CI 5441: Course Readings-- Week 3: Sept. 22

This week’s readings provided a look into culturally relevant pedagogy that seemed to mirror some aspects of my own teaching philosophy. I thought that Gloria Ladson-Billings article “But That’s Just Good Teaching! The Case for Culturally Relevant Pedagogy” was a particularly enlightening illustration of the ways in which teachers can create a productive and culturally diverse classroom and curriculum in order to empower students as important actors in American democracy. Ladson-Billings mirrors a principle that helped create my own teaching philosophy connecting English—and other forms of—education with the formation of knowledgeable and proactive citizens.


Ladson-Billings defines culturally relevant pedagogy as relying on three characteristics: academic success, maintained cultural competence, and a developed critical consciousness. She frames these on the belief that in order to be productive and active citizens in our democracy, students must be given the necessary tools. She highlights a teacher who focused on providing African American boys in her classroom with a challenge to succeed. Ladson-Billings writes that, “Instead of entering into an antagonistic relationship with the boys, Lewis found ways to value their skills and abilities and channel them in academically important ways” (160). Instead of giving into the common “we—they” approach—as illustrated in chapter 2 of Teaching Literature to Adolescents (Beach et al. 25)—this teacher found a connection with her students by challenging them to prove their educational prowess. She is giving them the chance to see their own power in order to fulfill their duties as democratic citizens.


The next criterion illustrates the need for teacher to connect a student’s home culture with the broader culture of school and society. This is done by teachers who can “utilize students’ culture as a vehicle for learning” (Ladson-Billings 161). Here teachers must find a way to make meaningful and relevant connections between their students and the curriculum they are bringing to the table. Similar to the example in the article, I had a teacher who built a bridge between what was relevant to us and the various pieces that make up figurative writing by allowing us to present a song of our choice to the class and analyze it for different elements of figurative language. Thus students could connect their “cultures”—age, ethnicity, gender, etc.—with an informative classroom assignment. This is something that instills both excitement and trepidation within me, but I know that it will be something I will need to constantly work and reflect upon in order to accomplish.


The last criterion for culturally relevant teaching is based on the belief that students should “develop a broader sociopolitical consciousness that allows them to critique the cultural norms, values, mores, and institutions that produce and maintain social inequalities” (Ladson-Billings 162). As English teachers I think it is important that in our discussions of literature in the classroom we develop in our students the ability to examine, identify, analyze, critique, and reflect. In doing this we can provide them with the tools that are necessary to look at the world around them with an open and critical eye through which they can observe society and act in support of a better nation, a better world. Ladson-Billings outlines a path for teachers that can help them create the type of education that can best serve the needs of the people and, this might sound very idealistic, but if education is not based on the idea of creating more intelligent and proactive citizens who can work to make the future brighter for themselves and all those around them, then what is the point?

Ladson-Billings, Gloria. “But That’s Just Good Teaching! The Case for Culturally Relevant
Pedagogy.” Theory into Practice. 34.3 (1995):159-165. 02 Sep. 2009