Culturally responsive learning has been gaining momentum for years, and for good reason. We have known for a long time that recognizing a child’s cultural history, background, and lived experiences is not just valuable, it is essential. If we know it matters, why is it so difficult to fully embrace? Why is it that when educators call for more culturally responsive practices, they are sometimes met with resistance or accused of pushing a political agenda? It saddens me that honoring the uniqueness of each child could ever be seen as controversial.
As an educator, I believe deeply that learning should support the whole child. That means the emotional, cognitive, cultural, and social self...all of it. This cannot happen unless we intentionally embed culturally responsive teaching into everything we do. The book that truly opened my eyes was Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain by Zaretta Hammond. Her work grounded in neuroscience explains how culture deeply influences how the brain engages in learning spaces. I found myself in tears at several points in the book, not because it was sad, but because I wished I had read it years earlier, at the beginning of my journey rather than toward the later stages of it.
As I reflected on her work, a question began to surface for me. What is the difference between culturally responsive teaching and culturally responsive learning? I once heard someone describe it like this: culturally responsive teaching is the plan, while culturally responsive learning is the outcome. That stuck with me. Since I center my work around learners, I am always curious about outcomes and how they ripple out beyond the classroom and into society.
For those who are working toward developing international-mindedness, you must begin with culturally responsive teaching and learning. There is no shortcut. Before you can foster global awareness, you need to deeply understand the children in front of you. You must see and celebrate their unique cultures so you can begin to explore connections and differences across communities. This is the first step.
We live in a time where division is easy and often encouraged. So let us choose to be different. Let us choose to embrace difference as a strength rather than a threat. Diversity is not something to fear. It is what makes the world rich, layered, and beautiful. It challenges our thinking and helps us grow into more open-minded, compassionate people.
Blogs
Books
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Guides
Podcast
Videos
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Zaretta Hammond: Culturally Responsive Teaching 101
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Letting Young People Lead With Their Identity
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Supporting Schoolwide Culturally Responsive Practice
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How Culturally Responsive Practices Help Students Connect to School
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