Zaretta Hammond: Culturally Responsive Teaching 101 | #PLtogether

Summary

In this insightful PLtogether lounge talk, Edthena CEO Adam Geller interviews Zaretta Hammond, author of 'Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain'. They delve into the nuances of culturally responsive teaching, emphasizing its importance beyond buzzword status. Hammond clarifies that it's not a program but an action algorithm that enhances student cognition and motivation, rooted in strong relationships and equity. The conversation highlights the distinction between culturally responsive teaching and social-emotional learning, urging educators to adopt deliberate practices that genuinely reflect students' diverse cultures to foster a more inclusive and effective educational environment.

Takeaways

• 📚 Culturally responsive teaching is not just a buzzword but a nuanced approach to education that focuses on relationships and motivation.
• 🧠 The core of culturally responsive practice is enhancing students' cognition and preparing them for rigorous learning, which is essential for academic success.
• 🔄 Culturally responsive teaching is not a static program but an ongoing action algorithm that requires continuous adjustment and adaptation.
• 🌐 It is crucial to understand that all instruction is culturally responsive, but the question is whose culture it is responding to, highlighting the need for inclusivity.
• 🌟 Zaretta Hammond emphasizes that culturally responsive teaching is about regaining academic prowess and should not be confused with social emotional learning.
• 🤔 Educators need to be deliberate and precise in their approach to ensure that their teaching practices are truly responsive to the diverse cultures of their students.
• 🏫 The American public education system has historically been Eurocentric and focused on racial stratification, which needs to be addressed in culturally responsive teaching.
• 🌱 Hammond suggests that trauma-informed practices should be contextualized and not assume that all students of color are traumatized, which could be racially biased.
• 🌈 Culturally responsive teaching involves incorporating methods and practices from the students' communities to build resilience and minimize stress.
• 🚫 Being anti-racist is about saying no to microaggressions and racial bullying, but it is not enough on its own to be culturally responsive.
• 🔄 The distinction between trauma-informed, anti-racist, and culturally responsive practices is important, and educators must be deliberate in integrating these approaches.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the PLtogether lounge talk with Zaretta Hammond?

The main topic is culturally responsive teaching and its significance in education, particularly in relation to social, emotional learning and development, and its impact on students' cognition and motivation.

Who is Zaretta Hammond and what is her contribution to the field of education?

Zaretta Hammond is an author known for her works 'Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain' and 'The Cross-Cultural Classroom'. She has taught writing and has a collection of children's writing in the form of a large library of children's books.

What does Zaretta Hammond suggest culturally responsive teaching is often mistaken for?

Culturally responsive teaching is often mistaken for a buzzword and sometimes incorrectly bundled with social, emotional learning without clear differentiation.

How does Zaretta Hammond define culturally responsive teaching?

Zaretta Hammond defines culturally responsive teaching as an action algorithm that involves creating a sense of connection and readiness in the brain, which is essential for increasing students' cognition and motivation.

What is the core of culturally responsive practice according to Zaretta Hammond?

The core of culturally responsive practice is the ability to help students level up their cognition, preparing them for rigor and enabling them to carry more cognitive load, which serves as an antidote to inequity by design.

What is the difference between culturally responsive teaching and social, emotional learning as discussed in the script?

Culturally responsive teaching focuses on the inclusion of students' racial, linguistic, or ethnic identities in the classroom to increase motivation and cognition, whereas social, emotional learning is more about developing relationships and emotional intelligence.

What does Zaretta Hammond suggest is a common misconception about trauma-informed practice in education?

A common misconception is that simply being trauma-informed automatically makes an educational practice culturally responsive. Hammond emphasizes that trauma-informed practice must be contextualized and deliberate to be truly effective.

How does Zaretta Hammond relate culturally responsive teaching to the concept of 'regaining academic prowess'?

Hammond relates culturally responsive teaching to 'regaining academic prowess' by stating that it is about bringing elements of students' identities into the classroom to increase their cognitive capacity and accelerate learning, which is central to the concept.

What does Zaretta Hammond mean when she says that culturally responsive teaching is 'not a thing, but an action algorithm'?

By saying it's 'not a thing, but an action algorithm', Hammond means that culturally responsive teaching is not a static program but a dynamic process that requires understanding the brain's workings and creating an environment that fosters connection and reduces stress.

How does Zaretta Hammond view the historical context of American public education in relation to culturally responsive teaching?

Hammond views the historical context of American public education as being predicated on a white Eurocentric content orientation, which was designed to create racial stratification. This history is important to understand when working towards culturally responsive teaching.

What is the importance of Zaretta Hammond's distinction between anti-racist, trauma-informed, and culturally responsive practices?

The importance of the distinction is to clarify that while all three practices are important, they are not interchangeable and each serves a unique purpose. Being anti-racist is about what you are against, trauma-informed is about how you respond to stress and adversity, and culturally responsive teaching is about what you are for, in terms of embracing and integrating diverse cultural practices.