Course Description
This course will focus on developing the mindsets, knowledge, and instructional practices essential for culturally responsive and sustaining pedagogy in educational settings. Students will examine how identity, culture, language, and power influence teaching and learning. Grounded in the neuroscience of learning and evidence-based instructional strategies, the course provides a framework for supporting academic success and affirming students’ cultural assets. Emphasis will be placed on fostering inclusive environments, addressing bias and inequity, and engaging in critical self-reflection to advance equity and excellence in education. Designed for current and educators, this asynchronous online course supports culturally responsive planning, instruction, and leadership. (3 credits)
Prerequisite
- EDU 501: Integrated Foundations of American Education
Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)
Students who successfully complete this course will be able to:
- Critically analyze how cultural identity, privilege, and bias influence educator decision-making and student learning in diverse educational settings, using self-reflection and professional ethical standards. [CAEP: RA1.1, RA1.2, RA5.4]
- Evaluate and synthesize key research, theoretical frameworks, and evidence-based practices that inform culturally responsive and sustaining pedagogy using qualitative and/or quantitative methods. [CAEP: RA1.1, RA1.2]
- Design and apply culturally and linguistically responsive instructional strategies that promote equitable, high-engagement learning environments for diverse learners. [CAEP: RA1.1, RA2.2, RA3.4]
- Create inclusive instructional plans and learning experiences that incorporate students’ cultural and linguistic backgrounds, prior knowledge, and community assets. [CAEP: RA1.1, RA2.2]
- Engage in critical, research-informed self-reflection on cultural identity, pedagogy, and classroom norms to support anti-bias, equitable teaching practices. [CAEP: RA1.1, RA5.4]
- Develop and lead collaborative strategies to engage students, families, educators, and community partners in culturally affirming and inclusive educational practices. [CAEP: RA1.1, RA2.1]
Course Activities and Grading
| Assignments | Weight |
|---|
Discussions (Weeks 1-8) | 25% |
Journal Assignments (Week 1-8) | 25% |
Written Assignments (Weeks 1-7) | 25% |
Final Project (Week 8) | 25% |
Total | 100% |
Required Textbooks
(Available through Charter Oak State College's Book Bundle):
- Hammond, Z. (2015). Culturally responsive teaching and the brain: Promoting authentic engagement and rigor among culturally and linguistically diverse students. Corwin.
- Hollie, S. (2018). Culturally and linguistically responsive teaching and learning: Classroom practices for student success (2nd ed.). Shell Education.
Course Schedule
Week | SLOs | Readings and Exercises | Assignments |
1 | 1,5 | Topic: Foundations of Culturally Responsive Pedagogy - Read and Review:
- Hammond, Chapters 1 & 2
- Hollie, Chapters 1 & 2
- Culturally Responsive Pedagogy: A Systematic Overview (Caingcoy, 2023)
- Culturally Responsive Teaching: Navigating Models and Implementing Effective Strategies (Abdalla and Mousa, 2024)
- Zaretta Hammond: Culturally Responsive Teaching 101 [YouTube video] (Edthena, 2021)
- Intro to CLR Dr Hollie [YouTube video] (Validate Affirm, 2015)
- What is Culturally Responsive Teaching? [YouTube video] (Edutopia, 2022)
- Culturally Responsive Teaching [Video] (Nuygen, 2024)
| - Review Key Assessment Instructions
- Read assigned chapters
- Review assigned materials
- Review the Lecture material
- Participate in the discussions
- Submit Week 1 - Assignment: Mapping Culturally Responsive Practice to My Teaching Context
- Submit Week 1 - Journal: Building My Foundation as a Culturally Responsive Educator
|
2 | 2,3 | Topic: The Neuroscience of Learning and Culture - Read and Review:
- Hammond, Chapters 3 & 4
- Zaretta Hammond: Using Neuroscience to Help Students [YouTube video] (Edthena, 2021)
- Zaretta Hammond: Classroom Video is the Most Powerful Tool in Service of Equity [YouTube video] (Edthena, 2021)
- The Danger of a Single Story | Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Powerful TED TALK [YouTube video] (Studyafric, 2025)
| - Read assigned chapters
- Review assigned materials
- Review the Lecture material
- Participate in the discussions
- Submit Week 2 - Assignment: Designing Instruction that Aligns with the Culturally Wired Brain
- Submit Week 2 - Journal: What Culturally Responsive Teaching Looks Like in the Brain
|
3 | 1,3,6 | Topic: Culturally Responsive Relationships - Read and Review:
- Hammond, Chapters 5 & 6
- Hollie, Chapter 3
- Culturally Responsive Teaching Builds Relationship Bridges [YouTube video] (Teaching for Empathy, Equity, & Excellence, 2024)
- There's a science to building trust through culturally responsive teaching [YouTube video] (Culturally Responsive Education Hub, 2023)
- Situational Appropriateness [YouTube video] (4thGradeEnthusiastRyanBrazil, 2024)
| - Read assigned chapters
- Review assigned materials
- Review the Lecture material
- Participate in the discussions
- Submit Week 3 - Assignment: Learning Partnership Plan - Applying TRUST and VABB
- Submit Week 3 - Journal: Rethinking Norms Through Situational Appropriateness
|
4 | 3,4 | Topics: Designing Culturally Responsive Instruction - Read and Review:
- Hammond, Chapter 7
- Hollie, Chapter 4 & Appendix G (CLR Lesson Planning Template)
- Impactful pedagogy: 10 culturally responsive teaching examples (Flocabulary, 2024)
- Teaching for Instructional Equity and Cognitive Justice With Zaretta Hammond [YouTube video] (Corwin, 2025)
| - Read assigned chapters
- Review assigned materials
- Review the Lecture material
- Participate in the discussions
- Submit Week 4 - Assignment: Culturally Responsive Lesson Plan Design
- Submit Week 4 - Journal: Culturally Responsive Planning - From Intention to Action
- Review the instructions for the Final Project, due in Week 8
|
5 | 2,3,4 | Topics: Culturally Responsive Literacy, Language, and Vocabulary - Read and Review:
- Hammond, Chapter 8
- Hollie, Chapters 5 & 6, & Appendix F (Culturally Authentic Texts)
- 3 Tips to Make Any Lesson More Culturally Responsive (Hammond, 2015)
- Beyond Flesh-Colored Crayons: The Four Components of Culturally Responsive Pedagogy (Hammond, 2012)
- Culturally Responsive Teaching Video Library (MA DESE, 2021) (Select videos based on your area(s) of interest.
- Making Classrooms More Inclusive for Multilingual Learners (Edutopia, 2021)
| - Read assigned chapters
- Review assigned materials
- Review the Lecture material
- Participate in the discussions
- Submit Week 5 - Assignment: Culturally Responsive Literacy Mini-Unit Plan
- Submit Week 5 - Journal: Word Power - Designing Culturally Responsive Vocabulary Instruction
- Continue to work on the Final Project, due in Week 8
|
6 | 3,4,5 | Topics: Creating Inclusive and Culturally Affirming Learning Environments - Read and Review:
- Hammond, Chapter 9
- Hollie, Chapters 7 & Appendix H (CLR Learning Environment Survey)
- Have You Built the Right Environment for Your Students? - Zaretta Hammond [YouTube video] (A.J. Juliani, 2022)
| - Read assigned chapters
- Review assigned materials
- Review the Lecture material
- Participate in the discussions
- Submit Week 6 - Assignment: Equity in the Environment - Self-Audit and Responsive Design
- Submit Week 6 - Journal: What Your Classroom Says Without Words
- Continue to work on the Final Project, due in Week 8
|
7 | 1,5,6 | Topics: Family, Community, and Cultural Partnership in Education - Read and Review:
- Hammond, Chapter 4
- Hollie, Chapters 1 & 2 [Review]
- Hollie, Appendix I (Situational Appropriateness Practice)
- Building Belonging With Cultural Ambassadors [YouTube video] (Edutopia, 2024)
| - Read assigned chapters
- Review assigned materials
- Review the Lecture material
- Participate in the discussions
- Submit Week 7 - Assignment: Equity Through Engagement - Designing Inclusive Family & Community Partnerships
- Submit Week 7 - Journal: Community Is Curriculum - Bringing Families and Cultures Into the Classroom
- Continue to work on the Final Project, due in Week 8
|
8 | 1,5,6 | Topic: Leading for Equity and Sustaining Culturally Responsive Practice - Read and Review:
- Hammond, Epilogue and "Invitation to Inquiry" throughout the textbook
- Hollie, Chapter 8
| - Read assigned chapters
- Review assigned materials
- Review the Lecture material
- Participate in the discussions
- Submit Week 8 - Final Project: Culturally Responsive Action Plan
- Submit Week 8 - Journal: From Theory to Action - Sharing My Culturally Responsive Educator Blueprint
- Complete the Course Evaluation
|
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COSC Accessibility Statement
Charter Oak State College encourages students with disabilities, including non-visible disabilities such as chronic diseases, learning disabilities, head injury, attention deficit/hyperactive disorder, or psychiatric disabilities, to discuss appropriate accommodations with the Office of Accessibility Services at OAS@charteroak.edu.
COSC Policies, Course Policies, Academic Support Services and Resources
Students are responsible for knowing all Charter Oak State College (COSC) institutional policies, course-specific policies, procedures, and available academic support services and resources. Please see COSC Policies for COSC institutional policies, and see also specific policies related to this course. See COSC Resources for information regarding available academic support services and resources.
