Culturally Responsive Instruction

Jones, Shelley. "Culturally Responsive Instruction"

Jones' article discussed a new curriculum being implemented in California. Culturally responsive, standards-based instruction (CRSBI) is the new wave of pedagogy that aims not only to focus on the state standards for education, but also to fully account for the culture of the students in the classroom. The article points out that American schools are designed for white, middle-class kids (with all of the financial and cultural implications supported by that label) rather than the wide variety of students that actually matriculate. Students whose culture is not reflected in instruction (both content and style) are likely to face unfair hurdles in their journey to academic success.

I agree with the ideas expressed by Jones but, as with many educational trends, I question its viability and potentially over-idealistic nature. The focus on cultural sensitivity is important, but I worry that it invited stereotyping by instructors and could lead to just as much trouble as the current system. Asking teachers to consider what social differences exist for certain groups and to tactfully steer them back towards the mainstream is risky. How easy would it be for teachers to overgeneralize and offend students or parents? How likely is it that teachers would consistently express the concept of "code-switching" eloquently and inoffensively?

Some apects of CRSBI were very practical: the inclusion of different cultures' viewpoints in content and the use of diverse examples, for example, but I would still be hesitant about the more complex parts of the program.