Strategy 5: We will infuse cultural competency in every aspect of our learning community.
We will improve the cultural competence of the staff and administration in the South Orange/Maplewood School District as reflected in their willingness to embrace the experiences of a diverse student population and develop a culturally relevant and inclusive learning environment. This involves holding high expectations of all students regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity/expression, socio-economic status, citizenship status, national origin, family composition, sexual orientation, faith, language, or physical or mental ability. It also entails building on these students’ strengths, while addressing their needs. We anticipate increased student achievement and teacher effectiveness as the result of this initiative.
Definition of Cultural Competency:
Cultural competence is a system of behaviors, attitudes, and policies that enable teachers and staff to work effectively with students in cross-cultural situations.
●The term includes using knowledge about individuals and groups to develop specific standards, policies, practices, and attitudes to use in appropriate cultural settings to increase every student’s educational performance.
●The word culture is used because it implies the pattern of human behavior that reflects thoughts, experiences, communications, actions, customs, beliefs, values and institutions of a racial, ethnic, religious or social group.
●The word competence is used because it implies having the capacity to function effectively and in a manner that reflects understanding and sensitivity.
“My sense of cultural competence refers to helping students recognize and honor their own cultural beliefs and practices while acquiring access to the wider culture, where they are more likely to have a chance of improving their socio-economic status and making informed decisions about the lives they wish to lead”. Gloria Ladson-Billlings (2006)
5.1 Deliverable 1:Provide mandatory and ongoing professional development for all staff in issues relevant to cultural competency.
5.11Utilize current resources: MSUNER (Montclair University Network), Dr. Khyati Joshi’s workshops and events, Coalition on Race.
5.2Differentiate the professional development according to the stages of cultural competence
5.2.1Survey teachers on cultural competence training needs
5.2.2Develop assessments for gauging teachers’ cultural competence knowledge and include some of these elements in teacher evaluation rubrics
5.2.3Introductory Course, Intermediate Course, etc.
5.2.4Ensure that the professional development covers topics including but not limited to:
5.2.4.1Development of a socio-cultural awareness
5.2.5.1Surface Culture vs. Deep Culture
5.2.4.2Racial Identity Development
5.2.4.3Becoming culturally self-aware
5.2.4.4Understanding the community the teachers serve
5.2.4.5Responding to racial and cultural conflict
5.2.5.5Teachers as advocates for their students
5.3Generate consistency in Cultural Competence PD across disciplines and provide opportunities for cross-grade/cross-discipline collaborations
5.4Develop a knowledge base within schools: Explicit knowledge about cultural diversity is necessary to meeting the needs of diverse students
5.6.1Create a professional development library with explicit resources that support the professional development in cultural competency
5.6.2Cultural competency officer
5.2.1Develop a protocol for hiring and retention that supports cultural competency objectives.
5.2.1Affirmative recruitment and hiring of culturally competent teachers, administrators
and staff is a number one priority.
5.2.2Ensure that the evaluation system is fair and unbiased.
5.2.3 Establish mechanisms to support teachers and administrators of color by creating an environment that truly reflects the district’s commitment to diversity, equity, cultural competence, and inclusion.
5.3 Deliverable 3:Provide students with ongoing, formal and informal opportunities for discussion to raise cultural awareness
5.3.1 Creating safe & culturally-responsive learning environments through the development of
democratic classroom procedures, consistency in holding students to expectations of respect for
all people, modeling and discussing empathy, etc.
5.3.2 Intangible Elements
A. School policies (ex. transgender policy)
B. Symbolic Curriculum: classroom should reflect the students in it
5.3.4 Approaches to behavior/classroom management (recognizing behaviors that are cultural rather than insubordinate), Restorative Circles, Societal Curriculum (mass media): Responding to current events and hosting open conversations; analysis of representations in the media, etc.
5.4 Deliverable 4: Provide students with access to curriculum that is culturally responsive
5.4.1 Allocating and developing culturally-responsive resources, materials, etc.
5.4.2 Cultural Scaffolding: Constructivist approach to teaching and learning.
- Connections between student background knowledge and experiences and topics to be learned in class.
- Using knowledge of students’ lives outside of class to engage them in classroom activities.
5.4.3 Embed cultural study and relevancy in the current curriculum - Study of culture, religion, race, ethnicity, etc., as it applies to aspects of written curriculum and/or students link curricular ideas to individual/global cultures (ex: teaching the scientific contributions of cultures rather than just individuals or looking at how the Mayans developed a number system during the study of number sequence.)
5.4.4 Provide Electives at the MS/HS level: Gender Studies, Black Studies, etc. These are developmentally appropriate as students develop individual identity.
5.4.5 Cultural Connection project in every subject at every grade level that is used as a reference point throughout the year of learning.
5.4.7 Teach the cycle of socialization, social identity and identity
5.4.8 Teach historical and current examples of oppression in every class
5.2.2.9 Provide opportunities for action and change
5.5.Deliverable 5: Expand learning opportunities outside of the classroom
5.5.1 Community-Based Learning
5.5.2 Blended Learning - connecting students (Google Classroom, Edmodo, OutofEdenWalk,iEARN [International Education and Resource Network], AFS-USA, Epals, GlobalSchoolNet, USDoE International Guide)
5.5.3 Involve students in opportunities for advocacy and change
5.6 Deliverable 6: Develop mechanisms to review district policies and procedures through the lens of cultural competency.
5.6.1: Create a position that will serve as the district’s Diversity and Inclusion Officer
5.6.1 Responsible for being the voice of diversity and maintaining an inclusive
environment
5.6.2 Develop policies and strategies to ensure district compliance
5.6.3 Provide guidance and support for diversity initiatives
5.6.4 Develop systems for reporting incidents of discrimination
5.6.5 Resolving conflicts and responding to complaints
5.6.6 Responsible for district cultural competency training
5.6.7 Develop a policy for handling staff members’ inappropriate language or behavior,
related to race, ethnicity, gender, ability, or sexual orientation
5.6.8 Responsible for actively recruiting employees from culturally diverse populations and who have experience working with populations reflecting diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds.
5.6.9 Ensuring persons representing various culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds are in leadership roles.
5.6.2: Create a Diversity & Inclusion Board - to review “charges”/acts of cultural insensitivity and discrimination
5.6.2.1 Recruit students, teachers and administrators
5.6.2.2 Provide a forum for grievances and complaints
5.6.2.3 Use restorative practices for resolution
5.6.2.4 Review curriculum to ensure its inclusiveness
5.7 Deliverable 7: Identify, establish relationships and collaborate with community and regional organizations to develop and strengthen cultural competency.
5.7.1: Develop Community-Based Partnerships To Promote Cultural Competency(e.g. South Orange-Maplewood Community Coalition on Race, Community Center, Library, Senior Share, American Conference on Diversity, local Affinity groups, Law Enforcement, etc.)
5.7.2: Promote Globally-Based Partnerships To Promote Cultural Competency (e.g. iEARN, AFS, ADL, Intercultural Organizations, Urban League, ACLU, GSE, etc.)
5.7.3: Professional Development Based Partnerships To Promote Cultural Competency
(e.g. Montclair State University, Dr. Joshi, etc.)
5.7.4: Provide students with opportunities to gain knowledge and experiences from diverse community-based groups such as local theater, music and artistic groups.
5.7.5: Create stronger links between home and school via the HSA. More teacher presence at HSA meetings, involvement in HSA events, etc.