This brief discusses how teaching and learning can be understood as two interconnected "cultural" endeavors that support learning, particularly for Students of Color. Although culture can be a powerful idea to bring to teaching and learning, it can also be confusing. Teaching and learning are undoubtedly connected activities, yet they…

The "IDRA Newsletter" serves as a vehicle for communication with educators, school board members, decision-makers, parents, and the general public concerning the educational needs of all children across the United States. This issue is a commemorative issue. Contents include: (1) A Tribute to Dr. María "Cuca" Robledo Montecel:…

The underrepresentation of students from historically marginalized populations--including English language learners, twice-exceptional students, culturally and linguistically diverse students, and economically disadvantaged students--in our gifted programs and services continues to be a critical issue in education. The importance of a caring and…

In his new book, Michael Vavrus helps readers better understand why issues of diversity and difference are so highly contested in the United States and across the globe. Vavrus incorporates specific education examples throughout the text to examine six contested areas: race and ethnicity; socioeconomic class and culture; multicultural and ethnic…

Many minority groups in the United States tend to struggle in school. One reason minority students are likely to encounter more problems in schools than mainstream students involves incomplete knowledge of minority students' learning and communication styles. Authors such as Banks (2006) and Pewewardy (2008) emphasize that minority students differ…

Students in public schools nationwide are becoming more diverse. By 2020, students of color will account for 50% of the school population, while teachers will likely remain predominantly White and female. The cultural gap between students and teachers will continue to present numerous obstacles for students of color to succeed at school. As a…

Becoming a culturally responsive educator has been at the forefront of the movement to reduce inappropriate referrals to special education and disproportionate representation of students of color within special education. However, for many educators, working with a diverse student population can be more difficult when the student comes from a…

Middle school is a time of many changes for young adolescents. They are "searching for individual identity, struggling with society's norms, and grappling with moral issues." They are changing and maturing physically, cognitively, socially, and psychologically as they develop their identities; establish, maintain, and end friendships and social…

As the minority population and achievement gap in the United States continue to grow, the rapidly increasing epidemic of leaving English-language learners (ELLs) behind is one of grave concern for educators. Due to disparities between academic Discourses and ELLs' primary Discourse, a free and equal education, as claimed by the U.S. government,…

Culturally responsive instruction appears to offer the potential to improve students' academic achievement and chances for success in school. However, it is not easy to see how culturally responsive instruction can be applied, especially in classrooms with students of many different cultural and linguistic backgrounds. In the first section of this…

While many institutions have developed policies to address the myriad needs of Millennial college students and their parents, inherent in many of these initiatives is the underlying assumption that this student population is a homogeneous group. This book is significant because it addresses and explores the characteristics and experiences of…

This four-part study of the educational concerns of ethnic minority groups in the United States by the National Education Association (NEA) comprises the following parts: (1) American Indian/Alaskan Native Concerns; (2) Asian and Pacific Islander Concerns; (3) Black Concerns; and (4) Hispanic Concerns. Goals are the following: (1) specify the…

The manual describes implementation of Project STEP (Strategies for Targeting Early Potential), designed to identify potentially gifted minority children in kindergarten and grade 1. The objective is an enriched educational program with which to identify students whose language, cultural, or economic differences may limit the validity of…

Gives examples of classroom organization and instructional techniques that use, rather than ignore, subcultural differences in learning styles in order to increase minorities' achievement in mathematics. (GC)

These guidelines for developing cooperative parent-teacher relationships first identify counterproductive practices (such as forcing the parents of children with disabilities into predetermined roles) and then explain helpful strategies, including developing an atmosphere of trust and respect, working toward a truly collaborative relationship, and…