Who's In My Classroom?
Building Developmentally and Culturally Responsive School Communities
Gess LeBlanc,Tim Fredrick
- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
Who's In My Classroom?
Building Developmentally and Culturally Responsive School Communities
Gess LeBlanc,Tim Fredrick
About This Book
Capitalize on the latest educational research and youth voices to inform your teaching and become more culturally and developmentally aware
In Who's In My Classroom?, accomplished educator and author delivers an inspirational and practical combination of true stories from teens in Youth Communication's award-winning writing program and the most current educational research. The book links theories of adolescent development and identity formation to best practices in real-world classrooms where teachers strive to form supportive relationships with students.
In this book, you'll find:
- Narrative and explanations of the most cutting-edge research in educational and developmental psychology and cultural competence
- Excerpts from stories by students specifically written and edited with social and emotional learning competencies in mind
- Practical and concrete strategies for administrators and teachers to implement for sustainable improvement in learning outcomes for their students, including the use of Youth Communication's stories
Perfect for K-12 educators, counselors, and administrators, Who's In My Classroom? is also an indispensable resource for higher education professionals and pre-service teachers seeking a practical guide to help them become more developmentally and culturally responsive in their work.
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CHAPTER ONE
An Introduction to Developmentally and Culturally Responsive Teaching (DCRT)
I may not be the smartest in the class, but I am generally ambitious and hard-working. For a long time, though, math and science classes were an exception. I was content to get by with lower grades in them. That mindset changed thanks to my sophomore year physics teacher, Mr. Stevens (not his real name).Taking physics seemed like some type of punishment. I brought a poor attitude with me to class each day, just wanting it to be over.I ended up failing the first marking period. I convinced myself that it wasnât a big deal and continued with my sour outlook throughout the second marking period. I guessed that my teacher could see I didnât care and would be happy to keep failing me. But one day at the end of the second marking period, something unusual happened.When the bell rang, I hopped out of my desk and started gathering my things. Just then, Mr. Stevens called my name.I looked up. He said, âIâd like to speak to you once youâre ready.â I nodded. Great! He was going to give me a boring lecture on how I should take advantage of the free education I had been given or start asking why I didnât care about school. Blah, blah. He didnât know me; he just knew my performance in this one class, so I wouldnât let his aggression affect me. What could he do? Threaten to call my parents? So with my head up high I walked over to his desk, ready for anything he was going to throw at me.Right away, he gave me a welcoming smile and asked how my day was going. Surprised at his friendly manner, I told him I was actually a little stressed about a geometry exam, but other than that, I was all right. I assumed it was small talk before he landed the big speech, but what he had to say next surprised me even more.âI just wanted to let you know that I know youâre not doing as well as you could be in your class. Iâm positive you are capable of way more, Neha. I picked up your transcript from the guidance counselorâs office today and I see you have good grades in your other classes. Physics is a little difficult for you, huh?âI couldnât answer. I was trying to digest the fact that he actually went and reviewed my transcript. I wondered if it could be that he was actually curious about me as an individual.But part of me was just defiant. He said I was struggling in âmyâ classâHello? Physics was his class. Not mine. I was just forced to take it.He continued, âI want to invite you to tutoring. I tutor Tuesdays and Thursdays and plenty of students come in. It does get crowded sometimes, so I canât always guarantee Iâll be able to help you on the particular topic youâre struggling with. But Iâll try.âI tried to read his face, wondering what the catch was. The tutoring sessions werenât news to me, but I never expected him to reach out and invite me. Most teachers only pay attention to the students who look like they care. My geometry teacher always told us, âIâm not even going to bother with kids who do not want to help themselves.â This teacher obviously had a different approach.âYouth Communication writer Neha Basnet, from âHow I Conquered Physics, with Unexpected Helpâ