Building Equitable Building Equitable ClassroomsClassrooms

Bridging the Gap through Cultural Bridging the Gap through Cultural Competency Competency

&&

Equitable School CulturesEquitable School Cultures

Created and Presented byCreated and Presented by

Laurie Brown-Abdelmageed, PhDLaurie Brown-Abdelmageed, PhD

Vice Principal, Charles CountyVice Principal, Charles County

Michelle Foxx, M Ed. Michelle Foxx, M Ed.

Instructional Specialist, Charles Instructional Specialist, Charles CountyCounty

ObjectivesObjectives

Define the impact of cultural competency. Define the impact of cultural competency.

Explain how cultural competency, Explain how cultural competency, economics and social class play a critical economics and social class play a critical role in student achievement.role in student achievement.

Examine ways to address individual Examine ways to address individual teacher needs to bridge the gaps toward teacher needs to bridge the gaps toward student achievementstudent achievement

Key TermsKey Terms

Cultural CompetenceCultural Competence

Hidden Rules Hidden Rules Generational versus Situational PovertyGenerational versus Situational Poverty

Equitable Education (Not Equal)Equitable Education (Not Equal)

Cultural CompetenceCultural Competence Refers to an ability to interact effectively with people Refers to an ability to interact effectively with people

of different cultures. of different cultures.

Cultural competence comprises four components:Cultural competence comprises four components: (a) Awareness of one's own cultural worldview, (a) Awareness of one's own cultural worldview, (b) Attitude towards cultural differences, (b) Attitude towards cultural differences, (c) Knowledge of different cultural practices (c) Knowledge of different cultural practices

and and worldviewsworldviews (d) Cross-cultural skills. (d) Cross-cultural skills.

Developing cultural competence results in an ability Developing cultural competence results in an ability to understand, communicate with, and effectively to understand, communicate with, and effectively interact with people across cultures.interact with people across cultures.[1][1] n(Wikipedia) n(Wikipedia)

Collegial ConversationCollegial Conversation Are you aware of your own cultural Are you aware of your own cultural

worldviews? What are your students’ worldviews? What are your students’ cultural worldview?cultural worldview?

What are your attitudes toward What are your attitudes toward cultural differences?cultural differences?

What is your knowledge of different What is your knowledge of different cultural practices and worldviews?cultural practices and worldviews?

What cross-cultural skills do you have?What cross-cultural skills do you have?

Components of Components of Cultural Competency Cultural Competency

Culture of your School

Culture of your students

Culture of your staff

Cultural Competency

ObjectiveObjective

Explain how cultural competency, Explain how cultural competency, economics and social class play a economics and social class play a critical role in student achievement.critical role in student achievement.

Hidden RulesHidden Rules Hidden rules are defined as the Hidden rules are defined as the

unspoken habits and clues that unspoken habits and clues that individuals use to indicate individuals use to indicate membership in a group. membership in a group.

All hidden rules influence behavior. All hidden rules influence behavior. One of the strongest influences is that One of the strongest influences is that of economic class.of economic class.

Three levels of economic class: Three levels of economic class: Poverty Middle class Wealth Poverty Middle class Wealth

Hidden RulesHidden Rules

PovertyPoverty Middle ClassMiddle Class WealthWealth Decisions Decisions are based on are based on survival, survival, relationships relationships and and entertainmententertainment

Decisions Decisions based on based on career and career and achievementachievement

Decisions Decisions based on based on social, social, financial and financial and political political connectionsconnections

Possessions Possessions are peopleare people

Possessions Possessions are thingsare things

Possessions Possessions are pedigree are pedigree and legacyand legacy

Hidden RulesHidden Rules

Poverty Poverty Middle ClassMiddle Class WealthWealthThe world is The world is local. local.

The world is The world is national. national.

The world is The world is international.international.

Food is Food is valued for its valued for its quantity.quantity.

Food is Food is valued valued

for its quality.for its quality.

Food is Food is valued valued

for its for its

presentation.presentation.

““No significant No significant

learning occurs learning occurs

without a significant without a significant relationship.”relationship.”

Dr. James P. Dr. James P. ComerComer

““Few understand the courage it takes Few understand the courage it takes for a child to return to a place for a child to return to a place

where he failed yesterday, the day where he failed yesterday, the day before and in all probability will fail before and in all probability will fail

again the next.”again the next.”

Author unknownAuthor unknown

So What?So What?

The greater challenge is to address The greater challenge is to address the needs of all students. Equity, the needs of all students. Equity, though it may not be equal, it always though it may not be equal, it always fair. It provides equal access to fair. It provides equal access to students at their point of need.students at their point of need.

ObjectiveObjective

Examine ways to address individual Examine ways to address individual teacher needs to bridge the gaps teacher needs to bridge the gaps toward student achievementtoward student achievement

How Do We Make It All WorkHow Do We Make It All Work

CHARACTERISTICS OF GOOD TEACHINGCHARACTERISTICS OF GOOD TEACHING

Students are:Students are: Involved with issues they regard as vital Involved with issues they regard as vital

concernsconcerns Students understand and accept human Students understand and accept human

differencesdifferences Students are being helped to see major Students are being helped to see major

concepts, big ideas, and general concepts, big ideas, and general principalsprincipals

Characteristics of Good Teaching Characteristics of Good Teaching (Cont.)(Cont.)

Students are involved with planning Students are involved with planning what they will be doingwhat they will be doing

Students are involved with applying Students are involved with applying ideals such as fairness, equity, or ideals such as fairness, equity, or justicejustice

Students are actively involvedStudents are actively involved Students are directly involved in real-Students are directly involved in real-

life experiencelife experience Students are asked to think (Yes, they Students are asked to think (Yes, they

can)can)

Characteristics of Good Teaching Characteristics of Good Teaching (Cont.)(Cont.)

Students are involved in redoing, Students are involved in redoing, polishing, or perfecting their workpolishing, or perfecting their work

Students have access with the Students have access with the technology of informationtechnology of information

Students are involved in reflecting on Students are involved in reflecting on their own lives and how they have their own lives and how they have come to believe and feelcome to believe and feel

(Adapted from Haberman, 1991)(Adapted from Haberman, 1991)

Questions & AnswersQuestions & Answers

This is a time for us to reflect on what This is a time for us to reflect on what we have discussed and continue our we have discussed and continue our collegial conversations.collegial conversations.

Questions?????Questions?????

IT ONLY TAKES ONE TO MAKE A IT ONLY TAKES ONE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE!DIFFERENCE!

The movie, Freedom Writers, gives The movie, Freedom Writers, gives us a look at what just one teacher us a look at what just one teacher can do to make a difference. Are you can do to make a difference. Are you ready???ready???

Contact InformationContact Information

Dr. Laurie Brown-Abdelmageed, Ph. Dr. Laurie Brown-Abdelmageed, Ph. D.D.

labdelmageed@ccboe.comlabdelmageed@ccboe.com

Michelle Foxx, M. Ed.Michelle Foxx, M. Ed.

mfoxx@ccboe.com mfoxx@ccboe.com