Presented by
The Cultural Proficiency Cadre
Lower Merion School District
By the end of the session the participants will:
 Review the definitions of culture and the
cultural proficiency continuum
 Reflect on their own perspective/awareness as
it relates to the essential elements of cultural
proficiency
 Discuss the barriers that may prevent a person,
school, or district from becoming culturally
proficient.

According to Glenn Singleton in Courageous
Conversations About Race, we need to agree to…
1. Stay engaged.
 Observe the quiet signal
 Cell phones on vibrate and laptops away
2. Experience discomfort.
3. Speak your truth (and allow others to speak
theirs)
4. Expect/accept non-closure.
in our conversations today.

Pause- give time for thoughts

Probe

Paraphrase- give a sense of what you heard… so far

Acknowledge- appreciate your colleagues’ contribution
listen to ask questions
4 Things in Common
1.
2.
3.
4.
At your table, share information to
discover four things you have in
common.
They can’t be things that are visible or
otherwise obvious.
Write them down on the chart paper
and sign.
Have fun!


In the Social Identity Theory, a person has not
one, “personal self”, but rather several selves
that correspond to widening circles of group
membership.
Different social contexts may trigger an
individual to think, feel and act on basis of
his personal, family or national “level of self”
(Turner et al, 1987)
Fill in all the spaces with words that
identify you.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Circle (or highlight) the identities you think
about most often.
Put a check next to the identities you think
about least.
Put an A next to any that you consider an
advantage
Put a D next to any that may be a
disadvantage.


Please find two other people in the room
whom you do not know well and are
than you (race, religion, childhood
neighborhood, etc) and form a trio circle.
On our signal, share the information you
wrote including the advantages, and
disadvantages as well as those you think
about and those you ignore.
 What
did we learn?
 How are we different?
 What does it matter as we interact
with students/families and
communities that have different
wheels than ours?
Stop and think


Think about the ideas that have been
presented
Think about what you have…
Learned

or
Work with a partner to clarify ideas.



Culture is everywhere.
Schools are places where culture is
important and one’s ability to conform
determines success.
The further away the child’s culture is from
the culture of the school, the harder it is for
him to experience a sense of belonging and
to negotiate a successful experience.
Besides ethnic/racial cultures…
◦ Schools
◦ Community/Neighborhood
◦ Professions
◦ Gender
◦ Age
◦ Religion
◦ Others?

Look at the Iceberg, please circle anything under
the surface that may impact students in our
schools. Their cultural norms may differ from
the school
“The way we do things around here.”
- Asa Hilliard.
Double impact
Culture
Race




The Continuum ( review)
◦ Language for describing both healthy and nonproductive policies, practices and individual
behaviors
The Essential Elements
◦ Behavioral standards for measuring, and planning
for growth toward cultural proficiency
The Barriers
◦ Caveats that assist in responding effectively to
resistance to change
◦
The Guiding Principles
◦ Underlying values of the approach




Once we have heard the description , write
down on the post-it and example of what
you would her or see that demonstrates
this point on the Continuum
Chart comments/practices or policies
that would typify this point.
Let’s hear them.
Conclusions
The Cultural Proficiency Continuum
Lindsey, Robins, & Terrell
Six points along the continuum indicate unique ways of seeing and
responding to difference. These will help you identify where you are
and your school.
Cultural
Destructivenes
s
Cultural
Incapacity
Cultural
Blindness
Cultural
Competence
Cultural
PreCompetence
Cultural
Proficiency
Seeking to eliminate all aspects of the culture of
others… in all aspects of school and in relationship
to the community they serve.
“This text has enough diversity in it. It only leaves out
a few minorities.
“Why are those kids speaking like that at lunch?” Why
can’t they speak correctly?
“There are so many problems coming from Lakeside.”
Any policy, practice or behavior that presumes one
culture is superior to others. Behavior disempowers
others.
Examples:
 Maintaining systems that disempowered people
who differ from them culturally.
 Low expectations based on stereotypes, tracking.
 Tolerating difference without valuing diversity.
 Questioning the qualifications of people of color.
 Questioning differences in any of the cultural
markers on the “iceberg”.
Any policy, practice or behavior that ignores existing
cultural difference or that consider such differences
inconsequential.
Examples:
◦ “I don’t see color.. just human beings”
By not seeing differences one presumes that the dominant
cultural norms are equally beneficial to all.
◦ Deny color and culture matters ( in curriculum
choices/pedagogy)
◦ Discomfort in noting difference
◦ Beliefs/actions that assume world is fair and achievement
is based on merit
◦ “Our school does not need to focus on multicultural
People recognize that their skills and practices are limited when
interacting with other cultural groups. They are aware and may
have have made some changes but are aware that others are
needed
.Examples:
 Trying to include some examples of African
American culture in one unit of study, but realizing
that you do not know enough to do it well.
 A multicultural festival where you want more than
food but don’t know what else to do.
 Delegate diversity work to others, to a committee
 Quick fix, packaged short-term programs
 Unclear rules, expectations for all diversity
programs for staff
See the difference, understand the difference
that the difference makes.
Any policy, practice or behavior that uses the essential
elements of cultural proficiency as the standard for the
individual or the organization.

Examples:
◦ Performance standards for culturally appropriate
behavior
◦ Modeling appropriate behaviors
◦ Risk-taking such as speaking out against injustice,
even when doing so may cause tensions


The use of specific tools effectively describing,
responding to, and planning for issues that emerge
in diverse environments.
A set of policies and practices at the organizational
level and values, beliefs and behaviors at the
individual level that enables effective cross cultural
interactions among employees, clients, and
community.
◦ Essential Elements
 Assess Your Culture
 Value Diversity
 Manage the Dynamics of Difference
 Adapt to Diversity
 Institutionalize Cultural Knowledge
Stop and think


Think about the ideas that have been
presented
Think about what you have…
Learned

or
Work with a partner to clarify ideas.

Let’s agree on one definition (Lindsey, et
al in Cultural Proficiency for Leaders) for
our conversations today
“Racism has two components:
1. the belief that one racial group is
superior to all others
2. the power to create an environment
where that belief is manifested in the
subtle or direct subjugation of the
subordinate ethnic groups through a
society’s institutions”
This set of caveats
1. Systematic oppression
2. The presumption of entitlement
3. Unawareness of the need to
adapt…

all result in a resistance to change.
Think about your life, where would you line
up?
Let me describe what a typical line might look
like in a room with diversity.
◦ There are barriers that are out of your
control
◦ Some are within your control
◦ We will view a video clip to better
explain the role of the presumption of
entitlement and how racism influences
it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAljja
0vi2M


Take a minute to jot down a few
thoughts about what you just saw.
Turn to a neighbor to share.
Let’s hear a few ideas
in the room.


Assesses culture

Values diversity

Manages the dynamics of difference

Adapts to diversity

Institutionalizes cultural knowledge
(theirs and the organization)

Assesses culture. The culturally proficient
professional
◦ is aware of her own culture and the effect it may
have on the people in her work setting.
◦ learns about the culture of the organization and the
cultures of the “clients”, and
◦ anticipates how they will interact with, conflict with,
and enhance one another.



Values diversity. The culturally proficient
professional
welcomes a diverse group of clients into the work
setting and appreciates the challenges diversity
brings.
shares this appreciation with other clients,
developing a learning community with the clients.




Manages the dynamics of difference. The culturally
proficient professional
recognizes that conflict is a normal and natural
part of life.
develops skills to manage conflict in a positive way
helps clients to understand that what appear to be
clashes in personalities may be conflicts in culture.



Adapts to diversity. The culturally proficient
professional
commits to the continuous learning that is
necessary to deal with the issues caused by
differences.
enhances the substance and structure of his work
so that all of it is informed by the guiding
principles of cultural proficiency.



Institutionalizes cultural knowledge. The
culturally proficient professional
works to influence the culture of her
organization so that its policies and practices
are informed by the guiding principals of
cultural proficiency.
takes advantages of opportunities to teach
others in the community and creates ways for
others to engage in ways that honor who they
are and challenge them to be more.



Why should whites who are advantaged by racism
want to end that system of advantage?
What is the cost of a system of advantage based
upon race?
Why should teachers work toward cultural
proficiency?
Our students:
Asian/Pacific Islanders
African-American
Hispanic
American Indian
Multi-Racial
White
Number of Students
Asian
Black or African
American
Hispanic
White



Identify/address the academic achievement needs of
African-American and other students in identified groups
Identify ways to measure improvement
Improve grades for African-American and other students
in identified groups
44
Math – 5th Grade
of Students
2007-2008 45%
2008-2009 70%
2009-2010 70%
Math – 8th Grade
2007-2008 69%
2008-2009 51%
2009-2010 79%
#
51
37
37
Math – 5th Grade
of Students
2007-2008 90%
2008-2009 91%
2009-2010 92%
451
509
479
48
53
48
Math – 8th Grade
2007-2008 88%
2008-2009 88%
2009-2010 95%
500
551
534
Math – 11th Grade
PSSA Scores41%
– Proficient
2007-2008
34 &
Advanced
2008-2009
32% 62
2009-2010
33% Students
54
African American
#
Math – 11th Grade
PSSA Scores –83%
Proficient
2007-2008
567 &
Advanced
2008-2009
82% 580
2009-2010
85% 553
All Students



45
PSSA Scores – Proficient &
Advanced
African American Students
Math – 5th Grade
of Students
2007-2008 45%
2008-2009 70%
2009-2010 70%
Math – 8th Grade
2007-2008 69%
2008-2009 51%
2009-2010 79%
Math – 11th Grade
2007-2008 41%
2008-2009 32%
2009-2010 33%
Identify/address the academic achievement needs of
African-American and other students in identified groups
Identify ways to measure improvement
Improve grades for African-American and other students
in identified groups
PSSA Scores – Proficient &
Advanced
All Students
#
51
37
37
Math – 5th Grade
of Students
2007-2008 90%
2008-2009 91%
2009-2010 92%
#
451
509
479
48
53
48
Math – 8th Grade
2007-2008 88%
2008-2009 88%
2009-2010 95%
500
551
534
34
62
54
Math – 11th Grade
2007-2008 83%
2008-2009 82%
2009-2010 85%
567
580
553



46
PSSA Scores – Proficient & Advanced
African American Students
Reading – 5th Grade
Students
2007-2008
45%
2008-2009
70%
2009-2010
63%
# of
51
37
38
Reading – 8th Grade
2007-2008
83%
2008-2009
81%
2009-2010
88%
48
53
51
Reading – 11th Grade
2007-2008
50%
2008-2009
61%
2009-2010
58%
34
62
55
Identify/address the academic achievement needs of
African-American and other students in identified groups
Identify ways to measure improvement
Improve grades for African-American and other students
in identified groups
PSSA Scores – Proficient & Advanced
All Students
Reading – 5th Grade
Students
2007-2008 83%
2008-2009 89%
2009-2010 86%
Reading – 8th Grade
2007-2008 93%
2008-2009 94%
2009-2010 96%
Reading – 11th
2007-2008
2008-2009
2009-2010
# of
500
543
514
499
549
539
Grade
87%
566
88%
578
91%
559
Achievement Gaps
Goal



Identify/address the academic achievement needs of
African-American and other students in identified groups
Identify ways to measure improvement
Improve grades for African-American and other students
in identified groups
47
Total LMSD
Students
Year
Average
Score
African American
LMSD Students
# of
Students
Tested
Year
Average
Score
# of
Students
Tested
Pennsylvania
Students
Year
Average
Score
# of
Students
Tested
2008 1723
517
2008 1262
36
2008 1468 85,189
2009 1785
453
2009 1365
25
2009 1467 81,144
2010 1738
474
2010 1355
39
2010 1470 79,889



Identify/address the academic achievement needs of
African-American and other students in identified groups
Identify ways to measure improvement
Improve grades for African-American and other students
in identified groups
AP/Honors - LMSD
Total students
Total Student enrolled in at least 1 % of Students in at
least 1 AP/Honors
Population
AP/Honor class
African American
Student Population
African American
Number of African students in at least 1
American students AP/Honors class as
enrolled in at least 1
% of African
AP/Honors class
American population
07-08
2351
1831
77%
197
73
37%
08-09
2249
1758
77%
206
96
47%
09-10
2301
1769
78%
250
121
48%
10-11
2339
1853
80%
257
142
55%
48
Achievement Gaps
Goal
LMSD Graduates Class of 2008
All Students
Continuing Education
Four Year College
Two Year College
Other Post Secondary Schools
Military
Employment
Unknown
African American/AfricanAmerican
Continuing Education
Four Year College
Two Year College
Other Post Secondary Schools
Military
Employment
Unknown



Identify/address the academic achievement needs of
African-American and other students in identified groups
Identify ways to measure improvement
Improve grades for African-American and other students
in identified groups
LMSD Graduates Class of 2009
Total #
607
585
514
55
16
3
16
2
Total %
100
96
85
9
3
<1
3
<1
51
44
23
18
2
3
3
1
8
86
45
35
4
6
6
2
All Students
Continuing Education
Four Year College
Two Year College
Other Post Secondary Schools
Military
Employment
Unknown
African American/AfricanAmerican
Continuing Education
Four Year College
Two Year College
Other Post Secondary Schools
Military
Employment
Unknown
Total #
580
556
503
41
12
5
19
0
35
31
23
8
0
1
3
0
Total %
100
96
87
7
2
<1
3
0
6
89
66
23
0
3
9
0
50

A CULTURAL PROFICIENT TEACHER IS…
“THE STRUGGLE CONTINUES UNTIL EACH
CHILD HAS THE SCHOOLING WE WANT FOR
OUR OWN CHILDREN.”
Dr. Barbara Moore-Williams
Educational Consultant