Course Overview

Introduction

Culturally relevant teaching (CRT) was developed over two decades ago by Gloria Ladson-Billings (1994) who wrote the book “The Dreamkeepers: Successful Teachers of African American Children'' that focused on research, interviews, and field observations of eight inner-city teachers over the course of three years. Ladson-Billings (1994) discovered many of the American elementary school systems revealed an academic disparity between white students and students of color. The American school systems in Ladson-Billings (1994) research demonstrated a lack of pedagogical practices and educational inequality among students of color, especially for African-American students. I strongly believe there is a need for pedagogy and instructional methods that acknowledge, respond to, and celebrate the cultural identities of diverse students and ensure each student receives an equitable access to education.

Purpose

Educators will learn strategies to create an inclusive environment that validates and reflects the identity of culturally and linguistically diverse students. My goal is expand on the use of culturally responsive teaching with evidence-based practices that improve the learning outcomes for students who have been marginalized using a social justice lens.