https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0004-9723
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ABSTRACT
Research on culturally informed pedagogies (e.g., culturally relevant pedagogy, culturally sustaining teaching, reality pedagogy) has been ongoing for decades, yet very few studies follow teachers into their classrooms after they are introduced to the topic. We conducted an intrinsic case study of three practicing maths teachers after they completed a graduate course specifically on culturally responsive teaching. Our analysis of the data revealed mixed findings. The participants demonstrated sociopolitical consciousness and affirming views of students. However, other aspects of culturally responsive teaching were absent or partial. By interviewing and observing our participants in their classrooms, we gained access to specific and authentic examples from their curriculum and instructional practices, which extended and enhanced their learning about culturally responsive teaching and prompted us to reconsider our course content and pedagogy. We conclude by advocating for continued research that investigates and exemplifies best practices in culturally responsive teacher education.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Notes
1. In this study, we are referring primarily to cultural, racial, ethnic, and linguistic diversity. We recognise that there are other forms of diversity and, more importantly, that identities are complex, fluid, and intersectional.
2. Also called asset pedagogies (Paris & Alim, Citation2014). Examples over the years include culturally compatible pedagogy (Jacob & Jordan, Citation1987), culturally congruent pedagogy (Au & Kawakami, Citation1994), culturally relevant pedagogy (Ladson-Billings, Citation1995), culturally responsive teaching (Gay, Citation2000), critical care pedagogy (Rolón-Dow, Citation2005), culturally sustaining pedagogy (Paris, Citation2012), culturally relevant education (Dover, Citation2013), and reality pedagogy (Emdin, Citation2016).
3. We were not collecting data for this study while we were teaching the course.
4. Gee (Citation2012) uses the term Discourses to denote the ways of thinking, speaking, acting, and belonging that are particular to a group of people.
5. By asking practicing teachers to reflect, write, and discuss repeatedly and deeply, we were aiming to avoid what Sleeter (Citation2012) considers the simplistic ways culturally responsive teaching is often used and understood: ‘cultural celebration, trivialization, essentializing culture, and substituting cultural for political analysis of inequalities’ (p. 568).
6. Because the purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of the course via interviews and observations of the participants after it ended, class discussions were not recorded and student work was not analysed.
7. Ladson-Billings (Citation2014) offered one example. In ‘Culturally Relevant Pedagogy 2.0: a.k.a. the Remix,’ she described a course that paired prospective teachers with local spoken-word and hip-hop artists. Instead of playing the expert, she allowed the diverse mix of students to help her ‘consider new ways of understanding how popular culture can be deployed to engage in conversations about critical theoretical concepts … as well as to develop new pedagogical strategies’ (p. 79).