Professional Development Activity: Introduction to the Principles of Cultural Responsive Schooling

Purpose: Introduce the principles underlying the four Culturally Responsive Rubrics: A Welcoming and Affirming School Environment; Ongoing Professional Learning; High Expectations and Rigorous Instruction; Inclusive Curriculum and Assessment.

Note: Each of the following activities can stand alone, so you don’t need to use all of them for the session to be meaningful.

Participants: Activities 1 and 2 are for any school faculty members, including teachers. Activities 3 and 4 are specifically for teachers.

Duration: Approx. 20 minutes for each activity, 4 activities total.

Additional Materials:

All Activities: Participants should bring a piece of paper and a writing utensil
Activity 2: Facilitators should provide index cards (1 per participant).
Activity 3: Participants should bring an upcoming lesson plan/lesson outline.
Activity 4: Participants should bring an upcoming assessment.

When to use: Before participants complete the rubrics.

Structure: Option for individual, small group or large group

Activity 1: A Welcoming & Affirming Environment Facilitation Guide

For any school faculty members

A Welcoming and Affirming School Environment is where the school community is represented and treated with dignity and respect. The environment ensures all cultural identities are affirmed and valued.

Ask participants to choose one or two of the following locations, close their eyes, and imagine the are walking thru and carefully observing the area:

The main entrance of the school and hallways
The main office
The principal’s office
A few classrooms
The library
The cafeteria
The gym, playground, outdoor spaces

Now, open their eyes and write down the following:

For those who imagined the main spaces (main entrance, hallways, cafeteria, gym/playground etc.):

What did you observe that reflects the identities and cultures of your students and the community?
What did you see that would make parents/caregivers feel welcome and comfortable?
What didn’t you see that would help students and parents feel like their school is connected to them and the community?
Where, or in what ways, are the languages spoken in the community represented?

For those who imagined the classrooms and library:

What did you see that celebrates students’ backgrounds, cultures, and identities?
What did you see that makes the students feel seen and encouraged?
Where, or in what ways, are the languages spoken in the community represented?

After 5 minutes of reflection, ask participants to share what they saw, what they didn’t see. How might these observations make students and parents/caregivers feel?

Activity 2: Ongoing Professional Learning Facilitation Guide

For any school faculty members

Ongoing Professional Learning creates continual opportunities for school community members to develop and sharpen a critically conscious lens toward instruction, curriculum, assessment, history, culture, and institutions.

Take 10–15 minutes to recall previous professional development (PD) days or sessions. Use the list below to reflect on the days/sessions and note things that you feel were done successfully, and things you would like to see implemented in the future.

A variety of formats were used (e.g., workshops, collaborative planning, open discussion, guest speakers).
Participant voice and choice were embedded throughout.
Content was practical and directly applicable to my work.
Equity and/or student voice were integrated, including professional learning on enrichment and remediation for students.
The PD contained useful strategies to create a more inclusive, equitable, and engaging education environment.
The PD provided opportunities to reflect on my own cultural lens or biases.
The PD deepened my understanding of local and global communities, including how to incorporate resources from these communities.
The PD deepened my understanding and appreciation of diverse cultures, histories, and perspectives.
I had an opportunity to share my feedback and suggestions with leadership.
I left with useful takeaways (e.g., resources, strategies, new skills)

Invite participants to share something they currently enjoy about professional development sessions and something they would like to see in the future. Participants can discuss with a partner or small group.

At the end, give all participants an index card and ask them to write their suggestions and takeaways from today. This index cards are to be given to school leaders, who help create professional development experiences to provide more educator input.

Activity 3: High Expectations and Rigorous Instruction Facilitation Guide

For Teachers

A learning environment with High Expectations and Rigorous Instruction is academically and intellectually challenging and prepares and empowers students to engage in critical reasoning and independent learning.

Participating teachers should bring an upcoming lesson plan/lesson outline to the meeting.

Ask the teachers to reflect and mark on their lesson using the following checklist:

A variety of formats were used (e.g., workshops, collaborative planning, open discussion, guest speakers).
Participant voice and choice were embedded throughout.
Content was practical and directly applicable to my work.
Equity and/or student voice were integrated, including professional learning on enrichment and remediation for students.
The PD contained useful strategies to create a more inclusive, equitable, and engaging education environment.
The PD provided opportunities to reflect on my own cultural lens or biases.
The PD deepened my understanding of local and global communities, including how to incorporate resources from these communities.
The PD deepened my understanding and appreciation of diverse cultures, histories, and perspectives.
I had an opportunity to share my feedback and suggestions with leadership.
I left with useful takeaways (e.g., resources, strategies, new skills)

After teachers have analyzed their lesson(s), ask them to reflect on what they noticed in their lesson. Teachers can reflect independently or discuss in groups.

Based on your lesson plan reflection/discussion ask teachers:

How you might modify this lesson or lessons like it in the future?
What are the benefits of incorporating some of the concepts on the checklist for your students?
What kinds of challenges might these adjustments present and how would you address them?

Activity 4: Inclusive Curriculum and Assessment Facilitation Guide

For Teachers

Inclusive Curriculum and Assessment provide the opportunity to learn about perspectives beyond one’s own experiences and elevates historically marginalized voices. It includes opportunities to learn about power, bias, and inequity and empowers learners to be agents of positive social change.

Ask teachers to bring an upcoming formative or summative assessment. Use the following items to explore the cultural responsiveness of the assessment:

Are there places that connect to a student's background, identities, and personal experiences?
Are there opportunities for students to explain their answers and/or respond in their own words?
Are there places for student choice?
Are there accommodations for students with different learning needs?
To what extent does the assessment allow for students to express their creativity?
To what extent does the assessment allow for collaboration?

Afterwards -- Pair up teachers, ask them to share their assessments and discuss their reflections. Teachers should work together to brainstorm and discuss how they can continue this work in the future. Then discuss the following questions (pick 2 to discuss)

Discussion Questions:

Do your current assessments give all students a fair chance to show what they know in ways that reflect their strengths?
How can you ensure that your assessments are inclusive and accommodate all students?
In what ways could your assessment better reflect the diverse cultures, languages, and lived experiences of your students?
What strategies can you use to partner with colleagues (e.g., teachers, specialists, instructional leaders) to strengthen and refine your assessments?