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Culturally Responsive Teaching

Learn more about how to use students’ customs, characteristics, experience, and perspectives as tools for better classroom instruction

Explainer

What Is Culturally Responsive Teaching?
Here's what it means to be a culturally responsive teacher and where critical race theory ties in—or not.
69´«Ã½ arrive for classes at Taylor Allderdice High School in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh on Jan. 23, 2024.
69´«Ã½ arrive for classes at Taylor Allderdice High School in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh on Jan. 23, 2024. As part of a recent court settlement, Pennsylvania will no longer require school districts to follow its set of guidelines that sought to confront racial and cultural biases in education.
Gene J. Puskar/AP
States A State Changed Anti-Bias Guidelines for Teachers After a Lawsuit. Will Others?
The lawsuit filed by a conservative law firm took issue with state guidelines on examining biases and diversifying curriculum.
Brooke Schultz, November 21, 2024
5 min read
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iStock/Getty
Equity & Diversity Opinion You Need to Understand Culturally Responsive Teaching Before You Can Do It
Too often, teachers focus solely on the content. They need to move beyond that and get out of their comfort zones.
Larry Ferlazzo, October 16, 2024
11 min read
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iStock/Getty
Teaching Opinion How to Make Rigorous Curriculum Accessible to All 69´«Ã½
Culturally responsive teaching is research-based. Here's why that matters for the classroom.
Larry Ferlazzo, October 11, 2024
7 min read
Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks during a presidential debate with Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris at the National Constitution Center, Tuesday, Sept.10, 2024, in Philadelphia.
Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks during a presidential debate with Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris at the National Constitution Center, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024, in Philadelphia. He shared anti-immigrant rhetoric targeting the Haitian immigrant community of Springfield, Ohio.
Alex Brandon/AP
English Learners Amid Political Attacks on Ohio Immigrants, How 69´«Ã½ Can Support Newcomers
Former President Trump's anti-immigrant rumors shed light on how an Ohio town's schools have helped newcomers.
Ileana Najarro, September 11, 2024
5 min read
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iStock/Getty
Equity & Diversity Opinion 13 Ways Educators Get Culturally Responsive Teaching Wrong
Some teachers believe adding a few culturally relevant texts or activities to the existing curricula is sufficient. It's not.
Larry Ferlazzo, August 28, 2024
13 min read
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iStock/Getty
Teaching Opinion Student Identity Is Complex. Here's How to Honor It
There are practices to help students, their families, and teachers develop a regard for themselves, each other, and the human experience.
Larry Ferlazzo, August 26, 2024
10 min read
Workflow, Teamwork, Education concept. Team, people, colleagues in company, organization, administrative community. Corporate work, partnership and study.
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School & District Management Opinion 3 Steps for Culturally Competent Education Outside the Classroom
It’s not just all on teachers; the front office staff has a role to play in making schools more equitable.
Allyson Taylor, April 15, 2024
5 min read
Lily Gladstone arrives at the 96th Academy Awards Oscar nominees luncheon on Feb. 12, 2024, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif.
Lily Gladstone arrives at the 96th Academy Awards Oscar nominees luncheon on Feb. 12, 2024, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif.
Jordan Strauss/Invision via AP
Equity & Diversity Q&A The Lily Gladstone Effect: A Teacher Explains the Value of Indigenous Language Immersion
69´«Ã½ in the Browning public schools district in Montana engage in a Blackfoot language immersion program for all ages.
Ileana Najarro, March 6, 2024
5 min read
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iStock/Getty
English Learners Opinion How to Connect With English-Language Newcomers. Teachers Share Their Favorite Lessons
Stock classrooms with books that reflect students’ lives, languages, and cultures and invite them into as yet unfamiliar worlds.
Larry Ferlazzo, February 6, 2024
10 min read
Images shows colorful speech bubbles that say "Q," "&," and "A."
iStock/Getty
Teaching Opinion Making Culturally Responsive Teaching Work: Zaretta Hammond Corrects 3 Big Misconceptions
The author and coach explains how to avoid several common mistakes in culturally responsive teaching.
Larry Ferlazzo, September 26, 2023
10 min read
Collage of a young student reading a book.
Laura Baker/Education Week via Canva
Equity & Diversity Researchers Find Need for More High Quality, Culturally Relevant Curriculum
A new report from The Education Trust examines the limited complexity of representation in children's books deemed to be high quality.
Ileana Najarro, September 25, 2023
5 min read
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Kaylee Domzalski/Education Week
Equity & Diversity Video A Native Community Revitalized a Language. Here’s How a School District Carries It On
Native students' well-being and grad rates improve when they're exposed to their cultural languages. How one district is making that happen.
Kaylee Domzalski, June 9, 2023
4 min read
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iStock/Getty
Teaching Opinion The Big Questions Teachers Are Asking Themselves Right Now
Teachers have lots of questions, chief among them why there's such a mismatch between teacher-prep and school district needs.
Larry Ferlazzo, June 7, 2023
12 min read
Image of a mother working on homework with her son.
Marco VDM/E+
Mathematics What Parents Say Would Make Math Class More Relevant
Parents agreed that their children would be more likely to succeed in math classes that are relevant and engaging.
Evie Blad, April 21, 2023
3 min read