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Creating
Culturally
Responsive
Classrooms
Instructional
Philosophy &
Course
Foundations
What we value Co-construction of Knowledge
Divergent Thinking
Fall Forward- Ok to Fail
Critical Reflection- Self Awareness
Bridging Theory and Practice
Performance Based Assessment- Getting to Proficiency
Continuous Improvement
Intersectionality
Attention to Power and Privilege
Model what we expect to see …..
What we don’t do
Silver Bullets
Recipes
Checklists
Fundamentalism
Oppression Olympics
Deficit or Deterministic Approaches
Over Simplification of Complex Issues
Tensions
Idealism v Practicality
Theoretical v Technical
Individual v Group
Safety v Risk
Structure v Flexibility
Teaching Statement
My work is situated within a framework of sociopolitical development,
informed by a range of critical theoretical perspectives, and advanced by an
understanding of the nature of both individual and systemic change.
In this work, I seek to understand how institutions, social systems and
individual experiences create and sustain systems of power and privilege that
ensure access for some while excluding others.
This framework requires, then, that to impact a transformation of the current
public education system towards goals of equity and social justice, we must
work to disrupt dominant ideologies by creating spaces in which people
begin to develop a critical understanding of the cultural, political, economic,
and other institutional forces that perpetuate systems of privilege and
oppression, and to reform schools by preparing leaders and educators to
develop a critical consciousness, reflective practice, and commitment to
action in relation to the policy, curriculum, pedagogy, and practices they
employ.
To do this, I construct my teaching approach utilizing the process of
transformational learning, to achieve the final outcome of sociopolitical
development with and for my students.
Transformational Learning Transformative learning involves experiencing a deep, structural shift in the basic premises of
thought, feelings, and actions. It is a shift of consciousness that dramatically and irreversibly alters
our way of being in the world. Such a shift involves our understanding of ourselves and our self-
locations; our relationships with other humans and with the natural world; our understanding of
relations of power in interlocking structures of class, race and gender. O’Sullivan (2003)
Transformational learning theory is central to ideas of adult learning, and involves the process of
transforming the perspectives of the learner, in relation to their own identity, their belief systems,
and their behaviors. In this process, the learner experiences a change in their worldview similar to
the process of conscientization (Friere, 1970). Key to the process of transformational learning is the
idea of a disorienting dilemma (Mezirow, 1995) which causes the learner to critically examine their
assumptions, values, and beliefs and then to revise those to take into account new understandings
of the world.
In transformational learning, the educators role is to create a series of disorienting dilemmas, to
facilitate the process that the learners utilize to critique and examine their assumptions and
beliefs, and create the frameworks in which learners can apply new ways of thinking to these
problems. Core to this process is the creation of learning environments in which the learners
engage in constructing new meaning through the sharing of experiences and perspectives through
guided dialogue. To teach in a transformational way requires that I, as the instructor, create an
environment in which I model my own willingness to critique and challenge my assumptions, and
to ensure that the space is a safe environment in which to take risks, admit to gaps in
understanding, and to explore personal histories and values.
Socio Political Development
Sociopolitical development emphasizes an understanding of the cultural and political
forces that shape one’s status in society. We use it to describe a process of growth in
a person’s knowledge, analytical skills, emotional faculties, and capacity for action in
political and social systems (p. 185).
Sociopolitical development (SPD) is the developmental process that I hope to guide
within the individual student, utilizing the methods of transformational learning- in
the SPD process, students not only increase their ability to critically view the world
and understand the complexity of systems of oppression and privilege, but also
intentionally develop skills and a commitment to action to rectify those unjust
systems. SPD expands on empowerment and similar ideas related to social change
and activism in community psychology—oppression, liberation, critical
consciousness, and culture among them. Sociopolitical development (SPD) emphasizes
an understanding of the cultural and political forces that shape one’s status in
society, and can be used to describe a process of growth in a person’s knowledge,
analytical skills, emotional faculties, and capacity for action in political and social
systems (Watts, et al, 2003).
Systems Change The framework for systems change that informs my work was developed by Bela
Banathy, (1996) who named as problematic the reality that our existing organizations
were designed and developed in the 19th century and thus need to undergo radical
and fundamental changes to meet our needs in this 21st century. Banathy proposed
that the fundamental purpose of systems design is to create new systems and that the
most challenging aspect of designing social systems is in transcending the existing
system, as people and systems are inherently resistant to change, particularly on
massive scales.
. . . even if people fully develop their potential, they cannot give direction to their
lives, they cannot forge their destiny, they cannot take charge of their future--unless
they also develop the competence to take part directly and authentically in the design
of the systems in which they live and work, and reclaim their right to do so. This is
what true empowerment is about. (p. vii).
This framework creates a context for looking at systems design as a way to empower
individuals to take charge of their futures by directly and authentically taking part in
the design of the systems that impact them. This process of collective design empowers
individuals to exercise truly participatory democracy, which creates the space in which
empowered, developed people could reimagine educational systems that address issues
of equity, power, or social reproduction.
Intercultural
Development
& Culturally
Responsive
Practice
Inter Cultural Development
Intercultural competence is the capability to accurately understand and adapt behavior to cultural difference and commonality. In education, intercultural competence reflects the degree to which cultural differences and commonalities in values, expectations, beliefs, and practices are effectively bridged, an inclusive learning environment is achieved, and specific differences that exist in your institution are addressed from a “mutual adaptation” perspective.
Why does intercultural
competence matter? Individuals and groups who have a more
intercultural mindset have a greater capability for responding effectively to cultural differences and recognizing and building upon true commonalities. That is, your group’s success in achieving its educational mission is better served when the members are able to more deeply understand culturally-learned differences, recognize commonalities between themselves and others, and act on this increased insight in culturally appropriate ways that facilitate learning and personal growth among diverse groups.
An Education Example Assume “Ellen” is a teacher in a multicultural, secondary (high school) and
her Developmental Orientation is at Minimization. It is likely that her (Minimization level) efforts at building cross-cultural understanding and
awareness within the school environment across diverse administrators,
faculty, staff and students are effective insofar as she is able to identify
relevant commonalities for bridging
across cultural diversity. Ellen likely uses teaching strategies that she has
found successful across a number of classroom situations to make sure
everyone has the opportunity to participate in class discussions and learn.
Her developmental orientation has a “blind spot” insofar as she may not be
attending to how cultural
differences need to be recognized and adapted to in her classroom in order
to help her students learn more effectively. Ellen may experience a sense of
frustration that a number of her culturally diverse students do not participate
in class discussions as often as she would like. What she may not be fully
aware is that many of the specific strategies she is using to help students
participate are
strategies that she believes, based on her experience, are effective “learning
approaches” may not be as effective with students whose learning
approach is culturally different. In this case, Ellen is not attending to cultural
differences as deeply she might in order to facilitate learning in her
classroom.
An Education Example Assume “Sarah” is a teacher in a multicultural, secondary (high school) and
her Developmental Orientation is at Acceptance. It is likely that her (Acceptance level) efforts at building cross-cultural understanding and
awareness within the school environment across diverse administrators,
faculty, staff and students are generally effective as she is able to both
recognize commonalities across diverse groups and also values cultural
differences. Further, she is likely developing a generally accurate sense of
what it means to create an inclusive, multicultural school environment. Ellen
likely is open to using a variety of teaching strategies that are based on a
recognition that students often participate in class discussions and learn
through different methods depending on the cultural frameworks they have
gained from their cultural community. Her developmental orientation has a
“blind spot” insofar as she may be challenged to identify and implement
specific adaptive teaching strategies that facilitate cross-cultural learning.
Ellen may have a sense that there are different, culturally learned ways
students participate in classroom discussions. However, she may have
difficulty in developing creative, mutually adaptive teaching and learning
approaches.
De
nia
l/D
efe
nse
10-15%
Min
imiz
atio
n
70-80%
Ac
ce
pta
nc
e
5-10%
Ad
ap
tatio
n
0-5%
Where our participants will be….
Discussion….
What kinds of
statements or positions
might you expect to
hear from participants
at each level?
What readings,
assignments or activities
support participant
development at each
level?
Denial
Polarization
Minimization
Acceptance
Adaptation
Cultural Disengagement
Norms What they are, and how to
get there….
Norms
Speak Your Truth
Experience Discomfort
Stay Engaged
Expect and Accept non-
closure
Listen for Understanding
We are often captive to self generating beliefs
that remain largely untested. These beliefs are
based on conclusions which are inferred from
what we observe plus our past experience.
We operate under the following assumptions
Our beliefs are the truth
The truth is obvious
Our beliefs are based on real data
The data we select are the real data
© PassageWorks 2011
20
Source: The Fifth Discipline Fieldbook Peter Senge et al
Structure of Sessions
Session One: Exploring Systems of Power and Privilege
Participants will be able to identify systems of power and privilege, how difference is socially constructed, and how individual and group identities interact.
Session Two: Understanding Culture Participants will be able to identify the cultural values that form their own identity, the
ways that systems of privilege impact them, and how those values create opportunities and barriers to culturally responsive practices. Session Three: Connecting with Others
Participants will be able to identify the ways that media influence our understanding of
ourselves and others, funds of knowledge in families and communities, and how to develop culturally responsive relationships. Session Four: Creating Culturally Responsive Classroom Environments
Participants will be able to identify how to share power and voice with students, how to create relationship-driven classroom management practices, and how to build a
culturally responsive classroom environment. Session Five: Implementing Culturally Responsive Curriculum and Instruction
Participants will be able to identify ways to incorporate culturally responsive content into instructional units and how to develop culturally responsive instructional strategies.