Green Thumb Educating

In this chapter, the author presents the metaphor Green Thumb Educating to describe a culturally responsive approach common amongst culturally responsive educators in literature. Through this culturally responsive approach, students are empowered and held to high expectations and supported through rigorous academic obstacles. The author demonstrates how educators' beliefs about developing positive and meaningful rapport with children shapes their culturally responsive approach. The author makes the case that culturally responsive educators, also known as Green Thumb Educators, approach the teaching and learning process by first prioritizing the development of meaningful relationships with students. Culturally responsive educators approach culturally and linguistically diverse students like ESL learners by creating a sense of belonging in their classroom through the development of meaningful relationships.

“Going Live” in Education

In this chapter, the author explores the culturally responsive approach of contextualizing learning using the social media trend, going live, as a metaphor. Literature has demonstrated that culturally responsive educators approach the teaching and learning process by situating learning in the context of children's lives. The author demonstrates how educators' beliefs about content knowledge shapes their teaching approach and curriculum activities. The author makes the case that culturally responsive educators, also known as Green Thumb Educators, connect classroom learning to learning in the community and engage students in problem-solving. The author demonstrates, how culturally relevant educators approach learning by capturing the voices of their students through dialogic exchanges fostered by providing students with opportunities to “read” (interpret) and respond to their lived experiences and worldviews.

Facilitators of Knowledge

In this chapter, the author explicates the African approach of facilitating knowledge through eldering, where knowledge construction is a communal experience. Through this culturally responsive approach, students are encouraged to exchange ideas, perspectives, and insight to contribute to the knowledge pool. The author demonstrates how educators' beliefs about knowledge shapes their culturally responsive approach of facilitating knowledge in the context of the classroom and in the communities of their students in contrast to teachers who only delivered knowledge. The author makes the case that culturally responsive educators approach their role in the teaching and learning process as facilitators. The author ends with recommendations for both teachers and teacher educators. Amongst those recommendations are scholars of color who have been omitted from the list of educational theorists, whom the author presents as educational theorists.

The “Lit” Classroom

In this chapter, the author explores the culturally responsive approach of Hip Hop Pedagogy and Hip Hop Play. The author demonstrates how educators' beliefs about Hip Hop may influence if, how, and why they engage in Hip Hop Pedagogy and Play in the contexts of their classrooms and communities. The author makes the case that culturally responsive educators value, appreciate, critique, and understand Hip Hop from a historical aspect and as an effective approach to teaching and learning. The author provides an overview of Hip Hop and demonstrates how culturally relevant educators foster opportunities through Hip Hop and play for students to “read” (interpret) and respond to their lived experiences and worldviews.

Believing in Your “Other” You

In this chapter, the author presents critical examination of teacher belief systems as a promising culturally responsive approach to support the success of all children. Culturally responsive educators wholeheartedly believe in the positive possibilities of all children. Conversely, literature has demonstrated unfavorable outcomes of children of color when teachers held deficient beliefs about children of color and their families. The author demonstrates ways in which implicit biases become problematic as they inform curriculum decisions, which have not historically produced favorable outcomes for children of color. The author makes the case that teachers must have the “will” to teach children in ways that support them in excelling and engage in an emancipatory pedagogical African concept known as eldering. The author demonstrates how culturally responsive educators have demonstrated this belief through the literature.

Single Story Combaters in Education

In this chapter, the author presents the notion of combating “single stories” as a promising, culturally responsive approach to support the success of all children. The stories/narratives or perspectives of people of color have been historically omitted and marginalized in dominant educational discourses. Instead, culturally biased and stereotypical information is oftentimes framed and shared as the single story—the only story. The single story, when internalized by teachers and administrators, presents many unfavorable outcomes for children of color, because it informs curricula decision making. The author demonstrates how the theoretical framework of culturally responsive pedagogies undergirded the effective approaches of educators who combated single stories; and supported students in beating the odds, by demonstrating their potential. The author makes the case that teachers should seek developing culturally responsive approaches rather than seeking strategies.