User:Jslobodow

About Me

Hello, my name is Jordie Slobodow. I am an elementary permanent substitute on Long Island who is currently working towards my masters in Curriculum Development and Instructional Technology through SUNY Albany. In my current position, I assist students from pre-kindergarten to grade 5. I am also a member of my districts, instructional technology committee as well as their elementary curriculum committee.

When I am not teaching, I spend my time working out, seeing friends and traveling. I currently live in I currently live in the town of Commack, which is a city located on Long Island. I completed my Bachelors degree in childhood education and special education (1-6) at SUNY Geneseo. With the help of both my Bachelors and Masters degree my hope is to run my own elementary classroom in a nearby city on Long Island.

My Topic and Purpose

The intent of the course will be to support educators in creating a safe and culturally responsive environment for their students. This an immensely important topic for teachers to learn considering the constantly changing demographics of our country.

Topics Covered:

1. What is the difference between equality and equity? Why is that important in a classroom setting?

2. How can you increase engagement amongst students?

3. How can you express cultural awareness through relevant literature? How can this lead to a culturally responsive classroom?

4. What resources are available to assist me in creating a culturally responsive classroom environment?

Scope of Learning Outcomes and Content

In this course:

Students will explore relevant tools to create an inclusive environment and engage students.
Students will explore resources to assist in building positive relationships with their students.
Students will explore a wide variety of literary resources to support a culturally responsive classroom.
Students will identify indicators of a culturally responsive classroom environment.

Needs Assessment

Educational Problem

This course addresses potential challenges educators may encounter when attempting to create an equitable classroom environment for students. Recently in this country, we have seen multiple unfortunate incidents of injustice in educational settings. This course is aimed at tackling cultural bias in the classroom and inequitable classroom practices. Furthermore, the concepts of microaggressions, discrimination, stereotyping, inclusivity, and cultural awareness will be frequently discussed with learners. This is a necessary course since equity and social justice have been a heavily discussed topic in the 21st century. In addition, diversity in student populations have greatly increased which has also raised the need for educational resources pertaining to inclusivity. Teaching cultural competence as a life skill should be seen as a top priority by educators, which ultimately creates a positive school climate and foster student success.

What will be learned?

In this course, learners will be exposed to the necessary components of creating a culturally responsive classroom environment. Learners will be given reliable information to assist them in developing the skills and knowledge to create an inclusive learning space for their students with diverse backgrounds. After completing this course, learners will know how to foster student success and create a supportive atmosphere for their students. According to the New York State Department of Education, “By making all cultures matter, our students’ cultures can be positioned as strengths and as the foundation of empowering, rigorous, and innovative learning.” Specifically, learners will dive into the concept of equality and how it’s different from equity. In addition, many educational resources will be explained to the learner to promote effective classroom communication and engagement strategies. It is also important for learners in this course to be aware of the culturally responsive-sustaining framework passed by New York State in 2021, stating that all educators must “See and value the background, views, and needs of all students. This includes experiences related to race, culture, language, or ability.”

Analysis of Learners

Due to the immense importance of this topic, learners will include more than k-12 classroom teachers who may interact daily with students. Below are some of the learners who may have interest in this course:

K-12 Classroom Teachers
School Service Providers (OT, Speech, PT, counselors)
School Administrators (principal)
School Specialists (Art, Physical Education, Music, Library)

Because of the wide variety of learners and their knowledge, this course will be strategically formatted to include information for classrooms on the elementary level and secondary levels. Implementation of culturally responsive techniques in classrooms requires communication among all 4 groups of learners. If only one group is implementing the resources found within this course, that could lead to potential confusion among students.

Context for Learning

This course will be taught in an online format and will contain 4 units for discussion. There will also be check points within the mini course to check for learner comprehension and ask them to expand on their prior knowledge. Learners will need to access a technological device to view a wide variety of videos and photos relevant to the course. To complete this course, learners must have a computer, mobile device, or tablet.

Exploring the Problem and Solution

The solution to the instructional problem would be to educate all the individuals who interact with students in an educational setting K-12. Along with this, learners should be keeping in mind the NYS Learning Standards and the laws passed by the NYS Department of Education that deal with cultural diversity. Learners will be provided with educational resources, applications for different content areas, and ways to implement culturally responsive pedagogy into their lesson plans. This mini course will hopefully be utilized as a guide for school professionals who desire to foster a culturally inclusive classroom environment for their students.

Goals

The main goal of this course is to prepare educators to support the needs of our students as the demographics of our country are continually evolving. With the support of this course, teachers will be able to align their teaching pedagogies with the recently passed laws by the New York State Department of Education that pertain to culturally responsive teaching. With effective implementation, educators will be able to recognize their own biases and facilitate culturally responsive conversations with students. In addition, some other goals of this course are to assist learners in creating a physically welcoming environment for their students and engage in ongoing reflection regarding their teaching practices. Learners will be familiarized with new vocabulary, learning exercises, and instructional resources which will greatly help them improve their students' education.

Analysis of the Learner and Context

The learners of this course will ideally be individuals in education. Specifically, anyone in a school setting may benefit from taking this course such as a classroom teacher, service provider, or school professional. The learner should have basic knowledge regarding cultural awareness and classroom management. Some interests they may have may include organization, conflict resolution, patience and adaptability. Learners may vary in their teaching experience, exposure to diverse backgrounds, and knowledge of cultural competence. Additionally, learners who will be taking this course will be taking it to hopefully gain insight on how to build a culturally responsive classroom. Learners will likely use the skills learned in this course in a school setting like their own classroom with students. These skills can be used in any grade level kindergarten through twelfth grade.

By the end of this course, learners will understand the importance of literature and how it helps create a culturally responsive classroom. Learners will also understand how to adapt and modify their lesson plans to meet the individual needs of learners. Additionally, individuals taking this course should be able to define various terms pertaining to the concept of classroom inclusivity, such as equality, equity, and competence. The reason why learners are taking this course may vary, some may complete this course because they would like to further their knowledge on the concept of diversity whereas other may just simply want to complete some professional development hours. Furthermore, learners should spend approximately 2-3 hours on this course and read through each resource thoroughly. The only resources they will need are their computers, classroom management rules they created at the beginning of the school year and a notebook to take notes. Having their lesson plans nearby may be beneficial as well so they can later modify their plans based on the information they’ve gained from the course on cultural competence.

Performance-Based Objectives

After completing this mini-course, learners will be able to:

Participants will define the key concepts associated with cultural responsiveness such as equity, equality, cultural competence and awareness.
Participants will be able to recognize at least 2 different ways that a lesson can be modified or adapted to meet the needs of culturally diverse leaners.
Participants will be able to demonstrate understanding by discussing how exposing students to diverse literature can cultivate a culturally responsive classroom.
Participants can identify at least three culturally responsive teaching strategies that enhance student engagement.
Participants will create short- and long-term goals pertaining to culturally responsive teaching in their own classroom.

Task and Content Analysis

Prerequisite Knowledge and Skills

Before taking this course, the participant should:

Understand the concepts diversity and inclusion
Experience in teaching or education

Unit 1: Defining Cultural Responsiveness

After this lesson participants will be able to:

define the key concepts associated with cultural responsiveness such as equity, equality, cultural competence and awareness.

Participants will complete a matching quiz and a written response question.

Unit 2: Culturally Relevant Pedagogy

After this lesson participants will be able to:

Identify at least three culturally responsive teaching strategies that enhance student engagement.

Participants will create a poster outlining the importance of at least 3 culturally responsive teaching strategies discussed in the lesson.

Unit 3: Modifications and Accommodations

After this lesson participants will be able to:

Recognize at least 2 different ways that a lesson can be modified or adapted to meet the needs of culturally diverse leaners.

Participants will use a journal prompt to discuss how they can provide effective accommodations and modifications in their classroom to meet the needs of culturally diverse students.

Unit 4: Creating Inclusive Learning Environments

After this lesson participants will be able to:

create short- and long-term goals pertaining to culturally responsive teaching in their own classroom.

Participants will complete a final essay where they must outline what they have learned from the course. They must also write 2 short-term goals and 2 long-term goals pertaining to culturally responsive teaching in their own classroom.

Curriculum Map

References and Resources

- Culturally responsive teaching. New America. (n.d.). https://www.newamerica.org/education-policy/reports/culturally-responsive-teaching/teacher-competencies-that-promote-culturally-responsive-teaching/
  - American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. (n.d.). Cultural responsiveness. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. https://www.asha.org/practice-portal/professional-issues/cultural-responsiveness/
  - Strategies for cultural proficiency. (n.d.). https://www.doe.mass.edu/edeffectiveness/equitableaccess/resources/cultural-proficiency.pdf
  - Curricula enhancement module series. NCCC. (n.d.). https://nccc.georgetown.edu/curricula/awareness/index.html#:~:text=The%20NCCC%20defines%20%E2%80%9Ccultural%20awareness,the%20beginning%20of%20intercultural%20effectiveness.
  - Lamont, W. K., & Black-Branch, J. L. (1996, March 31). Cultural reciprocity: Exploring the impacts of cross-cultural instruction on professorial self-reflection. ERIC. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED400251#:~:text=Cultural%20reciprocity%20refers%20to%20the,%2C%20socioeconomic%2C%20religious)%20backgrounds.
  - Cultural identity. Education. (n.d.). https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/resource-library-cultural-identity/
  - What influence does culture have on a student’s school success? IRIS Center. (n.d.). https://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/module/clde/cresource/q1/p03/
  - Culturally responsive teaching. New America. (n.d.-a). https://www.newamerica.org/education-policy/reports/culturally-responsive-teaching/understanding-culturally-responsive-teaching
  - Pedagogy - diversifying your teaching methods, learning activities, and assignments. Pedagogy - Diversifying Your Teaching Methods, Learning Activities, and Assignments | Center for Educational Innovation. (n.d.). https://cei.umn.edu/teaching-resources/inclusive-teaching-predominantly-white-institution/pedagogy-diversifying-your-teaching-methods-learning-activities-and-assignments
  - California Department of Education. (n.d.). Culturally relevant pedagogy. Culturally Relevant Pedagogy - Educator Excellence. https://www.cde.ca.gov/pd/ee/culturalrelevantpedagogy.asp#:~:text=Gloria%20Ladson%2DBillings%20proposed%20three,students’%20critical%20consciousness%20or%20their
  - Gloria Ladson-Billings. National Academy of Education. (2022, June 2). https://naeducation.org/our-members/gloria-ladson-billings/
  - IEP Planning: Accommodations & Modifications - Smart Kids. Smart Kids -. (2019, October 15). https://www.smartkidswithld.org/getting-help/the-abcs-of-ieps/iep-planning-accommodations-modifications/
  - Accommodations and instructional strategies. Regents’ Center for Learning Disorders. (n.d.). https://www.rcld.uga.edu/accommodations-and-instructional-strategies
  - Supports, Modifications, and Accommodations for Students. Center for Parent Information and Resources. (n.d.). https://www.parentcenterhub.org/
  - Accommodations and modifications. Reading Rockets. (n.d.). https://www.readingrockets.org/helping-all-readers/inclusive-classrooms/accommodations-and-modifications
  - Promoting inclusion in the classroom. School of Education. (n.d.). https://drexel.edu/soe/resources/student-teaching/advice/Promote-Inclusion-in-the-Classroom/#:~:text=Inclusion%20in%20the%20classroom%20means,safe%2C%20valued%2C%20and%20respected.