What is culturally responsive teaching?
“It is an approach that
empowers students intellectually, socially, emotionally and politically by using cultural referents to impart knowledge, skills and attitudes” (Ladson-Billings, Gloria,1992).
It is based on the idea that culture is central to student learning because cultural practices shape the thinking processes. Therefore when we as teachers can understand how our students learn we can shape our teachings so the students can have better understanding.
There is a need for teachers to understand the different learning styles that aboriginal
students require to be successful and to develop an education system that
respects the cultures of all individuals. In our case one that respects the
different Aboriginal cultures, traditions and perspectives (Vetter &
Blimkie,2011). Unfortunately there is a lack of understanding of Aboriginal
people, culture and history in the Canadian population and also in the teacher
population. What are some things we need to do in order to support Aboriginal
students?
Ways to support our Aboriginal students
1. Open communication with parents of aboriginal students.
The residential school experience left a bad taste in the mouths of the elder aboriginal population. To the extent that they are opposed to the whole education system that exists today even though it does not resemble that of the residential
schools. It is imperative to have open communication with the parents of aboriginal students. We as teachers need to know how the students’ parents feel about their children getting an education. For this reason it is essential that teachers gain cross cultural skills so they can effectively communicate with the parents. This will give the teacher some insight into the students’ background, abilities and knowledge so they can understand how the student learns best.
2. Teachers have high expectations from every student.
Teachers should acknowledge that all students are valuable and all have important knowledge and experiences to share. This will help students develop a healthy self concept. Create an environment in which there is genuine respect for students and a belief in their capability.
3. Culturally relevant instruction
Learning should be diverse and incorporate different aspects of different cultures not just the white Eurocentric point of
view. For teachers now it is to try and include a Aboriginal cultural aspect into many different subjects. We should create a classroom that embraces cultural differences. This will allow every student to see that there is more
than one way to examine and answer many of the same questions. This will allow students to become active participants in their own learning. Educate students about the diversity of the world around them.
4. Teacher as a facilitator.
Teachers should develop a learning environment that is relevant to and reflective of their students' social, cultural, and linguistic experiences. They act as guides, mediators, consultants, instructors, and advocates for the students,
helping to effectively connect their culturally- and community-based knowledge to the classroom learning experiences. Get students to write about their own culture and share the stories with the class. Have them research somebody else’s culture in the class using the other person as a source of information.
5. Reshaping the Curriculum
We as educators need to critically think about what we are teaching. We can no longer teach about the Aboriginal people by dismissing them as savages that lived in teepee’s and scalped the white man. We need to take responsibility for including culturally relevant facts about Aboriginal education throughout the curriculum. To do this we should include issues and topics that are related to the backgrounds and cultures of all students. One way to do this would be to use
resources other than textbooks for study and create learning that is reflective of students backgrounds.
Resources
Assist Beginning Teachers website lots of links to relevant teaching practices information. http://assist.educ.msu.edu/ASSIST/school/principal/workbegintchrs/toolculturalresource.htm
The Knowledge Loom . Educators sharing and learning together. http://knowledgeloom.org/crt/index.jsp
PDF of Culturally responsive practices.
http://steinhardt.nyu.edu/scmsAdmin/uploads/005/119/Academic%20Interventions1.pdf
“It is an approach that
empowers students intellectually, socially, emotionally and politically by using cultural referents to impart knowledge, skills and attitudes” (Ladson-Billings, Gloria,1992).
It is based on the idea that culture is central to student learning because cultural practices shape the thinking processes. Therefore when we as teachers can understand how our students learn we can shape our teachings so the students can have better understanding.
There is a need for teachers to understand the different learning styles that aboriginal
students require to be successful and to develop an education system that
respects the cultures of all individuals. In our case one that respects the
different Aboriginal cultures, traditions and perspectives (Vetter &
Blimkie,2011). Unfortunately there is a lack of understanding of Aboriginal
people, culture and history in the Canadian population and also in the teacher
population. What are some things we need to do in order to support Aboriginal
students?
Ways to support our Aboriginal students
1. Open communication with parents of aboriginal students.
The residential school experience left a bad taste in the mouths of the elder aboriginal population. To the extent that they are opposed to the whole education system that exists today even though it does not resemble that of the residential
schools. It is imperative to have open communication with the parents of aboriginal students. We as teachers need to know how the students’ parents feel about their children getting an education. For this reason it is essential that teachers gain cross cultural skills so they can effectively communicate with the parents. This will give the teacher some insight into the students’ background, abilities and knowledge so they can understand how the student learns best.
2. Teachers have high expectations from every student.
Teachers should acknowledge that all students are valuable and all have important knowledge and experiences to share. This will help students develop a healthy self concept. Create an environment in which there is genuine respect for students and a belief in their capability.
3. Culturally relevant instruction
Learning should be diverse and incorporate different aspects of different cultures not just the white Eurocentric point of
view. For teachers now it is to try and include a Aboriginal cultural aspect into many different subjects. We should create a classroom that embraces cultural differences. This will allow every student to see that there is more
than one way to examine and answer many of the same questions. This will allow students to become active participants in their own learning. Educate students about the diversity of the world around them.
4. Teacher as a facilitator.
Teachers should develop a learning environment that is relevant to and reflective of their students' social, cultural, and linguistic experiences. They act as guides, mediators, consultants, instructors, and advocates for the students,
helping to effectively connect their culturally- and community-based knowledge to the classroom learning experiences. Get students to write about their own culture and share the stories with the class. Have them research somebody else’s culture in the class using the other person as a source of information.
5. Reshaping the Curriculum
We as educators need to critically think about what we are teaching. We can no longer teach about the Aboriginal people by dismissing them as savages that lived in teepee’s and scalped the white man. We need to take responsibility for including culturally relevant facts about Aboriginal education throughout the curriculum. To do this we should include issues and topics that are related to the backgrounds and cultures of all students. One way to do this would be to use
resources other than textbooks for study and create learning that is reflective of students backgrounds.
Resources
Assist Beginning Teachers website lots of links to relevant teaching practices information. http://assist.educ.msu.edu/ASSIST/school/principal/workbegintchrs/toolculturalresource.htm
The Knowledge Loom . Educators sharing and learning together. http://knowledgeloom.org/crt/index.jsp
PDF of Culturally responsive practices.
http://steinhardt.nyu.edu/scmsAdmin/uploads/005/119/Academic%20Interventions1.pdf