Being Culturally Responsive

Along with the five CREDE standards are Dr. Eugene Garcia's five R's and T.
The five R's and T are:
Respect
Responsive
Responsible
Resourceful
Reasonable
Theory-driven

When I think about these words, I think that they are all very much needed in order to have a positive and supportive classroom environment. Without these things, a student is not going to feel comfortable or engaged in learning. One thing that I really liked that Dr. Garcia stated in his presentation was, "Children learn to see themselves as others see them and then adapt to that identity." If we don't give students the respect they deserve, they are not going to have a positive self image and the confidence they need to be life long learners. As teachers, we must also teach students how to respect each other. Students come from all different backgrounds, along with their parents. Showing respect goes a long way when trying to receive support from other people in your students' lives. A parent is not going to feel willing to be more involved with a school unless they feel respected.

Next is responsive. To me, responsive means being an effective communicator. You also need to give students time to talk and be there to listen. You can learn a lot by listening. In agreement with Dr. Garcia, I also think that it is important to understand cultural differences in talk. Everyday classrooms are becoming more and more diverse. Different cultures have different ways of perceiving things, such as gestures or expressions. You could be doing something that you are unaware of that is disrespectful in another culture. It is important to always keep an open mind and not be afraid to ask questions or do some of your own research.

Being responsible means that you are accountable. It is a teacher's job to ensure that everyone is involved and engaged in daily activities. It is also a teacher's responsibility to have a positive attitude and assist students in finding what works best for them as individuals.

Resourceful is another aspect of culturally responsive teaching. As Dr. Garcia says, "Diversity should be a resource, not a problem." Students learn from each other and we learn from them. With so many diverse backgrounds, there is so much to learn. Use what your students bring to the classroom as an advantage.

Always important is being reasonable. Being reasonable just means using your head. Like I said before, don't be afraid to ask for help or go find out something on your own. No one knows everything. Dr. Garcia brought up knowing what not to do. So if you don't know exactly what to do in a situation, at least you can come up with things you know not to do and go from there. Being reasonable in a classroom also means coming up with realistic,challenging, and fun lessons. I also think that being reasonable goes along with being fair. Treat all students fairly. Select consequences and rewards that are directly related to what the task is.

The "T" for theory-driven is how teachers approach learning and educating children. Theory-driven means that you have done research and are open to new ideas. You know what you are responsible for as a teacher and know how to react in different situations. You also understand children and how they learn.