Martha Villegas- Gutiérrez , Ph.D. Education Evaluation Center The Teaching Research Institute

1. Becoming A Culturally Responsive Professional: The ABC’s of working successfully with Young Children and Families from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Backgrounds Martha Villegas-Gutiérrez, Ph.D. Education Evaluation Center The Teaching Research Institute Western Oregon University Patricia M Blasco, Ph.D. The Teaching Research Institute Western Oregon University

2. Adapted from the National Center for Culturally Response Educational Systems (NCCRESt) • Picture of Martha here

3. Introductions

4. Outcomes • Review your own cultural beliefs and behaviors so you can broaden your cultural responsivity to preschool children, their families and your (students’) cultures. • Understand the impact of culture on individuals and systems- why does it matter? • Develop a diversity perspective- understanding the developmental process of becoming a culturally responsive early childhood professional

5. Outcomes • Understand the development of a culturally responsive perspective and pedagogy • Understand what happens when we are NOT culturally responsive

6. Educandoniñosquehablan y vienen de diferentesculturas en la escuelaprescolar • EntrenamientoProfesional • ExperienciaProfesional • Preguntasquetengoacerca de la educación de niñosquehablanotroidioma y vienen de diferentesculturas en la escuelaprescolar.

7. Sensitivity to Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Young Children and their Families How did you feel when the language of the presentation was switched to Spanish? How did you feel when you were asked to work on an assignment presented to you in Spanish? How do you think the child and the family feel when they are instructed and expected to learn in a language that they have still yet to fully master?

8. Activity Activity: Ground Rules • Materials: Chart paper; markers; tape • Time limit: 10 minutes • Part 1: Small Group Dialog. • What would it take to feel safe when talking, sharing, and participating in this session? (5 minutes) • Part 2: Setting Ground Rules. • As a whole group, share suggestions from the small group activity and summarize them into three to five ground rules for this session. (5 minutes)

9. Activity: Ground Rules • Part 1: Small Group Dialog. • What would it take to feel safe when talking, sharing, and participating in this session? • Include in your dialogue how a safe, culturally responsive, and interactive learning environment can be created through body language, words and language, physical arrangement, and instructional design. • 5 Minutes

10. What is Culture? A combination of thoughts, feelings, attitudes, beliefs, values, and behavior patterns that are shared by racial, ethnic, religious, or social groups of people. Two different Culture Lenses: • Big C: Membership in particular racial/ethnic groups, Between group differences • Little c: Individual cultural identity, continuous and unrelated to any specific group and honors the complexity in each of us; Within group differences

11. The Cultural Iceberg Above the surface: language, food, physical attributes, customs, clothing, gender

12. The Cultural Iceberg

13. The Cultural Iceberg Below the Surface: assumptions, perceptions, biases, values, thought patterns, politics, beliefs, intelligence, learning style, concept of trust, income, habits, desires, skills, imagination, character, moods, world view, sense of purpose

14. What is Race? • The arbitrary division of humans according to their physical traits and characteristics. It has been commonly defined as a biological fact, with specific genetic characteristics. • There is only one race. The human race! The Human Genome Project www.hgri.nih.gov/10001772

15. What is Ethnicity? • Ethnicity is a complex construct that is defined differently in different places: • Ancestry • Religion, language, caste or tribal group. • A strong sense of belonging that can only be determined by the individual, not assigned by outsiders.

16. Recognize Stereotypes • Ethnic, racial, or gender slurs or jokes • Little to no social interaction with different groups • Negative comments or expectations regarding other groups • Display of symbols offensive to ethnic, gender, racial, or religious groups. • Assumption of favoritism, preferential treatment. -Diversity tool kit (Gardenswartz & Rowe)

17. Improving Cross-Cultural Communication • Recognize differences • Build Your Self-Awareness • Describe and Identify, then Interpret • Don’t assume your interpretation is • correct • Verbalize your own non-verbal signs • Share your experience honestly • Acknowledge any discomfort, hesitation, or concern • Give your time and attention when communicating • Don’t evaluate or judge • Try to meet the expectations of your communication partner • Develop trust • Respect boundaries

18. Dimensions of Culture • Language

19. Dimensions of Culture • Space and Proximity

20. Dimensions of Culture • Time

21. Dimensions of Culture • Family Ties

22. Dimensions of Culture • Education

23. Dimensions of Culture • Life Cycles

24. Dimensions of Culture • Gender Roles

25. Dimensions of Culture • Taboos

26. Activity: • Define Cultural Responsiveness (3 minutes)

27. What is Cultural Responsiveness? • Cultural responsiveness refers to the ability to learn from and relate respectfully to people from your own and other cultures.

28. Benefits of Culturally Responsivity • Increased level of comfort • Increased knowledge • Increase in freedom • Discovery of passions

29. Benefits of Culturally Responsivity • Increased capacity to teach • Increased resources and knowledge • Increased capacity to work with young children and their families

30. How do We become Culturally Responsive? • Develop cultural self awareness • Appreciate the value of diverse views • Avoid imposing our own values on others

31. How do We become Culturally Responsive? • Examine our own assessment practices for cultural bias • Build on the child and families’ cultural strengths

32. How do We become Culturally Responsive? • Discover your child and families’ primary cultural roles • Learn what you can about various cultures • Accept your own naiveté • Enjoy the journey

33. Resources to Enhance Your Cultural Knowledge • Colleges, library and community events • Professional journals • Websites NCCRESt and CLAS (see resources)

34. Resources to Enhance Your Cultural Knowledge • Local cultural celebrations • Local culturally-based organizations • Community partners and friends who are culturally and linguistically diverse

35. Things to Remember • Review your own cultural beliefs and behaviors so you can broaden your cultural responsivity to young children and families and your (students’) cultures. • Understand the impact of culture on individuals and systems- why does it matter • Develop a diversity perspective- understanding the developmental process of becoming a culturally responsive educational professional

36. Things to Remember • Understand the development of a culturally responsive perspective and pedagogy • Understand what happens when we are NOT culturally responsive • Take advantage of resources to learn about other cultures.

37. Closing Comments: • Thank you for your time and attention. Please remember the powerful influence your thoughts, actions and words has on the life of young children and their families and in the progress of our society. Congratulations on what you have learned in your culturally responsive journey!

38. The End