"Is There Lead in My Water?": Employing a Culturally Compelling Instructional Perspective to Teach for Change

• Published in: Multicultural learning and teaching Vol. 14; no. 1
• Main Authors: Boyd, Fenice B, Ridgeway, Monica L, Nyachae, Tiffany M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: De Gruyter 26-03-2019
• Subjects: African American Students; Camps; Culturally Relevant Education; Curriculum; Elementary Secondary Education; Group Activities; Instruction; Misconceptions; Racial Bias; Scaffolding (Teaching Technique); Social Influences; Summer Programs; Teacher Attitudes; Teacher Responsibility; Water Pollution; Michigan
• ISSN: 2161-2412; 2161-2412
• DOI: 10.1515/mlt-2017-0025

In this paper we build a conceptual framework to argue for culturally compelling instruction that leads to teaching for change. Culturally compelling instruction calls for a substantive shift in how teachers view their students, communities, and what the perspective might mean for students' future when they have access to alternative learning opportunities. The framework encourages teachers to take a stance and assume responsibility and ownership for their own decisions about the curriculum and instructional delivery. Most prominent is to acquire a depth of understanding of their students' identities and needs. To represent our vision for culturally compelling instruction we use the lead poisoned water crisis in Flint, Michigan, USA as an illustrative case. Our work provides an example of how a real-world circumstance such as Flint's may be integrated into content area subjects to frame a culturally compelling instructional practice.