Culturally Responsive Pedagogy - Article Example

Culturally responsive pedagogy: Culturally responsive pedagogy is basically a strategic teaching method to cope with diversity existing in the educational systems. These days, more and more students from entirely different cultural backgrounds are seen studying together in the same class. So there is always a big chance that students may forget their real cultural identities. Culturally relevant pedagogy is the method that helps preserving the cultural identities of the students, while stimulating them to succeed academically. Nieto (2003, pp. 1-7) has claimed in her article that the deeply rooted issues of inequity and insufficient freedom of thinking should be discouraged in the educational systems for the overall betterment of the society. The purpose of this article is to highlight the profound importance of multicultural responsive approach in teaching process. Deplorably, many students do not have much access to the learning facilities owing to the unjustified or discriminatory attitude shown towards their cultures and languages. Nieto (2003) has suggested that multicultural education is the only helpful proposal to facilitate all the students on equal terms. There is a big chance that students may start feeling ashamed of their cultural identities and traditions when surrounded by their other fellows who come from rich cultural backgrounds. Deep analysis of this article shows that multicultural approach can make a student proud of his/her heritage, boost his/her self-esteem, and enhance academic performance. It also shows that a multicultural or multilingual classroom is one where multicultural responsive approach is applied to make the students realize that their backgrounds are long-term assets for them that they can utilize in their learning period and teachers should also know how to teach diverse students in a harmonious environment. The purpose of the article by Villegas & Lucas (2002, pp. 20-32) is to identify that teachers have to deeply analyze and assess themselves to find out if they are actually culturally responsive. Teachers can profoundly influence the students, and if they are free of complexes and biases, they can inculcate the same level of positivism in their students. They have to scrutinize their own cultural backgrounds and beliefs first, to make the students realize the importance of their value system later. In a healthy multicultural teaching setup, teachers are sensitive enough to detect even the slightest conflicts between students that are culture-oriented. Students from diverse cultural backgrounds should be encouraged to share their views so that teachers have a better idea of eliminating their complexes that may originate gradually. I think that the strategies to meet with the cultural diversity reported in this article lay stress on the teachers to analyze and judge themselves that are they really striving to positively influence their students and making their thinking devoid of cultural biases? The objective addressed in the article is the development of cultural responsiveness, without which this teaching approach can never be implemented in educational setups satisfactorily. Different instructional strategies are proposed in this article that can help teachers realize the biases originating from monocultural teaching approaches. Gay (2002, pp. 106-116) has discussed all the essentials regarding the infusion of multicultural responsiveness in teachers. The purpose of the article is to identify the crucial strategies and activities that can help teachers sensitively percept the problems arising due to diversity in educational systems. Teachers can hugely benefit from this article by analyzing the steps detailed by Gay (2002) that are related to the development of cultural or ethnic responsiveness, knowledge, and sensitive attitudes and that can help them in preparing for preservice education programmes. The research studies discussed in the article are credible since they are supported by valid statistical data. It is suggested that teachers should have a sound knowledge of cultural diversity in an institution, coupled with the percentage of ethnic based content in the academic curriculums. The teachers should practice to satisfactorily respond to the issues based on ethnic diversity through effective instructional plans. Developing mastery in culturally responsive pedagogical skills is the main objective of this article which, if applied in multicultural or multilingual classrooms, can bring miraculous psychological and academic results. According to Weinstein, Tomlinson-Clarke, & Curran (2004), diversity is rapidly increasing in classrooms and so the need of implementing effective measures to handle this diversity is also increasing. The articles lays stress on developing familiarity with cultural diversity based knowledge so that an environment of harmony can be created in a multicultural classroom. Novice teachers cannot deal effectively with many issue related to ethnic diversity, and so many students fail to excel academically. The management of multicultural or multilingual classrooms cannot be enhanced properly if teachers do not care or are not aware enough about the importance of diversity based knowledge that they need to inculcate in their teaching approaches, be it curricular or co-curricular activities. The purpose of the article is to provide sound knowledge about culturally responsive classroom management (CRCM). This suggests that a teacher has to be positive about his/her own ethnic background first to develop confidence in the students later on, and he/she should also analyze the traditions in socio-economic and political context. The objective of the article is to raise awareness about CRCM, with the help of which compassionate environment in the classrooms can be built. The article by Taylor & Sobel (2003, pp. 1-21) is based on a research investigation focused on the teaching services of preservice and novice teachers, and how they address all the needs existing in culturally diverse classrooms. The purpose of this article is to present the facts related to the impact that teachers have on their students in multicultural or multilingual classroom settings. It is told how teachers can set new horizons for making the achievement of academic excellence possible, while taking care to handle the students on linguistic and cultural basis. The article identifies that while the diversity in educational systems is on a rise, the diversity of teaching power is declining. This inverse relation goes against the philosophy of culturally responsive pedagogy, which suggests that the academic system should be centered on the learning needs of the students, so that the individual talents reflecting diverse cultures can be polished and enhanced. The research studies included in this article can be analyzed to find out that preservice teachers are still behind in becoming accomplished teachers in culturally diverse setups, and efforts can be increased to relate to the demands of such setups. The article by Tomlinson et al. (2003, pp. 1-19) throws light on the growing importance of serving culturally diverse students in classrooms, and that is also identified as the major part of a teacher’s role these days. The purpose of this article is to raise awareness about academically effective instructional strategies that can address the needs of diversity in schools. It is suggested that fidelity shown by teachers for all the students, no matter from which cultural background they are, is an important feature of cultural pedagogical approach. Teachers should have a flexible approach and their teaching skills should relate to each student’s needs, thus satisfying the demands of cultural diversity. The article lays stress on the practice of differentiated instructional approach that, if applied in multicultural classrooms, can enhance the social behavior and cooperative attitude of students who have different cultural identities. According to Santanu (2009), teachers can heavily influence the futures of those students who come from different socio-cultural backgrounds. The purpose of this article is to identify the importance and effects of responsible and culturally sensitive teachings, and the way it can mold the minds of the students. It suggests that learning process can never reach the desired targets in a classroom where there is anti-racial or discriminatory environment. Teachers have to be especially responsible in sorting out such displeasing and disturbing issues and create a cooperative aura for the classroom. It is identified in the article that teachers should change their orthodox thinking and realize that every tradition is respectable in some ways and all values should be genuinely regarded, because that is the only way teaching can become culturally sensitive and responsive. If the message conveyed in this article is applied in the educational setups, learning styles can be drastically changed and students will learn to appreciate their cultures. Salzman (2005) has brought on a whole new approach for interpreting behavior problems in minority children. This articles raises awareness for the wrong treatment that children from different backgrounds are receiving from their teachers and school management. Novice teachers and naïve management, who have absolutely no idea of culturally responsive pedagogical approach, misinterpret the confusions faced by minority students, who feel difficulty in adapting to the new environment. Teachers exacerbate the conditions by misjudging the problems encountered by such students, instead of helping them adapt themselves to the changed environment and tradition. Such students are then referred to special education institutions and thus, a lot of talents goes wasted because of culturally ignorant students. The message conveyed in this article suggests that classrooms should not be so insanely packed with students that teachers find it difficult to individually address the culture-oriented problems of the students. This is the only way minority children from different cultural backgrounds can be saved from special education centers. References: Gay, G. (2002). Preparing for Culturally Responsive Teaching. Journal of Teacher Education, 106-116. Retrieved from http://www.sagepub.com/eis/Gay.pdf. Salzman, A. (2005, Nov. 20). Special Education and Minorities. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/20/nyregion/nyregionspecial2/20ctspecial.html Santanu, H. (2009, Jul. 2). Teaching in a responsive way. The Jakarta Post. Retrieved from http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2009/02/07/teaching-a-responsive-way.html Nieto, S. M. (2003). Profoundly Multicultural Questions. Educational Leadership, 60, 1-7. Retrieved from http://vanpelt.sonoma.edu/users/p/pollack/edu420/Profoundly%20Multicultural%20Quest ions.pdf. Taylor, S. V. & Sobel, D. M. (2003). Missing in Action: Research on the Accountability of Multicultural, Inclusive Teacher Education. Essays in Education, 1-21. Retrieved from http://www.usca.edu/essays/vol22002/taylor.pdf Tomlinson, C. A., Brighton, C., Hertberg, H., Callahan, C. M., Moon, T. R., Brimijoin, K., Conover, L. A., & Reynolds, T. (2003). Differentiating Instruction in Response to Student Readiness, Interest, and Learning Profile in Academically Diverse Classrooms: A Review of Literature. Journal for the Education of the Gifted, 1-19. Retrieved from http://etseo.org/info/raas/DI%20Review%20of%20Lit.pdf. Villegas, A. M., & Lucas, T. (2002). Preparing Culturally Responsive Teachers: Rethinking the Curriculum. Journal of Teacher Education, 53, 20-32. Retrieved from http://www.sagepub.com/eis/Villegas.pdf. Weinstein, C. S., Tomlinson-Clarke, S., & Curran, M. (2004). Toward a Conception of Culturally Responsive Classroom Management. Journal of Teacher Education, 55, 25-38. Retrieved from http://www.csuprofessionaldevelopment.com/images/pdfs/Weinstein.pdf. Read More