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Cultural ProficiencyCultural Proficiency

Tools for School LeadersTools for School Leaders

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Your FacilitatorsYour Facilitators

Kikanza Nuri Robins, EdDKikanza Nuri Robins, EdD Principal, The Robins GroupPrincipal, The Robins Group

Randall B. Lindsey, PhDRandall B. Lindsey, PhD Interim Dean, California Lutheran UniversityInterim Dean, California Lutheran University

Associate, The Robins GroupAssociate, The Robins Group

Co-Authors of the Co-Authors of the Cultural Proficiency Cultural Proficiency books books (Corwin Press)(Corwin Press)

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Cultural ProficiencyCultural Proficiency

A mind set; a way of beingA mind set; a way of being

The use of specific tools The use of specific tools

PoliciesPolicies and and practicespractices within organizations within organizations

ValuesValues and and behaviorsbehaviors of individuals of individuals

The gift of Terry CrossThe gift of Terry Cross A Culturally Competent System of Care, 1989A Culturally Competent System of Care, 1989

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An Inside-Out ApproachAn Inside-Out Approach

Tied to your core valuesTied to your core values Using your organizational structure Using your organizational structure

and systemsand systems Described with your languageDescribed with your language Building on your organizational norms Building on your organizational norms

and traditionsand traditions Infused, transformed, and bolstered Infused, transformed, and bolstered

with the tools of Cultural Proficiencywith the tools of Cultural Proficiency

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Cultural Proficiency Cultural Proficiency HelpsHelps

To create learning communitiesTo create learning communitiesamong and between educators and among and between educators and studentsstudents

To align your values and To align your values and educational philosophies with your educational philosophies with your daily practicesdaily practices

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A Moral Frame for A Moral Frame for TeachingTeaching

A commitment to practice in an exemplary A commitment to practice in an exemplary wayway

A commitment to practice toward valued A commitment to practice toward valued societal endssocietal ends

A commitment not only to one’s own A commitment not only to one’s own practice, but to the practice itselfpractice, but to the practice itself

A commitment to sharing knowledge and A commitment to sharing knowledge and skills with other professionalsskills with other professionals

A commitment to the ethic of caringA commitment to the ethic of caringSergiovanni, 1994Sergiovanni, 1994

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Education Education in and for Democracyin and for Democracy

The best case for public education has always The best case for public education has always been that it is a common good.been that it is a common good.

As the main institution for fostering social As the main institution for fostering social cohesion in an increasingly diverse society, cohesion in an increasingly diverse society, publicly funded schools must serve all children, publicly funded schools must serve all children, not simply those with the loudest or most not simply those with the loudest or most powerful advocates. This means addressing the powerful advocates. This means addressing the cognitive and social needs of all children, with an cognitive and social needs of all children, with an emphasis on including those who may not have emphasis on including those who may not have been well served in the past.been well served in the past.

Michael Fullan, Michael Fullan, The Moral Imperative of School LeadershipThe Moral Imperative of School Leadership

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Major Equity EventsMajor Equity Events

Mendez vs. Westminster - 1947Mendez vs. Westminster - 1947 Brown vs. Topeka Board of Education Brown vs. Topeka Board of Education

- 1954- 1954 School desegregation casesSchool desegregation cases Public School Accountability Act - Public School Accountability Act -

19991999 No Child Left Behind - 2002No Child Left Behind - 2002

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The Tools of The Tools of Cultural ProficiencyCultural Proficiency

The ContinuumThe Continuum Language for describing both healthy and non-Language for describing both healthy and non-

productive policies, practices and individual behaviorsproductive policies, practices and individual behaviors The Essential ElementsThe Essential Elements

Behavioral standards for measuring, and planning for, Behavioral standards for measuring, and planning for, growth toward cultural proficiencygrowth toward cultural proficiency

The BarriersThe Barriers Caveats that assist in responding effectively to Caveats that assist in responding effectively to

resistance to changeresistance to change   The Guiding PrinciplesThe Guiding Principles

Underlying values of the approachUnderlying values of the approach

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The ContinuumThe Continuum

There are six points There are six points along the cultural along the cultural proficiency proficiency continuum that continuum that indicate unique ways indicate unique ways of perceiving and of perceiving and responding to responding to differences.differences.

Cultural Cultural destructivenessdestructiveness

Cultural incapacityCultural incapacity Cultural blindnessCultural blindness Cultural Cultural

pre-competencepre-competence Cultural Cultural

competencecompetence Cultural Cultural

proficiencyproficiency

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The Power of ContextThe Power of Context

It is not the heroic actions of tackling It is not the heroic actions of tackling complex societal problems that count; complex societal problems that count; instead, “the power of context says instead, “the power of context says that what really matters is the little that what really matters is the little things.”things.”

Fullan 2003Fullan 2003

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ActivityActivityWords often used Words often used

to describe some groups and implied terms for to describe some groups and implied terms for othersothers

InferiorInferior Culturally deprivedCulturally deprived Culturally Culturally

disadvantageddisadvantaged DeficientDeficient DifferentDifferent DiverseDiverse Third worldThird world MinorityMinority UnderclassUnderclass PoorPoor Unskilled workersUnskilled workers

SuperiorSuperior PrivilegedPrivileged AdvantagedAdvantaged NormalNormal SimilarSimilar UniformUniform First worldFirst world MajorityMajority Upper classUpper class Middle classMiddle class LeadersLeaders

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ActivityActivity

Examples along the ContinuumExamples along the Continuum Reflect on comments you have heard, Reflect on comments you have heard,

situations you have experienced, and situations you have experienced, and events you have observedevents you have observed

Where would you place them on the Where would you place them on the continuum?continuum?

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Research-Based Pedagogy for Research-Based Pedagogy for Narrowing the Achievement Narrowing the Achievement

GapGap Teachers have a clear sense of their own Teachers have a clear sense of their own

cultural identities.cultural identities.

Teachers communicate high expectations Teachers communicate high expectations for learning and a belief that all students for learning and a belief that all students can succeed.can succeed.

Teachers are committed to achieving Teachers are committed to achieving equity for all students and believe they are equity for all students and believe they are capable of making a difference in capable of making a difference in students’ learning.students’ learning.

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Narrowing the Gap, Narrowing the Gap, continuedcontinued

Teachers cease seeing students as Teachers cease seeing students as the the other.other.

Teachers provide academically challenging Teachers provide academically challenging curriculum that includes the development curriculum that includes the development of higher-level cognitive skills.of higher-level cognitive skills.

Teachers guide students to create Teachers guide students to create meaning about content in interactive, meaning about content in interactive, collaborative environments.collaborative environments.

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Narrowing the Gap, Narrowing the Gap, continuedcontinued

Teachers provide learning tasks that Teachers provide learning tasks that students see as meaningful.students see as meaningful.

Teachers provide a curriculum with Teachers provide a curriculum with multiple perspectives.multiple perspectives.

Teachers scaffold new and challenging Teachers scaffold new and challenging curriculum to existing student resources curriculum to existing student resources and knowledge.and knowledge.

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Narrowing the Gap, Narrowing the Gap, continuedcontinued

Teachers explicitly teach students to know Teachers explicitly teach students to know and maintain a sense of ethno-cultural pride and maintain a sense of ethno-cultural pride and identity.and identity.

Teachers encourage parents and community Teachers encourage parents and community to become partners in students' education.to become partners in students' education.

Parents are given a significant voice in making Parents are given a significant voice in making decisions related to school programs and decisions related to school programs and resources.resources.

B. Williams, B. Williams, Closing the Achievement GapClosing the Achievement Gap, 2003, 2003

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The Essential ElementsThe Essential Elements

The Essential The Essential Elements of cultural Elements of cultural proficiency provide proficiency provide the standards for the standards for individual behavior individual behavior and organizational and organizational practicespractices

1.1. Assessing Assessing CultureCulture Naming Naming the differencesthe differences

2.2. Valuing Valuing DiversityDiversity Claiming the Claiming the differencesdifferences

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The Essential ElementsThe Essential Elements (cont.)(cont.)

3.3. Managing the Dynamics of DifferenceManaging the Dynamics of Difference – – Reframing the differencesReframing the differences

4.4. Adapting to DiversityAdapting to Diversity - - Training about the differencesTraining about the differences

5.5. Institutionalizing Cultural KnowledgeInstitutionalizing Cultural Knowledge – – Changing for differencesChanging for differences

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ActivityActivity

Making Room at the TableMaking Room at the Table Examine a few of the tables at which Examine a few of the tables at which

you sit.you sit. How did you get there?How did you get there? Do you have a voice?Do you have a voice? How do you help or hinder others who How do you help or hinder others who

want to sit at the table?want to sit at the table?

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The BarriersThe Barriers

The barriers to The barriers to cultural proficiency cultural proficiency are systemic are systemic privilege and privilege and resistance to changeresistance to change

The presumption The presumption of entitlementof entitlement

Systems of Systems of oppressionoppression

Unawareness of Unawareness of the need to the need to adaptadapt

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The Guiding PrinciplesThe Guiding Principles

The Guiding Principles The Guiding Principles are the core values, the are the core values, the foundation upon which foundation upon which the approach is builtthe approach is built

Culture is a Culture is a predominant forcepredominant force

People are served in People are served in varying degrees by varying degrees by the dominant culturethe dominant culture

Acknowledge group Acknowledge group identitiesidentities

Diversity within Diversity within cultures is importantcultures is important

Respect unique Respect unique cultural needscultural needs

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Courageous LeadershipCourageous Leadership

There are many persons ready to do what is There are many persons ready to do what is right because in their hearts they know it is right because in their hearts they know it is right. But they hesitate, waiting for the right. But they hesitate, waiting for the other [one] to make the first move – and other [one] to make the first move – and [the other], in turn, waits for you. The [the other], in turn, waits for you. The minute a person whose word means a great minute a person whose word means a great deal dares to take the openhearted and deal dares to take the openhearted and courageous way, many others follow. courageous way, many others follow.

Marian Anderson, 1956Marian Anderson, 1956

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The Moral ImperativeThe Moral Imperative

Listening . . . requires not only open Listening . . . requires not only open eyes and ears, but open hearts and eyes and ears, but open hearts and minds. We do not really see through minds. We do not really see through our eyes or hear through our ears, but our eyes or hear through our ears, but through our beliefs. . . . It is not easy, through our beliefs. . . . It is not easy, but it is the only way to learn what it but it is the only way to learn what it might feel like to be someone else and might feel like to be someone else and the only way to start the dialogue.the only way to start the dialogue.

Lisa DelpitLisa Delpit

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A Culturally Proficient A Culturally Proficient VisionVision

Equity will be a reality when children from Equity will be a reality when children from

minority racial, cultural, socio-economic, minority racial, cultural, socio-economic,

and linguistic backgrounds experience and linguistic backgrounds experience

statistically similar rates of meeting high statistically similar rates of meeting high

standards as do children from the majority standards as do children from the majority

culture.culture.

Bay Area Educational Equity Task ForceBay Area Educational Equity Task Force