Implementing Culturally Relevant Teaching in the Classroom

Abstract

Culturally, Relevant Teaching (CRT) focuses on academic success for all students, cultural competencies, and sociopolitical aspects and has been proven effective among school cultures that are diverse in demographics. As schools become increasingly diverse, there is a greater need for effective education for the entire classroom while also meeting the specific needs of culturally diverse student groups. This study focuses on how in-service teachers’ implement CRT in high school classrooms. Interviews with 20 in-service teachers across eight states revealed five themes: Class environment under a Culturally Relevant Teaching approach, Culturally relevant materials, Culturally Relevant Teaching Projects, Culturally Relevant Teaching strategies and Teacher-student relationships and Culturally Relevant Teaching. This paper explores those five themes to reveal how CRT is implemented in real-world classrooms.