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Gloria Ladson Billings says culturally relevant pedagogy rests on three propositions: academic achievement, cultural competence, and socio-political consciousness.
Self-reflection and openness to new experiences and ideas are essential for culturally relevant teachers not only to leverage a student’s home culture, but to stave off the instinct to see differences as a deficit."

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There is no script for culturally responsive teaching because each group of students is unique. This article provides guiding principles to consider when creating diverse learning

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There can be no recipe or script for culturally responsive teaching because every group of families and children has differing backgrounds and their own unique needs, capabilities and interests. Early childhood teachers need to know about this diversity in order to adapt their practice to suit the cultural practices, beliefs and values of the child and their family, and to support all children to participate fully and maintain their cultural identities. This guide offers some general, research-based principles and suggestions to empower teachers, in concert with families, to discover different ways of dealing with issues of diversity.

Reflecting on oneself and one's own culture

It is not possible to be sensitive to someone else's ways of being and doing until you are sensitive to the impact of your cultural values, beliefs and practices on your own behaviour with children. Exploration of your own cultural and ethnic identity should be an ongoing and evolving process in which you reflect upon your upbringing and family values, your cultural beliefs and biases, and the assumptions around learning and childhood to which they lead. These assumptions and beliefs will influence your perceptions (for example, of children's competency or agency), as well as your practices (such as soliciting children's opinions). Be aware that the practices and principles that are currently valid according to mainstream culture are not universally true, but also the product of a cultural context.

Reflect on particular decision points or teaching practices and interactions with diverse families that you find challenging or uncomfortable, in order to uncover hidden values and beliefs.

Consider in what ways your practices and routines are influenced by dominant cultural practices, particularly in regard to eating, sleeping, toileting, communication, reading and play.

Notice how pedagogical and bureaucratic practices, for example, valuing children's independence (which marks some children as needy or deficient), or notions of parent partnership (which is not appropriate or easy for some families), privilege some families over others, and critically examine whether your perspective on 'quality' early childhood education needs to be adapted to incorporate diverse perspectives.

Reflecting on other cultures

While ethnicity and culture must be recognised as important in the identity of children and families, stereotypes must be avoided. Gain some knowledge about the cultures of the children and families that attend your setting as a starting point for understanding children and families, but be aware that there are many differences between and within cultural groups, and that cultural identities are complex, fluid and multiple.

Develop your cross-cultural competency by immersing yourself in real life experiences in order to develop connections and deep understanding, and take every opportunity to become involved in family and community events.

Find out about the specific practices, perspectives and beliefs of families, and aim to understand.

Appreciate different ways of viewing children's development, which doesn't mean discarding your own beliefs and practices, but instead stretching your knowledge and thinking to be open to possibilities that are not necessarily incompatible.

Use minority families' multiple meanings and perspectives to help you deconstruct practice and critically challenge the status quo and longstanding pedagogical practices and beliefs.

Developing positive attitudes towards diversity

Attitudes related to being comfortable and supportive of diversity are more important to developing cross-cultural competencies than becoming an expert on every possible kind of cultural practice and belief. Research finds that culturally responsive early childhood settings in New Zealand have high levels of respect for culture. Positive attitudes involve commitment to culturally responsive practices and to social justice, genuine interest and curiosity to learn about families' cultures and lifestyles, flexibility and openness to change, humility, empathy and sensitivity.

Develop positive environments which are inclusive, safe, caring and respectful, where difference is seen as normal and there is unconditional acceptance for all children and families.

Enact values such as welcoming, kindness, hospitality, taking care of and responsibility for others, and respect, and reinforce them daily: for example, you might have a teacher stand at the door as families arrive and as they leave, to secure an interaction with each family for welcome and farewell.

Share a belief that all children can succeed and see success as complex in regard to children and families' diversity.

Working with families as a valuable resource

Genuine and heartfelt, long-term relationships are a key priority for bridging cultural distance and disconnect, and for learning about home practices and beliefs. Research shows that teachers find it difficult to build appropriate knowledge of children from minority backgrounds without parental input. Use strategies such as appropriate verbal and non-verbal communication, attentiveness, respect, sincerity, home visits and invitations for genuine collaboration, and allow lengthy periods for getting to know each other. Be careful that surface appearances do not influence your behaviours, interactions or perspectives, and try to suspend judgement and accept what families tell you as valuable information.

Promote conversation and dialogue through careful use of time and space, and lots of cups of tea or coffee. Convey to families that you really want to understand, and focus on receiving and acknowledging families' perspectives rather than on projecting your own ideas, or trying to interpret the situation from your own cultural, philosophical and pedagogical standpoint.

Engage in discussions about values, sharing your own experiences, beliefs and values, and encouraging families to talk about their own values, perhaps using general knowledge about a family's culture as a basis for conversation. Weave families' values into the curriculum and negotiate goals, pedagogies and programmes. Aim for a paralleling of different perspectives that grants value to each, rather than attempting to merge minority views into the dominant culture or picking the 'best' way.

Acknowledge and address cultural inequities and disadvantage. Be aware of common areas of disconnect and try to be proactive in identifying the critical issues for families. Create opportunities to discuss these in ways that are respectful, non-judgemental and participatory.

Encourage families to play active roles in the setting. Don't pressure families to share or perform aspects of their culture, but focus on valuing the cultural practices of minority families and building confidence in families to share their practices with the setting's community.

Encourage families to participate in constructing knowledge about children, and in decision-making about children's learning and development through conversations or e-portfolio annotations.

Observing and analysing

Analytical approaches which incorporate both observation of children and dialogue with families can be useful to help guide the construction of a culturally responsive curriculum. Theoretical frameworks such as 'funds of knowledge' (which focus on practices that are passed on through families over generations and adapted to new situations) can support you to recognise, value and explore children's interests, skills, knowledge and learning embedded in their everyday practices, routines and activities at home.

Spend time observing what families do and how they talk about what they do, as well as who children are, how they think, what they value and everything they can do.

Respond to conversations initiated by children and ask children about their families, what they did over the weekend, and what they are interested in. Notice the ways children communicate: consider how they do or do not use humour, relate to other people, approach new tasks and react to praise.

Look out for children expressing their working theories about their culture, identity and language, and intentionally plan conversations and provocations to encourage children to share their thinking.

Consider themes of power and inequity when observing children. For example, note patterns in interactions which indicate social exclusion, and ways in which children are using culturally diverse materials.

Responding

Cultural responsiveness involves interpreting and delivering the curriculum in a way that is effective for each child and appropriate to their social and cultural context. This will involve applying deep and critical thinking, and adapting and modifying your approach to teaching and learning as your understanding of the unique and diverse needs of children grows. Recognising all children are different doesn't mean they need the provision of different experiences but rather that you understand the diverse ways they respond to shared experiences. However, basing curriculum on children's lives and building on the social and cultural capital of children, families and teachers will allow for greater multicultural significance in the programme.

Design learning experiences that position children as experts in relation to their particular interests and funds of knowledge from home, and enable them to utilise familiar learning strategies. Make pedagogical decisions that suit children's particular characteristics and learning preferences rather than a generic ideal.

Value playful ways of knowing and being to empower children's language, play and ideas, and to create space for them to explore their home and community funds of knowledge.

Offer various opportunities to learn, including learning through observation, trying things on their own, or with a partner or group. Support children's own strategies for managing interactions and activities in the setting, and encourage the use of cultural strategies (such as home language, social choices such as high respect for teachers, parental practices, and attitudes to learning such as persistence and commitment) as well as interactions and relationships with peers and teachers of a similar cultural and language background.

Negotiate caregiving routines sensitively and use culturally familiar language and cultural norms in interactions with children, for example, using humour, or using direct requests ('put on your coat') rather than indirect requests ('do you think you could put on your coat?').

See all aspects of the curriculum, including ideas of child-centred play and exploration, as open to challenge and reworking, and find relevant, local concepts for responsive curriculum and assessment.

Explicitly interrogate incidents of racism and cultural stereotyping, and engage children's curiosity regarding social and cultural differences and similarities through group dialogue, problem solving and inquiry.

Resourcing

Resources can be found in staff, management committees, children, and families. Teachers and families may have skills that they have not shared, and children too have a high capacity to direct their own learning and play and to support each other. Research shows that, while children's learning experiences depends on the use of the cultural tools of the family, these cultural tools are only employed if the early childhood setting environment is receptive to them. When children can find their family culture in the setting and apply their cultural tools, they are able to mix, transfer and borrow skills, values and knowledges in order to have their needs met and experience success.

Physical resources should be responsive and sensitive to families' cultures and heritages, and embedded into the daily programme, rather than relegated to a wall display that is rarely referred to, or an occasional celebration of a cultural festival. Books, images and posters show children what and whom is valued, so these should reflect and validate children's cultural identities to help children feel emotionally secure, as well as offer them a range of positive identities and possible futures. Be aware that children who are unfamiliar with any of the practices or activities of the setting may be marginalised as they don't know what they are supposed to do. Activities such as hand painting and sand play, or questioning and verbalising opinions, may be unfamiliar to children of particular cultural backgrounds, or children might have difficulty adapting to a self-directed play environment. Providing dress up costumes or food props related to different cultures will do little to mitigate this.

Invite families into the setting and personalise opportunities for them to get involved. Seek people in the community to teach children about a different culture or language, but don't place boundaries around what might be contributed by a visitor, and try to build sustained and reciprocal relationships rather than one-off events.

If you have a minority cultural background, implement your own cultural resources within the setting's programme.

Be careful not to celebrate superficial differences (such as food choices) and dig deeper to identify resources that support children's and families' funds of knowledge.

Employ staff from different cultural backgrounds, and particularly staff who share similar cultural backgrounds to the families that attend your setting. While encouraging children to use their home languages with teachers and each other, also intentionally learn phrases from children so that you can build on their linguistic skills during learning and teaching. Encourage children to teach each other their home languages.

Offer open-ended and manipulative materials for children to construct and express meaning in their own way.

Further Reading

Cooper, M., & Hedges, H. (2014). Beyond participation: What we learned from Hunter about collaboration with Pasifika children and families. Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood, 15(2), 165-75.

Durand, T. M. (2010). Celebrating diversity in early care and education settings: Moving beyond the margins. Early Child Development and Care, 180 (7), 835-48. doi: 10.1080/03004430802466226

Mitchell, L., Bateman, A., & Ouko, A. (2015). Teaching and learning in culturally diverse early childhood settings. Hamilton, NZ: Wilf Malcolm Institute of Educational Research.

Understanding the families you work with: Reflective questions to uncover cultural differences.

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Principles for culturally responsive teaching in early childhood education - THE EDUCATION HUB

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There can be no recipe or script for culturally responsive teaching because every group of families and children has differing backgrounds and their own unique needs, capabilities and interests. Early childhood teachers need to know about this diversity in order to adapt their practice to suit the cultural practices, beliefs and values of the child and their family, and to support all children to participate fully and maintain their cultural identities.

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Culturally Responsive Teaching Lathardus Goggins Ii Ed D

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This image demonstrates the components of Culturally responsive teaching and the understanding that students learn best when their experiences and cultural identities are included in the classroom.

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Culturally responsive teaching means using students’ customs, characteristics, experience, and perspectives as tools for better classroom instruction.

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Explainer: What is Culturally Responsive Teaching?

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Developing a Culturally relevant Pedagogy identifies the need for the school to adapt and modify instruction that consider the cultures of its students.

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Introduction to Culturally Relevant Pedagogy

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To meet the needs of our students, we have to know who they are and technology can help us create the connections.

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Creating a Culturally Responsive Classroom

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We can connect lessons to the language and heritage of our students, the lessons become more meaningful.

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How Culturally Responsive Practices Help Students Connect to School

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Schools that embrace culturally relevant and responsive instruction report higher levels of community engagement and academic achievement. Here are 6 ways to get started.

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6 ways to create a culturally responsive classroom

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A culturally responsive classroom is an encouraging and nurturing place for diverse students with different backgrounds and experiences.

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Culturally relevant Pedagogy should be applied in the teaching of mathematics.

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CULTURALLY RELEVANT PEDAGOGY IN MATHEMATICS: A CRITICAL NEED | Shelly Jones | TEDxCCSU

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Cultural competence is an ongoing process of learning, understanding, and respecting cultural differences. Students of different cultures should be provided with an inclusive and supportive environment.

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Cultural competence in education is more than just a trend. It's a valuable opportunity to transform pedagogy, institutional goals and procedures, and student-teacher relationships to create more inclusive classrooms.
Culturally competent education has proven benefits for students, institutions, and society as a whole. This blog covers what cultural competence is, the value of teaching cultural competence to educators at all levels of education, and specific strategies for implementing cultural competence in the classroom.
Cultural competence and community are two of Unity Environmental University's core values.
What Is Cultural Competence In Education?

Culture is the set of beliefs and customs shared by a group of people based on their geographical location and/or ethnic background. The U.S. is and always has been a country of many different cultures. Students and professors carry their cultural differences into the classroom with them. These differences can affect how people learn, how information is presented, how students interact with the professor and their peers, and more.

There are many examples of how cultural differences manifest in education:

In some cultures, prolonged eye contact with someone in authority like a teacher is considered rude.

In other cultures, not making eye contact with the teacher is considered disrespectful or a sign of being unfocused.

These are two completely contradictory beliefs about how to show respect in the classroom. This can create confusion or conflict for people with different cultural beliefs about eye contact.

Because cultural differences, big and small, affect learners and teachers in the classroom, cultural competence in education is key to fostering an inclusive learning environment. Cultural competence is more than sharing food and language. It's an ongoing process of learning, understanding, and respecting cultural differences.

Benefits Of Cultivating Cultural Competence In The Classroom

Cultural awareness in education is helpful to both students and educators. The benefits of culturally competent teaching students include but are not limited to:
The positive effects of education reverberate throughout society and the natural environment.

Enhanced mutual respect

Improved communication

A more supportive learning environment

Increased critical thinking and innovation

Teaching cultural competence can help make institutions and classrooms more welcoming and accessible to all types of students. This is especially beneficial to marginalized groups of people who may not always feel welcome in institutions that were historically discriminatory. Higher education is proven to have a positive impact on social mobility, so cultural competence in educational systems can potentially improve social mobility for marginalized groups.

Strategies For Teaching And Implementing Cultural Competence

Culturally competent teaching first requires educators to look inward at their own cultural identity, including any biases and privileges they may have. Awareness in the classroom can lead to deconstructing previously held beliefs and creating new, more inclusive ones. This can then lead to challenging any biases or exclusionary beliefs that others hold. Therefore, it's important for educators to be lifelong learners themselves and practice introspection.

Consider going to graduate school to expand your perspectives and gain up-to-date knowledge and skills. Many universities, including Unity Environmental University, have adopted inclusive pedagogies that recognize and respect the diverse cultural backgrounds of all students.

Integrating Multicultural Curriculum And Resources

Educators can incorporate a diverse range of cultural perspectives into their curriculum. Be intentional about selecting resources that represent a variety of cultures, histories, and contributions to foster a more comprehensive understanding of the world. This includes institutional materials, wall decorations for the classroom, and language used when interacting with students.

With curriculum, try to be as inclusive as possible without sacrificing the quality of education. Strategic instructional design can help schools create highly effective materials that are relevant and engaging to modern students. Incorporating experiential learning can also help students connect what they are learning in the classroom with how it relates to their own lives outside of school.
Ready To Learn More About Unity Environmental University?
Professional Development For Educators

All educators should have an understanding of what cultural competence is and how cultural differences affect learning. Professional development training is vital for new and veteran teachers in K-12 and higher education institutions. Workshops, seminars, and collaborative projects focused on cultural competence can build understanding and accountability for the effective implementation of culturally competent practices and materials.

Trainings can even be specific to certain areas based on the populations they serve. For example, a school with a large percentage of students from Somalia can make sure that teachers and staff have at least a basic understanding of Somali culture, including any cultural values around education. This can help teachers get to know students better and build more authentic relationships.

Unity Environmental University Is Committed To Integrating Cultural Competence In Our Education

Unity Environmental University values diversity and equity, and providing culturally competent education is one of the ways those core values guide our work as a higher learning institution. We also believe in the power of an educated society to address the social, political, and environmental challenges that face our planet. This is articulated in the Unity Environmental University vision statement of being "a multifaceted organization recognized as the thought leader in global ecological, economic, and societal solutions."

Cultural awareness in education will only become increasingly important as our society becomes more diverse and globally connected, and you can find Unity Environmental University at the forefront. We actively seek work from underrepresented demographics for learning materials in our courses. In subjects traditionally associated with the humanities, like communications, languages, media, and art, we often explicitly address cultural competence. Unity tries to avoid the trappings of diversity - without substance - by hiring Subject Matter Experts from diverse backgrounds to develop and iterate our courses.

Example Of Cultural Competence In The Classroom At Unity Environmental University

Zachary Falcon, Esq. is a Professor of Conservation Law and Policy at Unity Environmental University. During the 2024 January term, he taught the American Government: Foundations in Environmental Law class. There were concerns about discussions turning toxic and unmanageable during this time of increasing political polarization and the 2024 election year. He discovered that his students' cultural competence was high.

Professor Falcon remarked, "Though the students came from all walks of life, of different ages, backgrounds, and political affiliations, they showed each other boundless care and respect. In the very first discussion, a student explained that he had made the choice not to vote at all. As [one] might imagine, other students had a range of opinions about that stance, but each one made a point of demonstrating their respect for his choice and the integrity of his motives. Prior to the class, I was prepared to offer guidance on the need for civil discourse. Not only was my guidance unneeded, but the students demonstrated skills and competencies I wish more of us shared."

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What Is Cultural Competence In Education? Why It's Important

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Explore the importance of cultural competence in education, its benefits, and practical strategies to create inclusive classes.

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Cultural Competence: the ability to know ourselves, know our students and be intentional in our pursuit to be inclusive.

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I recently stumbled upon a social media thread that asked educators to post three words that they would tell themselves during their first year as a teacher. I found myself replying, "Learn them first". The "them" in my statement referred to the students who would spend the academic year learning and growing with me as their guide.

During my tenure in education, it has become evident that the more I know about the students, the greater my impact on their emotional, social, and academic well-being. Knowing intricate details of why they do what they do, holidays that they celebrate, their family structure, their cultural values and norms, allows me to exercise a level of cultural competence that proves beneficial to my students.

What is Cultural Competence?

As it pertains to the field of education, Diller and Moule, authors of Cultural Competence: A primer for educators, states, "Cultural competence focuses on the ability to successfully teach students who come from cultures other than our own. It entails developing certain personal and interpersonal awareness and sensitivities, developing certain bodies of cultural knowledge, and mastering a set of skills that, taken together, underlie effective cross-cultural teaching."

The average American classroom boasts a melting pot of students who come from various backgrounds with a plethora of beliefs. It is highly likely that teachers will have little cultural compatibility with at least 10% of their class. Therefore, in order for one to deem themselves an effective educator, they must possess more than content knowledge. They must have the ability to not only accept cultural differences, but to respect them and embed them into the core of the learning environment.

Likewise, leaders in education such as superintendents, district leaders, and school administrators must create working environments that are conducive to the melting pot of educators who grace our schools. We are far removed from the American educational system that was once comprised mostly of former white male coaches in leadership roles and white females as teachers. Gone are the days where the bulk of our schools and districts were segregated. Today's educational system is made up of a mesh of races, ethnic backgrounds, religions, and belief systems. All of which carry value and must not only be tolerated, but accepted in order to adequately prepare our students for productive living in our world.

The Importance of Cultural Competence in Teaching

Culturally competent teachers establish classrooms that are inclusive and celebratory of the things that make people different. These classrooms are rich in discussions of cultural differences and what is acceptable and unacceptable among groups of people. In environments that are fostered by culturally competent educators, differences are not regulated to be celebrated during an assigned month. They are acknowledged, discussed, and celebrated throughout the school term. Teachers who lack cultural competence leave greater room for intolerance and bullying to occur under their guidance. They are more likely to misunderstand students who are different from their cultural norm.

Additionally, teachers who are not culturally competent are less likely to build authentic positive relationships with the students and parents who reside outside of their "normal", thus preventing them from truly making a positive difference in the lives of the students who are assigned to their tutelage. In some instances, teachers who are not culturally competent will utilize office referrals as a means to address behaviors that they do not understand as opposed to nurturing differences and using them as teaching and learning opportunities.

Ways to Address Cultural Competency Issues

This land of opportunity that we live in is great in theory; however, it is in practice where we seem to fall into error. Much of this failure stems from our refusal to not only accept but also respect differences. Having culturally competent teachers in every classroom will assist in getting us to the point where theory becomes a way of life. We get there by first acknowledging that there is a deficit of culturally competent teachers in our classrooms, and then we tackle "the how". How do we address cultural competency issues in education?

Take a microscopic look at who we are. We must consider our values and the nuisances that make up our psyche. Did we come from a two-parent home? Were or are we currently a part of the low, middle, or high class? What are our religious beliefs? After pondering all of these things, we should consider how they shape how we respond and relate to others. We must recognize, accept, and improve when the microscope reveals that who we are is preventing us from accepting and understanding others who are not like us.

Be intentional in our pursuit to understand others. School districts spend thousands of dollars annually investing in our ability to understand and teach content standards. Only a small portion of that amount is allotted towards professional development for teachers to acquire the skills necessary to become culturally competent.

This lack of investment is evident when we consider the testimonials of teachers who maintain that although they teach, the students do not care to learn. Most educators would agree that they are most successful working with students whom they have developed an authentic relationship. The more authentic the relationship between student and teacher, the greater the likelihood that the student is receptive to receiving knowledge. Investing financial resources into professional development geared towards helping teachers connect with students who are dissimilar to them will help eliminate the disconnect that prevents students from receiving the education that is being offered.

Look for ways to be inclusive. Our schools should be inviting to the community in which we serve. Regardless if a parent is from a lower or higher tax bracket, the treatment that they receive should be the same. As educators, we should search for ways to make sure that our PTAs, boosters, volunteer lists, and others reflect the body of students we serve. It is counterproductive to have a student body that is made up of various races, income brackets, and religious beliefs to only have a select type of parent representative serve in key volunteer roles.

Traditional event scheduling and invitations to volunteer and participate may not yield the results we need in diversifying inclusion in our schools. We must think outside the box by using mediums such as social media, church gatherings, and celebration dates that are special to different groups to increase inclusiveness.

Competency in utilizing differences as leverage to develop productive human beings is a must. The learners who grace our classrooms deserve to be taught by culturally competent educators who strive to relate to them beyond the information that they are relaying from a textbook.

References
Diller, J.V. and Moule, J. (2005). Cultural competence: A primer for educators. Belmont, CA: Thomas Wadsworth.

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Cultural Competence in Education - TeachHUB

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I recently stumbled upon a social media thread that asked educators to post three words that they would tell themselves during their first year as a teacher. I found myself replying, "Learn them first". The "them" in my statement referred to the students who would spend the academic year learning and growing with me as their guide.

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A Chicago school adjusts their teaching practices to meet the culture of the students by including more culturally relevant texts.

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On the topic of cultural-competency training for teachers, Education Professor Carol Lee, a professor of education at Northwestern University, discusses both the need for it and common misconceptions. For more information visit: http://www.edweek.org/go/culturalsensitivity

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Culturally responsive teaching recognizes that culture is a powerful force in shaping how we see ourselves and the world around us.

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Most educators acknowledge that a one-size-fits-all approach to teaching is ineffective, and a more student-centered approach is necessary for student success. Culturally responsive teaching incorporates and centers unique student experiences and identities, supporting educators to build learning partnerships that result in increased student engagement and ownership of learning.

But what exactly is culturally responsive teaching?

Based on Gloria Ladson-Billings' 1994 culturally relevant pedagogy framework, culturally responsive teaching refers to an approach to teaching and learning that facilitates the achievement of all students by recognizing that culture is a powerful force in shaping how we see ourselves and the world around us. In a culturally responsive classroom, reflective teaching and learning occur in a culturally supported, learner-centered context, whereby the strengths students bring to school are identified, nurtured, and utilized to promote student achievement. When students feel seen, heard, and understood, they are more likely to engage in the learning process and achieve success.

Zaretta Hammond, in her book Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain, defines Culturally Responsive Teaching as "an educator's ability to recognize students' cultural displays of learning and meaning making and respond positively and constructively with teaching moves that use cultural knowledge as a scaffold to connect what the students know to new concepts and content in order to promote effective information processing. All the while, the educator understands the importance of being in relationship and having a social-emotional connection to the student in order to create a safe space for learning."

Components of Culturally Responsive Teaching

In Beyond Flesh-Colored Crayons: The Four Components of Culturally Relevant Pedagogy , Hammond lists the four key components for culturally responsive pedagogy as follows:

1. Affirmation - I recognize and accept you as you are. I understand and nurture your multiple identities and none of these aspects of you are in conflict to me.

2. Validation - Validate students' experience of the world by acknowledging the socio-political context we live in. Teach the truth about power, politics, history, and context in developmentally appropriate ways, and use these issues as tools of instruction and discourse.

3. Cognition - Use students' culture as a reference point for helping them understand concepts. This is where learning theory, neuroscience and culturally responsive teaching all meet up.

4. Processing - Help students "hold on to it." Learn about the neuroscience of information processing to support students in internalizing content to the level of automaticity. Call and response, music, movement, and storytelling are all culturally relevant ways to create neural pathways.

What Culturally Responsive Teaching IS / IS NOT

Culturally responsive teaching is:

a bridge between home and school life,

affirming of students' history and culture, and

centering student voices and learning styles in all lessons and classroom experiences.

Culturally responsive teaching is not:

confusing race and culture as being the same thing,

only about motivating students of color,

relying on a single method to engage students within the lesson,

mastering the details of every culture, and

just adding Black (or other groups') history to the curriculum.

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Culturally Responsive Teaching - National Equity Project

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When we attend to healing, we expand our ability for ourselves, our organizations, and our movements to evolve and grow. Learn why healing is capacity building!

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A comprehensive guide to cultural responsiveness and its connection to effective teaching.

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Reflection is a huge part of building an inclusive environment that supports the cultures of our students. This article helps you question your beliefs, attitudes and biases.

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It's almost impossible to ignore that K-12 classrooms in the U.S. are filled with students from increasingly diverse cultural backgrounds: race, nationality, religion, economic, etc. Many teachers, though, still aren't sure how to move from recognizing the diversity to creating a mutually responsive learning environment. In his presentation " Culturally Responsive Teaching: Key Principles and Practices," Dr. Ken Springer, professor of education and chair of the Department of Teaching and Learning at Southern Methodist University, explained why teachers should view diversity as an opportunity and what questions to ask to ensure they're building a culturally inclusive classroom.

How to build a culturally inclusive classroom

Question 1: What do I know?
Teachers should investigate what sources of diversity they have in their classroom. This can come from institutional knowledge about the students and their families, asking the kids questions about their culture as appropriate, talking with other teachers, and having conversations with the parents. The key is to not make assumptions but to do personal investigations.
Related: 3 tenets for developing cultural competency in schools
Question 2: What do I notice?
In addition to actively learning about students' backgrounds, teachers also need to make continuous observations. While some behaviors, like being deferential to authority figures, may be cultural, they could also be a part of the student's personality. Teachers need to get to know all aspects of their students.

Question 3: How do I feel?
Teachers need to constantly reflect on their own behaviors and any biases they have brought into their classroom. The idea is to understand how teachers might be reacting to different student populations and check their own attitudes and assumptions.

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6 questions to ask to build a culturally inclusive classroom

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It's almost impossible to ignore that K-12 classrooms in the U.S. are filled with students from increasingly diverse cultural backgrounds: race, nationality, religion, economic, etc. Many teachers, though, still aren't sure how to move from recognizing the diversity to creating a mutually responsive learning environment.

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Teachers should be provided training on cultural competence to better understand their own biases and stereotypical ideas and how they affect teaching practices.

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The murder of George Floyd has led to a movement to hold police departments and officers accountable. It's also an opportunity for educators to work on becoming culturally competent in a diverse society.

The National Education Association describes cultural competence as "having an awareness of one's own cultural identity and views about difference, and the ability to learn and build on the varying cultural and community norms of students and their families." The differences that make individuals unique are essential ingredients of America, part of our country's strength.

When educators fail to acknowledge their own biases and assumptions, the hindrance of a student's developmental process is inevitable. Having good intentions is not sufficient; the actions are what will be seen and felt by students. What one individual may perceive as innocent can have detrimental ramifications. Districts need to feel the urgency and race to end exclusionary practices by practicing the following:

R Recognize your own biases, ideas, and stereotypes of cultures that are different from your own.

A Admit/Acknowledge that there are differences in the treatment of people based on their appearance.

C Commit to being a part of the change that is needed in seeing that people are treated fairly.

E Educate yourself and others on cultural differences to gain more understanding.

No longer can administrators and staff steer away from cultural conversations. Cultural competence is more than just learning about the music students enjoy or understanding their slang. For individuals to become competent in another culture, they must first understand their own biases and stereotypical ideas. This recognition allows people to become more aware of their thoughts and actions towards others who do not look like them.

The opportunity is now for districts to address the reality of bias, stereotypes, and cultural differences for cultural competency. While Covid-19 and preparing for another school closure is necessary, so is the importance of cultural competency. If districts forfeit the opportunity to address injustice, the damage could be catastrophic.
Cultural Competence in Schools
Many classrooms are diverse as a result of either the differences within the student population or the differences between the teaching population and the student body. If cultural competency is to become an essential component of schools, training must be more than a single day. Checking off back-to-school professional-development boxes is insufficient to identify, address, and begin to resolve bias, stereotypes, and discrimination.

To begin, schools must shift away from the notion of culture as a celebration or event. Instead, schools should move to a view of culture as experiences, knowledge, beliefs, and values that affect the lives of everyone in the school building.

Gaining cultural competency will require a plan. Tight schedules and the need for pandemic-related preparations do not leave an abundance of time for cultural competency training. However, the time does allow for foundational discussions. School districts should provide training throughout the entire year.
Understanding Cultural Awareness

Know the Community You Serve - Teachers sometimes work in communities where they do not live. The biggest mistake with this practice is when educators fail to educate themselves about the community in which they serve.

I can recall a specific day when the main road into school was shut down. A teacher had difficulty navigating into work and asked for help getting home. As I led the teacher in my car through the parts of the city where our students lived, the teacher called my phone to make sure the route we were on was safe. I reassured the teacher the route was safe and continued to navigate through the city. Once we exited the city and the teacher was familiar with the area, I received a call thanking me for my help. I asked the teacher if this route was a route she would take in the future. The response was an emphatic no. In essence, the teacher was unwilling and afraid to navigate the same city streets as the population we serve.

There can be vast differences between hearsay about a community and the factual historical reality of the community. Fear should not be the driving emotion when serving a community. Asking questions and searching for answers to help better serve the community should be the prevailing mindset.

Identify Areas for Growth - Everyone has a past and upbringing that has shaped the way they view the world. Those experiences themselves are not negative, but when these experiences skew the way a person views others, an adjustment may be required.

A few years ago, a teacher entered my office upset about the disposition of a student. As the student stood beside the upset teacher, I began to listen to the teacher explain the incident. What was explained was the reality that the teacher was upset with the student's disrespectful attitude. I asked for more details about the perceived disrespectful nature of the attitude. The teacher described colloquialism, tone, and a lack of eye contact. At that moment I dismissed the student and explained that the student was not being disrespectful, but rather what the teacher was experiencing was the method of communication in which the student interacts with his community.

Educators must have an inner dialogue to determine what experiences have shaped the teacher's views of students. Districts must create space to have a broader discussion and be realistic about how teachers' individual bias encroaches on the rights of students. The space for a macro conversation for the district is necessary and must be accompanied with how cultural awareness is reflected in individual buildings.

Listen and Observe-What may seem as a simple task is rarely practiced. The beginning of understanding is listening. When one is constantly talking there is no room for listening.

In my early years as an educator, I served as dean of school culture. One responsibility of the job was to oversee school discipline in a predominantly black school. One classroom of 13 students included a white male teacher and one white male student. This particular student was involved in several incidents daily. One of his first comments was always, "no one understands, and no one listens to me." Everything came to climax one day. I had to mediate a situation between the student's parent and the teacher. What was uncovered in the meeting was the student felt no one understood him because he was white, and he did not feel welcomed in the school. As a school, we failed this student by not taking the time to listen to his needs.

Districts and educators fail at cultural awareness because listening has not been initiated. Listen to the parents, listen to the students, listen to your peers, listen to your staff. When what you hear corroborates what you see, act. Far too often districts fail to see because they fail to listen.

Develop Cross-Cultural Skills-One of the biggest mistakes made across cultures is the attempt to try to fit in. Fitting in leads to offensive words that can cause a strain in relationships.

Just last year I was in the school's main office receiving food from parents for a cultural celebration. One specific dish a parent made was heated to a high temperature. To show my newly acquired Spanish skills I uttered to the parent "mucho caliente." As I watched the front office staff gasp and show visible signs of discomfort, I knew I said something wrong. When the parent left the office I immediately asked, "Did I say something wrong?" I learned using the term "mucho caliente" to the opposite sex is offensive even though I was talking about food and not the parent. I learned a valuable lesson that day. Cross-cultural skills take time and an intentional effort rooted in understanding.

Cultural awareness is not only being aware of black students. Cultural competency is recognizing the differences in everyone represented in the school regardless of race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. Now is the time to lean into cultural competency to strengthen the relationships between the school and the community. Districts cannot assume staff understand cultural competence. Leaders must take the initiative to provide adequate space to discuss cultural differences and reestablish norms built on cultural competency. Talking about change is over. Now is the time for words to become actions.
George Farmer is an administrator at an elementary school in Camden, New Jersey, and a doctoral candidate in educational leadership at Capella University.

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