Inspiring Teacher Candidates to Embrace Cultural Diversity

One of the challenges facing teachers in the United States is providing high-quality education for all students met in the classroom, including those who too often are underserved: students of color, low-income students, English-language learners, as well as students in urban and rural settings. Teachers report feeling unprepared and lack confidence in teaching students from culturally different backgrounds from themselves. This chapter suggests that in addition to becoming certified teachers, teacher candidates need to be inspired by teacher educators who are passionate about cultural learning and willing to share their own journey. Through sharing, teacher educators can provide practices that build cultural knowledge and increase cultural experiences of teacher candidates.

Culturally-Connected Integrated STEM Instruction

This chapter provides an overview of integrative STEM instruction through the lens of culturally connected practices as a foundation for elementary learners. The integrative STEM model can be a catalyst for increasing the number of culturally diverse, competent contributors to the STEM field. At the heart of an integrative approach to STEM instruction, students are exposed to rich science, technology, engineering, and mathematics content in ways that propel culturally diverse students to dive into these once exclusive bodies of knowledge with zeal and confidence. The only way this can occur is by having teachers whose belief systems 1) support the importance of rigorous learning, 2) are willing to challenge the status quo, and 3) who are adequately versed in culturally responsive teaching approaches. Additionally, this chapter highlights the implementation of Wheel Instruction for Integrative STEM through two professional development cycles within an urban school district in the New York State Capital Region.

Developing the Culturally Responsive Teacher

This chapter will use autoethnography to provide a comprehensive look at culturally responsive teaching by exploring three different perspectives at different stages in education: (1) the white female high school English teacher working with teens, (2) the Puerto Rican female undergraduate instructor working with pre-service teachers, and (3) the white female graduate professor working with in-service teachers. Collectively, the three perspectives will share experiences through storytelling about culturally responsive teaching as necessary practice in preparation for classroom teaching, emphasizing the need for more intentional instruction on race, culture, and ethnicity in teacher preparation programs. Ultimately, this chapter will demonstrate that culturally responsive teaching evolves over a teacher's lifetime, and to be truly transformative, culturally responsive teachers must adapt to the culture and contexts of their students.

Understanding Culturally Responsive Play Through Drama-Based Pedagogy

In this chapter, the authors outline three critical professional and ethical considerations for school leaders in early childhood settings to consider when examining the importance of including play in early childhood curricula. Beginning with an exploration of the critical role play serves in the lives of young children and positing that fundamentally, play is broadly supported across the domains of early childhood through theoretical and empirical work as well as more recent scientific support from neurological research. The authors outline a broader definition of play beyond a Eurocentric vision, and the ways in which school administrators can and should view play as culturally responsive pedagogy through the use of drama-based pedagogy.

Faculty Professional Development for Culturally Responsive Pedagogy in STEM Higher Education

This chapter showcases the purpose, activities, and outcomes of the Teaching to Increase Diversity and Equity in STEM (TIDES) faculty professional development program, which significantly increased both faculty skill level and confidence with implementing culturally responsive pedagogies in the computer/information science disciplines. Starting with the structure of the application process, TIDES intentionally created an effective learning environment where computer and information science faculty could not only learn about culturally relevant teaching practices and the need for them, but also unlearn what they may have absorbed about historical inequities in society and higher education and address their implicit biases about who can and should succeed in STEM. Evaluative data indicate that TIDES exceeded all its target outcomes, so this chapter is shared to support the replication of a proven practice of professional development to foster culturally responsive pedagogy among STEM faculty and, therefore, to support the recruitment and retention of diverse students in STEM.

Fostering Culturally Inclusive Family and School Collaboration Within the African American “Community”

Public schools are vested with the responsibility of meeting the needs of all students. However, the literature continues to evolve demonstrating patterns of disparities within predominately African American school communities and challenges with school and home partnerships. Students who have been identified with special education needs are at an even greater risk of failure because of ineffective services that are often the result of parents or caretakers who lack the capital, knowledge, and skills to advocate for them for many complex reasons. In order to meet the needs of this historically marginalized group within the field of special education, schools must adopt a posture of culturally responsive inclusivity and family collaboration within the African American school community. This collaboration entails (1) culturally responsive collaboration, (2) culturally responsive teaching, (3) strong family partnerships, (4) culturally responsive communication, and (5) family-centered school-based services for diverse families and culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students.

Culturally Responsive Mentoring Programs

Postsecondary education and training are deemed essential in today's and future job markets. Thus, the lower entry rates into and lower graduation rates from higher education by African American males place them in a long-term crisis economically and socially. Mentoring is strongly recommended as a significant component of comprehensive strategies to improve the retention and graduation rates of African American males. Research reveals that successful retention programs go beyond a one model fits all and are based on the unique characteristics and needs of students. The authors of this chapter assert that mentoring programs designed to improve retention and graduation rates of African American males must be scholarly based and authentically address the cultural needs of those students; therefore, the mentoring program must include culturally relevant constructs. This chapter discusses the design, implementation, and results of the pilot phase of a research-based culturally responsive mentoring program based on optimal psychology for African American males enrolled at a midwestern Predominately White Institution of higher education.

When Worlds Collide

This chapter will equip any person with culturally responsive practices to engage with a multiracial student or family. Relevant literature and research on the multiracial population will be provided, including multiracial identity development models and common microaggressions that often occur within this population. Using fictitious case examples, common culturally insensitive mistakes will be reviewed. Through these case examples and follow-up questions to support critical thinking, the reader will clearly see the culturally insensitive practices that often occur with the multiracial population and ways to change language, interactions, and even documentation to support cultural responsiveness and interventions. The conclusion of the chapter summarizes key points and reminders when working with the multiracial population and serves as a “call to action” for readers to act as agents of change in educational settings by supporting and advocating for inclusivity and research-based, culturally responsive practices.

Care and Cultural Responsiveness of Online College Courses

The chapter is a review and critique of the appropriateness of current approaches and a sample of current criteria used to evaluate the quality of online courses at the postsecondary level and care and cultural responsiveness. Based on the review, the authors suggest modifications of existing criteria and additional criteria appropriate to assessing and evaluating care and cultural responsiveness of online courses. The chapter concludes with suggestions for best practices for applying these preliminary criteria and suggestions for further research.

Culturally Responsive Pedagogy, National Culture, and Online Instruction

Cultural diversity is the anticipated norm in online learning environments that include international students, or which are part of international educational programs. Expressions of national culture inevitably shape the ways in which international students respond to the learning experience and perform within it. This chapter considers the roles and responsibilities of the culturally responsive online instructor in creating and facilitating online distance learning spaces that are inclusive, diverse, and supportive. It reviews a conceptual framework, derived from Hofstede's culture model, which may be useful in recognizing and anticipating national culture difference. The chapter also provides suggestions and recommendations to assist the instructor/facilitator in leading culturally different students to a place where they can learn successfully.