that you already incorporate- proper name pronunciation- is very important and definitely culturally responsive. I can't agree with you more that it is so imperative we get students names right! Their name is part of their identity, and, often part of their culture- especially with Hawaiian names. I, too, ask my students to please correct me if I mispronounce their names. I do a similar exercise where I make students do a flag activity that represents them. One of the requirements is that they MUST incorporate their name into their design and explain the meaning and significance of their name. Great response!
Hi Daphna,
DeleteI also agree that reading the article, "A Classroom Where Everyone Feels Welcomed" was great affirmation for me as I already do a lot of those strategies in my classroom. The pronouncing all students name correctly also resigned with me. Although my name is relatively easy to pronounce I spent a lot of my childhood being called "Chelsea" instead of Kelcey. What might seem small to someone really bothered me. Also since I spell my name in a non traditional way my name was also spelled wrong even by my teachers. This is something that I always remember when teaching. A lot of my students are from Chuuk and have names that I am not familiar with. So at the start of each school year I make sure to spend time learning how to pronounce their names.
Aloha Daphna,
DeleteThank you for sharing your thoughts and ideas. I found it interesting that you focus on getting to know your students during down time and unpacking the meaning of their names. I have found that very impactful towards my students and truly helped to develop relationships on a deeper level. I also found it interesting that you support your ELL students by providing support via phone so the parents and students can feel successful.
I also found that I can implement this strategy for my students in the classroom so that I can increase engagement.
Mahalo,
Chassidy
What did you learn in this section?
ReplyDeleteIn this section I learned that through culturally responsive instruction, it is very important that teachers do their part in educating themselves on what type of students they are working with. This includes the language background, ethnicity, and culture they have at home. Also, according to "Classroom Where Everyone Feels Welcome" it shares the importance of teachers needing to reflect on their childhood experiences have shaped their thought process about working with children .
How has this information influenced a change in your teaching style and/or pedagogy?
We are currently learning about the 13 colonies and in our textbook it shares information about indentured slaves and slaves being bought from Africa through the Triangular Trading routes. So this information I am learning in this class prompted me to dig a little bit deeper in how my students feel about this and how America has changed to be more inclusive with all races. Thus, this information has made me more aware and include more student voice when we talk about race and ethnicity.
What strategies do you already use?
In the beginning of each year, I always have my students fill out a questionnaire about themselves and their families. This helps me understand the things the like, who they live with, and how they come to school. Also, I try to make an effort to call on each of my students throughout the day. Even with distance learning and if their camera is off, I always make an effort to hear everyoneʻs voice.
What strategies will you use in your CRC Implementation Plan? Why did you choose those?
I like the different learning station suggestion. These learning stations can include watching a video, reading an article, doing a game, or completing artwork. I believe these varied stations will help as it will highlight the studentʻs strengths and they will feel proud of what they can do.
Aloha,
DeleteIt is great to see that we share the same feeling about the importance of self-reflection and understanding how our childhood experiences shaped who we are and how we respond to students. I also agree that student voice is important especially when working in a counseling session. I have learned that including students in the counseling process and allowing for student voice builds that positive trusting relationship. We work collaboratively to come up with goals for our sessions while discussing the expectations from both the student and myself. I can appreciate the extra effort that you are putting in due to virtual learning to reach out to your students and call on them even when cameras are off. Although the students may not say it, I feel like most of them are appreciative that teachers are genuinely reaching out during class. I am still deciding which strategy I would like to implement for my students in a counseling setting but, I love the idea that you are willing to try the learning station suggestion. Hopefully this will give students a sense of empowerment and an opportunity to showcase their strength wherever that may be.
I believed I learned a lot from the article and the videos. One main point, that really hit home, was expressing the idea that including culturally responsive aspects into a middle school math class are far from impossible. I have always thought that these aspects were meant for elementary grades and more for language arts and social studies. The videos and articles have proven my naive thought process to be wrong. Every class, no matter what subject or grade level, should have many culturally responsive lessons/activities/components. Another concept that made an impact with me was that I need to embrace and research my culture. I need to express my uniqueness to my students, so we can bond through our differences and similarities.
ReplyDeleteThe information acquired will influence my teaching style. I have always done activities and questionnaires at the beginning of each school year, but now they will be done in a different way. These getting to know you activities will include cultural and learning style questions. I believe this will be an important step in making my classes culturally responsive. Another aspect of my teaching that will be evolving is making sure to pay attention to how my students respond to my techniques. I have always known that one way does not work for everyone, so I need to be prepared to represent my curriculum in different/unique ways that work best for individual students. It will take time to offer different ways to show understanding of concepts, but I believe that students will appreciate and easily show growth by doing these things.
I was surprised by how many strategies I currently use in my classroom. Now that I am being more informed, it does make sense that these strategies would adhere to a culturally responsive classroom. Strategies that I currently use are: presenting new concepts with students vocabulary/interest, gamifying lessons, calling on each student, peering teaching, cooperative grouping, pronouncing names correctly, and one on ones.
The main strategy that I plan on using is getting to know my students. The reason I chose this is because the virtual barrier of this school year has made this hard to do so. Not only will I get to know their personality and culture, I will hopefully pick up on their learning strategies as well. I think this is one of the first steps in creating a culturally responsive classroom. Without the knowledge of who or where your students are from, then what stepping stone do you have to connect with them on a personal level?
Mahalo Brittney for your response. I too liked the articles and the videos and yes, I'm learning too that culturally responsive teaching practices can and should be done in all curriculum and across the grade levels. I also like that you are going to change up your questionnaires to include cultural questions. This activity is a great engagement opportunity to get to know your students and where they come from. This important to know where they are from in order to meet them where they are and help to lift them where they stand. Making connections are so important and you can only do that when you get to know each other and find commonalities and differences. Great response Brittney.
DeleteYes! I never really thought about including culturally responsive aspects into a math class before. I always thought that math and culture were too far removed from each other to make any solid connection. But I plan on exploring further how I can bring culture into my math courses for next year. I'm thinking about creating a project based learning experience to do this, but I would need to do a lot of research before I could implement it.
DeleteHey Brittney, although I was also impacted when I read that I should embrace my own culture. I felt kind of silly when I read this because it should have been obvious. Just like how you model new behaviors for students we should also learn about our own culture and be willing to share it with students. I am usually so focused on the kids that I forget that I am part of the class to and should include my thoughts, beliefs, opinions, worries, interests, etc. in class discussions as well. Thanks for reminding me about this point!
DeleteI have learned that implementing culturally responsive classroom strategies will help to breakdown my own cultural biases and stereotypes that I may inadvertently bring into the classroom. Some strategies include setting aside time to build relationships with students to get a better sense of their life outside of school, learning different cultural vocabulary words and displaying them around the classroom, promote equitable instructional materials that students can identify and relate to, but at the same time share about the diverse world in which we live in, and finally, involving parents by including them in the lessons.
ReplyDeleteThis information has influenced a change in my teaching style. I have always tried to build relationships with my students, but I've never intentionally set aside time to get to know them. I would usually use individual one on one reading time to chat a little with my students, but I've never set actual time aside. I've posted vocabulary words around the classroom, but have never tried different languages. I think this is a great idea that fosters relationship building too. I've never thought of how not having culturally diverse instructional materials can have a negative impact on students. I am more aware of the curriculum biases and can address them by inclusive practices. Inclusive practices can also mean, including parents and families with lesson assignments and projects.
Strategies that I've used include Guided Language Acquisition Design or GLAD. As I read the the Region X article, many of those strategies are used in GLAD. Strategies like using visual aids and props, using team building activities to promote peer support, and using clarifying techniques to assist students to answer. These are some of the strategies that I've used in my classroom and know that they are effective in helping all students to feel successful and participate fully in the lessons especially English language learners.
For culturally responsive classroom strategies, I would like to use media that portrays a diverse array of cultures in a positive way as well as gamifying a lesson. I would also like to have students do a research project about their ethnicity and their genealogy. Families would be involved in this project.
I chose those strategies because I feel that they will help me to get to know the students better and get to know about their different cultures. The ethnicity and genealogy project will get the families involved and give me an opportunity to know them better. I also chose those strategies for relationship building. The students will get to know each other and learn about each other's culture. My hope is to have the students know that each of them have a culture that is unique to them and by sharing, they can help their classmates understand their culture. Like the article, Culture in the Classroom Professional Development Topic: Classroom Culture says, "Culture isn't just a list of holidays or shared recipes, religious traditions, or language; it is a lived experience unique to each individual."
It's hard to find the time to get to know students, especially with all of the work we have to complete in a day. I tend to focus on that at the beginning of the school year and then sprinkle it in throughout the year. Sometimes I'll do exit tickets that have nothing to do with the lesson but everything to do with the students. My favorite is two truths and one lie, but I ask my students to make me laugh with what they have written down. That way they can express themselves and be a bit silly. I wanted to share this site I was introduced to recently, https://waihona.net/. It has an immense amount of resources and you might find some activities to help you get to know your students even more.
DeleteAndrea Carter
DeleteI liked how you emphasized the Cultural Responsive Classroom strategy-of the importance of relationships. As an educator, we really do need to know our students well, and parents need to know that we know their child. So many questions come to mind. What is each student family dynamics? What kind of supports do they have? Does my student socialize outside of class and have friends? What are their likes and dislikes? (e.g. Anime, dancing, art). What kind of hobbies do they have? Are they comfortable speaking in front of class? How do they work in groups? How do they view themselves and the world? What are their strengths and weaknesses? What motivates them? With these answers and knowing my students well, I can practice being flexible in my practice. I can change seating and assign groups purposely. I can step out of my own comfort zone, and learn a words in a different language. We both (my students and I) can learn from each other.
I can relate to some of your responses. I also have just used time in small group or one on one to get to know students and agree that it is a good idea to set time aside to build relationships. I also like the idea of adding vocabulary around the room in different languages. I think that is an important way to help the students feel like they are represented in the classroom. I use something similar to what Daphna mentioned above. Instead of the 2 truths and 1 lie, I use true or false since my students are only First graders. They love to guess what is true and false about their teacher. I do this in the first week of school. I also resonated with the quote about culture being more than just holidays, etc. on how culture is a lived experience unique to each student. Our culture molds how we grow up and our values and morals.
Delete1. What did you learn in this section?
ReplyDeleteThe information in this section has further solidified my understanding of creating a culturally responsive classroom and its benefits. Through reading the article “A classroom where everyone feels welcome”, I learned that teachers and students upbringing can have an impact on the student’s academic success as well as the teacher’s professional success. Building a relationship with students is important so that you get to know them on a deeper level which allows for mutual understanding and acceptance of each other’s cultures and differences. I can relate to this from a counseling perspective as my goal is to build a meaningful relationship that builds trust and helps break down barriers that my students may have and also my own.
2. How has this information influenced a change in your teaching style and/or pedagogy?
This information has shifted my view on focusing solely on the students to focusing on myself as well. I learned that my past plays a big part in who I am today. My experiences and interactions throughout life also contribute to who I am today and how I respond to students and different situations. Moving forward, I will make sure to gain a better understanding of who I am and what my beliefs are to better prepare myself for the different situations that may arise.
3. What strategies do you already use?
There are 2 strategies that I have used consistently since starting my career as a counselor. The first one is learning about your student. I have learned from previous experience the importance of building a rapport with my students to get to know them better. Pre-COVID I made it a point to meet face to face with every student in my caseload to put a face to a name and make that personal connection to start our relationship on a positive note. This school year, while still holding true to engaging with every student in my caseload, I had to modify my method as our students are in a virtual setting. I have sent individual emails to every student at the beginning of the school year (re)introducing myself and welcoming them back to school. I have also done individual follow-up emails to provide encouragement and support with grades, attendance and adjustments that were made to adapt to virtual learning. I have gotten many positive responses from my students thanking me for checking in on them and also offering kind words of support for me as well. This has helped increase communication with parents as well, which leads to the second strategy which is involve parents by using take home letters. The initial email I sent to my students was a great opportunity to include their parents and update contact information so we can remain in contact. Similar to the student responses I received a lot of support from parents/guardians of my students confirming their contact information and very grateful for me reaching out. I can definitely see the value of getting to know my students and involving parents and will continue to utilize these strategies in creating a culturally responsive space for students and their families.
4. What strategies will you use in your CRC implementation plan? Why did you choose those?
I am considering doing a mix of some of the strategies that was shared. I really like the one-on-one strategy and interviewing of students to get to know my students better. By using these strategies, I can be more intentional with my questions and gain as much information about my student’s culture, traditions, background, and values. I have had positive experiences when including my students in the process as they are more receptive and more willing to participate. So, I would also like to see if I can encourage students to propose ideas, and questions that would support the idea of getting to know each other better.
Getting to know your students is so important and building those relationships helps to foster a caring and safe classroom environment. I also realized after reading the articles that I had to reflect on my own background and really begin to understand who I am and where I came from. Knowing the different backgrounds of the students also helps in fostering a culturally responsive classroom. When we know more about our students the relationships form and when the classroom is a safe place the students are then ready to learn. I am also going to use the interview strategy. I am going to have my students interview their family members in order to learn more about their own nationality/ heritage. Then after they present their research to the class they will then discuss the similarities and differences they find. This will help me get to know my students better and give them an opportunity to learn about themselves and each other.
DeleteWhat did you learn in this section?
ReplyDeleteIn this section I learned about using relationship building approaches to foster an inclusive classroom. Although this is a no brainer, the article made me realize that I did not spend enough time this year building relationships in the classroom. This year has been flying by because of our blended model where we have students twice a week in a ABAB schedule. Because I have so many fewer days with students, I realized that building peer relationships have been overlooked. I feel like there is so much academic content that I need to cover within the day that I don’t have any time for fun activities like I used to. Even opportunities for me to build relationships with students have been dwindling down.
How has this information influenced a change in your teaching style and/or pedagogy?
This has made me want to dedicate time to relationship building in the classroom so that everyone feels included and part of the class. I want to spend at least 20 minutes every week on relationship building. This might be a little difficult because we can’t play the same games like we used to due to COVID health and safety regulations. But I want to find some COVID Safe games that we can play together as a class.
What strategies do you already use?
One strategy that I already use is gamifying lessons and trying to include opportunities for cooperative learning. I love playing games with students because they get so into what we are learning about. I also really like helping my kindergarten students learn the language that reflects cooperation and good sportsmanship. At the beginning of the year I have to provide them with phrases like “Not quite, try again” when they are working together or “Yup that’s right!”.
What strategies will you use in your CRC Implementation Plan? Why did you choose those?
I will be using the gamify strategy in my CRC implementation plan to help students learn about our school rules and to develop a sense of school culture. More specifically, I plan to do a team trivia game about facts about the school and rules in different school settings. I could have just created a powerpoint that went over everything but I think that when students are invested into the activity more they will retain more of the information.
I agree with you about how this year has been different in building relationships. Having only half the students and the AB schedule has made it harder to foster peer relationships. Half of my students are online too and I can see the difference in how they interact.
DeleteI have created small groups and do breakout rooms which is helping enable more discussion and sharing. I also thought the gamify your lessons was interesting. I know that many of my students enjoy playing games and it would be great incentive. It helps to play games with the students because then they are having fun and hardly even realize that they are learning at the same time.
As I was reading your response I couldn't help but see that you are building relationships with your students despite your assertion that you are not. As a high school teacher I honestly cannot imagine remote teaching elementary school students! My tenth graders struggle with reading instructions and following directions from instructional videos, I would lose my mind with little ones! You're a saint!
DeleteI had been planning for and switched to a flipped classroom model this year, so I front loaded a lot of getting to know you activities for my students and a survey to parents but even with all that, I still feel like I don't truly know the students who log into our virtual meetings and are now starting to come to class once every two weeks.
I 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.
Aloha Heather,
DeleteMahalo for sharing your insights on the benefits of a cultrurally responsive classroom. Great job making sure your classroom climate is equitable. This is extremely important. I also like your thoughts on every student being held to the same high expectations. Sometimes teacher have higher expectations for students of certain ethnic backgrounds. This is just not right!
I like your ideas of making it a habit to have eye contact with each of your students. We are wearing masks most of the time this year and I think that it is just so uncomfortable that I've noticed I look at people less now while in public. However, we should be looking at each more now! I will keep that in mind and make it a point to make eye contact with my students.
I think it's pretty amazing that the curriculum that you are currently using includes Spanish Do you have some students in your class that speak Spanish. I teach Kindergarten and I think I have one student that speaks Spanish. I'm now realizing that I don't even know this. Online teaching this year has greatly affected how well I know my students. I need to work on this!
I love your plan to use the interviewing strategy. I think it will work out very well to have them engage in a research project after that. Sharing their projects will be very meaningful to the student presenting as well as to all the students watching the presentations. Following up with discussions on the similarities and difference will be a perfect way to culminate that activity.
Best wishes, Sierra Mahin
1.What did you learn in this section?
ReplyDeleteI learned that I need to examine and reflect on my life experiences as it determines how I teach and influence my students and their families who have similar or different experiences. This can help me understanding what the needs of my students are and how I can relate to them and meet them at their level. I learned great and helpful culturally inclusive teaching strategies that I can use in my classroom such as the proposal of project ideas from my students and including a range of media and books that positively depict a range of cultures.
2.How has this information influenced a change in your teaching style and/or pedagogy?
This information made me happy as it showed me that I am doing a better job than I thought in incorporating culturally inclusive teaching strategies into my classroom. I could think of many instances in which I included the suggested strategies. I was also happy to learn some new strategies that I have not used yet, such as using media and books in my curriculum that positively depicts a range of cultures, especially my student’s cultures, to help them process and learn more effectively.
3.What strategies do you already use?
When building a relationship with my students, I already make it a point to learn my student’s names, practice it, and make sure that students confirm to me that I am saying it correctly. Living in Hawaii and having my name pronounced wrong almost my entire life while at school, I know how important it was to me when my teachers got my name right and I do the same for my students. I also set aside time to have fun and random conversations that my students lead where they share with me anything and everything they may want to share while making it a point to comment and provide feedback to show that I am listening and I care about what they have to say. I also get to know my students and their interests while also sharing my interests with them so that they can get to know me. I also use work stations so that students can be engaged while supporting and stimulating their different learning styles. Another strategy that has been a struggle for myself and our school in the past is involving parents in students learning. Parents are busy and it gets hard to get them involved in school related issues. This year due to the pandemic, I have had the most parent participation that I and all my colleagues have ever seen. Parents are at home with their children tackling distance learning with them and I have been working hard to reach out and communicate to parents while distance learning. Often, I collaborate with parents via the Remind app, email, and virtual conferences. It is my hope that when school returns to normal, that this parent involvement continues.
4.What strategies will you use in your CRC Implementation Plan? Why did you choose those?
I am going to work on encouraging my students to propose ideas for their projects. Every week for ELA, we have a weekly project and usually I just assign and give them their project with their set of instructions to complete. I chose this strategy because I believe that it is important for students to have a “choice and voice” about how and what they want to create and deliver for their project. This will help get them more excited and engaged with doing their assignment since they had a say in it, and build their confidence in learning while showcasing their strengths and creativity.
Aloha. I enjoyed reading your insights and reflections. I agree that we as teachers need to reflect on our life experiences and that they influence our teaching! This is so true. It helps to understand what our students need to reach their full potential. I also learned about some strategies that I could use. That's awesome that you are going to include a range of media and books that positively depict a range of cultures. There are a lot of resources out there.
DeleteThat's good news that you found out you were doing a better job than you thought you were. I had the same experience. I didn't really think that I was using any CRC strategies but after reading the articles, I realized I was using some already.
I liked your reflections on what strategies you already use. I too make sure that I say my students' names correctly. I have students from many ethnic backgrounds and some of their names are really hard to say, but I do my best. I also feel that I do a good job of involving my parents . The parental involvement is very high this year due to the pandemic. I wish it would stay this was forever!
I teach Kindergarten and it sounds like you teach a higher grade level. I will not be able to use the same strategies that you are going to use, but I am glad you were able to find some new strategies to use in your teaching. Your students will benefit from the new strategies that you learned.
Hi! I also want to encourage my students to propose ideas for their projects. They have great ideas and know what interests them. Plus I appreciate the variety of ways they want to share their research. They also help keep me updated on technology. I like the way the article was realistic and said we may need to tweak their ideas or help them align their project to the standards if it's not. Thank you for sharing!
DeleteIn this section I learned many culturally responsive strategies that I could use in my classroom. I learned that no single approach will engage every student and therefore it is important to use a variety of strategies and consistently deliver instruction and experiences for my students. This cannot just be a one time lesson. I learned that it is very important to empower my students to share their thoughts and to understand my students' needs and learning styles.
ReplyDeleteThis information has influenced my teaching style because so far this year I haven't quite learned my students learning styles. We were online until December and now my students only come to school twice a week. I learned that I need to find out about their learning styles to meet the needs of all of my students. I believe this will have a positive impact for my students.
I already use a few strategies that were mentioned. I make it a point to call on each student while giving a lesson. I do this because I feel that it gives each student an opportunity to share their personal perspectives and to feel included. I also use peer teaching in my class. I have students from 8th grade come down to do reading buddy sessions and to and tutor my Kindergarteners. My students love this and the 8th graders really enjoy it too. I also involve parent by using take-home letters. The Wonders English Language Arts curriculum that I use has a letter that goes home every week. I truly opens the door for parent participation.
One new strategy that I learned about and will use in my CRC Implementation Plan is integrating relevant word problems. I am so looking forward to creating culturally-relevant word problems by using my student names. My student will absolutely love this. They will also enjoy problems that are linked to their interests. I never thought of doing this but I see how it would help my students. I chose this strategy because the problems will be more relevant to them and engage them more. I would also like to use Kumu U'i's strategy of one-on-one. It would very special to have one-on-one conversations with each of my students. I could get to know them by asking them about their backgrounds. It's difficult to make time to do this, but it is possible if I make it a priority.
I enjoyed reading your response and how you plan to incorporate individual one on one conversations with your students. While I can see the value of this strategy, it is one that I do not incorporate into my classes and at the high school level I concentrate more on one to one conferencing with students on their writing pieces rather than personal connections. It has been difficult getting to know them through the screens and I feel lucky to be at the high school level where students can advocate for themselves, and we can discuss assignments without much parent involvement.
DeleteThank you for sharing what you are doing in a kindergarten classroom. I too teach kindergarten and I always enjoy hearing what others do with their kinder kids too. I like how you said we need to have a variety of strategies in order to get to know your students well. A strategy that may help open one student, may not make another feel comfortable and included. So continuously doing inclusive activities does help to reach all students. Lastly, I like the ides of adding students names into the word problems. I find that I do have to be careful and not create a story that may embarrass the student. Some of my young ones are uncomfortable being in a story. But perhaps if I ensure the story is a positive one and not one they may laugh about, it'll be okay.
DeleteAgain thank you for sharing your ideas and strategies.
What did you learn in this section?
ReplyDeleteThis section focused heavily on getting to know students and allowing them in return to get to know me as their teacher to establish a culturally responsive classroom.
How has this information influenced a change in your teaching style and/or pedagogy?
This new knowledge has allowed me to see the different strategies that I can employ in getting to know students and vice versa of them getting to know me because different students need different strategies to open the cultural conversation in the classroom. A lot of the strategies are usually written for younger students but many of the strategies can be modified and used in the high school classroom such as gamefying lessons and allowing students to get to know me by sharing information about myself and my life.
What strategies do you already use?
At the start of the school year I work hard to learn student names and preferred names within the first week of classes, I usually make a game of this with my classes, so students help me learn names. Another important strategy I utilize is connecting with parents. At the high school level parents already get lots of information, so I send home a short survey with questions about the student and home life, what that particular grade might have been like for the parent, etc. It allows the parents to remember what it was like being a freshman, sophomore, etc. and also provides a glimpse into the student's home life for me.
What strategies will you use in your CRC Implementation Plan? Why did you choose those?
I would like to invite guest speakers and also play with peer teaching during units so that students teach each other rather than learning alone or from me. Now during the pandemic virtual learning it is more important than ever for students to connect with each other and the peer teaching in breakout rooms will provide opportunities for students to collaborate and learn with peers.
I really liked reading about how you send a questionnaire home to the parents, asking what the particular high school grade was like for them when they were their child's age. Not only does that ground the parents in their expectations and understanding of what it's like to be in their child's shoes, it also may open the door for a conversation with the parent and child. At that age it is so important to keep the family communication lines open.
DeleteI also agree that bringing in guest speakers is a great way to keep the students' interest in the subject. When they hear information from someone who is more of an expert, or has another view point to share, it is another way to connect to the subject matter.
Thank you for sharing how to use some of these techniques in an upper grade classroom.
Aloha!
DeleteThanks for sharing your current practices and ideas. I really like the survey you send home to families; I had not thought about including parents/guardians in this way and I think it would benefit all parties. I always have a hard time connecting with parents and had previously thought that high school parents are generally less involved than elementary school parents are. However, establishing and early and positive connection with parents will set you up for better conversations later in the year. I'm glad you shared this strategy! Do you usually send home a paper survey, or do you send home a digital survey?
Thanks again for sharing!
Kalika
What did I learn from this section? I learned many new and interesting ideas on how to get to know my students even better. I was happy to learn that I already do many of the inclusive activities mentioned in the first two articles. We do a lot of collaborative activities to get to know one another, and support one another in our learning. I also read that by asking more about the student, their family, and their ethnicity they feel more connected to my class and school. I think by teaching kindergarten some of these inclusive activities, like giving an ethnicity questionnaire at the beginning of the year, will really welcome my families to share more with me. This type of activity will be a nice spring board to allow me to invite my students and their families to share cultural traditions and celebrations throughout the year.
ReplyDeleteHow has this information influenced a change in my teaching style and or pedagogy? I think it has influenced my teaching style to look closer at each student and get to know them even better. I hope by doing this, I will better understand their thinking and learning styles. I will also have a better understanding of their Social and Emotional well being.
What strategies do I already use? As I mentioned I use a lot of the strategies shared. On Parent Orientation day I ensure I am properly saying and spelling their child's name. I even ask families to share any nicknames their child likes to go by. I do make time throughout lessons and in weekly sharing time to allow students to share about themselves and their ideas. This year I began using an app called Seesaw, and last year I used Class Dojo, to communicate with my families on a more regular basis. For years I have done Learning Stations, which I call Station Rotations. These stations allow students to do academic activities that focus on different learning styles. I love to Gamify a lesson. It certainly makes the content more enjoyable and brings us together as a community. With that I anticipate my students misconceptions and explain the content in a variety of ways to help them understand it. I love to have my students peer teach. This empowers them to do their best so that they can share their knowledge with their peers. Lastly, I hold all of my students to be accountable to learn and understand the content, no matter their needs. I will keep trying until they can show me their understanding of the standards I am teaching them. They do not need to show me in the same way as others. Some students need modifications or accommodations to meet the standard and that is okay.
What strategies will I use in my CRC Implementation Plan? Why did I choose them? I will ask a parent to come in and share for my cultural lesson on Boy's Day and the Japanese Cultural. I think that by bringing in a parent, I am showing the students that we all have a unique cultural background that are exciting to learn about. It also allows students to ask cultural questions form someone who is from that culture. Rather than from me who has only learned about the holiday from experience of living here in Hawaii and from books. This will be only my third time asking a parent to come in to discuss their culture. I want to get more comfortable with bringing families in to share, as I plan to begin next year with an Ethnic Questionnaire, in hopes to make this a more regular practice in my classroom.
Aloha,
DeleteIsnʻt it great to find out that you have already been incorporating cultural responsive strategies into your classes? After reading the articles in section 3, I was thankful to have recognized some of the ideas and therefore, had some background knowledge as well. I appreciated reading how you have made the time each week where students could share about themselves. My middle schoolers seemed to be less willing to do an activity like this, but with practice, I believe that it could become easier for them to open up. Inviting parents to share a cultural lesson is a great way to connect with families and a great opportunity to build support for the school. Thanks for sharing how you have used cultural responsive activities in your class.
Hi! It's great that you're already using so many culturally responsive strategies in your classroom! I like your idea of brining in parent speakers to share about their culture in relation to holidays and cultural events. My students do a culture project in which they have to interview their parents and present their culture to the rest of the class, but it would be nice to have parents come in and share as well since they'd be better able to answer questions students may have.
DeleteAloha,
DeleteThank you for sharing your ideas with us.
I find it great that you are already using so many culturally responsive strategies in the classroom. I think I could also incorporate your ideas of inviting parent speakers into the classroom to share their culture and language. It would be a great way to develop the community amongst students and families. As I reflect on how I can utilize this approach in my current classroom, I feel that I could encourage families to share mele and chants that represent their culture and the community.
Mahalo,
Chassidy
In this section, I learned more details about intentionally integrating culture into lesson plans. The Golden Rule is not enough, yet I believed it was. I have a greater understanding by taking time to reflect on the readings and my past experiences. When my culture was brought into lessons as a student, I paid attention because there was a familiarity and connection. Most of the literature in my Language Arts and Social Studies classes reflected European/ American culture. I was disinterested when it came to reading. In learning from the past, I have background experiences to improve the cultural environment for my students by creating a physically welcoming environment that celebrates diversity through pictures, words, and music. Studying the cultures of my students by doing personal research, interviewing students, meeting families, and attending events that promote culture are ways that I can prepare myself to connect with the children. I appreciated the articles that discussed stereotypes. They were great reminders for educators to view each child as a unique person with a lot of potential. We need to have multiple teaching tools and strategies, be flexible, and patiently work with our students.
ReplyDeleteThis information influenced a change in my teaching style and/ or pedagogy. As I mentioned in previous responses, my cultural responsive class was limited due to my lack of knowledge. My teaching will involve cultural education woven into the curriculum. For example, I will recognize the cultures of students in my classroom by discussing successful people of their ethnicity that promote health and activity such as Native Hawaiian Dr. Jodi Matsuo, Olympic Micronesian wrestler Keitani Graham, and Filipino champion boxer Manny Pacquiao. I will incorporate games, dances, music and sports from different countries for physical education class. Students will complete a research project on what a healthly lifestyle looks like from their culture that can also be implemented here in Hawaiʻi.
There are some strategies that I already use. Last semester, I learned to pronounce each studentʻs name, greeted each one at the door, and regularly sent out Do Now assignments that helped me to learn about their home life and interests. I used that information as conversation starters to help build relationships with the students. I set aside time in class and during lunch recess to connect with at least 2 students and sent home positive emails that were addressed to parents. Different forms of delivering the lesson were utilized such as game playing, watching videos, completing worksheets, and demonstrations. I called on each student to read and share thoughts.
I will use the following strategies in my CRC Implementation Plan. I will distribute a questionnaire at the beginning of class to learn more about students culture, life outside of school, learning style, and interests. This information will be used for conversation starters throughout the semester and I continue to learn more about each child. Basic vocabulary will be posted throughout the classroom that includes the languages of my students. Biographies and storytelling from others cultures will be shared that tie into healthful living. Music, dance, games, and sports will be introduced from the countries where my studentsʻ ancestry is from.
Aloha!
DeleteYour statement about the Golden Rule resonates with me, too. I appreciated learning more about cultural equity and how to implement it in my classroom. I love that you identified some important figures from various cultures; I hope it's okay that I plan to look up the names and accomplishments of the names you shared so I can use them in my classes as well. How did you find these names? I'd like to build a better "bank" of cultural resources to pull for various units throughout the year.
We have a similar goal for the implementation plan: I'd also like to post vocabulary in my classroom utilizing various languages.
Thanks for sharing your ideas and resources!
- Kalika
1. What did you learn in this section? I learned from this section that cultural responsiveness goes beyond recognizing cultural differences to teaching students how to engage with their own cultures and to appreciate the culture of their peers. I also learned that students are their own cultural ambassadors and we can learn a lot from interviewing them and fostering lessons that will help them engage with their culture.
ReplyDelete2. How has this information influenced a change in your teaching style and/or pedagogy? The biggest change this information will foster is an attitude shift from being the teacher to the facilitator.
3. What strategies do you already use? Reading through the lists of culturally responsive practices made me realize that I already implement a lot of these in my classroom: greeting students by name at the door; interviewing students/1-1 conferences; surveying or providing questionnaires; peer-peer teaching; using eye contact; arranging the classroom for discussion; using various visual aids; modeling graphic organizers; providing wait time; asking students for feedback about my teaching; providing students with success criteria; providing specific oral and written feedback; providing opportunities for revision and reevaluation.
4. What strategies will you use in your CRC Implementation Plan? Why did you choose those? The two strategies I would like to focus on in my implementation plan are: Learning, using, and displaying vocabulary from my students’ heritage languages and explaining and modeling positive self talk. I chose displaying language and words from my students’ heritage languages because I want to encourage students to continue learning their home languages, and while I am not fluent or even moderately versed in these languages, my students can help me develop a word wall that is meaningful to them and to our class. In doing so, both the students and I will benefit and learn from the cross-cultural word exchange. I chose modeling positive self talk because I noticed many of my students putting themselves down or feeling discouraged or embarrassed about their language use during the first semester. I’d like to use the second semester to help students see the benefits of multilingualism and respect their own learning process. My students are incredibly intelligent and I hope to help them see their skills and abilities.
Aloha! I agree, students are their own cultural ambassadors and we can learn a lot from interviewing them. I want to foster more lessons that will help my students engage with their culture and share it with the class.
DeleteI really like how you described the benefits of having a "word wall" with words from their culture displayed on the board. It's a win, win situation for everyone! I also like to model "positive self talk" and talk about how to deal with frustrations. If my projector is not working or I spill my tea on my desk- I take deep breaths, count to 10, laugh it off, to show my students different ways of coping with frustration instead of swearing, hitting, or breaking something which I sometimes see a few students doing in my class.
Hi Ayin, Yes positive talk is so so so important! Way to make it a priority. Especially in the world we live in today where everything seems so heavy. It is so important to keep our mental space in a light that cultivates creativity and positivity! Also, very cool idea having student share the languages they may know other than English. I wish I was fluent in other languages. I love the idea of students learning the same word in different languages. With the positive talk that goes will this project I really think your students are going to be encouraged and lifted by one another.
DeleteHi there! I love how you stated that the change of thinking from a teacher to a facilitator, as this is something that I really need to work on myself. I do a lot of talking and instructing in the classroom, and I want to work on being more of a teacher who provides learning experiences that students take hold of and make their own. Especially when it comes to bringing their own personal learning and ideas into the classroom, and this makes for a stronger learning experience that is more memorable to students. I also like how you are choosing to include more student home words in the classroom, as this helps students feel more in charge of their learning and closer to themselves.
Delete1. I learned why Wayne Au and Benji Chang spelled Filipino with a “P”as in Pilipino from the article “Your Asian How Could You Fail Math?” While I was reading the article I was surprised how they were spelling Filipino. But as I read it to myself and pronounced “pilipino” in my head, I could hear my close friend’s Filipino Mom pronounce it the same way too. I went to the Philippines with their family for almost a month. The people, food, language, and the land have a special place in my heart. I share my stories with my students and it helps create a bond. Anyways, at the very end of the article they explain: “Pilipino is a term used by some activists in the Pilipino-American community as means of challenging the way that Spanish and U.S. colonization of the islands also colonized the language by renaming them the Philippines after King Phillip, and introducing the anglicized “f” sound which did not exist in the indigenous languages there.” It makes so much sense and I would like to start spelling it, “Pilipino”. I’m not sure if I should pronounce it with a “p”. I will have to ponder that and welcome any feedback.
ReplyDeleteI also learned that some Asian-American groups challenge typical racial categories in their own identities. They say, “Pilipinos don’t quite fit into the typical categories of South, East, or Southeast Asian, nor do they quite fit the category of Pacific Islander. Some argue that Pilipinos have a lineage that is more closely related to Latina/os because they were in fact colonized by Spain. So many Pilipinos strongly identify with being brown than anything else.” This was something I saw when interacting with the Pilipino people, culture, and music. I could see and hear the Spanish influence and I can see why some might identify more with being related to the Spanish than Asian.
2. This information has influenced a change in my teaching style by inviting guest speakers to enhance my lesson plans. According to a study by the Economics of Education Review, students are often encouraged to work harder when they share a background with an educator. So, diverse guest speakers may engage and motivate students who share a culture with them. I used to invite my students’ parents to come in and speak about their job or hobbies. Surprisingly, no one accepted my offers. So I didn’t bring it up anymore because I thought parents were busy with their jobs or household duties. However, I’ve have several friends interested in helping my students and in the classroom. So I will open the offer back up to them and my students’ parents as soon as covid allows.
3. A strategy I already use is by the second week of school every student has a poster to take home to research their family and share thru photos, words, and drawings about their culture. Then they share it with the class and it is displayed in our classroom. I want my students to feel included and our similarities and differences celebrated. Our reading and writing lessons for that week are focused on different cultures. They explore how families around the world are similar and different from their own. They read two different stories. One is about a boy from Brazil and the other about a girl from Pakistan living in the United States who doesn’t want to bring her little sister to a birthday party.
ReplyDelete4. A strategy I will use in my CRC implementation plan that I read from “A Classroom Where Everyone Feels Welcome” is by Janice Wyatt-Ross. She suggests to set aside a short time each day for students to ask questions, share brief short stories of their lives, and check in to transition into the second half of the day. I appreciate her reminder that, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” . I will also use her suggestion to give free study time when preparing for their projects instead of just doing the work at home. I’m choosing these strategies because I think it will raise classroom morale and help everyone to get to know each other better. I also think it will decrease behavior problems and help students transition from lunch/recess to afternoon academics better.
Hi Laura, I really like the idea of asking the students to share a brief story of their lives as a check in to transition into the second half of they day. That sounds like fun and a good way to become more involved in your students lives! Yes, giving the students time to do "free study" when preparing for projects I think will be very beneficial to all the students. And you will be there to help them get started incase they get stuck right away. This will help them once they get home having that extra help before leaving school.
DeleteHi Laura,
DeleteI also loved the idea of relationship housekeeping. The time set aside a short time for the students to share short stories about their lives will really help our students to make connections to their peers. When we come back from Spring Break, I plan to start this relationship housekeeping. I also wrote about the free study time as well. This will give your students choice as you differentiate for all the different learning styles in your classroom. It sounds you are already doing such a great job of respecting and recognizing all the different ethnicities, races, and cultures in your classroom.
I like your strategy of having students create a poster to bring home and then to use that to share photos, images or words about their culture to be displayed in this classroom. This seems like a great way to allow student to share their backgrounds and to display that for the rest of the classroom. I feel like this also probably creates a good connection between the student's home life and culture and allows them to bring that part of themselves into the classroom too.
Delete
DeleteThe concept of "offering different types of free study time" presents a promising solution to the challenge of addressing learning gaps in a diverse classroom. As a science teacher, balancing the needs of students at varying readiness levels has been a recurring dilemma. The idea of providing dedicated study time for students to practice and reinforce missing skills is a game-changer. By implementing flexible scheduling, offering targeted resources, monitoring progress, encouraging peer collaboration, and celebrating growth, we can create an inclusive learning environment where struggling students can catch up without hindering the progress of others. This approach empowers students to take control of their learning and bridges the gap effectively.
In this section I learned that it is important to have my students feel empowered by having my students share their thoughts, integrating diverse work and study practices, having them understand student learning needs and styles and lastly emulating culturally-significant instruction styles. When I read in the article Guido wrote, “(CRT) is a pedagogy that acknowledges and embraces students’ cultures, languages and experiences - and relates them to classroom learning.” This really hit home for me. Students need to connect to their culture and become informed and aware of their peers' cultures, how to embrace the differences and learn from one another.
ReplyDeleteLearning this information has influenced change in my teaching style by becoming more interested in my students ethnic heritage. It has prompted me to get to know my students more and ask them questions about their traditions at home and their family history. Some of their stories are amazing! I am excited to figure out ways to include share outs so that the whole class can learn about one anotherʻs ethnic heritage and family traditions that they may still practice.
I am primarily an Inclusion English teacher. Strategies I have already use in the past is having students write about family culture traditions in the past. Students always get excited to write about this and I give them the opportunity to share their culture and family traditions with the class.
The strategy I plan to use in my CRC implantation plan is the A-B-C Book strategy shared by Kumu Ui. I will have students choose a word for A-Z that is connected to their chosen culture/ethnic background and create a slideshow (instead of a book). It will include a paragraph with the word on how it is connected to the culture. Words may be ethnic words or English words. The other strategy I would like to use is the Word of the Day. I will have my students choose an ethnic word of the day of their choosing. I will write the word on the board, have students say the word until they pronounce it correctly. Share the meaning and connect it to real-life situations or the lesson for the day. Integrate it into your class routine by having students write a reflection about the word and what they learned.
Hi Mara! I completely relate to you in the sense that students need to know where they come from, and also realize the importance about learning where their peers come from as well. There are so many strategies to do that will help us achieve these things in the classroom, and I am so glad to read that you already have done ones like having students write about families culture traditions from the past. I know that doing these things and getting to know students more will help them to learn and share their own heritage, and bring their learning in the classroom.
DeleteHi Mara,
DeleteI love that you plan to learn about your students' cultural backgrounds. Children are natural storytellers and I am sure you will learn valuable information about your students. The A-B-C book strategy was also such a great idea! When I read your post I just came up with an idea! In my classroom, we always focus on a particular goal each quarter, such as cooperation, kindness, and positivity. The class could decide on a word for 4th quarter and the students could tell me the word in different languages. Like you, I could have the students practicing saying the word correctly. We could also share real life situations outside of the classroom that demonstrate evidence of our chosen word.
Hey Mara, I agree that students need to be able to embrace each others differences. I think that is so important. We are currently in a cancel culture and I think sometimes it is unfortunate because not everyone is the same and we have to be able to put ourselves in others shoes. We can agree to disagree. As humans we do not always agree with each other and that can be okay if we deal with it properly. We can learn from each other.
DeleteI also like your thoughts on implementing the A-B-C Book strategy but using a slides presentation. I think it would be fun for students to do that and its easily accessible. I actually did something like this with a cookbook and had the students create a recipe and eventually the class put it all into one cookbook (slides presentation). We even had a contents page where the recipe was linked to the slide of the recipe haha. Good luck on this fun assignment!
What did you learn in this section?
ReplyDeleteThis section taught me all about the different ways you can create a culturally responsive classroom, including strategies to do so, why effective teaching is related to cultural responsiveness, and how implementing culture directly relates to student outcome and learning. Specifically I learned strategies/ideas like explaining and modeling positive self talk, calling on each student, and of course overcoming stereotypes (within myself, but also within students). These strategies really stood out to me because of their relation and resonance with my current students and the situations regarding the impact from distance learning. A lot of my students are feeling the difficulties from distance learning, including dealing with their own persistence in school, socializing with peers, and gaining confidence in feeling like they belong. This section made me realize that if I incorporate something like calling on each student, each student will feel open to share no matter if it’s right or wrong, no matter their levels of understanding, or where they come from.
How has this information influenced a change in your teaching style and/or pedagogy?
The information in this article made a change in my thinking and in my teaching style, especially when it comes to positive self-talk and bringing more families into my students' lives. In the beginning of the year, I feel like I was much more on it with communicating to families and updating them on their child. However, as the year went on my communication and outreach really dipped down, which isn’t helpful for my students. The article suggested bringing in parents and families, as families are the core of the students' life at this age. If I know families, I know where my students are coming from and who they are. Likewise, getting to know families can mean bringing in guest speakers incorporating more culture and home life.
What strategies do you already use?
I already use strategies like using relevant word problems, interviewing students/getting to know them very well, having as many diverse and supportive group work activities as possible, and of course working with students to talk about and overcome stereotypes. I feel like it is so important to try and make learning fun for my students, and I have a lot of leeway with this when it comes to the core subjects like math. I try to incorporate as much of my students' lives as possible, like using work problems about surfing, their favorite foods, and more. I also love having deeper conversations about our social backgrounds, which we usually do after school.
What strategies will you use in your CRC Implementation Plan? Why did you choose those?
The strategies that I will plan to use in my CRC Implementation Plan is trying out a Get to know me as included by Kumu Uʻi, or deepening my current peer teaching with more discussions and higher level thought questions they can discuss and work through together. I do a morning meeting every morning to foster more connection and improve student behavior, so I feel like doing a get to know me activity there would really help my students in understanding one another, especially in regards to where they come from. I also am thinking about bettering my peer teaching, as a lot of my group work relies on completing tasks like a deadline. I want my students to gain true learning and high thinking skills in these activities, which they don’t really get out of by reading a passage and rushing to complete two worksheets and a response question.
Hi Tori! I can relate to your comment about the difficulties of being consistent with parent communication. I too struggle with communicating with parents on a regular basis. I do my best to send regular updates to all the families on important events and reminders, but I could do a better job on messaging parents individually to discuss their child's progress (academically and behaviorally). I definitely think this will help to develop rapport with families, so if an issue arises with their child, I will feel more comfortable reaching out to them for support. I also like that you have morning meetings with your class. That is something I want to do better in. I struggle with finding the time but see the value in it!
DeleteHi Tori!! I love how you’ve recognized the importance of strategies like positive self-talk and calling on each student, especially in the context of overcoming stereotypes. I absolutely understand where you are coming from about the challenges students face post-distance learning and your dedication to supporting their confidence and sense of belonging are truly commendable.
DeleteI agree with you about the importance of bringing families into your students' educational experiences. Consistent communication with families is very vital and I can tell that you understand your students' backgrounds and create a more inclusive classroom environment through this practice!
In addition, I love your strategy of word problems and group activities to discuss stereotypes, are fantastic. I think that they’ll help students with opportunities to engage meaningfully with the content and each other, which is crucial for creating a safe learning environment for our students that is culturally responsive!
I do a Get to Know Me" activity as well! I believe that these approaches will not only build stronger connections among students, but also encourage critical thinking and meaningful learning. Sometimes in teaching we want our students to complete various tasks within their learning. However, I admire that you are ensuring students truly engage in their learning!
1. What did you learn in this section?
ReplyDeleteThrough this section, I was able to learn about the benefits of having a culturally responsive classroom (CRC) and strategies on how to make my classroom a CRC. I was pleasantly surprised to see that some of the strategies are things I am already doing, and I am excited to try to implement ones I haven’t tried before. One thing that really stuck out to me was a link to an article called “Learning Lakota”, which came from the article “Culture in the Classroom.” It talked about a school on an Indian reservation with mostly Native students and white teachers. What resonated with me was a quote from one of the students, who said, "A bunch of teachers here, they think they know what's wrong with us. But they don't know. If people want to help us, they have to see what we've been through, not from what their own experiences tell them." This was a great reminder of how vital it is that we as teachers build a relationship with our students and get to know them, so that we can use their experiences to influence our teaching and help them make connections with what they are learning. Many of my own students don’t have the same ethnic background as me, so getting to know what cultures they come from and using the strategies from this course will help me to adjust my teaching and make it more relevant for my students.
2. How has this information influenced a change in your teaching style and/or pedagogy?
This section has inspired me to get to know my students on a deeper level, and I would like to spend more time with them one on one getting to know them and asking them about their culture. One thing I already started doing as a result of this course is to greet my students by name in the morning when I open my classroom door and let them inside. It has helped get our day off to a good start, and I can see them smiling (underneath their masks) as I say good morning to each of them. Another thing I did was spend some time talking with my after school tutoring students for a bit and get to know them a little better. They were excited to share about themselves. My goal is to find time during the school day to chat with the rest of my students and get to know them better.
3. What strategies do you already use?
Some of the strategies I already use are learning my students’ names and how to pronounce them at the beginning of the year as well as getting to know them by having them fill out an “All About Me” with their interests. I also do my best to call on each student, so everyone gets a chance to participate during instruction and in our class discussions. Additionally, I try to connect with students’ parents/families on a regular basis through messaging them about important events and projects, reminders, and asking for their help to support their child with a school project and/or working with their child on areas they need more support in. I also have my students do a culture project in which they research one of their ethnic backgrounds by interviewing their parents, reading books/conducting online research, and choose one thing they want to present to the rest of the class.
4. What strategies will you use in your CRC Implementation Plan? Why did you choose those?
I would like to try incorporating one-on-one conversations with my students to get to know them better, talk about their interests, home life, and how they’re feeling about school. There’s so much we have to cover academically that I always seem to be pressed for time, but I see the value in getting to know each student personally and strengthening the rapport I have with each of them. I would also like to try learning stations to use a unique method of teaching a skill or concept related to a lesson. Students could do the stations individually or in groups. This year, we haven’t done much group work due to Covid, but I as well as my students miss the collaboration that comes with group work, so I hope to incorporate it again soon.
Hi there!
DeleteIt was wonderful to read about how you have already implemented changes in your teaching practices. I also have started greeting students and including their name in that greeting as much as possible. I think that is a simple but effective change to make, and I have also noticed it has made a difference. I also hope to find more time during the school day to chat with students and get to know them better. It can often be challenging with such tight schedules, especially at the secondary level. But it is so importance. I enjoyed reading your responses, thank you for sharing!
I agree that there always seems like there's so much to do every day just trying to meet the standards and getting through lessons. I like your intent to have more one on one interaction with your students. I am sure that they will enjoy the increased attention from their teacher!
DeleteIn this section, I learned that CRC is about fusing the students’ ethnicity, race, and culture with the students’ learning. It starts with connecting with the students, learning about their lives outside of school, and even learning how to say their name properly. In listening and learning about our students, we can create a classroom that reflects our students’ cultures. This is important because the students are motivated to learn when the information relates to them personally.
ReplyDeleteOne of things that changed was how my classroom environment can be used as a way to reflect my students’ race and cultural backgrounds. My bulletin boards are filled with anchor charts, math strategies, reading skills and strategies, and writing tips. I can show more diversity in the bulletin boards that I put on the walls. I think my focus is too much on the standard, learning targets, and success criteria. My students would benefit from me integrating my lessons with their cultural influences. I think I must be more intentional in my planning by using their background and culture to make school relevant to their life experiences.
Currently, I have a lot of cooperative learning activities. I found that all of my students benefited from working together because it provided them the social support they needed to feel more comfortable and confident in class. During these cooperative learning times, there are opportunities for peer teaching. I have found that these experiences teach the students how to listen and speak to others in a kind and respectful manner. I try my best to learn about my students and share information about myself as well. Building relationships with their parents is important to me as well. Like all other teachers, I have high expectations for all students. My belief is that all students can and will learn in my class. As much as possible, I try to diversify my classroom library and have it reflect my students’ cultures and ethnicities. Since I teach first grade, I'm always reading aloud to my students. Whenever I do, I’m always intentional with the books that I pick and the discussions that we have during and after reading.
When I read the Culturally Responsive Teaching: Examples, Strategies, and Activities for Success, I was interested in delivering different forms of content through different learning stations. The article mentioned playing a game, creating artwork, watching a video, reading an article, or listening to me teach. I really like how this provides students with options that reflect their individual learning styles. Not all students learn in the same way and I think choice is always a motivating factor to students. This also has a cultural component because some cultures encourage group work, while others promote individual work. I also have not had problem based learning scenarios or word problems that had a cultural link. Word problems are always a challenge in first grade. Maybe it would motivate the students more if they saw themselves in the question. Lastly, involving parents with a take home letters is also interesting because it shows that everyone is a teacher.The parents are knowledgeable and the kids will be so proud if their parents share their experiences or information with our class. I think that sometimes students are embarrassed when their parents don’t speak English. This would open the doors to communication and show that their parents have so much to offer!
Hi there! I think it is great that you are interested in delivering different forms of content through learning stations! That seems like a wonderful idea to incorporate different learning styles and provide unique opportunities to students. I also liked you considered having students work individually and in groups depending on the station. I also think that is is great that you have/are already making changes to your classroom learning environment. Including a more diverse and inclusive bulletin board seems like an amazing first step. Great job! Thanks for sharing!
DeleteHey Tiffany! What stood out to me was how you wrote that it is important for students to build relationships with their parents. I think that is awesome and I too feel the same way. All students have different family dynamics and it is hard to judge their relationships but if we can teach and show, somehow, that having a good relationship is valuable then it also helps students feel more supported, loved, and eager for their future. Thank you for sharing that.
DeleteWhat did you learn in this section?
ReplyDeleteSome of the data and statistics from the article, “Culturally Responsive Teaching: A Guide to Evidence-Based Practices for Teaching All Students Equitably”, by Basha Krasnoff was very enlightening and provided a great foundational level of information to proceed forward with. I also feel as though this same article listed many strategies that I felt provided a good baseline for reflection and inspiration. I was able to read through these many many strategies, and reflect upon how I am using them or how I could use them. Another point from this article talked about communicative styles, and how speakers (teachers) expect listeners to engage with them as they speak by providing props, feedback, and commentary; thus, making the roles of speaker and listener as fluid or interchangeable. Similar to the idea of ‘talk story’. I found this section discussing communicative styles to be very informative.
How has this information influenced a change in your teaching style and/or pedagogy?
In the article, “Culturally Responsive Teaching: A Guide to Evidence-Based Practices for Teaching All Students Equitably”, by Basha Krasnoff twentyseven teacher behaviors that communicate were listed off and explained. Of these, one mentioned “using eye contact with high- and low- achieving students” and another “using proximity with high- and low- achieving students equitably”. Both of these were mentioned as being mostly done unconsciously by the teacher, which provided me with a moment to reflect upon my own teaching practices. I feel as though I have never given thought to this, but I have now been made more aware of how these unconscious behaviors can set up my own expectations for students. Another component mentioned within this article as well as some of the other sources of information was using/displaying some words in the students’ heritage language. I have some words displayed, but hope to incorporate more heritage languages into my classroom environment and instruction. Another strategy stated using heterogeneous groups for learning. I typically shuffle groups up, but often find that homogeneous groups work better in my experience. I would like to look into more strategies on effectively implementing heterogeneous groups. There was a statement that rang true, “There are many teachers and teacher educators who think that their subjects (particularly math and science) are incompatible with culturally responsive teaching practice…”. I have found many teachers within mathematics that feel similarly. I feel that many classes/courses and resources are not available or tailored for certain subjects such as math, and that it can make it much more challenging to apply these strategies. Also, many test subjects such as math are given a rigid curriculum to follow that does not allow for flexibility. This is one of the greatest challenges I have faced as a math teacher, and addressing it has continually resulted in adjustments to my teaching pedagogy.
What strategies do you already use?
DeleteThe article, “A Classroom Where Everyone Feels Welcome”, by Janice Wyatt Ross mentioned five strategies including: 1. Learn your students’ names and learn to pronounce them, 2. Set aside time for relationship housekeeping, 3. Have one-on-one conversations, discussions, and informal meetings with students, 4. Connect with parents, 5. See yourself as the students see you, and 6. Know your content. I feel as though I do implement these strategies already. I try to learn my students' names and how to correctly pronounce them within the first two weeks of school. Sometimes it may include some notetaking or studying, but I usually make a point to accomplish this. I do make time for relationships, and often find other times outside of class such as recess or lunch to work on this. I do think I may benefit from setting aside more class time to accomplish this and have considered taking some time at the end of class. I do have one-on-one discussions with students. I do try my best to connect with parents within the time allotted. I reach out at the beginning of the year and if students do well or do not do so well. I also send out emails for notifications in class such as upcoming test dates. I do wish to find more ways to maintain an open dialogue with parents, or wish there were more opportunities as a school to involve parents. I feel as though I can gauge how students see me. I definitely know my content very well, especially since this is my 7th year teaching the same grades. From the article, “Culturally Responsive Teaching: A Guide to Evidence-Based Practices for Teaching All Students Equitably”, by Basha Krasnoff, I found that I was using multiple of the strategies listed. I feel as though I arranged the classroom to accommodate discussion, which was one strategy listed. I encourage students to discuss and collaborate. Another strategy was ensuring bulletin boards, displays, materials etc. represent a range of backgrounds. I feel as though my classroom and materials reflect many cultural backgrounds.
What strategies will you use in your CRC Implementation Plan? Why did you choose those?
One strategy that I appreciated was ‘cultural scaffolding’. I had never heard this phrasing before. It is the idea to help students use their own cultures and experiences to expand their intellectual horizons and academic achievement. This strategy came from the article, “Culturally Responsive Teaching: A Guide to Evidence-Based Practices for Teaching All Students Equitably”, by Basha Krasnoff. I hope to investigate it further and consider it for use in my CRC Implementation Plan. I also thought the reasoning, or ‘buy-in’, strategy to get students interested in their education was good. This strategy stated that teachers “help students to understand that knowledge has moral and political elements and consequences, which obligate them to take social action to promote freedom, equality, and justice for everyone”. I feel that often it can be challenging to get students to buy into mathematics, as often they view it with a ‘when are we going to use this’ mindset. I think this strategy might help me to get more students to buy into my content, and will consider using this strategy in my CRC Implementation Plan.
I feel you on the connecting with the parents "within the time allotted." I know this is so important to establishing a connection and building that community. I am just always out of time. I really want to be able to reach out to the parents when a student does something good instead of only when there is a problem. I think I could start with a baby step of at least one a week, then hopefully get in the habit of more.
DeleteI've been slacking on my bulletin boards. I used to take a lot of pride in them, but this year, they don't really serve a purpose other than informing. This could actually be a fun thing to start with next year. I can make at least one be about different cultures or local heroes.
What did you learn in this section?
ReplyDeleteThere were several things I learned in this section. I learned more about culturally responsive classrooms (CRC) and its benefits. I also got a better insight on culturally responsive teaching. There were many examples, strategies, and activities related to the success of culturally responsive teaching that I could use in my classroom.
To have a culturally responsive classroom our culturally responsive teaching needs to be worked on. In the reading, Effective Teaching is Culturally Responsive it states, “Research indicates that culturally relevant examples have positive effects on the academic achievement of racially, ethnically, culturally, and linguistically diverse students.” And I too believe it has positive effects because I have seen the benefits for some individuals and for the environment as a whole. As individuals I feel as if students feel more comfortable and accepted so they can focus on learning content and that also makes the environment better because more students are engaged. As teachers, I realized that there are so many steps and strategies we need to do to try and create a CRC but it is hard to do everything. I think that we need to take it slow and realize what we already do versus what we can slowly start doing. Once we get things down we can add more things to help our culturally diverse students and class.
I learned that I do things I did not realize is culturally important and inclusive. And that we should always strive to be effective teachers and use tips such as setting time for relationship housekeeping. I liked how the article from edutopia.com says that when we do this it works because as humans we are relational. Humans desire a connection with those they trust so how are we as teachers going to build trust? By learning more about each other I think that can help build that, especially with one-on-one conversations.
Some strategies that I learned and wanted to try to implement are to present new concepts by using student vocabulary, bringing in culturally diverse guest speakers, use learning stations, and try to call on each student. I also want to try and incorporate more peer teaching in my classes. Maybe the students that are in the higher level PEP classes to the new PEP students.
Lastly, I learned that we should collaborate with our colleagues, administrators, parents, and education professionals to ensure student success. I want to do more of this because two heads are better than one. The more we can collaborate on different problems and solutions the better our classrooms can be.
Hi! I agree with you about how student can reach higher levels of achievement if they feel more accepted. I agree that it's hard to change your teaching strategies completely but it can be worked on everyday and slowly incorporated everyday. I also realized that I do culturally responsive pedagogies without realizing and that humans desire a connection. I think that your strategies you want to try to implement are good strategies to start with. I also want to use more student vocabulary because I feel that I am not always consistent with it. In fourth grade, the students learn Hawaiian studies and I think they could really benefit from guest speakers. Learning stations is another strategy that I want to eventually try as well because this offers different methods of learning. Thank you for sharing your insights!
DeleteHow has this information influenced a change in your teaching style and/or pedagogy?
ReplyDeleteThis information can only change my teaching style for the better. It is about learning and doing and as long as I keep that mentality I think my teaching style for a culturally responsive classroom can only get better.
What strategies do you already use?
Strategies I already use are trying to build a harmonious classroom environment by respecting each individual for who they are. We can agree to disagree on our own opinions. I get to know each student individually and try to ask them questions and talk to them. In the beginning of the school year/semester I have them make me a video answering questions of who they are and some of their personal interests. I also incorporate ice breakers in the classroom. Many times I find that students do not want to talk to adults or are scared to so the better they get to know me the more they can trust me so I also tell the students about me so that they can get to know me and feel more comfortable with me.
What strategies will you use in your CRC Implementation Plan? Why did you choose those?
Strategies I would like to implement for my CRC Implementation Plan are One-on-One conversations with my students to get to know their ethnic backgrounds so they know I am interested in who they are. Building relationships is important so I think I can set some time aside and try to do this intentionally. Another strategy I would like to implement is to Experiment with Peer Teaching. I want to try to get my students to help each other and others learn. Possibly team up with our special needs students to build communication or Think, Pair, Share with each other in class on various assignments. I chose these strategies because I think it would benefit my class and I right now. I think it would be something I could accomplish and I think it would be something the students would enjoy doing.
I've been thinking about the communication part a lot while reading this info. The start of the year was so difficult with the students' communication after covid. None of my icebreakers worked! It took about three weeks before they started speaking, and for some, even looking at each other. It's tricky because I want to give them the freedom to pass if they don't feel comfortable, but then, if I give them the option, they won't talk at all. I need to speak to them much more about myself.
DeleteI think that it is great that you already implement the strategies centered around building a harmonious classroom environment in which students respect each other and our our individual differences. I agree that by getting to know each student individually, we as teachers can better support them in the classroom.
DeleteWhat did you learn in this section?
ReplyDelete-In this section I learned about the benefits of having a culturally responsive classroom. I learned what two facts are very important with setting the foundation to a Culturally responsive classroom. First thing is for both students and teachers to know each other beyond the classroom, meaning it's crucial for us to take time to grow our relationships and understanding of each-others backgrounds. The next thing is that teacher must understand that students in their class are complex and that there is more to them than what you may see at school.
How has this information influenced a change in your teaching style and/or pedagogy?
-I don't know if this information will change my teaching pedagogy, but I do know it will affect my teaching style. I will focus on being more purposeful and intentional. I thought I was creating a welcoming environment where all my students are being represented, but I will spend more time making sure to do that in all subject areas.
What strategies do you already use?
-I found that I already use a lot of these strategies I just didn't know it applied to Culturally Responsive Teaching. Some strategies I already do is getting to know students by name, integrate relevant word problem (by including their name/ school), calling on each student rather than waiting for them to raise their hand, and delivering content in different forms.
What strategies will you use in your CRC Implementation Plan? Why did you choose those?
-Some new strategies that I want to incorporate into my CRC implementation plan is conducting family interviews. I think this will help me to build even a stronger understanding and respect for my student's culture and background. I am also going to work on introducing new concepts/ context using student interest or vocabulary. I think this will help to keep my students more engaged and connected even if it is a new or foreign concept to them.
Hi Kelcey, I also didn't realize that a lot of the strategies I use in my classroom apply to Culturally Responsive Teaching. I think that it was helpful to see how it applies because it makes me more aware of framing the strategies in a culturally responsive way. I also appreciate that you are going to incorporate conducting family interviews. Having a strong sense of family culture and being able to understand that is so important. I realized in another assignment I had my students do (interviewing family members about their k-12 school experience) that my students don't really know these things about their families. My students really enjoyed hearing stories from their parents and grandparents about their experiences. A lot of cultural stories were shared in these conversations without them even realizing
DeleteAloha Kelcey, thank you for sharing what new strategies that you plan to use. I never thought about conducting a family interview, but will definitely think about using this in the future. I think that sometimes I am so focused on a student, that I sometimes forget to even look into their families.
Delete3rd Question. HI Kelcey, Yes, I think about that too as i complete these classes. I feel like I do use these skills in the classroom and I'm culturally responsible but sometime do not even know it. I really need to be aware and look into different ways to use these strategies in class.
DeleteI’ve learned that Culturally Responsive Teaching strategies are not new. They are just strategies that every good teacher uses, which makes sense because each student has their sub and micro-cultures as well as their ethnic ones. I learned that there is a deeper purpose than just entertaining some of the strategies, like the gamify one! I thought the Kumu’s activities were very creative, but I do worry about the one in which the students find their Geneology. I stopped doing this after I realized that not all can, and it made them feel terrible. I wonder if there is an alternative so that we can keep doing this in the classroom. It is a great way to connect them to their roots. I also appreciated the article discussing stereotypes. Not only do I want to make sure I am looking at them as individuals. I also know that some students do not feel they fit in their culture. This is why the teaching of subcultures is something I would like to focus on more.
ReplyDeleteIf I am going to expect students to open up, I need to be willing to go outside my comfort zone as well. I can’t demand of them something I can’t do myself. I need to be willing to embrace new strategies, even ones I don’t particularly like if they benefit the students. Specifically, I am going to allow a little more latitude with classroom expectations when the students are working in groups. This will open up new strategies for me that involve student choice with more options for their assignments and more creating with the learning, instead of just jointly reflecting.
I do a number of these strategies already, but I would like to do them with more purpose thinking about not just how they will learn, but also how they will feel in terms of cultural belonging. I do try to learn and pronounce my students’ names correctly before I see them. Inevitably, there will be changes to the schedules, and that always throws me, but I do my best. I try to speak to them one-on-one like people to understand where they are when they start to mentally wander. I have noticed that calling them back to the desk makes them feel like they are in trouble even when they aren’t! One example of using media and audiobooks that were successful this year is having a native South African record a story when I couldn’t find an audio version that wasn’t by a white American. I use groups often, but I can do a better job of being deliberate in my planning so that I am addressing cultural needs as well as learning needs.
The students always tell me they want more games. This is also one of the CRT techniques I read about. It’s tough for me because it isn’t my style of teaching, and I have such big classes. However, in the interest of trying out new strategies to make my classroom more Culturally Responsive, I will add a degree of competition. I have had a lot of success with the think-pair-share partners to groups, and they know what their expectations are. I believe I am going to try a group creative project, I will use a strategy they are familiar with so they can be comfortable getting creative. I also want to incorporate subcultural vocabulary because this isn’t something I have thought of doing before, and I think it might help them understand how a subculture is a culture too.
Aloha and thank you for sharing. I too learned that these aren't "new" strategies, just best teacher practices. This really helps as it is not one more thing that we need to do, but rather refine what we are already doing to make it better.
DeleteI am glad that you shared about your experience with the genealogies. It sounds like a very interesting project, but I was wondering if some students would not be able to do it for whatever reason. Like you, I am wondering if there is a similar activity that everyone would be able to do without any awkward moments.
ReplyDeleteCheryl Borsh reflection Section III: Benefits of CRC
ReplyDeleteIn the article Classroom where Everyone Feels Welcome I learned about six very important strategies to build strong relationships with my students. One of which really resonated with me because I am not fluent in Hawaiian language but many of my student's past, present, and future have very special Hawaiian names. For example, last year during our promotion ceremony I needed to be explicit about the pronunciation of my students' names. I communicated with my students about my drive and determination to learn their names properly. Over the year I worked directly with my students asking them to coach me on the correct pronunciation so that I could impress them at graduation. Their responses were beautiful when they said “I know you can do it Mrs. Borsh, if you work really hard at it!” On promotion day I did not disappoint and my students were very proud of their teacher.
The way the information has influenced change in my teaching style is by bringing down my own barriers to learning something new. When my students see that their teacher is taking risks and chances in order to become better at something, they in turn replicate the grit.
One strategy that I already use in my classroom is by setting aside time for relationship housekeeping. I have practiced this with my students during morning meetings, but I think I will try a different approach or supplement approach next year. Maybe having an end-of-day check-in, or set aside a short time period for students to ask questions, and share brief short stories of their lives.
A strategy I like to use in CRC implementation plan is activating students' prior knowledge. This gives me a lens to see how my students' lives have and are being lived. It allows me a snapshot of their current experiences and what they are living day to day in and out of the classroom.
Cheryl, I really appreciate that you worked hard to pronounce each student's name correctly. I do not have a Hawaiian name, but my first name and last name are not typical names. 95% of the time people pronounce it incorrectly even after hearing it correctly said. It used to bother me that people had a hard time with my name and I wanted to change it or get a nickname. Now, I kind of just accept that it is going to happen and get really happy and excited when someone does pronounce my name correctly. But I really appreciate what you are doing. You are trying to change the narrative. You are making names and how they are said important from the start. I think what you are doing needs to start being the majority rather than the minority response. Thank you.
DeleteThank you for sharing your positive experience. As mentioned in the first reading getting to know your student's name and how to pronounce them is very important as it helps develop that personal relationship with them. We also call out each student's name during our middle school promotion assembly and as shown through your experience pronouncing their names correctly is important to them and their families. I'm glad I don't have that responsibility at our assembly but out counselors do make sure to make it a point to get their names correct. Sometimes they also have a middle or other preferred name so it is important to honor students voice and use the names they prefer.
DeleteHi Cheryl,
DeleteI agree that the correct pronunciation of our students names is so crucial to their success in our classrooms. If we want to show our students they are valued and seen as multidimensional beings, we want them to know that we value the importance and weight that their name holds. I also share this with my students and explain that I will not be offended if they continue to correct me as I pronounce their names on the first day, and that it is important to me to show them the importance of people pronouncing their names correctly. This is such an easy, yet meaningful, way to show our students we care about them and their culture. It also sets the tone for our students to pronounce their peers names correctly and focus on pronunciation of people's names that they come into contact with outside of the classroom.
In this section, I learned that I actually hold a lot of the teaching philosophy and practices of a culturally responsive classroom, I just did not attribute it to that. I take the time to learn my students names as quickly and correctly as I can, realizing that it is a huge part of their identity. To me, getting their names, and preferred names correctly is really important in building trust and building a safe environment for my students. In the last section I talked about also being conscious of learning and using their preferred pronouns. This along with checking in and taking the time to learn who my students are and what they need has helped me to prepare an environment that can be culturally responsive.
ReplyDeleteI appreciated hearing what Diane Holtam was saying about positive stereotypes. I think it is important for me as a teacher to not only deconstruct the negative stereotypes, but the positive ones as well. Not all asians are smart or good at math. Not all black people are athletic. Not all girls are more patient and good at caretaking. I think allowing my students to identify their own strengths and build upon them as well as point out their own weaknesses and develop strategies to still be successful gives them a space to be who they are. They aren’t labeled based on their race, ethnicity, gender, or anything else postiviely or negatively. This will definitley change my teaching style because I will be more aware of the language I am using and how I am framing what I am saying. I need to remember that even positive stereotypes can have a negative effect on a student.
One change that I am going to try and implement in my classroom is doing a quick I wish my teacher knew question at the end of the week. I am only gaining more evidence for the importance of getting to know my students and giving them opportunities to share who they are and what is going on in their lives. The point of this one-question survey at the end of each week would be to provide an opportunity for students to share what is going on in school or at home. It would give me a chance to see what is important to them in that week and even see what might be affecting their learning. Some students might even comment on a certain lesson saying it was difficult and they need more help. If I notice any patterns in what students are saying, that will inform the lessons that I have next week to make it adaptive to what they need.
The strategies I will use are media to positively depict a range of cultures and problem-based learning scenarios. I chose the media one because I feel like books and videos depicting a range of cultures can allow further conversation and dialogue about these cultures. My students tend to connect with the media that they are exposed to. So if I can start with media to encourage students to take a social justice approach, I think they will engage more. I also chose problem-based learning scenarios. The reason why I did this is that our program is already geared toward this, so my students will be comfortable with problem-based lessons.
Hi! I agree with you that after reading through the articles, I realized that I may already practice some culturally responsive pedagogies or have at least tried it in the past since some of them are not consistent. I agree that getting to know their names is really important and calling them what they want to be called is equally important. I also had similar viewpoints with you about having stereotypes. I like how you mentioned that we have to let students identify their own strengths and weaknesses. I have tried the I wish my teacher knew and it was really beneficial! I think you'll have good results from it. I wish I did it in my classroom more frequently though. That will be a goal of mine for the rest of the school year! Thank you for sharing your insights!
DeleteWhat really resonated with me is when you said that you want to allow your students to identify what their strengths and weaknesses are for themselves rather than basing it off of cultural stereotypes. I also have found that sometimes I will compare students to their siblings that I have had previously. Oftentimes I find that students are extremely different from their siblings. It is unfair for me to do this because each student is so different no matter what background they come from. However, I don't even realize I am doing this because it seems so natural to associate siblings with one another. Your statement was a reminder for me to make sure that I allow each student to show me and tell me where their strengths and areas of growth are.
DeleteIn this section, I got a better understanding of what culturally responsive teaching is and it is a pedagogy that acknowledges students’ cultures, languages, and experiences. I also learned through the different articles and videos, I learned that sometimes teachers have prenotions and pre-embedded stereotypes in their head that affect their ability to become culturally responsive teachers. For example, growing up in Hawaii, we have a lot of stereotypes about different cultures that we carry with us till we're adults if we are not properly taught about them and given different perspectives on them. I feel that as teachers though, we need to learn to let those stereotypes go once we enter the classroom and have an open mind about our students. We need to develop our own opinions and knowledge about them.
ReplyDeleteThis information has influenced a change in my teaching pedagogies because as a new teacher and being raised in Hawaii, it is hard to not have myths about some cultures. I need to remember that not only when I step into my classroom should these myths go away but even when I am outside of the classroom. I feel that in my everyday life, I should start to eliminate the stereotypes that I grew up hearing because it is not fair to my students and to those people and their cultures as well. I think that if I were to practice letting go of stereotypes outside of the classroom as well, then I will have a more open mind of learning about my students and their backgrounds. I also learned of new cultural strategies that I didn’t know before. I also learned about strategies that I currently do that I didn't even know were culturally responsive.
One that I currently use is trying to integrate relevant word problems. When teaching math, I try to come up with my own summative assessments and when writing word problems, I try to include words or information that is relevant to the students. I also try to greet students at the door every day both before school and after school. I think it helps to build my relationship with them. Lastly, I also try to cultivate learning groups for small group discussion and call on each person during the whole group discussion so that everyone gets a chance to express themselves and their thoughts.
Some strategies that I may use in my CRC implementation plan is setting time aside in the classroom for housekeeping. I liked this idea because before, I used to have students share and do a check in with each other after every weekend and usually at the end of the week. Unfortunately I forgot about doing it this year and have not done it yet. I think this is something students would enjoy doing because they would have time to openly and freely talk about themselves and anything they want, which they usually do not get class time to do. Another strategy I want to try is doing an ethnic word of the day because in my classroom we have so many different ethnicities and I think students would enjoy learning another language and also seeing that their language that they speak at home is being learned in class. The next strategy I may try is letting students choose activities and assessments that showcase their values, strengths, and experiences. Often, I have students write to show their reading comprehension, but maybe I will give a prompt and they can answer it in any form they want. This would allow them to show their learning the most they are comfortable with. Lastly, my students do a project on a Hawaiian culture research project based on a topic of their choosing. Following this project, I would like to do a cultural research project so that students can then research their own culture and share it with the class as well as compare it to the Hawaiian culture that they learned.
Same person that posted this... I also might want to try including more diverse literature in my classroom. Books that students can see themselves in but also learn about others' cultures.
DeleteI appreciate your honesty and insight into looking at our own bias and stereotypes of certain cultures and groups of people. We often might feel that we do not have any bias towards anyone however it is important to do a self examination and see if we are treating certain individuals or groups of people differently. As mentioned in the article our positive view of a culture such as Asian American students might make us not pay enough attention to them or give them less support than other cultures because we might feel that they are hard working and will get the material on their own.
DeleteA classroom where everyone feels welcome - In this article it mentions several ways we can make our classroom feel welcome to everyone. The main point of the article is that it is all about our relationship with the students which will make them feel welcome or not and I totally agree. The things mentioned in the article are good reminders on how to develop those relationships with the students. Nothing that was brought out was new to me but it is a good reminder on how we need to keep working on relationship building with the students throughout the year. One thing I try to do is have short conferences with students in my classes which go a long way to get to know the students as individuals and also gives me the opportunity to share about myself with the students.
ReplyDeleteCulturally Responsive Teaching: Examples, Strategies & Activities for Success - This website covers 15 strategies that help build a culturally responsive classroom. Many of the strategies are not new to me but serve as good reminders to keep implementing these strategies to build a culturally responsive classroom. One strategy that I’m trying to implement more this school year is to encourage students to propose their own project ideas. Although I do give parameters of what the project can be I’m trying to give them more freedom and personal choice on what type of project they want to create. As mentioned I do have students struggle and select the default projects that I have listed however just giving them that opportunity helps build that culturally responsive classroom.
Kumu U'i's Culturally Responsive Teaching Strategies - Provides 6 strategies that help build a culturallyu responsive classroom. I do like the 6th strategy mentioned about creating a game based off student’s background which can include cultural elements. I play blooket or quizziz sometimes with my students on random topics so making a game based on them would be interesting and beneficial as it will help get students to know each other and build a sense of community in the classroom.
https://educationnorthwest.org/sites/default/files/resources/culturally-responsive-teaching.pdf - This article first mentions in order for teachers to be successful they need to be well equipped to be able to create a culturally responsive classroom and be shown what strategies they should be using to be successful. I agree that we cannot just let teachers learn by trial and error but it seems like often that is what happens and some new teachers may get burnt out and go away from the profession because they were not trained properly or given enough support. The article mentions that teachers need to start by looking at themselves to see what biases they might have towards certain cultures or groups of people. I think this is a difficult thing to do as we often feel like we don’t have any bias towards anyone but it requires a real in depth self reflection to be able to recognize our own shortcomings. The article goes on to provide many different types of strategies we can use to create a culturally responsive classroom and one that I’m using with some success is to get student feedback on instruction. It was hard at first for me to hear from students that my lesson wasn’t as effective as I hoped or that it was boring. However by gaining their feedback and trying to implement some of their suggestions goes a long way to build a positive classroom culture. I think when students see that you are trying to incorporate their feedback and you value their voice it helps to create a culturally responsive classroom.
Aloha! Thank you for your post, I enjoyed reading it. I particularly like the part where you speak of how relationship building is a year-round pursuit and should continuously be worked on and practiced. I always try to spend a good two weeks at the beginning of the year to build community and learn about who my students are. As the year progresses and we get into pacing setbacks and so forth I sometimes find myself not making as much time as I would like to check in with my students. It’s a good reminder that it’s usually at these times when our students need us to check in with them the most. I like your idea of setting up conferences with your students for relationship housekeeping because it makes it intentional and scheduled so that it doesn’t get moved off the priority list. Mahalo!
DeleteIn this section I learned a lot about the importance of culturally responsive teaching strategies. One of the strategies that stood out to me was taking the time to get to know student names to to make sure that I am pronouncing them correctly. With all of the different backgrounds of students that I teach, it can sometimes be challenging to get to know all of them and to pronounce their names correctly. However, it is clear to me now that this is an important way to get to know students and to validate their cultural identity. I also liked a lot of the other strategies, such as allowing students to come up with ideas for project to allow them to express their own voice.
ReplyDeleteThis information has changed the way that I approach teaching by giving me a better understanding of the importance of culturally responsive teaching strategies. I will plan to use this information and many of these strategies in my classroom in order to better support my students in the future.
There are definitely some strategies that I already use. I already take time during the beginning of the year to get to know students personally and to allow them to tell me about their background. I like to spend one on one time with each student at some point early in the year just to talk story and get to know them.
For my CRC implementation plan I want to focus on the strategies of a Cultural Research Project and a Get to Know me activity. I think that the Cultural Research Project will be a great way for students to express their cultural heritage and to share that with the class. Also, I think the Get to Know Me activity will be a great way for us all to get to know each other better. These activities will work well in my advisory classes for implementation.
Aloha! I enjoyed reading your post and found many commonalities between my own takeaways from this section. I too found the strategy of student voice a really important component and is something I strive to get better at. So often we go into a unit of study with our agenda and pacing at the forefront; it can be challenging to take a step back and get student feedback and hear and learn what their wonders and curiosities are about the subject matter. Yet, I find when I take time to go off on these tangents we end up making the content so much more meaningful and students are so much more engaged. The Get to Know Me activity sounds really interesting and I’m sure your students are looking forward to sharing more about themselves and learning about their peers! Mahalo!
DeleteIn my first year of teaching, I was so overwhelmed on the first day that I forgot about the importance of learning each child's name. I studied their names before they arrived in the classroom so on the first day, I would greet them by saying "Good morning _________!" Over the years I have changed this greeting. I say "Good morning! I am Ms. Tominaga. What is your name?" I like being able to hear students pronounce their names before so I can make sure that I am saying it correctly. If I continued to do the greeting how I did previously, I am sure there would've been some students that I would mispronounce. Sometimes it can also be difficult correcting a teacher (especially if they just met you) so I think that this made a huge difference in the way I first meet my students.
DeleteIn Hawaii, where our students come from diverse backgrounds and have a strong connection to their cultures, being culturally responsive is not just a pedagogical choice; it's a way of honoring and respecting our students' identities. It's about fostering an environment where students from all walks of life can thrive academically and personally.
DeleteAs I continue to develop and implement culturally responsive strategies in my teaching, I am confident that it will not only lead to improved academic performance but also a deeper understanding and appreciation of the cultures that make Hawaii such a unique and vibrant place. Ultimately, creating culturally responsive classrooms is an integral part of my role as a teacher in Hawaii, and it has a profound and positive impact on our entire school community.
For me, this section shed a light on all the opportunities that currently exist in my classroom for me to be a more culturally responsive educator. I always welcome new strategies and look for ways that I can try them out and fit them into my classroom. This section offered that. There were a lot of things that came up that I currently do and many more that I am eager to try. I think one of the biggest takeaways from this section is that being a culturally responsive educator is not difficult and is actually quite natural. It doesn’t always have to be some greatly designed lesson plan, although at times it should, but often it can be in the casual conversations or the one on one moments we have with our students. This section reaffirmed to me that being culturally responsive starts with having a genuine interest in our students, wanting to make connections and share ourselves with one another.
ReplyDeleteThis learning has influenced my teaching style by allowing me to think more creatively about the way I deliver my content. Much of the curriculum in our school has very little relevancy to our students. Finding a way to bridge that disconnect or even replacing what is currently being taught is essential. I think this is why educators need to be on the same page so that departments can come together and agree that culture based learning is valued and work cohesively in bringing students meaningful content that addresses the standards but also the culture they are a part of. Finding more ways to have my students reflected in the texts that we read is also something I strive for.
Some of the strategies that were presented in this section that I currently use are the importance of properly pronouncing and using student’s cultural names. Often there are times when we get students in our school who have a name that may be difficult to pronounce. Sometimes these students elect to adopt a more “American” name. I try to encourage these students to help us learn how to pronounce their birth name and ask if they are okay with us using it. If not, I understand and just want them to be comfortable, but more than that I want them to feel a sense of pride in the name that was given to them. I also try to find pockets of time for “relationship housekeeping”. Sometimes it's a conversation while I’m on yard duty, or asking a student to stay back after school to discuss something. I find these opportunities really important to just check in with kids and have some one on one time with them.
The strategies I have selected to use in my CRC Implementation Plan are Integrating Relevant Word Problems and Gamify. I chose the integration of relevant word problems to use in Math because I feel like Math is a content area I have a harder time connecting culture based learning to. I also see my students often struggle with decomposing word problems and I wonder if it’s impart to what the actual word problem is about. I thought this would be a perfect opportunity to really develop a lesson plan that students can relate to while addressing their Math standards. I selected the strategy of gamify for my other lesson because this is an area that I feel I have a disconnect with my students on. My students are always talking about the electronic games they play and I am not familiar with the gamer culture. I know how much it motivates and engages them and I want to start incorporating that more into my classroom.
You brought up a very good point about the relevancy of the curriculum to our students. It is challenging sometimes to make things relevant to students. For some topics, I need time to think of how this is important beyond the classroom. In math, I have the students brainstorm ways a particular skill can be used in their current life or in the future. My school is fortunate to have a science coach who developed place-based lessons so students are familiar with the phenomenon, which draws them into the lesson, and our social studies centers around early Hawaiʻi, which is an easy attraction. When it comes to our reading curriculum though, it is a challenge to make some of the stories relatable to the students.
DeleteWhat did you learn in this section?
ReplyDeleteI learned that being able to learn about my students' cultures and implement them into my curriculum is very important. From learning the pronunciation of my students' names to talking about their culture, these are also all very important. This article has brought to my attention the importance of a student's name pronunciation. If I pronounce their name wrong, it can be a sign of disrespect. I never thought of it this way as it really is a mistake, however, I always tell the students if I am saying your name wrong to please correct me. This article also made me realize that our names are our identity and when we don’t have that, we don’t feel connected.
How has this information influenced a change in your teaching style and/or pedagogy?
This information has forced me to focus on myself and my culture. I need to be aware of my cultural background and upbringing so that when I counsel students I do not try to impose my culture and beliefs onto them. This has made me realize that both mine and my students cultures are important when trying to create a CRC.
What strategies do you already use?
Being a counselor, one strategy that I use is interviewing students. I get to see many of them one on one and this is my opportunity to talk to them about their lives/hobbies/likes/dislikes. I am starting to ask culture questions especially to my Micronesian and Filipino populations to learn more about them. I also intentionally try to build a relationship with them by first starting small talk, and after so many sessions, start to ask deeper questions. I also share with students my experience to help them feel more comfortable and for them to gain insight into my perspective/culture.
What strategies will you use in your CRC Implementation Plan? Why did you choose those?
I plan to further develop connections with my students by first developing a relationship and slowly start to ask culture questions. I plan to implement an about me sheet and add some culture questions, such as tell me about a tradition that you have or tell me something interesting about your culture. I also plan to be intentional with my environment (office space) and put some cultural pieces for my students to feel comfortable.
I'm happy to hear that this course has forced you to focus on yourself and your own culture. I think sometimes we can get lost in the day to day, or in others, that we often overlook where WE come from. I can relate to this as well, this course has had me reflect on all of the cultural aspects that make me who I am. I've done interviews with my students in the past and that simple gesture can go a long way. Although, it can take up sometime it's truly beneficial in the long run. Thank for sharing!
DeleteHi! I like how you say that our names are our identities. I agree with you. Students can feel disrespected if their names are pronounced correctly because their name is their identity. I also like how you mentioned asking the students about a tradition they have. I think that is a great question to ask the students because it can help us as educators better know our students. I also think it is a question that many students might not get asked regularly so it will force them to think about the question. Thanks for sharing your post!
DeleteIn this section, I got to learn more about what culturally responsive teaching looks like in the classroom. I enjoyed reading through the resources in this section because it helped to spark new ideas for me to integrate into my classroom. One thing I learned that stood out to me was looking at literature and making sure that we expose students to diverse texts and authors. This stood out to me because I realized that a few of our texts we use throughout third grade talk about Chinese culture. Since many of our students are Chinese, I have noticed a lot of students showing more interest when reading these stories. I do want to find ways to use more stories with other cultures as well so that all students feel welcomed and appreciated.
ReplyDeleteA resource mentioned that many times we are not aware of the lack of cultural diversity in the classroom. We may think that we are being inclusive to everyone but this may not be in the case. In Hawai’i there are such a diverse amount of ethnicities in a classroom. I have a new student who came from Mongolia. I do not know much about Mongolia, their culture, or their language. From the first day of school, I have tried to make it a point to make her feel welcomed. One strategy I used was that I have tried to learn to pronounce her full name correctly. It was very difficult but I think that showing effort really made her feel more comfortable or at home. She has a nickname (shortened first name) that the students call her. I think it is important for her to know that we value her full first name so I will continue to make an effort to say her name correctly. A strategy that I want to try is a new routine where we get to learn about her culture weekly. Similar to Kumu U’i’s example, I would like to do an ethnic word of the week. My student is learning so much about our culture/language that I think it is equally as important for us to learn about her culture/language. I think that this would be so fun for all of us to learn together!
Aloha Shelby, I think it's great that you recognized and showed value in a student's name. Names are very important, and being able to properly say it (and hear it said) is huge. I'm sure that student felt seen and like she belonged by this simple gesture. Thank you so much for sharing!
Delete1. This section has taught me the significance of acknowledging and celebrating the diversity of students' backgrounds and experiences. That culturally responsiveness classrooms can enhance student engagement and promote academic success. Finally, I have learned that being culturally responsive allows me (as an educator) to recognize & appreciate the cultural diversity of my students, and incorporate that into my curriculum.
ReplyDelete2. This information has influences change in my teaching pedagogy by incorporating more social-emotional learning into my classroom and lessons. I believe by connecting with students on this level will have a positive impact on engagement, behavior, and belonging in my classroom.
3. Some strategies that I'm already using in my classroom include empathy, equity, and promoting an overall positive learning environment for all of my students. In addition, I have my students participate in various cultural activities. One being a "Show Your Culture" project where they research their own personal cultures and present them to others. Another is a "Cultural Interview" where they interview each other and ask questions pertaining to their own personal culture(s).
4. Two strategies will I use in my Implementation Plan include bringing in guest speakers and calling on each student. I think it's important for students to learn from not just me as their teacher, but others as well. The article Culturally Responsive Teaching: Examples, Strategies, and Activities for Success, mentions that "guest speakers can bring context and passion to history, geography and social studies lessons, capturing student interest." Finally, calling on each student will (hopefully) encourage students to share their own personal perspectives with me and the rest of the class.
Aloha Ashley, I think bringing in guest speakers is a great way for students to hear first-hand accounts from those who experienced it rather than just reading about it in a textbook. There are a few guest speakers that my grade level has worked with over the past couple of years, and we have been lucky enough that they have hands-on activities for students to do. Our next step is to expand it and seek out additional presenters that would fit with our curriculum. By building relationships with students and their families, we would be able to find the guest presenters we need.
DeleteWhat did you learn in this section?
ReplyDeleteIn this section I learned specific strategies that can be used to incorporate culturally responsive teaching strategies in my class. Some of the strategies that are included in this section are one to one conversations, connecting with parents or families, and understanding and acknowledging the culture of the adults in the room as well. At the heart of this section, was the idea that our students are multidimensional people that are bringing their culture, home life, and unique lived experiences to school with them everyday. I believe it is our job as educators to leverage this idea into meaningful and authentic learning experiences for our students. In my class, I currently include storytelling in my teaching practices as well as one to one conversations, family connections, and putting emphasis on the importance of students names. However, some things that I think I could work on incorporating as a result of what I learned in this section are inviting guest speakers into our classroom and establishing inclusion within my lessons. For example, not being so rigid in following my intended pacing guide the way I always do; instead, if something is happening that is relevant and included in my standards we can incorporate it while it is happening. If Kilauea begins to erupt, I can bump our volcano standards up to that time rather than waiting for the normal week in the pacing guide. This allows students to use what they are hearing at home as well as what they already know to make connections with what we are seeing in the news. This could also be a great time to invite a guest speaker to talk about past eruptions and how they have effected communities or invite a storyteller in to share. The information in this section has influenced my own teaching strategies by affirming what I already do and providing me with ways to improve and incorporate additional strategies in my classroom.
Andrea Carter
DeleteI love the two examples of Cultural Responsive Teaching strategy you described. By inviting guest speakers and planning your lessons/standards around events such as with eruptions of Kilauea. So relevant! I'm sure it receives high interest and a cool way for students in making connections. With guest speakers, I'd love to have invite some and speak to my students in Advisory. I could do this, is encourage my students to visit our College and Career Center and sign up for guest speakers when they come as well. I'm even thinking about Alumni students who are young or with similar backgrounds of my students.
This section was a great resource for strategies to make learning culturally responsive. Some of them were simple reminders (if a teacher doesn't know how important it is to now every student's name and how to pronounce it, i don't believe they should. be in the classroom!) but there were some really great suggestions on how to address an individual's culture, acknowledge difference, express interest, and use cultural morays as differentiation strategies.
ReplyDeleteAt the core of these strategies is treating your students with respect, but it does go deeper than that. Many of the texts/videos talk about how cultural blindness or the Golden Rule simply isn't good enough. It makes me realize how far we have come from when I was in school, and it makes me incredibly happy. I like the ABC book idea a lot as well as the genealogy idea and am inspired to adapt these into icebreakers or openers to group sessions. As a counselor, I don't have a classroom but I enjoy hosting lunch bunches or other small groups. It helps me to connect to the students, and I think if I can incorporate these as opening activities, it will allow the group members to connect each other more as well, ultimately making the session that much more productive.
I am so happy I am not the only one to think this. I think we all should know by now that names are important. But, I suppose maybe newer teachers or ones who struggle could be reminded. I also agree that at the core of it all is RESPECT. I think that is why I have a pretty easy time connecting to most students. I just accept them for who they are and treat them with respect. By incorporating their culture into my lessons, I feel Ill even be one step closer to letting them know they are safe and respected so that they can do their best learning. Dawn Kuna
DeleteI really love your thoughts on pronouncing student names correctly. I remember the embarrassment I would feel when my name was mispronounced (which happened a lot) and also misspelled. Even though it was in no way my fault I always felt like it said something about me that the teacher couldn't take two seconds to look at my name and say it correctly (it's spelled phonetically). I would also introduce myself to new people using my nickname to avoid this. As I got older I realized that if people can pronounce words like quinoa and charcuterie without incident they can say my full name correctly. If not initially then after I correct them. It's why I empower my students to correct people when they don't pronounce their names correctly. Their name is part of their identity and should be respected.
Delete1) One thing I learned from the article “A Classroom Where Everyone Feels Welcome” is that educators need to reflect on their experiences to see how it influences us today as we work with our students. As a child, I attended Catholic school, which used whole group instruction and no differentiation that I can recall. I definitely see how that has influenced me as an educator, especially when I first started teaching. I have my routines and systems that I am comfortable with and I struggle with interruptions in my schedule or get overwhelmed with learning a different approach to teaching. For example, It took me years to retrain my brain to understand that a learning environment is not quiet, but filled with discussion and conversations between teachers and students or just amongst students. I still find it challenging at times to switch from a teacher-centered classroom to a student-centered classroom.
ReplyDelete2) Looking through the lists of culturally responsive strategies, I am encouraged to see some that I do–greeting students by name or connecting with parents, but need to be more consistent with. I am most intrigued by the use of learning stations as described in the Prodigy article “Culturally Responsive teaching: Examples, Strategies, & Activities for Success.” Some of the units in our science curriculum could be adapted into learning stations for they already have readings and video. I would need to find or create hands-on activities or integrate art to have well-rounded stations, and as mentioned in the previous question, would help me with creating a more student-centered learning environment.
3) A strategy I use is building relationships through our daily morning meetings. While students discuss with each other, I try to join in with one group so that we get to know each other. I have used peer teaching and emphasized to the students that sometimes I need their help explaining concepts in a way kids can understand. They take peer teaching seriously when they know I am relying on them to make sure the whole class understands the content.
4) The strategies I am going to use is to have students suggest ideas for their project as a way for them to use their voice in the classroom. I also am going to use peer teaching to help with understanding the reading material.
DeleteThank you for your post! I really like your answer to #4. I really like having the studnets suggest ideas for a project as a way to use thier voice in the classroom. This is helpful because the reading said to give them different options for showing thier strenths. Plus, if I dont have any good ideas, maybe they do. The best ideas I can keep "in my pocket" for use at a later time. Thanks for that! Dawn Kuna
Dawn Kuna
ReplyDeleteI learned that making everyone comfortable and feeling welcome is not a "one size fits all" mold. You really have to get to know your students and where they are come from. And I mean that not litterally, but, where they are coming from culturally and socio-economically and attitude wise. Becuase culture is the entire student and it affects their worldview. In the beginning of each school year, I send home a questionaire to be filled out by both parent(s) and student. Most was informational, but at the end I would ask specific questions like, "does the student enjoy science, why or why not? " "What things make it easier for the student to learn?" I also ask, "Is there anything else you think I should know?" This last question quite often was left blank. But, when asnswered, it always made me know that student much better. Right away, I feel a conncection from this communication. By knowing the student better, I can appeal to them and help by doing what works. Also, starting an open communication with the parent is key, and I think many parents appreciate that.
How has this information influenced a change in your teaching style and/or pedagogy?
I am generally pretty good at getting to know my students and having positive relationships with them. It is just natually one of my strengths as a teacher. But, this information has pointed out oneof the things that I am missing, which is connecting on a deeper level and getting to know them even better, by knowing something about thier culture and sharing it in a positive light with the rest of the class. I know I can do better that I have been to link my content to cultures.
What strategies do you already use? As said, I have sent home questionaires. I hang posters of diverse female scientists with quotes. I have many conversations with all of my students and get to know them on a personal level. I let them get to know me. I ask questions to show interest. I check in on them to see how they are doing. I try to make everyone feel important and respected. I spend time learning names. I physically practice hard to pronounce names over and over. Becuase of my culture, these things just come naturally to me. I can see how, if you are not this way, this could be a huge challenge. I also have a strong grasp on my content. I address common misconceptions. I feel I have a good start on what is needed to be culturally reponsive, now I just need to pull in more culture.
What strategies will you use in your CRC Implementation Plan? Why did you choose those?
I will continue to use the stratagies that I already use, as discussed above. I use those becuase they work for me. A stratagy I would like to use is linking content to cultures. In the articles and videos I watched for this section, I notices many examples were elementary school level. Some examples were Math or Social Studies. I teach high school Science. so, I will look for a way to conncect to the family and culture for my next units. Luckily the next unit is cell respiration, so, I can use food as a way to connect to culture. And Ions, charged particles. Maybe talking about charges, I could bring up lightning and have the students share out on their families or cultures legends on lightning. Whatever it is I do, I want to empower students to share thoughts and be respresented.
Hi Dawn! I like how you say that it is not a "one size fits all" mold. I agree with you. Each student is different and comes from different backgrounds. Since it is not a "one size fits all" mold, it is important to incorporate different strategies into the classroom so that each student can feel valued and comfortable. I also like how you send out letters at the beginning of each school year to get to know your students. I truly do believe that it is important to get to know your students and one way to do that is by getting the parent's input. Thank you for sharing your post!
DeleteHi Dawn, I enjoyed reading your post. I agree that culture is so important-- it is the lens though which the student views their world, so it is absolutely imperative that we know the cultures and how to incorporate them into our class. I also have a questionnaire/ check in form, but only students fill them out for me. One of the questions I ask is "I wish my teacher knew... " Now more often than not, I get a response that mentions the amount of homework/ extracurricular activities. But sometimes, I learn things about my students, such as their home situation (if they are without a house), or that they are struggling being in a new classroom environment if they just transferred.
DeleteI'm also a high school science/ CTE teacher, so I had to be creative when trying to figure out how to incorporate culture into my lessons. I like the idea of incorporating food/culture into cellular respiration. Maybe for ions, you could discuss the periodic table and how the elements in groups (e.g. alkali metals) share similar properties, like a culture? (Chemistry is definitely not my strong suit though, and this is probably not the best example). But sharing stories about lightning also sounds fun!
Aloha,
DeleteI agree that making everyone feel comfortable is not a “one size fits all” deal and that knowing where they come from culturally, socio-economically, and attitude wise is very important. I also like your idea of sending home a questionnaire for both the student and their parent(s). Not only does that get the parent(s) involved, but you’re also able to get more information from a different perspective. Mahalo for sharing.
1. What did you learn in this section?
ReplyDeleteI learned teachers must have a thorough understanding of the specific cultures of the students they teach, including its effects on learning behaviors. They also need to know how to change classroom interactions and instruction to embrace cultural differences. I also learned more about how culturally-responsive teaching is rooted in differentiated instruction, conditions for it (e.g. highlighting how the topic can relate/ apply to the students, offering choice), and strategies (e.g. interviewing students, integrating relevant word problems, different types of free study time, and cultural research projects). What stood out in my mind the most was learning about the differences in the mainstream schooling culture (passive/ receptive) vs the racially/ ethnically diverse (active participating– e.g. “talk story”). I never considered how diverse the learning cultures could be– I only considered the language itself.
2. How has this information influenced a change in your teaching style and/or pedagogy?
This information influenced a change in my teaching style and/or pedagogy by giving me the information I needed (specific examples of strategies that I can implement in my own classroom). From the prior readings, I was able to learn more about why culturally responsive teaching strategies were so important, but I still needed more information about how to accomplish this. Proximity with high and low achieving students, asking students about their culture, and multiple approaches to monitoring understanding are strategies that I plan to use in upcoming lessons.
3. What strategies do you already use?
Strategies I already use include letting my students get to know me. I have “ask me anything” sessions with my students where I act as a “guest.” I point out that I’m a former college instructor and registered nurse (I teach the CTE courses Nursing Services 1 and 2), so my students can have the benefit of asking me about my experiences as a student, nurse, and college instructor. However, my students always end up asking me other questions such as “if you were a potato, how would you like to be cooked?”, “What is your favorite pokemon?” I guess I’ve never considered that my students may care more about who I am as a person than my qualifications.
Another strategy that I currently use is different types of independent study time. I let my students study on their own; some work independently, and others want to be with their friends. I allow my students to study how they wish. One thing I do plan to change though, is dividing the room into a section for independent workers and another for group work. That way, those who work by themselves may be less distracted by their peers’ conversations.
I also use problem-based learning scenarios, in the form of case studies. Students and I role-playing as the healthcare provider and patient respectively. They work in small groups and need to interview the patient (me) and come up with an appropriate plan of care. This type of assignment is interactive and pertains to their future interest (nursing/ healthcare).
4. What strategies will you use in your CRC Implementation Plan? Why did you choose those?
Strategies I will use in my CRC implementation plan include proximity with high and low achieving students, multiple approaches to monitoring understanding, and acknowledging all students’ comments, responses, questions, and contributions. Both lessons will involve elements of lecture and hands-on practice with the skills (head to toe physical assessment- inspection, auscultation, palpation, percussion). Proximity with high and low achieving students (walking around the room, especially during hands-on practice) will allow them to ask questions more easily. Students won’t have to worry about asking the question in front of all their peers. Also, proximity will allow me to better assess and monitor their understanding of physical assessment– both their theoretical knowledge and hands-on skills during practice.
I really like your "ask me anything" sessions. The fact that you allow them to ask you anything is awesome! Given how random students can be, that's really brave. Maybe I'll try that, but with some limitations/guidelines :) Like you, I also do case students in my CTE class. I think adding role playing would benefit them. Currently, they do case studies in small and whole class discussions. The role playing will add more depth and engagement to the experience. Another strategy that you mentioned that I might use as well is creating different independent work time spaces. I give a fair amount of independent work time. However, for the most part students are working alone with their headphones in (which I allow). I think having the option of independent or group work time is great.
DeleteI like your "ask me anything" sessions with students. This is a good way for students to get to know you. I think this is a great way to build rapport with students. I also like you giving your students independent study time. "Ask me anything" sessions might not work for me, as I have to keep up with the curriculum pacing guide. I do not have the luxury of having students to ask me questions, even for 5 minutes. However, I could see myself trying the independent study time, where students could study on their own, with a partner, or with me just before quizzes or tests.
DeleteAloha,
DeleteI really like your “ask me anything” get to know me sessions. It sounds like a great way for the students to connect with you. I’m sure they ask some really great questions and some questions I can only imagine! They must enjoy and appreciate you being so open. Mahalo for sharing!
Hi! I agree that the reading assignments gave me some useful ideas of how to incorporate culturally responsive teaching strategies into the classroom. Getting to know our students is important, and I'll be the first to admit that sometimes that falls to the wayside when I'm panicking at how far behind I am on my pacing guide.
ReplyDeleteI have definitely made that mistake of mispronouncing my students' names too-- for the entire year. I only found out about it when a teacher had the same student the year after me and mentioned her name! Since then, I make an effort to talk to each student to make sure I'm pronouncing their name right. The only problem is, it takes me half the school year to actually memorize all students' faces too--even with looking at infinite campus and testing myself.
I also plan to use one-on-one interviews and having my students fill out a questionnaire-- or adding it on to my check-ins that I have my students complete.
Andrea Carter
ReplyDeleteWhat strategies do you already use?
I absolutely agree with much of the information shared in section 3 of this course. I believe that Culturally Responsive Classrooms (CRC) are a game changer in education because there are so many benefits. It supports students emotionally because they feel safer, represented, and respected. For example, in the last couple years, learning to reference personal gender identity and pronouns of high school students is fairly new and opened my own social awareness. Another benefit is that CRC’s is an environment where relationships are built from trust and respect. Both teachers and students learn about one another, become socially aware of differences, and understand diversity. One simple example of using this strategy every day in my Advisory class is, I answer the same bell ringer (BR) question before the students answer theirs when their name is called. These BR questions are a good way to get to know my students and vice versa. I believe that knowing are students is key! We can build profiles (collect data) on each student, with details of their likes and dislikes, how they learn, and what goals they have in life. This information can be used for daily convos and genuinely show students that we notice them and we actually care. I also like to be likable, because I feel students learn from teachers they like and respect. There are less behavior issues and students are motivated to learn. Further, I love to show school spirit by participating in school events, because it's so much fun and promotes pride. Recently, a bunch of us teachers practiced and performed with our school’s dance club. We performed at the assembly and everyone did so well. This helped me make an outside connection with one of my Advisory students and two other students in my grade level. Super memorable and dance is culture!
How has this information influenced a change in your teaching style and/or pedagogy?
I really liked the quote “As humans we are relational” in section 3. As there is no doubt that building relationships with students is a no brainer in the field of education. And parents need to be assured that we know our students well. In high school, it can be quite challenging, but doing this well builds rapport and confidence with families by showing that we have their child’s best interest in mind as their teachers. Professionally, I specifically would like to increase my interaction and communication with parents and guardians. Honestly, I overall contact parents when their teenager is failing classes, and never when they are doing great. I’d like to make it a goal and practice to do this, deliver positive news.
What did you learn in this section? What strategies will you use in your CRC Implementation Plan? Why did you choose those?
I learned about Culturally Responsive teaching and how it could promote a CRC. This would be contextual learning, integrating relevant culture in Math. To do this, I would create unique math word problems that express the cultural backgrounds of my students. For example, I could include names, interests, and foods within the stories of the word problem. I could present one of these word problems as a bell ringer in the beginning of class daily. I chose this example because it makes Math fun and less abstract. This would also be a great way to guide students in learning how to make personal connections with content.
Aloha,
DeleteI agree with you, relationship is key. CRC helps to create a classroom family and a safe place for learning. I work at a title one school. Many students come from broken families, foster care, and have lack of support at home. This is key for me to know as an educator. Students cannot learn if they do not feel valued and heard. It is our role to get to know our students and to believe in their potential.
Your assembly sounds memorable. Dance can be a huge bridge to culture here in the islands.
What did you learn in this section?
ReplyDeleteI learned that there needs to be a balance between understanding diverse cultures while also avoiding stereotyping and holding all members of a particular group to the same standard. One thing that stood out to me was how “positive” stereotypes aren’t positive if it forces students into spaces that they don’t fit in.
Another area of importance is creating a classroom environment that centers culture and diversity instead of it being on the periphery. A few strategies mentioned in the resources that I don’t currently utilize fully are having one on one conversations/informal meetings with my students and connecting with parents. With the amount of students I have, the standards I have to cover, and the other tasks we as teachers have to get done daily, finding the time to have one on one check-ins is difficult. This is the same for connecting with parents. If I can’t do frequent one on one check-ins, maybe I can do at least one for each student as a starting point. Once I see some successes it will encourage me to up the frequency. With parents maybe I can do one or two per week during my prep period.
I also learned the importance of utilizing cultural responsiveness to close achievement gaps. I’m definitely guilty of allowing my biases and thoughts on education and academic performance to impact my judgment of my students achievements or lack thereof. I would like to take the steps needed to make a more concerted effort to learn more about my students’ backgrounds in order to change that by broadening my understanding of what is important to my students and how to best serve them. At our school, we have an amazing EL Coordinator that is willing to go above and beyond to help staff to make connections with our student population. I will be reaching out to him for ideas on how I can make my classroom more inclusive and culturally responsive.
How has this information influenced a change in your teaching style and/or pedagogy?
The information in the section has influenced me to modify my teaching style by thinking about cultural responsiveness as more than another initiative along with the many others that are asked of us. I already center creating relationships with my students, but without taking steps to further my understanding of my students’ cultural backgrounds and include them in my course and classroom environment, some of my students will be left behind or will feel excluded even if it’s not intended. I also appreciated all of the stategies provided in this section.
What strategies do you already use?
I make great efforts to learn my students names and more importantly the correct pronunciation as soon as possible. As I have an uncommon name that has been butchered many times, I have my students introduce themselves and write down pronunciation hints. I also make it clear that they shouldn’t be afraid to correct me if I get it wrong. I also try to be as transparent with my students as possible so they get to know me. I can’t expect them to open up to me if everything is one sided and they don’t know me in return. I also get to know my students by having them complete a student profile survey on the first day of school. This survey provides a wealth of knowledge and is a great starting point to getting to know them.
What strategies will you use in your CRC Implementation Plan? Why did you choose those?
I will be using running problem based learning scenarios for my CRC implementation plan in the form of case studies. I chose this one because of its flexibility and how it fits with my learning targets and course content. I teach a CTE health pathway course so any form of problem based learning is ideal. Adding the cultural responsiveness to it will only strengthen the impact of the lessons.
I like that you are going to use the CRC strategy of running problem-based learning scenarios for your CRC implementation plan in the form of case studies. I am impressed. You must be a secondary teacher. (I’m an elementary teacher.) It sounds like it will work perfectly with your CTE health pathway. There are so many additional CRC strategies you could use to enhance the impact of the lesson- guest speakers, learning stations, & cooperative learning, just to name a few. I hope all goes well with creating & implementing your lessons. I’m sorry that I won’t be able to learn how your lessons go.
DeleteI like that you are aware that you can do more when it comes to learning about all your students. I also need to do a better job at knowing all my students as well. I think sometimes as teachers we get so caught up with the school things such as pacing of the curriculum, meetings, grading of papers, and many other things that we sometimes forget or push aside what we feel are the less important things. Learning and understanding of our students is an area that I sometimes push aside to get other things done. I realize that I have to do a better job to learn and understand my student better. In the end, all we can do is continue to improve in the area of supporting our culturally diverse students and hopefully find that perfect balance.
DeleteThe first thing that really hit me was when you used the word "balance." I think it is super important to recognize that we need to have that in place in order to create a CRC. I have never used the running problem-based learning scenario so I will definitely try that as well. I also really like your use of the survey. This is something I do but something I would like to implement is to have quarterly surveys. I know in our lives things can change as it does for our students as well. I know it was in the beginning of your post but I would be remiss if I didn't mention it - cultural stereotypes! I can think of times where I have definitely fallen victim to that as well. I appreciate your thoughts!
DeleteWhat did you learn in this section?
ReplyDeleteIn one of the articles, I learned that it is also important to pay attention to my facial expressions, body language, and tone of voice to ensure they convey respect and create a positive environment. I have not spent too much time focusing on how my students would perceive me. This article made me reflect on how students perceive me could affect their learning. In addition, I learned that basically, any effective strategies are also culturally responsive.
How has this information influenced a change in your teaching style and/or pedagogy?
I learned that using class and team-building activities to enhance peer support for academic achievement. Prior to collaborative learning tasks, engaging in team-building activities aims to foster social cohesion, creating a positive social-emotional climate. This, in turn, helps develop a sense of solidarity and intimacy among group members, making students more comfortable expressing personal viewpoints, disagreeing constructively, and reaching consensus during future group activities. I have students do a lot of think-pair-share in math. I do see that some students are not as comfortable sharing with other students in my class. I think team-building activities would help students feel more comfortable talking to others and thus help them learn from one another. I have told my students that if they can explain how they solve a problem, that means that they truly understand the math concept.
What strategies do you already use?
One of the strategies that I already use is to learn my students’ names and how to pronounce them. I have a number of students who have Hawaiian first names. While many others have Anglo-American first names. I have to admit that it takes me a longer time to remember Hawaiian first names than English first names. As I am used to the pronunciations and spellings. At the beginning of the school year, I would have everyone create a name tag and put them on their desks. When I ask questions I would look at their name tags and say their names when they raise their hands to answer questions. In addition, I would also tell students to let me know what their preferred name is if they have one. I try to make them feel comfortable and welcome by using their preferred names. Some of my students who have a rather long first name in Hawaiian would usually go by a shortened name.
What strategies will you use in your CRC Implementation Plan? Why did you choose those?
One of the strategies I will use is using classroom building and team building activities to promote peer support for academic achievement. I plan on having my students get to know each other better to build a more positive classroom environment. Another strategy I will use is modeling the use of graphic organizers. I plan on using graphic organizers for the school culture lesson. In my school, we have “six character pillars” as part of the school culture. I plan on implementing graphic organizers to help students learn the six character pillars.
Aloha Allen,
DeleteI like that you already make sure to learn the names of your students & how to pronounce them. I too can more easily pronounce the Anglo-American names, & have more difficulty with names from other cultures. Instead of calling role, I like to have my students introduce themselves that way I can hear how their names are pronounced. I make phonetic notations to help me remember the pronunciations as needed. I like your idea of having your students create their own name tags & place them on their desks, like a table tent. I agree that calling them by name to answer questions is important. I too ask the students for their preferred name that they’d like to be called with the caveat that they still write their legal name on assignments.
Allen - your post made me laugh in a good way! The facial expressions is something that can be challenging for me, I tend to wear my emotions on my sleeve. It reminded me of a time my students weren't doing what they were supposed to be doing. One of them remarked to the other about my "side eye." They laughed and went back to work, but it did stick with me. Now, I try to make sure I'm not showing emotion to sway students one way or another with answers. I also like your idea of building team building. It is something I try to do every week with my class, (they love games), and it's a great reminder that it really does help to enhance a positive classroom environment. Thank you for your ideas!
DeleteHi Allen! First, I really admire your thoughtfulness and your drive to reflect on your teaching! As teachers, it’s something that we do every day and I love reading about how you are trying to create a positive learning environment for your students!
DeleteI loved how you mentioned your willingness to consider how your own behavior might impact your student's learning, and that you are actively seeking ways to improve your teaching. Sometimes, as a teacher, we often forget that we are a huge factor when it comes to their learning. Hence, sometimes we need to sit back and reflect on how our students are viewing us. In addition, you understand the importance of learning your students' names and using their preferred names, and you are also working to create a classroom community where students feel comfortable and supported! Although it is a small gesture, it’s something that our students will remember!
Lastly, I like how you are incorporating team-building activities, group work, and graphic organizers into your instruction! I do this in my classroom as well and I can see that my students are always engaged and are prompted to do more critical thinking!
I hope you continue to implement these practices in your teaching as I know that your students are benefiting tremendously from them! Remember, it’s the simple practices that even our students will remember and it overall helps add positively to the culturally responsive classroom that we want for our students!
1. What did you learn in this section?
ReplyDeleteWhat I mostly learned from this section are culturally responsive teaching strategies. However, A Guide to Evidence-Based Practices for Teaching All Students Equitably by the Region X Equity Assistance Center at Education Northwest provided more than just a list of strategies. I had never heard of this organization before. This center is one of ten providing training to public schools within Region X, which includes: Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, American Samoa, FSM, Marshall Islands, Palau. This is an awesome comprehensive resource as I have students of Hawaiian, Samoan, Chuukese, & Marshallese ancestry.
On page 9 of this guide, it stresses that the CR teaching is not just a matter of applying best practices, but of teaching students to capitalize on their own language, cultures & experiences to increase academic achievement. The lists of CRC teaching strategies do not address the title of this section, which is Benefits of CRC. When students’ languages, cultures & experiences are valued, this improves their SEL (Social Emotional Learning), which in turn improves academic achievement. These are the benefits.
There’s so much to take away from the guide, but I will share something that caught my attention & that I have a connection to. In the section on “Teachers Creating an Equitable Classroom Climate”, the third bullet stated that “differences in communication style can lead to misunderstandings.” It goes on to state that thumbs up in some cultures may mean ‘okay’, while in other cultures it’s “a rude sexual sign”. I found this a bit troubling as I often have my students use thumbs up, to the side or down as a formative assessment. When I Googled it, I learned that in several countries in West Africa and the Middle East, including Iran, Iraq, and Afghanistan, the gesture has a very negative connotation. (I will refrain from sharing exactly what it connotes.)
This reminds me of when I sought input from the parents of my students regarding verification of research my students had done on their counties of origin & cultures. The parent of my Albanian student not only verified regarding their country of origin & culture, but shared additional information. One of the things he shared was that in the Albanian culture, nodding of the head up & down indicates, ‘no’, & shaking of the head side to side indicates, ‘yes’, which is contrary to what I thought was commonly used. After learning this, I had a discussion with my student from Albania about this. He said that it was so confusing when he first arrived & started school in the United States, but that he was able to figure it out. When I Googled it, I learned that nodding indicating ‘yes’ is used in the Indian subcontinent, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, & most of Europe, South America & North America. I also learned that nodding may also be used as a sign of recognition, or to show respect, & may be viewed as an insult if not returned in kind. I learned that nodding indicating ‘no’ is used in Bulgaria, Greece, Iran, Lebanon, Turkey, & Egypt. (Albania was not mentioned though.)
This is a good reminder that when using gestures (or any type of non-verbal communication), to be culturally sensitive, & to explain what the gestures mean when used within the context of the classroom culture, & what it may mean in other contexts or to other cultures.
There is so much as teachers we need to continue to learn when dealing with students from diverse backgrounds. I also found it surprising about the thumbs up sign how in one culture it has a meaning of acknowledging that you are doing okay while in another culture it had a very negative meaning. I do realize that other cultures may do things differently from how we do things here. However, my limited knowledge of culture differences are probably the more superstitious types of situation. For example, in some Asian cultures sticking your chopsticks into a bowl of rice is a very bad thing to do because it relates to death. However, in Western and European cultures, they have no idea that sticking your chop sticks bowl of rice is a bad thing. Since reading the article, I have begun to look back at the students I taught and wondered if for some of those struggles that my students had in my class was related to my lack of understanding of how they viewed certain ways of my teaching. I realized that I did not do a great job and getting to know all my students. We would talk story, but I only scratched the surface of getting to know who they were. I did not dive deeper to understand how schools may have been different from where they were from. Come to think of it, I cannot say with certainty that I truly do a good job at understanding the students and parents I work with.
Delete3. What strategies do you already use?
ReplyDeleteThere are many CR strategies I would use if I were a classroom teacher, but are not applicable, or possible given my teaching position. Here are the strategies that I use, some to more extent than others. I use all 6 of the strategies from Classroom Where Everyone Feels Welcome. The strategies I already use from 15 Culturally Responsive Teaching Strategies are numbers: 1, 2, 4, 7-9, 11-13, & 15. The strategies I already use from Kumu U’i’s Culturally Responsive Teaching Strategies are numbers 1 & 3. I did have my students do a cultural research project, as well as I try to have one-on-one conversations with my students (when & where possible).
Finally, there are far too many strategies in A Guide to Evidence-Based Practices for Teaching All Students Equitably, Culture in the Classroom to number or name, but some are more effective/important than others. These strategies begin with #5 “Arranging the classroom to accommodate discussion”. I arranged the desks in pairs, so it’s conducive for students to work with an ‘elbow partner’, & the sets of ‘elbow partners’ can turn to face other sets of ‘elbow partners’ to form groups of 4. But before you can have effective discussions, you need to do # 10 “Using class building and team building activities to promote peer support for academic achievement”. I begin the year with these, as well as when new students transfer in. I use #11 “Using random response strategies”, calling on both students who raise their hands & especially those who did not. But in order for students to feel comfortable & prepared to answer, I make sure to do #20 “Using ‘wait time’ to give students time to think before they respond to your question”. During this time or prior to this, students may need to be provided with opportunities to ‘chunk & chew’ or process information, sometimes individually & sometimes with others. So #12 “Using cooperative learning structures” & #13 “Structuring heterogeneous and cooperative groups for learning” are important CRC strategies as well. Then, it’s important to do #23 “Giving students effective, specific oral and written feedback that prompts improved performance”. This is one area I could definitely improve on. Finally, I think it’s also important to do #15 “Acknowledge all students’ comments, responses, questions, and contributions”. I also encourage the students to thank each other for their assistance or contributions.
4. What strategies will you use in your CRC Implementation Plan? Why did you choose those?
The strategies I will use in my CRC Implementation Plan are from A Guide to Evidence-Based Practices for Teaching All Students Equitably. They include: #5 Arranging the classroom to accommodate discussion; #6 Ensuring bulletin boards, displayed, instructional materials, and other visuals in the classroom reflect students’ racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds; #8 Learning, using, and displaying some words in students’ heritage language; and #14 Using probing and clarifying techniques to assist students to answer. I chose these because it will help me begin the routine of featuring a greeting of the week, or maybe even feature a language or culture weekly or bi-weekly. This is idea came from Kumu U’i’s Culturally Responsive Teaching Strategies #4. Word of the Day. My goal is not only to move my students to English proficiency in listening, speaking, reading & writing, but to encourage them to continue to learn/use their home languages and develop a strong sense of cultural pride, as well as appreciate the cultures of others.
I appreciate your analysis of how some strategies may need to come after others in order to be the most effective, for example doing team building before peer teaching and giving wait time before using random response strategies. One student told me on the very first day of school that she does not like to be called on, so I promised her I would never call on her to talk in front of the class. I have a neighbor who dropped out of school because a teacher made him read in front of the classroom after he had told the teacher that he didn't want to do that. So, maybe I've erred too much on the side of waiting for students to bravely volunteer to speak, rather than calling on students who don't have their hands raised. One way I could find out more about how students feel about being called on without volunteering is to include a question in the beginning of the year survey asking them to rate on a scale of 1 to 10 how comfortable they feel being called on in class. I also struggle with giving timely feedback, which is one reason why I want to encourage peer teaching more - that way all the students are giving each other feedback, rather than waiting for me to do it.
DeleteWhat did you learn in this section?
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the various articles, there was part in the article “Culture in the Classroom,” where it mentioned how “Culture isn't just a list of holidays or shared recipes, religious traditions, or language; it is a lived experience unique to each individual. As educators, it's our job to stimulate the intellectual development of children, and, in this era, it's simply not enough to operate on the axis of color-blindness.” I found this concept to be so true because I had wrongfully done this to students early in my teaching career. Back when I was a new teacher, with no teaching background, I believed that if I took the time to know about students and their culture that it would help me be a better teacher and that all students from that culture would have the same experiences which would make it easier for me to work with them. I quickly realized that I had no clue what I was doing and probably did more harm than good having that frame of mind.
How has this information influenced a change in your teaching style and/or pedagogy?
The information that I read has supported some of my views in understanding students' cultures and individual experiences. However, I need to move beyond just the superficial layer of understanding a student’s cultural background. I realize that just knowing where a child came from, what religious customs and holidays are celebrated or some words from their language does not necessarily give me insight on how a child learns. I need to be better at understanding how to academically support a student by understanding how that child views his/her surroundings and uses that information to create meaning and understanding for himself/herself. Using various strategies is a start that will help provide clues to support the child, but that will take for me to be more observant to see those clues where the child is showing signs of struggle so that I can provide the best help and hopefully have that child be open to learning.
What strategies do you already use?
Currently, when I present a lesson, I try to relate what we are talking about to what is currently happening now. I want students to be able to understand that what is being taught has meaning for them and hopefully helps them to understand the content. Another strategy I use is getting to know my students. I like from time to time to have a talk story session with students. Just sharing things about each other so everyone has a chance to learn about how other students from different backgrounds do things in their lives. When we have class discussions, I try to include all students in the discussion. The discussion helps me know where the students' learning is at and the student sharing may provide another perspective that I and other students may not have known.
What strategies will you use in your CRC Implementation Plan? Why did you choose those?
One strategy that I would like to incorporate in my lessons is to deliver lessons in different mediums. Sometimes when pacing of the curriculum ends up pushing how I teach. Due to the need to cover all the content needed, sometimes I will present a lesson and end up having only one medium for students to provide their understanding of the content. Honestly, on those occasions the activity tends to benefit the non-struggling students. Another strategy that I would like to incorporate is to group students based on their learning styles. I usually do group activities, but the grouping is based on pairing stronger learners with students that need more help. However, having students being grouped by how they learn might yield better results because the students will already know each other's strengths in learning and can easily support each other. A final strategy that I would like to incorporate into my lessons is to make learning contextual. I want to try to have students share their ideas, knowledge and perspective about what is being taught to help them bring a stronger understanding of the content.
Ah, superficial layer... good point! That is very true. I try to find out those simple things that everyone else know about them or tries to learn about them but do we really know them? What strategies can we use and develop? It is hard to thinks of ways to get to know them better. They often do not want to share. To be aware is one thing, but to truly understand them and who they are is something else. After reading that I think to myself I need to work harder to better understand my students.
DeleteThis section for me was all about learning about the benefits of having a culturally responsive classroom. More specifically, I was able to understand other educator’s points of view as it relates to what CRC looks like in the classroom. One thing I really love is that it is actually less complex than I thought it would be to create this type of environment. In the beginning of the school year, I started off strong with asking the right questions and making sure that everyone felt represented in the classroom. After the winter break, for our Choose Aloha the first week was supposed to be spent reviewing videos about student expectations. I made a rookie mistake. I didn’t watch the videos until I played them for my class. At about the thirty second mark, one student raised her hand and said, “But Miss, none of those kids even look like us.” It was a great moment for me because I agreed that they weren’t represented in the video and also to watch what I am going to show before showing it. The strategies I have used this year have been to have one-on-one conversations with each student. I try to know one fact about each student that I can work into a lesson plan. We also did a genealogy chart for each student and that was fun for them to see their family history. The strategy that I am excited to incorporate into my classroom is to introduce a word of the week. Over half of my students are Filipino and I do not know as much about that culture as I would like to. I am going to assign students the task of bringing a word of the week to teach the class. This will help them in multiple ways. It will develop confidence in speaking in front of the class, it will introduce a piece of their culture to the classroom and it will make the class stronger in general. This is something that I am actually excited about.
ReplyDeleteIt's evident from your reflection that you've embraced the concept of creating a culturally responsive classroom with enthusiasm and a genuine commitment to understanding and representing your students' diverse backgrounds. Your recognition of the importance of inclusivity and representation, as highlighted by the incident with the video during Choose Aloha week, demonstrates a willingness to learn and adapt. The strategies you've implemented so far, such as personalized one-on-one conversations and genealogy charts, showcase your dedication to building meaningful connections with your students. Your plan to introduce a word of the week, allowing students to share aspects of their Filipino culture, is not only innovative but also deeply impactful in fostering confidence, cultural pride, and a sense of community within your classroom. Your proactive approach to incorporating these strategies reflects your passion for creating a classroom environment where every student feels valued and empowered. Keep up the fantastic work! Ruth Andrade-Alvarado
DeleteWhat did you learn in this section?
ReplyDeleteIn this section, I learned that as a teacher, I need to reflect on my background, not just that of the students. By doing so, I will be more aware of how my personal experiences affect how I teach and interact with my students. This section also taught me different strategies that I can use to help build relationships with my students and to build a culturally responsive classroom.
How has this information influenced a change in your teaching style and/or pedagogy?
After reading the articles and viewing the videos, I have become more aware of the importance of knowing my students and their backgrounds as well as them knowing me. I have learned a bunch of strategies that I want to implement in my classroom so they can feel comfortable and be more engaged in class. Some of the strategies I want to incorporate are encouraging students to propose ideas for projects, gamifying lessons, calling on each student, establishing cooperative base groups, and integrating relevant sentences and examples into my language lessons. (This is adapted from integrating relevant word problems.) I would also like to see myself as the students see me. I feel that would give me great insight into where they’re coming from.
What strategies do you already use?
I was happy to see that I have already been incorporating some of the strategies that were shared in the readings. One of the strategies that I already use is learning my students’ names and the correct pronunciation. I always hated when my teachers mispronounced my name so I’ve made it a priority to not do that to my students. Another strategy that I do, at least to some extent, is setting aside time for relationship housekeeping. At the beginning of the period, I usually ask the students how they’re doing, how their weekend was, etc. and those who want to share, do. I also have the students do a questionnaire at the beginning of the year. It covers topics such as family, interests, and has a place for them to add anything else they’d like to share about themselves.
What strategies will you use in your CRC Implementation Plan? Why did you choose those?
I would like to use the following strategies in my CRC Implementation Plan. 1. Encourage students to propose ideas for projects 2. Gamify lessons 3. Call on each student 4. Establish cooperative base groups 5. Integrate relevant sentences and examples. 6. See myself as the students see me. The reason I chose these strategies is I feel these strategies would work well with my students, me, and my content area. I also feel these strategies wouldn’t be too difficult to implement and therefore would be a good starting point.
It's inspiring to see your thoughtful reflection on the importance of understanding both your own background and that of your students in creating a culturally responsive classroom. Your willingness to incorporate various strategies into your teaching style, such as encouraging student input for projects, gamifying lessons, and establishing cooperative groups, demonstrates a commitment to fostering an inclusive and engaging learning environment. It's particularly commendable that you prioritize learning and correctly pronouncing your students' names, as well as dedicating time for relationship building through activities like questionnaires and check-ins. I am sure that your CRC plan will work wonders for your teaching practice. The students are lucky to have a teacher who is reflective.
DeleteRuth
1. What did you learn in this section?
ReplyDeleteIn this section, I learned how important it is to create a classroom where students feel comfortable and respected. I also discovered various strategies and projects to make this happen. The key is to build a safe space where everyone feels welcome. I realized there's a wide range of things teachers can do, from simple things like learning students' names to larger projects like the Cultural Research Project. I'm excited to start with the easy ones right away and plan the bigger projects soon. As a teacher, feeling welcome is very important to me. Hence, by implementing small things such as learning names and giving students the opportunities to learn more about themselves and others. I believe that through these strategies, they can feel proud of themselves and this will overall go through their attitude towards learning other content as they have the confidence.
2. How has this information influenced a change in your teaching style and/or pedagogy?
This information has positively impacted my teaching style. I used to overlook the importance of culture in the classroom. Now, I see that many strategies for building relationships with students also involve learning about their cultures. I enjoy getting to know my students, and adding this cultural component feels natural. It's great because students will connect more with their own culture, and I can incorporate Hawaiian culture into my lessons as I feel that it's important for my students to develop a sense of "place" and learn more about where they come from. I feel that once my students and I know each other, then we will have a sense of community and trust. Therefore, I am able to give students the learning environment that they deserve and they can strive in.
3. What strategies do you already use?
One strategy I already use is learning and pronouncing students' names correctly. It shows respect and that I care about them. I want my students to feel the same way. Sometimes students say it's okay if I get it wrong, but I encourage them to correct me. Names are part of our identity, and it's important to use them correctly. This connects to their culture, especially here in Hawaii where many students have names from their own culture. I understand that Hawaii is a melting pot and that is something to be admired! I want to continue to implement more strategies such as what I have mentioned before, a "get to know me quiz." This is a simple way to get to know students and to have students know that I want to get to know them! (Many students enjoy this and I will continue to do this!)
4. What strategies will you use in your CRC Implementation Plan? Why did you choose those?
For my CRC Implementation Plan, I'll use the guest speaker strategy. I'm not an expert on Hawaiian culture, so I want to bring in someone who is. The guest speaker will help us incorporate Hawaiian culture into math and science lessons. It will be the starting point for a project-based learning assessment. The speaker will provide knowledge and expertise that I can't offer. At my school, we have Hawaiian studies and my students look forward to learning more about where they come from and about other cultures!
What you say about developing a sense of place reminds me of the Nā Hopena A‘o, specifically having a strengthened sense of belonging. When all students feel like they belong in the classroom, there are better outcomes for everyone. It also occurs to me that having a strengthened sense of aloha fits in with a culturally responsive classroom, since learning how to talk about differences in culture in a safe and respectful way can be a way to show aloha to each other. Thinking about Hawai‘i as a melting pot could be an entry point for students to compare and contrast cultures - how was it in the past when the Chinese and Japanese, who were historically enemies, came in waves to Hawai‘i? Did their commonality of being strangers in a strange land help them to connect, or did they bring their prejudices with them? Generations later, do those different cultural roots still express themselves, and if so, how?
DeleteWhat did you learn in this section?
ReplyDeleteIn this section, I learned that a lot of what makes a classroom culturally responsive overlaps with what I already think of as good teaching practices, including but not limited to: learning students' names and pronouncing them correctly; building relationships with the students by being interested in their lives outside of school and sharing about my own life with them; giving students voice and choice in the classroom, for example by differentiating what they do for a summative assessment; connecting the subject standards with the students' lives and prior knowledge; and partnering with parents to include them in the educational process. Some of the newer ideas that I hadn't focused on as much previously are being aware of my own cultural biases and ensuring that textbooks and classroom materials help all students see themselves. When I was growing up, I had a fairly extensive vocabulary for my age; one thing I am learning is that not all students know the words that I think of as common knowledge for middle schoolers, like 'subjective' or 'perimeter'. The articles also caused me to question whether I have equally high expectations for all of my students, and whether I might be giving students non-verbal clues that I don't have high expectations for them. I also reflected on how often boys of European descent raise their hands and speak during class compared to other student populations, and how I might balance their contributions with other students' voices.
How has this information influenced a change in your teaching style and/or pedagogy?
I am on a mission to find more books and posters that reflect diversity for my classroom. The history of math is full of contributors from all over the world, so I would like to find posters or a timeline that celebrates the 'who' and 'when' behind the math, instead of just the 'what.' The online curriculum my school buys, Apex, definitely has some bias, so I'd like to start pointing that out explicitly to the students, even as I work on supplementing the online textbook with a greater variety of reading choices.
I love how you are looking for more literature and posters connected to your student's backgrounds. You must be a math teacher! What a fun connection to create a timeline of mathematicians of various cultures.
DeleteWhat did you learn in this section? In this section, I learned that as an educator, it is my responsibility to acknowledge and embrace my student’s culture and life experiences. I also learned about the benefits of a culturally responsive classroom for not only acceptance but engagement. Along with a variety of strategies to implement the concept into my own classroom.
ReplyDeleteHow has this information influenced a change in your teaching style and/or pedagogy? A change for me was opening my eyes to the cultural bias or stereotyping of students by cultural background. One example in the text was “Asian students are good at math.” I NEVER want to make a student feel this way! Being blessed with growing up in the Northwest, and moving to Hawaii. I have not experienced this. Putting students into a one size fits all mold is not ok. Each student has unique differences and strengths. Because students have different experiences and values based on their upbringing, I want those differences to empower us, not break us down. We can learn from one another.
What strategies do you already use? Strategies I currently have in my classroom are:
-Learn students' names ( I made sure to practice before the year started.) I make sure to greet my students by name at the door each morning.
-Understanding student learning needs and styles (Inclusion room, every learner is unique.) I like to offer choices in demonstration of knowledge such as a recording, art piece, comic, slide show, one pager, etc.(connecting to my student’s strengths.)
-Connect with parents (Class Dojo.) I like to offer 3 positive praise messages for every negative.
-Create Relevant word problems (Names, culture, interests.) For example: a math problem with pounds of poke purchased from Foodland at a certain price.
-Gamify the lessons. I love doing game challenges for math. The kids work in teams and ring in with a buzzer to win Aloha tickets used for the class economy.
-Jigsaws. I like to break students into groups to read and become experts on different areas of a topic, then share out with each other to gain understanding.
-Set aside time for relationship housekeeping. Have one-on-one conversations, discussions, and informal meetings with students. This works great for writing feedback, goal setting, check in on projects, etc.
-Among other question types, mix in problems that involve writing short- and long-form answers. Using Google forms, I create assessments with a variety of question types from long and short response to multiple choice. I also adapt this for students that cannot write using speech to text.
What strategies will you use in your CRC Implementation Plan? Why did you choose those?
One strategy I am choosing to incorporate is, students' cultures into a project for social studies. I want to introduce the acronym G.R.A.P.E.S. (Geography, Religion. Achievements, Politics, Economics, Social Structure) for research. Students will practice using a G.R.A.P.E.S. graphic organizer to research their own cultural background. I am very excited because my classroom is a very diverse group of learners. Their final project will be shared with the class to instill acceptance of our differences and to find commonalities amongst one another.
Another strategy is, incorporating a cultural connection to a lesson. This will help students connect to prior knowledge from 4th grade Hawaiian history. I plan to connect the ancient Hawaiian caste system (Kauwa/ slaves from war) to the social structure during plantation days (Triangular Trade/ slaves from Africa.)