I love making "Top 10" lists, so here are mine:
Top 10 Essentials of a Culturally Responsive Classroom
- A willing and passionate teacher and lifelong learner.
- Maps, globes, games and other geography/social studies hands-on learning resources.
- Big ideas about history and social studies reinforced across the curriculum.
- Focus on active learning and connection of learning to students' lives and prior knowledge.
- Frequent discussion and posting of current events and kid-friendly news sources.
- Invitations for students and families to share of themselves.
- Highlight important leaders of all cultural backgrounds year-round, not just during specific months.
- Meaningful technology integration - kids as producers, not just consumers.
- Communiction/collaboration with and about other people and places beyond the doors of the classroom/school - around the community and across the country/world.
- Fostering a global mindset and tolerant attitude where "weird" is replaced with "different."
I loved number 5. I think many times when social studies is being taught, only past events are focused on. The world is forever changing. I think that it is necessary to involve students in conversations about their world and the current events going on in it.
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