Culturally Relevant Pedagogy

Culturally relevant pedagogy (CRP) is a philosophy that addresses disparities in the processes of student learning through a focus on cultural competence (the ability to understand and communicate across differences) and sociopolitical consciousness (awareness and understanding of the social, political, and economic factors that marginalize certain groups of people). Educators who use CRP interrogate the ways society, school systems, and their own teaching may contribute to achievement and opportunity gaps among marginalized student groups. These educators leverage CRP to empower students to trust and engage their own cultural epistemologies (ways of knowing grounded in and shaped by their cultural heritage) and customs when navigating the classroom and society at large.

While CRP’s roots are in primary and secondary teacher education, many of the disparities cited in ...