Culturally relevant pedagogy - what teachers can do

 In her article, "Toward a Theory of Culturally Relevant Pedagogy", Gloria Ladson-Billings suggests that culturally relevant teaching must meet three criteria, namely, an ability to develop students academically, a willingness to nurture and support cultural competence and the development of sociopolitical or critical consciousness (Ladson-Billings,1995, p.483).

There is an important need for culturally relevant pedagogy as more students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds populate schools. The implication is that teachers must be trained and be prepared to effectively deliver culturally relevant pedagogy. Besides helping  students of different cultural and linguistic background to achieve academically, teachers must provide an environment where cultural competence is nurtured and supported and sociopolitical or critical consciousness is developed.

Teachers have the responsibility to ensure that their students have equal opportunities to attain their highest academic potential. While teachers promote  academic achievement and cultural competence, they themselves must recognize social inequities.  I feel that teachers should reflect and reconcile their prejudice or racist attitudes and not making assumptions and having stereotypes.  By honestly examining their attitudes and beliefs about themselves and others, they will begin to confront biases that have influenced their value system (Villegas & Lucas, 2002).  They can then be better placed to help students to appreciate and respect diversity. All students should also feel that they are respected and not  subject to unfair discrimination because of their differences. Otherwise,  they would feel angry or unworthy and this may affect their academic achievement. Teachers should be exemplary role models, promoting equity and mutual respect among students.

Teachers should  also assist students to develop sociopolitical or critical consciousness. To foster this consciousness, teachers can initiate discussions among students pertaining to certain social issues.  They should guide students to question, reflect and critically examine the policies and practices in their society. Students can think about whether they can work towards correcting unfair policies and practices. They can be encouraged to write letters to the newspapers to voice their concerns about these issues. Students can also be encouraged to volunteer in  activities to help the less fortunate. I feel that such activities motivate the students to take ownership and learn to find a solution to the prevailing social issues of the society they live in.

Ladson-Billings says that  prospective teachers must understand their culture and that of others and the ways culture functions in education. She adds that a culturally relevant pedagogy will encourage teachers to ask about the nature of the student-teacher relationship, the curriculum, schooling and society (Ladson-Billings,1995, p.483).  Wadham et al. also write that "education and schooling are two of the most important ways in which we learn to live within and contribute to our own cultural lives"  (Wadham et al., 2007, p.1). By understanding culture and how it is related to the education system, teachers can then understand their students and the society that they belong to.

References:

Ladson. Billings G,2013  "Towards a Theory of  Culturally Relevant Pedagogy" American Educational Research Journal

Villegas, A. M., & Lucas, T. (2002). Preparing culturally responsive teachers: Rethinking the curriculum. Journal of Teacher Education.

Wadham, B., Pudsey, J. & Boyd, R., Culture and Education, Melbourne :Pearson.