Or we try to find a race-based connection to the content to make it “relevant” to minority students. That’s because we usually talk about culturally responsive teaching only as an engagement strategy designed to motivate at-risk students to take learning seriously. Google “culturally responsive teaching” and you can find a dozen videos of well-meaning teachers leading some call-and-response chant about exponents or rapping about the Boston Tea Party while students sit back and giggle. “I am not going to be rappin’ about the periodic table,” she said defiantly as she crossed her arms and sat back in her chair. I remember the reaction of Janice, the science teacher. I suggested that we explore making lessons more culturally relevant in order to accelerate student learning. These teachers were frustrated that their students, 95 percent of them students of color and English language learners, were not applying themselves to learning. I remember working with a group of sixth grade teachers on improving learning for their at-risk students. The big question is: How do you actually make lessons culturally responsive? That comes up regularly when I am working with groups of teachers to improve outcomes for diverse students who are struggling. Now I’m proud to have Zaretta here as a guest writer to share some specific strategies with us.Ĭulturally responsive teaching. Last month, I reviewed Zaretta Hammond’s fantastic book, Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain.
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