True to Form: Implementing a Culturally Relevant Pedagogy with Fidelity

Authors

  • Tamera Moore University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Abstract

Culturally relevant pedagogy is a research term developed by Ladson-Billings (1995) to identify those methods implemented by teachers that address: (a) student achievement, (b) affirmation of cultural identity, and (c) the development of critical perspectives that challenge inequities. While the affirmation of cultural identity is an important part of this theory, achievement and critical perspectives are often overlooked. Implementation of a critically relevant pedagogy should address those factors that prevent all students from receiving a quality education. The unequal access to resources leads to unequal outcomes. Teachers can mitigate the effects of inadequate resources of schools by ensuring they can implement a pedagogical framework that addresses factors that impact student outcomes. Culturally relevant pedagogy is a framework that is appropriate for schools and classrooms that wish to address the differential outcomes experienced in schools. This is particularly important in urban schools where students are exposed to schooling that does not provide the same level of access as in suburban schools.

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Published

2016-10-09