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Implementing Culturally Responsive Teaching into your classroom is crucial to ensuring that all students have a sense of belonging while also improving their academic achievements. To incorporate CRT into the classroom, you have to begin with getting to know your students in a deeper way. Go beyond just knowing about who they are as a learner and a student. Create connections with your students so there is a foundation of trust within your classroom. Learn what makes that student them. Ask about their culture, different traditions they celebrate in their families, etc. As a culturally responsive teacher, it is important that you embed student's culture into the classroom and daily lessons. As a future teacher, I would learn about my student's cultures and try to embed them into different lessons to make all of my students feel seen and validated. One of the most effective CRT strategies for the classroom is giving students choice in how they interact and demonstrate understanding of various content. This is very effective because allowing students to propose ideas or choose topics of interest allows them to feel creative and engaged in the material. I would also allow different styles of assessments. For example, they get to choose the type of assessment they use to show their understanding. This empowers their learning and makes them motivated to learn more and more importantly show what they know. Another effective strategy is incorporating deep culture and lived experiences into the classroom. For example, analyzing their favorite songs or books, or asking students to bring in culturally significant items proves to students that their own lived experiences and cultures are academic resources and can be used to teach others. The readings demonstrate that a sense of belonging directly affects a student's brain chemistry and ability to learn. When students enter a classroom that is negative and not supportive, their brain goes into a fight or flight mode, leaving little room for learning. Culturally Responsive Teaching improves both academic achievement and students' sense of belonging through fostering emotional security and holding high academic standards with an appropriate amount of scaffolding.

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Based on the readings, culturally responsive teaching has a big impact on students’ sense of belonging in a classroom as well as their academic achievements within the classroom. CRT allows students to have a space where they feel comfortable to be themselves and express their own opinions and ideas without the fear of being judged or being questioned for their ideas. It creates a space where all students of all backgrounds are welcome all of the time. There are many ways teachers can foster this type of environment in their classroom. Some of the ideas mentioned in the articles I agree with and want to implement into my future classroom, and some of the ideas I do not agree with and do not see myself using in my future classroom. One strategy I read that I could see myself implementing in my future classroom to create a culturally responsive classroom is involving families in the class through the use of newsletters and initial meetings. Newsletters are a great way to keep parents in the loop with what their child is doing in class and what we are learning about. I also think it is important to use families as a resource to get to know the student you are working with, so setting up an initial meeting with the families to have a conversation and get to know them and their goals for their child would be beneficial. It is important to get to know your students as a person, in addition to them as a learner. Find out their interests and their hobbies and learn about their home culture and home language. The more you get to know the cultures of each and every one of your students, the better off you will be in creating a culturally responsive classroom. One strategy that was mentioned in one of the articles that I do not see being effective in my future classroom is the use of calling on every student. The article talked about how you can call on students that may not be raising their hand when you are having a class discussion. While I agree it is very important to have every voice heard, I do not believe in cold calling and if there is a student that is not confident in answering or sharing, I do not believe that calling on them anyway will foster an environment where all students feel safe to take risks and be themselves.

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Culturally responsive teaching can improve both academic achievement and students sense of belonging by creating a classroom where students feel valued , respected, and connected to the learning process. In my future classroom,  I would intentionally incorporate students cultural backgrounds, personal experiences, and intersts into lessons so that learning feels relevant and meaningful. I believe one of the most effective strategies is providing multiple ways for students to demonstrate their understanding, since students learn and expressknowledge differently. I would also build strong relationships with families and create opportunities for students to share their perspectives, traditions, and experiences with their peers. When students see themselves reflected in the curriculum and know their voices matter, they are more likely to participate, take academic risks, and develop confidence as learners. A culturally responsive classroom not only supports higher achievement but also creates a sense of community, empathy, and belonging where students feel welcomed and capable of success. As a future teacher I want to make sure imsupporting the whole child and making them comfortable as possible no matter where their from.

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Based on the readings, culturally responsive teaching means creating a space where all students feel welcome, accepted, supported, and seen. By creating this space, teachers can help guide students towards becoming critical thinkers and learners. While this is not as much a strategy as it is a necessity, I do believe assessing my own behavior is especially relevant to my future practices. I do believe I am a very accepting and curious person, but holding myself accountable in my own biases is crucial in making sure my classroom is built to be a comfortable space for all students, learners, and thinkers. On the topic of holding myself accountable, the reading "The Ins and Outs of Effective Culturally Responsive Teaching" mentioned that teachers must 'do their homework', which I will also make certain I do each year which a new class of new students. By doing so, I can make sure I am avoiding assumptions, another tip from the reading "The Ins and Outs of Effective Culturally Responsive Teaching". Additionally, I can guarantee all cultures shared in my classroom are represented in various ways, and are displayed through the concept I know as windows and mirrors; all students should see themselves in the content, and see their peers in the content. Above all else, the most important strategy shared amongst all of the readings, is learning about your students. Teachers must know their students' backgrounds, learning types, interests, personalities, families, and minds. Many different approaches were mentioned for getting to know your students, but I think interviewing students, as mentioned in "Culturally Responsive Teaching: Definitions, Strategies, and Examples", makes the most sense for me. Having one-on-one time to ask the students questions and allow them the space to share freely, not only provides me with meaningful information to use in the creation of classroom procedures, but also allows me to deepen my relationship with the student by showing interest, asking questions, and sharing my opinions. While reading, I developed the idea of doing weekly "Independent Reading Interviews", where I could interview about 5 students a day for 5 minutes during independent reading times. This way, i am consistently building relationships, checking in, and showing I care rather than having a one and done interview that makes no effort in understanding my learners more. Additionally, I think using take-home letters to families, as mentioned in "Culturally Responsive Teaching: Definitions, Strategies, and Examples", is another approach that would fit into my future classroom. Mentioned within the reading "teaching Diverse Learners Using Culturally Responsive Pedagogy", collaborating with families to developing education plans for students is a beneficial way to work together with families, learn more about the student, and establish a relationship between teacher and parent that is built on trust. By using take-home letters, I am also displaying to families that I am a teacher who cares not only about the success of their child academically, but also in their growth as a human and member of society. Overall, culturally responsive teaching is a conscious and consistent decision teachers make for the betterment of their classrooms. Teachers make intentional decisions that allow students to work together, learn new things, and gain confidence that will carry them through the rest of schooling.

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Culturally responsive teaching aims to connect the content that students are learning with their unique backgrounds and cultures. I would use this in my classroom in a variety of ways, but one I read about in the articles was getting to know students and their backgrounds/cultures at the beginning of the year, so that students see you making an effort to learn more about them, and so you can tailor your teaching to what they need/are interested in. This would allow for you to integrate student interests, preferences and cultures into lessons and assignments. Another strategy I would use in my classroom would be providing media that shows a variety of cultures. This could be in read-aloud books, videos, or lessons. Being able to see themselves in what they are learning is key to success academically and socially. Similarly, one of the articles referenced using word problems that are relevant to students can make them more interested and successful during math. This helps the problems link to student interests and cultures, making them more invested in the math. By utilizing Culturally Responsive Teaching, students feel safe, welcome, and seen in their classroom. Being a culturally responsive teacher is key to nurturing a productive and positive classroom culture.

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Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRT) refers to an educational practice that recognizes and utilizes the cultural background and identities of the learners in the learning process. CRT involves developing an environment where students are made to feel valued, accepted, and involved in the learning process. In order to establish CRT in a classroom, teachers need to dive deeper and go beyond just learning their students on a basic level. According to the readings, some of the key elements of culturally responsive teaching include the ability to establish strong relations with learners, incorporation of various sources of information into learning, setting very high expectations for learners, and self-reflection by teachers. CRT also emphasizes the importance of involving students and creating collaborative environments within classrooms so that students feel valued in the learning process. An effective culturally responsive teacher develops lessons that are relevant to students' lives, promotes collaborative learning among the students in the class, and acknowledges the differences within the group of students. Listening to the students and making them comfortable enough to participate actively in discussions is another important aspect of culturally responsive teaching. It is through these strategies that teachers are able to acknowledge the strengths of their students.

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Culturally responsive teaching can do so much for a classroom, from creating a positive class culture to enhancing academic achievement, a CRT can do so much for the teacher and students. I love how the readings first mentioned that the need for inclusion is so important. One of my biggest beliefs in teaching is to make sure every student is seen and included and they mentioned that in the article many times, whether that be grouping different students together or giving them the chance to share new perspectives and knowledge, they need the teachers' support to create that inclusion. The sense of belonging in the classroom goes beyond the students just feeling good, it also affects their academic achievement. When CRT is used students' cultural background become a resource for learning, not just something left behind or neglected. The readings touched on how students can connect content to real issues in their community and when learning feels meaningful the students put in more effort. That connection between relevance and achievement is something I have seen firsthand in classrooms I’ve been around, and it is exactly why I think CRT is so powerful.

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Implementing culturally responsive teaching practices in a classroom can create a more welcoming classroom community. CRT can make a student feel more included in the learning experience and therefore, be a more engaged learner. CRT practices are also linked to closing achievement gaps between students of different cultures and backgrounds. In my future classroom I can incorporate culturally responsive teaching by putting in an effort to get to know my students. Knowing about their home lives, likes/dislikes, and more about their personalities will allow me to create a more inclusive space where everyone feels valued. One thing that the readings mentioned was incorperating students' cultures into their schoolwork. This can make students more engaged in the material since they are able to relate it to something they care about. I think that this is something that I can effectively implement into my future classroom since it can be as simple as incorperating a certain holiday or food into a word problem or even surrounding an art project around building a lantern for Chinese New Year, for example. Another CRT practice I can use in my classroom is teaching content in differing ways. This can include utilizing art, videos, readings, or playing a game. Teaching in a variety of ways can make students feel more at home in an educational setting and again, more likely to be engaged in their work.

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Culturally responsive teaching is a pedagogy that embraces all cultures and differences within a classroom. With culturally responsive teaching, teachers work not only towards a comfortable, judgment-free classroom but also to ensure that all students have an equal and fair chance to learn. In Kathy Deady’s “5 steps to becoming a culturally responsive teacher”, she explains that research shows that students are more engaged and learn more effectively when the topics they are presented with are in the context of their own experiences and cultural frames. Culturally responsive teaching works simultaneously to make students feel they have a sense of belonging in their own classroom and to engage them academically in relevant, real-world conversations. The REL FACT sheet explains the importance of building on students' own experiences. By doing so, students can truly engage and bring meaning to the lesson at hand. Constructively teaching students about their own culture, building on their experiences, and maintaining strong relationships with students and their families will, in turn, foster a respectful and responsive classroom. In the article from EducationWeek, “When students see their cultural backgrounds acknowledged and respected, they feel a sense of belonging, which positively impacts their learning experiences.” This can only go to show how important it is to redefine what it means to teach students of other backgrounds. Incorporating culture, language, traditions, and other experiences into your own curriculum will have a substantially positive impact on students, culturally diverse or not. Culturally responsive teaching is a student-focused, intentional approach that benefits students from all cultures and gives them the confidence they need to be engaged in their education

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Based on all four readings, it is clear that culturally responsive teaching can transform your classroom environment for the better, allowing your students to feel valued, represented and respected through your teaching practices. When students feel comfortable enough to ask for help and express themselves and their needs, they are much more likely to succeed academically and socially. Being a culturally responsive teacher means demonstrating a desire to adapt your teaching style to students can make them feel valued and important, it also shows them how communication should be open and used to uncover their learning needs and preferences. Once these needs have been discovered, it makes way for students to accomplish more and challenge themselves without continued frustration. It is impossible to be a culturally responsive teacher without getting the time to know your students as individuals. By giving a student a safe space to talk about whatever they'd like with their teacher, it provides an opportunity for that student to open up about themselves, personal interests, problems, or whatever that may be. Showing a genuine interest in each student on a personal level helps them feel like their place in the classroom is important and valued, and their opinions and feelings are heard and welcomed. Culturally responsive teaching links students’ lived experiences to classroom learning. When these differentiated strategies are used meaningfully, they help students access the curriculum while also making them feel valued, included, and connected to the classroom. Encouraging students to voice their opinions and question what is going on in our world shapes them into critical thinkers while teaching them that though we might disagree every conversation in the classroom is directed toward learning and growing, never criticizing or judging. Culturally responsive teaching allows educators to seek and break down barriers believed to cause determinants in student outcomes and majorly beneficial toward closing achievement gaps between students of different backgrounds and addressing inequities in the classroom in a way that empowers students rather than singles them out. Both researchers and educators have found that after implementing culturally responsive teaching tactics over extended amounts of time, there is evidence to show improved outcomes for students from marginalized backgrounds. Three studies of culturally responsive teaching pedagogy found improvements in student academic achievement as well as classroom behavioral management

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Based on the readings, I would incorporate culturally responsive teaching by getting to know my students' backgrounds, interests, and experiences and connecting them to classroom learning. I would create an inclusive environment where all students feel respected, valued, and represented in the curriculum. One strategy I think would be especially effective is using diverse books, examples, and activities that reflect students' cultures and identities. This helps students see themselves in what they are learning and increases engagement. Culturally responsive teaching can improve academic achievement because students are more motivated when learning feels relevant to their lives. It also strengthens students' sense of belonging by creating a classroom community where everyone feels accepted, heard, and appreciated.

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Based on the readings, culturally responsive teaching plays an important role in the classroom. It makes a great impact on students' sense of belonging in the classroom. It is essential to build those strong relationships with the students and their families by learning more about where they come from, their cultural backgrounds, and their lived experiences to connect instruction to their lives and make it more meaningful. You should involve families in the learning to connect school life to home life, so students can continue to learn and grow while they aren’t at school. It is also important to start the school year off by getting to know the students' backgrounds, such as their interests, learning styles, hobbies, etc. As the teacher, it is always important to make the learning engaging and meaningful for the students, so making those connections to the students' interests will help keep them engaged. Allowing students to collaborate with their peers if they are struggling and giving students different ways to participate and show their learning, geared towards their strengths. Using materials and resources such as books and historical figures from different cultures in your lessons is a way to incorporate this into the classroom. Having students make connections between their lives and the curriculum can help to make the learning meaningful. Overall, the goal of CRT is to create a space where all students feel seen, heard, and welcomed in a safe environment and set them up for success.

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Based on the readings, culturally responsive teaching is about creating a classroom where every student feels respected, represented, and valued. It goes beyond recognizing students’ differences and instead sees them as strengths that contribute to learning. When students see their identities, cultures, and experiences reflected in the classroom, they are more likely to feel a sense of belonging and become engaged in their learning.

One of the most important aspects of culturally responsive teaching is building meaningful relationships with the students. Before teachers can effectively teach their students, they must take the time to learn about their backgrounds, interests, cultures, and learning preferences. In my future classroom, I would prioritize relationship-building by regularly checking in with students and creating opportunities for them to share their experiences (perhaps in a morning meeting?). I believe students learn best when they know their teacher genuinely cares about them.

Another strategy I would implement is ensuring students see themselves represented in the curriculum through diverse books, perspectives, and learning materials. The concept of "windows and mirrors" stood out to me because it allows students to see themselves reflected in their learning while also learning about others' experiences. This helps students build both confidence and empathy.

The readings also emphasized the importance of partnering with families. Families can provide valuable insight into their children's strengths, needs, and cultural backgrounds. In my future classroom, I would communicate regularly with families through newsletters, conferences, and other forms of outreach to build strong relationships and support student success.

Overall, I believe culturally responsive pedagogy is a commitment to creating an inclusive and supportive learning environment where every student feels seen, heard, and empowered to succeed.

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Based on these readings, I would define Culturally Responsive Pedagogy as differentiating the classroom to create a welcoming, accepting, no-judgement space that acknowledges the interests, experiences and identities of every student. It creates an atmosphere where each student feels valued, comfortable, seen. It means to allow students space to bring in knowledge their culture or their personal experiences as a part of the learning process. This kind of teaching is student-centered and relies on connections with the students. In order to incorporate culturally relevant aspects into your lessons, you need to know the students and make the space for them to share about themselves. The teacher can use their knowledge of the students in order to put the lessons into context that is relevant and engaging to them. It acknowledges differences in an educational way. Everyone learns differently and culturally responsive teaching takes into account their language, cultural background, interests and experiences in order to attempt to make learning relevant and interesting to each student. As "The Ins and Outs of Effective Culturally Responsive Teaching" explains, making the content reflect the students should be ongoing and consistent throughout the year, working it into all components of their education. One way I would support students in their different learning strategies is to present learning in a variety of ways, such as visuals, connections to something familiar, hands-on tasks, and other mediums. It builds a sense of community in the classroom, making the students feel like they have a significant place there. In fostering this sense of community, it also improves academic success because students feel comfortable and open in that space. One strategy from the readings that seems little but could go a long way is changing the names and activities in word problems to reflect your students. Although this seems like a simple thing, students will feel more connected to the lesson and feel a part of their classroom. According to "Culturally Responsive Teaching: Definition, Strategies & Examples", this strategy contributed to an increase of over 44% in test scores. It can help create that sense of belonging in the students. Building this environment does not only require differentiating learning strategies, but also differentiating content based on the students as people. A strategy from the reading that I would use to help achieve this is giving surveys to the students in order to get their feedback, interests, as well as allow them to express their best learning styles. This would allow the students to shape their learning. Education should be about the students and culturally responsive classrooms are meant to help students best be able to use their strengths while also relating it to their interests and experiences. It is shaped by the students and will look different for every classroom. Getting to know your students is imperative in achieving this. Another strategy that I really value is providing student choice. This gives students the room to express their thinking in the best way for them. It makes the content engaging and less daunting, allowing them to really absorb new learning. As a future teacher, I would use these strategies to create an environment in which students can bring their experiences, interests and cultures into their learning to enhance their education. I would want each student to feel that they are valued and that their contributions to the classroom matter. Learning is the strongest when students are seen as their individual selves, are comfortable bringing personal experience into classroom discussions without fear of being judged, and when content is contextualized to them.

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I would incorporate the key ideas from these readings into my own classroom by creating an environment where students feel represented and comfortable to share their lived experiences, as well as using a student-centered approach to promote learning. The readings highlight the need for culturally responsive teaching (CRT), which embraces students’ cultures and relates them to classroom learning. It’s not only important for teachers to asses their own behaviors through having an open mindset, but to also get to know their students on a deeper level so that their cultures can be represented. I believe that one of the most effective strategies to promote CRT in the classroom is to integrate students’ interests and cultures into learning directly. Contextualizing word problems through using the student’s names, referencing different cultures, and linking them to student interests allows for students to feel recognized and valued in the classroom. It also makes learning engaging by relating concepts such as math to topics that are interesting to students, therefore learning is able to become fun and exciting. Additionally, providing students with choice allows them to directly incorporate their culture into learning by being able to showcase their strengths and background knowledge. This also increases students’ confidence by centering learning around their experiences, thus providing a sense of belonging. This welcoming environment improves academic achievement through making learning engaging and meaningful to students, thus CRT is essential to incorporate into the classroom.

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There are so many things mentioned in these readings that I would incorporate into my own classroom. One of the biggest ones that stuck out to me is the concept of just constantly getting to know students and making them feel valued and seen in the classroom. That may mean changing the way I teach from the previous year and being constantly reflective upon myself and my own teaching adapt when necessary, depending on the students’ needs. I think the most effective strategy to make sure students feel seen is to constantly incorporate their culture into the classroom. I could do this in a variety of ways. For example, a guest speaker can bring awareness to a holiday or a tradition, or speak about something culturally specific during morning meetings. Additionally, the reading speaks about doing something as simple as mentioning a student's name in a math word problem. Culturally responsive teaching improves both academic achievement and students’ sense of belonging because when students feel valued, seen, and loved within their classroom. When teachers know how to differentiate appropriately and utilize the concept of translanguaging, they are providing their students with the materials they need to succeed academically and socially.

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Culturally responsive teaching is about creating a space for students where they feel very supported, welcomed, and heard. When this kind of space is created for students, it enhances their critical thinking and allows them to learn more successfully. I believe that this is because students feel more comfortable making mistakes and asking questions while learning material. When I become a teacher and have my own classroom, it will be my number one priority to make sure every student feels welcomed and supported by one another. In the article, it stressed the importance of teachers having an understanding of their students and allowing them to share personal experiences to create inclusion in the classroom. Without doing this, it will have an effect on their academic achievement. The reading also discussed how students are more engaged and learn more effectively when instruction is presented in their cultural and personal experiences. Students will also respect you and each other more when they have the opportunity in class to learn about everyone's cultural backgrounds. Making sure language, traditions, holidays, and any other personal cultural experiences give the students the confidence to be true to themselves and be academically successful and engaged in the classroom.