The Things We CarryHow Our Past Impacts Our Classroom

Mark JandaMark JandaThe Harker SchoolThe Harker Schoolmarkj@harker.orgmarkj@harker.org

Needed Norms

• Speak your truth• Protect student privacy• Honor the safety of

others• Be willing to take a risk• Share openly and

honestly• Practice reflection

Desired Outcomes

• A new understanding of the barriers and invitations to building supportive student-teacher relationships

• Develop an awareness of our own backgrounds and how it impacts the lens through which we experience the world

• Reflect and build on what we learn and what we have already experienced.

Why is this an issue for me?

• Experiences in my first 10 yearsExperiences in my first 10 years– Students told me to do thisStudents told me to do this

• Study of the achievement gapStudy of the achievement gap• District and National District and National

LeadershipLeadership• Listening to and watching Listening to and watching

studentsstudents• Realization that you can’t be Realization that you can’t be

passively not-racist, I have to passively not-racist, I have to be actively anti-racistbe actively anti-racist

Why are our backgrounds our backgrounds important?

- They are the fundamental building blocks of They are the fundamental building blocks of relationshipsrelationships

- Both teachers and students carry Both teachers and students carry backgrounds around like luggage, often backgrounds around like luggage, often unconsciouslyunconsciously

- They are subtle, powerful and culturally They are subtle, powerful and culturally loadedloaded

- Our background and experiences directly Our background and experiences directly impact our values, beliefs, and behaviors.impact our values, beliefs, and behaviors.

- We bring these values, beliefs, and We bring these values, beliefs, and behaviors into the classroom with us each behaviors into the classroom with us each and every day. Our students come to us and every day. Our students come to us with their own unique set of values, beliefs, with their own unique set of values, beliefs, and behaviors.and behaviors.

- To make the most of the opportunities we To make the most of the opportunities we have to interact, it is essential that we have to interact, it is essential that we reflect upon and openly share these belief reflect upon and openly share these belief systems.systems.

- Half the curriculum walks through the door Half the curriculum walks through the door when the students do. when the students do. – Emily Style– Emily Style

Why are relationshipsrelationships important?• Characteristics of ResilientResilient People

– Have experienced people who care for themcare for them– Have a vision vision of the possibilities– Have a sense of autonomyautonomy

• Easier to be successful if you wantwant to be

• Learning requires vulnerabilityvulnerability – which requires trusttrust

• It is a student’s primary concern It is a student’s primary concern in the first two weeks and key to in the first two weeks and key to everything elseeverything else

How do we form relationships?

• Make it your focus at the beginning…– Early in the year

– Early in every day/class• Let yourself be vulnerable within

your comfort zone.• Invest in them, let them invest in

you• BUT…it’s easy to destroy the work BUT…it’s easy to destroy the work

it takes to build relationshipsit takes to build relationships

Investigating Micro-aggressions

• One of those many sudden, stunning, One of those many sudden, stunning, or dispiriting transactions that mar or dispiriting transactions that mar the days of women and people of the days of women and people of color, often triggered automatically or color, often triggered automatically or unconsciously. unconsciously.

• Like water dripping on sandstone, Like water dripping on sandstone, they can be thought of as small acts of they can be thought of as small acts of racism.racism.

• An experiment…An experiment…

Think about the first thing that comes to mind…

Marine

Priest

Police

Single Mom

New York Times

Social Worker

Fox News

Homeless Male

Think about the first thing that comes to mind…

African-AmericanAfrican-AmericanRastafarianRastafarianPuerto RicanPuerto RicanMexicanMexicanEthiopianEthiopianKoreanKoreanVietnameseVietnamesePakistaniPakistaniSouthernerSouthernerMidwesternerMidwesternerNew YorkerNew Yorker

Stages of Intercultural SensitivityStages of Intercultural SensitivityDevelopmental Model of Intercultural SensitivityDevelopmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity. (Bennett, 1993).. (Bennett, 1993).

• Denial-”I don’t have any negative racial thoughts.”

• Defence-”I may have thought that, but…”

• Minimization-”It doesn’t play a big role…”

• Acceptance-”I believe everyone has these thoughts.”

• Adaptation-”I will raise my awareness and respond…”

• Integration-”I will address this in my classroom…”

• Where are you?http://www.awesomelibrary.org/multiculturaltoolkit-stages.html

ActivityActivity

DebriefDebrief

Observations and Responses

- How did this make you feel? Were you comfortable?

- What did you observe?- Surprises?- What might you have learned?- What did every single prompt have in

common?

Observations and Responses

- What happened the first time I did thisWhat happened the first time I did this- Number Line; they were colleaguesNumber Line; they were colleagues- WandaWanda- GeorgeGeorge

- What happened the first time I did this in What happened the first time I did this in a a huge huge groupgroup- Using one to make a point to othersUsing one to make a point to others

- Doing it with studentsDoing it with students- Included some adultsIncluded some adults

First Steps

• Begin with the personalBegin with the personal– Examined assumptions, Examined assumptions,

Privilege WalkPrivilege Walk• Investigate your impact on Investigate your impact on

othersothers• Integrate new learning into Integrate new learning into

the classroom settingthe classroom setting

Classroom ImpactClassroom ImpactCulturally Responsive TeachingCulturally Responsive Teaching

Creates a successful learning environment

for children of all backgrounds and

cultures.

• ““Cultural responsiveness is the ability to learn Cultural responsiveness is the ability to learn from and relate respectfully with people of your from and relate respectfully with people of your own culture as well as those from other cultures. own culture as well as those from other cultures. It includes adjusting your own and your It includes adjusting your own and your organization’s behaviors based on what you organization’s behaviors based on what you learn. Cultural responsiveness is not something learn. Cultural responsiveness is not something you master once and then forget… cultural you master once and then forget… cultural responsiveness is not about trying to change responsiveness is not about trying to change others to be more like you. It is about cultivating others to be more like you. It is about cultivating an open attitude and new skills in yourself. an open attitude and new skills in yourself. Cultural responsiveness involves exploring and Cultural responsiveness involves exploring and honoring your own culture, while at the same honoring your own culture, while at the same time learning about and honoring other people’s time learning about and honoring other people’s cultures.” cultures.”

• Excerpted from Empowering Skills for Family Workers: The Comprehensive Curriculum of the New York State Family Development Credential (1996). Christian Dean. New York: Cornell Empowering Families Project.

Defining Cultural Responsiveness

The National Center for Culturally Responsive Educational Systems (NCCRESt), a project funded by the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education Programs

Be willing to reexamine your teaching pedagogy and make it relevant to your students.

Be someone who deeply cares about your students.

Be a student-centered teacher, which means taking an interest in your students’ community and making positive contact with their parents.

Be willing to learn about cultures other than your own.

To Be A Culturally Responsive Teacher, You Need To:

Expectations

• When these students walk in, what do we anticipate?

• What are our plans to help this student succeed?

• Do we have high expectations for each of them?

• Is a C for one as good as an A for another?

• How do appearances affect our expectations?

Culturally Responsive Teaching is…

• Validating

– Incorporates multicultural resources embedded in curriculum and instruction

Culturally Responsive Teaching is…

• Validating• Comprehensive

– Recognizes the importance of maintaining cultural identity and heritage

Culturally Responsive Teaching is…

• Validating• Comprehensive• Multidimensional

– Involves every element of the classroom experience for student and teacher

Culturally Responsive Teaching is…

• Validating• Comprehensive• Multidimensional• Empowering

– Enables students to be better human beings and successful learners

Culturally Responsive Teaching is…

• Validating• Comprehensive• Multidimensional• Empowering• Transformative

– Recognizes cultural gifts as contributions to collective learning and promotes student reflection and decision-making

Culturally Responsive Teaching is…

• Validating• Comprehensive• Multidimensional• Empowering• Transformative• Emancipating

– Makes authentic knowledgeaccessible to all students

Real tangible ideas

ArtifactsArtifacts

Why are you here?Why are you here?

Shake handsShake hands

Speak to every one of themSpeak to every one of them

How are you?How are you?

Begin with concern for themBegin with concern for them

Smile, say helloSmile, say hello

Be realBe real

Tell them what you thinkTell them what you think

• Know their activitiesKnow their activities• Attend their games and Attend their games and

plays and concertsplays and concerts• Visit their restaurantsVisit their restaurants• Know something about Know something about

pop culturepop culture• Ask questionsAsk questions• Self-deprecating humorSelf-deprecating humor• Be open, let them like Be open, let them like

you, be vulnerableyou, be vulnerable

What works?What works?

• Clear directions• Increased wait time• Vocabulary, 12 verbs• Praise, You’re better…• Model the Tests

• Validation and relevance• Use what’s there• Simplify – but do not dumb

down • Make it Personal…no one

cares more• Have a strong sense of self-

identity and be willing to share it

What works?What works?• High Expectations, but

kids must know you care.• EncouragementEncouragement is more

important to minorities and lower-quartile students than demand, but encouragement must be made explicit.

• Teachers must be clear that they are willing to help – and will enjoy it. They must want to help and like it.

• We have to practice both mastery and effort; we must help and encourage, but demand success

– Ronald Ferguson

What works?What works?

• Want the work done? – Do it in class.

• Difficulty reading? – Read to and with them

• Highlighting and note-taking? – Model it.

• Inner-Reading voices – model it and be honest

• Help kids overcome their backgrounds and avoid situations in which one background will have an advantage.– Are we flexible enough to Are we flexible enough to

accommodate kids’ needs?accommodate kids’ needs?

What works?What works?

• Classrooms with high achievement and small Classrooms with high achievement and small gaps, kids say my teacher…gaps, kids say my teacher…– Provides help and encouragementProvides help and encouragement– Makes learning enjoyableMakes learning enjoyable– Provides multiple explanationsProvides multiple explanations– Is available after school (or some other Is available after school (or some other

additional time) for extra helpadditional time) for extra help– Sends out monthly letters to parentsSends out monthly letters to parents

• Ronald FergusonRonald Ferguson

What works?What works?

• Kids in rooms with high achievement and small gaps say…– My teacher likes it when I ask questions.My teacher likes it when I ask questions.– My teacher is nice to me when I ask questions.My teacher is nice to me when I ask questions.– My teacher is happy to help me with my work.My teacher is happy to help me with my work.– In our class, it is very important to get In our class, it is very important to get

everything correct.everything correct.– In our class, getting the right answers is very In our class, getting the right answers is very

important.important.• Ronald FergusonRonald Ferguson

What works?What works?

• To get high achievement from previously low-performing students we need to…

– 1. Scaffold learning on prior knowledge.1. Scaffold learning on prior knowledge.– 2. Present organizing schemas & frameworks.2. Present organizing schemas & frameworks.– 3. Make key connections—don’t assume 3. Make key connections—don’t assume

students will discover them on their own.students will discover them on their own.– 4. Apply concepts in multiple ways and varied 4. Apply concepts in multiple ways and varied

contexts to increase the number of possible contexts to increase the number of possible connections.connections.

– 5. Teach children 5. Teach children howhow to think and learn. to think and learn.• Ronald FergusonRonald Ferguson

What works?What works?• Larry Bell says we must keep this in mind…• 7+ Common Mistakes of loving, caring Teachers

– They discipline some, punish the at-promiseThey discipline some, punish the at-promise– They teach the way they learned or like bestThey teach the way they learned or like best– They think different means wrongThey think different means wrong– They don’t help students overcome povertyThey don’t help students overcome poverty– They don’t explain why the content is importantThey don’t explain why the content is important– They think teaching all backgrounds is not They think teaching all backgrounds is not

importantimportant– They show little humor or passionThey show little humor or passion– They accept mediocrityThey accept mediocrity– They are in denialThey are in denial

What works?What works?

• Teach resilience • Resilient people:

– Have experienced people who care for them.

– Have a vision of the possibilities.– Have a sense of autonomy, “can-do-

it-ness.”• WE have to be this and we have to

teach this

What works?What works?

• Gloria Ladson-Billings says…– Teaching all well means…Teaching all well means…

– All can learnAll can learn– Treating them like they’re competent and Treating them like they’re competent and

they will bethey will be– ScaffoldingScaffolding– The classroom focus is on instructionThe classroom focus is on instruction– Real education is about extending students Real education is about extending students

thinking and abilitiesthinking and abilities– Effective teaching involves in-depth Effective teaching involves in-depth

knowledge of both the students and the knowledge of both the students and the subject mattersubject matter

– The key is effort in context of high The key is effort in context of high expectationsexpectations

– Having socio-political consciousnessHaving socio-political consciousness– Having an investment in the public goodHaving an investment in the public good

What works?What works?

• Gloria Ladson-Billings says…– Student Learning/Teacher Success Student Learning/Teacher Success

depends on teachers having…depends on teachers having…• High Academic AchievementHigh Academic Achievement• Strong Cultural CompetenceStrong Cultural Competence• Socio-Political Consciousness of their role for Socio-Political Consciousness of their role for

closing the gap, improving society/community, and closing the gap, improving society/community, and making a differencemaking a difference

What works?What works?

• Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum says…– Explicitly explain that intelligence

is fluid, subject to effort

Closing Thoughts…Closing Thoughts…• "What the best and wisest parent

wants for his own child, that must the community want for all its children. Anything else is narrow and unlovely."

– John Dewey

• ““I tried to coach each player I tried to coach each player as if he wanted to marry my as if he wanted to marry my daughter.”daughter.”– Eddie Robinson, legendary

Grambling football coach

• "We can whenever and wherever we choose successfully teach all children whose schooling is of interest to us. We already know more than we need in order to do this. Whether we do must finally depend on how we feel about the fact that we haven't so far." – Ron Edmonds

• Teach them like they’re somebody’s baby

Closing Thoughts…Closing Thoughts…

• The Mediocre The Mediocre teacher tells.teacher tells.

• The Good The Good teacher teacher explains.explains.

• The Superior The Superior teacher teacher demonstrates.demonstrates.

• The Great The Great teacher teacher inspires.inspires.– -William Arthur Ward-William Arthur Ward

• Our task is to Our task is to provide an provide an education to education to the kinds of the kinds of kids we have, kids we have, not the kinds not the kinds of kids we of kids we used to have used to have or the kids we or the kids we have in our have in our dreams.dreams.– Eleanor RodriguezEleanor Rodriguez

ResourcesResources

• Lisa Delpit’s Other Peoples’ Children: Cultural Conflict in the Classroom and The Skin That We Speak: Thoughts on Language and Culture in the Classroom

• Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum’s Why Are All The Black Kids Sitting Together In The Cafeteria? and Other Conversations About Race

• Gary Howard’s We Can’t Teach What We Don’t Know: White Teachers, Multiracial Schools

• Larry Bell’s Closing the Achievement Gap, Education Leadership, December 2002

• Peggy McIntosh, “Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack”

• www.msanetwork.org

• Julie Landsman’s A White Teacher Talks About Race

• Pamela Perry’s Shades of White: White Kids and Racial Identities in High School

• Dr. Sampson Davis, Dr. George Jenkins, Dr. Rameck Hunt and Lisa Frazier Page’s The Pact, Three Young Men Make a Promise and Fulfill a Dream

• Dr. Belinda Williams’ Closing the Achievement Gap: A Vision for Changing Beliefs and Practices

• Bonnie Davis, www.a4achievement.net/• Ronald Ferguson, The Tripod Project• Marva Collins• Glenn Singleton, Pacific Educational Group• Dr. Jawanza Kunjufu• Larry Bell• The Education Trust, www.edtrust.org

Thank You!Questions? Email me at markj@harker.org or mindthegapjanda@gmail.comand join a conversation at my blog, http://letsimproveschoolsnow.blogspot.com/

Template Provided By

www.animationfactory.com

500,000 Downloadable PowerPoint Templates, Animated Clip Art, Backgrounds and Videos