Culturally Responsive Teaching and The Brain: Promoting Authentic Engagement and Rigor Among Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students

Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain

• Genre: Nonfiction; Education; Pedagogy; Neuropsychology
• Originally Published: 2014
• Reading Level/Interest: College/Adult
• Structure/Length: Organized into three parts with multiple chapters, an introduction, and an epilogue; approx. 192 pages; approx. 7 hours and 25 minutes on audiobook.
• Central Concern: In her first book, Zaretta L. Hammond examines the intersection of cultural responsiveness in the classroom and neuroscience. She highlights how educators can utilize an understanding of brain function to create more inclusive, engaging, and effective learning environments for diverse student populations. By combining research from the fields of neuroscience and culturally responsive pedagogy, Hammond provides educators with practical strategies to better serve their students, particularly those from historically marginalized communities.
• Potential Sensitivity Issues: In-depth discussions on cultural disparities in education; mentions of systemic biases

Zaretta L. Hammond, Author

• Bio: Former writing teacher turned educational consultant and author; passionate about the application of neuroscience in classroom teaching; advocates for equity and culturally responsive education
• Other Works: While Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain is one of her most recognized works, she has contributed to other publications and educational materials focusing on culturally responsive pedagogy.

CENTRAL THEMES connected and noted throughout this Teaching Guide:

• Disparities in Public Education
• The Intersection of Science and Social Justice
• The Responsibility of Consciousness

STUDY OBJECTIVES: In accomplishing the components of this Teaching Guide, students will:

• Explore background information on culturally responsive teaching and the achievement gap to increase their engagement with and understanding of Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain.
• Read/study short paired texts and other resources to deepen their understanding of themes related to Disparities in Public Education, The Intersection of Science and Social Justice, and The Responsibility of Consciousness.
• Demonstrate their understanding of Hammond’s key ideas by using them as a standard for the evaluation of real-world teaching practices.
• Create essay responses that evaluate Hammond’s accuracy, structural and formatting choices, argumentation, and evidence, and that apply her ideas to real-world scenarios.