2 Teaching Practice as Doing and Being

Culturally responsive teaching is a continuous, dual practice of doing and being.

Process One: Being

This process is a personal journey. It involves accountability for one’s personal perspectives, cultural lens, implicit biases, & assumptions about others. It is one of growth & curiosity and transcends our classroom self.

Aligned with Pedagogical Changes

  • Critical thinking & self-reflection
  • Understand and address privilege, bias, & microaggressions
  • Foster empathy
  • Demonstrate authenticity and transparency
  • Develop cultural knowledge, & curiosity
  • Community building

Process Two: Doing

This is the process of building learner and classroom belonging. It involves actionable and intentional teaching methods that cultivate a sense of care, support, and value for learners and the cultures they represent

Aligned with Curriculum Changes

  • Design for engagement
  • Learn, use, and uphold names and pronouns
  • Representation in authors, theorists & content contributors
  • Representation in content/materials
  • Recognize & affirm “surface” culture (food, holidays)
  • Recognize & engage with “deep culture” (communication styles, cultural attitudes)

This image depicts the "Iceberg Concept of Culture," illustrating how culture can be understood in terms of visible and hidden elements, similar to an iceberg. Surface Culture (Above sea level, emotional level: relatively low): food dress music visual arts drama crafts dance literature language celebrations games Deep Culture (Below sea level, emotional level: very high or intense): Unspoken Rules (Partially below sea level): courtesy contextual conversational patterns concept of time personal space rules of conduct facial expressions nonverbal communication body language touching eye contact patterns of handling emotions notions of modesty concept of beauty courtship practices relationships to animals notions of leadership tempo of work concepts of food ideals of childrearing theory of disease social interaction rate nature of friendships tone of voice attitudes toward elders concept of cleanliness Unconscious Rules (Completely below sea level): notions of adolescence patterns of group decision-making definition of insanity preference for competition or cooperation tolerance of physical pain concept of "self" concept of past and future definition of obscenity attitudes toward dependents problem-solving roles in relation to age, sex, occupation, kinship, and so forth

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Culturally Responsive Pedagogy Toolkit Copyright © by Elliot Mead is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

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