tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6655379557695505279.post7107234525396120713..comments2024-02-19T00:37:40.009-08:00Comments on SPE 584 - Special Populations in Gifted Education: What I Can Do to Address the Various Cultures in My Classroom kbesnoyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05097767275239193115noreply@blogger.comBlogger106125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6655379557695505279.post-23767943292302880272017-04-26T11:12:08.947-07:002017-04-26T11:12:08.947-07:00Being a culturally responsive teacher means creati...Being a culturally responsive teacher means creating a warm, accepting atmosphere where all students are appreciated, accepted and valued. It means knowing my students and their backgrounds. It means reflecting and acknowledging their cultures in the content, books, displays and curricula in the classroom. It also means providing a "window" to the wider world - Exposing my students to new ideas and experiences outside their sphere of knowledge is part of my job as an educator in a diverse society. Above all, it means meeting the needs of my students, taking them to the next level, and having high expectations for all of my students.<br /><br />I can do this by building a culturally diverse library, researching cultural tie-ins on content - for example in a bridges unit, incorporating bridges from Latin America, Asia, the Phillipines and Estonia would reflect areas where my students are from. As above all, by knowing and developing a connection with each of my students. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10774670834510744705noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6655379557695505279.post-31246100475607630352017-04-25T07:04:28.687-07:002017-04-25T07:04:28.687-07:00I need to make sure all the cultures are represent...I need to make sure all the cultures are represented in my classroom. Taking this course has opened my eyes to all the diversity and different backgrounds my students come from. It is important to involve the community, parents, students, faculty, etc. Once you learn about who your students are and where they come from you have more to offer as an educator. <br /><br />-Jessica BakerAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6655379557695505279.post-61271533634010247652017-04-24T09:27:21.338-07:002017-04-24T09:27:21.338-07:00Culturally responsive/sensitive teachers learn and...Culturally responsive/sensitive teachers learn and respond appropriately to their students’ cultural, ethnic, social, emotional, and cognitive needs. These teachers hold high expectations for all students, maintain and tend to the integrity of all students’ culture and identities, and cultivate academic excellence and success for all students. Furthermore, they strive to help parents become effective partners in the education of their children. To create a culturally responsive classroom means for the culturally responsive/sensitive teacher to create a classroom culture that is welcoming for all learners, to create lessons that connect the content to students’ culture and daily lives, and to use instructional materials that relate to a variety of cultures.<br /><br />One way to differentiate my curriculum so that it is more culturally responsive is to use more positive images and representations of cultural diversity in my classroom. These images may prove to be a perfect starting point for essential class discussions, individual/group activities, and class reflections on ethnicity and culture. Another way to differentiate my curriculum is to invite experts—students, parents, guardians, colleagues, community members, and others from diverse cultural backgrounds into my classroom. These experts will be invited to share their knowledge, experience, and expertise on my students’ ethnic or cultural topic of interest. These two methods of curriculum differentiation will provide culturally relevant and extensive educational experiences for all students in my classroom.<br />Sandra Perteetnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6655379557695505279.post-52813805600003468512017-04-23T17:36:47.988-07:002017-04-23T17:36:47.988-07:00To be culturally responsive, I need to represent v...To be culturally responsive, I need to represent various cultures within my classroom through use of posters, books, lessons, and discussion. I also need to be aware of students backgrounds, cultures, and learning styles. By doing this I can better serve my students through lesson choice and differentiation of lessons.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6655379557695505279.post-56173064894163187782017-04-18T18:22:45.077-07:002017-04-18T18:22:45.077-07:00A culturally responsive classroom is reflective of...A culturally responsive classroom is reflective of all cultures represented. Each culture is valued and the curriculum reflects the students' learning styles. Materials, books, wall words, posters written in languages used by students are all ways a teacher may choose to help students. Knowing the students, ways they learn, being accepting of the students' cultures, and incorporating this knowledge into the curriculum so that all students can be in the best environment to learn and succeed exhibits a culturally responsive classroom. Another way I could have a culturally responsive classroom goes beyond the classroom to involve parents to the school and community as well. Kara I.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6655379557695505279.post-55389960002564872552017-04-15T18:45:20.358-07:002017-04-15T18:45:20.358-07:00A culturally responsive teacher recognizes, affirm...A culturally responsive teacher recognizes, affirms, and responds to the differences and needs of all students. His or her classroom is student and culturally centered which will eliminate barriers to learning and achievement. The teacher should serve as a bridge to seamlessly blend the students' curriculum between home, school, and the community. The teacher should serve as a model and teach tolerance, respect, and awareness of different cultural backgrounds.GATE45https://www.blogger.com/profile/13766826061725782257noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6655379557695505279.post-28588654150886725372017-04-05T14:54:26.546-07:002017-04-05T14:54:26.546-07:00Creating a culturally responsive classroom means i...Creating a culturally responsive classroom means integrating different cultures into your classroom materials and instruction. One thing that we discussed in class, that I had really thought about, was having books in your classroom that are diverse. To have more culturally diverse curriculum means adjusting it to your students' learning styles. Also, integrating studies about different cultures. Kelsey Rikerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05031201280895728112noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6655379557695505279.post-16532320813655630512017-03-29T16:09:43.698-07:002017-03-29T16:09:43.698-07:00Be a culturally responsive teacher and provide mat...Be a culturally responsive teacher and provide materials that all children can identify with or see themselves in. I can do things in and outside of my classroom to cause all my students to feel valued and welcome. Some of these things might be to celebrate the diversity of the children and community that I serve. I can include field trips and guest speakers such as community leaders that my students can aspire to. I can include materials that expose children to the diversity and culture of the people around them, because open communication and deeper understanding of each other leads to acceptance and empathy. <br />As I wrote about in the interview paper, the career and technology school we are currently housed in was a segregated school during the fifties and sixties. I wanted my students to realize that segregation and the civil rights movement did not just happen in Selma or Birmingham it happened here (where we live) too. To this end I invited a community leader and local entrepreneur who graduated with the schools last graduating class to come and speak to my students. My principal procured the original blueprints and I was thrilled by how interested my students were in everything that was presented to them. I never would have considered this project had I not been challenged to act by this class. Another benefit has been that my students that are culturally different from me have made deeper connections with me and their peers; this has been evident by the way treat me, being more open to sharing their ideas and by taking leadership roles with their classmates.<br />Mrs. Campbellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02552217040964056164noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6655379557695505279.post-28673801823998754512017-02-06T08:10:18.340-08:002017-02-06T08:10:18.340-08:00Thank you Sandra! KSWThank you Sandra! KSWAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6655379557695505279.post-42983570350602973242017-02-05T22:06:15.964-08:002017-02-05T22:06:15.964-08:00To adequately address the various cultures in my c...To adequately address the various cultures in my classroom, I can design my daily instructions to connect the course content with student background. Then, I can encourage students to learn from one another by sharing experiences and perspectives. As a culturally responsive teacher, I can include and read aloud books in my culturally relevant curriculum that features multicultural characters. I can also “Include books in the class library written in languages other than English” (Diaz-Rico & Weed, 2006). Culturally responsive educators have the responsibility of preparing all students to become productive citizens of the real—multicultural—world.<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6655379557695505279.post-62954934131966913342017-02-05T14:38:48.648-08:002017-02-05T14:38:48.648-08:00Being a culturally responsive teacher means learni...Being a culturally responsive teacher means learning and adapting. Learn all you can about all your students and make them all feel successful and comfortable in all areas. Set a tone of acceptance for all beliefs, ideas, and views. <br />After watching the video and reading the chapters, I feel pretty good about what goes on in my classroom. I try to start every morning with “good morning”. I feel this sets the tone and makes everyone feel welcome. I take the time to talk to my students and give them time to express themselves to me and each other. I set a tone that makes them feel comfortable with their differences. No idea is wrong or dumb. I model acceptance of all answers. I try to make them all feel special and appreciated. I truly love teaching and being with my students. I do feel that I can do a better job when it comes to a culturally rich environment. I do not have any pictures of children on my walls. My theme is frogs and that is what I have hanging around my room. I need to find and display some culturally diverse pictures. I love telling my students that they do a good job. I want them all to feel successful. Even when they struggle, I try to help them feel successful and able to overcome their struggle. I give one on one time and small group instruction to ensure they are able to do so. I try to adapt my teaching so that it reaches all learning styles. I teach using many different styles. My students see, hear, and move to the same content. Being at a Magnet school and through collaboration my students are taught through art, drama, music, and dance. <br />Joline Colenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6655379557695505279.post-6072143374647433682017-02-05T13:41:30.811-08:002017-02-05T13:41:30.811-08:00In order to address the various cultures within a ...In order to address the various cultures within a classroom a teacher must be a life long learner. Continuing to stretch your abilities and study other cultures in order to have an idea of the cultural influences of your students. This is just the tip of the iceberg. I feel it is very important to get to know your students, their likes and dislikes, what their home life is like. Celebrate other cultures through print and through hands on activities such as crafts. Allow your students to share their culture and model positive views of other cultures by showing enthusiasm and appreciation of different cultures.<br /><br />I work in a school where the classrooms are combined by two grade levels. I feel that most teachers have a difficult time teaching multiple intelligences and in differentiation of instruction. I see the teachers in our school do this everyday by teaching multiple grade levels. I feel that differentiation of instruction works hand in hand in addressing multiple cultures. Know your students interests and their strengths and weaknesses and construct lessons accordingly. While I was working on my degree at Athens State we were constantly reminded to create an emotionally sage environment for our students by allowing and praising self expression. I plan to implement this into my classroom in order to reach all diversities. Jamie Whitleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18267719251681225996noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6655379557695505279.post-80900452835671306322017-02-05T13:11:52.309-08:002017-02-05T13:11:52.309-08:00I think creating a culturally responsive classroom...I think creating a culturally responsive classroom boils down to 2 things Dr. Kristina Bidwell mentioned in the video - not only allowing my students to "see" themselves in the curriculum but to "make space" for students to bring in their own culture. My personal teaching philosophy centers on respect and the relationship with every individual child, and the ability of each student to make their own meaning of what we are learning. This making of their own meaning is essential - I expect all students to make connections with material we are covering in class in their own way. Castellano and Frazier (2011) discuss addressing material from different multiple intelligence and learning styles which allow students to better make connections. For instance in bringing fantasy, mnemonics, music and calligraphy to bear for making material relevant to Native Americans, showing caring and maintaining high expectations for black adolescents in particular. <br /><br />These multiple intelligences and own connections to classroom material allows that "space" for students to bring in their own culture - I feel it is essential to always bring it back to what we know. I have had a lot of exposure to different cultures in my life, and I like to bring that to my students, for example in the China unit that I am doing now. However, if I don't make space for them to make personal connections to what they know, just "exposing" them to another culture is irrelevant - it will go in one ear and out the other. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10774670834510744705noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6655379557695505279.post-18371660240337428842017-02-05T13:07:11.843-08:002017-02-05T13:07:11.843-08:00Although I have been teaching for ten years, the l...Although I have been teaching for ten years, the last two years of teaching gifted and talented classes have opened my eyes to my most diverse group of students. I have been able to teach students from various countries and various socioeconomic backgrounds. To be culturally responsive within my classroom I have had to differentiate my lessons to accommodate various views of holidays and other subjects that can be controversial when taught across cultures. I have also gained a greater appreciation and respect for the Hispanic culture within my classroom by becoming better acquainted with some of their cultural practices. I have a student this year that brought her family's photo album to class that had pictures of her sister's Quinceanera. She shared it with the class and explained what it represented in her culture. <br />The information from Gary Howard's "7 Principles for Culturally Responsive Teaching" is a great resource for becoming a culturally responsive teacher. As a teacher, allowing this student to share and inform her classmates about her sister's Quinceanera allowed her to affirm her cultural connection and bring knowledge of her culture to her classmates and me. It also allowed her to gain a greater respect for her culture within her class. One area of the seven principles that I feel I need to work on is in making my classroom culturally inviting. I really have not thought about making sure posters and other wall mounts reflect various cultures within their display. This is one area that should be very easy to change. To be culturally responsive also includes being informed about your students and their cultures. By offering student centered learning and allowing the students to open up and be interactive, we are able to learn more about them and their lifestyles. This affirms them as a student while also affirming their cultural connections.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6655379557695505279.post-75140453281075649272017-02-05T09:42:34.229-08:002017-02-05T09:42:34.229-08:00I think the teacher in the video gave a great mode...I think the teacher in the video gave a great model for creating a culturally responsive classroom. She told us exactly how she set the tone for her classroom to be culturally diverse on the first day. Sharing with the students about your own culture, the school's culture can help set the tone for a culturally responsive classroom.<br />One way to differentiate instruction is to let the students make their culture a part of their learning, just like in the video, to where to students feel that they are the experts. <br />Another way to differentiate would be to include different lessons that will bring in all of the different learning styles. Chapter 3 of the Catellano and Frazier book we are reading gives us great insight into different learning styles and how to teach to specifically visual-spacial learners (p. 47-72). Some of the strategies, I think, might help some of my students. Not all students will find benefits through the same strategies. This goes back to knowing your students' cultures and learning styles. Kelsey Rikerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05031201280895728112noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6655379557695505279.post-85558281111550650522017-02-03T15:15:02.380-08:002017-02-03T15:15:02.380-08:00A culturally responsive classroom is representativ...A culturally responsive classroom is representative of the entire class population. It should serve as a visual representation and appreciation of each culture represented in the class. Children should recognize differences as well as similarities between cultures. This will aid in children accepting differences and hopefully eliminate stereotypical thinking. Students should be allowed to work in heterogeneous grouping. This type of participation will help students to see other's viewpoints and individuality. This will lead to the development of cooperation and social skills, and will boost their self esteem because they will recognize themselves as being accepted for their individuality. The teacher plays a vital role in setting the tone of the class. She should be willing to learn about diverse backgrounds and incorporate that knowledge into daily lessons and activities. We are all different. The best way to learn about these differences and similarities is from interacting with each other.GATE45https://www.blogger.com/profile/13766826061725782257noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6655379557695505279.post-65188425853845961112017-02-02T11:21:35.206-08:002017-02-02T11:21:35.206-08:00Gary Howard’s Seven Principles and Castellano and ...Gary Howard’s Seven Principles and Castellano and Frazier’s Five Elements (loc. 7,133) have an overlapping foundation towards being culturally competent. They both boil down to acceptance and adaption. You have to accept others differences no matter their background, gender, or sexuality. In order to do this, you must consciously work toward respecting others even if you don’t agree with their lifestyle. When students feel accepted then they will be more comfortable and willing to learn. You need to adapt yourself to diversity by exposing and educating yourself across cultures. You also should adapt your classroom to reflect your student body. Two ways I can differentiate my curriculum so that its more culturally responsive is to have a diverse selection of literature that reflects the genders, background, immigration status, sexual orientation, etc. of my students. I should also reflect this diversity in the displays in my classroom and around the school. As Gary Howard says, “Singing harmony to our kids song, rather than forcing them to always sing our song.” We need to adapt to them/for them. Dana Cookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15672470030846269316noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6655379557695505279.post-89550233154886580832017-02-02T11:16:20.989-08:002017-02-02T11:16:20.989-08:00GOAL: Create relationships across differences
ACTI...GOAL: Create relationships across differences<br />ACTION: Using a welcoming, engaging tone-of-voice. Regularly address each student to establish personal connections. Look for each student’s strength and reinforce your belief in that strength. Actively talent scout and advocate. Honestly reflect on ones own attitudes, preconceived notions, and values.<br /><br />GOAL: Achieve at a higher, deeper level, across differences.<br />ACTION: Offer inclusive content. Engage with students as they are, without the expectation of assimilation. Shift what we do to meet the kids where they are academically and socially. “Sing harmony” to what they’re already singing. Focus on student-centered learning (kids do the majority of the work). Abolish deficit thinking and instead, model the understanding that giftedness/all types of intelligence can emerge from anyone, regardless of ethnicity, background, or SES. Keep expectations high across the board.<br /><br />GOAL: Students feel honored in their cultural interactions and comfortable that you know “who they are”<br />ACTION: Offer content inclusion. Offer a sense that, “I get it”. Share relevant stories from personal experience. Strive to balance addressing differences while making them a non-issue. Be real. Become genuinely comfortable- this means exposing oneself to situations outside the classroom that put the teacher in the minority and/or exposes them to other cultures. Recognize the diversity that exists within each culture (varying tribal customs/languages of Native American populations; 22 Hispanic cultures in the world). <br /><br />GOAL: Establishing classroom as a safe space.<br />ACTION: Choose a tone/demeanor/learning environment that is welcoming and inviting. Choose media and references that reflect the diversity of the population. Let students know that it is good to discuss culture and set the tone of respectfulness in doing so. Ask questions about how students experience school.<br /><br />GOAL: Cooperation<br />ACTION: Role model respect. Remain friendly without sacrificing firmness and consistency. Keep discipline instructive, not punitive. Mix up the teaching style by using mixed-ability and culturally diverse grouping strategies that encourage interaction and engagement. Use Cross’s 5 elements of cultural competence (1989).<br /><br />GOAL: Differentiating curriculum to be more culturally responsive<br />ACTION: 1. Use current references and examples that reflect the lives of the culturally diverse student population. 2. Address historical inaccuracies that have been common in past and present curriculum and present students with opportunities for critical thinking in terms of why certain groups might interpret and convey history in biased ways. Retell the story through the use of multiple perspectives. 3. Identify and eliminate test biases.<br /><br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10198135217366623308noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6655379557695505279.post-8562262095475236342017-02-01T14:25:50.423-08:002017-02-01T14:25:50.423-08:00I have been teaching for seven years and this is m...I have been teaching for seven years and this is my first year at the school I am teaching at now. The school I am at now it a magnet school that specializes in math, science, and technology. With my school being a magnet school I have students from all over Mobile County that attend. This means I have students from all different backgrounds and cultures. With that being said, I LOVE MY SCHOOL and my DIVERSE students. I believe being at such a school has opened my eyes to culturally responsiveness. I enjoy communicating with my students and having them share their difference religious holidays and celebrations. Being able to discuss these culturally differences with my kids has opened my students up for more acceptance and they have a sense of belonging. Not only do my students feel welcome I strive to make my parents feel welcome as well. Having my students translate when it comes to parent conferences and tours of the school has also made my parents feel more comfortable and relaxed. It is very important to make all students and parents feel welcomed and important, so they will strive to do their best and have an equal opportunity for a wonderful education. Jessica BakerAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6655379557695505279.post-78458174011259631132017-01-29T13:33:03.987-08:002017-01-29T13:33:03.987-08:00Through the readings and videos, I have been made ...Through the readings and videos, I have been made more aware of the benefits a culturally responsive classroom may offer students. The two schools where I teach are mainly white, but there is a high Hispanic population. One way to make my classroom more culturally responsive is to adapt their culture into the curriculum. Charts and posters can be displayed in their language which also reflects pictures that can be found in their country. Also, choice of book or topic to be explored could be of their culture. When presented to the class, the specific skill is still built upon, but through using the value of their culture. Another way to make my classroom more culturally responsive is TO involve parents in our schools. At one school, one of our custodians is Hispanic. She helped organize some of the Hispanic parents to prepare a meal for the faculty and staff on Cinco de Mayo Day. The ladies brought in authentic Mexican food and drinks and wore festive traditional outfits. They talked to us about their culture. This helped us develop a greater understanding. It also gave them a sense of belonging and feeling a sense of value in the school community. This can also be brought on a smaller scale to be incorporated into the classroom. Students can also participate with the parents to provide knowledge of their culture to our classroom. There is value in creating a culturally responsive classroom. All students feel valued and feel they can contribute to the class. They are all given opportunities to learn and succeed.Kara I.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6655379557695505279.post-27006271289824114842017-01-28T13:31:25.528-08:002017-01-28T13:31:25.528-08:00Differentiation of content, process, and product a...Differentiation of content, process, and product are key to keeping gifted children engaged, really all children engaged. As the interviewee mentioned, when she picked the content, the book, she gained a deep satisfaction and enjoyment for the process. She also mentioned something that I have been stumbling on in my classroom too. She picked an obscure book that was unfamiliar to anyone, and got to teach the teacher.<br />Although I have a varied background, I frequently feel like Jane-of-all-trades, but Master-of-none. As a kindergarten teacher I was the sole knowledge giver to my students. As a gifted teacher, I’ve had to face the reality that I will never be able to be a master of all my students’ interests or the new things that I want to expose them to. So I have decided to be the master-facilitator of individual learning. Through this MA program I am learning to recruit experts in my community. I have found that parents, grandparents, and entrepreneurs love to get involved. They usually enjoy giving tours of their businesses or coming in with materials to share. In doing this they are explaining career options and education requirements. By going to local businesses and utilities in the community children can see diversity in the workplace where they live. <br />Combining these two concepts, becoming more of a facilitator than teacher and using differentiation strategies will give my students more opportunities to become autonomous learners. Giving assignments where they can pick the content like the interviewee did will help them to make them more cultural connections. It will help them to realize that they have something important to offer; themselves!<br />Mrs. Campbellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02552217040964056164noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6655379557695505279.post-23850793831000023312016-04-28T16:08:34.841-07:002016-04-28T16:08:34.841-07:00Being a culturally responsive teacher is one of th...Being a culturally responsive teacher is one of the most important aspects of being a 21st century teacher. A culturally responsive classroom includes each and every student. It means being warm and welcoming. It means including your student's cultures in your curriculum, from what they read to what they do. It means getting to know them, not just as students in your classroom but also as people and family members. It means finding out about their likes and dislikes; talking to them about their differences; helping them understand each other. It means differentiating lessons so that all learning styles are covered and all socio-economic backgrounds are covered. <br /><br />It's difficult and time consuming to be a culturally responsive teacher, but it's extremely important to look at each student as their own person. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09978078237631115650noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6655379557695505279.post-2144165899492770062016-04-27T18:08:57.315-07:002016-04-27T18:08:57.315-07:00In order to have a culturally responsive classroom...In order to have a culturally responsive classroom, it is important to have a good understanding of each child and their culture. That does mean the color of their skin, but their home life, traditions, and beliefs. All of these things can affect how a student learns so it is imperative that we really get to know our students in order to really reach them. We talk about differentiating lessons to meet student's needs all the time, but what about differentiating lessons for student's cultural background. We should hope as educators we do this naturally when we get to know our students. But I strive to do it with purpose. A culturally responsive teacher is curious and we need our students to be curious also. We need to break down the stereotypes and not perpetuate them. Abigail Moorenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6655379557695505279.post-13666307600833450412016-04-24T19:45:08.757-07:002016-04-24T19:45:08.757-07:00The most important thing I need to do to have a cu...The most important thing I need to do to have a culturally responsive classroom is to know my students. I need to talk to them one on one. I need to get to know their families. While I can do some research and study to learn about traditions within their culture, I can't know exactly what that student's worldview is until I make an effort to get to know him/her. Then, my job is to find avenues for them to incorporate their unique differences into the classroom. I love the idea of doing this by giving the students choices. For example, a unit on biographies could bring so much culture into the classroom if I allow the students to choose who they would like to read and write about. Or, to practice speaking and listening skills, they could choose someone important to themselves to interview about a topic near and dear to their hearts. They would accomplish the objectives, but in a way that is comfortable and helps us learn about them. Another way to make the classroom warm and welcoming is to invite friends and family of the students to come and share with the class at every available opportunity. If other people like them are welcome to be a part of the classroom environment, then hopefully they will feel welcomed themselves. These types of methods ensure that I do not misinterpret my students' cultures, or perpetuate stereotypes by doing activities that I think or assume relate to my students' backgrounds.Emily Sherrodnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6655379557695505279.post-69545697525518466122016-04-24T17:41:01.269-07:002016-04-24T17:41:01.269-07:00In order to create a culturally responsive classro...In order to create a culturally responsive classroom, I have learned to really listen to my students and their individual needs. In order for a student to truly learn, all of their other needs must be met. A culturally responsive classroom is a safe, positive place where all students are accepted and their differences are appreciated. In order to differentiate the curriculum in my classroom so that it is more culturally responsive, I can allow my students to read literature that allows them to connect with their culture. Another way to differentiate the curriculum is to have students conduct research about their culture and present it to the class. Also, connecting students with mentors of similar cultural backgrounds would allow students to have emotional support and a positive role-model. Mary-Kate Owennoreply@blogger.com