Although it might be useful to simply have a checklist of culturally responsive practices, in reality we know that learning to be culturally responsive cannot come from reading a book or attending one workshop, even though these are good places to start. Cultural responsiveness does not exist in a vacuum—we determine the needs of students in our schools and respond accordingly. Culture is not a strict set of prescribed behaviors to memorize, and not all members of the same cultural group act in identical ways or have the same belief systems.

While some students may have preferred learning styles, it is risky to assume that all students from a particular cultural group learn in the same way. Educators need to recognize that specific strategies should be tailored to individual students, and that generalizations about the needs of one group of students can sometimes lead to further stereotyping.

One trait all students share, regardless of their backgrounds, is the need to know that school staff care about them. They want principals, teachers, and counselors to acknowledge and honor their cultural backgrounds and believe in their ability to succeed. If students feel ignored, disrespected, and uncared for, it will almost certainly affect their experience at school. This point often seems to be missing in the debate about how all children can achieve high standards.

We hope the research review and educator profiles provide a starting place to begin developing practices that meet the needs of your students. The following two sections provide more resources to guide you on the path to cultural responsiveness.