Being Culturally Responsive

We are all born, raised and enveloped in culture, and it is central to learning. It informs how we communicate with each other, the way we receive information and helps shape the thinking process of groups and individuals.

Culturally responsive teaching recognizes the importance of including students' cultural references in all aspects of learning, enriching classroom experiences and keeping students engaged.

Corona High School teacher, Marcos Torres, talks about being culturally responsive in his classroom.

Look For:

Marcos says that his brown skin is important in his teaching brown students. But what if you have white skin and are teaching students-of-color? Does it matter? Why or why not?
What is something that Marcos says that middle class Caucasian students often have as a result of their position that working class students-of-color often don't have as much?
How do networks help us professionally?
What is your best guess about what a "middle class classroom" looks like? What about an "executive elite" classroom?

Go Deeper:

Literacy with an Attitude: Educating Working-Class Children in Their own Self-Interest [1]

This short piece by Adrienne Mack is a review of Patrick Finn's book Literacy with an Attitude.

Reflect On:

What is "domestic literacy"?
What kinds of skills are taught in domestic/functional literacy?
What kinds of skills does the author believe are taught in middle and upper class schools?

Ready Resources:

Understanding Culture and Cultural Responsiveness [2]

Culturally Responsive Teaching [3]