Classroom Cultures : Equitable Schooling for Racially Diverse Youth

This practical resource will assist secondary educators in creating equitable schooling environments for racially diverse youth. Classroom Cultures provides direct insight into the experiences, challenges, and successes of teachers and school leaders who were among more than 500 educators across 29 schools who engaged in professional development to better understand and implement culturally relevant educational practices. The authors identify key aspects of successful strategies and offer recommendations for tackling the many challenges of implementing effective school change. Short vignettes incorporate the perspectives of teachers, counselors, administrators, and the authors as they collaborate and reflect on their own practices. Each chapter includes critical questions to help readers reflect on their own experiences and perspectives with a view to strengthening their commitment to equity.

Book Features:

• Makes visible the successes, challenges, and actual classroom practices of educators implementing culturally relevant pedagogies.
• Draws clear connections between considerations of equity, race, and culturally relevant pedagogies and classrooms, school culture, and college access.
• Provides critical inquiry-based practices for the ongoing professional development of educators working with diverse student populations across urban, suburban, and rural communities.

Michelle G. Knight-Manuel is an associate dean and professor of education at Teachers College, Columbia University, and a former middle school teacher and high school college advisor. Joanne E. Marciano is an assistant professor in the Department of Teacher Education in the College of Education at Michigan State University. Joanne previously taught secondary English for 13 years at a New York City public high school. They are coauthors of College-Ready: Preparing Black and Latina/o Youth for Higher Education―A Culturally Relevant Approach.