The more we understand each other, the more we appreciate our differences. Barbara Moore Williams Ed.D.

 Define culture and its impact on our daily lives.  Gain a better understanding of Cultural Proficiency and the Cultural Proficiency Continuum and how it affects our lives.  Provide district data and available resources for Cultural Proficiency  To ensure common language and a common understanding of this work about culture and learning

 Openings  Perceptions Count  Culture-Discussion  District Data  Cultural Proficiency Continuum  A Baker’s Dozen: Effective Instructional Strategies  Resources

… 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

The search for blame is always successful and never helpful!  No Blame  No shame

The Big questions for today. 1. What is culture? 1. Why does it matter in schools and life? 1. How do we create environments that allow individuals and organizations to interact effectively with people who differ from them?

 It serves as a window into the work that must be done to enhance each student’s ability to excel in our schools.  The achievement gap can be changed … by us! …and all students deserve to learn CP ( not PC) skills.

It is important in conversations where race/ diversity are discussed that we practice our best active listening techniques.  Pause  Probe  Paraphrase  Acknowledge

◦ Stay engaged.  Observe the quiet signal  Cell phones on vibrate and laptops away ◦ Experience discomfort. ◦ Speak your truth (and allow others to speak theirs) ◦ Expect/accept non-closure.

To help us begin our journey..  You will need a pencil and paper for this exercise.  First Impressions ◦ Partner with someone you know little about- personally ◦ Guess about the following list:

 Country of family origin and heritage  Languages spoken  Interests or hobbies  Favorite food  Type of movies,TV preferred  Type of music preferred  Pets, if any, or favorite animals

 How close were you?  We make judgments about people all the time, just by looking at them- it’s human nature.  To move to a place of cultural proficiency we first must examine our own beliefs and ideas and then get to know our students, their families, beliefs and their expectations.

 Jot down words and/or phrases that describe your definition and ideas about “culture”  Turn to a new partner and share ideas. Add to yours.  Let’s hear a few.

 Look at the “iceberg”… circle any ideas that did not occur to you when you defined culture.  How might any one of them influence one’s ability to excel in a school environment?

 “The integrated pattern of human behavior that includes thoughts, communication, action, customs, beliefs, values and instructions of a racial, ethnic, religious, or social group”.

 A set of practices and beliefs that is shared by members of a particular group and that distinguishes one group from others.- Randall Lindsey  “The way we do things ‘round here”- Asa Hilliard

Besides ethnic/racial cultures…you can belong to ◦ Schools ◦ Community/Neighborhood ◦ Professions ◦ Gender ◦ Age ◦ Religion ◦ Others?

 Please take a moment to put your new ideas about culture down on the page that you did your original thinking about it.  Talk to someone about your new learning.  Let’s hear a few. Culture is………….

 The Continuum ( review) ◦ Language for describing both healthy and non- productive policies, practices and individual behaviors  The Essential Elements ◦ Behavioral standards for measuring, and planning for growth toward cultural proficiency  The Barriers ◦ Caveats that assist in responding effectively to resistance to change  The Guiding Principles ◦ Underlying values of the approach

Cultural destructiveness Cultural incapacity Cultural blindness Cultural competence Cultural precompetence Cultural proficiency

Besides “the Gap”……  We live and work in an increasingly diverse world.  Interacting effectively with cultures different than ours is a critical skill today.  If organizations or people are to interact effectively in a culturally diverse setting, ◦ an organization must examine its policies and practices; ◦ an individual must examine his/her values,beliefs and behaviors.

Schools today… ◦ Achievement requirements are higher for all children. ◦ The student population is becoming more diverse. ◦ There is attention being paid to “the gap”. Society today… ◦ Is changing demographically ◦ Requires different skills than in past years

 Building cultural proficiency requires:  informed and dedicated staff,  committed and involved leadership, and  time  People cannot attend a one-day training and be expected to return to work with solutions to all the equity and racial/cultural issues in their environment.

 At your table number off 1-4- read to be able to teach the point to your teammates- make sure you give the definition and one example from the text and one of your own.  1’s Read- Destructiveness  2’s Read Incapacity  3’s Read Blindness  4’s Read Pre-competence

 When I call the number – begin teaching- Please do not move on to the next number until I call it. ◦ Make sure that your teammates are looking at the text you read as you teach.- jot down your new example ◦ Have them underline or highlight the parts you feel are important ◦ Have them dialogue a minute about it.  Number 1’s begin…..

Cultural destructiveness  See the difference, stomp it out

Cultural incapacity  See the difference, make it wrong

Cultural blindness  See the difference, act like you don’t

Cultural precompetence  See the difference, respond inadequately

Cultural competence  See the difference, understand the difference that difference makes

Cultural proficiency  See the difference and respond effectively in a variety of environments

 Cultural Proficiency is defined as having the knowledge, skills, and attitudes/beliefs to work with individuals from cross cultural settings with the ability to respond to their needs in a positive and effective way.

 News release- Census Bureau Estimates Nearly Half of Children Under Age 5 are Minorities  Schooling in USA was built for a certain population.  We MUST change to meet the needs of our current and future student population.

Languages Spoken:

In your groups of 4 number off 1-4. ◦ 1’s read Cultural Destructiveness ◦ 2’s Cultural Incapacity ◦ 3’s read Cultural Blindness and ◦ 4’s Cultural Precompetence ◦ Proficiency – we will all discuss Read to be able to teach your team two important points and 1 or 2 examples

 Conduct monthly meetings for 50 Cultural Proficiency Cadre members  Conduct professional development on culturally proficient strategies for administrators  Coordinate attendance for teachers, building administrators, curriculum team members, and school counselors to attend DVMSAC workshops that focus on diversity and culturally proficient teaching strategies  Expanded instructional focus of new teacher orientation to include issues of cultural identity  Supported the development of student support programs and activities: Day of Service, CRAYONS, Cross-Age Mentors, DREAAAM  Conduct workshops and training on diversity and culturally proficient teaching strategies

 Children as Owners of Knowledge  Children won’t learn if teachers think they can’t learn  Teachers have not taught until the student has learned

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Watch your thoughts they become your words Watch your words they become your actions Watch your actions they become your habits Watch your habits they become your life

Culture makes a difference, and that difference matters!

Be the change you expect in others.