Culturally Relevant Teaching

Introduction

The two most common ways to become a teacher in the United States is to enroll in a traditional teacher training program at a college or university, or through an alternative teacher training program that train teachers outside of a college or university setting. The Department of Education (2015) explains that alternative teacher training programs are intended to recruit a more diverse group of people who are mid-career professionals interested in teaching. In addition, these programs focus on filling the teacher shortage in hard to staff schools in urban and rural areas and subjects such as mathematics and science (The Department of Education, 2015). Although traditional and alternative programs prepare teachers to meet specific

Culturally relevant teaching allows teachers to make the curriculum more accessible to students by making the content relatable to their lives (Rajagopal, 2011). For example, the teacher could change the language that they used during explanations or include students interest into the classroom environment and lessons. This could create the foundation for positive teacher and student relationships, which could make students feel more comfortable with the academic content and the

In order for this to happen, teachers have to understand any challenges the child may face, appreciate their background, value their interest and believe in their abilities. Once a connection is made, it opens the door for the teacher to facilitate the learning process and ultimately positively influence the child’s life. Once a positive connection is made, the child will be more open to new learning experiences. The purpose of educating all children equally and building positive relationships is to help them access different opportunities in life. Teachers should teach and inspire children to expand their knowledge and live up to their dreams and