Chapter 2: Does Culture Matter?

Cultural Congruence vs. Cultural Relevance

Cultural Congruence Ways the teacher alters speech patterns/communication styles to more closely resemble the students’ cultureEx: using “talk story” for students who are native Hawaiian.Ex: allowing African American students to use “nonstandard” English

Cultural RelevanceAssist in development of a “relevant black personality” that allow African American students to have a way of combining academic excellence with the African American cultureEx: having African American community members with high-status jobs come into classroomEx: adding more of the African American experience to the curriculum

Winfield’s Cross-Classification System

Tutors: believe students can improve and believe it is their responsibility to help them

General Contractors: believe students can improve but look for others to provide academic assistance (aids, etc.)

Custodians: do not believe that students can improve and they don’t look for others to help students maintain low levels

Referral Agents: do not believe that students can improve but they shift the responsibility of maintaining the status quo to others

Winfield’s Cross-Classification System (cont.)

Tutors

General Contractors

Custodians

Referral Agents

Assume Responsibility

Share/Shift Responsibility

Seek Improvement

Maintain Status Quo

Culturally Relevant Teaching

Culturally relevant teaching adds a new level to Winfield’s system: the teachers who seek excellence

Conductors: believe students are capable of excellence and believe it is their responsibility to get them there

Coaches: believe students are capable of excellence but are comfortable sharing the responsibility to get them there

New Level: Cultural Relevance

Conductors Coaches

Tutors

General Contractors

Custodians

Referral Agents

Assume Responsibility

Share/Shift Responsibility

Seek Improvement

Maintain Status Quo

Seek Excellence

Defining a Culturally Relevant Teacher

Self/WorldviewSee teaching as an artBelieve all students can succeedConsider themselves as part of community and that teaching is giving back to the communityHelp students make connections among all of their identities

Social InteractionsRelationships with students are fluid, equitable, and extend beyond the classroomEncourage students to have these relationships alsoEncourage students to learn collaboratively as a community of learners

Defining a Culturally Relevant Teacher (cont.)

KnowledgeBelieve knowledge is “…continuously re-created, recycled, and shared by teachers and students alike”

Have a critical view of their curriculum

Don’t assume students have prior knowledge but help them make connections and build their skills