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Novak Education
Embedding Culturally Responsive Pedagogy into Our Instructional Design and Practice
Embedding Culturally Responsive Pedagogy into Our Instructional Design and Practice
Course Description: In this course, we explored how we can use the best practices of culturally responsive and sustaining teaching techniques alongside Universal Design for Learning (UDL) to create powerful instructional experiences that help students feel like school was created for them and give them the will and motivation to succeed and excel.
Course Objectives & Learning Outcomes
Be able to identify cultural barriers in lesson design and instruction that could interfere with student engagement and understanding.
Know how to incorporate opportunities in classroom environments for students to share their stories and backgrounds and get a glimpse into other’s lived experiences.
Be able to explain the role of our attitudes, beliefs, and biases in how students perceive and learn, and understand how to interrupt and adapt them so we are more inclusive and equitable in our learning environments.
Assignment 1:
Think of a time where you may have overlooked the importance of student culture. How did it affect that student or a group of students?
I have dedicated nearly 30 years to the field of language education, during which the integration of culture has always been a fundamental aspect of my role. However, it was not until I began teaching internationally in American schools that I critically examined how the U.S. curriculum often fails to encompass or reflect the diverse cultures of all students. An impactful experience occurred during a grade 3 reading lesson at my first international school in Russia, where I observed the enthusiasm of my Korean students when I shared a Korean folk tale. This moment may have marked the first time in the academic year that a teacher made an effort to incorporate their culture into the curriculum. Regrettably, it also highlighted my prior lack of connection with these students. I believe that hearing a familiar folk tale allowed them to engage more deeply with the writing lesson.
How does looking at education through the lens of culturally responsive and sustaining teaching change your perspective?
Viewing education through the lens of culturally responsive and sustaining teaching necessitates a shift in my approach. It is essential for me to build relationships with my students by actively getting to know them, including understanding their strengths, talents, and cultural values. By incorporating my students' assets into lesson planning, I can create a more inclusive classroom environment that supports their identities and fosters a sense of belonging.
Assignment 2:
Using the Marshall Ganz Framework for Stories of Self, I told my story of self and reflected on the process of how sharing my story with my learners could help create a sense of belonging.
Holly's Story of Self (4).mp4Assignment 3:
Create an action plan for changes you will make in your learning environment to ensure you are properly communicating high expectations to your learners.
Action Plan for Setting High Expectations (2).pdfAssignment 4:
After taking an implicit bias inventory from Project Implicit, I spent time reflecting on why I might have had negative feelings toward some of my students or their families. What could I do to interrupt these biases in the future? How could that provide a more positive learning experience to my students?
Implicit Bias.mp4Assignment 5:
As an English as an Additional Language (EAL) specialist, I am constantly looking for ways to improve student learning. Johnson & Johnson (2016) summarized using funds of knowledge is especially powerful for English learners, and it is a way to be very precise with personalizing students’ learning.
I chose to create a Microsoft Form to survey parents via email. I curated the questions for the Form from the readings and videos for this module. I will include parent’s names in the greeting in order to personalize the email in hopes of getting a better response. Microsoft forms can be translated into several different languages, making the digital format user friendly for our international families.
Many parents respond to their emails; however, for any I do not receive a response from after one week, I could follow up with a second email request and reemphasize the importance of their feedback. If that is not successful, I could make a phone call, asking for their support. Since this form will go out at the beginning of the school year, I can check with parents during Open House to thank them for submitting their answers or ask them to complete the survey while I have them. For parents who have not responded and I was not able to check in with at Open House, I will make a home visit to learn about the family's funds of knowledge, in order to, "help establish a fundamentally new, more symmetrical relationship with the parents of the students" (Moll, Amanti, Neff, & Gonzalez, 1992).
How will you use the information once you have it?
One way to organize the information once I have it is The Funds of Knowledge Tool Kit (n.d.) from Washington's Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, suggested using a Funds of Knowledge Inventory Matrix to easily record the parents’ answers into categories.
In addition, once I learn of my students’ and their family’s funds of knowledge, I can use the information in several ways in school. Johnson and Johnson (2016) explained, I can acknowledge their diverse backgrounds and experiences during mini lessons, incorporate the information into content lessons making them more culturally relevant, involve the families in the classroom with presentations or demonstrations, and over all build stronger relationships.
In the video, The Power of Family Teacher Partnerships, the speaker shared with stronger partnerships, they have discovered there are fewer behavior issues in the class, and they feel the students value the teacher more because of the relationship they have formed. By using what students already know, I can make the classroom more welcoming and effective, showing that each student's background and experiences are important.
References
Administration for Children and Families. (2015). Funds of Knowledge. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/aWS0YBpGkkE?si=N84MdiAN3iTp3wxJ
Flamboyan Foundation. (n.d.). The Power of Family-Teacher Partnerships. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNdwJTKuHDw
Johnson, Eric J. and Johnson, Angela B. (2016). Enhancing Academic Investment through Home--School Connections and Building on ELL Students' Scholastic Funds of Knowledge. Retrieved from chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://ospi.k12.wa.us/sites/default/files/2023-10/johnsonandjohnson2016-jolle.pdf
Moll, Luis C., Amanti, Cathy, Neff, Deborah, and Gonzalez, Norma. (1992). Funds of Knowledge for Teaching: Using a Qualitative Approach to Connect Homes and Classrooms. Retrieved from chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://education.ucsc.edu/ellisa/pdfs/Moll_Amanti_1992_Funds_of_Knowledge.pdf
Novak Education. (15 January 2023). 3 Ways to Support Multilingual Learners With UDL. Retrieved from https://www.novakeducation.com/blog/3-ways-to-support-multilingual-learners-with-udl
Washington's Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. (n.d.). The Funds of Knowledge Tool Kit. Retrieved from chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://ospi.k12.wa.us/sites/default/files/2023-10/funds_of_knowledge_toolkit.pdf
Family Funds of Knowledge (1).pdfAssignment 6:
I created a list of books that could serve as both windows and mirrors in my learning environment. I then created an image with a description, and explained how these items will help improve learning.
The image I chose to serve as both windows and mirrors in my learning environment is a poster of book jackets representing different children’s cultures. The book titles are:
Front Desk, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, Pippi Longstocking, New Kid, Alma and How She Got Her Name, The Secret Garden, Big Bob Little Bob, Stella Díaz Has Something to Say, Last Stop on Market Street, Sadiq, Amina’s Voice, Inside Out and Back Again, A Different Pond, The Year of the Dog, and The Name Jar.
The quote, “Books can show you the world, but they can also show you a reflection of yourself,” is from author Grace Lin, from her TEDxNatick talk, "Windows and Mirrors of Your Child's Bookshelf." Her presentation was the inspiration for my poster.
When my Module 7 feedback was posted today, I realized I had never submitted my Module 6 work. I had been stuck trying to understand the assignment, and it somehow slipped my mind to submit my poster. All these weeks, I thought I had posted it! Fast forward to this morning, and the conversation I had with a student made me realize I needed that time to have this particular discussion with her to better understand how “these items will help improve learning.”
All the students are reflecting on their reading, writing, and math for Student-Led Conferences happening later this week. This student is one of the best and brightest in the class, but she was struggling to answer the question of what she will work on next to improve her reading. She explained that she reads a lot every day and even just finished a book that belongs to her older brother. She didn’t understand how she could improve her reading when she’s already reading above grade-level expectations and reading more than she must for homework.
I immediately thought of the Windows and Mirrors readings and videos from Module 6. I was prepared to ask her if she had read any books about girls who remind her of herself. The student told me no. I challenged her to try reading different books about different characters who would represent her mirror since she’s doing great at reading books that represent her windows. Hopefully this will inspire her to find a new book about a character from her own background to help her feel represented and included, fostering a more equitable learning environment. And who knows, maybe she’ll be the next Grace Lin with books about third-culture kids growing up in China.
Assignment 7:
Including student voice, choice, and diverse curricular materials is important. I took an existing lesson plan and looked at the materials. Then, I explained how I could include more diverse perspectives and materials to help build more connections with my learners. I was sure to include my students voice when brainstorming ideas.
I looked at a lesson from an upcoming unit on Journalism. The Language Objective is I can write my article and include words and phrases that set a tone.
In the lesson, the original Group Activity is: In small groups, provide each group with a neutral news headline (e.g., "School Fundraiser Raises Money"). Ask them to rewrite the headline in three different tones (e.g., serious, humorous, optimistic). Have each group share their rewritten headlines with the class, discussing how the tone changes the meaning or feeling of the headline.
To include more diverse perspectives or materials to help build more connections with my learners, I could incorporate culturally relevant headlines. For example, I could consider topics relevant to Chinese and Korean communities, such as local festivals, cultural events, or notable figures.
Dragon Boat Races: A Cultural Tradition Bringing Families Together
Chinese Calligraphy Exhibition Celebrates the Art of Writing
Chuseok: Families Unite to Celebrate the Harvest Moon Festival
K-Pop Dance Competition Draws Talent from Across the Region
Another example could be to include international news headlines from various countries, particularly those that represent the backgrounds of my students. This could involve headlines from Chinese or Korean media sources, allowing students to see how tone influences reporting in different cultural contexts.
Cultural Exchange Programs Foster International Relationships
Youth Activism Increases as Young People Voice Concerns on Various Issues
Efforts Underway to Revitalize Traditional Crafts Among Young Artisans
Preservation Initiatives for Historic Sites in China Continue
I could ask students to share any ideas for headlines they may come up with.
Assignment 8:
To wrap up the course, we continued the process of personal reflection. I posted about my own barriers to implementing more culturally responsive practices in my learning environment. I asked myself: (1) Where am I now? (2) Where do I want to be? (3) How can I get there? (4) What are the barriers? and (5) How can I get support to move past those barriers?
Module 8.mp4Google Sites
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