Practicing Culturally Relevant and Responsive Pedagogy: Teacher Participatory Action Research at Longfellow Elementary School

• In Event: 35.071 - Making Filipina/o Students' Voices Matter: Pin@y Educational Partnerships' Teacher Participatory Action Research

Abstract

Objectives
The PEP teachers felt there was a need to provide students with a sense of social, academic, and community support outside the PEP after school program. They investigated the ways they could respond to students’ academic, social, and community needs. Using the theories of culturally relevant (Ladson-Billings 1995) and culturally responsive pedagogy (Lucas & Villegas 2002), the teacher-researchers were able to frame their purpose by acknowledging that their role was not only to develop a learning space that acknowledged the culture and background of their students during PEP, but to also affirm their role as important agents in transforming the educational paradigm of their students.

Theory
This study utilized Ladson-Billing’s (1995) culturally relevant pedagogy and Villegas & Lucas’ (2002) culturally responsive pedagogy is characterized by elements that include recognition of students’ multiple identities and backgrounds, rather than perceiving differences as problems to be overcome. These frameworks involved teachers identifying themselves as both responsible for and capable of bringing about educational change that will make schools more responsive to all students. This study also stemmed out of Tintiangco-Cubales (2013) community responsive pedagogy (Tintiangco-Cubales, 2013) that includes the development of critical consciousness, engaging direct community experience, and growing transformative leaders.

Methods and Data Sources
In this qualitative study, teachers drew from autoethnographies via critical teacher journals, classroom discussions, and examples of student work such as: poems, visual arts, and student projects that displayed support and solidarity for students who have lost loved ones.
The participants involved in the TPAR project involved approximately 50 students and 9 teachers. PEP elementary school component is divided into 3 classrooms with approximately fifteen to twenty students in each class. Students are divided into three classes by the following grades 1) kindergarten and first grade 2) second grade and third grade 3) forth grade and fifth grade. Three teachers are responsible for each class.

Results & Significance
Out of this study, we found 3 dominant themes: (1) Teachers develop sociocultural consciousness & affirm student backgrounds via “I am Poems”- Through poetry students expressed their backgrounds, dreams, and struggles; (2) Using student’s cultural wealth as a tool to engage students in the classroom; and (3) teachers found purpose and a sense of duty as agents of bringing about changes for schools to be more responsive to students. We instituted the following recommendations as part of our action plan: (1) Engaging students to respond to the social, academic, and community issues they are experiencing via their own Youth Participatory Action Research project in the Spring semester; (2) Committing to student’s social, academic, and community growth beyond being their PEP teachers via a mentorship program (3) and develop lines of communication with members of school community to inform our approach in the social, academic and community needs of students.

Author

• Maria Abigail Santos, Pin@y Educational Partnerships (PEP)