In her book Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain, Zaretta Hammond states a toxic, hostile, or unwelcoming environment prevents learners from producing enough oxytocin, resulting in anxiety and triggering the nervous system because “the brain doesn’t experience a sense of community” (2015, 45). Without this sense of a safe environment, learning is not possible; the need to build positive social relationships within a diverse classroom culture is related to the learning that takes place.
How can you as an educator establish a safe environment so learning can take place? How can you ensure students feel heard and valued?
This is a question that seems simple to answer, but it comes with so many layers. Because this blog is about word problems, I will focus on micromessages. Micromessages are subtle messages with large impacts. Word problems often use names, items, foods, and activities that belong to the mainstream culture. Why not change it up a little? By making a word problem more relatable to your students, you are also building a connection. What foods do your students talk about eating? What activities do they do? What items do they collect or value? How can you bring in other cultures? Here are some examples:
How can you as an educator establish a safe environment so learning can take place? How can you ensure students feel heard and valued?
This is a question that seems simple to answer, but it comes with so many layers. Because this blog is about word problems, I will focus on micromessages. Micromessages are subtle messages with large impacts. Word problems often use names, items, foods, and activities that belong to the mainstream culture. Why not change it up a little? By making a word problem more relatable to your students, you are also building a connection. What foods do your students talk about eating? What activities do they do? What items do they collect or value? How can you bring in other cultures? Here are some examples:
