Culturally responsive teaching is… good teaching

From helping kids relate to their schoolwork to limiting bias, learn more about culturally responsive teaching.
by:
YouTube video

High school was originally created during the Industrial Revolution as a way to train factory workers. Most high schools today still follow that original model — down to the bell schedule.

But research helps us understand what works best in terms of teaching strategies and teen brain development. For example, we now know there’s no such thing as an “average” student, and it’s better to let kids learn at their own pace. Educators are finding students are more engaged when they can relate to what they’re learning and the school culture is inclusive.

So how could your local high school make changes to improve? This video is part of our Transforming High School project with articles, videos, Season 3 of our podcast, and tools to help parents and educators understand why high school is the way it is — and all of the modern, research-backed ways it can change for the better. Not all schools need exactly the same changes, but there are solutions for every community. Discover what you think will work for your child and your school and share it with your child, teachers, the principal, the superintendent, and the school board. When parents raise their voices, change really can happen.

Find out more about Transforming High School

Thank you to Barrett Rosser, PhD candidate at the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education for sharing her expertise. Thank you to Teacher Evelyn Lara for sharing her expertise and teaching strategies. Ms. Lara teaches at IDEA Frontier College Prep, which won a GreatSchools College Success Award.

More videos that feature schools that won College Success Awards:

About the author

GreatSchools.org is a national nonprofit with a mission to help every child obtain a high-quality education that values their unique abilities, identities, and aspirations. We believe in the power of research-backed, actionable information to empower parents, family members, and educators to help make this happen. For 25 years, the GreatSchools Editorial Team has been working to make the latest, most important, and most actionable research in education, learning, and child development accessible and actionable for parents through articles, videos, podcasts, hands-on learning resources, email and text messaging programs, and more. Our team consists of journalists, researchers, academics, former teachers and education leaders — most of whom are also dedicated parents and family members — who not only research, fact check, and write or produce this information, but who use it in our daily lives as well. We welcome your feedback at editorial@greatschools.org.