Honoring Language, Honoring Students: Culturally Responsive Education in Action

Welcome to another episode of The Silk Stocking Sisters Podcast. Today, we welcome our special guest, Ms. Patricia Meidel, who shares her lived experiences growing up Puerto Rican in Jersey City during the 1960s and 1970s. Ms. Meidel offers a firsthand perspective on the challenges faced by Puerto Rican families in the education system during a time when language differences were often misunderstood and unfairly punished. Speaking only Spanish as a child, Ms. Meidel reflects on her early education in a Catholic elementary school and the challenges she faced due to a language barrier, including being punished rather than supported while learning English. She recalls the traumatic experience of being hit with a pointer by a teacher as a means of teaching English. She discusses how many students were mislabeled as special education or held back academically, not due to a lack of ability, but because they did not speak English. Language difference was too often mistaken for a lack of intelligence. Despite these barriers, Ms. Meidels mother strongly valued education and ensured her children had access to learning opportunities.Ms. Meidel later became an educator, teaching both bilingual and special education and bringing advocacy and lived understanding into her classroom. Dr. Canada adds insight from her own experience, emphasizing the importance of culturally responsive teaching as a foundation for student success. Together, they remind us that the fight for educational equity continues and that this history makes clear why culturally responsive education matters.Tune in and be sure to subscribe to The Silk Stocking Sisters Podcast on the ALIVE Podcast Network app for more episodes!