Cultural Imaging
Paula Fernandez; Kent Smith – WI RTI Center
Shannon Chapman; Shawn Bonnin – Menominee Tribal
School
 Who we are
 Who you are
 Diverse schools?
 Urban/suburban/rural?
 Admin?
 Parent team members?
 Teachers, paras, student services?
 Nationally we have significant issue with
disproportionate outcomes in education.
 Wisconsin, depending on outcome measured is 2.5-7
times worse including completion, engagement,
academic and discipline measures.
 Addressing these challenges require multiple and
complex responses.
 “We see the world not as it is, but as we are”
 Take a minute and think about your school and
classrooms and how they look and feel.
 Quick shout out (or raise hands for those of you who
prefer that…)
 What do the halls look like (what is on the walls, etc.)
 How do the classrooms look, feel? (what books on
display, what pictures, signs, music etc.?)
 Who’s culture, history, experiences are on display?
Implicit bias means we act based on what we know and
prefer, and generally without being aware
 Attractiveness
 Real estate agents rated as more attractive sell homes for
significantly higher prices (Salter, Mixon, & King, 2012)
 Height
 One inch of height is worth $789 per year in salary (Judge &
Cable, 2004)
 Our schools and classrooms implicitly reflect the staff
and their cultures unless intentional effort is applied.
 Effect?
 Unintentional priority given to the dominant culture
 Disengagement of culturally diverse students and
families
 Build staff awareness around their own identity and
culture and how that shows up in setting and practice.
 Validate and affirm the cultures and histories of all
students and families served starting with the setting.
 Family and Student Voice
 Strong universal instruction
 Community involvement
 Students and families should be able to come to school
and feel a part of the school community.
 “Ownership” of the system and environment
 Continue the connection between home, school and
community
 Family and community values are incorporated into
practices
 Students come to us having been taught to fluency
behaviors, values, language and tradition.
 Strong Universal Instruction draws on prior
knowledge and skills to make new concepts generalize
easier and to build connections to the setting.
 Language
 Stories and teachings from home/community to teach
concepts or content
 Engages students by telling them their histories and
culture matters
 Students return home to family and community and
that first teaching.
 Building bridges to communities:
 Help reinforce teachings
 Provide natural and authentic cultural knowledge and
resources
 Honor home and community where students can see
themselves, their histories, their community as a
welcome and essential part of the school community
Menominee Tribal School
 Paula Fernandez – fernandezp@wisconsinrticenter.org
 Kent Smith – smithk@wisconsinpbisnetwork.org
 Shannon Chapman – schapman@mitw.net
 Shawn Bonnin – sbonnin@mitw.net