Culturally Relevant Teaching Academy

A few years ago there was a bias againt youths. Elderly and aged members of our society believed that youth had no endurace and would not complete anything. I had to explain the disconnect was because the projects selected/ given werer not of their choice and thus there was no buy-in to ownership and completion. Letting students choose and plan their own projects creates ownership which leads to completion as their accomplishment.

As an ESOL teacher, I have seen how my ELs are sometimes at a disadvantage with some teachers who have deficit perspectives for ELs. These kinds of teachers will not help EL students; when I meet these teachers, I have to try to take away that stigma by sharing the wealth of knowledge these students bring to the table besides academics. It is not an easy task nor comfortable, but we have to share how we put students at a disadvantage when we don't believe they can make it because they are immigrants. 

The classroom has many lessons. In it, there are students who have expectionalities. I have created opportunities to allow them the learn as much they can at their pace. I have allowed students to understand that they are equal and that everyone does not learn at the same pace. I have had encounters where students are treated unfairly because of their cultural background. So I create an atmosphere where they learn to collaborate using their strength as a spring board to enhance the teaching and learing process.

As an ESL teacher, I have seen a handful of situations that disadvantages certain groups. Assumptions about certain students or group of students is often done. This is due to the lack of professional development that is needed to ensure culturally diverse students are treated without bias. It is important that we not assume what a student should or should not know and we cannot use our prior perceptions based on their identities. Education is key and I strongly believe that with the proper training educators we can fight and dismantle such practices.

Yasmine,

I could not agree with you more.  Education is the key that opens many door not just for our students but also for us as educators.  Professional development is needed.  When there are opportunities for training that are not mandatory, we would all be better to explore these options.  Each student deserves a good education.  It is our responsibility to learn what that looks like and to deliver it.  Thank you for sharing.

I agree. I have also seen first hand the treatment of students because of their cultural background.  You are absolutely correct we need to proper training to prevent this. Education is for all children and children should feel safe in the environment in which they are learning

Having a Project Based Classroom grants me many opportunites to observe group dynamics.  It is interesting that these opportunities not only points out my personal biases but those of other students.  I check myself, think, recalibrate, and advocate for those that are being the recepient of different types of cultural biases.  Gender, class ranking (freshman, etc), academic status, nationality, gender identity, travel experiences, disability, social and economic status --- can you believe there are so many different types of biases?  We have to come to work each day firing on all cylinders.  This means getting enough sleep, eating properly, checking our stress, and getting the needed training in this area.  Thank you for these trainings.  It could not have come at a better time!

Hmmmmm, I am big on learning as a group. While teaching at a private school an Arabic student refused to sit in a group with all girls. Long story short, his family didnt approve of boys having close contact with girls even in a school setting. Parents and I had a friendly discussion surrounding my concerns. Issues resolved.....

We must all learn to tolerate and accept the cultural differences within the classroom without limiting another person's cultural practices.  

This highlights why communication is critical to avoiding conflict regarding culture, and fortunately for you there was no personal bias that lead you to just believe the young man was just a troublemaker. At times children from other cultural backgrounds are viewed as rude or bad behaved because the person passing judgement only sees the children through their cultural eyes and is ignorant to the differences which are a norm in other cultures.

I asked him what works best for him. He was able to communicate his differences and we worked great together to address those issues. Matter of fact, I encouraged him to present his cultural background to the class in which he gladly did. His family all came in!! It was bigger than I anticipated!! 

One instance where I may have been an enabler to a cultural and identity situation occured when I travelled to the northeastern US mainland with a group of USVI teachers for a conference. My roommate loves shopping and on the one day that I didn't accompany her (after attending our professional development sessions) she returned horrified by an experience that definately pushes the lines of cultural and identity norms/acceptance. While she was in the dressing room trying on clothing, a male cross dresser entered the dressing room. She complained to a security guard on site who simply responded to her that she is lucky that she wasn't there on a Thursday. Well...to avoid a long disceration let's just say that I completely sided with my roommate in that he should not have been allowed in the female dressing room. However he identifies himself he is still physically a male. To compound cultural clashes, my roomate was a Muslim  Arab. Fortunately her husband was not on the trip with us. Talk about a cultural clash! This is a situation that some students across the country face at school and has been addressed on the judicial level. I believe adding a third category of unisex dressing rooms or restrooms would avoid these conflicts. 

On another note, I have repeatedly discouraged students from making fun of other students because of their foreign country of origin by highlighting the historical accomplishments that lead to their current circumstances and their resilience in surviving without assistance/resources from a sovereign country  which is a foreign situation to them (the bullies). Similarly I have on numerous occasions discouraged students from making fun of others because they dress differently or look differently.