Cultural Proficiency

York Region District School Board
Leading and Learning in a Culturally
Diverse School District
Sharon Moss – Principal, Leadership Development
Camille Logan – Principal, Inclusive School and Community Services
The Moral Imperative
“…listening…requires not only open eyes
and ears, but open hearts and minds. We
do not really see through our eyes or hear
through our ears, but through our
beliefs…It is not easy, but it is the only way
to learn what it might feel like to be
someone else and the only way to start the
dialogue.”
Lisa Delpit
Agenda
• YRDSB Context
• The Journey to Equity & Inclusivity
• Our Beginning ~ Anti-Racism and
Ethnocultural Equity
• Continuing the Journey ~ Cultural Proficiency
• “Re-visioning” Equity & Inclusivity
• The Journey to Inclusivity
– Explicit vs. Embedded/ Strategic Approaches
• YRDSB Next Steps
• What is next for you/your organization?
York Region ~Today
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Aurora – Population 53, 2000
East Gwillimbury – Population 22, 500
Georgina – Population 43, 500
King – Population 20, 000
Markham – Population 301, 000
Newmarket – Population 80, 000
Richmond Hill – Population 185, 000
Vaughan – Population 288, 500
Witchurch-Stouffville 37, 600
(based on 2011 Census)
Our Core Business:
Student Achievement and Well-being
“In a truly equitable system, factors such as
race, gender, and socio-economic status do
not prevent students from achieving
ambitious outcomes. Our experience shows
that barriers can be removed when all
education partners create the conditions
needed for success.”
(Ontario Ministry of Education, 2008, p. 8)
York Region Journey – Diversity, Equity and
Inclusivity
Anti-Racism and
Ethnocultural Equity mid
1990’s
Cultural Proficiency mid 2000’s
Directorto
– Ken
Thurston
Journey
Inclusivity
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YRDSB ~The beginning of our Equity
Journey
Antiracism and Ethnocultural Equity (PPM 119, 1993)
Antiracism and Ethnocultural Equity Policy and resources
Manager Race Relations
Manager of Community and Cultural Services
Community and Cultural Services Unit
Race Relations Advisory Committee
Director’s Race Relations Advisory Committee
Board Identity/Issue Focused Committees
 Equity Groups - Sustaining Equity Education and
Diversity System-Wide
 Anti-Racism , Anti-poverty, Anti-homophobia
 Cultural Proficiency Journey
Social Identities
(to name a few…..)
Age
Ethnicity
Intellectual Ability
Power and Privilege
Sexual Orientation
Ancestry
Gender
Religion
Socio Economic Status
Culture
Gender Identity
Physical Ability
Race
Language
Equity and Inclusive Education Strategy
Guidebook, 2009
Data Talks!
• Census data used for baseline
– Who are our students?
– Who are our families?
• School Climate surveys
– Students
– Parents
– Teachers/Admin.
• School Profiles
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ELL
Spec. Ed
Country of Origin
Achievement Data
Culture Eats Strategy for Breakfast!
Cultural
Proficiency
In honour of
Terry Cross
Cultural Proficiency
• It is an inside-out approach
• It is about being aware of how we work with
others
• It is about being aware of how we react to those
different from us
Consider…
Who I am in relation to clients/families and the community
I serve?
Who am I in relation to the organization in which I work?
What are the Cultural Proficiency
tools?
1.
2.
3.
4.
The Guiding Principles
Underlying values of the approach
The Continuum
Language for describing both healthy and non-productive
policies, practices and individual behaviours
The Essential Elements
Five behavioural standards for measuring, and planning for,
growth toward cultural proficiency
The Barriers
Three caveats that assist in responding effectively to
resistance to change
The Guiding Principles
• Culture is a predominant force
• People are served in varying degrees by
the dominant culture
• Acknowledge group identities
• Diversity within cultures is important
• Respect unique cultural needs
The Guiding Principles are the core values, the foundation
upon which the approach is built
What does it look like?
What is the mission, vision
and values?
What are the
leadership styles?
What are the core values?
Your
organizational
norms and
traditions
Your core
values
Your language
Your
organizational
structures and
systems
What is the
organizational
structures ?
What are the opportunities
for professional
development?
What system of accountability exists to move
individuals, work units, and the whole
organization toward cultural proficiency?
The Cultural Proficiency Continuum
There are six points along the cultural proficiency continuum that indicate unique
ways of perceiving and responding to differences.
Incapacity
Pre-Competence
Downward Spiral Conversation
Destructiveness
Blindness
Proficiency
Upward Spiral Conversation
Competence
Cultural Destructiveness
• See difference, stomp it out!
– Institutionalizing social reproduction
– Laws that seek to eliminate cultural
artefacts
– Genocide
Cultural Incapacity
• See difference, make it wrong!
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Racial Superiority
Paternal attitudes
“Know their place”
Lower expectations of performance
Cultural Blindness
• See difference, act like you don’t!
– “There are no real differences, everyone’s like me”
– Dominant culture is universally applicable and
beneficial
– If the system doesn’t work it’s because of a cultural
deficiency, rather than the system works only for the
most assimilated groups
Cultural Pre-Competence
• See Difference—Respond inappropriately!
– A desire to provide fair and equitable treatment
– Frustration with how to proceed
– Food day
– Race month
Cultural Competence
• Understand the difference difference makes
– Acceptance and respect for difference
– Continuing self-assessment regarding culture
– Careful attention to the dynamics of difference
– Continuous inquiry into cultural knowledge,
resources
– Honouring of policies and practices dealing
with difference
– Explicit regarding intolerance to racism
Cultural Proficiency
• Culture is held in high esteem
• People seek to add to the knowledge base of
culturally proficient practice
• There is an advocacy for culturally proficient
practices in all corners of the organization
• This is really a vision for an organization
Essential Elements
1. Assess Culture
2. Value Diversity
3. Manage the
Dynamics of
Difference
4. Adapt to Diversity
5. Institutionalize
Culture of
Knowledge
The Essential Elements of
Cultural Proficiency provide
the standards for individual
behaviour and
organizational practices
Cultural Proficiency Helps Us to Move
FROM TOLERANCE FOR DIVERSITY
Destructiveness – Blindness
TO TRANSFORMATION FOR EQUITY
Pre-competence – Proficiency
Focus on “them” and their inadequacies
The focus on “us” and our practices
Tolerate, Assimilate, Acculturate
Esteem, respect, adapt
Demographics viewed as challenge
Demographics inform policies and practice
Prevent, mitigate, avoid cultural dissonance Manage, leverage, facilitate conflict
and conflict
Stakeholders expect or help others to
assimilate
Stakeholders adapt to meet the needs of
others
Information added to existing policies,
procedures and practices
Information integrated into policies,
procedures, practices
The Barriers
• The presumption of entitlement
• Systems of oppression
• Unawareness of the need to adapt
Movement toward Equity and
Inclusivity…
Diversity is our strength
Equity is our commitment
YRDSB Director
Ken Thurston
Inclusion is our goal
Inclusion
Equity
Diversity
The presence
of a wide
range of
human
qualities and
attributes
within society.
A condition or
state of fair,
inclusive and
respectful
treatment of
all people.
Education that
is based on the
principles of
acceptance and
inclusion of all
students.
Assets Based Approach
• Starting with Assets (e.g. Assets
mapping, beginning with the strengths of
families and communities)
• Assets vs Deficits
• Assets mapping
Equity
Strategy
Board Policy
#261
Board
Improvement Plan
School/Work
Improvement
Plan
Equity and Inclusivity Structures
SO Inclusivity
and
Community
Services
Parent
Community
Outreach
Professional
Learning
Strategic Hiring
Equity and
Inclusivity
Advisory
Committee
EIE
Equity
Strategy
Steering and
Action
Committee
Research/Data
Human Rights
Policy
Development
Inclusive
School and
Community
Services
Positive Space
Inclusive School & Community
Services
 “YRDSB is committed to ensuring an equitable and inclusive
learning and workplace environment that upholds and
reflects the Seven Guiding principles of the Equity and
Inclusive Education Strategy.”
 The Board will establish and maintain collaborative
relationships with all communities so that the perspectives
and needs of all students, families, and employees are
recognized and addressed through shared and committed
leadership and school-community relationships.
YRDSB Policy #261
Superintendent of Inclusivity and
Community Services
Principal of Inclusive School and Community
Services
Reception
Centre
Community
Resource
Facilitators
Teacher
Liaisons
Reception Centre Data
Major Countries of Arrival
May 2012 – Feb 2013
China
664
Iran
244
Hong Kong, China
201
USA
157
Canada (from another Province)
156
Pakistan
140
South Korea
90
UAE
69
India
60
Inclusive School and Community Services Staff
Dr. Bette Stephenson Centre for Learning
Principal – Camille Logan
Administrative Assistant – Joan Lachhman
Reception Centre
Administrative
Staff
Community Resource
Facilitators
CEC East
Teacher Liaisons
African/ Caribbean Heritage
Communities
Teacher Assessors
(Elementary)
CEC Central
Teacher Assessors
(Secondary)
CEC West
Chinese Heritage Communities
CEC North
Korean Heritage
Communities
School Settlement Liaison
Coordinator
Afghani/Iranian
Heritage Communities
South Asian Heritage
Communities
Sri Lankan Heritage
Communities
Marginalized Communities
(LGBTQ, Low SES and Mental
health)
Student Voice in Schools
Student Conferences
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SpeakOUT
Fusion
Together We’re Better
Peace Tree
Youth Voice
Our Voice
QUEST
Student Leadership
• GSAs, Equity/Social Justice Clubs, Positive
Climates4Learning Student Groups etc…
Equity and Inclusive Education
Course
Course Themes
Power and Privilege
Identity and Intersectionality
Stereotypes, Discrimination, Prejudice
Assumptions and Values
Cross-Cultural Interactions
Human Rights
Critical Race Theory
Whiteness
Social Justice (Taking Action)
Becoming Allies
Next Steps….
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Continued development of the Equity Course
Development of AOP Framework (YRDSB focus)
Professional Learning strategic plan
Resource Development
Revise Religious Accommodation Guidelines
Student Census
Strategic Plan ‘Road Ahead’
– Positive employment practices that support equitable
hiring, mentoring, retention, promotion and succession
planning;
Considerations for your
organization…
• What data do you have?
• What data do you need?
– analyze your data to ensure that it is inclusive of all voices.
If not, how will you ensure the multitude of perspectives
that are required to make informed decisions
• Is your present structure making space for others
(therefore not changing) or restructuring to reflect the
changing needs of your clients/families,
communities?
• How can your structures, resources and programs be
redesigned to be culturally appropriate and
responsive?
Culture Eats Strategy for Breakfast!
Final Thoughts
• Instead of ‘making room’….. Make a new space! We
challenge you to reconstruct a new reality!
• Recreate the space with the voices of those who need to be
at the table!
• Who are you serving? Assess where you are at, have you
moved ahead?
• Is who you serve part of the assessment process? Know
that the road to equity is winding.
• Ensure that the ‘lens’ of equity is consistently aligned or
infused in all facets of the organization.
• Build capacity…the work of equity cannot rest with one
person! You need a team to impact your organization!
Next Steps
• How might our
conversation
today impact the
decisions you
make as public
sector/service
organization?
Thank You!