Cultural Competency Development for Inclusive Education

Developing your Cultural Competency: Individual Actions to Improve the Climate for All Gary Weissmann and Roberto Ibarra University of New Mexico

Our Path for the Next Three Days Day 1: Who am I and how does that influence my teaching? Cultural Autobiography foundational for next days. Day 2: Who are my students? Where are they coming from? Multicontext model of diversity Day 3: My classroom mode: How can I enhance full participation from a diverse group of students? Applying the Multicontext model

What is diversity? From InTeGrate, Broadening Access to the Earth and Environmental Sciences Workshop: We define diversity broadly including ethnic and minority groups, women, people with disabilities, veterans, people of low socioeconomic status, LGBT and other groups that are not represented in the geosciences in proportion to their abundance in society. We add age, nationality, and religion. The emphasis is differences in people! http://serc.carleton.edu/integrate/workshops/broaden_access/synthesis.html

Refining Current Assumptions on Diversity DIVERSITY IS THREE DIMENSIONAL Structural Compliance oriented Helping people access and adjust to the system/institution. Multicultural Helping sensitize the system/institution to culture/gender differences. Infusing diversity via cultural customs or gender issues into our institutions; Valuing underrepresented populations to recruit and retain others; awareness of multicultural/gender issues to help change institutional culture. Contextual Helping the system/institution adjust to people. *Details in Background on schedule, Day 1.

Campus Diversity Model Institutional History - traditional Academic and disciplinary cultures, teaching/ research models (inclusion & exclusion) Structural Diversity Affirmative Action Numbers of faculty, staff, students, recruitment and retention policies/procedures, programs, scholarships, Campus Climate & Culture Multicultural Diversity racial/eth/gend Multicultural Student Centers, mentoring programs, leadership training, Academic support initiatives, advocacy programs, identity workshops, ethnic studies Context Diversity Source: Adopted from Hurtado, et. al., (1999). Enacting diverse learning environments: Improving the campus climate for racial/ethnic diversity. ASHE/ERIC Higher Education Reports Series 26.

Our Path for the Next Three Days Day 1: Who am I and how does that influence my teaching? Cultural Autobiography foundational for next days. Day 2: Who are my students? Where are they coming from? Multi-context model of diversity Day 3: My classroom mode: How can I enhance full participation from a diverse group of students? Applying the multi-context model

Starting with the Self: The Cultural Autobiography Exercise In this exercise, we will begin to exam how your cultural background influences your teaching, research, and expectations in your academic career. Identities: We each have many identities including those we were born as (e.g., gender, sexuality, race/ethnicity, body type) and those we were born into and learn (e.g., culture, religion or spirituality, socioeconomic class, nationality, norms of our families). Each identity influences who we are and how we experience, interpret, and do everything.

Identities of the Self Place one of your identities in each of the outer circles ME!!!!

Cultural Autobiography Each of our identities has within it an identity culture made up of values, assumptions, beliefs and behaviors. Culture, being one of your identities, has these concepts associated with it. By reflecting deeply and analyzing your cultural background, you can get a better sense of how personal values/traits originating in your culture manifest in your daily life (personal and professional). This self-reflection can also offer insights, empathy, and greater effectiveness for living, learning, and working with others from similar and different cultures and backgrounds.

From Alicia F. Chvez University of New Mexico

Cultural Autobiography Introduction: Describe your culture. Select one that you were born into and have lived within for all or most of your life. Identify, Describe and Illustrate 3-5 major values or traits originating from your culture. ACTIVITY 1 (9-10am): Describe each value or trait tell stories or give examples to illustrate how/why this value/trait is important to you and how it manifests in your behavior/life. ACTIVITY 2 (10:15-11am): Reflect and write about how this value/trait might show up in your teaching, research, and professional life. Focus on how it may be a strength or limitation. Reflect on ways these traits/values might affect the way you interpret and work with others. Summarize by discussing some ways understanding this identity can help you in your career.

Cultural Identity: Value: Value: Value: Origin: Assumptions:Current Origin: Assumptions:Current Origin: Assumptions:Current Reinforcer: Reinforcer: Reinforcer: Behavior: Behavior: Behavior: Cultural Self Awareness Worksheet developed by Alicia Fedelina Ch vez, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Educational Leadership & Policy, University of New Mexico

Cultural Autobiography Discussion How do you identify yourself outside your normal environmental conditions?

Activity 3: LC/MC One Page Worksheet Complete the characteristics table on two levels: 1. The Individual Level: Quickly chose between the two parallel statements in each column that best characterizes you as you work or study within the context of the most familiar educational setting (e.g., department, college, campus, etc) but not at home or other non-academic communities. Circle the letter M (for me ) on either the right or left comment. If you feel you are both or can t decide, mark the M in the middle between the comments.

Activity 3: LC/MC One Page Worksheet Complete the characteristics table on two levels: 1. The Institutional Level: Now, do the same but select the most appropriate statement or characteristic that best describes the institution in that same educational setting. Circle the letter O (for organization ) on either the right or left comment. If you feel you are both or can t decide, mark the M in the middle between the comments.

Activity 3: LC/MC One Page Worksheet When you are finished, please turn these in to us. Be sure your name is on the form (we need that for selecting groups tomorrow). THANKS! SEE YOU TOMORROW!