Culturally Responsive Classrooms:
Why Student Centered?
Olanta Creative Arts & Science Magnet School fosters a student-centered approach to teaching in which students’ unique cultural strengths are identified and nurtured to promote student achievement and a sense of well-being about the student’s cultural place in the world. Advisory time is used to explicitly teach cultural competence, confidence, responsibility, respect for self and others, teamwork, assertive behavior, time management, stress management, positive perspectives, study and test-taking techniques, time management, problem solving, and conflict resolution. Culturally responsive learning environments utilize critical thinking and problem solving skills, maximize learner potential, increase academic achievement, and put students are on the path to becoming world class 21st Century citizens.