Culturally Relevant Pedagogy in Action: Asset Mapping in Urban Classrooms

• In Event: 29.081 - Pedagogical Practices in Urban Settings

Abstract

Through a collaboration with university faculty and local classroom teachers in a large, urban, comprehensive school district, this study explored asset mapping as a pedagogical tool for students to visually represent their cultural assets. We worked alongside one sixth grade teacher and two third grade teachers to create their own asset maps, develop the asset mapping project for their students, and lead a community-based gallery walk to showcase students’ maps in their classrooms. Interviews and focus groups with teachers and students revealed learning about self, learning about others, and building community as emergent themes from students’ and teachers’ perspectives following the project. We present these themes and discuss asset mapping as a possible model for strength-based pedagogy in urban classrooms.

Authors

• Noah Borrero, University of San Francisco

• Gabriel Sanchez