EmbeddingCulturallyRelevantInstructioninTeachingand

Learning

BreakoutSession

Question…

IsCulturallyRelevantInstructiontheanswerinclosingthelearningandbehavioralgapinourclassroomsandschools?

Protocol• StayEngaged• Experience

Discomfort• SpeakYourTruth• Expectand

AcceptNon-Closure

Adapted- SingletonandCurtis,(2006)CourageousConversationsAboutRace

Activity:Findsomeonewho…

• CulturalPursuit• Readyourpursuitsheetandinitialtheboxesthathavemeaningtoyou.Nextfindothersforwhomtheremainingboxeshavemeaning

• Eachpersonmaysignonlyonesquareonthesheet

• Sharewhatyouexperienced/learn

Participantswill…• Developanunderstandingofculturallyrelevantinstruction.

• Learnculturallyrelevantteachercharacteristics.

• Identifystrategiesinimplementingculturalrelevantinstruction.

WhatisCulturallyRelevantInstruction?

• CulturallyRelevantTeachingisapedagogythatrecognizestheimportanceofincludingstudents'culturalreferencesinallaspectsoflearning.

• Teachingisdefinedasusingtheculturalcharacteristics,experiences,andperspectivesofethnically,diversestudentsasconduitsforteachingthemmoreeffectively.

Ladson-Billings,G.(1995).ButThat’sJustGoodTeaching!TheCaseforCulturallyRelevantPedagogy

• Students’uniqueculturalstrengthsareidentifiedandnurturedtopromotestudentachievement.

• Createsasenseofwell-beingaboutthestudent’sculturalplaceintheworld.

• Academicallyenrichingenvironmentforstudentsofallethnicities,races,beliefs.

Howard,T.(2010)WhyRaceandCultureMatterinSchools.

WhatisCulturallyRelevantInstruction?(cont’d)

WhyCulturallyRelevantInstruction?

3% 5%

5%

45%

40%

0% 2% Asian

AmericanIndian/AlaskaNative

Black/AfricanAmerican

Hispanic/Latino

White

NativeHawaiian/OtherPacificIslanderMulti-race/non-Hispanic

2014-2015ArizonaStudentPopulation

Areteachersreflectiveofstudentpopulation?

2015ArizonaTeacherDemographics2% 2% 0% 2%

10% 0%

84%

AmericanIndian/AlaskaNativeAsian

NativeHawaiian/OtherPacificIslanderBlack/AfricanAmerican

Hispanic/Latinoofanyrace

Twoormoreraces

White

Think-Pair-Share

Whyisculturallyrelevantinstructionimportant?

AchievementGapsPersist

BehavioralData:NationalandArizona

• Theintegrationofculturallyrelevantinstructioncontributetoequityforallchildrenregardlessofrace,class,gender,language,immigrationstatus,andsexuality.

• Instructionalandbehavioralgoalsaredeliveredinwaysthatarerelevanttoandattainableforstudents.

• Curriculum,CulturallyRelevantPBISreinforcesthecollectivevaluesofinclusion,students’priorknowledge,andacademicandbehavioralexcellence.

WhyCulturallyRelevantInstruction?

TheDangerofaSingleStory

DimensionsofCulturallyRelevantInstruction

• Personaldimensionreferstotheprocessbywhichteacherslearntobecomeculturallyresponsive.

• Instructionaldimensionreferstopracticesandchallengesassociatedwithimplementingculturalresponsivenessintheclassroom.

• Institutionaldimensionemphasizestheneedforreformoftheculturalfactorsaffectingtheorganizationofschools,schoolpoliciesandprocedures(includingallocationoffundsandresources),andcommunityinvolvement.

PreconditionforCulturallyRelevantInstruction

Teacher

Beliefthatallstudentscanlearn

Recognitionandvalidationof

student’sculture

Appreciationfortheculturesrepresented

In-depthknowledgeaboutselfandstudents

Genuineemotionaland

personalpresence

TeacherCharacteristicsIncorporates

studentsculturalstrengths

Teacherdemonstrateshigh

expectations

Teacherusesexplicitvs.veiledauthority

Personalandauthentic

connectedness

Recognizesandgivesvoicetodifferingperspectives

StrategiesInvolved

Cultural-basedInstruction

Explicitinstructionandbehavioralcodes

Legitimizestudent’sreallife

experience

Investigativelearningmethods

Goodclassroomorganizationandmanagement

CharacteristicsofCulturallyRelevantInstruction

• Positiveperspectivesonparentsandfamilies.• Communicationofhighexpectations.• Learningwithinthecontextofculture.• Student-centeredinstruction.• Culturallymediatedinstruction.• Reshapingthecurriculum.• Teacherasfacilitatorandculturalbridgebuilder.

Implementationofthestrategiesisapathwayinclosingthelearningandbehavioralgap

Questions

References• Blankstein,A.&Noguera,P.(2016).ExcellencethroughEquity:FivePrinciplesofCourageousLeadershiptoGuide

AchievementforEveryStudent.• Delpit,L.(2007.)OtherPeople’sChildren:CulturalConflictintheClassroom.• Gay,G.(2010).CulturallyResponsiveTeaching:Theory,Research,andPractice.TeachersCollegePress• Howard,G.(2006).WeCan’tTeachWhatWeDon’tKnow:WhiteTeachers,MultiracialSchools.TeachersCollege• Howard,T.(2003).CulturallyRelevantPedagogy:IngredientsforCriticalTeacherReflection.TheoryIntoPractice,

Vol.42(3)• Howard,T.(2010).WhyRaceandCultureMatterinSchools:ClosingtheAchievementGapinAmerica’s

Classrooms.TeachersCollegePress• Lawrence-Brown,D.&Sapon-Shevin,M.(2014).ConditionCritical:KeyPrinciplesforEquitableandInclusive

Education. TeachersCollege• Lee,C.(2009)Culture,Literacy,andLearning:TakingBloomintheMidstoftheWhirlwind.• Ladson- Billings,G. (2007) TheDreamKeepers:SuccessfulTeachersofAfricanAmericanChildren• McKenzie,K.&Scheurich,J.(2004).EquityTraps:AUsefulConstructforPreparingPrincipalstoLeadSchoolsThat

AreSuccessfulWithRaciallyDiverseStudents. EducationalAdministrationQuarterlyVol.40(5)• Parker,Palmer(1998/2007). TheCourageToTeach:ExploringtheInnerLandscapeofaTeacher’sLife.Jossey-Bass• Peters,S.(2006).DoYouKnowEnoughAboutMeToTeachMe?ThePetersGroupFoundation• Singleton,G.&Linton,C.(2006).CourageousConversationsAboutRace.CorwinPress• EquityShortTakes:http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/clusteradmin/equity/shorttakes1.aspx