Striving for a Culturally Responsive Classroom

I would love to be able to say that my school and particularly my classroom is culturally

responsive and promotes cultural inclusiveness. I do believe it is and we do, however, I cannot

say that it isnt something we could promote further and more actively implement into our

curriculum. I think this begins with letting go of assumptions about any culture or diverse group.

As Cris Cullinan introduces in her document, Vision, Privilege and the Limits of Tolerance, there

are three presumptions about the dominant cultureinnocence, worthiness and competence

(Cullinan, 1). In order to promote cultural inclusion, all cultures need to be recognized,

supported and embraced. There is no room for generalizations or assumptions no matter if they

are positive or negative.

Willits Unified School District is very active with students parents, families and the

community. We provide opportunities for afterschool activities that can bring families and the

community together to support each other, the school, and education. The small town has two

newspapers and Brookside Elementary, where I teach, is frequently in the news sharing the

excitement and happenings with the town. Our school has frequent family fun night type

activities for students, families and teachers as well as parent-teacher opportunities to engage

parents in their childs education. In my classroom, I send home a weekly newsletter with

corrected assignments and worksheets so that parents can read about and see what their child is

doing in my class. Also, I have an open door policy with the families of my students and

welcome parents to come and observe or help whenever they would like. In order to enhance

partnerships with parents, I would prefer to have required conferences with parents each

trimester. We do our best to meet with parents during the first trimester, but often do not invite
parents back again. While I do encourage parents to come in, call, or email me at anytime, this is

not something that happens as frequently as I would like.

John Attinasi explains multiculturalism as a movement that affects school leaders,

parents, community members, and society as a whole (2). I agree that multiculturalism will

affect these people, but more importantly, the movement is made possible by these people.

Attinasi also states that the first notion of multicultural education was only needed for culturally

and linguistically diverse people (2). I am content with the ELD program at our school, but also

wonder if this is was he is referring to. I wonder: Is a special class for students from diverse

cultures that requires them to be removed from the inclusive classroom to get the support they

may or may not need culturally inclusive?

I find that cultural inclusion is difficult to push in the classroom. I do however, feel that

it is very necessary and plays an important role in the development of students from all cultures

and backgrounds. This course has been an eye opener for me as a member of the dominant

white culture and as an educator of diverse students. I hope to further promote an environment

of cultural responsive teaching and learning.

References

Attinasi, John. Academic Achievement, Culture, and Literacy: An Introduction. 1994. NCREL.
Urban Education Monograph Series.

Cullinan, Cris. Vision, Privilege and the Limits of Tolerance. Electronic Magazine of
Multicultural Education.