National Center for Culturally

Responsive Educational Systems

Creating Opportunities to Learn— A Forum for Addressing Disproportionality

February 15-17, 2006Denver, Colorado

Donna Sobel, Ph.D. Sherry Taylor, Ph.D.

University of Colorado at Denver & Health Sciences Center

Are the culturally responsive instructional practices that I

value realized inside my classroom?

Part I: Creating Classroom Contexts

February 16th, 20063:00 – 4:15

Session Objectives

• Examine how exemplars of responsiveness support national, state and local teaching standards.

• Articulate how investigations into exemplars of responsive instruction and practice align with our research agenda.

• Engage in a critical examination to explore and identify classroom contextual exemplars that demonstrate responsive teaching practices.

Rationale for responsive teaching:

Students & Programs

Sound programs need teachers who:

• understand, value, and know how to address learners’ experiences based on language, ethnic-culture, race, ability, socio-economic background, gender, religion, and regional-culture; and

• meet required teaching standards regarding diversity.

Rationale for responsive teaching: Professional Standards

• “Demonstrate knowledge of language development and reading acquisition and the variations related to cultural and linguistic diversity; including using assessment information to plan, evaluate, & revise effective instruction as well as using a wide range of curriculum materials in effective reading instruction for learners at different stages of reading & writing development and from different cultural and linguistic backgrounds.” (IRA: 1.3, 2.3, 3.3)

• “Candidates know, understand, & use major concepts, principles, theories, & research related to the nature & role of culture & cultural groups to construct learning environments that support ESOL students’ cultural identities, language & literacy development, & content area achievement.” (TESOL: Domain #2)

• “Demonstrate differing ways of learning of individuals with exceptional learning needs including those from culturally diverse backgrounds and strategies for addressing these differences.” (CEC: CC3K5)

Rationale for responsive teaching: State Teaching Standards

• “The teacher is responsive to the needs and experiences children bring to the classroom, including those based on culture, community, ethnicity, economics, linguistics, and innate learning abilities.” (COLORADO: Standard #6 )

• “Understands cultural and community diversity through a well grounded framework and understands how to learn about and incorporate students’ experiences, cultures, and community resources into instruction.” (ILLINOIS: Standard 3E)

• “Teachers are successful in teaching a diverse population. Teachers know and respect the influence of race, ethnicity, gender, religion and other aspects of culture on a child's development and personality.” (NORTH CAROLINA: Standard 3)

Rationale for responsive teaching: District-level Teaching Standards

• “Jefferson County School is committed to promoting and valuing diversity. The school district insures quality education for all students with equal access to all programs and activities; equal opportunity for academic achievement; fair treatment policy and practice; equitable rewards and outcomes; and respect for others.” (JEFFERSON COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT)

• “The teacher shall demonstrate competency in valuing and promoting understanding of diversity.” (BOULDER VALLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT)

• “Teachers will educate students to meet the challenges of the 21st century wit the knowledge, skills, and experiences necessary to succeed in an ethnically diverse, global environment.” (DURANGO SCHOOL DISTRICT)

Activity: Pair-Share

• Share your response to the anticipatory set prompt:

Identify actions you have taken that realize the values you hold regarding culturally responsive instruction and practices.

RESEARCH AGENDA

Our aim is to contribute to an enhanced understanding of & ability to demonstrate responsive teaching.

Responsive teaching practices encompass all aspects of classroom life including the classroom environment and instruction designed and implemented by the teacher. But what do such classrooms look like? While teachers may be cognizant of the need to address a wide range of learner experiences and needs and even committed to that effort, they may not know how to begin. Our seven year longitudinal investigation has been a journey to examine teachers’ beliefs and instructional practices regarding learners who are academically, linguistically, and culturally

diverse.

OUR LINE OF INQUIRY…………

• Survey data that reported on teachers’ perceived competence and attitudes regarding diversity issues in the classroom.

• Creation, validation and reliability investigations into a “Diversity-Observation Tool”, a standards-based guide developed to assess and mentor teachers’ performance to meaningfully address the needs of learners with diverse backgrounds and abilities in multilingual, multicultural, and inclusive classrooms.

• Examinations into teachers’ competencies to recognize and implement exemplars of responsive teaching.

Identifying exemplars of responsive teaching using classroom-based investigations

Data Set Data Format

1. Survey and Demographic profiles

Name, grade level, years teaching, licensures, age, religion, ethnicity, gender, native language, background profile, AYP focus.

2. Classroom profiles

Grade level, # of students, age-ranges, gender distribution, # w/ identified special needs, # w/ literacy plans, # of reduced lunch, CSAP ranking, # w/ limited English proficiency needs, and # whose first language is not English.

3. Prompts Prompts were electronically sent to teachers monthly.

4.Competencies Level of perceived competence in each of the DRT components.

5. Work sample Student work samples reflective of the skill identified as “at risk for making AYP”.

6. Video-tapes Whole-class teaching episode, w/ a narrative tour by the teacher.

7. Audio-tapes Each student responded to an eleven item questionnaire.

8. Digital photos Samples of environmental print represented throughout the building.

Components of Responsive Teaching

1) Environmental Print2) Grouping Strategies3) Instructional Materials4) Lesson Adaptations5) Distribution of Attention6) Evidence of Student Understandings7) Positive Standards for Classroom Behavior8) Personal Growth towards Principles of Equity and

Diversity9) Parent and Community Involvement(See handout #1.1: Components of Responsive Teaching)

Pre-assessment

• What am I currently doing with respect to responsive teaching?

• Complete the middle column of handout #1.2

Listen, reflect, & record exemplars of responsive teaching

• Using the Classroom Tour note-catcher (handout #1.3), identify exemplars of responsiveness that illustrate environmental print, grouping arrangements, instructional materials, and positive standards for classroom behavior.

Background Information & School Demographics

School snapshot:• Gardenside Elementary mirrors the

realities present in many of today’s urban schools: 40% of the 538 students are from minority backgrounds; 80 students (15%) are identified with special education needs; 74 students qualify for English Language Learner (ELL) services; the school has a 29% student mobility rate; and has a 91% attendance rate falling below the state goal (95%).

Classroom Demographics

Number of 3rd graders 24

Gender distribution Males = 13Females =

11

Students with an individualized literacy plan

11

Students with an identified second language need

8

Students with an identified special education need (1 speech language; 2 perceptual communicative disorder; 1 emotional/behavioral disorder)

4

Range of reading abilities 1-6 grades

Classroom Context

• Approaching & Touring the Classroom

Activity: Carousel Brainstorming

1) Move about the room, stopping at each posting. Identify the exemplar and analyze how it supports responsive instruction and practice.

2) Report out. Return to one poster to review and discuss generated comments. Select 2 or 3 representative exemplars to share with the entire group.

Reflection on Next Steps

• Revisit Handout #1.2 (Pre-Assessing Responsive Teaching)

• What more could you be doing to support responsive instruction and practice?

In closing

YOUR QUESTIONS

&

COMMENTS