Module 4: Culturally Responsive Classroom Practice
What Does Culturally Responsive Teaching Look Like?
Culturally responsive teaching is not a specific strategy, program, or lesson. Culturally responsive teaching is an intentional approach to teaching and human interactions. Hammond (2015) reminds mentor CT’s that “before you can leverage diversity as an asset in the classroom, you must reflect on the challenges that can interfere with open acceptance of students who are different from you in background, race, class, language, or gender” (p. 53). With this in mind, there are four key aspects to practicum that will support culturally responsive teaching – meeting the PST, working with the PST in the classroom, continually building the relationship, and a commitment to ongoing professional learning.
Please watch the following videos:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGTVjJuRaZ8
Questions for Reflection
- What might it look like to adapt the messages we send from school to the cultural perspectives of the students in your classroom?
- How could you safeguard yourself from generalizing the backgrounds and experiences of a student and applying that to represent a particular race?