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Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Summer Institute

Culturally Responsive Teaching Working Group

November 22, 2013

March 24, 2012

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Opening

On the Phone and In the Chat Log• Where does culturally responsive teaching

currently live in your institute’s strategic plan? Or, where do you hope it will live?

• What has your region already done with culturally responsive teaching up to this point?

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Spotlight on Phoenix

March 24, 2012

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Vic’s Timeline

2008-2010: Curriculum Specialist at the PHX Institute Implemented new then revised DCA sessions

focused on archetypes, biases and the diversity competencies

2011: DCA Instructional Leader at the LA Institute Met Sung-Ae Yang Revised DCA curriculum to consider sociocultural

context and facilitate more personal reflection 2012-2013: Diversity Coordinator at PHX Institute

Created Diversity Committee and DA Role Further Revisions to DCA Curriculum Focus on structures other than DCA to discuss and

address cultural conflict and cultural context Focus on developing culturally responsive teachers

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Affirming Diversity In the Organization

Affirming Diversity In the Classroom

Affirming Diversity Interpersonally

Affirming Diversity Institutionally

Affirming Diversity Instructionally

Our Twin Goals

DevelopingTAL Teachers

Creating TAL Classrooms

Closing the Achievement Gap

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Our Challenges

I need to avoid cultural domination: Embracing multiculturalism, rather than

uniculturalism/monoculturalism Affirming differences, rather than holding

a deficit-based perspective Validating other perspectives rather than

operating with assumptions and blind spots

Moving against the moving sidewalk, rather than walking with it

Being aware of the smog I breathe, rather than denying it exists or I am immune

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Affirming Diversity in the Classroom:

Affirming Diversity

Rigorous, relevant and responsive

curriculum Culturally responsive and constructivist

methods Relationships built on authentic caringAffirming Diversity in the Organization: Creating space that feels like “home” Valuing and affirming all perspectives Most valuing the perspective of those who

share the background of our students

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Affirming Diversity in the Classroom:

What We’ve Done

Culturally Responsive Teaching Core Session Revise Examples in Week 1 to be More

Responsive Develop Knowledge/Analysis Skills in

CoachesAffirming Diversity in the Organization: Robust Diversity Programming Revised DCA Curriculum around Cultural

Conflict Over-Investment in Diversity Affirming

Badasses

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Our DCA Programming

DCA 1: Race, Intelligence and Public Education New session, co-led by CMA and Specialist

DCA 2: Identity and Cultural Conflict Re-vamped “Archetypes, Biases, etc.”

DCA 3: The Moving Sidewalk Re-vamped “Behavioral expectations”

DCA 4: Blind Spots Re-vamped “Working With Parents”

Diversity Reflections Working With Colleagues

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Other Diversity Programming

Affinity Groups Hot Topic Sessions DCA De-briefs School-based differentiated sessions Receptions for Underrepresented Groups Mentorship programs Panel Discussions

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Blow Up at the DCA Session

Interview Scenario #1

What is the pain of the White CM? Where does it come from?

What is the pain of the CM of color? Where does it come from?

Whose pain we most respond to reflects whose humanity we most value, and we should value everybody’s humanity.

What was your response in the interview? Whose pain did you most respond to? How did you respond to it?

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Not-So-Good Classroom Observation

Interview Scenario #2

This was same CM as in Scenario #1 How might cultural conflict be at the root of

this CM’s struggles? Poor classroom management students aren’t

invested in class poor relationships with students what are the interactions like? cultural conflicts between teacher and student?

Assuming the very best about this CM, what archetypes and biases might be at the root of this CM’s struggles?

What was your response in the interview? What would be the result of not addressing the cultural conflict?

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Key Accomplishments

Diversity Committee Diversity Ambassadors Identifying and Supporting Diversity Affirming

Badasses Creating Spaces for Discussion and Development

Affinity Groups, Hot Topic Sessions, Mentorship Programs, Receptions, Panels

Re-envisioning CM development through a lens of cultural responsiveness and affirming diversity

Revisions to DCA sessions content and purpose Diversity Badass Recruitment and Retention

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Key Limitations

Inherent Tensions “One Person’s Coffee is Another Person’s

Whiskey” Silly Putty, not Tipping Points

Getting Into Structures and Institutions Low Attendance and Participation in Special

Structures ISATs Coaching Frameworks and Practices CMA and SD Preparation, Training, and Support Culture of Achievement/MGMT/DCA

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Where does Culturally Responsive Teaching

Come From?

March 24, 2012

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Some Terminology

Although they are sometimes used synonymously, these terms do not mean the same thing

Schooling / Education Equality / Equity Intelligence / Intellect Critical / Critical

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Reproduction Theory

Schools have five primary functions

Academic Cultural Social/Political Economic Spiritual/Moral

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Reproduction Theory

The purpose of school is to reproduce arrangements in each of these functions

Academic: What/Who is a smart person? Cultural: What/Who is high culture? Social/Political: What/Who is an American? Economic: How is wealth distributed? Spiritual/Moral: What/Who is a good person?

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Reproduction Theory

What are the implications of this theory on education and schooling?

Identity Formation Access and Opportunity Cultural Assimilation A Focus on Intelligence, Not Intellect A Focus on Equality, Not Equity A Focus on Schooling, Not Education

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Resistance Theory

If schools re-produce, they therefore produce.

Academic: Cultural: Social/Political: Economic: Spiritual/Moral:

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Resistance Theory

If schools re-produce, they therefore produce. What if they produced resistance?

Academic: New definitions of intelligence. Cultural: Cultural survival and proliferation. Social/Political: Social justice and democratic

participation. Anti-racism and anti-oppression. Economic: Re-distributing wealth Spiritual/Moral: New definitions of a “good

person”

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Transformational ResistanceSolorzano & Delgado Bernal (2001)

Critique of Social Oppression

No Critique of Social Oppression

Motivated by Social

Justice

Not Motivated by Social Justice

Self-DefeatingResistance

ReactionaryBehavior

TransformationalResistance

ConformistResistance

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Cultural Responsive Teaching

Student Outcomes and Aspirations

Critical Consciousness Cultural Competence Academic Achievement

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Cultural Responsive Teaching

Sites for Cultural Responsiveness

Curriculum: What you teach Pedagogy: How you teach Relationships: Interactions with who you

teach

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Cultural Responsive Teaching

Dispositions for Cultural Responsiveness

Sociocultural Consciousness Affirming Attitude Towards Difference Embrace Constructivism View Self as Capable and Responsible Know Student Prior Knowledge Build Instruction off of Prior Knowledge

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Resistance and Responsiveness

How is students’ critical consciousness an essential part of our summer schools? How is this rooted in our teachers’ and staff’s critical consciousness?

How does a rigorous, relevant, and responsive curriculum develop a consciousness and a motivation for social justice?

How do students feel solidarity with teachers in a development of consciousness?

How do students and teachers interact in a way that features the co-creation of knowledge?

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Implications for Summer Institute

March 24, 2012

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Implications on the Summer Institute

Culturally responsive teaching is just one part of a larger struggle for equity and justice

Responsiveness is an aspiration, and a state of being; not a set of strategies and best practices

How does the temporary nature of institutes foster this long-term commitment and capacity?

This is a multi-year path