Culturally Proficient Practice

1. Culturally Proficient Practice York Region District School Board School Leaders Randall B. Lindsey April 2007

2. Session Purposes: Engage in conversations and activities about the impact and influence of race, culture, ethnicity, language, sexual orientation, socioeconomics, and class on educational practice Introduce the tools for culturally proficient leadership This is a test!This is a test!

3. In honor of: Terry Cross

4. Note of Appreciation: Tools for Tolerance Program, Simon Wiesenthal Center, Los Angeles Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center, Toronto

5. �We� Raymond Terrell Kikanza Nuri Robins Delores B. Lindsey Brenda CampbellJones Franklin CampbellJones Laraine Roberts Richard M. Martinez Stephanie Graham R. Chris Westphal, Jr. Cynthia Jew

6. Cultural Proficiency Is an inside-out approach Is about being aware of how we work with others Is about being aware of how we react to those different from us

7. Cultural Proficiency is A mind set; a way of being; a paradigm shift for some The use of specific tools for effectively describing, responding to, and planning for issues that emerge in diverse environments Policies and practices at the organizational level, and values and behaviors of the leader that enable effective cross cultural interactions among students, teachers, administrators, and community

8. Cultural Perceptions Engage in the activity: Select a partner that you do not know well. A and B? A shares her perceptions about B (next slide) B responds to those perceptions B shares his perceptions about A A responds to those perceptions

9. Share your perceptions:How do you think your partner would respond? Country of family origin and heritage Languages spoken Interests or hobbies Favorite foods Preferred types of movies, tv programs Preferred types of music Pets, if any, or favorite animals

10. Tools of Cultural Proficiency Guiding Principles - Underlying values of the approach Continuum - Language for describing both healthy and non-productive policies, practices and individual behaviors Essential Elements - Five behavioral standards for measuring, and planning for, growth toward cultural proficiency Barriers - Three caveats that assist in responding effectively to resistance to change

11. The Guiding Principles Culture is a predominant force People are served in varying degrees by the dominant culture Acknowledge group identities Diversity within cultures is important Respect unique cultural needs The Guiding Principles are the core values, the foundation upon which the approach is built

12. York Region District School Board Statement of Mission We unite in our purpose to inspire and prepare learners for life in our changing world community.

13. York Region District School Board Vision We are the faces of public education.We understand our gifts and challenges. We are motivated by our dreams and act towards their fulfillment. We respect and celebrate our differences. We invite and value the spirit of community, creativity, and personal growth. We support each other. We have joy in who we are and who we are becoming.

14. York Region District School Board Values We recognize and celebrate excellence, and the heart-felt efforts and contributions of our community. We strive for equity, inclusiveness, and diversity in all our programs, practices, facilities,and people. We value dedication and commitment. We value and will respond in an appropriate manner to the voices, ideas, and understanding of all our community members. We believe it is the right and responsibility of everyone to ensure a safe nurturing community. We embrace the spirit of innovation that acts to realize opportunities to transform our vision into reality. We are all responsible for our words and actions.

15. The Continuum Cultural destructiveness Cultural incapacity Cultural blindness Cultural pre-competence Cultural competence Cultural proficiency There are six points along the cultural proficiency continuum that indicate unique ways of perceiving and responding to differences.

16. Examples Along the Continuum View the Continuum in its two parts and discuss pertinent examples from your school experiences: Destructiveness, Incapacity & Blindness Precompetence, Competence & Proficiency

17. Words often used to describe some groups and implied terms for others: Inferior Culturally deprived Culturally disadvantaged Deficient Different Diverse Third world Minority Underclass Poor Unskilled workers Superior Privileged Advantaged Normal Similar Uniform First world Majority Upper class Middle class Leaders

18. Downward Spiral Conversation Proficiency

19. Essential Elements for Leadership Action: Assess Culture Value Diversity Manage the Dynamics of Difference Adapt to Diversity Institutionalize Cultural Knowledge The Essential Elements of cultural proficiency provide the standards for individual behavior and organizational practices

20. The Power of Context - The Tipping Point

21. Cultural Proficiency helps us to move FROM TOLERANCE FOR DIVERSITY TO TRANSFORMATION FOR EQUITY Destructiveness - Blindness Precompetence - Proficiency Focus on �them� and their inadequacies Tolerate, assimilate, acculturate Demographics viewed as challenge Prevent, mitigate, avoid cultural dissonance and conflict Stakeholders expect or help others to assimilate Information added to existing policies, procedures, practices. The focus on �us� and our practices Esteem, respect, adapt Demographics inform policy and practice Manage, leverage, facilitate conflict Stakeholders adapt to meet needs of others Information integrated into policies, procedures, practices.

22. Leverage Points for Creating Change Assessment & Accountability Curriculum & Instruction Parent and Community Communication & Outreach Professional Development

23. The Barriers The presumption of entitlement Systems of oppression Unawareness of the need to adapt The barriers to cultural proficiency are systemic privilege, oppression, and resistance to change

24. Education in and for Democracy The best case for public education has always been that it is a common good. As the main institution for fostering social cohesion in an increasingly diverse society, publicly funded schools must serve all children, not simply those with the loudest or most powerful advocates. This means addressing the cognitive and social needs of all children, with an emphasis on including those who may not have been well served in the past. Michael Fullan, The Moral Imperative of School Leadership

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

26. A Culturally Proficient Vision Equity will be a reality when children from minority racial, cultural, socio-economic, and linguistic backgrounds experience statistically similar rates of meeting high standards as do children from the majority culture. Bay Area Educational Equity Task Force