Culterally Relevant Pedagogy

In my school system, there is much diversity along with students who have their own cultures and traditions that are done with their families. For my school currently, I honestly am uncertain of any culturally relevant teaching taking place in the science department. However, a colleague of mine in the social studies department has shard a book called making curriculum pop. This book primarily gives teachers a way of teaching the same content they always teach but doing so in a more engaging and interactive way to increase student’s motivation and participation. However, it is also helpful in giving ideas to determining how to bring up topics that relate to a difference in culture. In terms of school wide PD, we did talk about the difference between macro and micro aggressions as a school. What was neat about this experience is that three students got to share their own personal stories about the different micro and macro aggressions they have experienced as both young children and as teenagers in the public-school system. It was a real eye opening experience and it allowed for us as a staff to improve the culture we have in our own school system and how that in turn can make the classroom dynamic better for all students.

A way that I have incorporated this into my instruction is when the Big bang theory opened up the fourth unit of the school year. Students have different opinions and beliefs about how the world came to be and all of my colleagues told me to be careful about this subject matter because it has and can cause conflict due to the controversial topic. With this knowledge in mind, I chose to teach that lesson anyway and when I used the approach of “look guys everyone is this room has a mind and beliefs of their own. With this in mind, I am not asking any of you to believe in this but I am asking you to just be aware it is an example of how the world came to be but it is not the only explanation.” Furthermore, I discussed how the JFK assassination has numerous conspiracy theories and same with that you do not have to believe in any of those. However, you still need to know that these exist. This approach went well with my kids because I was not pushing my opinions and beliefs on them just asking them to keep an open mind that this explanation for how the world came to be is one of many explanations.

In other units, I could use this type of teaching in my genetics unit to talk about the role of a genetic counselor when talking with couples and family members of the genetic profile of the patient in question while abiding by patient confidentiality under HIPPA regulations.  

References:

Ladson-Billings, G. (1995). Toward a theory of culturally relevant pedagogy. American Educational Research Journal, 32(3), 465–491.

Ladson-Billings, G. (2001). Crossing over to Canaan: The journey of new teachers in diverse classrooms. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.