Culturally Responsive Education

Each child is introduced to many different cultures and beliefs and will continue to be exposed to differences throughout their lives. Culturally responsive education is important because it puts emphasis on the fact that education and teaching extend far beyond the walls of the classroom. The purpose of this study is to figure out how teachers can create a culturally responsive class. . It is important to provide tools that help all students become respectful of the multitudes of cultures and people that they will interact with in their lifetime. This study will address the following research question: How can educators create and maintain culturally responsive classrooms? This study follows qualitative design using classroom observation. To answer each research question, the researcher observed one classroom in an elementary school grade 5. Once a week on Monday afternoons, I went to a fifth grade class. In that classroom I observed and participated for two to three hours a week. One elementary teacher in the San Francisco Bay area was observed in their classrooms. The teacher was chosen because they are the teacher in the school in which I am doing my fieldwork, so this is a sample of convenience. I analyzed the data using thematic analysis of observations. The research is progress. I anticipate the results to be a positive change is the classroom through the use of new teaching methods that empower cultures other than the majority culture of the classroom. Key Terms Inclusion: The action or state of including or of being included within a group or structure (Oxford Dictionaries) Diversity: The concept of diversity encompasses acceptance and respect. It means understanding that each individual is unique, and recognizing our individual differences. These can be along the dimensions of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, age, physical abilities, religious beliefs, political beliefs, or other ideologies. (University of Oregon) Culture: The beliefs, customs, arts, etc., of a particular society, group, place, or time. : a particular society that has its own beliefs, ways of life, art, etc. : a way of thinking, behaving, or working that exists in a place or organization (such as a business). (Merriam Webster) Culturally Responsive Education: A pedagogy that crosses cultures to engage learners while respecting their cultural integrity. It accommodates the dynamic mix of race, ethnicity, class, gender, region, religion, and family that contributes to every student\u27s cultural identity. (ASCD