How to be Culturally Responsive in your Teaching
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Overview and Purpose
Our classrooms can be very diverse, so it's important that we acknowledge this in our teaching. This course will discuss why it's so important to be culturally responsive and the impacts it will have on students. By the end of the course, learners will have the tools they need to practice being culturally responsive in their teaching.
Needs Assessment
The students in our classrooms come from all different cultures and backgrounds. Because of this, a student may have had different experiences not only from their classmates but also their teacher. This may affect how students both learn and behave in the classroom. It may also impact relationships amongst students, and students and their teachers. Because of this, it's important that teachers are trained to be culturally responsive, meaning that they are aware of their students differences and know how to celebrate those differences and incorporate them into their teaching.
Performance Objectives
- Students will be able to explain what culturally responsive teaching is and why it is important.
- Students will be able to facilitate discussions with their classes to learn about everyone's different cultures and backgrounds.
- Students will be able to use the knowledge of their students to find relevant resources to use in their teaching.
- Students will be able to use appropriate resources and the knowledge of their students to be culturally responsive in their teaching.
Course Units
This mini-course includes the following units. Click the title of a lesson to go to its page.
Unit 1: What is Culturally Responsive Teaching?
In this unit, learners will learn about what it means to be culturally responsive and why it is important to practice in their teaching.
Lesson 1- Defining Culturally Responsive Teaching
Learners will read about culturally responsive teaching and be able to explain it in their own words.
Lesson 2- How Culturally Responsive Teaching Relates to Your Classroom
Learners will use what they know abut culturally responsive teaching to explain why it is important and how it relates to a diverse classroom.
Unit 2: Connecting with Students
In this unit, learners learn how to take the information from the previous unit and use it to facilitate discussions with their students.
Lesson 3- Facilitating Discussion in the Classroom
Learners will facilitate a discussion with their class to learn about students' cultural backgrounds.
Unit 3: Finding Appropriate Resources
In this unit, learners will look at appropriate resources that can be used to explore the different cultures in their classrooms.
Lesson 4- Finding Resources that Reflect Your Students' Backgrounds
Learners will use what they have learned about their students to find age appropriate and relevant resources to use in their teaching.
Lesson 5- Using Appropriate Resources in Your Teaching
Learners will use the resources they have gathered to plan lessons that are culturally responsive.
