Dr. DeDe Wohlfarth, Spalding University

Lashawn Ford, MA, Spalding University

Colton Groh, MA, Spalding University

Haleh Jortani, BS, Spalding University

Shanika Goodspeed,MA, Spalding University

Ameenah Ikram, MA, Spalding University

Demi Zoeller, MA, Spalding University

Cultural humility is an alternative paradigm to the prevailing view of multicultural competence. After an interactive explanation of these two views, we will summarize research supporting why evidence-based teaching must also be culturally responsive teaching to maximize the learning of all students, including but not limited to: students of color, LGBTQAI+ students, and students marginalized by society, including females, first generation and low socio-economic status background people. We will (politely) challenge views about colorblindness, culture having nothing to do with hard sciences, misperceptions about students committing more microaggressions than professors. We will encourage participant discussion to explore how culture interacts with the subjects we teach. Understanding the intersection of our course content and privilege, racism, and oppression is a critical step to creating a more level playing field for all students with equal opportunity to resources.

Our presentation will conclude with a list of 12 suggestions of how to put cultural humility into practice in a college classroom, including sharing specific inclusive language to consider using on a syllabus, and tips onbringing up microaggressions in class, handling offensive jokes, crushing imposter syndrome, and managing classroom dynamics when a class has an “only” (a single student representing one marginalized identity.) Our audience will be engaged throughout by short activities, think/pair/shares, an almost word-free/picture-only PowerPoint, multiple presenters representing marginalized identities, relevant personal stories, and high energy/passionate presenters who care enough about our topic to read research about it even during a global pandemic.