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.