Teacher education programs (TEPs) are responsible for preparing educators to use and align pedagogical approaches that are conducive for student learning regardless of race, class, ethnicity, gender or socioeconomic status. Drawing from seminal literature on teacher preparation, this conceptual manuscript examined microaffirmations as a culturally relevant approach for K-12 instruction. The authors highlight the intersections of instructional climate and instruction in English Language Arts as compared to classical literature regarding student affirming theoretical frameworks to contextualize engaging pedagogy. The findings suggest that within classrooms, microaffirmations have the ability to significantly affect both student and teacher development. The implications and recommendations are provided to strengthen the use of microaffirmation approaches to support academic growth for K-12 underserved student populations.