Becoming a Culturally Responsive Teacher: Sustaining the Cultures of Young Children

Allen and Shapland Rodríguez have compiled years of developmental theory and educational research into a gem of knowledge that can help teachers grow in their daily practices with children. Not only do the authors ask educators to do their own self-reflection, they share their personal stories of vulnerability with bias and cultural exclusion. Our field has seen books on similar topics before, but this book provides updated research and a fresh, contemporary look at the importance of considering culture as part of the learning pedagogy. The book is an ideal tool for college courses, professional development training and workshops, and book studies within communities of practice. It should be a staple of our NAEYC canon!

—Stephanie M. Curenton, Professor and Executive Director, Center on the Ecology of Early Development, Boston University, and Coauthor of Look Away: Embracing Anti-Bias Classrooms

Becoming a Culturally Responsive Teacher is an important and timely contribution to the field of early childhood education. Rooted in reflection, humility, and a deep understanding of culture, the book provides educators with a framework for teaching that honors and sustains the diverse experiences of all children and families. The authors go beyond theoretical concepts to offer practical pathways for educators who want to critically examine their own identities and practices. This work will be an essential resource for teacher preparation programs and early learning professionals dedicated to equity, belonging, and justice-centered education.

—Brian L. Wright, Professor, Integrated Early Childhood/Early Childhood Education, University of Memphis, and Author of The Brilliance of Black Boys: Cultivating School Success in the Early Grades

This book accomplishes the urgent and complex task of translating powerful findings from research on culturally sustaining and anti-racist pedagogy into a practical guide for early childhood educators. It centers identity, humility, and relationships, all while confronting the exclusionary history of schooling in the United States.

—Molly McManus, Associate Professor, Department of Child and Adolescent Development, San Francisco State University

Drawn from decades of teaching experience and research, this powerful guide frames culturally responsive teaching as an act of becoming rather than a trendy quick fix. With vibrant real-world examples, clear definitions, thought-provoking reflection questions, and action steps, this book is an invaluable resource for future and current early childhood educators.

—Noreen Naseem Rodríguez, Associate Professor, Elementary Education and Educational Justice, Michigan State University

Becoming a Culturally Responsive Teacher is a transformative guide that pushes us to rethink how we see children, how we see ourselves, and how culture shapes every part of the learning environment. The authors honor the brilliance of children and the cultural knowledge they bring with them, encouraging us to build learning spaces where every child’s identity is seen as an asset. Reflective, practical, honest, and deeply aligned with what inclusive and culturally sustaining education should be, this resource will stay with you, challenge you, and elevate the work we all do with children and families every day. It is exactly what our field needs right now.

—Chandele Morris, Inclusive Educational Consultant, Coach, and Author

I am recognized in my district as having a culturally responsive classroom, and I thought I was doing well in this area. But reading this book made me evaluate my teaching practices and identify places where I could make changes. What would our classrooms, schools, and centers look like if teachers and administrators looked through another lens besides their own? This book needs to be read by anyone teaching, no matter what grade level. Don’t wait to add this book to your library!

—Connie Hall, Kindergarten Teacher, 2023 Nevada State Teacher of the Year