Lower Merion School District Cultural Proficiency 102

1. Lower Merion School DistrictCultural Proficiency 102 Presented by The Cultural Proficiency Cadre Lower Merion School District

2. Goals By the end of the session the participants will: • Review the definitions of culture and the cultural proficiency continuum • Reflect on their own perspective/awareness as it relates to the essential elements of cultural proficiency • Discuss the barriers that may prevent a person, school, or district from becoming culturally proficient.

3. The Four Agreements • According to Glenn Singleton in Courageous Conversations About Race, we need to agree to… 1. Stay engaged. • Observe the quiet signal • Cell phones on vibrate and laptops away 2. Experience discomfort. 3. Speak your truth (and allow others to speak theirs) 4. Expect/accept non-closure. in our conversations today.

4. 3 P’s and An A(Active Listening Supports) • Pause- give time for thoughts • Probe listen to ask questions • Paraphrase- give a sense of what you heard… so far • Acknowledge- appreciate your colleagues’ contribution

5. Getting Started 4 Things in Common • At your table, share information to discover four things you have in common. • They can’t be things that are visible or otherwise obvious. • Write them down on the chart paper and sign. • Have fun!

6. Social Identity Theory • In the Social Identity Theory, a person has not one, “personal self”, but rather several selves that correspond to widening circles of group membership. • Different social contexts may trigger an individual to think, feel and act on basis of his personal, family or national “level of self” (Turner et al, 1987)

7. The Social Identity Wheel Fill in all the spaces with words that identify you. • Circle (or highlight) the identities youthink about most often. • Put a check next to the identities you think about least. • Put an A next to any that you consider an advantage • Put a D next to any that may be a disadvantage.

9. Trio Conversation • Please find two other people in the room whom you do not know well and are different than you (race, religion, childhood neighborhood, etc) and form a trio circle. • On our signal, share the information you wrote including the advantages, and disadvantages as well as those you think about and those you ignore. Practice your 3 P’s and an A

10. Process Time • What did we learn? • How are we different? • What does it matter as we interact with students/families and communities that have different wheels than ours?

11. Reminder Schools are places where culture matters!

12. Stop and think Learned Think about the ideas that have been presented Think about what you have… or Work with a partner to clarify ideas.

13. Why Focus on Culture? • Culture is everywhere. • Schools are places where culture is important and one’s ability to conform determines success. • The further away the child’s culture is from the culture of the school, the harder it is for him to experience a sense of belonging and to negotiate a successful experience.

14. Cultural Groups Besides ethnic/racial cultures… • Schools • Community/Neighborhood • Professions • Gender • Age • Religion • Others?

15. Culture- What is it? • Look at the Iceberg, please circle anything under the surface that may impact students in our schools. Their cultural norms may differ from the school “The way we do things around here.” - Asa Hilliard.

17. Intersection Double impact Culture Race

18. The CPTools (p. 5) • 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

19. Cultural Proficiency Continuum Review • Once we have heard the description , write down on the post-it and example of what you would her or see that demonstrates this point on the Continuum • Chart comments/practices or policies that would typify this point. • Let’s hear them. • Conclusions

20. The Cultural Proficiency Continuum Lindsey, Robins, & Terrell • Six points along the continuum indicate unique ways of seeing and responding to difference. These will help you identify where you are and your school. Cultural Destructiveness Cultural Blindness Cultural Competence Cultural Incapacity Cultural Pre- Competence Cultural Proficiency

21. Cultural DestructivenessSee the difference, stomp it out Seeking to eliminate all aspects of the culture of others… in all aspects of school and in relationship to the community they serve. “This text has enough diversity in it. It only leaves out a few minorities. “Why are those kids speaking like that at lunch?” Why can’t they speak correctly? “There are so many problems coming from Lakeside.”

22. Cultural IncapacitySee the difference, make it wrong Any policy, practice or behavior that presumes one culture is superior to others.Behavior disempowers others. Examples: • Maintaining systems that disempowered people who differ from them culturally. • Low expectations based on stereotypes, tracking. • Tolerating difference without valuing diversity. • Questioning the qualifications of people of color. • Questioning differences in any of the cultural markers on the “iceberg”.

23. Cultural BlindnessSee the difference, act like you don’t Any policy, practice or behavior that ignores existing cultural difference or that consider such differences inconsequential. Examples: • “I don’t see color.. just human beings” By not seeing differences one presumes that the dominant cultural norms are equally beneficial to all. • Deny color and culture matters ( in curriculum choices/pedagogy) • Discomfort in noting difference • Beliefs/actions that assume world is fair and achievement is based on merit • “Our school does not need to focus on multicultural education- we don’t have much diversity.”

24. Cultural Pre-competenceSee the difference, respond inadequately People recognize that their skills and practices are limited when interacting with other cultural groups. They are aware and may have have made some changes but are aware that others are needed .Examples: • Trying to include some examples of African American culture in one unit of study, but realizing that you do not know enough to do it well. • A multicultural festival where you want more than food but don’t know what else to do. • Delegate diversity work to others, to a committee • Quick fix, packaged short-term programs • Unclear rules, expectations for all diversity programs for staff

25. Cultural Competence See the difference, understand the difference that the difference makes. Any policy, practice or behavior that uses the essential elements of cultural proficiency as the standard for the individual or the organization. • Examples: • Performance standards for culturally appropriate behavior • Modeling appropriate behaviors • Risk-taking such as speaking out against injustice, even when doing so may cause tensions

26. Cultural Proficiency is… • The use of specific tools effectively describing, responding to, and planning for issues that emerge in diverse environments. • A set of policies and practices at the organizational level and values, beliefs and behaviors at the individual level that enables effective cross cultural interactions among employees, clients, and community.

27. Cultural proficiency • Essential Elements • Assess Your Culture • Value Diversity • Manage the Dynamics of Difference • Adapt to Diversity • Institutionalize Cultural Knowledge

28. Stop and think Learned Think about the ideas that have been presented Think about what you have… or Work with a partner to clarify ideas.

29. Defining Racism • Let’s agree on one definition (Lindsey, et al in Cultural Proficiency for Leaders) for our conversations today “Racism has two components: 1. the belief that one racial group is superior to all others 2. the power to create an environment where that belief is manifested in the subtle or direct subjugation of the subordinate ethnic groups through a society’s institutions”

30. The barriers to proficiency in organizations and individuals • This set of caveats • Systematic oppression • The presumption of entitlement • Unawareness of the need to adapt… all result in a resistance to change.

31. The Presumption of Entitlement Think about your life, where would you line up? Let me describe what a typical line might look like in a room with diversity.

32. Barriers • There are barriers that are out of your control • Some are within your control • We will view a video clip to better explain the role of the presumption of entitlement and how racism influences it.

33. Mirrors of Privilege • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAljja0vi2M

34. Reflection • Take a minute to jot down a few thoughts about what you just saw. • Turn to a neighbor to share. • Let’s hear a few ideas in the room.

35. The Cultural Proficient Professional • Assesses culture (theirs and the organization) • Values diversity • Manages the dynamics of difference • Adapts to diversity • Institutionalizes cultural knowledge

36. The Culturally Proficient Professional • Assesses culture. The culturally proficient professional • is aware of her own culture and the effect it may have on the people in her work setting. • learns about the culture of the organization and the cultures of the “clients”, and • anticipates how they will interact with, conflict with, and enhance one another.

37. The Culturally Proficient Professional p.25 • Values diversity. The culturally proficient professional • welcomes a diverse group of clients into the work setting and appreciates the challenges diversity brings. • shares this appreciation with other clients, developing a learning community with the clients.

38. The Culturally Proficient Professional • Manages the dynamics of difference. The culturally proficient professional • recognizes that conflict is a normal and natural part of life. • develops skills to manage conflict in a positive way • helps clients to understand that what appear to be clashes in personalities may beconflicts in culture.

39. The Culturally Proficient Professional p.25 • Adapts to diversity. The culturally proficient professional • commits to the continuous learning that is necessary to deal with the issues caused by differences. • enhances the substance and structure of his work so that all of it is informed by the guiding principles of cultural proficiency.

40. The Culturally Proficient Professional • Institutionalizes cultural knowledge. The culturally proficient professional • works to influence the culture of her organization so that its policies and practices are informed by the guiding principals of cultural proficiency. • takes advantages of opportunities to teach others in the community and creates ways for others to engage in ways that honor who they are and challenge them to be more.

41. The Cost of Institutionalized Racism • Why should whites who are advantaged by racism want to end that system of advantage? • What is the cost of a system of advantage based upon race? • Why should teachers work toward cultural proficiency?

42. LMSD DATA Our students: • Asian/Pacific Islanders • African-American • Hispanic • American Indian • Multi-Racial • White

43. LMSD DATA2010-11 Gifted

44. Identify/address the academic achievement needs of African-American and other students in identified groups • Identify ways to measure improvement • Improve grades for African-American and other students in identified groups Achievement Gaps Goal Math – 5th Grade # of Students 2007-2008 45% 51 2008-2009 70% 37 2009-2010 70% 37 Math – 8th Grade 2007-2008 69% 48 2008-2009 51% 53 2009-2010 79% 48 Math – 11th Grade 2007-2008 41% 34 2008-2009 32% 62 2009-2010 33% 54 Math – 5th Grade # of Students 2007-2008 90% 451 2008-2009 91% 509 2009-2010 92% 479 Math – 8th Grade 2007-2008 88% 500 2008-2009 88% 551 2009-2010 95% 534 Math – 11th Grade 2007-2008 83% 567 2008-2009 82% 580 2009-2010 85% 553 PSSA Scores – Proficient & Advanced African American Students PSSA Scores – Proficient & Advanced All Students

45. Identify/address the academic achievement needs of African-American and other students in identified groups • Identify ways to measure improvement • Improve grades for African-American and other students in identified groups Achievement Gaps Goal Math – 5th Grade # of Students 2007-2008 45% 51 2008-2009 70% 37 2009-2010 70% 37 Math – 8th Grade 2007-2008 69% 48 2008-2009 51% 53 2009-2010 79% 48 Math – 11th Grade 2007-2008 41% 34 2008-2009 32% 62 2009-2010 33% 54 Math – 5th Grade # of Students 2007-2008 90% 451 2008-2009 91% 509 2009-2010 92% 479 Math – 8th Grade 2007-2008 88% 500 2008-2009 88% 551 2009-2010 95% 534 Math – 11th Grade 2007-2008 83% 567 2008-2009 82% 580 2009-2010 85% 553 PSSA Scores – Proficient & Advanced African American Students PSSA Scores – Proficient & Advanced All Students

46. Identify/address the academic achievement needs of African-American and other students in identified groups • Identify ways to measure improvement • Improve grades for African-American and other students in identified groups Achievement Gaps Goal Reading – 5th Grade # of Students 2007-2008 45% 51 2008-2009 70% 37 2009-2010 63% 38 Reading – 8th Grade 2007-2008 83% 48 2008-2009 81% 53 2009-2010 88% 51 Reading – 11th Grade 2007-2008 50% 34 2008-2009 61% 62 2009-2010 58% 55 Reading – 5th Grade # of Students 2007-2008 83% 500 2008-2009 89% 543 2009-2010 86% 514 Reading – 8th Grade 2007-2008 93% 499 2008-2009 94% 549 2009-2010 96% 539 Reading – 11th Grade 2007-2008 87% 566 2008-2009 88% 578 2009-2010 91% 559 PSSA Scores – Proficient & Advanced African American Students PSSA Scores – Proficient & Advanced All Students

47. Identify/address the academic achievement needs of African-American and other students in identified groups • Identify ways to measure improvement • Improve grades for African-American and other students in identified groups Achievement Gaps Goal SAT Scores – Lower Merion School District Pennsylvania Students Total LMSD Students African American LMSD Students

48. Identify/address the academic achievement needs of African-American and other students in identified groups • Identify ways to measure improvement • Improve grades for African-American and other students in identified groups Achievement Gap Goal AP/Honors - LMSD

49. Identify/address the academic achievement needs of African-American and other students in identified groups • Identify ways to measure improvement • Improve grades for African-American and other students in identified groups Achievement Gaps Goal LMSD Graduates Class of 2008 LMSD Graduates Class of 2009

50. Reflection • A CULTURAL PROFICIENT TEACHER IS…