Course Reflection: Culturally Competent Teaching

Culturally competent teaching is necessary in order to reach every student in a meaningful and effective way. Until recently, I equated the word “culture” with race, but I’ve since learned it also encompasses personal experiences, religion, and social groups such as those defined by socio-economic class, geographic locales, language, and special needs. With so many different cultures represented in our country and in each classroom, I need to approach every class as culturally diverse regardless of the predominant race represented, because race alone does not define culture.

Elizabeth B. Kozleski’s (2010) article “Culturally Responsive Teaching Matters!” identifies culturally competent teaching as: “…connect[ing] students’ cultural knowledge, prior experiences, and performance styles to academic knowledge and intellectual tools in ways that legitimize what students already know,” and that teachers must “…transcend their own cultural biases and preferences…” (p. 1). The Frames of Reference activity we did in our Introduction to Teaching class helped me identify some of my cultural biases. This activity requires ranking the following in order of childhood influence: race/ethnicity, religion, socio-economic status, gender, and education. Not only did this help me realize that culture extends beyond race, but it brought to light the potential challenges I would face entering a classroom with a strong education bias and trying to teach students shaped primarily by any one of the other four influences.

To grow and develop professionally in the area of cultural competence, I must continue to explore my own cultural biases and how they affect my worldview while learning about my students’ cultural backgrounds. One way to do this would be to conduct the Frames of Reference activity during the first week of school as we are getting to know each other. Small group discussions could be conducted among those who each ranked a different influence as their number one to share their experiences and hopefully recognize that there is no right or wrong with any of these influences. We could also work together to set the classroom expectations, policies, and consequences. I was struck by Kozleski’s example that teachers try to “catch students being good” (p. 3) when cultural differences can lead to confusion about what is “good.” My fear is that I could behave in a culturally unclear or insensitive way and not even realize it. By working together to set clear guidelines for what behavior is expected in the classroom, some of these instances can be avoided.

I like Kozleski’s phrasing of culturally competent teaching as “legitimizing” what the student already knows. Acknowledging and building on the students’ cultures creates a stronger foundation of knowledge and empowers them by respecting and valuing who they are and where they come from. Instead of trying to fit them into an existing culture, this gives them their own legitimate place in the classroom.

Kozleski, E. (2010). Culturally Responsive Teaching Matters! Equity

Alliance. Retrieved from http://ea.niusileadscape.org/lc/Record/67?search_query=Culturally%20responsive%20teaching%20matters

Characteristics of an Effective Educator

            A great teacher does more than just educate: he or she inspires, motivates, challenges, and encourages students both in and out of the classroom. How does such a teacher do this? What knowledge, characteristics, and skills does this type of teacher possess? Through my own research and personal experience in teaching and observing teachers, I’ve identified four main characteristics of an effective educator.

1)    Competence

           An effective teacher must be well versed in the subject matter, but knowledge alone does not convey competence. The ability to impart that knowledge in a clear, logical way and to consistently seek out new and better methods of doing so is just as important. Preparation, in the form of a well developed lesson plan, necessary materials, and a clear sight line to concepts being taught in the future, also communicates competence, as does self-confidence and security in the knowledge of the subject and the ability to teach it.

2)    Attitude

           A teacher’s attitude is paramount. Walking into a classroom where the teacher is apathetic, negative, or overly critical is a different experience: the air feels stagnant and stale, the light in the students’ eyes is dim, and boredom or anarchy reign. It’s the antithesis of a classroom led by a positive and enthusiastic teacher who enjoys the profession and the process to the extent that it visibly registers in body language and facial expressions. The students in this type of classroom are excited, attentive, and engaged. Setting high expectations, both as a teacher and for the students, demonstrates the value the teacher places on education.

3)    Care

          An effective educator relates to the students in a way that shows care and concern for their well-being. Part of this results from a positive classroom environment, but it’s not enough to be compassionate to the class as a whole; a teacher must develop an understanding of each student as an individual in terms of their learning styles, personality traits, and interests.

4)    Flexibility

          No matter how well-prepared, there will come a day when the teacher faces a classroom-full of blank looks. An effective educator possesses the ability to abandon what’s not working and quickly search for another way to explain a concept or get at the heart of a discussion.

          An effective educator is knowledgeable and enthusiastic with a solid handle on classroom management, who seeks out fellow teachers and other resources for new ideas and better ways to teach, who understands each student as an individual, and is able to be flexible when unplanned situations arise.