In the word graphic above, you can see some ideas that I feel encompass what it means to be a culturally responsive teacher and what culturally responsive teaching is. I do include one counter-example, "not-learning", which means that a student is willfully rejecting even the most compassionate and well-designed teaching. This can be very frustrating for teachers, and this is when teachers need to go above and beyond for their students. These students are not just rejecting learning because they are poorly behaved children. These children often have difficult home lives that are out of their control, and the only thing they can control is how they behave at school. If your students do not feel safe or respected, especially by you, they will reject your teaching and the school system. To combat this, you will need to go to extra lengths to make sure your student feels comfortable and respected in the classroom. You must make a genuine effort to get to know your students and their families. Learn about the cultural media they are interested in, learn about their family stories and traditions, and learn about their culture. If you acknowledge the students' struggles and let them know that you are on their side and care for them, you can break through not-learning and be an amazing culturally responsive teacher. While you may feel underpaid or underappreciated as a teacher, it is so important to go to great lengths to see your students succeed. Seeing them succeed and having an impact on their life is the most rewarding experience you can have.
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DeleteHey Cayenne I think being a culturally responsive teacher is extremely important and you’re right that we should go extra lengths to make sure each student is comfortable at school. Especially in this day in age, we are in a time where schools are extremely diverse and everyone has their own identity. We need to take the time and get to know our students identities to help them enjoy coming to school and continue to learn in the best environment possible. I also like how you mentioned that keeping up with media is a great way to practice being culturally responsible. Staying in tune in what's going on in society can help us understand things that students might be dealing with outside of the classroom. We need to be someone who our students feel comfortable around and learning about them and understanding them is a great way to achieve this.
ReplyDeleteZoe,
DeleteThank you for your comment! I love what you said about how taking the time to get to know your students helps them enjoy coming to school. I feel that teachers are a huge part of whether or not children enjoy coming to school. If you have a bad teacher who doesn't seem to care about you or your identity, you will be reluctant and apprehensive about coming to school. On the other hand, a good teacher who cares for their students will inspire their students to attend school.
Hi Cayenne, I believe that creating a healthy environment for our classroom is key to having trust and a connection with your students. This promotes creativity and students will be encouraged to speak up and participate in class discussions. If we were to tell students to only speak when they know the answer, there will be no one speaking. Making mistakes along the way is normal, and it is how we learn.
ReplyDeleteHi Cayenne, I really like your post and the words you chose for your word graphic. I think you made some really good points about "not learning". I agree with you that student behavior is directly linked to the student feeling safe and secure in the classroom. If a student does not feel respected and seen they are going to reject the teacher. Teachers need to be culturally responsive to meet the needs of their students. When teachers put the effort in they can significantly impact student's lives and foster a love of learning.
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