Being individual and critical is not just our "culture", these are our Western values. And it is our conviction that these values are not only good for the "West" but for the entire world, for these are the values corresponding to human nature. We stand for these values, we fight for these values. Every culture in the World should develop and grow these values. These values started to grow in ancient Greece, which is long gone, and he heritage of ancient Greece is open for everybody to be taken up. Just like the art of writing, which was another major step forward in human development, which was invented first at one place, and then taken up by the entire world.

Therefore, since it is not about culture but about values, it is not possible to put other perspectives on equal foot.

What is possible, though, is integrating other perspectives not on equal foot, but as techniques in the service of individualism and critical thinking. Creating a harmonious society is at least the aim of Western thought, too, though not by mere obedience but by sportive political struggle. An individualism deviating from this aim is exaggerated and is derailing. Learning and authority is a great topic in the West, too, though the aim is not just blind imitation, but more than that. Individualism can derail, if exaggerated, and devotion and humility can help. But the Western humility is inspired by critical thinking, critical against oneself, not inspired by blind obedience and unconditional submission under authorities.

Vira Gorelova American students in a regular classroom setting are more comfortable being taught via traditional lecture method [TLM] of teaching especially in higher education as they are more familiar with it [TLM is more an individualized learning/teaching approach]. On the other hand, they are also curious and eager to learn from their global students counterparts in a mainstreamed multicultural classroom settings. Specifically, to address this enthusiasm in my mainstreamed multicultural classroom, I created art-based research-inquiry-based teaching/learning outdoor education teaching/learning approach in a cooperative-collaborative teaching/learning classroom setting/s in teaching ESL-STEAM [ESL, Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Math] courses in public school in the Bay Area, a sanctuary city in California. Good examples: Geosciences courses such as Earth Science and Geology, Physical Science, Conceptual Physics; Environmental Science, Botany, Life Science, Biology; Integrated Science, and other related disciplines; ESL Reading and Writing, and so on. . .

Vira Gorelova Zoncita D. Norman Thorwald Franke

While culturally responsive teaching (CRT) aims to bridge educational equity gaps, certain implementations risk replacing intellectual empowerment with intellectual avoidance. My concern arises when deference to cultural norms, such as unquestioning acceptance of authority or formulaic imitation—is framed as inherently incompatible with critical analysis, rather than a foundation upon which to build it.

Authentic education requires cognitive friction. When CRT devolves into exempting students from core academic challenges, whether synthesizing original arguments or respectfully contesting authoritative sources—it denies them the neurological growth forged through struggle. This isn’t cultural sensitivity; its pedagogical negligence.

The goal isn’t to erase identity, but to equip students with additional cognitive tools. If a cultural tradition prioritizes harmony over critique, educations role is to teach evidence-based disagreement without betraying core values—precisely because real-world challenges demand such versatility.

We fail students when we:

Mistake transitional scaffolding for permanent accommodation

Confuse emotional safety with intellectual safety

Lower standards rather than building bridges to reach them

Ramanathan & Atkinson rightly note individualism underpins Western academia. But the solution isn’t to abandon critical voice; it’s to teach students how to earn authority within their cultural framework while mastering dominant academic codes. Anything less patronizes learners and betrays educations purpose: forging minds resilient enough to navigate complexity.

Case Study: Colonialism Analysis in History

Student Profile:

A student from an educational tradition emphasizing fixed historical narratives (prioritizing reverence for national stories over critique) struggles with the prompt: Critically evaluate whether British colonial policies improved Indian infrastructure or exploited resources.

Weak Approach (Avoiding Tension):

Given your cultural emphasis on harmonious narratives, you may submit a descriptive report on railway construction instead of taking a position.

Outcome: Student remains confined to knowledge replication without developing evaluative or argumentative skills.

Authentic CRT Approach (Intellectual Bridge-Building):

Leverage Cultural Strength:

Document the British justification for railway projects using colonial sources. How did officials frame this as progress?

(Validates precision in factual recall)

Introduce Cognitive Friction:

Contrast these accounts with Indian perspectives (e.g.,Drain Theory). Identify three contradictions using the framework:

While Source A claims ______, Source B reveals ______ because ______.

Reframe Critique as Rigorous Respect:

True historical respect requires examining all evidence. How might a patriotic Indian historian critique the railways while acknowledging their existence?

(e.g., This infrastructure prioritized extraction over development. A truly honorable policy would have...)

Culturally Attuned Synthesis:

Weave findings through a collective lens:

The railways united Indians not through benevolence, but shared exploitation, ultimately forging the national identity that ended colonialism.

The Core Principle:

Cultural bridging isn’t about lowering standards, it’s about engineering smarter ramps.

Start where students stand (reverence for authority) → equip them to climb (evidence-based analysis) → arrive at synthesis (honoring their voice and academic rigor).

ResearchGate seriously needs to upgrade this text box interface. The current formatting is unacceptable—copying and pasting from MS Office completely distorts spacing and structure, leaving everything cluttered and difficult to read. A more functional interface, similar to what platforms like Brightspace or even Blackboard offer, would be a significant improvement. This issue should be addressed.