The 180 Podcast | Zaretta Hammond: What is Culturally-Responsive Teaching? (Part 1)
This may seem obvious: Students learn best where they feel a sense of safety and belonging. The science of learning and development shows environments that foster these feelings open up the brain to learning.
But what if children find themselves in spaces that teacher, educator, and author Zaretta Hammond calls “inequitable by design,” that prevent instead of promote safety and belonging? What can teachers and schools do if the design of our education system is an obstacle to learning in and of itself? What does it mean to be a culturally responsive teacher—and why is that necessary, not only to stimulate intellectual curiosity but to move beyond “cognitive redlining” and transition students to “cognitive independence”?
Zarretta Hammond is the author of “Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain” and founder of the “Ready 4 Rigor” blog. She is a former English teacher and, for nearly two decades, has worked at the crux of instructional design, professional development, and achieving equity. Hammond’s research explores and analyzes the brain functions that inform how we learn and think. And it delves deeply into how students of color would benefit from culturally-responsive teaching and what it means—and doesn’t mean—for how educators can help all students get ready to tackle the rigorous content necessary to succeed.
Listen to part two here.
Also listen to the podcast here.
