WCSD Cultural Competency Course

1. WCSD Cultural Competency Course May 5, 2011 Facilitator: Annette Duncan

2. Today�s Learning Objectives To raise awareness of the systemic and institutionalized racism that exists in our educational systems. To reflect on how our own personal practices may effect student achievement. To recognize that classroom teachers are the #1 determiner of students� success.

3. ????? Who Am I? ????? Take two minutes to complete this statement using as many descriptors as you can think of: I AM______________ ______________

4. Complexity of Identity(Beverly Daniel-Tatum) After completing the self-characteristics exercise, the author over the years has noticed these tendencies: Students of color usually mention their race or ethnic group. Whites from strong ethnic backgrounds occasionally mention Irish or Italian. Women usually mention female. Men generally don�t mention their maleness. Jewish students often mention they are Jewish. Mainstream Protestant students rarely mention their religious affiliation. A comfortable student may mention gay, lesbian, or heterosexual although it is rare for one to mention heterosexual.

5. Complexity of Identity People are commonly defined on the basis of: Race or Ethnicity Gender Religion Sexual Orientation Socio-Economic Status Age Physical or Mental Ability

6. Complexity of Identity Each of these categories has a form of oppression: Race or Ethnicity: Racism Gender: Sexism Religion: Religious Oppression/Anti-Semitism Sexual Orientation: Heterosexism Socio-Economic Status: Classism Age: Ageism Physical or Mental Ability: Ableism

7. Domination and Subordination American Norm: White, Thin, Male, Young, Heterosexual, Christian, Financially Secure Dominate Group: Holds the power in society. Determines how power and authority are used. Determines who gets the best jobs. Determines whose history is taught in school. Determines whose relationships are validated. Greatest influence determining society�s structure.

8. Domination and Subordination Subordinate Group: ~Internalizes images that Dominant�s reflect back to them. ~Find it difficult to believe in their own ability. ~Demonstrate positive qualities believed to be more characteristic of Dominants. ~Well informed about the Dominant group. ~On the receiving end of prejudice and racism.

9. What can educators do? As educators, knowing that Subordinate groups deal with these issues, what can we do to change these power systems within our own classrooms and school buildings? Knowing that the Subordinate culture is well-informed about the Dominant culture, what can we do to become more informed about all cultures?

10. Evidence of a Culturally Competent Educator Demonstrate knowledge of students� backgrounds. Understand the effect of cultural experience on how students construct knowledge. Understand aspects of their own culture that facilitate or hinder communication with their own or other cultural groups. Understand the effect of racism on all students.

11. Racism Racism is a system of advantage based on race. It is a system of prejudice plus social power. Being in the Dominant group leads to greater access to cultural, social, economic resources, as well as decision-making. (White Privilege) Racism is a system involving cultural messages, institutional policies, and practices as well as beliefs and actions of individuals. This system clearly advantages Whites and is to the disadvantage of people of color.

12. Why Discuss Racism? Every social indicator from salary to life expectancy reveals the advantages of being white. Why might someone still ask if racism still exists? Prejudice is an integral part of our society. It�s not our fault, but is our responsibility to respond to White racism. Are you reinforcing negative messages from our culture or are you challenging them? What can you do at an individual level? At a building level?

13. Costs of Racism Whites suffer from the costs of racism also. The economic costs are real and measurable. Discuss: 1. Productivity lowered by racial tensions in the workplace. 2. Real Estate equity lost through housing discrimination. 3. Tax revenue lost in underemployed communities of color. 4. The high cost of warehousing human talent in prison. Discuss Active vs. Passive Racism Teachers who fail to close the achievement gap are held more accountable for becoming culturally competent.

14. Poverty in the United States We cannot look at poverty without looking at the impact of racism on people in poverty. Capitalism and Classism have created poverty in the United States. Do not use a deficit model to work on a plan for your students. Students are not monolithic. In 1786, Blacks were seen by our government as 3/5 of a person. Ironically, Blacks today make 3/5 the salary of Whites. Historically, much has changed. Much has not.

15. What can WE do to close achievement gaps? Clarify what each student is expected to learn. Monitor each student�s learning on a timely basis. Create systems to insure students receive additional time and support if they are not learning. Align all resources to support student learning. Examine all of the practices, policies, and procedures of the school in light of their impact on student learning. Understand how a students� background knowledge can be an asset in every classroom.

16. Do we really believe that ALL students can learn? What is it we expect them to learn? How will we know when they have learned it? How will we respond when they don�t learn it? Who will we blame if they don�t learn it? Teachers can no longer continue to blame parents, administrators, or their paycheck for low achievement within their classroom.

17. What are our expectations for ALL? Do you perceive your students as convicts, criminals, and hoods or as dentists, doctors, and lawyers? ~Jawanza Kunjufu I learned long ago in my own classroom that if I treat kids like hoodlums and thugs they will rarely disappoint, but if I treat them as scholars and ethicists, valued and valuable, they can just as easily stretch and grow into people of values. ~William Ayers

18. Is this a new issue? �Schools bring little influence to bear on a child�s achievement that is independent of his background and general social context; this very lack of an independent effect means that the inequalities imposed on children by their home, neighborhood, and peer environment are carried along to become the inequalities with which they confront adult life at the end of school. For equality of educational opportunity must imply a strong effect of schools that is independent of the child�s immediate environment, and that strong independent effect is not present in American schools.� Professor James Coleman, 1966

19. Schools Can Make a Difference An Effective School is a school that can, in measured student achievement terms, demonstrate the joint presence of quality and equity. Said another way, an Effective School is a school that can, in measured student achievement terms and reflective of its �learning for all� mission, demonstrate high overall levels of achievement and no gaps in the distribution of that achievement across major subsets of the student population.

20. Characteristics of Effective Schools Clear and focused mission Urgency regarding Learning for ALL Strong instructional leadership Safe and orderly environment CLIMATE OF HIGH EXPECTATIONS Opportunity to learn & student time on task Frequent monitoring of student progress Positive home-school relationship

21. Commonalities in Effective Schools Practices, not programs! Not dependent on budget Collaboration is �the way to do business� Collective responsibility for students Relentless pursuit of success Teachers who believe ALL students can learn!

22. Master Teachers Checklist~Dr. Jawanza Kunjufu The most significant characteristic of Master Teachers is not their race or gender but the expectations they have of their students. Students need teachers who will make them learn. A multicultural teacher must have multicultural values. Teach on your feet, not in your seat. If you listen and observe children, they will tell you how to teach them.

23. �Master Teachers� List cont� It�s a teacher�s job to inspire students-especially if they lack the motivation to learn. Telling is not teaching. I don�t become what I think I can, I don�t become what you think I can, I become what I think you think I can. Understand the difficulties your students have in the community and at home, but refuse to victimize them further by making excuses for them in the classroom. If a student has not learned, the educator has not taught.

24. �Master Teachers� List cont� NO SIGNIFICANT LEARNING OCCURS WITHOUT A SIGNIFICANT RELATIONSHIP. The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires. Effective teachers use a relevant curriculum that involves critical thinking, and pedagogy that will produce tomorrow�s leaders. You can�t teach what you don�t care about to people you don�t care about. In the ideal classroom, teachers and students listen to each other and work together on REAL problems. Teachers become facilitators and students discover answers.

25. Teachers who say �I�m Color-Blind� �Given the significance of race and color in American society, it is impossible to believe that a classroom teacher does not notice the race and ethnicity of the children she is teaching. By not claiming to notice, the teacher is saying that she is dismissing one of the most salient features of the child�s identity and that she does not account for it in her curricular planning and instruction.� ~Ladson-Billings

26. What is Culture? Everything you believe and everything you do that identifies you as a member of a group. Cultures reflect the belief systems and behaviors informed by ethnicity as well as other sociological factors we previously discussed such as gender, age, sexual orientation and physical ability.

27. Culture All people have culture. All communities have a culture. Diversity within cultures is vast and significant. Be careful to not generalize. People are served in varying degrees by the Dominant culture. Culture is �how� we live.

28. Impact of Culture on Teaching Knowing now what culture is: How does culture impact teaching and learning? What barriers to culturally competent teaching have you experienced? What impact do teacher beliefs and attitudes have on student achievement?

29. Cultural Competency The awareness of ones own cultural background has been consistently identified in the literature as CRITICAL to the process of acquiring cultural competence. Our district is becoming more diverse. Our achievement gap is unacceptable.

30. How to demonstrate that we are culturally competent educators: Personal recognition and acceptance that all cultures influence on our lives, not just the Dominant culture. Personal awareness that oppression and racism is pervasive in our society and our history. Acceptance that there are cultural differences and we need to learn to respect what we may not understand. Pursue needed information about your students. Classrooms should represent a democracy.

31. Democracy means the inclusion of all people in the process of decision making. Continue to question: Who is still excluded? Who is still being exploited? Who remains unseen? Who is still experiencing systemic racism? Who is and is not represented in our schools? What does our data show us? Why? What is the hidden curriculum? Discuss.

32. Goals and Aspirations What are your personal or professional goals for getting the most out of this workshop in the hopes of raising student achievement through culturally relevant practices?

33. What Can We Do Now? READ- search for literature that accurately represents the true history of America. Schedule Home Visits early on next year. Attend your students� events. Be visible. Ask questions of parents, colleagues� Reflect on your own beliefs and value systems. Reassess your room�s materials, books, visuals. TREAT AND SPEAK TO YOUR STUDENTS AS YOU WOULD YOUR OWN CHILDREN.

34. References/Suggested Book List Black Students, Middle Class Teachers by Jawanza Kunjufu Dreamkeepers by Gloria Ladson-Billings Why Are All The Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? by Beverly Daniel Tatum Uprooting Racism by Paul Kivel An African Centered Response to Ruby Payne�s Poverty Theory by Jawanza Kunjufu Raising Black Students� Achievement by Johnnie McKinley �Creating Multicultural Learning Communities� article by Sonia Nieto �You�ll Be Safe Here� article by William Ayers �Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack� article on White Privilege by McIntosh Other People�s Children by Lisa Delpit Savage Inequalities by Jonathan Kozol www.LeadandLearn.com