Parhar And Sensoy: The Teaching Practice Of Culturally Relevant Pedagogy

Community and Family Involvement

Literature that focuses on culturally relevant pedagogy shows that family and community involvement is important to culturally relevant teachers. Culturally relevant pedagogy requires teachers to have the support of students’ families and the community. Support from family and community members encourages academic improvement because students see more people who care about their academic achievement.

Teacher collaboration with students’ families is a fundamental part of culturally relevant teaching. Parhar and Sensoy (2011) explain: “Interaction among teachers and family members allows students to feel increasingly a part of the school, and that the school becomes part of their family” (p. 203). Family

Research suggests that culturally relevant pedagogy is an effective way to reach students at varying academic and social levels. The teacher is the central role of this pedagogical focus. A teacher chooses the teaching practices that they will implement based on their beliefs and knowledge. Teachers need to feel confident in their abilities to teach content, to integrate their understanding of culture, and to develop students’ social skills in order to encourage learning. Culturally relevant pedagogy requires teachers to create culturally inclusive classrooms, as these need to be established so that students feel safe and comfortable in the classroom. This means that the teacher must create a sense of belonging and respect so students will feel more inspired to learn. Classroom management and relationship building are key factors in creating a culturally inclusive classroom. It is also important fo the curriculum to be reshaped to meet the needs of diverse students. Adaptations to the curriculum will reinforce student learning by creating a positive and engaging experience for students in the classroom. Culturally relevant instructional practices, such as differentiated instruction and storytelling, will help foster culturally diverse students learning by creating a higher level of engagement and a better connection to their culture. Professional training and support will provide all teachers with the knowledge and encouragement that they need to develop culturally relevant pedagogy. Family and community interactions will provide teachers with support to create classrooms conducive to learning. Research proves that if culturally relevant pedagogy is implemented, it will benefit the changing student demographics both academically and