United States
“Dr. Sonia has mastered her craft of using culturally relevant and responsive pedagogy (CRRP) in helping our students use their identities to understand their own power. For the last two school years, she has helped my Anatomy and Physiology students gain insights into their personal identities through visual arts, while examining their personal beliefs about culture. Students had to look deeply into who they are as individuals and what characteristics make up their identity. Through discussions and modeling, my students were able to not only learn about their own culture, but also about the cultures of their classmates.
Additionally, Dr. Sonia opened our eyes up to the realities of current events happening right here in Rochester. My classes looked into the Black Lives Matter Movement and the police brutality that is not only occurring in our nation, but right here in our own backyard. Our co-planning and co-teaching provided questions and resources that led to great discussions amongst students about the situations we explored. By sharing their views and opinions, I was able to really get a sense of how my students are doing during these turbulent times and how I can step in to support them. Dr. Sonia has a wealth of knowledge and experiences in CRRP, and the impact of having her come in to lead engaging activities and discussions based on real life scenarios is something my students will carry with them into their future.” — E. Boress, Secondary School Science Teacher
