Zaretta Hammond's approach to Culturally Responsive Teaching is inspiring. I appreciate how she outlines the differences in clear terms between Multicultural Education, Social Justice Education, and Culturally Responsive Pedagogy. As with every other topic we've studied in our Innovative Learning program, it's about the mindset, mostly of teachers first. If we want to truly improve our students' learning, we need to not just mention challenging issues or try to include everyone. We need to dig deeper to where we are "reducing the predictability" of who struggles in our classes (National Equity Project).
It's difficult to improve our students' growth mindsets to help them through the Learning Pit (James Nottingham, 2010) without understanding their cultural backgrounds. Much of the world comes from collectivist cultures, as opposed to individualistic cultures. As we leverage this knowledge, we can help our students "become leaders of their own learning" (Hammond, 2014). I'm curious, now, about how I can incorporate this learning with some of my students who are beginning to "slip through the cracks." We have a great rapport and I know I currently can push their learning, but now I have much to think about in planning for this upcoming week.
5 Comments
Kirsten Fouquet
11/11/2019 01:33:33 pm
When planning for students that we already know are struggling, I think it is important to consider where their strengths are and how we can build those strengths in the context of what we are teaching. If they work well with other students build in more collaboration with peers if possible. I feel the same way though, trying to push these already struggling kids is not an easy task and has to be done carefully.
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Jeremy Smith
11/11/2019 03:22:41 pm
I can relate to your feeling of having more to think about to plan for the coming week. Arghhhh! There's just so much to think about when you are a teacher, right? It's like every day at school is an extremely complex dance where you have to get every step right, or else you'll kick yourself at three the next morning, while lying awake in bed, reflecting, for not having done it. It's here where I agree with you that it's about teacher mindset. If you are coming from a culturally responsive mindset, you are more likely to get those steps right. But that's not enough, right? It's not enough to want to be culturally responsive. You have to learn strategies that aim at this. You are on the right path with growth mindset. Kirsten had a good idea on how to field "erroneous" responses in her blog.
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Tracy Moskowite
11/12/2019 05:27:06 am
I was amazed as well as to the clear definitions between the different teaching. I know how you feel in the last paragraph I wonder how to identify those students.
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Joel
11/12/2019 11:18:54 am
Agreed. Teacher mindset can be the key to reaching students. I am finding that exposure is the key for teacher success. This is one of the reasons I am enjoying our Masters program. Exposure gives us new ideas and experience that we can pass along to our students. As I move forward in my career, being stagnant is something that I will always keep in my mind.
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Peter Abboud
11/27/2019 07:33:52 am
I love growth mindset. I think shifting kids' thinking as well as leveraging the relationships you have with them go a long way.
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