Teaching Case— Applications of culturally relevant pedagogy in a community college classroom

Diverse learners are a key part of the student population in community colleges and many other educational settings. Culturally relevant pedagogy, incorporating varied cultural perspectives and tools in teaching practice, can result in a deeper knowledge of self and others. This teaching case presents the opportunity to consider applications of culturally relevant pedagogy to community college and other teaching contexts and in the light of the many roles educators fill in their practices.

As educators, we play various roles in our teaching practice; instructional designer, facilitator, consultant, and leader. In all of these roles, we must consider the different needs of students in the classroom and in other learning environments. Alfred (2009) presents the need for educators to consider pedagogical approaches that incorporate not only personal dimensions of learning but also socio–historical, community, and institutional dynamics. Culturally relevant pedagogy in practice includes dialogue and experience as dual interaction between students and educators. This teaching case presents culturally relevant pedagogy as a relevant and important tool in an educator's toolkit to enhance instructional design, facilitation, consultant, and leadership skills within culturally–diverse educational institutions and organizations, such as community colleges.