Culturally Responsive Practices in Early Learning-

Why PreK Alone is Not Enough

Doug Johnson, PrincipalMountlake Terrace Elementary

Edmonds School District

Objectives

• Understand why the availability of PreK experiences alone are not enough to close achievement gaps

• Develop an understanding of Culturally Responsive Teaching, as outlined by the Education Alliance, Brown

University

• Develop an Action Plan to implement a Culturally Responsive practice in your setting

Introduction

Me: Principal, Parent, Kindergarten Teacher

My Other Kids

The Preschool Discipline Problem

Video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAzczX-resU

Article:

Anderson, Melinda D.. “Why Are So Many Preschoolers Getting Suspended?: The frequency of punishment has a troubling racial skew.The Atlantic. http://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2015/12/why-are-so-many-preschoolers-getting-suspended/418932/ 12/7/2015.

Inequitable Discipline-The Tip of the Iceberg

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2016 MTE 5th Grade SBA ELA

Idea taken from Jerry Weast, Former Superintendent, Montgomery County Schools, MD

Preschool Discipline Solutions

Specific Solutions

• Suspension/Expulsion Moratoriums

• Teacher Training- Classroom Management / Discipline Techniques

• Trauma-informed instruction

• Social workers, special education staffing

• Effective referral systems

The Heart of the Matter

• Our classrooms don’t work equally well for all students.

• Bias

• Institutional racism

• Instructional practices that provide privilege to some, and disadvantage to others

Culturally Responsive Teaching

Video:https://vimeo.com/90060801

Color blindness is a disability.

Showing respect by not talking about difference makes people feel invisible.

Children from homes in which the language and culture do not closely correspond with that of the school are at a disadvantage. Those who are, are privileged.

Culturally Responsive TeachingThe Education Alliance, Brown University

1. Positive Perspectives on Parents and Families

2. Communication of High Expectations

3. Learning Within the Context of Culture

4. Student-Centered Instruction

5. Culturally Mediated Instruction

6. Reshaping the Curriculum

7. Teacher as Facilitator

Positive Perspectives on Parents and Families

"Whether it’s an informal chat as the parent brings the child to school, or in phone conversation or home visits, or through newsletters sent home, teachers can begin a dialogue with family members that can result in learning about each of the families through genuine communication." -- Sonia Nieto

• Seek to understand families’ hopes, cultures, concerns, and suggestions

• Gain cross-cultural skills necessary for successful exchange and collaboration

• Create true engagement and make it reciprocal

MTE Examples

• Edmonds PreK includes parent education and coaching

• Worked as a staff to implement dialogue-based conferences / Kinder. Family Meetings

• Included a parent of color on our Equity Team

Communication of High Expectations

"When a teacher expresses sympathy over failure, lavishes praise for completing a simple task, or offers unsolicited help, the teacher may send unintended messages of low expectations." -- Kathleen Serverian-Wilmleth

• Communicate clear expectations

• Create an environment in which there is genuine respect for students and a belief in their capability

MTE Examples

• PBIS- clear instruction in expectations with positive reinforcement

• Our motto: Do Your Best / Don’t Give Up / We Believe in You

• Staff development in praising EFFORT

Learning Within the Context of Culture

"The increasing diversity in our schools, the ongoing demographic changes across the nation and the movement towards globalization dictate that we develop a more in-depth understanding of culture if we want to bring about true understanding among diverse populations." -- Maria Wilson-Portuondo

• Goal: Students are aware of learning styles and understand the value of difference

• Vary teaching strategies: cooperative learning, multiple ways of sharing, provide options

• Help students to understand differences in learning styles, cultures- talk about it!

MTE Examples

• Morning Meetings / open conversations about culture, race, religion, disabilities, differences

• Student participation: purchased individual white boards, think-pair-share training

• Multicultural Night focused on students’ cultural writing

Student-Centered Instruction

"In our multicultural society, culturally responsive teaching reflects democracy at its highest level. [It] means doing whatever it takes to ensure that every child is achieving and ever moving toward realizing her or his potential." -- Joyce Taylor-Gibson

• Promote student engagement- student selected topics/reading materials

• Share responsibility of instruction

• Create inquiry-based learning

• Encourage a community of learners

MTE Examples

• Schoolwide Goal Setting; Career Education in 3rd Grade

• 15/16 SIP focus: personally relevant writing, 16/17 SIP focus: on research/inquiry

• Peer mentors/student leaders

Culturally Mediated Instruction

"Ongoing multicultural activities within the classroom setting engender a natural awareness of cultural history, values and contributions." -- Kathleen Serverian-Wilmeth

• Goal: Instruction that works equally well for all students

• Allows for multiple ways of learning, knowing, and representing information (math raps/chants/songs, multiple problem solving methods, use of math manipulatives, etc.)

• Encourages multiple perspectives and multicultural viewpoints by students

MTE Examples

• Professional development: use of formative assessment aligned to objectives

• Use of SIOP (or GLAD) approaches

Reshaping the Curriculum

"[Schools must] take a serious look at their curriculum, pedagogy, retention and tracking policies, testing, hiring practices, and all the other policies and practices that create a school climate that is either empowering or disempowering for those who work and learn there." -- Sonia Nieto

• Examine the curriculum for bias/perspective

• Include books that represent diverse viewpoints/cultures/races/religions/family groups

• Move beyond the textbook for information- other books, online research, community/family members

• Develop integrated units around universal themes- build background knowledge

• Include issues and topics that are relevant to students

MTE Examples

• Professional development: multicultural books, set aside building budget to purchase 1-2 books per classroom, used for read-alouds

• Encouraged an increased field experience- especially local community trips

• Highlighted examples such as ELL teacher adding to Cortes/Aztec text, use of Socratic Seminar, etc.

Teacher as Facilitator

"A caring adult can make a big difference in the educational outcome of any child that is at risk of experiencing educational failure." -- Maria Wilson-Portuondo

• Move from “Sage on the Stage” to “Guide on the Side” (cooperative learning, Socratic Seminar, Workshop approaches, etc.)

• Utilize resources and experts within the students’ community

MTE Examples

• Emphasis and training in Reading/Writing/Math Workshop

• 6th grade community volunteers with training- “increase the teachers”

• Student-led Talent Show, classroom presentations

Results So Far at Mountlake Terrace Elementary

• Increased engagement of our diverse families

• Increased use of texts that reflect our diverse students and staff

• Greater participation in school cultural events

• Increased SBA performance

• Lowest office referrals in over 10 years

• Increased enrollment in middle school honors classes

YOUR Next Steps

• Select 1-2 components of Culturally Responsive Teaching

• Create an Action Plan

• Commit to taking a next step

• Have Courage!

Action Plan

• Culturally Responsive Teaching focus area:

Learning Within the Context of Culture

• Specific goal:

More courageous conversations in staff meetings about race, culture, and religion. Invite community members to share and present. Model courage.

• Resources needed:

Staff meeting time. Planning with Equity Team.

• Why is this important?

Conversations about race are HARD and teachers need time to work it out and be comfortable if they are to open these up in their classrooms.

Action Plan

• Culturally Responsive Teaching focus area:

• Specific goal:

• Resources needed:

• Why is this important?

Thank you!

• Thank you for your hard work and courage!

• This is complex work, and you’ll never “arrive”.

• Early Learning + Culturally Responsive Instruction = the Greatest Potential in Education for Social Justice

• Evaluations