How do we implement Cultural relevance?

Culturally relevant education is a conceptual framework that recognizes the importance of including students’ cultural backgrounds, interests, and lived experiences in all aspects of teaching and learning within the classroom and across the school (Ladson-Billings, 1994, 2009; Milner, 2017)

We begin by developing awareness

• of the impact culture has in our students' learning experience
• of the need for relevancy to meet students' engagement
• of how a sense of belonging can affect our students' academic success
• of the importance of relationships, safety, and trust in the classroom culture​

‘Culture, it turns out, is the way that every brain makes sense of the world. That is why everyone, regardless of race or ethnicity, has a culture‘.                           
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                ―Zaretta Hammond

We must also identify our own biases

• by realizing we all have biases
• by recognizing that our own culture influences our attitudes
• by intentionally seeking for different perspectives
• by identifying what actions, behaviors, etc. trigger a reaction in us
• by evaluating how we react towards some students and why

​“Self-examination is a lifestyle that requires courage, commitment, and conviction… it is a very important step in committing to the lifelong, enduring process of cultural competence and the ongoing practice of cultural humility.”
                                                                                                                                                                                               ― Sandra C Bibb


We commit to fostering an inclusive and equitable learning environment

• as we get to know our students beyond the 10% surface level cultural elements
• as we create a judgment free zone by affirming and validating diversity in the classroom
• as we incorporate cultural elements into the lesson and draw on our students' cultural frames
• as we design a classroom environment where our students are/feel represented
• as we hold high expectations for all of our students by providing the conditions for success
• ​as we develop cultural competence to better understand our students without generalizing 

“If education is, as it should be, devoted to teaching the whole child, then this comprehensive focus should be evident throughout the curriculum, instruction, and assessment”
                                                                                                                                                                                                   ― Geneva Gay