ED 404: Differentiation and Culturally Responsive Teaching

ED 404: DIFFERENTIATION and CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE TEACHING

By Erica Buchanan Rivera ’07 MS ’10

Student diversity challenges educators to develop conditions for learning that foster a sense of belonging. Research conveys that children are able to learn when they feel emotionally safe. However, the internal biases one harbors can serve as a barrier to the formation of authentic relationships. As educators, we have to embrace the journey of “mirror work” and understand the shaping of our own humanity. It is critical to know how we have been socialized to view others and learn what hinders connections. In ED 404, students embraced learning that centered the importance of identity, equity, and inclusion.

EQUITY VS. EQUALITY

Katie Soderstrom ’22, Elementary Education

It is important to understand the differences and implications of equity and equality. In its simplest form, equality means giving every student the same thing, whereas equity means giving each student exactly what they need to succeed. This course largely emphasized the importance of leading with equity within the classroom in order to promote positive, safe learning conditions for all students. A truly equitable classroom environment is built off of genuine relationships that value the identity and experiences a child brings into the classroom. In turn, these relationships give access to the minds and lives of the students in order for educators to best meet their unique needs. It is important to foster open and honest conversations about equity with students because equitable relationships require vulnerability and active listening on both sides. As an educator, equity should never be a one-time event or choice. Instead, it is a mentality that influences interactions, resources, and accommodations on a daily basis. I have learned that it is an ongoing journey that is messy by design! WHITENESS IN EDUCATION

Sophie Strasheim ’21, Music Education

De-centering whiteness in education starts with the unlearning of commonplace policies and practices that are not inclusive of all students. We heard many impactful speakers throughout the semester, but one of the most powerful presentations was from Matt Bockenfeld, a teacher who addressed the whiteness of the curriculum and how the contributions of people of color are often underrepresented. In this course, we emphasized the importance of thoroughly analyzing school policies, resources, and materials through a culturally responsive lens. We asked critical questions about resources, most pressingly, inquiries that examined the voices represented in the work and the voices left out or silenced. We addressed the importance of quality and varied representation. If stories with characters of color perpetuate harmful stereotypes, they are not truly representative. Students deserve to see themselves authentically represented. As a choir director, I am able to incorporate these concepts into repertoire selections by analyzing musical influences, the origin of the text, and the composer’s or arranger’s

background. ED404 provided me with skills and resources to keep working towards deconstructing whiteness in education and being a culturally responsive teacher.

CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE TEACHING

Allison Everhart ’20, School Counseling

Culturally responsive teaching (CRT) is defined by an educator’s actions to ensure equitable experiences for all students’ success. As I transition into Butler University’s School Counseling program, I will carry the importance of creating learning partnerships through earned trust and dialogue with students, maintaining awareness of the brain’s stages of productivity, and the honoring of individual narratives. I thoroughly enjoyed Zaretta Hammond’s book, Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain, as I connected ideas to other field-related courses. Some of the key points that resonated with me from the literature were the importance of thoughtful feedback, community wisdom, and adapting to provide intellectually stimulating spaces. Self-expression, movement, and validation of identity within classrooms and school atmospheres encourage students to achieve greater success, as they gain tools to inhabit a state of relaxed alertness while learning. As a believer in the honoring of culture, race, and language, I see how this type of work is applicable beyond classroom borders, as it outlines foundations of equity that benefit all professions.

Students deserve educators who lead inclusively and actively work to dismantle structures that impede their success. The work of equity is for everyone. We can work collectively and hold ourselves accountable to ensure that all children thrive.

Self-expression, movement, and validation of identity within classrooms and school atmospheres encourage students to achieve greater success, as they gain tools to inhabit a state of relaxed alertness while learning.

MEET BUTLER BLUE IV

Butler Blue IV AKC REGISTERED NAME Blue NICKNAME English bulldog—male BREED 10.30.19 BIRTHDATE 42 lbs. WEIGHT Red Fawn and White FUR COLOR Cheese, all the Cheese FAVORITE TREATS Fist Bump and Spin BEST TRICKS