Succinctly, the overall goal is to learn about the other person’s culture as opposed to reflecting on one’s own background only. To create meaningful relationships in the communities we serve with empathy, unbiased assumptions, and being aware of privilege. While challenging your own values and beliefs.
Work to build meaningful relationships within your classroom community (both between peers & teachers to student). Be authentically you with your students. Take time to acknowledge each student, check in on their emotional well-being.
Foster teacher- student relationships, hold high expectations, and a belief in all students’ ability to succeed. Educators build from students’ stories and prior knowledge, engaging multiple modes of expression. This gives everyone ownership of the content and confirms that all types of learners belong in the room.
Especially about what the work/product students create should look like. Incorporate AC’s Notice, Describe, Ask protocol as a tool to move away from assumptions and unconscious biases.
Notice: Engage in deep noticing of your own biases and assumptions, and first reactions.
Describe: Model describing the choices being made with rich, specific, non-judgmental language.
Ask: Cultivate curiosity about the choices being made by young artists.
Notice Describe Ask – Learn More
The Me You Can’t See Self Portrait Directions:
Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy affirms and respects the key components of the Asset-Based Pedagogies that preceded it, but also takes them to the next level. Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy views classrooms as places where the cultural ways of being in communities of color are sustained, rather than eradicated.
Curriculum can serve…
As a mirror – reflecting and amplifying student’s identities or experiences,
As a doorway – introducing new experiences, identities and experiences that differ from their own,
As an amplifier – implying value, and importance.
By representing a diverse range of art and artists, you amplify their importance in the canon of your artistic form and their value in the minds of your students.
Your curriculum content should showcase art and artists from different cultures, genders, classes, sexualities and with differing abilities.
Inclusive curriculum supports students’ abilities to empathize, connect, and collaborate with a diverse group of peers, builds a sense of belonging, and raises the awareness of all students.