During the week from October 5th to 12th, JUMP welcomed Ahma, a professional photographer and educator from a German Volkshochschule, who participated in the training session “Teaching in a Global Cultural Class environment: the Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRT) approach”.
The first day focused on the topic of Globalisation and multicultural classrooms. Through the analysis of a gallery of newspaper photographs, the participant reflected on the lens through which we perceive the world, and how this perspective shapes our behaviour. The session provided space for the teacher to examine his own cultural identity, and to reflect on the concepts of privilege and cultural recognition. The discussion also delved into how the photographic camera can act as a powerful tool for cultural narration, interpretation, and representation, carrying a great potential for shaping narratives.
On the second day, the training explored the meaning of stereotypes and their impact on intercultural exchanges. Through a critical comparison with photography, the teacher was invited to reflect on key questions:
How can photography challenge stereotypes?
Who holds the power in cultural representation?
These reflections led to an acknowledgment of the photographer’s responsibility in choosing what stories to tell and how to tell them, either empowering or disempowering the subjects and their cultural identities. As the CRT approach was further deepened, we reflected on the importance of knowing his students, their families, and cultural communities, while adopting an affirming and inclusive teaching attitude.
The third day was dedicated to developing cross-cultural communication skills, with a particular focus on how many communication barriers are actually culturally rooted. Special emphasis was placed on the constructivist and non-formal education approaches as effective tools for creating inclusive classrooms, leveraging students’ prior knowledge and encouraging critical thinking and active learning.
Applying the CRT approach to photography proved to be a natural and inspiring step. The teacher was deeply engaged by the themes of the training and began thinking about a project aimed at helping his students explore their own cultural identities through the photographic lens. As a first step in this creative journey, he spent time capturing the “cultural soul” of Soverato through his own eyes during an outdoor photo session, collecting material and inspiration for the future implementation of his project in Germany.
Words cloud: social background, diversity, communication, understanding, adaptation, cultural richness integration, individualism, change of perspective, respect, family, involvement, participation.
Author: Giusy Froio (JUMP trainer)
