October’s Diversity & Inclusion topic of the month, Cultural Competence and Cultural Humility, led me to grab a book off of my bookshelf at home. Darrell recommended this resource to me when it came out last year, and our guest blogger, Alan, coincidentally focused on this same resource in his blog post this week! But I’d like to echo the recommendation of Zaretta Hammond’s work, and particularly this book: Culturally Responsive Teaching & the Brain: Promoting Authentic Engagement and Rigor Among Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students.
In the first chapter, “Climbing Out of the Gap: Supporting Dependent Learners to Become Independent Thinkers,” Hammond highlights the teaching and learning gap that exists between culturally and linguistically diverse students and their white, English-speaking peers. Ms. Hammond does not specifically speak to students with disabilities, but we know that diverse learning styles compound the challenges of culturally and linguistically diverse students in our education system – and I encourage us to keep this in mind as we reflect on our current practice and possible ways to grow and improve our practice.
“Classroom studies document the fact that underserved English learners, poor students, and students of color routinely receive less instruction in higher order skills development than other students. Their curriculum is less challenging and more repetitive. Their instruction is more focused on skills low on Bloom’s taxonomy. This type of instruction denies students the opportunity to engage in what neuroscientists call productive struggle that actually grows our brainpower. As a result, a disproportionate number of culturally and linguistically diverse students are dependent learners” (p.12-13).
In the first chapter, “Climbing Out of the Gap: Supporting Dependent Learners to Become Independent Thinkers,” Hammond highlights the teaching and learning gap that exists between culturally and linguistically diverse students and their white, English-speaking peers. Ms. Hammond does not specifically speak to students with disabilities, but we know that diverse learning styles compound the challenges of culturally and linguistically diverse students in our education system – and I encourage us to keep this in mind as we reflect on our current practice and possible ways to grow and improve our practice.
“Classroom studies document the fact that underserved English learners, poor students, and students of color routinely receive less instruction in higher order skills development than other students. Their curriculum is less challenging and more repetitive. Their instruction is more focused on skills low on Bloom’s taxonomy. This type of instruction denies students the opportunity to engage in what neuroscientists call productive struggle that actually grows our brainpower. As a result, a disproportionate number of culturally and linguistically diverse students are dependent learners” (p.12-13).
...So what can we do about it? Hammond’s Ready for Rigor Framework organizes the high-priority components of our work with students that build the environment to support students to be more independent, self-directed learners. These are the areas where we need to build our capacity as educators in order to better support diverse learners. What I know about our team is that we build strong relationships and connections with students, and create safe spaces for learning. Here’s what I wonder…
If so, what conditions or factors help/allow us to do so? If not, what holds us back? In what ways could we do this better or more consistently?
I invite you all to add comments to share your reflections, suggestions, questions, and experiences.
Blog post written by:
Alli Guilfoil, Director of Academic Intervention
Alli Guilfoil, Director of Academic Intervention
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