An approach to teaching that honors and sustains the cultures and ways of being of all children—and fosters learning success
Children have disparate experiences in early childhood education: Racial, cultural, gender, and ability differences are apparent in how children are othered, disciplined, and excluded. Culturally responsive practices help teachers change such inequities by centering children's cultures—including their knowledge, experience, and languages—to build relationships and teach in ways that instill a sense of belonging and boost learning.
Implementing these practices begins with teachers examining and understanding their own identities, cultures, and perspectives. This book supports teachers on this journey, helping them identify how their own cultures affect the way they view children and how cultural disconnects can lead to inequitable teaching practices. It offers teachers practical strategies for shifting their thinking and the way they interact with children to be most successful with each child.
Both novice and experienced teachers will find guidance in this book to
- Examine their own cultural selves and how this affects their practice
- Understand what it means to be culturally responsive and why it is critical to children's sense of identity and learning
- Apply seven principles of culturally responsive teaching that help them build culturally sustaining relationships and environments and make a difference in children's lives. The principles include creating culturally inviting classrooms, focusing on strengths, accommodating unique cultural styles.
Arvustused
Allen and Shapland Rodríguez have compiled years of developmental theory and educational research into a gem of knowledge that can help teachers grow in their daily practices with children. Not only do the authors ask educators to do their own self-reflection, they share their personal stories of vulnerability with bias and cultural exclusion. Our field has seen books on similar topics before, but this book provides updated research and a fresh, contemporary look at the importance of considering culture as part of the learning pedagogy. The book is an ideal tool for college courses, professional development training and workshops, and book studies within communities of practice. It should be a staple of our NAEYC canon!
Stephanie M. Curenton, Professor and Executive Director, Center on the Ecology of Early Development, Boston University, and Coauthor of Look Away: Embracing Anti-Bias Classrooms
Becoming a Culturally Responsive Teacher is an important and timely contribution to the field of early childhood education. Rooted in reflection, humility, and a deep understanding of culture, the book provides educators with a framework for teaching that honors and sustains the diverse experiences of all children and families. The authors go beyond theoretical concepts to offer practical pathways for educators who want to critically examine their own identities and practices. This work will be an essential resource for teacher preparation programs and early learning professionals dedicated to equity, belonging, and justice-centered education.
Brian L. Wright, Professor, Integrated Early Childhood/Early Childhood Education, University of Memphis, and Author of The Brilliance of Black Boys: Cultivating School Success in the Early Grades
This book accomplishes the urgent and complex task of translating powerful findings from research on culturally sustaining and anti-racist pedagogy into a practical guide for early childhood educators. It centers identity, humility, and relationships, all while confronting the exclusionary history of schooling in the United States.
Molly McManus, Associate Professor, Department of Child and Adolescent Development, San Francisco State University
Drawn from decades of teaching experience and research, this powerful guide frames culturally responsive teaching as an act of becoming rather than a trendy quick fix. With vibrant real-world examples, clear definitions, thought-provoking reflection questions, and action steps, this book is an invaluable resource for future and current early childhood educators.
Noreen Naseem Rodríguez, Associate Professor, Elementary Education and Educational Justice, Michigan State University
Becoming a Culturally Responsive Teacher is a transformative guide that pushes us to rethink how we see children, how we see ourselves, and how culture shapes every part of the learning environment. The authors honor the brilliance of children and the cultural knowledge they bring with them, encouraging us to build learning spaces where every childs identity is seen as an asset. Reflective, practical, honest, and deeply aligned with what inclusive and culturally sustaining education should be, this resource will stay with you, challenge you, and elevate the work we all do with children and families every day. It is exactly what our field needs right now.
Chandele Morris, Inclusive Educational Consultant, Coach, and Author
I am recognized in my district as having a culturally responsive classroom, and I thought I was doing well in this area. But reading this book made me evaluate my teaching practices and identify places where I could make changes. What would our classrooms, schools, and centers look like if teachers and administrators looked through another lens besides their own? This book needs to be read by anyone teaching, no matter what grade level. Dont wait to add this book to your library!
Connie Hall, Kindergarten Teacher, 2023 Nevada State Teacher of the Year
About the Authors
Preface
Chapter1: Moving Toward Culturally Responsive and Sustaining Teaching
Chapter2: Reflecting on Identities
Chapter3: Why Culturally Responsive and Sustaining Teaching: Disparate
Educational Outcomes
Chapter 4: Implicit Bias
Chapter 5: Understanding Culture and Its Impacts on Teachers and Learners
Chapter6: Trauma and Resilience
Chapter 7: Culturally Responsive and Sustaining Practices
Chapter8: Culturally Responsive and Sustaining Relationships
Chapter9: Culturally Responsive and Sustaining Environments
Afterword: Becoming
References
Index
Rosemarie Allen, EdD, is a nationally recognized expert in culturally responsive teaching, equity, and early childhood education. With more than 40 years of experience as an educational leader, her lifes work has been dedicated to ensuring that all children have access to a high-quality education that is culturally and developmentally appropriate. As a professor in the School of Education at Metropolitan State University of Denver, she focuses on addressing systemic inequities in education, particularly the suspensions and expulsions of children from early childhood programs.
As president and CEO of IREE, Dr. Allen serves as a buildernot just of programs but also of people, systems, justice-centered frameworks, and opportunities nationwide and internationally. She has collaborated with the US Department of Education, 47 state education departments, and numerous organizations to assess, disrupt, repair, and redesign systems that will ensure equity and justice for all.
Her groundbreaking work has earned her prestigious honors, including the T. Berry Brazelton Friends of Children Award and the Rosa Parks Diversity Award. Dr. Allen holds a doctorate in equity and leadership in education from the University of Colorado, Denver, and continues to inspire educators to create inclusive, affirming learning environments that honor the diverse identities of all students.
Dorothy Shapland Rodriguez, EdD, is an associate professor in the Special Education, Early Childhood, and Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Education Department at the School of Education, Metropolitan State University of Denver. A nationally recognized expert in trauma-informed equity practices and leadership, she has more than 40 years of experience teaching preschool and elementary students in public, private, and charter schools in Colorado and New Jersey.
She has served half her career as a teacher leader, curriculum writer, instructional coach, consultant, and professional development provider for schools, centers, educators, and leaders across the United States. Her expertise lies in effective, intentional, anti-bias, culturally responsive, trauma-informed teaching and learning, as well as in guiding schools and early childhood programs toward equity-centered leadership and practice.
Dr. Shapland Rodriguez is committed to transforming education through compassion, justice, and reflection, equipping educators to meet the needs of all learners and communities. Her work bridges research and real-world application to support lasting, systemic change.
She lives in Denver, Colorado, with her husband and two dogs, just across the street from her daughter and their family. This book reflects Dr. Shapland Rodriguezs lifelong dedication to building inclusive, healing-centered spaces where all children and educators can thrive.
