Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Learning to Be a Culturally Responsive Teacher in the Global North: A Call for Critical Teacher Education

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Global Teaching

Part of the book series: Education Dialogues with/in the Global South ((EDGS))

Abstract

In the last 30 years, unprecedented levels of mobility worldwide have meant that culturally homogenous classrooms are rare in most places in the Global North. It is therefore imperative that all teachers develop a repertoire of effective and culturally responsive pedagogies. Ninetta Santoro draws on data from a study that investigated the attitudes of a cohort of Scottish student-teachers towards culturally diverse classrooms and their perceptions of their readiness to teach in such contexts. She highlights the challenges the student-teachers experienced in understanding their students, and understanding themselves as professionals embedded within dominant Northern cultural discourses. Santoro concludes by suggesting the need for critical teacher education and the diversification of the teacher educator profession to include those from the Global South.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
eBook
USD 16.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 99.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 129.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Anderson, K.J. 2010. Benign Bigotry: The Psychology of Subtle Prejudice, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Applebaum, B. 2009. Is Teaching for Social Justice a ‘Liberal Bias’? Teachers College Record 111(2): 376–408.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bartolomé, L. 2007. Critical Pedagogy and Teacher Education: Radicalizing Prospective Teachers. In Critical Pedagogy: Where are we Now? eds. P. McLaren and J. Kincheloe, 263–286. New York: Peter Lang Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Caton, K. 2011. Pedagogy and the Other: Discursive Production in Study Abroad. The Journal of Tourism and Peace Research 2(2): 1–15.

    Google Scholar 

  • Causey, V., C. Thomas, and B. Armento. 2000. ‘Cultural Diversity is Basically a Foreign Term to Me’: The Challenges of Diversity for Preservice Teacher Education. Teaching and Teacher Education 16(1): 33–45.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cherubini, L., J. Hodson, M. Manley-Casimir, and C. Muir. 2010. ‘Closing the Gap’ at the Peril of Widening the Void: Implications of the Ontario Ministry of Education’s Policy for Aboriginal Education. Canadian Journal of Education 33(2): 329–355.

    Google Scholar 

  • Connell, R. 2007. Southern Theory: The Global Dynamics of Knowledge in Social Science. Crows Nest, NSW: Allen and Unwin.

    Google Scholar 

  • Darling-Hammond, L. 2012. Powerful Teacher Education: Lessons from Exemplary Programs. San Francisco, CA: John Wiley and Sons.

    Google Scholar 

  • Department for Education. 2012. Statistical First Release. School Workforce in England: November 2011. https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/219297/sfr06-2012v6.pdf.

    Google Scholar 

  • Doyle, L., and R. Hill. 2008. Our Children, Our Future: Achieving Improved Primary and Secondary Education Outcomes for Indigenous Students, Report published by the AMP foundation. http://www.socialventures.com.au/files/pdf/Our%20Children,%20Our%20Future_final%20report.pdf.

  • Dustmann, C., T. Frattini, and G. Lanzara. 2011. Educational Achievement of Second Generation Immigrants: An International Comparison, Norface Discussion Paper No. 2011-25.

    Google Scholar 

  • Epstein, T., and C. Gist. 2013. Teaching Racial Literacy in Secondary Humanities Classrooms: Challenging Adolescents’ of Color Concepts of Race and Racism. Race Ethnicity and Education 18(1): 40–60. doi:10.1080/13613324.2013.792800.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • European Commission. 2011. Early School Leaving in Europe—Questions and Answers. Memo 11/52. European Commission.

    Google Scholar 

  • Frankenberg, R. 1993. The Social Construction of Whiteness: White Women, Race Matters. Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gay, G. 2010. Culturally Responsive Teaching: Theory, Research, and Practice. New York: Teachers College Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gonzales, N.E., L.C. Moll, and C. Amanti. 2005. Funds of Knowledge: Theorizing Practices in Households, Communities and Classrooms. New York: Taylor and Francis.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goodwin, A.L. 2010. Globalization and the Preparation of Quality Teachers: Rethinking Knowledge Domains for Teaching. Teaching Education 21(1): 19–32. doi:10.1080/10476210903466901.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Government of Canada. 2013. Facts and Figures 2013—Immigration Overview: Permanent Residents Facts and Figures 2013—Immigration Overview: Permanent Residents. http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/statistics/facts2013/permanent/07.asp. Accessed June 2015.

  • Government of Ireland. 2012. Profile 6. Migration and Diversity. Dublin, Ireland: Central Statistics Office: Stationery Office.

    Google Scholar 

  • Griner, A., and M. Stewart. 2013. Addressing the Achievement Gap and Disproportionality Through the Use of Culturally Responsive Teaching Practices. Urban Education 48(4): 585–621.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harry, B., and J. Klingner. 2014. Why are So Many Minority Students in Special Education?: Understanding Race and Disability in Schools. New York: Teachers’ College, Columbia University.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kiriacou, C., R. Kunc, P. Stephens, and A. Hultgren. 2010. Student Teachers’ Expectations of Teaching as a Career in England and Norway. Educational Review 55(3): 255–263. doi:10.1080/0013191032000118910.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Matias, C. 2012. Who You Callin’ White?! A Critical Counter-Story on Colouring White Identity. Race Ethnicity and Education 16(3): 291–315. doi:10.1080/13613324.2012.674027.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mayer, D., J. Mitchell, N. Santoro, and S. White. 2011. Teacher Educators and ‘Accidental’ Careers in Academe: An Australian Perspective. Journal of Education for Teaching 37(3): 247–260.

    Google Scholar 

  • Morrison, T. 1992. Playing in the Dark: Whiteness and the Literary Imagination. New York: Vintage Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Murray, J., A. Swennen, and L. Shagrir. 2008. Understanding Teacher Educators’ Work and Identities. In Becoming a Teacher Educator, eds. A. Swennen and M. Klink, 29–43. Dordrecht: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • OECD. 2010. Closing the Gap for Immigrant Students: Policies, Practice and Performance. Execeutive Summary. OECD.

    Google Scholar 

  • ———. 2012. Untapped Skills. Realising the Potential of Immigrant Students. OECD.

    Google Scholar 

  • ———. 2013. Country Statistical Profile: Iceland, Country Statistical Profiles: Key Tables from OECD. doi:10.1787/csp-isl-table-2013-2-en.

  • Portes, A., and R. Rivas. 2011. The Adaptation of Migrant Children. The Future of Children 21(1): 219–248.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sanger, M. and R. Osguthorpe. 2011. Teacher Education, Preservice Teacher Beliefs, and the Moral Work of Teaching, Teaching and Teacher Education (27): 569–578.

    Google Scholar 

  • Santoro, N. 2009. Teaching in Culturally Diverse Contexts: What Knowledge About ‘Self’ and ‘Others’ Do Teachers Need? Journal of Education for Teaching 35(1): 33–45.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • ———. 2013. The Drive to Diversify the Teaching Profession: Narrow Assumptions, Hidden Complexities. Race Ethnicity and Education 18(6): 858–876. doi:10.1080/13613324.2012.759934.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • ———. 2014. ‘If I’m Going to Teach About the World, I Need to Know the World’: Developing Australian Pre-Service Teachers’ Intercultural Competence Through International Trips. Race Ethnicity and Education 17(3): 429–444. doi:10.1080/13613324.2013.832938.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Santoro, N., and A. Kennedy. 2015. How is Cultural Diversity Positioned in Teacher Professional Standards?: An International Analysis. Asia Pacific Journal of Teacher Education 44(3): 208–223. doi:10.1080/1359866X.2015.1081674.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schick, C. 2010. By Virtue of Being White: Resistance in Anti-Racist Pedagogy. Race Ethnicity and Education 3(1): 83–101.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Siwatu, K. 2011. Preservice Teachers’ Sense of Preparedness and Self-efficacy to Teach in America’s Urban and Suburban Schools: Does Context Matter? Teaching and Teacher Education 27(2): 357–365. doi:10.1016/j.tate.2010.09.004.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sleeter, C.E., and C. Cornbleth, eds. 2011. Teaching with Vision: Culturally Responsive Teaching in Standards-Based Classrooms. New York: Teachers College Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, H. 2014. Emotional Responses to Documentary Viewing and the Potential for Transformative Teaching. Teaching Education 25(2): 217–238. doi:10.1080/10476210.2012.762351.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • The Scottish Government. 2011. Summary Statistics for Schools in Scotland, No 2, 2011 Edition. Accessed 4 March 2016.

    Google Scholar 

  • The Scottish Government. 2014a. Pupil Census 2014. Supplementary Data. Table 1.14 Main Home Language in Publically Funded Schools 2014. http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics/Browse/School-Education/dspupcensus/dspupcensus. Accessed 11 June 2015.

  • ———. 2014b. Pupil Census 2014. Supplementary Data. Classes and Pupils 2014. Commentary and Tables From Summary Statistics in Schools, No. 5 2014 Edition. http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics/Browse/School-Education/dspupcensus/dspupcensus. Accessed 11 June 2015.

  • ———. 2014c. Pupil Census 2014. Supplementary Data. Table 5.9. Pupils with an Additional Language 2014. http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics/Browse/School-Education/dspupcensus/dspupcensus. Accessed 11 June 2015.

  • ———. 2015. High Level Summary of Statistics: Origin and Destination of Immigrants. http://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/files/statistics/high-level-summary/j11198/j1119806.htm. Accessed 11 June 2015.

  • United States Census Bureau. 2013. Newsroom. Asians Fastest-Growing Race or Ethnic Group in 2012, Census Bureau Reports. https://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/population/cb13-112.html. Accessed 2 June 2015.

  • Wilkin, A., C. Derrington, R. White, K. Martin, B. Foster, K. Kinder, and S. Rutt. 2010. Improving the Outcomes for Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Pupils: Final Report. Manchester, UK: Department for Education.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yoon, I. 2012. The Paradoxical Nature of Whiteness-At-Work in the Daily Life of Schools and Teacher Communities. Race Ethnicity and Education 15(5): 587–613. doi:10.1080/13613324.2011.624506.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

I would like to acknowledge the student-teachers who generously gave their time to the study, and the support of the other research team members, Dr. Edward Sosu and Dr. Giovanna Fassetta.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK

    Ninetta Santoro

Authors
  1. Ninetta Santoro
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ninetta Santoro .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, New South Wales, Australia

    Carol Reid

  2. Charles Sturt University, Bathurst, Australia

    Jae Major

Copyright information

© 2017 The Author(s)

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Santoro, N. (2017). Learning to Be a Culturally Responsive Teacher in the Global North: A Call for Critical Teacher Education. In: Reid, C., Major, J. (eds) Global Teaching. Education Dialogues with/in the Global South. Palgrave Macmillan, New York. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-52526-0_4

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-52526-0_4

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, New York

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-137-53214-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-137-52526-0

  • eBook Packages: EducationEducation (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation