1. Culturally Responsive Teaching Strategies for Pre-Service Teachers
Student Presenters: Amanda Roche (Elementary Education),
Katherine Gibson (Elementary Education), and
Patrick McCarthy (Elementary Education)
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Elizabeth Sandell (Elementary Education) and Dr. Steven Reuter (Elementary Education)
Undergraduate Research Symposium
April 18, 2016

2. Definitions of Key Terms
Diversity is used to "describe any area of social difference" (Mitchell & Vandegrift, 2014).
Culture is “the customary beliefs, social forms, material traits of a racial, religious, or social group; also, the characteristic features of everyday existence shared by people in a place or time” (Merriam-Webster, 2012).
Culturally Responsive Teaching is "incorporating elements of the students' cultures into their teaching" (Irvine & Armento, 2001)

3. Rationale
Pre-service teachers need skills in culturally responsive teaching (CRT) to be effective in classrooms in future elementary schools.
Every student is unique, with individual challenges and abilities and from different backgrounds and communities.
Teachers need to respond with skill and sensitivity, so students can grow to their full potential.
Teachers should not see diversity as an issue or a problem or an inconvenience (Keengwe, J., 2010).

4. Question
How can faculty integrate Culturally Responsive Teaching strategies to respond to cultures of pre-service elementary education teachers?

5. Why Increase Diversity?
Today’s elementary schools are becoming more diverse even beyond race, including ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, age, disability, religion, politics, language, dispositions, or other forms. By 2022, the current majority will become the minority in classrooms (National Center for Educational Statistics, 2015, page 5).

6. Results from previous MSU undergraduate research
Teacher preparation programs should focus on integration skills to adapt curriculum to students in their schools and communities (Currens, 2015).
MSU teacher candidates showed limited change in developmental orientation to other cultures from 2010 to 2013 (Sandell & Tupy, 2016).

7. Subjects
Five faculty members of the College of Education from Minnesota State University, Mankato.
Ages: >35 years old
Gender: male and female
Selection Criteria: volunteer, full-time faculty member (i.e., not adjunct faculty members)

8. Methodology
1. Our team chose a research-based checklist of CRT strategies
2. The faculty members videotaped a 1 hour lesson.
3. Our team reviewed the video with the faculty members.
4. Our team met and conferred with each faculty member.
5. Our team gave each faculty member information for their self reflection.

9. Culturally Responsive Education Continuum
Attitudes
Environment
Curriculum
Teaching Strategies
Family/Community Involvement
Desired Outcome: Culturally responsive schools and educators learn from and about their students' cultures; languages; and learning styles, and make instruction and assessment meaningful and relevant to their student's lives.

10. Culturally Responsive Education Continuum

12. Results
Culturally Responsive Teaching is important, but a very abstract construct that is difficult to implement.
However, CRT activities are becoming more clear (in the literature and in action at MSU).

13. Recommendations
Faculty professional development on teaching and learning that leads to cultural competency
Emphasis on cultural competency throughout the College of Education and even throughout MSU
Some common curriculum language, elements, or activities that are based on a supporting theory.

14. Future Research
Are the faculty conscious and effective in their culturally responsive teaching?
Are students able to learn CRT if they are not receiving field experience in a diverse classroom?
How can we move from dialogue to change?

15. Acknowledgements
Dr. Elizabeth Sandell and Dr. Steven Reuter, research mentors
Dr. Karla Lassonde, Director of the URC
MSU Foundation
MSU College of Education
Undergraduate Research Center at MSU
MSU Center for Excellence in Scholarship and Research

16. References
Currens, A. (2015) Enhancing Pre-service teachers' capacity for culturally responsive teaching
Irvine, J.J. & Armento, B.J Culturally responsive teaching: Lesson planning, New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
Keengwe, J Fostering cross-cultural competence in pre-service teachers through multi-cultural education experiences. Early Childhood Education Journal, 38,
National Center for Culturally Responsive Educational Systems (NCCREST). (2016). Culturally responsive education continuum. Washington, DC: National Center for Culturally Responsive Educational Systems (NCCREST). Retrieved March 16, 2016 from
Sandell, E. J. & Tupy, S. J. (2016). Where Cultural Competency Begins: Changes in Undergraduate Students’ Intercultural Competency. International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 27(3), 364 – 381.

17. Questions?