Examining culturally responsive education in the context of an elementary school science unit

This study is a reflective examination of my practice as an educator in which I explore how aspects of culturally responsive curriculum and pedagogy are enacted in the classroom. Specifically, it is the story of how I endeavored to make sense of the pedagogical decisions and actions that I made while preparing and teaching a science unit in my grade two classroom. I examine the ways in which I held high expectations for each student, developed learning activities that were meaningful, relevant, useful and important to each student, valued and built upon the students’ strengths, incorporated community interests and social justice, and built reciprocal relationships with the students and their families. I also examine how my thinking and knowledge was enriched and deepened by the experience of intentionally taking up cultural responsiveness as something I wanted not only to enact, but also study. The main data source for this study was a research journal. Other sources of data included samples of newsletters, blog posts and instructional planning notes as well as a parent/guardian questionnaire, transcripts from a student feedback session and samples of student work. A detailed, thick description and analysis with direct quotations captures my own perspective and experience as a teacher, as well as that of my students and their families.Education, Faculty ofCurriculum and Pedagogy (EDCP), Department ofGraduat