culturally relevant

My Teacher Didn’t Know How To Be Culturally Responsive, But These Standards Will Help the Next Generation of Teachers
When I was eleven, my teacher divided our class into groups of four to complete a project on the United States Constitution. The three other…

To the People Pushing Back on Culturally Responsive Teaching During Black History Month
A war has been waging in my home state of Illinois, and the battle lines have been drawn. In one corner of the ring—the “uber…

An Inclusive Curriculum Matters All Year Round
Although the United States has always had a diverse population, public school curricula are overwhelmingly built around a white, male perspective. Students are learning a…

Students Don’t Just Study Black History, They Are Black History
*Mic check* (Ahem). Educators: Are you aware that this month is Black History Month? Have you asked your students, specifically your Black students, what they’d like…

You Aren’t a ‘Woke’ Teacher if Your Students Aren’t Learning
The recent “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” reunion show had me in my feelings. It was great to see the cast again and it was cool…

Black Students Are Waiting for a ‘Jingle Jangle’ Moment
“Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey” is a new Christmas movie on Netflix that premiered earlier this month. The movie begins with two children sitting in…

This Month Shouldn’t Be the Only Time We Teach About the Contributions of Hispanic Americans
There are close to 50 million Hispanic people in the United States. But like many minority groups in the United States, their history and heritage…

Kids Need Remote Learning to Be Culturally Relevant, Too
Last spring, amidst the uprisings following the immediate failure to bring any sort of justice for George Floyd’s murder, I received a Google Hangout video…

Dear Black Students, Your Freedom Will Not Come From What You Learn in School
The master’s tools will never dismantle the master’s house. Audre Lorde Dear Black Students: I understand how frustrating it must be to see all the…

Every Student Should Have the Opportunity to Read Books That Affirm Their Identity
I always found school history and literature boring. Growing up Taiwanese American, I never saw myself or my community represented in my school’s history or…