Creating Unbiased Culturally Responsive Health Classroom

Abstract

As educators it is our job to give students the most efficient opportunity to be successful. Not only do educators teach curriculums, but they also teach life lessons, cognitive, and social skills. This capstone project aims to inform educators on how to incorporate a culturally responsive framework to a health curriculum. Since, English language learners (ELLs) find it difficult to relate to material within the curriculum due to different experiences. In fact, to build opportunities for all our students is important to build an environment where all students feel comfortable, connected, involved, and valued. Health is a class that provides knowledge of health and safety to students. This capstone includes a professional development to teachers on how they can be culturally responsive with the context and topics that are covered in the curriculum. Therefore, the PD strives for teachers to be aware of different cultural views when teachings. Since the research shows that students are more responsible, respected, and engaged when their teachers are intuitive with them. In New York State it is required that in Middle School all students complete 54 hours of health class and high schoolers a health credit is a requirement for graduation. To ensure our students' success, this capstone proposes developing a more culturally responsive framework for health class for middle school curriculum.