At a coaching/mentoring workshop this week, we read Constructive Learning Theory to consider principles of learning for adult learners. As I read the article, I saw a number of connections to Culturally Responsive Learning and the Brain. In the book, Zaretta Hammond writes about Cognitive Routines as processes to make learning meaningful and culturally responsive. In this blog I want to use one of the routines, Similarities and Differences, to connect Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRT) to adult learning.

“Similarities and Differences.
The brain looks for distinctions between the new information and other similar types of objects,
concepts, or events.”
-Zaretta Hammond

A similarity between the article and CRT is “igniting” to call attention to the learning, and having a “hook” to the experience (a provocative question, quote, image, or other media). This helps to establish the why, the relevance of learning and helps the learner connect new learning to their own experiences and interests.

“Therefore any effort to teach must be connected to the state of the learner, must provide a path into the subject for the learner based on that learner’s previous knowledge.”
– George Heine

A second similarity between CRT and the article is the importance of metacognition, thinking about learning. We learn to learn through learning and become more strategic if we are aware of the processes/strategies that work best in each situation. One example is thinking of the structure and organizing information into relationships. Reflection and thinking routines are critical for this work. It is also important for teachers/facilitators to provide multiple opportunities to use strategies in a variety of contexts and to empower learners to use them while providing personalized coaching/support.

A third similarity between the article and CRT is that learning involves language and that learning is social. Note that this doesn’t mean learning is always collaborative. I recognize that we need quiet, focused, individual time to work and reflect. We need a balance. When planning for learning experiences, the teacher or facilitator can think about what language to highlight, how to honor the language that all participants bring and use, collaborative routines to establish equity of voice and support talk to learn more deeply, and reflection.

There are many differences between the book and the article, but I’ve chosen to focus on the similarities to enrich my understanding of learning, teaching, and facilitating.

My Twitter community has been a source of inspiration, connection, and support for me, especially since March 13 when I began working from home. On Friday, one of my favorite leaders, Tsɔɔlɔ Awo asked about how we are processing all the knowledge being shared right now. I’ve heard this expressed by a number of people and appreciate all the responses the tweet raised. This question resonated with me and a big part of why I am writing this blog today. I want to take time to go deeper into what I am learning instead of rushing to learn everything all at once. This work is a marathon, not a sprint.