Making Race Matter

The article by Cheryl Curtis entitled "Culturally Responsive Curriculum: Making Race Matter" was interesting for several reasons. I love her insistence on acknowledging the significance of race. She brings out how well-intentioned comments she frequently hears from her students such as "I don't see color" are borderline racist, as it strips her of a major part of her identity. The author brings out how teachers and students are “racial and racialized” beings, and how race impacts curriculum in many ways, including whose version of history is told. The article also touches on an unfortunate trend that is a focal point of our project: "Knowledge was suddenly about information only… it had no relation to how one lived, behaved.”

I also appreciate how the article brings out the effect of “flavors of the month” learning, such as Black History or Women’s History Month. These are certainly good foundations of a culturally responsive curriculum, but by relegating these lessons to specific times, we in fact perpetuate dominant positions.