Culturally Relevant Teaching

This week’s lecture focused on culturally relevant teaching. Dr. Edwin Nichols focused her teaching career on enable her students through culturally relevant teaching. In the LEAP Math and Science schools, they practice culturally relevant teaching by emphasizing African logic, epistemological styles, relationships, cultural visibility, and social, emotional, and political responsibility. The LEAP school showcased cultural visibility by chanting ancestral African songs and dancing in unison. America does not have culturally relevant teaching in public schools because not everyone comes from the same background. We are not able to pull together and identify with one common culture. The students in the LEAP school are not confined to a set schedule. Dr. Nichols said they do not use clocks. Their education is not put on a time limit. Culturally relevant teaching provides a comfortable environment for students to relate to each other. It not only focuses on academic aspects, but social-emotional aspects and community responsibility. This makes the teaching style successful because they focus more on all aspects of what the student needs not just an education. Public schools now just focus on what the student needs for an education. They expect the parents to take care of everything else. Some students are left behind in this system and never make anything of it. The LEAP schools emphasize the theory of Ubuntu. These reiterate basic human principles that encourage the students to be descent human beings. Culturally relevant teaching should be implemented into the school systems in America to encourage the growth of a well rounded student.