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Developing Critical Cultural Competence
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Developing Critical Cultural Competence
A Guide for 21st-Century Educators

  • Jewell E. Cooper - The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, USA
  • Ye He - The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, USA
  • Barbara B. Levin - The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, USA

Foreword by Christine Sleeter

Additional resources:


August 2011 | 232 pages | Corwin

"Developing Critical Cultural Competence provides educators with the inspiration, knowledge, and tools to move from theory to action in seeking to eliminate the achievement gap."
—Bess Scott, Director of Elementary Education
Lincoln Public Schools, NE

"As I read this book, it became clear that my long-held belief about the meaning of cultural competence needed a makeover. I am now convinced that my personal definition of diversity should embrace a much deeper appreciation of differences and transformative action."
—Denise Carlson, Curriculum Consultant
Heartland Area Education Agency, Johnston, IA

Cultural competence is key to improved student achievement

The increasingly diverse nature of today's schools and the need to increase the achievement of all students, no matter their background, requires 21st-century teachers to develop critical cultural competence. Looking at data is not enough. We have to know who our students are! This book shows you how to provide professional development that deepens teachers' cultural understanding. Developing Critical Cultural Competence helps educators translate new knowledge into action with activities that focus on the three inseparable insights required for developing teachers' critical cultural competency:

  • Understanding themselves
  • Understanding their students
  • Understanding their students' families and communities

In addition to the activities are reflection questions, group discussion questions, online extensions for facilitators, and a sample professional development plan. A companion website provides reproducible resource lists and handouts as well as examples that can serve as models for some of the activities.


 
List of Resources
 
Foreword by Christine Sleeter
 
Preface
Why do we need this book?

 
What is critical cultural competence?

 
Who is this book for?

 
How is this book different from other books about diversity and multicultural education?

 
Organization and Special Features of This Book

 
Conclusion

 
 
Acknowledgments
 
About the Authors
 
Introduction: What Do We Need to Do to Prepare Teachers for Today's Diverse Classrooms?
Why do we need educators with critical cultural competence in today's schools?

 
How can we move professional development about diversity beyond knowledge?

 
Who are we in this thing called diversity?

 
How do we leverage assets of students, families and communities?

 
Bringing It All Together

 
Summary of Key Points

 
Reflection and Extension

 
 
1. Common Practices: How Are We Currently Preparing Educators for Diverse Classrooms?
Introduction

 
Common Goals for Multicultural Education

 
Foundational Understandings About Diversity

 
Milner's Five Conceptual Repertoires of Diversity

 
Empathy Versus Sympathy

 
Strength-Based Approach

 
Materials and Resources

 
Textbooks

 
Historic and Contemporary Videos

 
Online Learning Resources

 
Guest Speakers

 
Other Commonly Used Activities and Approaches

 
Discussions and Reflection

 
Case Studies and Case Discussions

 
Book Clubs

 
Activity 1.1 Book Club Jigsaw Activity

 
The Game of Monopoly

 
Empathy Activities

 
Summary of Key Points

 
Reflection and Extension

 
Online Extensions

 
 
2. Who I Am: How Can We Understand Ourselves as Cultural Beings?
Introduction

 
Exploring Personal Characteristics and Beliefs

 
Activity 2.1 Autobiographies

 
Activity 2.2 Educational Philosophy

 
Activity 2.3 All About Me Activities

 
Activity 2.4 All in a Picture and Snapshot of Me Activities

 
Revealing Beliefs and Identities to Others

 
Activity 2.5 Intercultural Autograph Hunt

 
Activity 2.6 Bio-Poems

 
Activity 2.7 the Privilege Walk

 
Summary of Key Points

 
Reflection and Extension

 
Additional Resources

 
Online Extensions

 
Focus for Professional Learning Communities (PLCs)

 
 
3. Moving From Beliefs and Visions to Action: How Can We Link Our Personal and Professional Identities?
Introduction

 
Activity 3.1 Visioning

 
Activity 3.2 Personal Practical Theories (PPTs)

 
Activity 3.3 Action Research

 
Summary of Key Points

 
Reflection and Extension

 
Additional Resources

 
Online Extensions

 
Focus for Professional Learning Communities (PLCs)

 
 
4. How Do We Prepare Educators to Understand and Appreciate Student Diversity?
Introduction

 
From Understanding Diversity to Appreciating Diversity

 
Activity 4.1 Diversity Fact Sheets

 
Activity 4.2 Website Reviews

 
Activity 4.3 Interactive Survey

 
Activity 4.4 Description, Interpretation, and Evaluation

 
Summary of Key Points

 
Reflection and Extension

 
Online Extensions

 
Focus for Professional Learning Communities (PLCs)

 
 
5. From Critical Awareness to Transformative Action: How Do We Prepare Educators to Become Cultural Brokers for Student Success?
Introduction

 
From Critical Awareness to Transformative Action

 
Cross-Cultural Competence and Critical Self-Reflection

 
Activity 5.1 Active Listening

 
Activity 5.2 Classroom Observation Analysis

 
Activity 5.3 ABCs Project

 
Summary of Key Points

 
Reflection and Extension

 
Online Extensions

 
Focus for Professional Learning Communities (PLCs)

 
 
6. Learning About the Community: How Can We Learn More About Parents and Families?
Introduction

 
Standards-Based Reform

 
Benefits of Invoving Parents and Families in Schools

 
Traditional Ways of Involving Parents in Schools

 
Nontraditional Approaches to Parents and Involvement

 
Barriers and Facilitators to Involvement

 
Extending Traditional Approaches to Parent and Family Involvement

 
Activity 6.1 Touring the Neighborhood--The Do's and Don'ts

 
Activity 6.2 Home Visits at the Beginning of the School Year

 
Activity 6.3 Preparing for the First Parent Conference

 
Summary of Key Points

 
Reflection and Extension

 
Online Extensions

 
Focus for Professional Learning Communities (PLCs)

 
 
7. Community-Based Learning: How Can We Learn From Parents, Families, and Communities?
Introduction

 
How diverse are families and our communities?

 
Partnering with Parents, Families, and Communities

 
What is community-based learning?

 
Community-Based Learning Activities

 
Activity 7.1 Home-Community Camera Adventure

 
Activity 7.2 Walking a Mile in Another's Shoes

 
Transformative Effects of Community Adventures

 
Summary of Key Points

 
Reflection and Extension

 
Online Extensions

 
Focus for Professional Learning Communities (PLCs)

 
 
8. Bringing It All Together: How Do We Maximize Teaching and Learning Opportunities?
Introduction

 
Connecting Culturally Responsive Pedagogy and Critical Cultural Competence

 
Taking Risks to Develop Critical Cultural Competence

 
Inspiring Critical Reflection and Awareness

 
Transforming Professional Practice

 
Using Rogers's Adoption of Innovation Theory

 
Using the Concerns-Based Adoption Model (CBAM)

 
Planning for Professional Development

 
Before We Start

 
Pre- and Postassessment

 
Follow-Up

 
Summary of Key Points

 
Final Words

 
Additional Resources

 
Reflection and Extension

 
Online Extensions

 
 
References
 
Index

Supplements

“This book offers a coherent collection of theories and practices for a strong multicultural teacher education. It would act as a useful text or starting place for an entire course.”

Judson Laughter, Assistant Professor of English Education
University of Tennessee, Knoxville

“As I read this book, it became clear that my long-held belief about the meaning of cultural competence needed a makeover. I am now convinced that my personal definition of diversity should embrace a much deeper appreciation of differences and transformative action.”

Denise Carlson, Curriculum Consultant
Heartland Area Education Agency, Johnston, IA

“This book effectively describes the importance of individual teachers learning about themselves as a person in order to clearly differentiate for students in the classroom.”

Lizette D D'Amico, K-12 ELL Coordinator
New Canaan Public Schools, CT

“With a clear theme of preparing educators for teaching diverse learners and creating critical cultural competence, the author hooks the reader and entices them to continue the journey of developing cultural responsiveness in the classroom and community.”

Lori Grossman, Mentor Program Coordinator
Houston Independent School District, TX

Developing Critical Cultural Competence offers a rich resource of information and activities for professional development that supports cultural understanding and goes beyond the assumptions and myths that often surround the diverse student populations in our nation’s schools.”

Carol Gallegos, Literacy Coach
Hanford Elementary School District, CA

Developing Critical Cultural Competence provides educators with the inspiration, knowledge, and tools to move from theory to action in seeking to eliminate the achievement gap."

Bess Scott, Director of Elementary Education
Lincoln Public Schools, NE
Key features
  • Provides activities and ideas that can be adapted and used in professional development workshops, and also in teacher education courses, to actively engage teachers in personally transformative activities that with critical reflection will help them learn from their students, and from their families and communities as well.
  • Includes detailed descriptions, handouts, and resources for each activity to guide teachers in learning more about themselves as cultural beings, and about the strengths and assets of their students, families, and the community.
  • To extend the potential use of these activities, each chapter offers questions for individual reflection; questions for group discussions and for processing the activities; and online extensions for those facilitators who may be planning to provide online professional development for teachers.
  • Provides a sample professional development plan in the final chapter that includes various activities introduced in this book; demonstrates how systematic efforts can be made at the school to lead to the ultimate transformation of school cultures; and offers measures and indicators for success for ongoing evaluation of the effectiveness of such professional development efforts.

For instructors

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