Creating Culturally Responsive Schools: One Classroom at a Time

by Michele Wages

Overview

With so much cultural mixing in today’s classrooms, teachers no longer have a choice as to whether they want to interact with diversity or not. It is imperative that educators become culturally competent. By studying the cultural backgrounds of their students, teachers can learn to avoid some of the problems that surface each day in the public school classroom. Today’s classrooms are extremely diverse and many educators are not prepared for the increasing need for culturally responsive teaching. Creating Culturally Responsive Schools: One Classroom at a Time strives to help teachers discover not only what it means to be a culturally responsive educator, but also how to strengthen a schools’ staff in cultural awareness, respect, and value and how to use this knowledge to increase all student achievement. Each chapter is self-sufficient allowing the reader to utilize only those parts of the book needed. This is an invaluable educator resource addressing current classroom demographics.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781475818093
Publisher:	Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Publication date:	08/13/2015
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	146
Product dimensions:	5.87(w) x 8.97(h) x 0.45(d)

About the Author

Dr. Michele Wages is an Assistant Professor at Southeastern Oklahoma State University teaching Emergent and Developing Literacy and Diagnosis and Remediation of Reading at Elementary Level to elementary education majors. In her 26 year career she has served as an instructional specialist on title one campuses in the DFW area for 9 years, including a bilingual campus with an 86% Hispanic student enrollment and a free and reduced lunch demographic of 96%. She has also served as a classroom teacher, reading specialist, language arts facilitator and has provided staff development training for teachers in Texas.

Table of Contents

Foreword
Preface
Introduction
Background
Chapter one Preparing the Teacher

• Intrinsically motivating Students
• Pedagogy of Culturally Responsive Teaching (motivational framework)
• Themes for Culturally Responsive Pedagogy
• Communicating High Expectations for Students
• Four Conditions Necessary for Culturally Responsive Teaching

Chapter two Supporting the Teacher

• Prof. Development Activities that Focus on Cultural Responsiveness
• Ensuring all Faculty Respect Culture of their Students
• Value and Celebrate Culture
• Take Away Barriers that Impede Progress

Chapter three Learning Within the Context of Culture

• Cultural Components
• Bridge Cultural Differences through Effective Communication
• Interpreting Nonverbal Language Across Culture
• Student Centered Instruction
• The Culturally Responsive Classroom

Chapter four Managing the Classroom with Cultural Responsiveness

• What is culturally Responsive Classroom Management?

• Culturally Mediated Instruction
• Teacher as Facilitator
• Building a Learning Community

Chapter five Reshaping the Curriculum

• The importance of Textbooks as Curriculum Content

• The types of Curriculum
• Curriculum Quality
• Producing a High Achieving Learning Environment
• Building Blocks of Successful Differentiated Instruction

Chapter sixCulturally Responsive Lesson Plans

• Sample Plans
• Assessment

Conclusion
Abstract
References
About the Author

Editorial Reviews

As teachers, we cannot deny the overwhelming change within our education system and society as a whole. The curriculum that guides us can no longer meet the needs of our diverse populations without addressing differentiation within our classrooms. Creating Culturally Responsive Schools: One Classroom at a Time gives veteran and new teachers alike the support they need to meet the needs of all students. It guides us to reshape our curriculum to ensure culturally responsive teaching and promote success for all students.

Tina Dearing Tyson

Creating Culturally Responsive Schools: One Classroom at a Time brings to the forefront the need for culturally competent classrooms while providing a blueprint for practical implementation ensuring a focus on educating the whole child in an inclusive school setting. The relevant, useful step-by-step guide provides districts, campuses, and teachers with the ability to build learning communities that are culturally responsive. It accomplishes its goal to become a desk reference for curriculum directors, principals and teachers.

Dr. Darrell Brown