Phonics Instruction With a Culturally Responsive Twist: Three Approaches to Transforming Curriculum

摘要

Although I recognize the significance and importance of the academic work we do with young children, I also value the opportunity that I have as the first teacher that some of my students will ever encounter and the relationship I have with my students is about more than just academics. I get to be the first one to introduce them to the culture of school and the richness of learning. I take that responsibility seriously and recognize that the learning that takes place is much less about my teaching as it is about my students' learning. I am not simply there to teach "at them" by reading words from a page. Rather, I am there to engage them, inspire them, and learn from them in order to know how to be the best teacher I can be for them. Knowing them is an integral part of that. Making my practice more culturally relevant is a work in progress. I am by no means an expert. There are blurred lines between what represents best practices and what it means to be a culturally responsive educator that are still being explored in our field. As we try to mend aspects of our educational system that may not be working for culturally and linguistically diverse students, I believe it is important to remember that student voice is a direct pathway to elicit from students the essence of who they are and what is important to them. When we know them—their stories, their interests, and their experiences—we can better facilitate connections between the content we teach and how they understand and interpret the world. This is important work. Regardless of mandates to use a scripted curriculum or having more freedom to create themed units and teach constructively, our students need to know that we value what they have to say. If nothing else, I would like to suggest that being a culturally responsive teacher is not mutually exclusive from using scripted curricula, and I am hoping to explore this concept further in my dissertation work. Even small changes that elicit student voice and opportunities for students to incorporate their own experiences and what makes them unique can be impactful.