Authentic Voices

Culturally Responsive Teaching and Learning

Edited by:
Patricia Ruggiano Schmidt, Syracuse Academy of Science Public Charter School, Consultant

A volume in the series: Literacy, Language and Learning. Editor(s): Claudia Finkbeiner, Universitaet Kassel. Wen Ma, Le Moyne College.

Published 2021

This book, authored by K-4 elementary educators, working at a publicly funded non-profit charter school, illustrates the power of culturally responsive teaching and learning as it becomes embedded in the New York State Education Curriculum. Educators, families, and community members contributed to this unique program with the goal of enhancing learning environments by applying the languages and cultures of their students in their classrooms.

Strong, carefully attentive, school leadership encouraged culturally responsive teaching and learning with the belief that children in this urban, economically stressed area could demonstrate significant academic and social/emotional gains.

Readers of this book will witness culturally responsive lessons, family interviews, and whole school events that honor languages and cultures represented in the school. Sample classrooms’ culturally responsive lessons tied to the curriculum, are presented. Additionally, qualitative and quantitative student academic and affective gains are analyzed. Moreover, this book clearly demonstrates the talents, vision, and compassionate care given to children and their families by exceptional educators.

A CRTL Montage was created for this book. It includes classrooms, children, teachers, family, and community members. Teachers collected CRTL experiences and presented them to Producer, Dean Meghan Miller and Director, Designer, Dean Pamela Smith. They also received support for the montage from Instructor Allen Lauricella, and Graduate Assistant Elizabeth Kenny, Syracuse University, Newhouse School.

The CRTL Montage can be accessed at the following online links:
SAS Website
SAS YouTube
SAS Facebook
SAS Twitter
SAS Instagram

Short Version of the Montage for Authentic Voices: Culturally Responsive Teaching and Learning

Long Version of the Montage for Authentic Voices: Culturally Responsive Teaching and Learning

CONTENTS
Dedication. Foreword, Shelley Hong Xu. Acknowledgments. Authentic Voices: Culturally Responsive Teaching and Learning—Introduction, Patricia Ruggiano Schmidt. An Education Model Based on Culturally Responsive Teaching and Learning, Tolga Hayali and Pamela Smith. SECTION I: EARLY CHILDHOOD TEACHER VOICES. Kindergarten, Aileen Figueroa. First Grade, Jessica Dickinson. SECTION II: INTERMEDIATE TEACHER VOICES. Third Grade, Meghan Miller. Fourth Grade, Nicholas Giangiobbe and Alexandra Williams. SECTION III: SPECIAL TEACHER VOICES. Art Teacher’s Voice, Kathryn Alonso-Bergevin. Physical Education Voice, Jason Albert. SECTION IV: WHOLE SCHOOL AND FAMILY/TEACHER VOICES. School-Wide Events, Magdalini Georgiadis and Kimberly Hartnett. Authentic Family Visits: SAS Teachers Learn, Patricia Ruggiano Schmidt. Afterword: Amplifying the Authentic Voices, Gurkan Kose. About the Authors.