Culturally Responsive Teaching and Young Children:

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Culturally Responsive Teaching and Young
Children

• A Recipe for Success

Dr. Alicia L Moore Southwestern
University Georgetown, Texas January
2007 University of Colorado at Colorado Springs
(UCCS)
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Early Childhood

• But, we have to begin to go further and look at
  culture in the equation of teaching young
  children
• Culture Teaching A Recipe for Success

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What is Culture?
Culture is a way of life. It is a shared
background of common customs, beliefs and values,
communication styles and language.
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Culture

• Central to learning
• Shapes the thinking process
• Defines modes of communicating receiving
  information
• Influences everything we say and do

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3 Key Workshop Ideas

• We all have cultural biases, most believing our
  own culture to be the best. We have all kinds of
  products that are fat free, or caffeine free,
  but people are not bias free.
• One culture is not better than another just
  different.
• To work well with children and adults, it is
  important to consider cultural differences not
  pretend that they are not there.

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Before you can understand others, you first have
to understand yourself!!
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Section I.Understanding Who You Are 3 steps
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Think of 5 Adjectives that effectively describe
who you are.
1st Step to Understanding YourselfSelf
Awareness Who are you?

• I am a(n) ________________
• I am a(n) ________________
• I am a(n) ________________
• I am a(n) ________________
• I am a(n) ________________

• White culture IS a culture.
• Society caters to white culture.
• Products tell us so

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2nd Step to Understanding YourselfSelf
Awareness How did you get that way?
Cultural Identity
Contextual factors
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3rd Step to Understanding YourselfSelf
Awareness What are your biases?
The Fringe Theory
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Labeling people

• We are taught to label as toddlers by sorting and
  classifying things we see.
• This extends into labeling people, as well.

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Labels are NOT facts!!!

• Labels are the basis for assigning education
  services.
• Labels are socially constructed ideas.
• Labels may promote stereotypes, discrimination,
  and exclusion (White Van example).
• Labels may suffocate our potential and the
  potential of others.

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Eliminating Bias

• Labeling can have negative effects on student
  motivation
• Self fulfilling prophecy
• Use reflection to help you monitor your biases

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Some Key Questions for Self-Reflection

• What are some areas in which you have biases? Be
  truthful with yourself.
• How have your earlier experiences impacted your
  present way of thinking, feeling, and behaving?
• Are there any ways that youve converted your
  insights into sources of growth?
• What will you do as an educator to promote
  cultural responsiveness and personal growth?

Take a personal snapshot of your biases for
examination.
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Begin slowly. Examine your biases.
If you cant take the bull by the horns, take the
cat by the tail.
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• Perception is reality unless you are smart.

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Perception vs. Reality

• In all arenas, our perception is reality.
• Our biases can influence our teaching, counseling
  and supervision if false perceptions are not
  examined and we do not reflect upon them.

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Presidential Illusion

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Crooked Lines?
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Glow Illusion Stare!
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Text Perception
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Fraser Spiral
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Camouflage
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Diversity is the norm!!!
Including Cultural Diversity
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Send your child forth into local schools.
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• One size does not fit all . . .
• not in clothing and surely not in education!

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Section II.What do we need to know and do?
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How do we meet the needs of all children?

• Culturally Responsive Teaching

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Culturally Responsive Teaching
Definition
Using the cultural characteristics, experiences,
and perspectives of ethnically diverse students
as conduits for teaching them more effectively.
(Geneva Gay, 2002)
Culturally Responsive Teaching and Young
Children A Recipe for Success
Culturally Responsive Teaching
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CRT Indicators
Content
The teacher.

• related the content to students prior knowledge

2. incorporated multicultural perspectives or
knowledge
3. Used more than one instructional strategy to
deliver the instruction
4. Used collaborative teaching strategies
Methods Matter Culturally Responsive Teaching
Content
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CRT Indicators
Content
The teacher.

• Supported and encourage multiple viewpoints to be
  expressed

6. Allowed students to express themselves
differently from the norm group
7. Addressed at least two different learner
preferences (e.g. visual, kinesthetic, etc.)
8. Allowed students to use a student chosen
mode of expression for products
Methods Matter Culturally Responsive Teaching
Content
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The Culturally Responsive Teacher
CULTURE
What students bring
Classroom Culture And Culture in the
Classroom
Classroom Environment
What teachers bring
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What is your role in a culturally responsive
environment?
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CRT Indicators
Environment

• The room arrangement is conducive for
  group/communal learning (e.g., desks are arranged
  in a circle or clusters).

• Textbooks reflect a
• wide range of ethnic groups.

• Textbooks and trade books examine topics from
  multiple viewpoints.

• Student work is
• displayed

Culturally Responsive Teaching
Environment
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CRT Indicators
Environment
5. Posters reflect diverse cultural and ethnic
groups
6. Print media examines issues within class,
ethnicity, and gender from multiple viewpoints
7. Broadcast media (including movies) reflect
diverse cultural and ethnic groups
Culturally Responsive Teaching
Environment
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Multicultural Environment Checklist

• Are there pictures of people hanging on the walls
  or bulletin boards representative of a
  multicultural society?
• Does the environment include a variety of
  culturally diverse books and language arts
  materials?

Diversity in the Classroom (Kendall, 1996)
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Multicultural Environment Checklist

• Does the curriculum as a whole help the children
  increase their understanding and acceptance of
  attitudes, values, and lifestyles that are
  unfamiliar to them?
• Are materials used representative of a broad
  variety of racial groups?

Diversity in the Classroom (Kendall, 1996)
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Engage parents

• Make the school culturally relevant to our
  parents.
• Communicate regularly with parents about
  instructional goals and student progress.

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In a Nutshell The Culturally Responsive Teacher

• Explores individual and family histories.
• Learns about the history and experiences of
  diverse groups.
• Visits students families and communities.
• Develops an appreciation for diversity.
• Promotes equity and mutual respect among students.

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The Lesson for Culturally Responsive Teachers

• Most people who make a
• difference in your life are not
• the ones with the most credentials, the most
  money, or the most awards.
• They are the ones,
• no matter what their job,
• who care.

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Make Every Moment Count

• They may forget what you said, they may forget
  what you did, but they will never forget how you
  made them feel.
• Carl W. Buecher

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Celebrate Successes!!
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Teacher Resources

• Delpit, L. (1995). Other Peoples Children.
  New York, NY. The New Press.
• Yolanda N. Padrón, Hersh C. Waxman, Héctor H.
  Rivera (2002). Educating Hispanic Students
  Effective Instructional Practices.
  http//www.cal.org/crede/pubs/PracBrief5.htm
• Ford. C.W. (1994). We Can All Get Along 50 Steps
  You Can Take to Help End Racism. New York, NY
  Dell Publishing.
• Gay, G. (2000). Culturally Responsive Teaching.
  New York, NY. Teachers College Press.
• Ladson-Billings, G. (1994). The dreamkeepers
  Successful teachers of African American children.
  San Francisco Jossey-Bass.
• Tatum. B. (1997). Why Are All the Black Kids
  Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? New York, NY
  Basic Books.
• Teaching Tolerance (www.teachingtolerance.org)
• Rethinking Schools (www.rethinkingschools.org)

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THANK YOU!