Start with Us! Culturally Relevant Pedagogy in the Preschool Classroom

Authors

Tonia Renee Durden, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Elsita Escalante, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Kimberly Blitch, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow

Date of this Version

2015

Citation

Early Childhood Education Journal 43, 2015

Comments

Copyright University of Nebraska 2015

Abstract

Using an ethnographic case study approach, we examined how teachers and parents within an eth-nically diverse early childhood program conceptualized and implemented culturally relevant peda-gogy and how these primary caregivers were encouraging children’s sociocultural development and awareness. Data sources included questionnaires, interview transcripts, and observational field notes (classroom and community). Findings suggest there were multiple strategies and resources teachers used to facilitate the sociocultural growth of young children indicative of culturally relevant practices. However, we discovered there were mediating factors that impacted how and whether teachers were able to implement culturally relevant pedagogy in the early childhood classroom.