Culturally Relevant Pedagogy
Gloria Ladson-Billings
Part II

The second leg of CRP’s 3 legged stool is Cultural Competence.

Cultural Competence

teacher understands culture and its role in education

teacher takes responsibility for learning about student’s culture and community

teacher uses student’s culture as basis for learning

teacher promotes a flexible use of students’ local, national, and global cultures.

In a Culturally relevant teacher’s classroom

the teacher recognizes self as a cultural being

the teacher recognizes student’s culture as a resource for learning

the teacher links student learning to student’s culture

the teacher avails self of opportunities to learn about and from student culture

the teacher serves as a “culture broker” between the school and the community

(Poor people won’t come to school to sit through long meetings. If they have a task to do, they’ll happily do it)
(middle class people are in school appearing to be helping, but are there for reconnaissance; checking out who the good teachers are)


The third leg of CRP is Socio-political Consciousness

America is an oligarchy-run by corporations

the teachers knows the larger socio-political context of the school community

the teacher plans and implements academic experiences that connect students to the larger context

the teacher believes that students’ success has consequences for his/her own future and quality of life

the teacher has an investment in the public good

The CRP classroom with socio-political consciousness
1.Teacher understands the large socio-political context in which schooling takes place
2. Teacher views his or her work as transcending the classroom
3. Teacher understands that students’ cultural, ethnic, economic, language, backgrounds impacts their social positions
4. Teacher links students with broader cultural identities and sense of personhood

SOME FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES FOR TEACHING ALL STUDENTS WELL

Our children are educable.

When students are treated as competent, they are likely to demonstrate competence

When teachers provide instructional “scaffolding” students can move from where they are, to where they need to be.
the focus of the classroom must be instructional

Real education is about extending students’ thinking and abilities.

Effective teaching involves in-depth knowledge of both the student and the subject matter.

The above 6 principles of teaching need to guide us all in our work as teachers.It is not an easy job and we need people with real intellectual passion to be in the classroom.