As college professors, our responsibility extends beyond delivering content; we must create inclusive learning environments that honor and celebrate our students’ unique backgrounds and experiences. Culturally responsive teaching offers a framework to achieve this goal, fostering engagement, empowerment, and academic success for all learners.
At its core, culturally responsive teaching recognizes the importance of cultural diversity in teaching and learning. The term was coined by researcher Geneva Gay in 2000, who wrote that “when academic knowledge and skills are situated within the lived experiences and frames of reference for students, they are more personally meaningful, have higher interest appeal, and are learned more easily and thoroughly.” In her book, Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain, Zaretta Hammond defines culturally responsive teaching as “an educator’s ability to recognize students’ cultural displays of learning and meaning making and respond positively and constructively with teaching moves that use cultural knowledge as a scaffold to connect what the students know to new concepts and content to promote effective information processing.”
Culturally responsive teaching acknowledges that students bring a wealth of cultural knowledge, experiences, and perspectives to the classroom, significantly influencing their learning styles, motivations, and academic outcomes. Culturally responsive teaching aims to bridge the gap between students’ cultural backgrounds and the academic curriculum, promoting meaningful connections and relevance in learning.
What are the essential elements of culturally relevant teaching and learning?
- A fundamental belief in the ability of all students to learn. Professors must have high expectations for every student, accompanied by positive attitudes about them. Help students foster a growth mindset.
- A strong knowledge base about cultural diversity. Learn about the different racial and ethnic groups in your classrooms and include connections to those groups in your instruction.
- A wide range of curricular content, including culturally relevant curriculum. Multiple perspectives should be included, and presentations and other visuals should represent a wide range of diversity. We should design lessons with the most underserved students in mind.
- Dynamic instruction. Students learn in many ways, so teaching strategies should be dynamic and diverse. Students should be allowed multiple ways to participate and demonstrate content mastery whenever possible. Activating students’ prior knowledge at the beginning of a new topic or lesson allows the professor to understand what students think they know or have experienced about that topic. It also provides a “hook” on which they can “hang” new learning.
- Relationships with students. Connecting with students and learning about their likes, dislikes, family backgrounds, etc., are all important. Additionally, sharing about yourself helps build that two-way relationship.
- Incorporate popular culture. Connect your content with current music, movies, video games, and other media students are interested in.
How do we get started with culturally relevant teaching?
- Reflect on your own cultural identity. As professors, we should understand our own cultural perspectives and how our backgrounds influence our teaching styles. Sometimes, our unconscious attitudes impact the way we relate to our students. There are multiple online tools for uncovering implicit bias, including Harvard University’s Project Implicit and Franklin Covey’s Unconscious Bias.
- Make a plan for getting to know your students next semester. Engage in open conversations, surveys, or reflective activities to begin the semester. The time you spend on the front end will reap rewards later in the semester.
- Continuously reflect and adapt. We should assess the effectiveness of our teaching processes often. Solicit student feedback on how instruction meets their needs and engage in opportunities to stay current with best practices in the science of learning.
Embracing culturally responsive teaching is not just a pedagogical approach but a commitment to our students. By embracing the principles of culturally responsive teaching, professors can create inclusive learning environments that empower all students to succeed academically and thrive personally. As we embark on this journey, let us remember that our efforts to cultivate cultural responsiveness in the classroom can positively impact our students beyond the time they are at Faulkner University.
References
Culturally responsive teaching. National Equity Project. (n.d.). https://www.nationalequityproject.org/culturally-responsive-teaching
HAMMOND, Z. (2015). Culturally responsive teaching and the brain. CORWIN.
Hammond, Z. (2022, June 3). Beyond flesh-colored crayons: The four components of culturally responsive pedagogy. Culturally Responsive Teaching & the Brain. https://crtandthebrain.com/beyond-flesh-colored-crayons-the-four-components-of-culturally-responsive-pedagogy/
Howard, Dr. T. C. (2024, May 30). Culturally responsive teaching: 7 strategies and instruction practices. HMH. https://www.hmhco.com/blog/culturally-responsive-teaching-strategies-instruction-practices
OpenAI. (2023). ChatGPT (Mar 14 version) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com/chat
Rucker, N. W. (2019, December 10). Getting started with culturally responsive teaching. Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/article/getting-started-culturally-responsive-teachingWill, M., & Najarro, I. (2023, March 24). What is culturally responsive teaching?. Education Week. https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/culturally-responsive-teaching-culturally-responsive-pedagogy/2022/04