Building Culturally Responsive Classrooms

Concha Delgado Gaitan, PhD, is an award-winning ethnographic researcher and professor of sociocultural studies in education. She received the George and Louise Spindler award for her contributions to the field of Anthropology and Education from the Council of Anthropology and Education of the American Anthropological Association. Her early career as a teacher and school principal informs her later work as a practicing anthropologist in communities and professor at the University of California, Davis. Concha has also worked in the field of public health education in Latino communities, combining that interest with her dedication to issues of social justice and education. She is a national and international speaker as well as a consultant on the numerous topics that inspire her work. Among her many scholarly publications are her books where she presents her work as an ethnographer working with disenfranchised families and communities toward their empowerment and extending practical lessons to educators: (1) The Power of Community, (2) Protean Literacy, (3) Crossing Cultural Borders, (4) Literacy for Empowerment, (5) School and Society, (6) Involving Latino Families in the School, (7) Building Culturally Responsive Classrooms, and this most current one (8) Creating a College Culture for Latino Students. In a different book, Prickly Cactus, she turns the lenses inward to look at the role of family and community in her life during a time of major health crisis. Concha works and lives in the San Francisco Bay area with her husband Dudley Thompson. For more information, please go to www.conchadelgadogaitan.com or contact Concha at concha@conchadg.com.

Preface Acknowledgments About the Author 1. Introduction Part I: Context: Configuring the Classroom for Academic Equity 2. Engaging With Children's Values Around Cooperation and Competition 3. Culturally Responsive Classroom Discipline 4. Accelerating Exceptional Students From All Linguistic and Cultural Groups 5. Including Students With Special Needs in the Culturally Responsive Classroom 6. Culturally Responsive Classroom Management 7. Supporting Children's Cultural Adjustment 8. Connecting Home and School Part II: Content: Learning Subject Matter Through Culture in the Classroom 9. Teaching Cultural Diversity 10. Becoming Proficient in English 11. Building Literacy 12. Creating Equity in Math and Science 13. Fostering a Gender Equity 14. Crafting an Interdisciplinary Curriculum 15: Conclusion: Responding Culturally in Teaching References Index

"[This book] presents issues that influence educators serving students whose perspectives and experiences differ from their own and offers innovative and appropriate strategies to create learning environments that promote respect and equity for all students. [It] addresses the challenges of many special populations, including those of at-risk, gifted and talented, learning disabled, English language acquisitions, and more." -- Angela Lin, Teacher Support and Assessment Specialist "Dr. Delgado Gaitan has provided a wonderful resource to all educators. The topics used to structure the chapters provide the reader with an orderly consideration of the school as a cultural entity itself. Most importantly, each chapter provides the reader with clear theoretical applications in a hands-on manner that is meaningful and easy to use." -- Randall B. Lindsey, Professor Emeritus, California State University Los Angeles "Dr. Gaitan brings a wealth of personal experience and years of research to Building Culturally Responsive Classrooms. It is thought provoking and challenges us to get to know and understand how culture affects students in order to foster the best working and learning environment." -- Judy M. Alva, Elementary Vice Principal "The reflection and application section are excellent and are an excellent springboard to discussion and debriefing among the staff." -- Susan Stone Kessler, Assistant Principal "This book will be valuable in both teacher preparation programs and in-service professional development as a tool to help teachers grapple with the practical complexities of culture in their work with children and families." -- Rosemary Henze, Associate Professor