Culturally responsive pedagogy

The Culturally Responsive Pedagogy article

(http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/literacynumeracy/inspire/research/CBS_ResponsivePedagogy.pdf) defines culture generally as ways of knowing and being, and argues that relevant and responsive teaching or pedagogy must reflect an acknowledgment, respect, and understanding of culture and cultural difference. Digital and visual culture is an integral part of our students’ current youth cultural landscape. It overlaps and meshes with their other cultural identities. So to understand our educational community, that includes students and educational staff and administration, understanding and interacting with digital social media is necessary. The tools themselves become part of the culture, as well as the information that is accessible through social media. So, culturally responsive leaders need to work digital social media into their plans when setting directions, as well as viewing it as a tool for improving instructional programming.

Social media presents digital options to promote students’ social justice work. Since digital options are far-reaching and can allow students to connect with learning communities beyond their classroom, they foster Building Relationships and Developing People. A class website or wiki can be a useful venue for sharing student work and to provide links to relevant and teacher-approved websites or sources supporting social justice learning and networking. Google apps can be used to promote collaboration between students, and can be controlled by the teacher by only inviting approved contributors to the shared document. Safety is a concern when student are using new media options as learning tools and resources. It is important to establish secure and safe options (OCLF: Security and Accountability). The first step is to teach students proper protocol for safe Internet usage before turning them loose on the net. They must learn about their digital footprint and how to be critical of information sources. Schools can put security measures in place on school computers, but so many students now have their own devices that placing restrictions on Internet searches becomes challenging.

In terms of culturally responsive leadership, we lead by example; by “checking our privilege”. Leaders and teacher all need to develop self-awareness and understand our own ethnocentrism. This is the first step in teaching students and school communities to understand their own cultural knowledge gaps and further develop ethical values of acceptance, tolerance, and joyful curiosity about difference.