![\"ARM](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.flovalleynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/12\/ARM-McCarrison200.jpg?resize=200%2C159\" "\\"ARM")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
How do popular songs like \u201cI\u2019m Sorry Ms. Jackson\u201d by Outkast or \u201cKnock You Down\u201d by Keri Hilson become lessons for students, as well for the teacher? They become lessons when the songs are examples of methods of culturally responsive teaching to help students learn in ways that are effective for them.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m Sorry Ms. Jackson\u201d was part of a persuasive writing activity taught by Rebecca McCarrison in her fifth grade communication arts classes at Armstrong Elementary School in the Hazelwood School District. The lesson involved identifying the main idea and reviewing the meaning of the song by code switching from what is referred to as home language to academic language. Basically, the students were translating.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe first line says, \u2018Yeah, this one right here goes out to\u2026\u2019\u201d read McCarrison.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat do you think Andre 3000 is saying?\u201d she asked, and then directed the students, sitting in groups of four, to discuss their ideas and to code switch the lyrics from home language to academic language.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis one is dedicated to\u2026\u201d replied one group. \u201cThis song is for\u2026\u201d replied another.<\/p>\n
\u201cGood,\u201d said McCarrison. \u201cLet\u2019s finish the line\u2026\u2018all the baby\u2019s mamas, mamas.\u2019\u201d\u00a0 The class agreed that the line referred to \u201cthe grandmother.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOK, so in academic language, what is Andre 3000 saying?\u201d McCarrison asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis song is for all the grandmothers,\u201d a girl stated confidently.<\/p>\n
The class continued with the lesson for an hour, deciphering the lyrics, writing down their own thoughts on the meanings and sharing their thoughts in open discussion. The chatter in the room sounded like that of adults, not children.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s chaos.\u201d \u201c\u2026has a lot going on\u2026\u201d \u201cShe needs to do something for herself.\u201d<\/p>\n
Keshon Davis seemed to appreciate the activity. \u201cI think it\u2019s good,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it\u2019s kind of fun to learn the difference between home language and appropriate language. It\u2019s something different than what we usually do,\u201d said Aliyah Williams.<\/p>\n
Izaiah Thompson said \u201cIt\u2019s interesting to learn to change words around and understand the meaning.\u201d<\/p>\n
In a past lesson on poetry and idioms, the lyrics to \u201cKnock You Down\u201d were the focus of the activity. McCarrison had to modify the lyrics to edit out non-school appropriate words. Using an overhead projector, she read the lyrics aloud as she would a poem and the students \u201cfreaked out and started saying \u2018I know this\u2019 and recited the words with me.<\/p>\n
\u201cOMG, they had a blast,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
McCarrison explained why she thinks culturally responsive teaching is useful for students.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy students are constantly engaged in their learning. By using authentic assessments, and checking for understanding using multiple methods throughout the lesson, I know where my kids are in their learning and what I still need to do to help them. It also gives kids a chance to be more comfortable in sharing their thoughts and ideas during a lesson.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo me, culturally responsive teaching means I use a variety of techniques on a daily basis to ensure all of my students feel comfortable in their learning environment,\u201d she said. \u201cI think a lot about the quote \u2018If they can\u2019t learn the way you teach, teach the way they learn.\u2019 I have to be aware of all of the learning styles of my children and adapt myself to best meet their needs.\u201d<\/p>\n
McCarrison thinks culturally responsive teaching \u201cis perfect when it comes to communication arts.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI think there is sometimes a misconception of culturally responsive teaching. It is not something to fear, but to embrace. If I were in a classroom where I was told that my home language was of no value, my effort would reflect my displeasure and hurt. Culturally responsive teaching is a constant reminder to embrace the home language of all my students. It is also an opportunity for them to recognize and appreciate that although all people may have unique home languages, we can all clearly communicate with one another\u00a0using our academic language,\u201d said McCarrison.<\/p>\n
McCarrison is attending culturally responsive teaching training offered by the District and led by Dr. Sharroky Hollie of the Center for Culturally Responsive Teaching and Learning. (story courtesy of Hazelwood Communications Dept.)<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" How do popular songs like \u201cI\u2019m Sorry Ms. Jackson\u201d by Outkast or \u201cKnock You Down\u201d by Keri Hilson become lessons for students, as well for the teacher? They become lessons when the songs are examples of methods of culturally responsive teaching to help students learn in ways that are effective for them. \u201cI\u2019m Sorry Ms. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"ocean_post_layout":"","ocean_both_sidebars_style":"","ocean_both_sidebars_content_width":0,"ocean_both_sidebars_sidebars_width":0,"ocean_sidebar":"","ocean_second_sidebar":"","ocean_disable_margins":"enable","ocean_add_body_class":"","ocean_shortcode_before_top_bar":"","ocean_shortcode_after_top_bar":"","ocean_shortcode_before_header":"","ocean_shortcode_after_header":"","ocean_has_shortcode":"","ocean_shortcode_after_title":"","ocean_shortcode_before_footer_widgets":"","ocean_shortcode_after_footer_widgets":"","ocean_shortcode_before_footer_bottom":"","ocean_shortcode_after_footer_bottom":"","ocean_display_top_bar":"default","ocean_display_header":"default","ocean_header_style":"","ocean_center_header_left_menu":"","ocean_custom_header_template":"","ocean_custom_logo":0,"ocean_custom_retina_logo":0,"ocean_custom_logo_max_width":0,"ocean_custom_logo_tablet_max_width":0,"ocean_custom_logo_mobile_max_width":0,"ocean_custom_logo_max_height":0,"ocean_custom_logo_tablet_max_height":0,"ocean_custom_logo_mobile_max_height":0,"ocean_header_custom_menu":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_family":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_subset":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_size":0,"ocean_menu_typo_font_size_tablet":0,"ocean_menu_typo_font_size_mobile":0,"ocean_menu_typo_font_size_unit":"px","ocean_menu_typo_font_weight":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_weight_tablet":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_weight_mobile":"","ocean_menu_typo_transform":"","ocean_menu_typo_transform_tablet":"","ocean_menu_typo_transform_mobile":"","ocean_menu_typo_line_height":0,"ocean_menu_typo_line_height_tablet":0,"ocean_menu_typo_line_height_mobile":0,"ocean_menu_typo_line_height_unit":"","ocean_menu_typo_spacing":0,"ocean_menu_typo_spacing_tablet":0,"ocean_menu_typo_spacing_mobile":0,"ocean_menu_typo_spacing_unit":"","ocean_menu_link_color":"","ocean_menu_link_color_hover":"","ocean_menu_link_color_active":"","ocean_menu_link_background":"","ocean_menu_link_hover_background":"","ocean_menu_link_active_background":"","ocean_menu_social_links_bg":"","ocean_menu_social_hover_links_bg":"","ocean_menu_social_links_color":"","ocean_menu_social_hover_links_color":"","ocean_disable_title":"default","ocean_disable_heading":"default","ocean_post_title":"","ocean_post_subheading":"","ocean_post_title_style":"","ocean_post_title_background_color":"","ocean_post_title_background":0,"ocean_post_title_bg_image_position":"","ocean_post_title_bg_image_attachment":"","ocean_post_title_bg_image_repeat":"","ocean_post_title_bg_image_size":"","ocean_post_title_height":0,"ocean_post_title_bg_overlay":0.5,"ocean_post_title_bg_overlay_color":"","ocean_disable_breadcrumbs":"default","ocean_breadcrumbs_color":"","ocean_breadcrumbs_separator_color":"","ocean_breadcrumbs_links_color":"","ocean_breadcrumbs_links_hover_color":"","ocean_display_footer_widgets":"default","ocean_display_footer_bottom":"default","ocean_custom_footer_template":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"ocean_post_oembed":"","ocean_post_self_hosted_media":"","ocean_post_video_embed":"","ocean_link_format":"","ocean_link_format_target":"self","ocean_quote_format":"","ocean_quote_format_link":"post","ocean_gallery_link_images":"on","ocean_gallery_id":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2806","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-school-news","entry"],"yoast_head":"\n