What Does a Culturally Sustaining Learning Climate Look Like?

Abstract

A solid base of research evidence exists to show that teachers’ assessments of children are impacted by their perceptions of those children. From the Pygmalion in the Classroom experiment which powerfully showed that teacher expectations of students impacted those students’ performance, to more recent research on teachers’ underrating of children based on low SES, race, and language learner status, it is clear that what educators believe about their students has real implications for their educational outcomes. This article examines the learning climate for young children at the intersection of children's immigration status, disproportionality, and teacher perceptions, making an argument for classrooms that are humanizing and culturally sustaining. Given the large and ever growing population of young immigrant students, teachers need tools to develop positive climates within which all students can thrive. This article presents a framework of such tools that can be built into teacher preparation curricula to support the development of early childhood educators.

Additional Resources

1. Pelo, A. (Ed.) (2008). Rethinking early childhood education. Milwaukee, WI: Rethinking Schools.

   This edited book is an excellent resource for teachers and teacher educators committed to critical, anti-bias early childhood education. It is organized in 7 parts representing 7 principles for rethinking early childhood eduation: (1) Prioritize anti-bias, culturally sensitive teaching and learning; (2) Make ample time for play and exploration; (3) Use curriculum approaches that are responsive to children’s developmental and intellectual pursuits; (4) Cultivate a sense of place—of belonging to a particular patch of earth and sky—and a connection to the earth and its creatures; (5) Emphasize children’s social-emotional learning; (6) Learn from and stand with families; and (7) Advocate for children, families, and early childhood workers. Readers will find inspiration as well as practical examples of how they can practice social justice with young children.

2. The International Digital Children’s Library (ICDL) website http://en.childrenslibrary.org/

   The ICDL is an online collection of 4,619 books in 59 languages. As explained on the site, “the mission of the International Children’s Digital Library Foundation is to prepare children for life in an ethnically and culturally diverse world by building the world’s largest online multicultural repository of children’s literature.” This is a free resource, and teachers can use the website to access books in the home languages of the children in their classrooms.

3. The International Education and Resource Network-USA (iEARN-USA) website http://www.us.iearn.org/

   iEARN links over 30,000 schools and youth organizations in more than140 countries in order to foster international collaborations between teachers and students on classroom projects. iEARN-USA is the U.S. arm of the organization where U.S.-based teachers can connect to the program.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Fabienne Doucet

Fabienne Doucet is at the Department of Teaching & Learning, New York University.