Why Culturally Relevant Pedagogy? Why Now?

• In Event: Pathways to Excellence: Strengthening the Learning and Development of Black Students

Abstract

Objectives and Purpose: This paper introduces ethnographic research that examines the teachers and parents’ beliefs about and experiences with culturally relevant pedagogy (CRP) with Black preschool students.

Perspective or theoretical Framework:
This study draws upon our theoretical framework that defines classroom quality as positively incorporating CRP into instructional practices, learning activities, and the classroom environment. In this study CRP was operationalized as experiences that help students make connections between their community, national, and global identities and the socio-political constructs that influence these identities and encouraging children to work collaboratively and expects them to teach and take responsibility for each other (Ladson-Billings, 1995, 2014).

Methods, techniques or modes of inquiry
An ethnographic case study approach was used to explore the research questions:

•What are Black teachers and parents beliefs about and experiences with CRP?
•How are children’s socio-cultural development and awareness encouraged in a high quality early childhood program?

This year long study took place in a high quality childcare center in the Midwest called Imani’s Child Development Center (pseudonym), a faith based program. Children ranged in age from 18 months to 5 years. There were 19 children, 10 parents, 4 teachers, and one program director (34 participants total). A majority of the children and families were Black (99%) and all children were monolingual English-speakers.

Data Sources, evidence, objectives, or materials
Data sources included 6 descriptive memos of CLASS observations (LaParo, Pianta, & Stuhlman, 2004); 3 individual teacher interview transcripts, 1 parent group interview transcript, and 7 observational field notes. A two-tiered coding system was used to analyze the interview transcripts, observational field notes and descriptive memos of CLASS observational data. Member checking occurred during each phase of data collection.

Results
Findings suggest parents and teachers exemplified CRP in their efforts to support children’s social and cultural development. For example, evidence of CRP includes teacher’s instructional practices that were responsive to the unique cultural learning styles and identities of Black children (e.g. oral storytelling; expressive music and movement; cooperative learning activities). Furthermore, parents and teachers expressed during the interviews a shared philosophy of education and practices that involved the collective responsibility of the ‘village’ and ‘other mothering’ in helping to expose young children to positive images of Black people to counter negative stereotypes prevalent within and outside the Black community. Lastly, children’s social and emotional skill development and creating challenging early academic experiences for children were shared goals among teachers and parents.

Scientific or scholarly significance
This research highlights how CRP manifests itself within a predominantly Black early childhood preschool program and presents the voices and experiences of Black teachers and families as they strive towards supporting the social and cultural development of the young Black children in their care. There is a need for continued scholarship focused on exploring how Black teachers and parents across the educational continuum are working together to develop academically and culturally resilient children, equipped with tools and skills needed to succeed.

Authors

• Tonia Renee Durden, University of Nebraska - Lincoln

• Stephanie Michelle Curenton, Rutgers University - New Brunswick/Piscataway