Title: St. Paul Public Schools Cultural Proficiency Professional Development
1St. Paul Public Schools Cultural Proficiency
Professional Development
2Why Cultural Proficiency?
- Without a culturally proficient working and
learning environment, the achievement gap will
never be closed. Period. - In nearly every community conversation district
administrators have held in the past three years,
SPPS key stakeholders, parents, community members
and staff have told the district that they want
to feel welcomed, valued and respected when they
enter our schools and our workplace. It has also
predictably come up in many community initiatives
the district has launched over the past 40 years
and time and again when community representatives
appear during the public comment section of the
SPPS board meetings. - Based on feedback from staff and internal surveys
over the past two years, the perceived need for
cultural proficiency training is urgent. In
fact, the results of both the 2007 and 2008 SPPS
Inclusive Workplace Surveys indicated that 94 of
employees responding rated inclusiveness
initiatives as being highly important. (In the
2009 survey 42 of our employees participated. - Finally, Saint Paul Public Schools is engaging in
Cultural Proficiency Professional Development
because its the right thing to do!
3FAQ
- Q What are cohorts and do I need to complete
the program with the same cohort? - A A cohort is a group that participates in all
the sessions of the CPPD together. Participating
as a cohort increases trust and learning. The
priority will be to schedule all staff in cohort
groups of approximately 45 persons. - Q Where will the professional development
sessions be held? - A The majority of CPPD will be held on location
at work sites or in district-wide spaces that
have been designated solely for CPPD. Special
circumstances may warrant scheduling sessions at
other sites. - Q What are the CPPD requirements?
- A All staff are required to complete the IDI
assessment prior to the first PD session, along
with 12 hours of CPPD training. Some additional
individual and group coaching and application are
available for staff. Support Staff will complete
all 12 hours this year, Instructional Staff will
complete nine hours this year and the rest next
year. - Â Q How long are the CPPD sessions?
- A There are four sessions, each is three hours
long. No more than two consecutive sessions may
be scheduled in the same day. - Q How are we paying for the CPPD?
- A Funds for the CPPD come solely from the
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA or
federal stimulus funding).
4Speed Dating
- How are you?
- How are you really?
- One hope and one fear about this initiative are.
5Norms
- The implicit and explicit rules about how a
group functions.
6Recommended Group Norms
- Apply the work to yourself and your own situation
first and foremost. - Be present.
- Conflict and tension will be acknowledged and
used to further group learning. - Listen to understand---not to respond.
- Respect confidentiality---whats said/done here
stays here. - Assume good intent of everyone in the room.
- Be open to new thinking from yourself and others.
7Culture
- Shared experience, shared context, shared
meaning. - Milton Bennett
- The way we do things around here.
- Juan Moreno
8SPPS Definition
- Cultural proficiency is defined as the values,
beliefs and behaviors that enable individual
employees of the district to interact effectively
with students, staff, and families and the
broader community, in a culturally diverse,
inclusive environment.
9DMIS
Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity
Experience of Difference
Denial
Adaptation
Minimization
Polarization
Acceptance
Monocultural
Multicultural
10DENIAL
11Well, I guess Ill have the ham and eggs
12DENIAL
- Inability to see difference
- Comfortable withseekfamiliar
- My culture is the only reality
Primary Learning Emphasis Begin to notice and
confront cultural differences
13Well, I guess Ill have the ham and eggs
14POLARIZATION
15Neanderthals, Neanderthals! Cant make fire!
Cant make spear! Nyah, nyah, nyah!
16POLARIZATION
- Defense and Reversal
- Judgmental Orientation
Primary Learning Emphasis Identify
commonalities
17DEFENSE
- Dualistic us vs. them
- Denigration/Superiority
Primary Learning Emphasis Cooperative activities,
shared needs/goals
18REVERSAL
- Peace Corps Volunteer Syndrome
- Reverses us/them polarization
- Internalized oppression
Primary Learning Emphasis Recognize stereotypical
nature of ones perceptions
19Neanderthals, Neanderthals! Cant make fire!
Cant make spear! Nyah, nyah, nyah!
20MINIMIZATION
21Inadvertently Roy dooms the entire earth to
annihilation, when, in an attempt to be friendly,
he seizes their leader by the head and shakes
vigorously.
22MINIMIZATION
- Focus on commonality/similarity
- Dont denigrate also avoid stereotypes
- Deep down, were all the same
Primary Learning Emphasis Cultural self-awareness
and general knowledge about cultural frameworks
(E.g., different communication styles)
23Inadvertently Roy dooms the entire earth to
annihilation, when, in an attempt to be friendly,
he seizes their leader by the head and shakes
vigorously.
24ACCEPTANCE
25Well of course I did it in cold blood, Im
cold-blooded!
26ACCEPTANCE
- Recognize cultural patterns need to be understood
from perspective of other culture - Begin to explore cultural differences
- Non-evaluative
- More difference means more creative ideas!
Primary Learning Emphasis Culturally specific
information coupled with application
27Well of course I did it in cold blood, Im
cold-blooded!
28ADAPTATION
29Realizing something different needed to be done,
the cheetah embraced change and took action
30ADAPTATION
- Empathy frame-shifting
- Adapt behavior
- NOT assimilation
- Can see more than one cultural perspective
Primary Learning Emphasis Big picture strategies,
deeper cultural exposure
31Realizing something different needed to be done,
the cheetah embraced change and took action
32The Bottom Line
- We can be any and everywhere in
- this developmental process on any
- particular issue---however, we all have a
- predominant orientation, which is what
- the IDI helps us understand.
33Interpreting Your IDI Profile
34To Begin . . .
- The IDI Profile Report can help you reflect on
how you - experience cultural differences and similarities.
- As you review your IDI profile results
- Re-consider and reframe your understanding of
past events based on your IDI profile
resultsthis can help you better uncover hidden
assumptions that may have guided your actions in
these situations. - Focus on a challenge you are currently facing in
which cultural differences and similarities have
emerged. Proactively apply the insights provided
in your group IDI profile
Source Mitchell R. Hammer, Ph.D.
35Primary Elements
- Perceived Orientation (PO)
- The PO score reflects where you place yourself
along the intercultural development continuum.
- Denial Polarization Minimization
Acceptance Adaptation - Developmental Orientation (DO)
- The DO indicates your primary orientation toward
cultural differences and commonalities along the
continuum as assessed by the IDI. The DO is the
perspective you are most likely to use in those
situations where cultural differences and
commonalities arise. - Denial Polarization Minimization
Acceptance Adaptation
Source Mitchell R. Hammer, Ph.D.
36Primary Elements
- Orientation Gap (OG)
- The Orientation Gap (OG) is the difference along
the continuum between your Perceived Orientation
and Developmental Orientation. - Denial Polarization Minimization
Acceptance Adaptation - Denial Polarization Minimization
Acceptance Adaptation
Source Mitchell R. Hammer, Ph.D.
37Primary Elements
- Trailing Orientations (TO)
- Trailing orientations are those orientations that
are in back of your Developmental Orientation
(DO) on the intercultural continuum. - Trailing Orientations may or may not be
resolved. When an earlier orientation is not
resolved, this trailing perspective may be used
to make sense of cultural differences at
particular times, around certain topics, or in
specific situations. - Leading Orientation (LO)
- A Leading Orientation is that orientation that is
immediately in front of your Developmental
Orientation (DO). A Leading Orientation is the
next step to take in further development of
intercultural competence. - Trailing
Leading - Denial Polarization Minimization Acceptance
Adaptation
Source Mitchell R. Hammer, Ph.D.
38DMIS Behaviors
- Denial An orientation that likely recognizes
observable cultural differences (e.g., food) but
may not notice deeper cultural difference (e.g.,
conflict resolution styles) and may avoid or
withdraw from cultural differences. - Polarization A judgmental orientation that views
cultural differences in terms of us and them.
This can take the form of - Defense An uncritical view towards ones own
cultural values and practices and an overly
critical view towards other cultural practices. - Reversal An overly critical orientation towards
ones own cultural values and practices and an
uncritical view towards other cultural values and
practices. - Minimization An orientation that highlights
cultural commonality and universal values and
principles that may also mask deeper recognition
and appreciation of cultural differences. - Acceptance An orientation that recognizes and
appreciates patterns of cultural difference and
commonality in ones own and other cultures. - Adaptation An orientation that is capable of
shifting cultural perspective and changing
behavior in culturally appropriate and authentic
ways.
39What Now?
- Things you can do to help keep this project
moving
- Talk with coworkers about your experience
today---what you noticed, what it made you think
about, what stuck with you, what questions you
have. - Review your materials. Get familiar with the
vocabulary---youll be using it - in upcoming workshops!
- Review your groups IDI Profile---you can get a
copy from your Principal or - Supervisor.
- Apply todays insights to your situation---do
you see examples of DMIS orientation-related
behavior going on around you? Coming from you? - What effect does this awareness have on how you
approach situations, or - how you interpret the behavior of others?
40Cultural Proficiency Toolkit
http//culturalproficiency.spps.org
41Credits
- Coordination of this effort is being provided by
the SPPS Office of Educational Equity. - Yusef Mgeni is heading up a Cultural Proficiency
Leadership Team, consisting of - Barbara DeMaster, Executive Director of
Elementary Education - Brenda Hammer, Secretary, Office of Educational
Equity - Dan Rodriguez, Director of Community Relations
- Teresa Rogers, Executive Director of Human
Resources - Kate Wilcox-Harris, Executive Director of the
Center for Professional Development - Your supervisors and/or principals are already
involved in setting up your remaining training - sessions for this year.
- Q If I have questions, whom should I call?
- A Brenda Hammer or Yusef Mgeni
-
- (651) 7678338 Yusef.Mgeni_at_spps.org or
Brenda.Hammer_at_spps.org
42Thank You!
For all that you do for the children in your care
and the communities in which you live and work!
- Please be sure to fill out your evaluations!