Abstract
This chapter will use autoethnography to provide a comprehensive look at culturally responsive teaching by exploring three different perspectives at different stages in education: (1) the white female high school English teacher working with teens, (2) the Puerto Rican female undergraduate instructor working with pre-service teachers, and (3) the white female graduate professor working with in-service teachers. Collectively, the three perspectives will share experiences through storytelling about culturally responsive teaching as necessary practice in preparation for classroom teaching, emphasizing the need for more intentional instruction on race, culture, and ethnicity in teacher preparation programs. Ultimately, this chapter will demonstrate that culturally responsive teaching evolves over a teacher's lifetime, and to be truly transformative, culturally responsive teachers must adapt to the culture and contexts of their students.
TopMethodology
Through examining three different levels of education—high school education, undergraduate teacher education, and graduate level teacher education—this chapter will address three primary questions through the lens of Critical Race Theory (Bell, 1989, 1993, 2004; Delgado & Stefancic, 2001; Harris, 1993): (1) How do the demographics of a teacher’s personal identity and context affect how they understand, adapt, and develop culturally responsive teaching? (2) What does a culturally responsive environment look like for teachers in different educational contexts, teaching at different educational levels? (3) Why is it necessary for teachers to shift culturally responsive teaching practices with changing student contexts and experiences?
In exploring these questions, the authors applied autoethnographic methodology, as they “reflected upon, analyzed, and interpreted” [their lived experiences] within their broader sociocultural context” (Chang, 2008, p. 46). Autoethnographic methodology allows for self-examination as a form of analyzing societal phenomenon, affirming the interconnectedness between “self and society” (Hermans, 2002, p. 148). Each autoethnographic study examines the teacher’s journey to understanding how her own racial consciousness frames her view of the schools and the students she teaches, emphasizing Culturally Responsive Teaching as an imperative at all educational levels.
Key Terms in this Chapter
White Privilege: The unearned, mostly unacknowledged, social advantage that white people have over people of other racial groups simply because they are white.
Social Justice: Justice in terms of the equitable distribution of resources, power, and opportunity in society.
Meritocracy: When power is awarded based on perceived ability or achievement.
Antiracist: An active effort to work against racism in all its multidimensional aspects.
Institutional Racism: The systemic distribution of resources, power, and opportunity in our society to benefit people who are white.
Pre-Service Teachers/Pre-Service Program: A period in which teacher education candidates engage in guided, supervised teaching.
Transformative Practice: An intentional commitment over an extended period of time with the purpose of empowering change.
Socratic Circle: A formal discussion based on a text through a series of questions and answers ( Copeland, 2005 ).
Sociocultural Consciousness: The awareness that a person’s worldview is not universal but is profoundly influenced by their experiences.
Hegemony/Hegemonic: Dominance of one group over another.
PWI: Predominantly white institution; when whites account for 50% or more of enrollment ( Brown & Dancy, 2010 ).
Dialogue: A conversation between two or more people that does not seek consensus.