Culture

Eight Habits of the Heart for Educators

Clifton L. Taulbert

Building a great learning-teaching community is not a project but an ongoing process – one that must involve all heads, hands, and hearts! Working together happens best in an environment where people know each other and are committed to sustaining their relationships. Despite the daunting demands on today’s educators, Clifton Taulbert still advocates that they carve out the time required to know each other. This one act alone will make a tremendous difference in the look and feel of your day.

Diversity, Learning Style and Culture

Pat Burke Guild

Educators do not believe that all learners are the same, yet visits to schools throughout the world might convince us otherwise. Too often, educators continue to treat all learners alike while paying lip service to the principle of diversity.

Evidence on Effect of Culture-Based Teaching Called Thin

Mary Ann Zehr

Many educators of language-minority students say they teach more effectively when they align their instruction with their students’ culture. Some states have teacher-credentialing policies based on a similar assumption: California requires all teachers to be trained in understanding students’ culture, for example, and Florida mandates that all elementary school teachers receive training in cross-cultural communication. Yet few research studies have actually examined whether culture-based instruction affects the achievement of such students.