Relationships Matter
Culturally responsive teaching provides opportunities for collaboration at every level. The most important collaboration occurs between educators and students working towards the same goal. The first step in creating a supportive classroom culture is getting to know the families represented in your classroom. This can happen through conversations, observation, or family questionnaires. The more educators set out to learn students as a whole, the more students feel cared for, seen, and valued. Progress towards an equitable and community-oriented classroom starts with educators being motivated to learn about their students.
Relevancy=Increased Engagement & Motivation
Learning must be made more accessible and relevant to students. By learning from each student’s unique cultural voice, the learning environment is made more relevant for all learners. When students have the freedom to express their own voices in a classroom they feel a sense of empowerment which causes them to take ownership of their own learning.
Representation is Key
As educators, it is our duty to ensure that all students are represented throughout our classrooms. From the posters on the walls to the text selections in the classroom libraries, students must be able to see themselves in our classrooms. We cannot expect to empower students without helping them to explore who they are and how they relate to the world around them.
We Must Cultivate Global Citizens
As educators who strive to teach global awareness skills, we must remain open-minded and provide multiple opportunities for students to embrace their own culture as well as others represented within their local community and their world. Students need to be equipped with the tools necessary to be successful global citizens. This means that we need to prepare our students to be aware of other’s cultures and to approach learning with thoughtfulness and empathy. This type of learning helps to break down barriers and empowers students to be agents of change.