Educators have been discussing culture and learning for quite some time now. Our conversations are riddled with buzzwords like multiculturalism and multicultural teaching. This largely refers to teaching that includes the histories, texts, artifacts, beliefs, and perspectives of people from different cultural backgrounds. A multicultural approach to teaching seeks to ensure equity in the classroom which is important for many reasons. For starters, children need to see themselves represented in what they are learning. This sends the message that they belong and are full of potential. It also helps children develop a strong and confident sense of self. Research has shown that self-concept and academic achievement are closely related, so it makes sense that doing things in our classrooms to support the development of positive self-concept is important. While framing our teaching through a multicultural lens is a worthy ideal, it falls short of being truly equitable.

Culturally responsive teaching recognizes that children come to school with different sets of life experiences and that these experiences aren’t necessarily equal. Curriculum cannot be a “one size fits all” as it can be inaccessible for children who are not part of the “majority”. For example, students who have access to electronic devices and reliable internet have been at a distinct advantage during the pandemic.  They likely have significantly more experience navigating electronic tools and the web than those students without reliable internet who only ever access the web via their phones.  As someone who has taught synchronously online for a year, I can tell you that the experience is incredibly different for students forced to participate in class via their phones.  Culturally responsive teachers recognize the importance of building community in their classrooms, providing culturally mediated instruction, and they understand learning within the context of culture.

As educators we need to recognize that the majority of our white students in North America have been raised in individualistic households that value individual achievement whereas the majority of the remaining world cultures are more collectivist in nature.  Collectivist cultures value collaborative group work and advancement of the entire community.  Most online learning environments have been built for individualistic learners.  Teachers who did not intentionally build opportunities for students to connect, brainstorm and collaborate may find that their students from collectivist cultures have been left behind.

As we return to face-to-face instruction this fall, I believe we will see more educators using a culturally responsive framework for their classes.  I think it is important to know that we can achieve positive results by beginning with small changes. The first step in becoming a culturally responsive teacher is getting to know your students and their families.  If you teach younger children, having time throughout the school year where children get to talk about their favorite family tradition is a simple way to begin to recognize the importance of culture in learning.  It also begins to create an environment where all children feel welcomed and valued.  With older students, you could have them complete a survey the first day of class that asks them about the other classes they are taking and responsibilities they have outside of class that may impact their ability to complete homework.  Understanding and appreciating the demands on your students outside of the classroom will allow you to better support each student. If your students are struggling because their basic needs aren’t met (food, shelter, safety, etc.) the limbic system in the brain will be taking up so much of their brain power trying to figure out how to meet those basic needs that they won’t have much left to focus on classwork.  As educators, we are often the first line of defense for our students.  When we identify students whose basic needs aren’t being met, we can work to connect students and families with supports. Once basic needs are met, the brain will “stand down” so that the student has a better opportunity to learn.

Another strategy that is easy to implement is providing mire opportunity during class for small group work and discussion.  Group work serves as a form of scaffolding making it more likely that all students will enter the Zone of Proximal Development–that sweet spot between what they already know and what they need to learn.  When students have the opportunity to struggle with ideas and concepts together, they draw on the experience and understanding of everyone in the group.  Together, they make new connections between what they know and what they are learning.  This new understanding is informed by the diverse perspectives of the group members as long as everyone in the group is participating.  It sometimes helps to assign roles in the group or to provide guiding discussion prompts and make each group member responsible for reporting out on one of the prompts.  The point is, there are many small steps we can take to be more culturally aware and to create culturally responsive learning environments where all students feel welcome and have the opportunity to learn.  If you are interested in developing a deeper understanding of culturally responsive teaching, Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain by Zaretta Hammond is a quick yet informative read.  If you are interested in discovering more easy and simple things you can do in your classroom to engage more students and enhance the learning of all students, Small Teaching by James Lang and How Humans Learn by Joshua Eyler are great choices.