Culturally Responsive Teaching in Diverse Classrooms

April 2, 2013

Content Area Reading

Culturally Responsive Teaching in Diverse Classrooms

"Different languages and cultures are gifts in our classrooms" (Mraz et. al., 50). Teaching allows us a wonderful opportunity to embrace differences among ourselves and our students and create a community within our classrooms. One of the worst experiences I had as a child was being in a classroom and feeling as if my culture and beliefs were being unrepresented for eight months our of the nine month school year; black history month was the only time being black was even discussed. As a teacher, we have the chance to allow students to not only see themselves in the literature brought to the classroom, but other students as well. Reading can easily become universal; it is up to the educator to bring that diversity to the classroom.

Language is the first step into seeing into a culture that differs from your own. To often, students that struggle with the English language and differ culturally from the "American norm" are left to fail in a school system that is unwilling to embrace these differences. As teachers, we must accept and encourage this diversity to help build our classroom learning environment. Mraz et. al. speak of an American history teacher that avoids correcting grammar within class discussions because he feels that the importance should be put on understanding of the content being learned and not the way it is being said. I agreed 100 percent with this stance. To many times have I been in a classroom and seen students shut down after taking that leap and speaking their mind about something in class after they were corrected on there grammar. I think that students that already struggle with the English language are taking a huge step by participating in class, often because they may be self conscious about the way they speak. I think the worst thing a teacher can do is criticize a student on the way that they speak versus engaging the student in a positive way because they are involved.

As educators, we must continuously focus on engaging students in the transformative and decision making/social action approach. These approaches "help students understand diverse ethnic and cultural perspectives by providing them with ongoing opportunities to read about concepts and events, make judgments about them, think critically, and generate their own conclusions and opinions" (Mraz et. al., 55). By further engaging this process and allowing students to participate in different activities and projects that relate to these culturally important issues, you will allow students to put these concepts into socially relevant circumstances. When picking out books that are culturally inclusive of your students, some of the questions to consider would be:

Is this book good literature?

Is this book culturally accurate?

Are cultural issues presented comprehensively?

Are minorities relevant?

Are dialogue and relationships culturally authentic?