Strengthening Teacher-Student Relationships Through Cultural Proficiency A Presentation for the FCPS Leadership Conference August 7, 2013 Nicole Conners, Darryle Craig, Tu Phillips

TIMED PAIR SHARE What brought you here today?  Topic: What brought you here?  Think time  Person A shares, Person B listens  Person B responds  Partners switch roles

Agenda A.Terminology/definitions B.Cultural competence video C.Cultural proficiency and Teacher-Student Relationships D. FCPS’s Division Wide Focus for SY E. Reflection: Next Steps

Session Objectives 1.Consider how issues of race and culture affect our lives every day 2.Develop a clear understanding of cultural competence and cultural proficiency 3. Learn how to access the cultural competence video 4. Link cultural proficiency to positive teacher-student relationships 5. Reflect on personal/professional next steps

Definition of Cultural Competence Culture: Integrated patterns of human behavior that includes thoughts, communications, actions, customs, beliefs, values and institutions of [a] racial, ethnic, religious or social group. From: Cross, T. L. et al. “Towards a Culturally Competent System of Care: A Monograph on Effective Services for Minority Children”. National Center for Cultural Competence, Georgetown University, Competence: Having the capacity to function effectively as an individual or organization. Cross, T. L. et al. “Towards a Culturally Competent System of Care: A Monograph on Effective Services for Minority Children”. National Center for Cultural Competence, Georgetown University, Cultural Competence: The ability to interact effectively with people of different cultures. Wikipedia

Stages of Cultural Competence (Personal) 1. Awareness 2. Curiosity 3. Learning 4. Participation

Cultural Competence Video

Cultural Proficiency and Teacher-Student Relationships Responsive Instruction: “Knowing the children we teach-- individually, culturally, and developmentally— is as important as knowing the content we teach…Knowing the families of the children we teach and working with them as partners is essential to children’s education…How the adults at school work together is as important as their individual competence…”

Instructional Teaching Cycle

Connection to Instructional Focus Teachers will be able to: Build relationships with students that support effort and self-efficacy in reaching higher standards

Cultural Proficiency: A definition “A way of being that allows individuals and organizations to interact effectively with people who differ from them” (Robins, Lindsey, Lindsey & Terrell, 2006, p. 2)

A Journey, a Mindset, a Lens 12

Two Tools of Cultural Proficiency The Continuum – 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 Cultural Proficiency by Randall B. Lindsey, Kikanza Nuri-Robins, and Raymond D. Terrell (Corwin Press, 1999, 2003), 14

Cultural Proficiency Continuum Blindness Incapacity Competence Pre-Competence Proficiency Destructiveness

Explore the Continuum

Possible Responses Cultural Destructive- ness Cultural Incapacity Cultural Blindness Cultural Pre- Competence Cultural Competence Cultural Proficiency BF, JC, GD, HA, I, KA, E,

Considering our Practices CP

Where Are We Now?

Instructional Teaching Cycle

Moving Forward

Five Overlapping Phases of Development 1.Building trust 2.Engaging personal culture 3.Confronting issues of social justice 4.Transforming instructional practices 5.Engaging the entire school community Gary Howard, As Diversity Grow, So Must We, 2007

Leading the Way There are many persons ready to do what is right because in their hearts they know it is right. But they hesitate, waiting for the other [one] to make the first move – and [the other], in turn, waits for you. Marian Anderson,