Cultural Competence - A Primer for Educators

383 Pages·2012·13.784 MB·English

by  Jean Moule

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A Primer for Educators
SECOND EDITION
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Printed in the United States of America
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 14 13 12 11 10
CONTENTS
Preface viii
New to This Edition viii
Unique Features x
Focusing on Race and Ethnicity xi
Prologue: Beginning the Journey xii
Supplements: Provisions and Itinerary for the Journey xiii
About the Author: Jean's Journey So Far xiv
Acknowledgments: Comj,anions Along the Way xvi
PART I
Foundations for Becoming Culturally Competent 1
Introduction to Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 2
Student Voices: Fellow Travelers on This Journey 3
1 What It Means to Be Culturally Competent 5
Defining Cultural Competence 5
Demographics 8
Reactions to the Changing Demographics 9
Basics for Understanding Cultural Competence 10
Basic Terms 11
Basic Assumptions 13
Individual Cultural Competence Skill Areas 14
Defining Professional Standards 1 7
Why Become Culturally Competent? 18
The Fear and Pain Associated with Moving toward Cultural
Competence 18
Connections and Reflections: Emerging Views 23
Classroom: Adventures in Learning 25
iv CONTENTS
2 Understanding Racism and Prejudice 26
Defining and Contextualizing Race 27
Defining and Contextualizing Racism 28
Individual Racism and Prejudice 31
Institutional Racism 37
Cultural Racism 41
Connections and Reflections: Emerging Views 45
Clocks 45
Classroom: Adventures in Learning 47
3 Recognizing Unconscious Bias, Unintentional Racism, and
Microaggressions 48
Unconscious Bias 49
Unintentional Racism 53
Microaggressions 57
Hard Work of Honesty 63
Connections and Reflections: Emerging Views 66
Classroom: Adventures in Learning 68
4 Understanding Privilege and Racial Consciousness among
Whites 70
Becoming White 72
White Privilege 73
Models of White Racial Attitudes and Identities 78
Identity Development in the College Classroom 82
Implications for White Teachers 83
A Way Forward 84
Connections and Reflections: Emerging Views 85
Classroom: Adventures in Learning 88
5 Understanding Culture and Cultural
Differences 89
What Is Culture? 90
The Dimensions of Culture 93
Comparing Cultural Paradigms in America 95
Are Educational Theories Culture-Bound? 99
Conflicting Values in Educational Theory 100
Conflicting Strategies about Multicultural Education 105
Connections and Reflections: Emerging Views 108
Classroom: Adventures in Learning 109
CONTENTS v
PART II
Becoming Culturally Competent in the Classroom
and Community 113
Introduction to Chapters 6, 7, 8, and 9 114
Student Voices: Fellow Travelers on This Journey 114
6 Children, Parents, and Families of Color 119
Three Scenarios 120
Child Development 122
Families of Color 127
Bicultural Families 128
Isolated Students of Color 134
Parenting 139
Interacting with Parents of Color 145
Connections and Reflections: Emerging Views 148
Classroom: Adventures in Leaming 149
7 Psychological and Educational Issues 150
Racial Identity and Group Belonging 151
Assimilation and Acculturation 157
Academic Performance and Leaming Styles 163
Stereotype Threat 166
Stress 167
Providing Psychological Support in the Classroom 169
Who Are the Teachers? 172
Isolated Teachers of Color 174
Teacher Characteristics That Makae D ifference 175
Connections and Reflections: Emerging Views 176
Classroom: Adventures in Leaming 177
8 Bias in the Curriculum and in the Classroom 178
The Impact of Social and Racial Attitudes 179
Teacher Expectations Affect Student Leaming 180
Cultural Aspects of Curriculum Delivery 182
Bias in Conceptualizing Ethnic Populations 184
Bias in Assessment 186
Bias in Literature 190
Bias in Textbooks 191
Curriculum Reform 192
Aspects of Curriculum Transformation 195
vi CONTENTS
Child-Centeredness of the Curriculum 197
The Opportunity Gap 199
Social Action at Work 200
Connections and Reflections: Emerging Views 201
Classroom: Adventures in Learning 202
9 Critical Issues in Working with Culturally Different
Students 203
Classroom Management and Interactional Style 204
Immersion Experiences 208
Bilingualism 218
Overcoming Anxiety by Focusing on Caring 224
Preparing for Cross-Cultural Teaching 225
What Does Successful Cross-Cultural Teaching Look Like? 228
Connections and Reflections: Emerging Views 230
Classroom: Adventures in Learning 233
PARITl l
Working Competently with All Students 235
Introduction to Chapters 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15 238
Student Voices: Fellow Travelers on This Journey 240
10 Working with Latino/a Students 241
Demographics 241
Family and Cultural Values 243
Our Interviewee: Aurora Cedillo 246
11 Working with American Indian/Alaska Native
Students 257
Demographics 257
Family and Cultural Values 259
Education 262
Our Interviewee: Corne! Pewewardy 264
12 Working with African American Students 272
Demographics 272
Family and Cultural Values 273
Our Interviewee: William E. Cross Jr. 278
CONTENTS vii
13 Working with Asian Pacific American Students 297
Demographics 297
Family and Cultural Values 300
Our Interviewee: Valerie Ooka Pang 302
14 Working with Arab and Muslim Americans 313
Demographics 313
Family and Cultural Values 315
Our Interviewee: Karim Hamdy 318
15 Working with European American Students 325
Background 325
Our Informant: Christine E. Sleeter 328
Epilogue: Continuing the Journey 332
Accepting the Challenge to Make a Difference 332
A Temporary Resting Place 334
Focused Bibliography: Sites and Insights Aumg the Way 336
References 33 7
Index 356
PREFACE
Cultural Cornpetence: A Prirner for Educators is a basic textbook for people in
education. It opens pathways for effective and competent crossc-ultural teach­
ing. It presents a clear understanding of how a complex variety of social and
psychological factors come together to shape a teacher's ability to work with
K-12 students who are culturally different. I have called this work a primer.
According to Webster, a "primer" is a book of elementary or basic principles.
The objective of this text is to initiate a process of learning that will ultimately
lead you toward greater cultural competence as a teacher. Included are chap­
ters on cultural competence; racism; culture, ethnocentricity, and privilege;
ethnic children, parenting, and families; multicultural issues in education;
bias in curriculum delivery; and the practical dynamics of getting started. In
addition, there are chapters focusing specifically on working with African
Americans, Latinos/as, Asian Pacific Americans, Muslims, and American
Indian/A laskan Natives written by expert educators from those communities
as well as a final chapter on European Americans.
The first edition was well-received by both students and faculty. Its accessi­
bility through anecdotal and classroom examples as well as the interviews with
experts in specific cultures made it a popular introductory text for multicul­
tural education classes, student teachers, and teachers in the field. The book
can be used as a primary text for multicultural issues and cultural diversity
courses in education as well as for student services programs in community
colleges, four-year colleges, and beginning graduate programs. It can also be
used as a supplementary text in basic education and field experiences courses
where the intent is to sensitize students to the cultural dimensions of teaching
and learning. Finally, it can be a valuable asset in the continuing education of
teachers interested in broadening their theoretical and practical knowledge of
what has become the fastest-growing content area in the field of education.
New to This Edition
Since the first edition of this cultural competence primer appeared in print,
the racial and ethnic population of the United States has grown tremendously.
This growth has sometimes caused a pushback on immigration and
PREFACE ix
acceptance of the growing diversity. Feelings about 9/11 and our growing
conflicts in many parts of the world have caused many to hold biases against
our Muslim communities, and the need to know more about this group caused
the addition of a chapter by a scholar who understands the nuances and wide
variety of this culture. As teachers and educators, our need for increased
understanding of culturally diverse populations has grown to become a
requirement: Even in the most homogenous communities, school districts are
experiencing a slow rise in the number of culturally and linguistically diverse
student populations.
Besides the addition of a chapter on Muslim students, the chapters on racism
have been expanded. I have updated the citations in each of the chapters and
included more stories and voices from my students. The ends of Chapters 1-9
now include reflective and practical applications for personal and classroom use
to help bridge the gap from theory to practice. All graphics are new, and all
chapters have a new focused bibliography to be found in the companion website
for those who wish to make a deeper connection to the chapter topic.
Chapter 1, formerly the introduction chapter, now includes material from
Chapter 2 on becoming culturally competent and a table detailing changing
demographics. Former Chapter 3 is now Chapter 2 and includes a new section
on racis1n in children.
Chapter 3 is completely new, with material on understanding our
unconscious and unintentional racism as well as microaggressions, the last
explored through a flow chart. Other specific changes in the first section of
the book include a table on racial attitudes and how to be an ally in Chapter 4
and new ways to connect culture and multiple intelligences as well as an
iceberg graphic on culture in Chapter 5.
In the second part of the book, the introduction highlights changes in
teachers' attitudes and related instruction by way of a comprehensive table.
Chapter 6 includes additional classroom scenes and a graph on how President
Obama is racially perceived. Stereotype threat is closely considered in Chapter 7
through a new flow chart and suggestions for overcoming the threat. Textbook
biases and ways to reform curriculum are greatly expanded and a new section on
teacher expectations appear in Chapter 8. In Chapter 9, multiple types of
immersion programs and their effects have been added and the section on
bilingualism has been replaced.
Each chapter (10-13) on a Community of Color has updated demo­
graphic statistics and a new relevant graphic. Chapter 11 has a new
interviewee, while the interviewee in Chapter 12 updated his interview.
Chapter 14 is the new chapter on working with Muslim students and includes a
new interview. Chapter 15 on working with European American students is
entirely new. I end the book with new encouragement from my own prior
words and current thoughts on making a difference.
x PREFACE
In addition to the suggested revisions from faculty reviewers and other
users of the book, I asked students to suggest revisions for their favorite
chapters. One surprise was that each chapter was chosen as a favorite by about
the same number of people. I trust you will find chapters that speak especially
well to you.
Unique Features
The book is unique in its breadth of coverage as well as its organization and
style. It integrates theory with hands-on practical knowledge and does so from
the perspective of asking what kinds of information a student needs to grasp
the essentials of culturally competent teaching. Its treatment of topics is
comprehensive. For example, racism-a vital issue summarily addressed in
most multicultural texts-is explored from a variety of perspectives. What is it?
How does it operate in the individual and in society's institutions to oppress
people? Why do many mainstream individuals find it so hard to acknowledge
racism and their own privilege? How do teachers' prejudices compromise the
learning process? How does one become aware of and alter unconscious biases,
unintentional racism and negative racial attitudes? What are the psychological
consequences of racism and oppression on People of Color, especially the
developing child? And how does racism operate within schools and the teaching
professions? To assist the reader in personalizing these questions, a self­
assessment tool is included at the end of Chapter 1, and self-awareness exercises
are provided for every other chapter. Chapters end with discussion questions,
and practical applications, including classroom activities that allow the reader to
engage further with the chapter material. In the companion website you will find
for each chapter a summary of key points and a focused bibliography.
A second unique feature of the book is its accessibility. Although it is rich
in theoretical and practical material, it is not overly academic. For example,
rather than exhaustively reviewing multiple studies within a given subject area,
it succinctly surveys critical questions and issues and supports tl1em with
detailed descriptions of exemplary research. In addition, anecdotes, personal
practical experiences, and real-world examples are generously included. It is
easy to read and written for and to the student educator, anticipating
questions, concerns, and anxieties that the topic has regularly elicited from
course participants during my many years of teaching experiences. For most
students, cultural diversity is a loaded topic, and the more roadblocks that can
be removed-making it more accessible-the more likely significant learning
will occur on this journey. For example, it is important to acknowledge White
students' concerns over being called racists and to normalize their anxieties
over cultural differences as well as to acknowledge the enormous frustration