Culturally Responsive Teaching: The Rituals

It can be tough to know my middle child. He hides behind a mop of curls, and responds to my prying questions with aloofness. Right when I think we’re finally vibing, he sneaks off to marble runs or Legos.

But, at night, when I’m done reading to him, we turn off the light, and in complete quiet, he shares his world with me. His disappointment in his baseball coach. Parts of his day that need processing and clarification like, “How common is it to marry your sister?” (not common, bud), and “Why did that police officer kneel on that man’s neck for so long?” (deep breathing, cuddles, & assurances of safety).

I once told him that this time was the very best time of my day. After that, he started asking me along the way, “What do you want to know about me tonight?” My guess is that he percolates for a long time on these ideas, crafting them and exploring them, until he’s ready for input.

There are reasons why this makes sense. His older sister has big energy, and can unintentionally become the guiding force of our home. We have a baby. The rest of us are an emotional, name your feelings kid of crew—and that’s less his style. But, when he knows he has my complete attention, we connect. It’s from these moments that I can begin to think about how to parent and love him well.

The evening experience with my son is an example of a ritual. “The branch of neuroscience called 'contemplative neuroscience,’ helps us understand the power of rituals. With the repetition of ritual, the brain learns to associate sensory experiences—the sounds, smells, and feelings of ceremony—with spiritual practice….While we may not be trying to invoke the divine in the classroom, rituals can reinforce inspiration, affirmation, and validation for students. These rituals can help reinforce elements of academic mindset such as “I belong” or “I can do this.” -Zaretta Hammond, Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain, p. 146-147.

Cultivating rituals in the classroom is an integral element of culturally responsive teaching. Here are a few examples of rituals that reinforce inspiration, affirmation, and validations for students:

• Daily Dedications

  • 30-60 second presentations where students share 5 or so sentences about someone, living, dead, or fictional, that inspires them

  • “I dedicate our learning today to….”

  • Encourage students to include imagery

    • From the classroom of Henry Seton, read more about the practice here.

• Morning Recitations

  • Choose a quote, verse, or poem that express community values; recite in multiple languages if applicable

  • Creates moment for centering; commitment

• Reading Minutes

  • Students read/recite a poem or a quote from a text that is meaningful to them, fosters belonging and knowing

    • From the classroom of Kelly Gallagher

• Taking Inventory: Reflections on “My News”

  • Students fill out a columned journal

    • My News —> My Feelings —> Connections to Identity

  • My News = anything that is on their minds (family, relationships, academics, current events)

  • sharpens identity lens, centers, is space for processing

    • Sara K. Ahmed in Being the Change

What rituals are meaningful in your classroom communities?