Following the Drinking Gourd: Culturally Relevant Pedagogy and Curriculum Development Through the Arts

Abstract

This article describes the experiences of three teachers who engaged in culturally relevant pedagogy and an arts curriculum designed to enhance student understanding of critical events in history. Their students attended a professional dance production based on the history of the Underground Railroad and then were exposed to a curriculum guide developed with the tenets of culturally relevant pedagogy in mind. Teachers reported that their students’ comprehension of important themes improved, and that the arts experience was deeply beneficial.

Key words:

• arts education
• culturally relevant pedagogy

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Omiunota Ukpokodu at the University of Missouri–Kansas City for reviewing earlier drafts of this manuscript and offering helpful comments to improve it.