Dr. Sherrill Rayford is a part-time lecturer at the University of Evansville. Secondary experiences include teaching in suburban, rural, and urban schools. She has an extensive resume of teaching attributes and honors. Higher education positions include faculty, staff, and adjunct. She participates in a national writing group, is a podcaster, in the process of concluding extensive research on family genealogy, and published a teaching memoir, Teaching: Yakima Ball Vignettes, https://a.co/d/ihMfZ3a
My first connection to culturally relevant pedagogy (CRP) occurred when I was a fourth-grade student. My best friend colored Santa brown. The teacher commented her shock of seeing the brown Santa. My friend’s mother came to school and spoke with the teacher. The teacher told the class that she was a great teacher, visibly “shook” by what she explained was an unnecessary visit by the parent.
A compelling CRP epiphany transpired when I viewed an episode of Celebrity Hill College Edition, only expecting to be entertained. Planned entertainment and laughter became a springboard highlighting the importance of CRP, even in higher education. Celebrity Hill College Edition, features the exploits of a group of celebrities who return to college to obtain or finish requirements for a college degree. The show takes place at an Historically Black College (HBCU), Alabama State University.
The celebrities have traveled extensively. However, an excursion to a local home where civil rights planning occurred was informative and heartening in a manner they never expected. The students learned historical significance that may not be taught at a traditional college or university, one of the perks of attending an
HBCU where the curriculum incorporated cultural history with pedagogy, CRP inclusive of different interpretations of our country’s history, based upon facts and documented research, not opinions. Viewing images of Dr. King and his supporters narrated by a docent who was a child in the house when the civil rights planning occurred was moving for the celebrities and an example of the significance of how CRP benefits students and is needed for the diversity of all student populations reflected in society and in education. Learning at an HBCU helped me connect with history as those celebrities. I was not a passive learner.
The lack of diversity in my elementary school’s curriculum remained unchanged as I entered high school. I loved, admired, and respected my teachers, but only one teacher of color and his wife were part of the staff. I never read anything written by a person of color and did not know anything existed until attending an HBCU for two glorious years. Sadly, many curriculums are still void of diversity, and books written by African Americans are banned in alarming numbers. So what do teachers do when they are forbidden to teach banned books, stifling the significance of diversity?
I conclude this writing by sharing a few ideas that can be used in the classroom:
Display posters of diverse individuals who represent the student populations in your classroom. Research unknown scientists, military heroes, educators, etc. Those posters can be changed frequently as part of displays representing months celebrating cultural groups: Asian-American & Pacific Islander; Hispanic; Black History Month, Native American Heritage Month, etc.
Field experiences to local historical attractions are important. Museums are usually affordable, accessible locations that celebrate the cultural diversity of local history. If funds are a concern, seek diverse speakers to make volunteer visits to classrooms. Or, use of technology and social media connections to increase and enrich instruction.
Whatever you do, remember that that CRP differences exist within cultures. Not every African American thought that Dr. King’s civil rights plans were best; many of those individuals were religious leaders in the African American community. Reading “Letter from Birmingham Jail” does not present that alternative view that allows students to think critically of different religious audiences.
Knowing distinctions within similar cultures enlightens an understanding of cultural nuances of students with similar ethnic backgrounds.
Another CRP misperception is the use of Hip Hop and Rap as a cultural connection for all African American students. One of the brightest Ivy League graduates I knew thought the most profane lyrics of certain artists helped make connections with African American males. The teacher’s heart was in the right place, but he never sustained the connection he desired or respect he deserved as a dedicated educator.
Students flocked to his class early in the morning to hear Rap music but quickly lost interest when the music stopped. Music is a powerful learning connection if used as a springboard for learning. With Rap, acknowledging a popular artist’s name may suffice as a springboard, or selecting a word or phrase from a Rap song may facilitate a cultural connection. Prior to researching for this submission, I thought that Rap and Hip Hop were interchangeable.
When a teacher practices CRP in the classroom, it provides an opportunity for
students to have a sense of belonging and the ability to make connections to what is being taught in the classroom. Recognizing and instituting CRP activities into the curriculum awareness enriches the lives of teachers and students.
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