They ask: “What does thismaterial have to do with your lives?” “Does this knowledge connect to an issueyou care about?” and “How can you use this information to take action?”Culturally responsive educators employ lessons and regularly assign projects thatrequire learners to identify complex, real-world issues they encounter in theirdaily lives and propose solutions for these problems.

scaffolding by providing links between academic concepts and the experiencesthat are familiar to students. In addition to providing “mirrors” reflectingstudents’ familiar world, teachers provide “windows” into the history, traditions,and experiences of other cultures and groups

“Where are the best teachers assigned?” “Whichstudents take advanced courses?” and “Where are resources allocated?”

Therefore, they actively work to developcultural competency: understanding, sensitivity, and appreciation for the history,values, experiences, and lifestyles of other cultures

strong racial-ethnic identity is linked to higher self-esteem, academic attitudes,well-being, and the ability to navigate discrimination

For instance, research shows that students whodevelop a positive sense of racial and ethnic identity are more interested inbefriending people of different backgrounds.

elevance in the curriculum cannot, alone,ensure students will be prepared to live in an increasingly diverse, global world

In other words,culturally sustaining educators help students develop a positive cultural identitywhile teaching math, reading, problem-solving, and civics.

coined the term culturally responsive teaching to define an approachthat emphasizes “using the cultural knowledge, prior experiences, frames ofreference, and performance styles of ethnically diverse students to makelearning encounters more relevant to and effective for them.”

First, teaching must yield academic success. Second, teachingmust help students develop positive ethnic and cultural identities whilesimultaneously helping them achieve academically. Third, teaching must supportstudents’ ability “to recognize, understand, and critique current and socialinequalities

Our research finds that while all states alreadyincorporate some aspects of culturally responsive teaching within theirprofessional teaching standards, the majority of states do not yet provide adescription of culturally responsive teaching that is clear or comprehensiveenough to support teachers in developing and strengthening their CRT practicethroughout their careers.

recruiting a more racially diverse teaching workforce candramatically improve cultural responsiveness in school

unwittingly provide instruction that is irrelevant,ineffective, and even antagonistic to today’s diverse learners

Culturally responsive teaching is anapproach that challenges educators to recognize that, rather than deficits,students bring strengths into the classroom that should be leveraged to makelearning experiences more relevant to and effective for them.

massive imbalances in academicperformance that serve to limit students' life opportunities.