Culturally Responsive Classroom Management: Awareness Into Action

This article was downloaded by: [Chinese University of Hong Kong]On: 20 December 2014, At: 23:57Publisher: RoutledgeInforma Ltd Registered in England and Wales Registered Number: 1072954 Registered office: Mortimer House,37-41 Mortimer Street, London W1T 3JH, UK

Theory Into PracticePublication details, including instructions for authors and subscription information:http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/htip20

Culturally Responsive Classroom Management: AwarenessInto ActionCarol Weinstein , Mary Curran & Saundra Tomlinson-ClarkePublished online: 24 Jun 2010.

To cite this article: Carol Weinstein , Mary Curran & Saundra Tomlinson-Clarke (2003) Culturally Responsive ClassroomManagement: Awareness Into Action, Theory Into Practice, 42:4, 269-276, DOI: 10.1207/s15430421tip4204_2

To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1207/s15430421tip4204_2

PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR ARTICLE

Taylor & Francis makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of all the information (the “Content”) contained in thepublications on our platform. However, Taylor & Francis, our agents, and our licensors make no representations orwarranties whatsoever as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability for any purpose of the Content. Any opinionsand views expressed in this publication are the opinions and views of the authors, and are not the views of orendorsed by Taylor & Francis. The accuracy of the Content should not be relied upon and should be independentlyverified with primary sources of information. Taylor and Francis shall not be liable for any losses, actions, claims,proceedings, demands, costs, expenses, damages, and other liabilities whatsoever or howsoever caused arisingdirectly or indirectly in connection with, in relation to or arising out of the use of the Content.

This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematicreproduction, redistribution, reselling, loan, sub-licensing, systematic supply, or distribution in any form to anyoneis expressly forbidden. Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at http://www.tandfonline.com/page/terms-and-conditions

http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/htip20

http://www.tandfonline.com/action/showCitFormats?doi=10.1207/s15430421tip4204_2

http://dx.doi.org/10.1207/s15430421tip4204_2

http://www.tandfonline.com/page/terms-and-conditions

http://www.tandfonline.com/page/terms-and-conditions

269

Culturally Responsive Classroom ManagementWeinstein, Curran, and Tomlinson-Clarke

This article expands discussions of culturally re-sponsive pedagogy by focusing specifically on thetasks and challenges of classroom organization andmanagement. First, we examine three prerequisiteunderstandings that underlie teachers’ ability tomanage diverse classrooms in culturally compe-tent ways. We then consider specific approachesand strategies for enacting culturally responsiveclassroom management (CRCM) and reflect on theways that management practices promote or ob-struct equal access to learning. We stress the factthat developing CRCM is an ongoing, long-term,and often discomfiting process, in which culturaldiversity becomes a lens through which teachersview the tasks of classroom management.

M ARIA EMIGRATED FROM MEXICO to the Unit- ed States when she was 5. Now in a third-

grade, monolingual English class, she sits quietly ather desk and speaks only when her White, middle-class teacher calls on her. She does, however, raiseher hand frequently to ask if she’s doing her assign-ments correctly. Her teacher believes that Maria isinsecure and overly dependent on her. In class, she

often chides her to be more outgoing and indepen-dent; she repeated this message on Maria’s reportcard and at parent conferences. Maria’s teacher isunaware of the fact that Hispanic parents tend toexpect their children to be quiet and obedient in schooland to seek advice and approval before acting.

Houng, a Vietnamese American girl in second grade,repeatedly answers “Yes,” when her teacher, Ms.Adams, asks her if she understands. Her written work,however, consistently reveals her confusion. Frus-trated and annoyed, Ms. Adams concludes that Hounglacks motivation to learn and chastises her for notseeking help. Ms. Adams has no idea that the literalequivalent of “yes” in Vietnamese is “da,” whichcan also mean “I am politely listening to you.”(Grossman, 1995)

James is an African American sixth grader who isloud, active, assertive, and quick to interject com-ments into a class discussion without raising his hand.His teacher (who is African American and was edu-cated in predominantly White schools) realizes thatthe school’s emphasis on quiet, passivity, and turntaking is strikingly different from the behavioral ex-pectations that exist in James’s home; nonetheless,she believes it is important for James to learn “ap-propriate” classroom behavior. For this reason, shefrequently reprimands him, makes him miss recess,and has him stay for detention.

The teachers in all of these situations areinterpreting and responding to their students’ behav-ior from the perspective of mainstream sociocul-tural norms. Although well-meaning, these teachersare acting in ways that actually discriminate against

Carol WeinsteinMary CurranSaundra Tomlinson-Clarke

Culturally Responsive ClassroomManagement: Awareness Into Action

THEORY INTO PRACTICE, Volume 42, Number 4, Autumn 2003Copyright © 2003 College of Education, The Ohio State University

Carol Weinstein is a professor, Mary Curran is anassistant professor, and Saundra Tomlinson-Clarke isan associate professor, all at the Rutgers GraduateSchool of Education.

WeinsteinetalPM 10/13/03, 2:31 PM269

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

Chi

nese

Uni

vers

ity o

f H

ong

Kon

g] a

t 23:

57 2

0 D

ecem

ber

2014

270

THEORY INTO PRACTICE / Autumn 2003Classroom Management in a Diverse Society

students from racial and ethnic minority back-grounds. Such discrimination occurs when teach-ers do not recognize that behavior is culturallyinfluenced; when they devalue, censure, and pun-ish the behaviors of non-mainstream groups; andwhen they fail to see that their management prac-tices alienate and marginalize some students, whileprivileging others.

Unfortunately, the misunderstandings andmisinterpretations that give rise to this kind of dis-crimination are likely to become more frequent asthe cultural gap between students and teachers wid-ens. Calls for “culturally relevant pedagogy” (Lad-son-Billings, 2001) and “culturally responsiveteaching” (Gay, 2000) address the need for teach-ers to develop the knowledge, skills, and predispo-sitions to teach children from diverse racial, ethnic,language, and social class backgrounds. This arti-cle expands these discussions by focusing specifi-cally on the tasks and challenges of classroomorganization and management. First, we examinethree prerequisite understandings that underlieteachers’ ability to manage diverse classrooms inculturally competent ways. We then consider spe-cific approaches and strategies for enacting cultur-ally responsive classroom management (CRCM).

Prerequisites of Culturally ResponsiveClassroom Management

Like culturally responsive pedagogy and cul-turally relevant teaching, CRCM begins with anunderstanding of “the self,” “the other,” and thecontext. First, we must recognize that we are allcultural beings, with our own beliefs, biases, andassumptions about human behavior. We need toarticulate and examine the values implicit in thewestern, White, middle-class orientation of U.S.schools, such as the emphasis on individualachievement, independence, and efficiency. Bybringing cultural biases to a conscious level, we areless likely to misinterpret the behaviors of our cul-turally different students and treat them inequitably.

Second, we must acknowledge the cultural,racial, ethnic, and class differences that existamong people. A desire to be fair and impartialsometimes leads teachers to strive for “color-blind-ness” (Nieto, 1994), and educators are often reluc-tant to talk about cultural characteristics for fear

of ignoring heterogeneity among group membersand “essentializing”—seeing groups as static,monolithic, and homogeneous. But in order to beculturally responsive, we must acquire “culturalcontent knowledge.” We must learn, for example,about our students’ family backgrounds, their pre-vious educational experiences, their culture’s normsfor interpersonal relationships, their parents’ ex-pectations for discipline, and the ways their cul-tures treat time and space. At the same time,cultural knowledge should not be used to catego-rize or stereotype, nor to imply a clear understand-ing of another’s cultural beliefs and world view(Mishne, 2000). Instead, teachers should use ac-quired cultural knowledge as a way of demonstrat-ing an openness and willingness to learn about theaspects of culture that are important to studentsand their families.

Finally, culturally responsive classroom man-agement requires that teachers understand the waysthat schools reflect and perpetuate discriminatorypractices of the larger society. We must under-stand how differences in race, social class, gender,language background, and sexual orientation arelinked to power. We need to recognize that thestructure and practices of schools (e.g., rigid track-ing, unevenly distributed resources, standardizedtesting) can privilege select groups of studentswhile marginalizing or segregating others.

Strategies for Enacting CulturallyResponsive Classroom Management

With these fundamental understandings,teachers can begin to reflect on the ways their class-room management practices promote or obstructequal access to learning. This is an ongoing, long-term, and often discomfiting process, in which cul-tural diversity becomes a lens through whichteachers view the tasks of classroom management.These tasks include (a) creating a physical settingthat supports academic and social goals, (b) estab-lishing expectations for behavior, (c) communicat-ing with students in culturally consistent ways, (d)developing a caring classroom environment, (e)working with families, and (f) using appropriate in-terventions to assist students with behavior problems.In the following sections, we examine each of thesetasks from a culturally responsive perspective.


Dow

nloa

ded

by [

Chi

nese

Uni

vers

ity o

f H

ong

Kon

g] a

t 23:

57 2

0 D

ecem

ber

2014

271


Organizing the physical environmentI once visited a fifth-grade classroom on the NewMexico-Mexico border. The room displayed picturesof colonial Jamestown, and because it was springthe bulletin board was surrounded by paper tulips.In fact, when I looked at the calendar, I realized thatit was May 5 (Cinco de Mayo) and that there wasnothing in the classroom commemorating this holi-day. Also, as much as I like tulips, I found those onthe bulletin board paled in contrast to the Mexicangolden poppies and other beautiful desert flowersthat surrounded the school but didn’t make it intothe classroom. (Jones & Fuller, 2003, p. 93)

In contrast to the teacher who designed theclassroom in this vignette, culturally responsiveclassroom managers filter their decision makingabout the environment through the lens of culturaldiversity. In other words, they think about the waysthe environment can be used strategically to com-municate respect for diversity, to reaffirm connect-edness and community, and to avoid marginalizingand disparaging students. A map of the world, forexample, can highlight students’ countries of origin.A sign or banner can welcome students in the differ-ent languages they speak. Posters can depict peopleof various cultural groups (although care must betaken to avoid stereotypical representations suchas Mexicans sleeping under large-brimmed som-breros). Children’s individual photographs can bemounted on poster board and then used to create ajigsaw puzzle, reinforcing the idea that everyonecomes together to form a whole. In elementaryclassrooms, the literacy corner can prominentlydisplay books that promote themes of diversity,tolerance, and community, such as Crow Boy (Yash-ima, 1983), The Sneetches and Other Stories (Dr.Seuss, 1989), The Crayon Box That Talked (DeRolf,1997), and Chrysanthemum (Henkes, 1991).

In addition, the physical setting can promotesocial interaction and prosocial behavior. Desksarranged in clusters, for example, allow studentsto work together on activities, share materials, havesmall-group discussions, and help each other withassignments. Because racial and ethnic differencescan lead to name-calling and teasing, the physicalenvironment can reinforce the importance of beingkind and tolerant. Students can drop brief notesabout acts of kindness they do or witness into a“kindness box,” from which the teacher periodically

pulls a note and reads it aloud (Beane, 1999). Bul-letin board displays can encourage students to com-mit “Random Acts of Kindness” or can remindstudents about the “DOs and DON’Ts of Teasing”(Hoover & Oliver, 1996).

Establishing expectations for behaviorResearch on effective classroom management

at the beginning of the year (e.g., Emmer, Evertson,& Anderson, 1980) has confirmed the importanceof establishing clear expectations or norms for be-havior. According to these researchers, effectivemanagers typically have three to six general rulesof conduct (e.g., “Be respectful” and “Participatein class lessons”), and they make certain that stu-dents understand what the norms mean in terms ofspecific behavior. This is especially critical in cul-turally diverse classrooms, since different cultureshold different views about appropriate behavior.In some cultures, for example, making eye contactis a sign of respect, while in others respect is com-municated by maintaining an averted gaze. Teach-ers may expect children to sit quietly and “listenwhen someone is talking,” but some African Amer-ican students may be accustomed to a more active,participatory pattern of behavior (“call-response”).

To avoid the possibility of confusion or mis-understanding (which can then lead to unnecessarydisciplinary interventions and antagonism), teach-ers need to be explicit about their expectations,engage students in discussions about the classnorms, model the behavior we expect, and provideopportunities for students to practice. Consider thefollowing example:

Because Ms. Frank values collaborative learning, sheplaces her students’ desks in clusters and encourag-es them to help one another. But she spends a lot oftime at the beginning of the year explaining to hersecond graders exactly what that means. She takespains to distinguish between helping and doing thework for the other person. She and her students roleplay different situations; for example, Ms. Frank pre-tends she doesn’t know how to do a math problemand asks a student for help. Then she asks the class,“Was that good help? Was that explaining or wasthat doing the work for me?” Ms. Frank and herstudents also talk about when it’s not permissible tohelp one another. She explains that sometimes workhas to be done independently so that she can seewhat people know how to do on their own.


Dow

nloa

ded

by [

Chi

nese

Uni

vers

ity o

f H

ong

Kon

g] a

t 23:

57 2

0 D

ecem

ber

2014

272


Ms. Frank realizes that it’s important to beabsolutely explicit about the norms for helping inher very diverse classroom. Some of her childrenhave cultural roots in individualistic cultures; it islikely that the values of individual effort and self-sufficiency have been deeply engrained, so thesechildren may resist her efforts to encourage peerassistance. In contrast, the children from more col-lectivist cultures (e.g., African, Asian, Hispanic,and Native American) have probably been taughtthe value of providing assistance to others; theymay find it difficult to resist helping their peers,even when they are directed to work independently.

Communicating with students in culturallyconsistent ways

Culturally responsive managers recognize thatdifferences in discourse style can have a direct effecton students’ behavior. Delpit (1995), for example,points out that Black children and children from work-ing-class families are more accustomed to straight-forward directives from authority figures (“Sit downand get to work.”) than to the “politeness formulas”(Manke, 1997) and indirect discourse strategies(e.g., “Sally, would you like to sit down?”) typi-cally used by middle-class White teachers. If teach-ers choose to use these indirect discourse strategies,they need to provide students with explicit lessonson how nondirective verbal interventions are actu-ally “code” for direct commands.

Sometimes, teachers may decide to modify dis-course styles so that their communications are con-sistent with students’ cultural backgrounds. CindyBallenger (1999), for example, was an experiencedpreschool teacher who expected to have little dif-ficulty with her class of 4-year-old Haitian chil-dren. To her surprise, however, her usual repertoireof management strategies failed to create a respect-ful, orderly environment. Since her colleagues—all Haitian—were experiencing no difficulty withclassroom management, Ballenger had to concludethat the problem “did not reside in the children”(p. 32). She began to explore her own beliefs andpractices with respect to children’s behavior andto visit other teachers’ classrooms to examine their“control statements.” Eventually, Ballenger wasable to identify several key differences betweenher own style of discourse and that of her Haitian

colleagues. While the Haitian teachers stressed thefact that they cared for the children and had theirbest interests at heart (e.g., “The adults here likeyou, they want you to be good children.”), Bal-lenger frequently referred to children’s internalstates (e.g., “You must be angry.”). Moreover, shetended to stress the logical consequences of chil-dren’s behavior (e.g., “If you don’t listen, youwon’t know what to do.”), while the Haitian teach-ers articulated the values and responsibilities ofgroup membership and stressed less immediate con-sequences, such as bringing shame to one’s fami-ly. Once Ballenger had identified these differencesin control statements, she made a deliberate effortto adopt some of the Haitian discourse style. Or-der in her classroom improved significantly.

Creating caring, inclusive classroomsWhen teachers and students come from dif-

ferent cultural backgrounds, planned efforts to crosssocial borders and develop caring, respectful rela-tionships are essential. From the very first day ofschool, teachers can set the tone by greeting stu-dents at the door with a smile and a warm, wel-coming comment. Greeting second languagelearners with a phrase in their native language canbe especially affirming. Teachers can also forgepositive relationships with students by sharing sto-ries about their lives outside of school, learningabout students’ interests and activities, invitingthem to make choices and decisions about classactivities, and listening to their concerns and opin-ions. It is critical that teachers deliberately modelrespect for diversity—by expressing admiration fora student’s bilingual ability, by commenting en-thusiastically about the number of different languag-es that are represented in class, and by includingexamples and content from a variety of cultures intheir teaching. Finally, it is important to rememberthat caring also involves communicating high expec-tations and holding students accountable for high-quality academic work. Consider what Vinh, an18-year-old Vietnamese student, has to say aboutteachers who praised his limited English:

My English is not good. And she say, “Oh, yourEnglish is great!” But that’s the way the Americanculture is. But my culture is not like that. . . . If myEnglish is not good, she has to say, “Your English is


Dow

nloa

ded

by [

Chi

nese

Uni

vers

ity o

f H

ong

Kon

g] a

t 23:

57 2

0 D

ecem

ber

2014

273


not good. So you have to go home and study.” Andshe tell me what to study and how to study and getbetter. But some Americans . . . they just say, “Oh!You’re doing a good job! You’re doing great! Ev-erything is great!” Teachers talk like that, but myculture is different. . . . They say, “You have to dobetter.” (Nieto, 1994, p. 408)

In addition to establishing caring, respectfulrelationships with students, culturally responsiveclassroom managers work to create a sense of com-munity. This means anticipating the cultural con-flicts that are likely to arise and promoting positiverelationships among students. Beginning-of-the-year activities can direct students’ attention to theways they are similar and different. The commongame, Find Someone Who (e.g., Find someonewhose parents come from another country. What’sone tradition or custom that person has learnedfrom his or her parents?), for example, can includeitems relating to race, culture, and linguistic back-ground (Sapon-Shevin, 1999). “Morning meetings”(Kriete, 1999) build a sense of cohesion by allow-ing students to begin each day by greeting eachother by name, sharing news, and doing a groupactivity. Cooperative learning activities can high-light students’ unique talents if tasks are designedto require multiple abilities (e.g., reading, writing,computing, building models, spatial problem solv-ing, drawing, creating songs, public speaking). Eachof these situations can be enhanced if teachers makea point of explaining how it contributes to the goalof building community.

Finally, culturally responsive teachers recog-nize that teasing and bullying are common reac-tions to perceived differences among peers and thatthese behaviors destroy the possibility of commu-nity. We need to be alert to hurtful comments aboutrace and ethnicity, body size, disabilities, sexualorientation, dress, use of languages other than En-glish, and socioeconomic status. We also need tomake it clear that disrespectful speech and slurs—even when used in a joking manner—are absolutelyunacceptable. This means intervening if we hear astudent use a hateful epithet (e.g., “That word hurtspeople, so you may not use it in this classroom.”).In addition, we can implement reflective activitiesdesigned to raise awareness. Students can read fic-tion that relates to the topic of harassment; con-duct surveys about bullying; depict their feelings

about name-calling and put-downs through drawingsand paintings; have open meetings on name-calling,teasing, and bullying, and discuss appropriate andinappropriate responses.

Working with familiesCommunicating and collaborating with fami-

lies is an integral, but challenging component ofeffective classroom management. When teachersand families come from different cultural back-grounds, the challenges are even greater. For ex-ample, some families may not perceive directinvolvement in schooling to be part of their role asparents. Asian-American families generally holdhigh expectations for their children’s academic suc-cess; nonetheless, they tend to view educationalmatters as the province of the school (Fuller &Olsen, 1998). Similarly, Latinos greatly value ed-ucation, but they typically perceive their role inschooling as limited to ensuring their children’sattendance, instilling respect for the teacher, andencouraging good behavior (Chrispeels & Rivero,2000). Culturally responsive classroom managersconsider the possibility that a lack of direct in-volvement reflects a differing perspective aboutparental responsibility, rather than a lack of com-mitment to their children’s education.

In addition, teachers and parents may havedivergent expectations about what constitutes ap-propriate school behavior. European Americanteachers, for example, may expect children to beactive participants in class discussions—to ques-tion, debate, and state their own opinions. In con-trast, parents from traditional Asian and Latinobackgrounds may expect students to be quiet andobedient, not to contradict the teacher, and not toask questions (Scarcella, 1990). Cary (2000) de-scribes the kinds of conflicts that can occur whenhome and school cultures collide. In one situation,the Mexican father of a kindergarten boy disap-proved of his son’s domestic play in the house-keeping area. In another, a father from Pakistanasked his daughter’s fifth-grade teacher to ensurethat the girl was never seated next to a boy. Caryexplains how the conflicts were resolved:

In both examples, each father had strong, culturallybased, heart-felt concerns. So did the teachers. Inthe end, there were no perfect, everybody-wins-big


Dow

nloa

ded

by [

Chi

nese

Uni

vers

ity o

f H

ong

Kon

g] a

t 23:

57 2

0 D

ecem

ber

2014

274


solutions. But there were solutions, based on com-promise and, therefore, acceptable to all parties: The[kindergarten] teacher would not prohibit the boyfrom entering the Housekeeping Center, but neitherwould she encourage the boy to play there. The fifth-grade teacher would not seat the daughter permanentlynext to a boy, but the girl would periodically interactwith boys in pair and small group activities. . . . Arespect for cultural differences and some critical re-flection and persistence enabled the . . . teachers toultimately fashion workable solutions. (pp. 121-122)

Another challenge that arises in cross-cultural com-munication with families is engaging in genuine,meaningful, two-way communication. Too often,teachers assume that poor, uneducated parents sim-ply do not care, or that parents who are learningEnglish as a second language have nothing of val-ue to offer. Instead, teachers need to encouragefamilies from non-English-speaking backgroundsto provide insight into their children’s culture andprior educational experiences, whether the child isexperiencing any cultural conflicts, what their ed-ucational goals for the child are, whether Englishis used at home, and if there are any special needsor customs about which teachers need to be aware.

Last, it’s essential to be sensitive to culturaldifferences in communication styles. During par-ent-teacher conferences, teachers from the domi-nant culture may immediately launch into adiscussion of the student’s progress—especially ifmeetings are scheduled 15 minutes apart. But thismay appear cold and unfriendly to people who aregenerally accustomed to exchanging pleasantries(e.g., inquiries into the health of family members)before getting down to the business at hand (Brown& Kysilka, 2002). Likewise, European Americanstend to wait only a short time after asking a question,while Native Americans are generally accustomed tolonger pauses. “While you’re thinking about whatyou’re going to say, they’re already talking,” com-plained one Athabaskan Indian woman (Nelson-Barber & Meier, 1990; cited in Swap, 1999).

Dealing with problem behaviorsDespite the best preventive measures, all

teachers eventually have to deal with problem be-haviors in the classroom. What does it mean to beculturally responsive in this situation? First, cul-turally responsive classroom managers reflect onthe kinds of behaviors they judge to be problematic

and consider how these are related to race and eth-nicity. For example, Black children tend to be moreintense and confrontational than White children;they are more likely to challenge school personnelsince they see leadership as a function of strengthand forcefulness (rather than as a function of posi-tion and credentials); and they may jump into heat-ed discussion instead of waiting for their “turn”(Irvine, 1990). Teachers who subscribe to the dom-inant culture are likely to see these behavioral pat-terns as examples of rudeness and disruptiveness,to respond with anger, and to invoke punitive mea-sures. Alternatively, teachers who view the behav-iors as reflections of cultural norms are better ableto remain calm and nondefensive and to consider avariety of more constructive options (e.g., discuss-ing classroom norms and the need for turn-takingin large groups). Indeed, they may actually cometo see the benefits of allowing intensity and pas-sion to be expressed in the classroom and broadentheir definition of what is acceptable student be-havior (see Delpit, this issue).

Second, culturally responsive classroom man-agers examine the ways that race and ethnicity in-fluence the use of disciplinary consequences.Research repeatedly shows that African Americanyoungsters, particularly males, are disproportion-ately referred for behavior problems compared totheir majority counterparts (Cartledge & Milburn,1996). Indeed, Irvine (1990) notes that Black stu-dents are 2 to 5 times more likely to be suspendedat a younger age and to receive lengthier suspen-sions. Lipman (1968, cited in Nieto, 2000), forexample, describes a case of an African Americanmale who was given a 10-day in-school suspen-sion for wearing the straps of his overalls un-snapped (a common fashion trend among AfricanAmerican males), while White students with holescut in the thighs of their pants (also a fashion state-ment) were not even reprimanded.

ConclusionBeing a culturally responsive classroom man-

ager means more than learning a few words in astudent’s native language or creating a bulletin boardthat highlights students’ countries of origin. It meansbeing willing to reflect on the ways that classroommanagement decisions promote or obstruct students’


Dow

nloa

ded

by [

Chi

nese

Uni

vers

ity o

f H

ong

Kon

g] a

t 23:

57 2

0 D

ecem

ber

2014

275


access to learning. Culturally responsive classroommanagement is a frame of mind as much as a set ofstrategies or practices.

Teachers who are culturally responsive manag-ers recognize their biases and values. They reflect onhow these affect their interactions with students. Theyask themselves hard questions, such as “Am I morepatient and encouraging with some? Am I more like-ly to reprimand others? Do I expect African Ameri-can and Latino children to be disruptive? Do I usehair style and dress to form stereotypical judgmentsof my students’ character and academic potential?When students violate norms, do I recommend sus-pension for students of color and parent conferencesfor students who are European American?”

Culturally responsive classroom managersalso strive to become knowledgeable about the cul-tures and communities in which their students live.They acknowledge the legitimacy of different waysof speaking and interacting. Although they recog-nize the fact that White, middle-class ways definewhat is appropriate and valued in our schools, theyunderstand that this status comes from the powerof the White, middle-class group rather than fromany inherent superiority (Villegas & Lucas, 2002).Moreover, they explicitly teach their students thesemainstream ways, so that students can use them (ifthey wish) to succeed in dominant social spheres.At the same time, they do not imply that theseways are “better,” nor do they devalue cultural prac-tices that are not part of the dominant paradigm.

Culturally responsive classroom managers un-derstand that the ultimate goal of classroom man-agement is not to achieve compliance or control,but to provide all students with equitable opportu-nities for learning. In the final analysis, culturallyresponsive classroom management is classroom man-agement that furthers the cause of social justice.

ReferencesBallenger, C. (1999). Teaching other people’s children:

Literacy and learning in a bilingual classroom.New York: Teachers College Press.

Beane, A.L. (1999). The bully free classroom: Over100 tips and strategies for teachers K-8. Minne-apolis, MN: Free Spirit.

Brown, S.C., & Kysilka, M.L. (2002). Applying multi-cultural and global concepts in the classroom andbeyond. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

Cartledge, G., & Milburn, J.F. (1996). Cultural diversityand social skills instruction: Understanding ethnicand gender differences. Champaign, IL: Research Press.

Cary, S. (2000). Working with second language learn-ers: Answers to teachers’ top ten questions. Ports-mouth, NH: Heinemann.

Chrispeels, J.H., & Rivero, E. (2000, April). EngagingLatino families for student success: Understand-ing the process and impact of providing trainingto parents. Paper presented at the annual meetingof the American Educational Research Associa-tion, New Orleans, LA.

Delpit, L. (1995). Other people’s children: Cultural con-flicts in the classroom. New York: The New Press.

DeRolf, S. (1997). The crayon box that talked. NewYork: Random House.

Dr. Seuss. (1989). The Sneetches and other stories.New York: Random House.

Emmer, E.T., Evertson, C.M., & Anderson, L.M.(1980). Effective classroom management at thebeginning of the school year. The ElementarySchool Journal, 80(5), 219-231.

Fuller, M.L., & Olsen, G. (1998). Home-school rela-tions: Working successfully with parents and fam-ilies. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

Gay, G. (2000). Culturally responsive teaching: Theo-ry, research, and practice. New York: TeachersCollege Press.

Grossman, H. (1995). Classroom behavior managementin a diverse society (2nd ed.). Mountain View,CA: Mayfield Publishing Co.

Henkes, K. (1991). Chrysanthemum. New York: Green-willow Books.

Hoover, J., & Oliver, R. (1996). The bullying preven-tion handbook: A guide for teachers, principalsand counselors. Bloomington, IN: National Edu-cational Service.

Irvine, J.J. (1990). Black students and school failure:Policies, practices, and prescriptions. New York:Greenwood.

Jones, T.G., & Fuller, M.L. (2003). Teaching Hispanicchildren. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

Kriete, R. (1999). The morning meeting book. Green-field, MA: Northeast Foundation for Children.

Ladson-Billings, G. (2001). Crossing over to Canaan:The journey of new teachers in diverse classrooms.San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Manke, M.P. (1997). Classroom power relations: Un-derstanding student-teacher interaction. Mahwah,NJ: Erlbaum.

Mishne, J. (2000). Multiculturalism and the therapeu-tic process. New York: Guilford Press.

Nieto, S. (1994). Lessons from students on creating achance to dream. Harvard Educational Review,64(4), 392-426.

Nieto, S. (2000). Affirming diversity: The sociopoliti-cal context of multicultural education (3rd ed.).White Plains, NY: Longman.


Dow

nloa

ded

by [

Chi

nese

Uni

vers

ity o

f H

ong

Kon

g] a

t 23:

57 2

0 D

ecem

ber

2014

276


Sapon-Shevin, M. (1999). Because we can change theworld: A practical guide to building cooperative,inclusive classroom communities. Boston: Allyn& Bacon.

Scarcella, R. (1990). Teaching language minority stu-dents in the multicultural classroom. Upper Sad-dle River, NJ: Prentice Hall Regents.

Swap, S.M. (1999). Developing home-school partner-ships: From concepts to practice. New York:Teachers College Press.

Villegas, A.M., & Lucas, T. (2002). Preparing cultur-ally responsive teachers: Rethinking the curricu-lum. Journal of Teacher Education, 53(1), 20-32.

Yashima, T. (1983). Crow boy. New York: Penguin Books.


Dow

nloa

ded

by [

Chi

nese

Uni

vers

ity o

f H

ong

Kon

g] a

t 23:

57 2

0 D

ecem

ber

2014

Documents

Culturally Responsive Classroom Management: Awareness Into Action