Lately, I cannot escape from the phrase “academic rigor” in the context of my 6th grade English Language Arts classroom.
How can we raise our test scores? Academic rigor.
How will we bridge the gap in our students’ reading levels? Academic rigor.
How can we create a guaranteed and viable curriculum? Academic rigor.
Fundamentally, I find myself nodding along with these questions and trying desperately to find some answer to help my students, who come to me with a range of reading levels from kindergarten to 8th grade at the start of middle school. How can I make the curriculum more rigorous to allow them to reach a standard of success on test scores? And more realistically, how can I teach some of them how to use language so they can one day read a job posting and correctly fill out a job application?
Public middle school, where I have spent the majority of my professional experience as a teacher, is a scary place at times. Students are grappling with their identity, forming their own personalities, and experiencing the world through the lens of early adolescence. Some students are further along academically, have better support at home, and are learning to thrive with their newfound freedom in middle school. Some students do not come to school with that same privilege, and middle school can be particularly challenging for those kids. My formal education as an undergraduate studying secondary education taught me the importance of allowing all of my students to see themselves in the classroom: in books, posters on the walls, and the conversations in our classroom. The feminist writer bell hooks solidified my philosophy of teaching after reading Teaching to Transgress and her line, which I include as my email signature: “[There must be] a willingness to create spaces in the classroom where all voices can be heard because all students are free to speak, knowing their presence will be recognized and valued” (hooks, 1994, p. 186). To me, this means that students and their cultural identities are an ever-present part of my classroom. I can promote student engagement and success in the school, and my students’ cultural identity is nurtured, which is what Dr. Gloria Ladson-Billings promotes as culturally relevant pedagogy (Ladson-Billings, 1995, p. 478).
But what about rigor and academic success? How can one do both? Dr. Ladson-Billings argued: “No matter how good a fit develops between home and school culture, students must achieve. No theory of pedagogy can escape this reality.” (Ladson-Billings, 1995, p. 475). She understood the need for balance between rigor and cultural relevance, but I argue that this is not often found in public schools, or at least the public middle schools that I have worked in. While cultural relevance is crucial for fostering student engagement and success, it’s not enough on its own. Students need to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed academically. I wonder if those in power make decisions that directly affect students, families, and communities understand how to make this all happen.
When my students read the graphic New Kid by Jerry Craft, they meet Jordan, a Black student experiencing cultural shock at a private school. Many of my students can relate to Jordan’s love of basketball and drawing, his home life, and his relationship with his family and friends. They may struggle to understand what it means to go into an ultra-privileged school, but the story allows them to think about what a privileged school feels like – probably for the first time. Each time I’ve taught this novel, I’ve found my students engaged and excited to continue the story. The comic style of the graphic novel allows even my most struggling readers to engage with pictures and characters who look like them. It was not until a meeting that I had last week with a person in charge of curriculum decisions and development that I wondered if I was doing a disservice to my students by not leading them to a more rigorous text. However, I stand firm that rigor and cultural competence can co-exist. My students see themselves in Jordan and his family, and I ask them to think critically and draw inferences about what allows Jordan to succeed and what holds him back. Academic achievement – academic rigor – happens congruently with building cultural awareness.
Unfortunately, implementing culturally relevant pedagogy in a public school classroom can be a challenge. While teaching a text like New Kid, which addresses sensitive topics such as racism, bullying, and social class, can be a powerful tool for fostering understanding and empathy, it may also encounter resistance from administrators or community members. As a white teacher, I recognize the privilege I hold in this context and the potential for my own biases to influence my teaching. Without a strong foundation in culturally responsive pedagogy, it can be difficult to navigate these complex issues effectively, especially when working with students from diverse backgrounds. Additionally, there is a constant risk of stereotyping or cultural appropriation if these topics are not handled with care and sensitivity. While I cannot directly teach my students about their own cultures, I can strive to create a classroom environment where they feel empowered to express themselves and learn from one another.
As I continue to navigate the complexities of teaching in public middle school, I’ve realized how important a balanced approach is to education. While academic rigor is critical, it cannot be achieved at the expense of cultural relevance; conversely, cultural identity cannot be taught independently of a strong sense of academic achievement in the classroom. Schools must prioritize academic achievement, cultural identity, and critical consciousness to achieve a balanced approach. This means creating environments where students feel valued and respected for their unique backgrounds and providing the tools and support they need to succeed academically. Schools can help students develop the critical thinking skills, cultural awareness, and civic engagement necessary to thrive in today’s world by fostering a sense of belonging and empowerment.
References
Craft, J. (2019). New Kid. HarperCollins.
hooks, b. (1994). Teaching to Transgress Education as the Practice of Freedom. Routledge.
Ladson-Billings, G. (1995). Toward a Theory of Culturally Relevant Pedagogy. American Educational Research Journal, 32, 465-491.