Culturally Relevant Pedagogy and Historical Literacy: Exploring the Contradictions Within the Urban History Education Landscape

• In Event: Challenges in Teaching Complex Histories

Abstract

What ensues when urban teachers desire to do the good work of teaching historical literacy within a culturally relevant pedagogical framework? This proposal examines how three teachers in an urban high school managed the contradictions of teaching historical literacy and culturally responsive approaches to history. In theory, culturally responsive pedagogy and historical literacy can be considered as complementary: teaching historical literacy skills can be conducted within the contexts of historical discourses based on student cultures. In this study, however, teachers struggled to systematically integrate culturally responsive texts/discourses and historical literacy skills with fidelity. The proposal concludes with an exploration of the adaptive challenges and competing contemporary instructional demands on teachers as well as approaches for dealing with these contradictions.

Author

• Maria Akinyele, City College of New York