Sarah W. Nelson

Bridget Arndt’s reflection is an example of culturally responsive practice. Although initially unaware of the negative connotation of her words, Arndt accepted responsibility when called on it. Rather than react on automatic pilot or become defensive, she listened to her student’s feedback and apologized for her ignorance. She also reflected […]

Whenever we talk about preparing kids for college, we often hear, “College is not for everyone.” This comment is disturbing because, in most cases, educators are referring to culturally and linguistically diverse students and white students from working-class backgrounds. But more troubling, because personal beliefs greatly influence practice, this belief may indicate that culturally unaware educators with little knowledge of students’ […]

Campus visits are a common approach to preparing students for college. In many cases, students and their parents research potential colleges and then visit a select few to help make a final decision about which college to attend. Campus visits are viewed as important enough that students are often excused […]

Business as usual should end once a school staff develops a measure of cultural proficiency. Such skills should not be shelved like the many programs adopted by schools each year. Rather, a culturally proficient outlook should function as the lens through which all school operations are conducted. Examine the implementation […]

An interesting change occurs as educators develop cultural proficiency. After about a year of participating in ongoing professional development, they begin to develop a pluralistic or social justice lens. Ethnocentrism — the idea that one’s own culture is superior — is replaced by an understanding that an individual viewpoint is […]

Decades of research suggest the home-school connection is a key factor in student success. When talking about these relationships, educators often speak in general terms as if there is only one kind of home-school connection and as if it looks the same for everyone. We have developed a schema for […]

As educators, we have long understood that students benefit from strong home-school connections. In fact, more than100 years ago, the National Parent Teacher Association was formed for the express purpose of strengthening the relationship between home and school. Initially, the home-school connection was commonly characterized as mothers volunteering in classrooms […]

USE FILMS TO GET GROUPS TALKING — AND LISTENING — TO ONE ANOTHER The old adage is true: A picture is worth a thousand words. The imagery and sound of film has the power to capture attention and spur thinking in a way that words don’t. That is why professional […]

When we conduct diversity training in schools, teachers frequently ask why students of the same racial or ethnic group sit together in the cafeteria or hang out together in a particular area of the school. We often recommend they read Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the […]