Insight #3: Being culturally responsive in the classroom allows students to see educators and peers as allies, which encourages students to take ownership of their education and engagement.
Insight Approach
In your classroom, you may have a diverse set of students, coming from different backgrounds and cultures. It is important to be culturally aware and address any problematic biases in the classroom so that each student can feel supported and reach their full potential.
Insight
Experience/ Research
From reading about culturally responsive teaching, reflecting on my own education, and listening to marginalized students speak about their experiences at an education conference, I believe that teaching in a culturally inclusive environment is significant to the growth of students' learning experiences. In an education class called "America's Promise: the Social and Political Context of Education", I reflected on how my education has been influenced by a lack of culturally responsive pedagogy. As an Asian American, I grew up being told exactly what to do, how to do it, and when it should be done. Growing up in a household where children are not supposed to question or speak out, I was an obedient child in the classroom. This manner usually worked in my favor as I received good grades and was favorable by my teachers. However as I grew older, I struggled with the concept of asking questions and thinking outside of the box. I was never told to ask questions so I never did. As a result, my grades started to suffer in middle school because I did not understand what was expected of me, and my teachers did not understand why I never spoke up. Delpit explained in her work, The Silenced Dialogue: Power and Pedagogy of Educating Other's Children, that "the rules of the culture of power are a reflection of the rules of the culture of those who have power. If you are not already a participant in the culture of power, being told explicitly the rules of that culture makes acquiring power easier"(Delpit, 1988). Because the American school system primarily cater towards European Americans, it can be easy to reflect the culture of the majority. In this case, the education system is geared to the white majority. In order to create a more inclusive environment where each person feels supported and understands what is expected in the classroom, Delpit suggested that being explicit with directions and expectations are crucial in the classroom. For example, teachers can encourage students to ask questions and praise them for asking questions that show understanding and critical thinking.
As a college student at Cornell, I’ve engaged in several dialogues, discussing inequalities at Cornell and in the broader American education system. At an education conference with a majority of disadvantaged students of color, the key note speaker of the event spoke about her experience with the "Imposter Syndrome." A previous policymaker working under the Obama Administration, she spoke about how her educators and peers' perception of her blackness made her drop out of Harvard because she didn't feel supported as a black woman in a majority white campus. Feeling marginalized, she doubted her accomplishments that got her Harvard acceptance and felt like she didn't belong due to her race. Nevertheless, she continued her speech by sharing how a particular advisor believed in her and was culturally aware of the oppression occurring on campus. He pushed her to continue her education and succeed with her race and culture on her sleeve. Similarly to this experience told at the conference, Cornell students in my classes have spoken about experiencing the Imposter Syndrome during their education. Black students at Cornell have stated that they experience Imposter Syndrome when they receive remarks like, “Affirmative action is the reason why you got into Cornell, not because of your grades.” This leads individuals to believe that they do not belong and aren’t capable in handling the rigor of Cornell, creating low self-efficacy and bad grades.
Future Steps
As educators, we should be aware of this and do what we can to create an inclusive environment and develop support systems to disadvantaged social identities. We can do this by educating ourselves about social justice issues and incorporating inclusionary teaching moments in the classroom. For example, using appropriate pronouns (he/she/ they) and encouraging others to respect people’s identities will help LGBTQ+ students feel supported in school. Gay also recommended allowing students to critically reflect on their knowledge, beliefs, thoughts, and actions in the classroom and having educators and peers supporting them creates a sense of trust and higher achievement. I plan to be explicit and transparent with my students about cultural differences and learning expectations as well as supporting them by learning about other cultures.