You matter here: The impact of asset-based pedagogies on learning

ABSTRACT

This article describes the impact of asset-based pedagogies in elementary classrooms. Working with concepts such as culturally relevant/sustaining pedagogies, funds of knowledge, and Afro-centric praxis, it is possible to disrupt commonplace and pervasive assumptions about urban and diverse classroom spaces. Drawing from Grade 1 and Grade 4 classrooms, the article highlights a number of engagements that exemplify King and Swartz’s culturally informed principles of locating students, multiple ways of knowing and communal responsibility. As a result, teachers and teacher candidates affirm the importance of culturally sustaining and asset-based pedagogies in teacher education and in classrooms to promote well-being, agency and belonging.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional Resources

1. Woodard, R., Vaughan, A., & Machado, E. (2017). Exploring culturally sustaining writing pedagogy in urban classrooms. Literacy Research: Theory, Method, and Practice, 66, 215–231.

This article highlights the work of nine elementary and middle school teachers in diverse classrooms as they enact culturally sustaining pedagogies in the context of their writing curriculum. The teachers centered linguistic pluralism and problematized the dominant culture by fostering metalinguistic awareness and valuing communication over performance. They used texts by authors of their students’ backgrounds and by recognizing nondominant forms of cultural capital. The authors also address tensions experienced by the teachers as they fostered a culturally sustaining writing pedagogy.

2. Souto-Manning, M., Llerena, C. L., Martell, J., Maguire, A. S., & Arce-Boardman, A. (2018). No more culturally irrelevant teaching. Heinemann.

No More Culturally Irrelevant Teaching highlights the importance of counter stories as four elementary teachers share practices, strategies, and tools to inform their own culturally sustaining pedagogies. Through research and classroom stories, the teachers demonstrate ways to disrupt common preconceptions of children and teaching. This book demonstrates how teaching decisions and practices can honor all students, raising our consciousness, and empathy using children’s communal knowledge as a springboard.

3. Polson, B., Nash, K. & Glover, C. (2020). Toward culturally sustaining teaching: Early childhood educators honor children with practices for equity and change. Routledge

This edited collection focuses on the academic practices in elementary classrooms which unpack dehumanizing and decolonizing instruction. In addition, Toward Culturally Sustaining Teaching: Early Childhood Educators Honor Children with Practices for Equity and Change highlights the necessity of familial connections and contributions, locating students, multiple ways of knowing and question driven instruction within elementary classrooms.