Discussion Prompt: Which characteristics of a culturally responsive teacher do you have

now? Explain. Which would you like to develop?

Post
When I reflect on my teaching and my impact as an educator, my students’ and families’ diverse cultures and
languages are often at the forefront of my reflection. I often feel that I am not as culturally responsive as I want
to be and that I am not doing enough to support my culturally diverse students. This week’s reading and
resources gave me some insight as to how I am culturally responsive and how I can grow.

As I read Gangstas, Wankstas, and Ridas: defining, developing, and supporting effective teachers in urban
schools, I really connected with some of the pillars outlined by Duncan-Andrade. I work hard every day to earn
the trust of my students and their families. I know that trust is not a given, especially since my culture and
background differs drastically from many of my families and students. I actively look for opportunities to build
trust and genuine relationships not only with my preschool special education students, but also with their
families. I know that one of the only ways to truly weave my students’ cultures into my teaching is to build
relationships with their families and begin to develop a deeper understanding of their cultures and customs. I
also connect with Duncan-Andrade’s ideas of duty and preparation. Teaching is a part of who I am, not just
what I do. I am constantly thinking about my students and my classroom; I wake up in the middle of the night
with ideas, I cannot walk through a store without finding materials for my students, my breaks are spent
prepping lessons and materials. Yet, while I strive to be a Rida, I know that I still have characteristics of a
Wanksta. I often know what I want to do to improve my cultural responsiveness, though I sometimes fail at
putting it into practice. I spend a lot of time building relationships with my families and learning about their
cultures and customs, however, I want to weave what I have learned deeper into my teaching and classroom. I
have started to incorporate my students’ cultures, though I feel I’ve only scratched the surface. While now it
takes conscious effort and careful planning to embed my students’ cultures into my everyday teaching, I hope
to someday find the process more fluid and natural.

While reading Learning Lakota, I was reminded that “culturally responsive curriculum represents a radical
departure from the usual approach to multicultural education. Instead of tacking cultural information onto
existing curriculum, it calls for embedding it into everyday lessons, building on students’ experiences and
making lessons relevant to what students already know.” I have begun to embed words in my students’ home
languages, and books and videos into my daily Circle Time routine. For example, my preschool students are
learning to count at home in their native language and I can “build meaningful bridges between what students
experience at home and what they’re taught in school” by bringing my students’ home language into our
calendar routine when counting. Part of the routine includes practicing greetings; I have found that this is a
wonderful opportunity to include culturally appropriate greeting rituals with my students.

I know I have a long way to go to make the transition from Wanksta to full Rida, and that the journey will be
challenging, but I know that my students will only benefit positively from culturally inclusive practices.

Responses

Hi Jessica,
I enjoyed reading your post, thanks for sharing. I often feel the same way when reflecting on my cultural
responsiveness as an educator. Through the readings, I too found that I definitely engage in some culturally
inclusive practices, though I also have a lot of room for learning and growth. In my preschool classroom, I
design my instruction around thematic units to help engage my students in meaningful learning. I also scaffold
my students' learning through the use of visuals and props, using these strategies as a precursor to graphic
organizers.

Hi Mandy,

I enjoyed reading your post and I admire your reflection and dedication to your students. I agree that
knowledge of your students and their backgrounds can be so powerful in teaching - when our students' basic
needs are not met, they cannot engage in meaningful learning. I love your statement about being a "cultural
role model" for students!