Culturally responsive teaching in diverse classrooms

The implementation of culturally responsive teaching (CRT) in the modern classroom has now become necessary as student populations in these classrooms are becoming more diverse. This paper presents a discussion of how community-engaged teacher preparation improves the capacity of preservice teachers to apply CRT. Based on qualitative data collected during a study of a case of preservice teachers engaged in teaching within the historically rich Whitely community, the study focuses on the role of immersive and community-based experiences in human development of cultural competence. The participants received a greater understanding of the lived experiences of the students, resisted personal bias, and developed a stronger capacity to form trust relationships with student families through direct interaction with local families, cultural sites, and local history. The latter also shaped the development of culturally applicable curriculum planning and helped to think critically about systemic inequality. It is implied in the findings that community engagement promotes long-term professional advancement through stimulating longlasting dedication to inclusive and equity-minded teaching. According to this study, community-based teacher preparation plays an essential role in providing teachers with tools they need to successfully practice and ethically implement CRT.