All Students Cannot Learn: Bridging the Social, Emotional, and Cultural Gaps for Student Success

Dr. Kellie Sanders & Dr. Kristine Servais

To care for anyone else enough to make their problems one's own, is ever the beginning of one's real ethical development.

Felix Adler

Wake Up Everybody

Who are we?TeachersCounselorsSpecialistsAdministratorsLeadersWho are your facilitators?

Changing our perspectives is like a kaleidoscope because…

with a new vision we can gain new perspectives.

what we look for, is what we see.reflection enlightens our vision.patterns can be changed!change doesn’t occur without action.new perspectives enable us to take

action for change.

The critical question for us today:Can all students learn?

Goals for today Participants will enhance their knowledge and awareness of diversity

and equity in order to improve student success.

Participants will gain an understanding of cultural proficiency, poverty, and social emotional learning that can be applied to the classroom setting.

Participants will engage in actions and strategies that they can

replicate in their own environment.

What we look for is what we see; Recognize the gifts among us.

Opening thought:Consider the Pygmalion Effect

The Pygmalion effect, or Rosenthal effect, refers to the phenomenon in which the greater the expectation placed upon people, often children or

students and employees, the better they perform.

Jane Elliot’s PBS

A Class Divided (Brown Eyes-Blue Eyes Exercise)

www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/divided

“When teachers expect students to do well and show intellectual growth, they do; when teachers do not have such expectations, performance and growth are not so encouraged and may in fact be

discouraged in a variety of ways." (James Rhem)

What do we know about the impact of poverty on students?

Poverty has been analyzed and studied for years. The results are in: poverty impacts the brain. But did you know how it does the damage? Here are six of the many ways:

Nutritional deficits. A myriad of food deficiencies lead to chronic behavioral, emotional and cognitive problems.

Emotional Support. Unfortunately, these students need support the most and often get it the least.

Stress/Distress. There are far more daily stressors for those in poverty and they have fewer resources to deal with them.

Health Issues. A constant challenge for the poor, staying healthy, is but a dream for most. But we know health affects everything.

Cognitive Stimulation. Students of poverty get less frequent and lower levels of quality intellectual fueling.

Safety Issues. These students are chronically unsafe, leading to changes in their brain.

Teaching With Poverty in Mind (Eric Jensen)

The Power of Assets

The Search Institute in Minneapolis conducted a research study of 100,000 students from grade 6-12 in approximately 213 communities across the United States. The institute identified “40 internal and external assets that are important to young people as they face the many challenges they

experience outside of school”.

“Most people can draw on close to 20 assets as the grow up…the more assets they have, the better their chances of avoiding destructive behaviors”.

The Superintendent’s Fieldbook (2005), Cambron-McCabe, Cunningham, Harvey, and Koff

Two Types of Assets

Support: Family, positive family communication, other adult relationships, caring neighborhood, caring school climate, parent involvement in school

Empowerment: Community values youth, youth as resources, service to others, safety

Boundaries/Expectations: Family rules and consequences, school rules and consequences, neighborhood responsibility, adult role models, positive peer influence, high expectations

Constructive use of time: Creative activities, youth programs, religious community, time at home

Commitment to learning: Achievement motivation, school engagement, homework (1hr. Each day), bonding to school, reading for pleasure

Positive Values: Caring for others, equality and social justice, integrity (stands up for beliefs), honesty, responsibility, restraint

Social Competencies: Planning and decision making, interpersonal competence, cultural competence, resistance skills, peaceful conflict resolution

Positive Identity: Person power, self-esteem, sense of purpose, positive view of personal future.

The Superintendent’s Fieldbook (2005), Cambron-McCabe, Cunningham, Harvey, and Koff

The Power of Assets

Behaviors Youth with 0-10 Assets

Youth with 11-20 Assets

Youth with 21-30 Assets

Youth with 31-40 Assets

- Alcohol use 53% 30% 11% 3%

- Illicit drug use 42% 19% 6% 1%

- Sexual activity 33% 21% 10% 3%

- Violence 61% 35% 16% 6%

+ Succeed in school

7% 19% 35% 53%

+ Value diversity 34% 53% 69% 87%

+ Maintain good health

25% 46% 69% 88%

+ Delay gratification

27% 42% 56% 72%

The Superintendent’s Fieldbook (2005), Cambron-McCabe, Cunningham, Harvey, and Koff

Insider-Outside Activity

How did it feel as an insider? Outsider?

Who are YOUR insiders and outsiders?

How do we ensure that all those who perceive themselves to be outsiders can change their perspective?

Reflections on the Insider-Outside Activity

What are the social and emotional needs of students in poverty?

How could the Social-Emotional standards be a tool for teachers?

Social Emotional Learning (SEL)

SEL is a process for helping children and even adults develop the fundamental skills for life effectiveness. SEL teaches the skills we all need to handle ourselves, our relationships, and our work, effectively and ethically.

Standards:1. Self-awareness and Self-management

2. Social awareness and Relationship skills

3. Responsible behavior and decision-making

http://www.isbe.state.il.us/ils/social_emotional/standards.htm

Equity and SEL Carousel Activity(Pair-Share Conversation)

A. In what ways will we use the social emotional standards in our classrooms to help our students feel a part of the school community?

B. What actions have you or will you take to help faculty better understand and be sensitive to equity and social emotional learning?

C. In what ways does your staff demonstrate an inclusive learning environment for parents and all stakeholders?

D. What actions will you take to improve educational equity?

1. Each team will select a poster question and identify as many responses as possible.

2. Teams will record their responses on each poster using a designated (colored) marker.

3. Each team will rotate to the remaining posters and attempt to add responses not already identified with other posted questions.

4. Each team will report back the responses they contributed to their original posted question.

5. Discuss the overall results of the activity.

In what ways could this activity be used with your faculty?

Sample Carousel Activity

Identify parent needs during parent-

teacher conferencesBuild and sustain relationships with familiesWay Finding in our BuildingsEase of communication for our bilingual parents

(discuss learning phrases for PTO meeting and having an interpreter).

Other Suggestions

How can SEL be a tool with parents?

Cultural Proficiency Continuum

Cultural Proficiency Continuum

Cultural Destructiveness: leading in a way that you seek to eliminate others cultures in all aspects of the school.

Cultural Incapacity: leading in a way that you trivialize other cultures and seek to make the culture of others appear to be wrong.

Cultural Blindness: leading where you don’t see or acknowledge the culture of others and you choose to ignore the discrepant experiences of cultures within your school.

Cultural Proficient Leadership, Terrell & Lindsey, p. 18

Cultural Proficiency Continuum

Cultural Pre-competence: Leading with an increasing awareness of what you and the school don’t know about working in diverse settings.

Cultural Competence: Leading with your personal values and behaviors and the school’s policies and practices being aligned in a manner that is inclusive with cultures that are new or different from you and the school.

Cultural Proficiency: Leading as an advocate for life-long learning with the purpose of being increasingly effective in serving the educational needs of cultural groups.

Cultural Proficient Leadership, Terrell & Lindsey, p. 18

Barriers to Cultural Proficiency

Resistance to ChangeSystems of OppressionA Sense of Privilege and Entitlement *****************************Barriers are manifested in these type of statements:

It is not me that needs to change. I have been a successful teacher for years. These parents need to get a clue.

P. 72 Culturally Proficient Learning Communities

Provide examples for where your school or department is

on this continuum?

Hand up-Pair up. Discuss.

Forced Choice Activity

Conduct Activity. Pause. Rewind. Reflect on your Choices.

Discuss how this activity can be used with your faculty.

The Essential Elements for Culturally Proficient Practices

• Assess cultural knowledge: What do we need to do in order to be effective in cross-cultural situations?

• Valuing Diversity: Create informal and formal decision-making groups that are inclusive of everyone’s viewpoints and experiences.

• Managing the Differences: Model problem solving and conflict resolution strategies.

• Adapting to Diversity: Demonstrate your ability to use others’ cultural experiences in all school settings.

• Institutionalizing Cultural Knowledge: Make learning about cultural groups and experiences an integral part of the professional development within your school setting.

Cultural Proficient Leadership (Terrell & Lindsey), p. 19

Cultural Proficiency Practices

Pair share

What are your school’s cultural proficiencies?

What areas would you like to improve?

Diversity Awareness Activities

• Wake Up Everybody Video and Discussion• Blue Eyes/Brown Eyes Video and Discussion• Forced Choice Activity• On The Line ActivityFreedom Writers Video Clip of On-The-Line• Carousel Activity on Cultural Diversity• Faculty Book Talk

What commitment will you make (in the next 48 hours) to further diversity, equity, or social emotional

learning in your schools?

View The Class Divided Video as a facultyConduct a book study with your team.Get parents involved in planning and implementing SEL

in your school.Conduct some of the activities introduced during this

session.Utilize staff meetings/learning sessions to provide for

conversations and engaged learning experiences to improve cultural proficiency.

Discuss and apply the cultural proficient

practices

Resources List (Book Talk)

Educational Leadership: Confronting the Racism of LowExpectations, http://www.ascd.org/authors/ed_lead/el200411_landsman.html

Lindsey, D., Jungwirth, L., Pahl, J., Lindsey, R. (2009). Culturally Proficient Learning Communities

Lyman, L. and Villani, C. (2004). Best leadership practices for high poverty schools.

Jensen, Eric (2011). Teaching with Poverty in Mind

Singleton, G. and Linton, C. (2006). Courageous Conversations About Race.

Social and Emotional Standards: http://www.isbe.state.il.us/ils/social_emotional/standards.htm

Terrell, R and Lindsey, R. ( 2009). Culturally Proficient Leadership: The Personal Journey Begins Within .

How will you and your staff take action to improve educational equity?

Jot down some promises that you will make to yourself to implement more

equitable educational practices.

Did we Accomplished Our Goals for Today?

Participants will enhance their knowledge and awareness of diversity and equity in order to improve student success.

Participants will gain an understanding of cultural proficiency, poverty, and social emotional learning that can be applied to the classroom setting.

Participants will engage in actions and strategies that they can replicate in their own environment.

What is an idea or activity you will put

into action after today?

Contact Information

Dr. Kristine Servais, kservais@noctrl.edu

630-637-5746

Dr. Kellie Sanders, ksanders@psd202.org

815-439-2885Check it out:

http://www.courage-to-lead.com

The Courage to Lead, available

The Courage to Grow, Feb. 2012