This document discusses using culturally relevant pedagogy in an after school literacy program to help minority students at a low-income middle school. It found that incorporating students' cultures into the curriculum improved engagement and perceptions of learning. It also expanded students' career opportunities by exposing them to new possibilities. The program showed the importance of critical care from teachers to foster student identity, motivation and achievement.

1. Using Culturally Relevant
Pedagogy to Promote
Student Identity,
Motivation, and
Opportunity
Shannon M. Stanton, Ph.D.
Whittier College, CA

2. Quick statistics
 United States has grown increasingly
segregated by race and class (Orfield & Lee,
2005; Kozol 2005)
 African Americans and Latinos earn
consistently less than their white
counterparts with the same level of
education (Thernstrom & Thernstrom, 2003)
 Poverty and unemployment have hit
communities of color harder than white
communities (U.S. Consensus Bereau, 2000)

3. Problem
 Low test scores, high dropout rates with
minority students, and students
underprepared for high school level reading
and writing (Darling-Hammond 1998; Darling
–Hammond, 2010; Kozol 2007; Noguero,
2003; Thernstrom & Thernstrom 2003)
 Statistics have shown that the academic
achievement gap is worse than it was 15
years ago (Thernstrom & Thernstrom, 2003)
 Issues of race and power (Delpit,1995;
Howard, 2010)

4. Lowell: A face to the Problem
 Lowell Middle School*, 6th -8th, Los Angeles County,
California
 High poverty inner city middle school
 89.1% of the student receive free or reduced price meals
 According to the English/Language Arts section of the
school’s 2009 Accountability report
 75.2% of African Americans are below basic
 75.1 % of Hispanics are below basic
 Test scores did not meet API (Academic Performance
Index)
* All names of places and people are pseudonyms.

5. Theoretical Framework
 Culturally Relevant/Multicultural Education
(Banks,1988, 2010; Gay, 2000; Ladson-
Billings, 1994; ; Nieto & Bode, 2008
Sleeter,1985)
 Constructivist (Brooks & Brooks, 1998;
Gardner, 1993; Brown, A. & Campione,
J.,1998)

6. UPLIFT: Uniting Passion & Literacy
for individual focus and
transformation
 AfterSchool Literacy Program
 Research Question:
 What is the impact of an after school literacy
program with a culturally relevant and
constructivist pedagogical focus, within a school
setting that is test driven and employs direct
instruction?

7. Methodology
 Qualitative – Participant Observer
 Longitudinal Pilot Study – 3 Years
 Situated in grounded theory
 Participants
 Middle school students
 Undergraduates
 Met twice a week; 1 1/2-2 hours
 Fieldtrips: 2 per year
 Data: Field notes, pictures, video, literacy
artifacts, interviews, surveys

8. Middle school Participants
 32 students (basic, below basic)
 10 girls/22 boys
 Focal group: 7 students (4 girls/3 boys)
 47% Latino,51% African American, 2% Asian/
Pacific Islander (Filipino, Samoan)
 Reluctant readers

9. UPLIFT STRUCTURE
 Afterschool snack
 Whole class and group rotations
 Rotations 25-35 minutes
 Groups
 Literacy – literature circles, Flocabulary, reading
scripts;
 Focus In - Homework
 Identity – projects (personal code; my people poetry
 Empowerment – technology (power point, educational
games)
 Facilitated by a group leader from the college

10. Findings
 Culturallyrelevant practices allow for
student voice and active engagement
 Students were more engaged when they were
able to connect with their culture within the
curriculum(ethnic as well as pop culture)
 Criticalcare is essential for successful
teaching
 Curriculum choices expands opportunities
perceived by students

11. Connecting to the Curriculum
 Literature Groups
 Multicultural literature – “Hey, this book has Spanish words.” “I
wish we read more books like this in class.”
 “My People” Poetry
 “I liked writing about myself and to tell people who I am.”
 “I want to do more stuff like ‘My People’”
 Flocabulary – vocabulary development through rap music
 Pen pals with college students
 “Did my pen pal write back?”
 “Can I have two pen pals?”
 History of Segregation Project
 “I liked learning about the history of segregation.”

12. FLOCABULARY: RAY KWON
 Vocabulary words Students created:
incorporated into a Vocabulary pictures
rap New raps
 Use of context
Jokes- “Playing the
clues dozens”
 Comprehension
Charade skits
Skills
Music video
 Analysis
 Vocabulary
development

15. STUDENT experiences
 “Some teachers scream in your face.” (Esmeralda)
 “I don’t like doing homework.” (Maria)
 Roberto said one of his teachers told him, “Even
though you aren’t learning, we still get paid.”
 “More teachers because they’re tired- there are lots
of kids in class” (Elisa)
 “The teachers don’t teach you. They make you work
all by yourself.” (Ryan)
 “You shut up or get out of my face!” (Vice Principal)

16. Student perceptions of school
 Teachers don’t care
 Teachers are mean
 Reading is boring
 Learning can’t be fun
 Homework is a waste of time

17. Student perceptions of uplift
 Why did you come to UPLIFT?
 “Negative free! Negative free”
 “I knew it was the right place for me.”
 “It’s always positive here.”
 “Because I don’t get talked about here.”
 “Because we don’t get yelled for the fun with education.”
 What are some things you have learned at UPLIFT?
 Have respect for yourself and others
 Self esteem
 To stay positive
 “It let me know the importance of school.”
 “To be a good student.”
 “Helped me with my homework and persuaded me to
complete all of it.”

18. critical care
 Includesthe “care” (Comer, 2004; Duncan-Andrade, 2008; Gay, 2000;
Ladson Billings,1994)
 Warm demanders; Active resources(Duncan-Andrade, 2008)
 Isintentional; it assesses needs – both academic and social – and
intentionally works on meeting the need.
 Academic level; hunger; low self esteem
 Humanizing- One that recognizes every student as someone of value - a
gift, with strengths and talents to offer to others
 Recognizes the whole child – with attention to the needs
 Encourages; creates a safe place
 It demands excellence in every fabric of the environment
 Holds high expectations
 Speaks Life
 Provides a counter narrative to stereotypes, beliefs, and assumption that look
at deficit models for low performance
 “Death and life lie in the power of the tongue”
 Consistently
 Example: Quote of the day: “Let your guiding principle be excellence.”

19. CASE STUDY: MAria
 Participated all three
years
 Latina
 Self perception:1st
year
 Not smart
 Not pretty
 Not a good student
 Didn’t turn in homework
 Reluctant learner
 Shy

20. CASE STUDY: Maria
I asked her if she had math homework and she replied that she didn’t have it today. To which another student said, looking
at me, we just had math today. I asked Maria again and she said she threw it away. I asked her why and she said because she
doesn’t like doing homework. I told her that was why this program was here, to help her with her homework. I asked her to
check her folder – she was doing a word search as she was talking with me. She slowly put down her pencil and looked
through her folder which was in her bag. She looked through her papers and pulled out the math paper that Antonio,
Paulette, and Justine were working on. The problems were solving for the circumference. I pointed to problem one and
asked her what was the diameter. She pointed to the number and then began to solve the problem. She did it very sloppily,
but she answered the problem in a minute - correctly. I pointed to the next problem and she completed that one quickly as
well. She proceeded to finish the entire sheet in less than 5 minutes – correctly. And then I just looked at her. I called her
name, because she went back to doing the word search. When she looked up, I told her she was smart. I also told her that
she has gifts and talents that only she can do and by refusing to do her work and therefore having people think she can’t do
it, would be robbing others of her talents. I said she had the potential to be a doctor, lawyer, government official, but she
was hiding her talents. I asked her what she thought about that and she shrugged her shoulders. I told her I might need her
one day as a lawyer and if she didn’t work, when I got in trouble she wouldn’t be able to help me out. She smiled; then I
asked her to do something for me – I asked her to turn the math homework she just did when it was due. She said she would.
I told her to let her smartness shine, and not try to hide what she is capable of doing.
(Field note, March 30, 2010)

21. Maria – 8th grade
 Turned in homework
 Helped others with their homework
 Wants to be a teacher or a doctor when she
grows up
 Three words she used to describe herself:
fun, kind, and smart

22. Expanding opportunity
 Activities
 Field trips
 Guest speakers
 Work with artists
 Technology
 Mock college classes
 Students
 60% of the students changed career choice
 Athlete - business owner, scientist
 McDonalds – video game designer
 Veterinarian – marine biologist
 Actor - Director
 “I didn’t know there were other types of doctors”
 “More careers to choose from”
 85% said they would look into other colleges

23. Biology Lab with Dr. Valencia
 Click to edit Master text styles
 Second level
 Third level
 Fourth level
 Fifth level

25. Guest: Boxer jonathan hamm

26. Social transformation: Implications for
teacher education
 Teachers need to understand that culturally
responsive teaching is
 Responsive to the students ethnic identities
 Responsive to the needs of the students
 Responsive to the pop culture
 Responsive to the community culture
 Responsive to their students backgrounds and
what they bring to the classroom (funds of
knowledge)
 Responsive to their academic histories
 Critical care is essential

29. References
 Delpit, L. (1995). Other people's children: Cultural conflict in the classroom.
New York: The New Press.
 Duncan-Andrade, J. (2008).
 Brooks, J. G. & Brooks, M. G. (1999). In search of understanding: The case for
Constructivist Classrooms. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and
Curriculum Development.
 Brown, A. & Campione, J. (1998). Designing a Community of Young Learners:
Theoretical and Practical Lessons in Lambert’s & McCombs How Students Learn
Reforming Schools Through Learner-Centered Education. Washington, American
Psychological Association.
 Comer, J. (2004). Leave no child behind. New Haven: Yale University Press.
 Darling-Hammond, L. (1997). The right to learn. New Haven: Yale University
Press.
 Darling-Hammond, L. (2010). The flat world and education. New York: Teachers
College Press.
 Gay, G. (2000). Culturally Responsive Teaching: Theory, Research, and Practice
(pp. 21-44). New York: Teacher College
 Howard, T. (2010). Why race and culture matter in schools. New York: Teachers
College Press.

30. Using Culturally Relevant
Pedagogy to Promote
Student Identity,
Motivation, and
Opportunity
Shannon M. Stanton, Ph.D.
Whittier College, CA
sstanton@whittier.edu