Developing the Culturally Responsive Teacher

Abstract

This chapter will use autoethnography to provide a comprehensive look at culturally responsive teaching by exploring three different perspectives at different stages in education: (1) the white female high school English teacher working with teens, (2) the Puerto Rican female undergraduate instructor working with pre-service teachers, and (3) the white female graduate professor working with in-service teachers. Collectively, the three perspectives will share experiences through storytelling about culturally responsive teaching as necessary practice in preparation for classroom teaching, emphasizing the need for more intentional instruction on race, culture, and ethnicity in teacher preparation programs. Ultimately, this chapter will demonstrate that culturally responsive teaching evolves over a teacher's lifetime, and to be truly transformative, culturally responsive teachers must adapt to the culture and contexts of their students.