Equity and Inclusion in Today's Diverse and Inclusive 21st Century Classroom: Fostering Culturally Responsive Pre-Service Teachers with the Tools to Provide Culturally Responsive Instruction

Abstract

This chapter shares the odyssey of one African-American teacher educator at a predominately white institution in a diverse learner's course fostering culturally responsive pre-service teachers with the tools to provide culturally responsive instruction for today's diverse and inclusive 21st century classroom. Early on in this journey, the instructor found that resistance, fear, and anxiety often ruled student perception of diverse learners in the inclusive classroom. Therefore, through action research the African-American teacher educator collected data, and subsequently planned, implemented, and monitored various actions designed to lessen pre-service teacher resistance, anxiety, and fear of student diversities in the classroom while fostering culturally responsive teachers for the diverse and inclusive 21st century classroom. Ultimately, these experiences mitigated the fears and concerns of preservice teachers around the enormity of diversities in the classroom and equipped them with tools for success.