ASKED Answered
How does differentiated and culturally proficient instruction help engage and motivate students to learn ?
Three equity leaders share their thoughts about employing social-emotional learning skills for student success .
Julie Vitale Superintendent
Romoland School District
We know that students are most engaged when they can relate to the content they are learning and they understand the purpose . Culturally proficient instruction provides content that is representative of all people and instructional strategies that are varied enough to appeal to all learning styles . Students learn about the contributions of groups including , but not limited to , black , Latino , LGBT , female , Asian and other people who have traditionally been omitted from the curriculum . When students can see themselves in the curriculum , they can make connections to themselves that inspire interest and curiosity . Now more than ever our children must learn that we live in a pluralistic society ; all people regardless of their “ differences ” are valuable , simply because they are human , and all people have the innate capacity to positively contribute to our society . We can best teach this lesson by representing all types of people in the curriculum . With the advent and accessibility of “ open content ,” we no longer are required to rely on the publishing companies to determine what authors are represented in the anthologies or what version of history we are teaching . We can include all kinds of literature and teach multiple perspectives of history . Additionally , using various instructional approaches , and moving beyond the “ sit and get ” method , will help achieve student engagement and motivation . n
We have arguments and evidence for the importance of differentiated and culturally responsive instruction dating at least as far back as 1902 , when Dewey released his classic “ The Child and the Curriculum .” Woodson ’ s “ The Miseducation of the Negro ” ( 1933 ) advocated for black youth , and other non-dominant groups , to receive an education that reinforced the value of their histories and communities and taught them to challenge and change our radically inequitable society . Maslow ’ s “ Hierarchy of Needs ” ( 1943 ) acknowledged that all children must be able to see themselves in the curriculum to feel a sense of love , belonging and self-esteem . In his seminal book , “ Mind in Society ” ( 1978 ), Vygotsky illuminated the fact that skilled pedagogues were creating learning environments where students were supporting students – the teacher was no longer the sole source of instruction ; rather the successful classroom was a learning community .
This research , along with the abject failure of NCLB , hypertesting and cookie cutter models of scale , have made it abundantly clear that we do not need an “ equal ” education system that acts as if every child is the same . Let us turn our focus instead to ushering in an era of equity in public education , one that gives children and teachers what they need , when they need it . The good news is that there is widespread agreement among researchers and practitioners that differentiated and culturally responsive instruction engages and motivates students . Transforming classroom and school cultures to reflect this knowledge will only be possible if we amplify our investment in teachers . We must be willing to radically rethink how we recruit , develop and support teachers if we are to deliver on the promise of a public education system committed to a pluralistic , multi-racial democracy . n
Jeff Duncan-Andrade Ph . D . San Francisco State University , Raza Studies and Education Administration and Interdisciplinary Studies
Linda Luna Superintendent
Washington Unified School District
The mindset of student-focused teaching and learning is imperative for providing meaningful and differentiated instruction to the diverse levels of our students . This requires our teachers to truly know their students well , so they can provide each student with experiences and opportunities that will increase learning . Differentiated and culturally proficient instruction increases engagement in learning by providing students with opportunities to connect their life experiences with application of acquired knowledge into real-world situations . Engagement increases in a culturally proficient classroom when students feel valued and are able to connect portions of their life journey into the learning experience . Student-focused teaching and learning begins with culturally proficient leadership that facilitates reflection and dialogue with teaching staff , which also includes conversations that address personal and institutional barriers to student access and achievement . In addition , district leadership must look at policies and procedures that unknowingly limit students ’ access to equitable opportunities . The level of culturally proficient leadership directly affects the level of differentiated and culturally proficient instruction in the classroom . Academic achievement will increase when students are personally and culturally connected in learning experiences . Differentiated and culturally proficient instruction takes heart and courage from all levels of the organization – from the classroom to the office of the superintendent . We first must acknowledge and address the inequities that currently exist within our systems to be able to move forward in designing the differentiated , culturally proficient instruction and materials all our students truly deserve . n
September | October 2016 29