Impact of Classroom Practices: Educators' Reflections on Culturally Relevant Teachers

The Dreamkeepers: Successful Teachers of African American Children by Ladson-Billings (2009) is a foundational study that informs culturally-relevant and culturally-sustaining teaching. Effective teachers possess pedagogical and relational dispositions that leave lifelong impacts on the academic and social lives of their students. However, there is a lack of narratives related to how the race of particular E–12 teachers positively impact the lives of their students. This proposed edited volume aims to honor teachers like Mr. McCloud who have made a difference in the lives of their students by learning from their impactful practices. Each chapter contributor will use their own narrative to show the power of influential teachers in classrooms, with African-American storytellers reflecting on the impact of classroom practices of teachers from diverse backgrounds.

Format: Hardback
Length: 174 pages
Publication date: 02 February 2021
Publisher: Information Age Publishing

Debates surrounding the characteristics, skills, and dispositions of culturally relevant teachers and teaching have been ongoing in teacher education for several decades. Ladson-Billings' 2009 book, The Dreamkeepers: Successful Teachers of African American Children, has become a seminal work that informs the practice of culturally relevant and culturally sustaining teaching. In her book, Ladson-Billings highlights effective teachers who are able to draw from the cultural wealth, knowledge, and heritage of Black communities. These teachers ensured that their Black students were academically successful, retained, and grew in terms of their cultural competence and sociopolitical awareness. Ladson-Billings' research suggests that effective teachers possess both pedagogical and relational dispositions that have lasting impacts on the academic and social lives of their students. While The Dreamkeepers provides a valuable foundation, it lacks narratives that explore how the race of particular E-12 teachers positively impacts the lives of their students. For instance, Dr. Antonio Ellis, the first editor of the proposed book, describes his high school music teacher, Mr. Linard McCloud, as a highly effective African American music educator who changed the course of his life. Ellis (2016) describes McCloud as being loving, caring, creative, culturally sensitive, attuned, hopeful, flexible, organized, and thoughtful. Ellis believes that McCloud's characteristics and dispositions motivated him to achieve academically and succeed in his career. However, more narratives like these are needed to fully understand the impact of culturally relevant teaching on students' lives.

Weight: 422g
Dimension: 234 x 156 x 11 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781648023996