Responsiveness Key Information

Culturally Responsive Teaching

Gay, Oberg, and Shade (2000) have created a list of characteristics of culturally responsive teachers. This model is one way we can evaluate ourselves and our teaching.

Characteristics of Culturally Responsive Classrooms	What to Look For
teachers are personally inviting	Greeting students at the door Learning students' names - using them Creating a classroom community of trust and belonging Teacher shares of her/himself Building relationships with parents (home visits, calls home, parent night)
instructional changes are made to accommodate differences in learners	Differentiate instruction to meet the specific needs of students Knowledge of how to accommodate instruction Curriculum is culturally inclusive of all students Material is relevant to the lives of students
students are reinforced for academic development	Attention to individual student needs Learning presented in ways that support all intelligences and styles Knowledge of cultural ideals of success applied to community
students are affirmed in their cultural connections	Curriculum is inclusive of all groups Student voice is validated Opportunities to share of themselves and their perspective Teaching is a two-way process
learning environments are physically and culturally inviting	Curriculum and materials are culturally sensitive and anti-biased Pictures of students and families are visible throughout the classroom Seating chart is created to support various learning styles
classroom is managed with firm consistent, loving control	Teacher is knowledgeable about teaching and learning, including behavior guidance that is culturally inclusive of students Classroom rules are student created Rules are taught, reinforced and consistent Students' voices are valued and welcomed Classroom expectations are positively reinforced
interactions stress the collective group and the individual	Students have input in their community Cooperation and competition are supported in various ways Students get opportunities to work together Classroom environment is safe for all students