Culturally Responsive Education for Student-Centered and Community-Centered Engagement Dr. Jeanette Haynes Writer Department Head, Curriculum & Instruction New Mexico State University

Peoplehood Matrix (Holm, Pearson, Chavis, 2003)

Declaration of Designed Purpose ATTRIBUTES Cherokee way of life. What we were taught growing up. Attributes are cultural values, qualities, or characteristics. These attributes describe our understanding of leadership necessary to achieve our designed purpose. Attributes identified in Cherokee language and thought are: tsudadanilvtsati Respectful/Acknowledgement: Hold one another sacred or be “stingy” with another person and yourself. nidvdayosgvna Determined/Persistent: Never give up. eladi yadadvnedi Humble: Never boast, never think you are better or higher than anyone else. dilisdelvdi Cooperative: Help one another. adudalvdi Responsible: Commit yourself to your task or assignment. dideyohvsgi Teach: Share your knowledge and wisdom with others to improve that individual, family or group.

ATTRIBUTES kaliwohi Integrity: Full (to the greatest extent possible). Act in the same manner regardless of the situation. Do what is right and complete, even when no one is watching. hadatinuga Leader: Lead by example. Show the way by acting the way we want others to treat us. Our actions influence the behavior of others. didadvgododi Communicative: Be sure to let other(s) know. anvnidiyu Patient: Be patient, no matter what you are going through. Utlanigida Strong: Be strong in whatever you do. Take comfort in the strength of the Creator and your ancestors. udadohiyuhi Confident: Have confidence in yourself. Do not doubt your abilities, but temper all with humility. taken from 2010 Report to the Cherokee People, p. 26

Manifest Destiny “Progress” is not always good for all— some pay the price for others’ progress

Delpit’s Culture of Power (1993) 1. Issues of power are enacted in classrooms; 2. There are codes or rules for participating in power; that is, there is a “culture of power”; 3. The rules of the culture of power are a reflection of the rules of the culture of those who have power; 4. If you are not already a participant in the culture of power, being told explicitly the rules of that culture makes acquiring power easier; and 5. Those with power are frequently least aware of—or least willing to acknowledge—its existence. Those with less power are often most aware of its existence.

Manifest TEST Destiny “Progress” is not always good for all— some pay the price for others’ progress

Culturally Responsive Teaching Geneva Gay, 2002, p. 106 [U]sing the cultural characteristics, experiences, and perspectives of ethnically diverse students as conduits for teaching them more effectively.

Mt. Taylor:

Oral Tradition as “text” for teachers A People’s history, identity, ways of being and future directions are anchored in the stories of that community. Our theories and knowledge—our curriculum & pedagogy—are within the stories.

Community Cultural Wealth Tara Yosso, 2005, p. 77 [A ]n array of knowledge, skills, abilities and contacts possessed and utilized by Communities of Color to survive and resist macro and micro- forms of oppression.

We must enlist community definitions and concepts into our teaching, because the concepts and definitions utilized by westernized educational institutions do not always reflect how communities conceptualize ways of knowing, being, or doing things.

Funds of Knowledge Moll, Amanti, Neff & Gonzalez,1992, p. 133 [H]istorically accumulated and culturally developed bodies of knowledge and skills essential for household or individual functioning and well-being.

It is imperative that we work with respect, with responsiveness, and in relationship to bring humanity back into education, so students can achieve and contribute the gifts that they have.

As teachers we have to think of students’ futures as being linked to our own futures, their well being has an impact on our own well-being. They are our children.

Our culturally responsive practice must be a practice of knowing the communities from where our students come from. Not knowing in terms of only location, but knowing the values, beliefs and knowledges of the communities.