Pursuing Practical Change: Lesson Designs That Promote Culturally Responsive Teaching

Today's educators are aware of the need for social emotional learning in their classroom and can share the tenets of a culturally responsive pedagogy. However, what they lack is the practical strategies for implementation of these pivotal classroom practices. Pursuing Practical Change: Lesson Designs That Promote Culturally Responsive Teaching is an answer to this need! This book goes beyond just providing theory and data, but delves into the actual practices needed to be successful in today's classroom. Within the chapters of this book, both novice and veteran teachers will find support through the lesson plans of practitioners, their reflections, and various strategies for classroom instruction.

About the Author :
Heather Dean, PhD, has spent her career in education teaching English at the junior high and high school level. Currently, she is an assistant professor of teacher education at California State University, Stanislaus with research interests in teacher retention and literacy education as well as understanding the best practices for training new teachers. Amber E. Wagnon, PhD, was a public school secondary educator for over a decade. She is currently an assistant professor of secondary education at Stephen F. Austin State University where her research interests include literacy education, experiential learning, and public school advocacy.

Review :
In the current educational climate, we educators are quickly learning about the growing importance of being responsive to the cultural background of our students so that we can better serve their academic and social-emotional needs. Students are faced with stressors and trauma at levels higher than we have seen in recent years, so it becomes incumbent upon us to respond. Pursuing Practical Change: Lesson Designs that Promote Culturally Responsive Teaching provides a current, relevant, and practice guide for today's educators. It dives deep into some of the struggles educators face today with resources to help them tackle them. This book is highly recommended for all educators finding ways to make a real change for our students. --Sumeet Singh, principal In the ever-evolving landscape of education, Pursuing Practical Change: Lesson Designs that Promote Culturally Responsive Teaching stands out as a beacon of insight and practical guidance. The chapters are dedicated to a specific content area, ensuring that teachers across disciplines can seamlessly integrate CRT into their pedagogy and the inclusion of example lesson plans provides a tangible bridge between theory and practice. The book not only highlights successes but bravely delves into moments of reflection, creating an authentic and enriching resource for educators. --Sara Gil, senior director, Human Resources, Modesto City Schools Students are the heart of education and Pursuing Practical Change: Lesson Designs That Promote Culturally Responsive Teaching puts them front and center while being an amazing resource for all secondary teachers! It reminds us that the very foundation of culturally responsive teaching is caring for every student, treating them with firmness and respect, and maintaining high expectations for all, so we can best serve the entire student. Most importantly, every chapter reminds us that equitable, inclusive teaching truly involves listening to students - their opinions and feelings - and ensuring they know we care. The more educators involve their students in decisions, provide choices, and design critical thinking opportunities, the more likely students are to engage in school. This book supports educators on their journeys to become culturally responsive educators with chapter learning outcomes, lesson plans for many subject areas, and stories from real teachers. --Denise Duewell, M.Ed., Coordinator of PD & Induction, Turlock Unified School District