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The Hate at School Report is a publication that compiled data on hate and bias incidents in schools across the US.  These researchers found a surge in racism and bigotry in schools after the 2016 election, calling this trend the "Trump Effect".  They took in data from media reports of incidents and surveys of educators and found alarming statistics.  They found that most of the incidents reported by teachers were not addressed by administrators and did not end in any discipline.  Also that fewer than 5% of the incidents were covered in the media.  Most of the incidents were related to racism or anti-semitism, but anti-LGBTQ and anti-Latinx issues were also prevalent.

The report presented their data and gave shocking examples of these incidents and then moved to examine how educators can reduce these incidences in schools. The strategies that they present contribute to meeting the justice and action standards in the Teaching Tolerance Anti-Bias Framework. They emphasize that educators need to address these issues in their classrooms and teach the importance of upstanding. This will help develop the justice standard of recognizing unfairness and the action standard of knowing to stand up for others.

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In 2018, we reported a disturbing number of incidents involving identity-based slurs, hateful symbols, bigotry and the harassment of children in school. This hostility reflects what's happening outside school walls and in our political and social media culture.

Hate at School 2018 supplements news reports from 2018 with a survey conducted by Learning for Justice, then Teaching Tolerance, in December that asked educators to describe incidents involving hate symbols or the targeting of others on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, immigration status, gender or sexual identity. This report analyzes responses to help better understand the types of hate incidents that are occurring in schools, where they happen, who is most often targeted and how schools are responding.

We cannot simply ignore these problems.

To ensure all students are safe from harm, school leaders must take vigorous, proactive measures to counter prejudice and to promote equity and inclusiveness. They must act swiftly and decisively to address all incidents of hate and bias when they happen, with a model that emphasizes communication, empathy, reconciliation and support to those who are harmed.

Educators must be supported in these efforts. The current administration has only fueled the problem-through the president's behavior and by rescinding guidance for school leaders-so state leadership is more important than ever. Click here to contact your governor and demand that state officials take the needed steps to protect our kids and counter hate and bias in our schools.

A complete listing of the survey comments is available here.

In New York, a middle school student writes in a textbook that he will lynch the black husband of a white teacher.

In Illinois, white elementary students call black students apes and monkeys.

In Minnesota, a middle school student tells a Latinx child that his mother should be in jail with all the illegal immigrants.

In Massachusetts, a 10-year-old Muslim girl gets a note saying, "You're a terrorist. I will kill you."

In Oklahoma, a fifth-grader draws a swastika and writes "white power" on his hand.

"A student taped a piece of paper with a swastika on my classroom wall. This was a couple days after the shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue, and I am Jewish."

-Educator report, Washington

Something ugly is happening in America's schools.

And it's not going away.

Three years ago-during and immediately after the presidential campaign-we documented a surge of incidents involving racial slurs and symbols, bigotry and the harassment of minority children in the nation's schools. We called this phenomenon the "Trump Effect," because it appeared that children were emulating the racist, xenophobic and coarse language Donald Trump was using on the campaign trail.

Indeed, teachers told us in two informal surveys that in many cases Trump's name was invoked, or his words parroted, by children who were harassing others based on their race, ethnicity, religion or sexual orientation. They noted a disturbing uptick in incidents involving swastikas, derogatory language, Nazi salutes and Confederate flags. Teachers reported that children of color were worried for the safety of themselves and their families.

Now, reports of hate and bias in school emerge regularly in the news media. Captured by cell phone cameras or described on social media, disturbing incidents-slurs, graffiti swastikas or chants of "Build the wall!" aimed at Latinx athletes-travel swiftly from schools to the front page.

In recent months, several such stories have caught the attention of audiences nationwide. In Baraboo, Wisconsin, dozens of male high school students, almost all white, were seen giving a Nazi salute in a prom photo. In Idaho, elementary school staff dressed up as Mexicans and Trump's wall on Halloween. At an elite private school in New York City, a video went viral showing two sixth-grade girls wearing blackface and swinging their arms around like apes. There have been numerous stories about African-American or Latinx athletes being taunted by white students.

The reality is that while these media reports pop up with alarming regularity, they represent just a tiny fraction of the hate and bias incidents that educators are encountering in the classroom.

For this report, we identified 821 school-based incidents that were reported in the media in 2018. By comparison, the K-12 educators who responded to a new questionnaire reported 3,265 such incidents in the fall of 2018 alone.

We Found That:

More than two-thirds of the 2,776 educators who responded to the questionnaire witnessed a hate or bias incident in their school during the fall of 2018.

Fewer than 5 percent of the incidents witnessed by educators were reported in the news media.

Racism appears to be the motivation behind most hate and bias incidents in school, accounting for 63 percent of incidents reported in the news and 33 percent of incidents reported by teachers.

Of the incidents reported by educators, those involving racism and antisemitism were the most likely to be reported in the news media; anti-Latinx and anti-LGBTQ incidents were the least likely.

Most of the hate and bias incidents witnessed by educators were not addressed by school leaders. No one was disciplined in 57 percent of them. Nine times out of 10, administrators failed to denounce the bias or reaffirm school values.

The picture that emerges is the exact opposite of what schools should be: places where students feel welcome, safe and supported by the adults who are responsible for their well-being.

But schools are not hermetically sealed institutions. They are not immune from the political and socioeconomic forces gripping our nation.

In fact, this outbreak of aggression aimed primarily at students of color and LGBTQ children reflects what is happening outside school walls. Hate crimes are rising. The president himself engages in childish taunting on social media and is shattering the norms of behavior observed by generations of American leaders. And the racism, bigotry and misogyny of a virulent white nationalist movement are being parroted by mainstream political and media figures.

Schools cannot simply ignore these problems.

To ensure students are safe from harm, educators must take vigorous, proactive measures to counter prejudice and to promote equity and inclusiveness. And they must act swiftly and decisively to address all incidents of hate and bias when they happen, with a model that emphasizes communication, empathy, reconciliation and support to those who are harmed.

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In 2018, we reported a disturbing number of incidents involving identity-based slurs, hateful symbols, bigotry and the harassment of children in school. This hostility reflects what's happening outside school walls and in our political and social media culture.

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As a future mandatory reporter, it is very important to remember to "check yourself" as the video says. This means that before reporting on any possible abuse situations, you should ensure to check for any cultural or socioeconomic biases in your judgment. Not taking biases into account will cause issues like disproportionality and disparity.

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Traverse City Area Public Schools Community Resource #2

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Traverse City Area Public Schools Community Resource #2

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TCAPS provides this link for students struggling with stress and anxiety. The Mindfulness Center of Northwest Michigan is a local organization that provides tools and trainings to help develope mindfulness-a skill that allows you to navigate stress with more clarity and ease. They provide affordable courses based on income and offer additional financial assistance. This resource is very helpful for the rising number of students dealing with severe stress and anxiety. Many families cannot afford traditional therapy or counseling, but need additional support outside of a school counselor or social worker. Educating students on tools that can help manage their anxiety will allow them to perform better academically and experience less school-related stress.

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View Full List of Classes and Online Registration HERE
Mindfulness Center of Northern Michigan (MCNM) is associated with Northern Michigan Psychiatric Services PC. Together they are dedicated to the education and enrichment of mindful living for residents of northern Michigan and beyond. Thanks to Zoom, we are able to serve individuals from all around the country.

Mindfulness is a powerful tool, helping one develop a different relationship towards stress and the ability to more skillfully navigate through life's inevitable challenges. This practice of moment to moment awareness and waking up to one's life with clarity and deeper insight untaps essential inner resource for living a happier and more balanced life... with greater contentment, inner peace and ease.

It is the mission of M.C.N.M, to offer affordable and accessible for Adults and Teens, regardless of socioeconomic status. In partnership with the Northern Physician's Organization NPO, the Mindfulness Center of Northern Michigan is able to offer Flexible Tuition Options for all classes - based on your financial comfort level, so that no one is turned away due to financial hardship! You will be able to select a price that fits your current financial needs within the Online Registration Page (see class page and registration above.) Should you require further financial assistance - you are welcome to contact us to make these arrangements at 231-342-9634.

What is Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction - MBSR?

Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction or MBSR is an 8-week, evidence-based program that offers secular intensive mindfulness training to assist people with a host of stress-related physical, emotional and psychological conditions. Along with ongoing practice throughout the week, this class trains attention and cultivates awareness, providing one with positive coping tools needed to become strong and resilient in both body and mind.

This is a hybrid class and is being offered in-person as well as online via Zoom.

MBSR classes includes:

MBSR is a psychoeducational and highly experiential in nature. In addition to didactic teaching, classes are interactive and dynamic, using a combination of mindfulness meditation, body awareness, yoga and the exploration of patterns of behavior, thinking, feeling and action. The MBSR program helps us become aware of our habitual patterns of reacting and the self-agency to interrupt this cycle and create more choice in our life. MBSR offers us the potential to relate to ourselves, our experiences and the world around us with fresh perspectives and in new and more meaningful ways.

MBSR was founded by Jon Kabat Zinn in 1979 out of the University of Massachusetts. Since then, there has been a tremendous amount of research coming out of U-Mass, Harvard, Brown, UCLA, Stanford, UW-Madison and numerous other institutions around the world providing insight into, not only how MBSR positively benefits the body and mind, but also how it changes the structure and function of the brain through positive neuroplasticity.

This evidenced-based practice, deeply rooted in psychology, science and Far Eastern practices, has over 40 years of research and neuroscience demonstrating the profound ability to positively impact the health and well-being of body and mind. Over 1000 studies have shown that regular practice and mindful living can enhance attention, focus and memory, decrease symptoms of anxiety, depression, OCD, ADHD, PTSD, decrease self-harming and addictive behaviors, increase emotional stability and balance, improve mood and optimism, improve communication, social and relational skills, decrease the risk for disease, and reduce symptoms of diseases of both body and mind - enhancing overall immunity.

You will find a plethora of this research at the American Mindfulness Research Association www.goamra.org

Viktor Frankl, a Psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor, explains how mindfulness teaches us to pause and bring moment to moment awareness to our thoughts, emotions and bodily sensations in the face of unpleasant stimuli; permitting us to calmly choose to respond thoughtfully instead of simply reacting habitually to life's inevitable challenges. Most of us, are unaware of this space "between stimulus and response" because we get caught in our habitual patterns of reacting to life.

"Between stimulus and response there's a space, in that space lies our power to choose our response, in our response lies our growth and our freedom." Victor Frankl

What is Stressed Teens... or Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction for Teens MBSR-T?

MBSR-T otherwise known as Stressed Teens is a modified version of the adult Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction MBSR class designed specifically for adolescents. This 8-week class is modelled after the class by Jon Kabat-Zinn and was created by Gina Biegel in 2004 to meet the specific developmental needs and modern-day stressors of today's teen. Classes are limited in size and are highly interactive, engaging, educational and experiential. Teens will learn a number of different tools and healthy coping strategies for stress management and emotional regulation. They will be engaged in mindfulness activities, reflections, group discussion and mindfulness practices including mediation, yoga, and other forms of informal practice to integrate into their everyday lives.

This is an in-person class.

Classes include:

8 - Stressed Teens Classes (1 1/2 hours)

Stressed Teens Workbook

Journal

Materials and Supplies for Group Activities

Wendy Weckstein PT, MEd is the Director of Wellness at Northern Michigan Psychiatric Services, PC. She is an Educator, a Physical Therapist, a Certified Wellness Consultant, and a Certified Teacher of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) through Brown University's School of Public Health and the Brown University Mindfulness Center. Wendy is also certified in Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction for Teens (MBSR-T), otherwise known as Stressed Teens.

Wendy has a daily practice of meditation and yoga and has been involved in Healthy Living and Wellness Programming personally and professionally for over 20 years and has created numerous programs for Healthy Living within residential and out-patient settings in northern Michigan. In addition to teaching MBSR for adults and teens, Yoga and Meditation Classes for adults and teens, and Healthy Living and Mindfulness Classes for pre-teens, Wendy provides customized wellness programming and health and wellness evaluations for children, adolescents and young adults.

Wendy believes strongly in the power of regular exercise, good nutrition, proper sleep, thoughtful use of technology and mindfulness practice; and regularly speaks to the community and to other clinicians about the importance of integrating healthy living skills and mindfulness practice into one's life in order to decrease the risk for disease and improve overall health and well-being of body and mind.
View Full List of Classes and Online Registration

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Mindfulness Center of Northern Michigan, LLC

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View Full List of Classes and Online Registration HERE Mindfulness Center of Northern Michigan (MCNM) is associated with Northern Michigan Psychiatric Services PC. Together they are dedicated to the education and enrichment of mindful living for residents of northern Michigan and beyond. Thanks to Zoom, we are able to serve individuals from all around the country.

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Traverse City Area Public Schools Community Resource #1

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Traverse City Area Public Schools Community Resource #1

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This community resource is extremely helpful for TCAPS students and families facing food or housing insecurities, and many other adversities. The Student Support Network page on their website provides many local organizations contact information that can help with rent, utiities, shelter, or food. There are also additional resources available including extracurricular funds, assistance obtaining a drivers licence, transportation, school supplies, and academic support. This can be so helpful for students because these adversities will have a huge negative impact on their learning ability. Community resources like these will help lesson the impact of poverty and insecurity, giving students the best chance at academic success.

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Click here to contact the coordinated entry call center for help
Who is Eligible for Services?

SSN serves students ages 3 - 20 in all schools throughout the school district. The SSN program works behind the scenes helping students to remain in their current school, maintaining school stability, as often as possible and when it is in the best interest of the child.

Any student who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate overnight residence (at any time during the school year) is eligible to receive services. Students may be found living in the following situations:

In a shelter, motel, vehicle, camper, or campground

Temporarily sharing the housing of friends or family ("doubled-up") due to economic hardship

Unaccompanied youth living on their own, without a parent or guardian

Inadequate accommodations (lack of electricity, heat, plumbing, or overcrowding)

Abandoned buildings, or on the street

Students who are couch surfing, staying with friends

Displaced due to natural disaster or fire

School staff involved in identifying students in transition include the on-site specialist, bus drivers, food service staff, counselors, school social workers, teachers, secretaries, administrators, parents, students, or by word of mouth. Once identified, students can begin receiving the services they need in order to stay in school and obtain the education they need.

Services Available

Support with school choice option

School supplies and/or backpacks

School transportation via school bus, BATA or gas card

School breakfast and lunch at no charge

Before and after school mentoring

Academic support and tutoring

Assistance in obtaining school records, including birth certificates and immunization records

College admissions support, registration, FAFSA, scholarships, etc.

Clothing for school purposes

Personal hygiene products

Assistance with obtaining a driver's license (Roadmap to Success Program)

General funds for extracurricular activities or interests

Referrals for housing, mental health, counseling, medical, transitional living, resources, job training, work programs, post-secondary education counseling, and training, etc.

Community Resources Quick Links

Food Assistance

Housing Assistance

Rent Assistance

Utility Assistance

School Rights You May Not Know You Have

If you live in any of the following situations:

In a shelter or on the street

In a motel or campground

In a car, park, abandoned building, bus or train station

Couch surfing/doubled up with other due to loss of housing, foreclosure, eviction or economic hardship

Inadequate living accommodations (i.e. overcrowding, lack of plumbing, heating, or electricity)

Youth living on their own, without parent or legal guardian

You may be eligible for services, including:

Transportation to school

School breakfast or lunch at no charge

Free school supplies

Academic support and tutoring

Help getting school records, including birth certificates and immunization records

Referrals for housing, health care and food

Referrals for other services

You also have the right to:

Enroll in and attend school, no matter where you live or how long you have lived there

Continue attending the same school after experiencing loss of housing, or transfer to a new school

Receive transportation assistance, if possible

Receive school meal programs

Receive Title I services

School Rights Posters

Learn more about the Northwest Michigan Coalition to end youth homelessness:
www.endhomelessnessnmi.org/youth

Staff Contact Information by Building

District

Katie Kubesh
Student Support Network (SSN) Coordinator
McKinney-Vento District Liason
Regional Grand Coordinator
Foster Care Liaison
KubeshCa@tcaps.net
Office: 231.933.1789

Traverse City High School

Amber Ochoa
Student Support Network Specialist
231.933.1779
ochoaa@tcaps.net

Traverse City Central High School

Haley McDonald (M/W/F a.m.)
Student Support Network Specialist
231.933.7589
mcdonaldha@tcaps.net

Traverse City West Senior High School

Haley McDonald (T/Th/F p.m.)
Student Support Network Specialist
231.933.7589
mcdonaldha@tcaps.net

Traverse City East Middle School

Sara Sovis, LMSW
Liaison
231.933.7348
sovissa@tcaps.net

Traverse City West Middle School

Kathryn Baumann
7th Grade Counselor/Liaison
231.933.8288
baumannka@tcaps.net

For all TCAPS Elementary Schools the contact in your building is your School Social Worker.

Blair: Misti Warner, LMSW, 231.933.5705, warnermi@tcaps.net

Central Grade: Lauren Kiella, LMSW, 231.933.5952, kiellala@tcaps.net

Cherry Knoll - M/Th/F: Mary Beth Peters, LMSW, 231.933.8990, petersma@tcaps.net

Courtade - T/Th: Jill Wicksall, LLMSW, 231.933.5833, wicksallji@tcaps.net

Eastern: Mary Wright, LMSW, 231.933.5932, wrightma@tcaps.net

Eastern - M/T/W/Th: Kendra Kearney, LMSW, 231.933.5688, kearneyke@tcaps.net

Long Lake - Th/F: Jessie Kilpatrick, LMSW, kilpatrije@tcaps.net

Long Lake - M/T: Mary Beth Peters, LMSW, 231.933.7838, petersma@tcaps.net

Montessori: M/W/F (a.m.): Jill Wicksall, LLMSW, 231.933.8533, wicksallji@tcaps.net

Silver Lake - M/Th: Kristin Sulecki, LMSW, 231.933.3590, 231.714.4549 (calls & texts)
suleckikr@tcaps.net

Silver Lake - M/T/W: Jessie Kilpatrick, LMSW, 231.933.3543, kilpatrije@tcaps.net

Traverse Heights - T/W/Th/F: Gretchen Evenhouse, LLMSW, 231.933.3543, evenhousgr@tcaps.net

Traverse Heights: Esther Voisin, LLMSW, 231.933.3543, VoisinEs@tcaps.net

Westwoods - T/W/F: Kristin Sulecki, LMSW, 231.933.3590, 231.714.4549 (calls & texts), suleckikr@tcaps.net

Willow Hill: Jacqueline Glikman, LLMSW, 231.933.7838, glikmanja@tcaps.net

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Click here to contact the coordinated entry call center for help SSN serves students ages 3 - 20 in all schools throughout the school district. The SSN program works behind the scenes helping students to remain in their current school, maintaining school stability, as often as possible and when it is in the best interest of the child.

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This source emphasizes the importance of establishing ground rules for classroom discussions in order to foster respectful, informed, engaged, and thoughtful discourse. The strategy they discuss that stood out to me the most was establishing these ground rules in collaboration with the students. They note that you will often find that the students will come up with ground rules you might not have thought of. They also give some example ground rules such as respecting the speaker, listening carefully, and keeping an open mind, and others that gave me great ideas for my future class.

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Establishing ground rules for classroom interactions and discussions can help to promote an inclusive learning environment for all participants. Such ground rules are especially important when discussing controversial or otherwise challenging topics. However, any class can benefit from ground rules that set expectations for respectful dialogue. Establishing such ground rules at the start of the semester provides a common framework that will be very helpful if it becomes necessary to talk with the class, or with individual students, about any conduct that could be negatively affecting the learning environment.

If you have a small class (e.g. 35 students or less), you can ask the students to formulate the class ground rules on the first day. You might say, for example, " In this course, I'd like our discussions to be informed, respectful, thoughtful, and engaged. What are the ground rules we should follow to make this happen?" Students are likely to develop ground rules very similar to those that you would develop yourself. However, if they have a hand in developing these ground rules, students will be more motivated to stick to them throughout the semester.
Sample Classroom Ground Rules
(may be adapted for different courses, levels, topics etc.)

Show respect for others as individuals by learning and using their preferred names and pronouns (Preferred Name Policy)

Respect the speaker, even when you do not agree with or respect the point the speaker is making.

Listen carefully; do not interrupt-even when you are excited to respond.

Try not to generalize about groups (even groups with which you identify) and do not ask another person to speak as a representative of a group.

Keep an open mind-enter the classroom dialogue with the expectation of learning something new. Look forward to learning about-and being challenged by-ideas, questions, and points of view that are different than your own.

Do not "monopolize" the conversation; give others a chance to contribute to the discussion.

Support an atmosphere of learning and growth. Approach discussion as a means to "think out loud." Allow others (as well as yourself) to revise and clarify ideas and positions in response to new information and insights.

Bring out ideas, perspectives, or solutions that you think are not yet represented or haven't yet been adequately discussed.

Support your arguments with evidence. Be honest when you are not sure if you have enough evidence to make a strong argument or when your thoughts about a topic are still speculative or exploratory.

Try not to make assumptions; ask questions to learn more about other perspectives, especially those that are different from your own.

Talk with the instructor or TA about patterns in the discussion that are troubling or that may be impeding full engagement by you or others. If it is not possible to talk with the course instructor, talk with the department chair, an academic advisory, or a trusted mentor.

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Establishing Classroom Ground Rules - Center for Teaching and Learning

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Developed in collaboration with the Washington University Standing Committee on Facilitating Inclusive Classrooms Establishing ground rules for classroom interactions and discussions can help to promote an inclusive learning environment for all participants. Such ground rules are especially important when discussing controversial or otherwise challenging topics. However, any class can benefit from ground [...]

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Cornell University gives a concise guide to the most important aspects of establishing classroom ground rules. They emphasize how the teacher needs to communicate their expectations and limits for the students. They need to share why they have the expectations that they do, and explain the consequences that come when those expectations are met. These reserachers also not how important it is to come up with norms collaboratively. Similarly to what they describe, I would like to establish the ground rules in my classroom by first sharing my list of expectations, and then allowing the students to add their own.

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Getting Started with Establishing Ground Rules | Center for Teaching Innovation

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Establishing classroom norms sets the tone of a class, provides clear guidelines on how to behave, decreases instances of incivility, and enables students and lecturers to feel safe expressing their ideas or points of views. Below are just a few techniques instructors have used when establishing and…

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Culturally responsive pedagogy is a teaching method that takes a student's cultural background into account. The teacher helps them learn more effectively by respecting, appreciating, and supporting their culture and tailoring instruction to their backgrounds, prior knowledge, and interests. I selected this topic because developing my cultural understanding of my students will be vital to my success as a teacher. I learned that there are many dimensions of equity in education and culturally responsive pedagogy is an essential aspect of this.

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Strategies to Support Culturally Relevant Pedagogy

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Strategies to Support Culturally Relevant Pedagogy

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The simplest strategy to support culturally relevant pedagogy is to evaluate your classroom materials and ensure they cater to students with unique cultural backgrounds. For example, make sure you have books that concern diverse topics and issues, and that are written by authors with different ethnic backgrounds. Another strategy is to connect your lessons to relevant contexts. For example, give real-world examples of problems that students can relate to based on their backgrounds and experiences. I chose these strategies because they are relatively easy to implement and will help me make my teaching relevant to all of my students' cultural backgrounds. Connecting with my students in this way will allow me to reach and teach all of them effectively.

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Over the past few decades, students, their experiences, upbringings, and backgrounds have changed. Classrooms now reflect families of varying races, cultures, and socioeconomic statuses. As a result, the way teachers educate these students must change, too, says Cherese Childers-McKee, assistant teaching professor in Northeastern University's College of Professional Studies. One of these shifting approaches to education is known as culturally responsive teaching.

Below, we explore the concept of culturally responsive teaching, compare it against traditional teaching models, and offer a number of strategies that you can use to incorporate the approach into your own methods.

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What is culturally responsive teaching?

Culturally responsive teaching, also called culturally relevant teaching, is a pedagogy that recognizes the importance of including students' cultural references in all aspects of learning. Traditional teaching strategies emphasize the teacher-student dynamic: The teacher is the expert and adheres strictly to the curriculum that supports standardized tests while the student receives the knowledge. This teaching method is outdated, Childers-McKee says.

"Teachers have more diverse classrooms today. We don't have students sitting in front of us with the same background or experience, so instruction has to be different," she says. "It needs to build on individual and cultural experiences and their prior knowledge. It needs to be justice-oriented and reflect the social context we're in now. That's what we mean when we talk about culturally responsive teaching."

Culturally Responsive vs. Traditional Teaching Methods

Culturally responsive teaching can manifest in a number of ways. Using traditional teaching methods, educators may default to teaching literature by widely accepted classic authors: William Shakespeare, J.D. Salinger, and Charles Dickens, for example, adhering to widely accepted interpretations of the text.

Culturally responsive teaching, on the other hand, acknowledges that there's nothing wrong with traditional texts, Childers-McKee says, but strives to include literature from other cultures, parts of the world, and by diverse authors. It also focuses on finding a "hook and anchor" to help draw students into the content using their past experiences.

"This way, students can see themselves in some of what they're reading and not just the white, western world. The learning is more experimental, more hands-on," she says. "Instead, you're showing them a worldwide, multicultural community and looking for different interpretations while relating it to what it means for society today."

Why is culturally responsive teaching important?

Culturally responsive teaching is especially pertinent today because the traditional education path from school to college to a career and life in the suburbs isn't a reality-or desire-for everyone, Childers-McKee says. Educators' approaches to teaching need to reflect these differences.

"That typical, mainstream education is not addressing the realities of today's students. Culturally responsive teaching isn't just for those students who don't come from white, middle-class, English-speaking families-it's an important teaching strategy for everyone. When done the right way, it can be transformative."

When integrated into classroom instruction, culturally responsive strategies can have important benefits such as:

Strengthening students' sense of identity

Promoting equity and inclusivity in the classroom

Engaging students in the course material

Supporting critical thinking

Here's a look at five culturally responsive teaching strategies all educators can employ in their classrooms.

5 Culturally Responsive Teaching Strategies for Educators

1. Activate students' prior knowledge.

Students are not blank slates, Childers-McKee says; they enter the classroom with diverse experiences. Teachers should encourage students to draw on their prior knowledge in order to contribute to group discussions, which provides an anchor to learning. Taking a different approach to the literature that's taught in classrooms is one example of this.

2. Make learning contextual.

Tie lessons from the curriculum to the students' social communities to make it more contextual and relevant, Childers-McKee advises. "If you're reading a chapter in history class, for example, discuss why it matters today, in your school, or in your community," she says. "Take the concept you're learning about and create a project that enables them to draw parallels."

3. Encourage students to leverage their cultural capital.

Because not all students come from the same background, it's important to encourage those who don't to have a voice. Say, for example, you teach an English class that contains ESL students. It's important to find ways to activate the experiences they do have-their cultural capital, Childers-McKee says.

The teacher may choose a book for the class to read in which the ESL students could relate and feel like they could be the expert, for instance. As a teacher, Childers-Mckee's once chose a book that told the story of a child of migrant workers because some of her students came from an agricultural background.

"When you have a mixed classroom, you want those in the minority to feel like they are an expert. You want to draw from their experiences," she says. "I do caution that you don't want to cross a line and make 'Johnny' feel like he needs to speak for all Mexican people by putting them on the spot, for example. That's a line you need to walk."

4. Reconsider your classroom setup.

Take inventory of the books in your classroom library: Do they include authors of diverse races? Is the LGBTQ community represented? Do the books include urban families or only suburban families? Beyond your classroom library, consider the posters you display on your walls and your bulletin boards, too. "These are all small changes you can make to your classroom more culturally responsive," Childers-McKee says.

5. Build relationships.

Not all students want to learn from all teachers because the teachers may not make them feel like they're valued, Childers-McKee says. Teachers need to work to build relationships with their students to ensure they feel respected, valued, and seen for who they are. Building those relationships helps them build community within the classroom and with each other, which is extremely important, she says.

"When we think about culture and diversity, people often automatically think about black students, but people need to think broader than that, now," Childers-McKee says. "Some teachers whose students are all white and middle-class struggle with how culturally responsive teaching strategies apply to them. It's equally important for them to teach students about diversity. These aren't just teaching strategies for minorities, they're good teaching strategies for everyone."

Educating for the Future

Educators have the unique power to impact the lives of their learners. Making use of thoughtful, inclusive instruction can have positive effects on students that last far beyond their time in the classroom.

Employing culturally responsive teaching strategies is a small step toward enacting meaningful change in education. If you're interested in leading your organization toward positive change on a larger scale, earning an advanced degree is one way to gain the necessary knowledge and skills to do so.

Pursuing a degree, such as a Doctor of Education , will empower you to address the challenges currently facing education and improve the learning experience. Students of the program work with industry-aligned faculty on real-world organizational issues, allowing them to have an immediate impact on their professional environments.
To learn more about how an EdD can further your career while improving students' educational experiences, explore Northeastern's Doctor of Education program page, or download our free guide below.

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Culturally Responsive Teaching: 5 Strategies for Educators

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Culturally responsive teaching values students' cultural references in all aspects of learning. Here are five strategies to bring to the classroom.

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I selected this topic because I have worked with many disabled students as a paraprofessional and the topic of inclusion is very important to me.  Inclusive education in regard to special needs means that students with various disabilities are able to participate fully in the academic and social aspects of school with peers who do not have disabilities. Inclusivity also means valuing and supporting students from various racial, ethnic, religious, and socioeconomic backgrounds.  I learned about how important it is to promote inclusivity both academically and socially, and how this practice will positively impact the learning environment.

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Strategies to Support Inclusive Education

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Strategies to Support Inclusive Education

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I can implement these strategies in my own classroom someday in order to reach and teach all of my students. Inclusivity is so important to consider because the classroom continues to grow increasingly diverse in every aspect. I chose to learn about this topic and the strategies I can use to achieve an inclusive classroom because it will be essential to connecting and building relationships with future students; and making them feel comfortable and welcome in the learning environment.

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Center for Research on Learning and Teaching

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Setting the tone for inclusion: crlt.umich.edu