Culturally Responsive Conversations
Connecting with Your Diverse School Community
1. Edition April 2023
208 Pages, Softcover
Wiley & Sons Ltd
A strategic handbook for educators and administrators serving increasingly multicultural classrooms
In Culturally Responsive Conversations, longtime cultural inclusion educators Marina Lee and Seth Leighton deliver an eye-opening discussion of how to develop better relationships and improve learning outcomes in a student body that's growing increasingly culturally diverse.
In the book, readers will explore practical strategies to improve the K-12 educational experience for everyone, including cultural groups who have historically been overlooked or marginalized. This book provides a usable toolkit for educators to have more effective conversations with families from multicultural backgrounds and give all students the educational experience that they deserve. The authors tackle historical models for educating immigrants in the United States while identifying the many stakeholders in the education system and how familial involvement shapes and impacts student achievement. Readers will also find:
* Interactive self-practice exercises, along with extensive references for additional study
* Expansive treatments of effective cultural communication and the barriers that prevent teachers and students from achieving it
* Explanations of how teacher-parent communication can be impacted by cross-cultural talk
An unmatched resource for educators, administrators, and K-12 school leaders, Culturally Responsive Conversations also belongs on the bookshelves of parents, families, and community members hoping to advance the cause of diverse, equitable, and inclusive schools for all.
About the Authors xiii
Personal Notes from the Authors xv
Part I Setting the Stage 1
Chapter 1 Immigration and Education in the USA 3
Chapter 2 It Takes More Than a Village 15
Chapter 3 The Interplay Between Language and Culture 23
Chapter 4 Staying Mindful of Nuances 43
Chapter 5 Effective Cross-Cultural Communications in School Contexts 65
Part II The Family and the Classroom 73
Chapter 6 Perspectives on the Educator's Role 75
Chapter 7 Cultural Values and Diversity 85
Chapter 8 Working with Multicultural Families 95
Part III Remembering the Individual 109
Chapter 9 Making Space for Individual Self-Actualization 111
Chapter 10 Addressing Neurodiversity with Cross-Cultural Families 119
Part IV Supporting Students with Higher Education Plans 131
Chapter 11 Introduction to Supporting Students with Higher Education Plans 133
Chapter 12 Navigating High-Pressure Constructs 137
Chapter 13 Cultural Perspectives on Testing and Creating a Comprehensive Best-Fit College List 141
Appendix 1: Learning Through Extracurricular Activities 155
Appendix 2: Common Greetings 163
Resources Consulted 169
Conclusion 175
Index 177
- Mike Goldstein, founder, Match Education, Boston
"Scholars have dissected cultural responsiveness, alerting educators of its importance, but educators are still left with the question of 'how do we actually do this in schools?' The authors extend current knowledge into practical, digestible nuggets of wisdom that concretize and demystify cultural responsiveness for educators."
- Josephine M. Kim, Senior Lecturer on Education at Harvard University
"In this engaging and highly readable primer on cross-cultural communications for educators Marina Lee and Seth Leighton offer an original synthesis of knowledge based on scholarship and on practice with practical exercises that can help the reader become more self-aware and competent in navigating cross-cultural exchanges. Their own lived experience, as a multicultural family and as global educators, uniquely qualifies them to speak with authority and authenticity about the potential of true communication that bridges cultures. This book will empower educators to realize the potential that lies in culturally diverse classrooms and schools."
- Fernando M. Reimers, Ford Foundation Professor of the Practice of International Education, Harvard Graduate School of Education
SETH LEIGHTON is the Head of Education for Envoys, partnering with innovative teachers and schools to create travel and virtual programs that challenge, inspire, and empower students to become better citizens of the world.
