Deficit model thinking,

‘At-risk’ designations, and

EvaluationGRS Presentation by Elaine Wood

Culture – entwined within programs, policies and practices

Cultural dimensions of programs – value-laden

Danger : Imposing valuesMisinterpreting values

Misrepresenting values

Dominant culture’s interpretation of reality – perpetrates the myth of the deficit model

SenGupta, S., Hopson, R., & Thompson-Robinson, M. (2004). Cultural competence in evaluation: An overview. New Directions for Evaluation, 102, 5-19.

Different than the dominant group?

LESS ADEQUATE

(without exploring the insider’s perspective)

Deficit-model thinking

At-risk categorizations

Identify a group of children at risk of not succeeding

DEFICIENCY

Students labeled ‘at-risk’ don’t match dominant culture in

appearance

language

values

home communities

family structures

Howard, S., Dryden J., & Johnson, B. (1999). Childhood resilience: review and critique of the literature. Oxford Review of Education. 25(3), 308.

For Native American or other indigenous communities

‘At-risk’ designations

Overlook history of colonization

And its continuing impact today

Fail to articulate a full perspective of the tribe

Grady Johnson, G. (2003). Resilience, a story: A postcolonial position from which to [re]view Indian education framed in “at-risk” ideology. Ecuational Studies: A Journal of the American Educ. Studies Assoc. 34(2), 182-198

Grady Johnson, G. (2003). Resilience, a story: A postcolonial position from which to [re]view Indian education framed in “at-risk” ideology. Ecuational Studies: A Journal of the American Educ. Studies Assoc. 34(2), 186.

At-risk designations

Wrongly center on the individual student and family

Allow a system rooted in colonialism to go uncontested

So policy makers

‘See’ strengths, not pathologies

“move away from

and tribal social systems that strive to teach and maintain group and individual resilience”

ideology of individualism,

the practices of colonialism/imperialism, andpolicies of benign paternalism

‘see’ through lenses that include policies of self-determination

Grady Johnson, p. 186

Not in terms of what they do not have,

“Strength-Based” approach

Greenwood, M., Tagalik, S., Joyce, M., & deLeeuw, S. (2004). Beyond deficit: Exploring capacity building in northern indigenous youth communities through strength-based approaches. Iqaluit Nunavut Canada: Government of Nunavut Task Force On Mental Health, Centre of Excellence for Children and Adolescents with Special Needs, p. 5-6.

Rather in terms of what they do have

Draw upon rich socio-cultural imperatives and ‘traditions

EVALUATORS

Uniquely positioned to work for social justice

Elaine Woodelaine_wood@wsu.edu