Biculturalism to Multiculturalism:

1
Biculturalism to Multiculturalism

• What Drives This Value Change? Implications for
  Deaf Institutions and Communities. What do we
  REALLY value,
• and Where Do We Go From Here?
• Cheryl L. Wu, Psy.D.
• Director- School Counseling Program
• Dept. of Counseling, Gallaudet
  University
• Cheryl.Wu_at_Gallaudet.edu
• May 2, 2009
• CEASD 2009 Conference, New Mexico

2
OVERVIEW

• Multicultural Premise and Setting the Context
• Warm Up Activity
• Multicultural Terms and Concepts Defined
• Sociodemographic Profile of Students in our D/HH
  Schools Today
• 12 Essential Principles of Building A
  Multicultural Educational Community
• Social Emotional and Character Development
  Reinforce the Promotion of A Multicultural
  Educational Community
• Stages of Multicultural School Transformation
• Getting to the Heart of the Matter- Core Values
  Exploration
• Making the Paradigm Shift to Multiculturalism
• Accessing Unconscious Bias and its impact
• Identifying the Barriers and Obstacles
• Working toward Anti-isms in your Community
• Closing- Where do we go from here?

3
Multicultural Premise

• We are all CULTURAL BEINGS
• Our Cultural Identities are simultaneously
  multidimensional, multifaceted, and include
  interdependent characteristics on the
• Individual Level
• Group Level (e.g. social group identities)
• Universal Level
• We bring the fullness of our identities into any
  human interactions we engage in and so all of our
  relationships are cross-cultural in nature

4
Tripartite Development of Identity (Sue Sue,
2003)
We are like no others
We are like all others
We are like all others
We are like some others
5
Paulo Freires Praxis Model for Education
Social Change
Adapted from Freire, P. (1995) Pedagogy of
the Oppressed. New York Continuum Publishing Co.
Transformation of Reality--- Educ/Social
Change
PROCESS Reflection Dialogue
Content Programming List of to-dos, etc.
Dialogue and Reflection combined with Action
Transformational change that is lasting
(cycle repeats) NOTE Action without
Reflection/Dialogue meaningless activism
temporary change Reflection/Dialogue without
Action Talk for Talk status quo remains no
change
6

• Setting our context for
• Cross Cultural Dialogue
• Interactions

6
12/12/2009
7
The Process Context

• Recognition of multiple and valid perspectives
  and realities
• Communication that is real, honest, authentic
• Open and Willing to Take Risks
• Listening for Understanding not to argue,
  convince, debate, win, agree or disagree
• Recognition of, Responsibility for, and Action to
  address intent and impact
• Practice compassion (kindness, empathy)
• Share the air time with others (small groups)
• Passing is ok (small groups)
• (Wu Grant, 2008)

7
8
Definitions

• Multicultural Terms and Concepts

9

• Diversity Multiculturalism
• - Diversity All forms of human differences
  or otherness along individual and group
  dimensions
• Multiculturalism theory practice emphasizes
  in broad terms human diversity in all forms and
  action for social change to ensure the value of
  such diversity on individual, group/ systemic
  levels
• Multiculturalism encourages and promotes Social
  Justice and social change so that there is a
  peaceful and equitable co-existence of multiple
  races, ethnicities, cultures, etc. (NMCI
  Publications, 2003)
•  

10
Multicultural Terms

• Social Justice is both a goal and process that
  emphasizes the full and equal participation of
  all groups of people in the life of a society,
  particularly for those who have been
  systematically excluded. Social justice
  emphasizes the equitable (not the same as equal)
  distribution of, and full access to resources for
  all persons. (Adapted from
  Bell, L.A. 2007 Lee, C. 2007)

11
Multicultural Education (James Banks, 2004)

• Content Integration- infusion of multiculturalism
  in the curriculum
• Knowledge Construction- awareness of and focus on
  way culture shapes identification and
  interpretation of educational content
• Prejudice Reduction extent to which teachers
  and administrators actively work to reduce
  prejudice and stereotyping in the school

12
Multicultural Education (James Banks, 2004)

• Equity Pedagogy pedagogies designed
  specifically to increase academic achievement of
  lower performing students and create greater
  equity between students
• Empowering School Culture- altering school
  structure and processes to be more empowering for
  all students- with attention to eliminate
  institutionalized racism in practice

13
Multicultural Education

• Is a PROCESS ongoing, dynamic, evolving
• We are always becoming Knowledge is never
  complete
• Heart of Multicultural Education, as with
  Multiculturalism, lies in the relationships
  between and among people
• Involves Diversity Education and Equity training
  components (Awareness, Knowledge, Skills) for ALL
  stakeholders
• Involves Diversity Education and Equity
  infrastructures to ensure systemic changes that
  support education and training efforts that
  produce lasting change

14

• MULTICULTURAL COMPETENCIES

15
(No Transcript)
16
Definition of Multicultural Competence Areas
(UNLV, Division of Student Life, 2006)

• 1. Interpersonal Differences Awareness,
  knowledge, and skills related to differences
  based on multicultural background.
• 2. Intrapersonal Growth and Development
  Awareness, knowledge, and skills related to
  self-assessment of personal growth and areas
• for future development.

17
Multicultural Competence Areas contd.

• 3. Commitment to Advocacy Awareness, knowledge,
  and skills related to promoting social justice.
• 4. Perspective Taking Awareness, knowledge, and
  skills related to valuing multiple viewpoints.

18
Multicultural Competence Areas contd.

• 5. Culturally Responsive Helping and Advising
  Awareness, knowledge, and skills related to
  assisting individuals in a multicultural context.
• 6. Understanding Cultural Identity Processes
  Awareness, knowledge, and skills related to
  understanding individuals who are in different
  stages of identity development.

19
Multicultural Competence Areas contd.

• 7. Developing Meaningful Relationships
  Awareness, knowledge, and skills related to
  developing and nurturing multicultural
  relationships.

20
Being an Ally or Co-Ally

• Ally member of the privileged social group who
  takes a stand against social injustice directed
  at oppressed social groups (target)
• Co-Ally member of the targeted or socially
  disenfranchised group who works with allies or
  other members of the targeted groups.
• An individual may be both an ally and a co-ally
• Both Allies and Co-Allies work for social change
  and against social oppression.
• 
  (Clark Brimhall-Vargas, 2005)

21
Current SocioDemographic Profile Highlights of
Students in Deaf Educational Settings
Approximate percentages taken from Gallaudet
Research Institute (November 2008)
22
What do the numbers tell us?

• Besides indicating increased diversity in the
  population
• Besides indicating we need to transform our
  educational approaches to be culturally
  responsive to the increased diversity in our
  population
• We have to address the Sociopolitical and
• Cultural Implications ---how do we really feel
  and think about these changes and what if I want
  something else?

23
How well do Deaf Education Professionals mirror
the diversity of their student populations?

• Descriptive Survey Study by Simms, Rusher,
  Andrews Coryell (2008)- based on original
  demographic study in 1993 and replicated in 2004
• Deaf teachers of color 2.5
• Teachers of Color 9.5
• White Teachers 90
• Deaf Administrators of Color .6
• Administrators of Color 6.1
• White Administrators 80.7

24
Survey results contd.

• Hearing Status
• Deaf teachers 22.1
• Deaf teachers of color 2.5
• Hearing Administrators 85.5
• Deaf Administrators 14.5
• Deaf Administrators of Color .6
• Gender
• Still predominantly female, White and hearing
• Females of color gt males of color

25
Survey results contd.

• Among hearing administrators, most female
• Only 3 deaf administrators of color identified
• Across all settings, professionals primarily
  White, female, and hearing in 2004 database.

26

• The issues center not only on who is hired in
  educational settings, but also on the paradigms
  regarding issues of diversity. The politics of
  authority structures, racism, audism, and
  oppressive language and academic policies often
  work against deaf childrens early struggle to
  acquire language, an academic foundation, and a
  healthy cultural identity. Professionals must
  allow language and cultural understanding to
  naturally and freely emerge, evolve, and develop.
  When language and culture becomes more valued,
  the hiring of deaf teachers and teachers of color
  will naturally follow, due to the pragmatic need
  to tap their intelligence and their multilingual
  and multicultural talents. (Simms, Rusher,
  Andrews Coryell, 2008)

27
Toward building a Multicultural Educational
Community The 12 Essential Principles

• The Multicultural Education Consensus Panel-
• Sponsored by the Center for Multicultural
  Education at the University of Washington and the
  Common Destiny Alliance at the University of
  Maryland, College Park
• 8 Multicultural Scholars James A. Banks, Peter
  Cookson, Geneva Gay, Willis D. Hawley, Jacqueline
  Jordan Irvine, Sonia Nieto, Janet Ward Schofield,
  Walter G. Stephan
• 2 Questions What do we know about Education
  Diversity?
• How do we know it?
• 12 Principles divided into 5 Categories Teacher
  Learning Student Learning Intergroup Relations
  School Governance, Organizations and Equity
  Assessment

28
These principles apply to the WHOLE COMMUNITY-
all members!

• Every level of employment and/or study in the
  school setting
• Any and all Community stakeholders connected to
  the school
• Students Families, especially parents need
  professional development in these same areas as
  well as the traditional parent education
  training
• Every principle has something to do with
  developing relationships!

29
Principle 1 Teacher Learning
12 Essential Principles

• Professional Development programs should help
  teachers understand the complex characteristics
  of ethnic groups within US society and the ways
  in which race, ethnicity, language, and social
  class interact to influences student behavior.

30
Principle 2 Student Learning
12 Essential Principles

• Schools should ensure that all students have
  equitable opportunities to learn and to meet high
  standards

31
Principle 3 Student Learning
12 Essential Principles

• The curriculum should help students understand
  that knowledge is socially constructed and
  reflects researchers personal experiences as
  well as the social, political, and economic
  contexts in which they live and work.

32
Principle 4 Student Learning
And so I commend each of you for your courage and
strength in responding to the call for leadership
in Deaf Education, and your steadfast dedication
to the overall health and well being of all our
deaf and hh students from all different
backgrounds.
And so I commend each of you for your courage and
strength in responding to the call for leadership
in Deaf Education, and your steadfast dedication
to the overall health and well being of all our
deaf and hh students from all different
backgrounds.
12 Essential Principles

• Schools should provide all students with
  opportunities to participate in extra-and
  cocurricular activities that develop knowledge,
  skills, and attitudes that in crease academic
  achievement and foster positive interracial
  relationships

33
Principle 5 Intergroup Learning
12 Essential Principles

• Schools should create or make salient
  superordinate crosscutting group membership in
  order to improve intergroup relations.

34
Principle 6 Intergroup Learning
12 Essential Principles

• Students should learn about stereotyping and
  other related biases that have negative effects
  on racial and ethnic relations

35
Principle 7 Intergroup Learning
12 Essential Principles

• Students should learn about the values shared by
  virtually all cultural groups (e.g. justice,
  equality, freedom, peace, compassion, and charity)

36
Principle 8 Intergroup Learning
12 Essential Principles

• Teachers should help students acquire the social
  skills needed to interact effectively with
  students from other racial, ethnic, cultural, and
  language groups

37
Principle 9 Intergroup Learning
12 Essential Principles

• Schools should provide opportunities for students
  from different racial, ethnic, cultural, and
  language groups to interact socially under
  conditions designed to reduce fear and anxiety

38
Principle 10- School Governance
12 Essential Principles

• A Schools organizational strategies should
  ensure that decision-making is widely shared and
  that members of the school community learn
  collaborative skills and dispositions in order to
  create a caring environment for students

39
Principle 11 School Governance
12 Essential Principles

• Leaders should develop strategies that ensure
  that all public schools, regardless of their
  locations, are funded equitably
• What programs and individuals/groups get funding
  when budget restrictions come into play and
  economic hardships persist? Based on what
  criteria developed by whom, for whom? What is
  the decision making process, who is involved,
  and what influences this process? ..

40
Principle 12 Assessment
12 Essential Principles

• Teachers should use multiple culturally sensitive
  techniques to assess complex cognitive and social
  skills

41
Benefits of Multicultural Education and Practices

• Study by Sabrina Zirkel (2008)
• Academic outcomes of ALL students, not just
  students of color, are improved
• Improved intergroup relations- especially around
  prejudice reduction
• Multicultural practices in education are most
  effective when implemented with careful attention
  to issues of race and power.
• Improved Academic and Intergroup relations
  outcomes for students of color are linked.
  Efforts designed to improve one improve the other

42
Social Emotional and Character Development
Reinforce the Promotion of a Multicultural
Educational Community

• Shared Core Values
• Effective and Caring Interpersonal Relationships
  are at the core of both processes
• Self and Other- awareness
• Impact on perceptions and how/what we learn
• Empathy and perspective taking
• (SECD information from Maurice J. Elias, 2009
  Presentation)

43
Social Emotional and Character Development
Reinforce the promotion of a Multicultural
Educational Community

• Shared Goals
• Create welcoming, physically safe,
  non-threatening, nurturing, culturally affirming,
  healthy, respectful climate
• Outcomes
• Greater Academic Success
• Greater Career Success
• Greater Personal Social Success
• (SECD information from Maurice J. Elias, 2009
  Presentation)

44
Social Emotional and Character Development
Reinforce the promotion of a Multicultural
Educational Community

• Outcomes contd.
• Lasting learning and success beyond high school
  into the college years, and/or the workplace
  setting
• Promote involved and responsible citizenship
• (SECD information from Maurice J. Elias, 2009
  Presentation)

45
The Climate of a Multicultural Community
Social Emotional and Character Development
Reinforce the Promotion of a Multicultural
Educational Community

• There is.powerful evidence that school climate
  affects students self-esteem and self-concept.
  Effective risk-prevention and health-promotion
  efforts are correlated with a nurturing school
  climate. It also promotes academic achievement.
  As a result of these findings, fostering
  socially, emotionally, and physically safer
  schools has become a primary focus of the US
  Department of Justice and virtually all state
  education departments. This is exemplified by
  the US Department of Educations office of Safe
  and Drug-Free Schools (Cohen, 2006, p. 212-213).
• From Cohen, J. (2006). Social, Emotional,
  Ethical, and Academic Education Creating a
  Climate for Learning, Participating in Democracy,
  and Well-Being. Harvard Educational Review. 76
  (2), 201-237.

46
Traditional Educational Approaches to
Multiculturalism

• Promoting Tolerance for Diversity-attitude of
  putting up with (different from appreciation,
  affirmation, celebration, embracing)
• Hosting Heroes and Holidays events and
  activities- classroom, grade, school wide and
  community
• Emphasis on gaining Cultural Knowledge about
  others missing out on the self, the awareness,
  and the acquisition of culturally appropriate
  skills

47
Stages of Multicultural School Transformation
(Paul C. Gorski, http//www.edchange.org/multicult
ural)

• Status Quo
• Heroes Holidays
• Intercultural Teaching and Learning
• Human Relations (Why Cant We Just All Get
  Along?)
• Selective Multicultural Education
• Transformative Multicultural Education

48

• Where does your educational community fall along
  the continuum of Multicultural School
  Transformation?
• Many get stuck and/or choose to remain between
  Heroes and Holidays and Human Relations
• BUT WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO GO BEYOND?

49

• One CAN NOT BE culturally responsive, nor can a
  system be multicultural--even if you have the
  materials, resources, and environment that
  supports this paradigm shift unless YOU, actively
  engage and experience...

50
PERSONAL TRANSFORMATION

• Paradigm shift from monocultural, bicultural TO
  being multicultural in feelings, thought, and
  actions (affective, cognitive and behavioral
  components)
• Expansion in depth and breath of our worldview
• Life Long Process of change and growth- the more
  we engage, the more change we will experience as
  we do it, and be it
• Be the change you want to see in the world
• Mohatma Ghandi

51
Getting to the Heart of the Matter
OUR CORE VALUES ARE OUR BIASES So then what
ARE your BIASES?
52
The unity within the American Deaf Community -
What does it really mean and look like in
practice?

• Orientation Core Values
• -Monocultural .Unity as Uniformity
• (Eurocentric, Ethnocentric)
• -Bicultural.Unity as Assimilation
• (Us vs. Them Mentality)
• -MulticulturalUnity as Inclusion of Diversity
• (Who is NOT with us? The Platinum
  Rule)

53
Golden vs Platinum Rules

• The Golden Rule Do unto others, as you would
  like them to do unto you.
• The Platinum Rule
• Do unto others, as THEY would like you to do
  unto them.

54
To Embrace, Include, Celebrate Differences.

• Goes beyond tolerance and respect
• Involves ones HEARTaffective
• Involves ones HEAD- cognitive
• Involves ones ACTIONS-BEHAVIORS
• Communication
• Doing
• (One individual, intergroup and systemic)

55
Challenges of Multiculturalism Diversity How
well do you appreciate and engage the following?

• Divergence vs Convergence
• Complexity
• Ambiguity
• Conflict, Disagreement
• Existence of multiple valid truths and realities
• Manage the Intersection of multiple realities
• Fears and Anxieties dealing with the unknown, the
  unfamiliar, the unpredictable, etc.

56
It is not always about..

• Seeking compromise
• Seeking a solution that feels comfortable
• Seeking a win-win situation for all
• Rather it IS about recognizing the reality of
  differences and finding equitable ways to work
  with real differences.

57
When is Difference too much for you?

• Know what your limits are name them! Own them.
• Know what you feel and think about your limits
  name them
• Know what influences/shapes your limits
• Know your response to your limits- how do they
  impact your behavioral responses.

58
Making the Paradigm Shift to Multicultural
Orientation

• Inner Personal Transformation The 3 Rs
• Examination of our Core Values of our Heart and
  Mind
• Outer Connections to Others
• Building Ally Relationships on all levels within
  your educational community and outside of it
  (Home/Community)
• Action for Change on All Levels
• Individual level
• Group level
• Systems level

59
Back to the BasicsThe 3 Diversity Rs (Wu
Grant, 2008)
Personal Transformation

• Reaction-
• Name your feelings, thoughts and own them
• Reflection
• Self-internal dialogue what does the reaction
  mean?
• Other-external dialogue
• Actively seek out multiple perspectives
• Response- Behavioral
• Communication
• Actions

60
Guiding Questions to Access Unconscious Biases
and Their Impact

• How do I feel (visceral) about____?
• What do I think about ____?
• What do these feelings and thoughts mean?
• Consider core values, seek multiple perspectives,
  etc.
• How are my feelings and thoughts affecting my
  behavioral response
• In the immediate moment
• Use of power- who is impacted and how? Equitable
  outcomes?

61
Our Biases ARE Valuable and Important!

• We all have biases.
• We all need biases.
• They give us a starting place to come from
• They ARE our cultural contexts
• Each of us will have different biases from one
  another
• THE KEY KNOW THEM! Its not about working to
  eliminate biases like how we work to eliminate
  oppression (behaviors). Its about being more
  aware of our biases and assumptions. This gives
  us the chance to manage them more effectively so
  we CAN be respectful in real practice toward
  others who have different biases from us.

62
CHANGING MULTICULTURAL DIMENSIONS in our Deaf
Educational Settings and within the American Deaf
Community today

• Our students today come from
• Multicultural, multiracial, transracial, mixed
  (deaf/hh/hearing) multigenerational families,
  multi-disability, multi-environments (inner city,
  suburb, rural, etc.)

63

• The Situation
• American Deaf Community Deaf Educational
  Programs- have valuable deaf/hard of hearing
  resources, but lack in multicultural resources
  and competencies
• Hearing Public Programs- lack competency in
  addressing deaf/hh issues/needs and lack
  familiarity with American Deaf culture but have
  valuable multicultural resources and competencies
• What is the impact of increased consciousness of
  Deafhood and Audism?
• To what extent do these movements further
  polarize deaf and hearing and reinforce a
  bicultural orientation with a bias? (deaf gt
  hearing) vs. a genuine multicultural paradigm
  shift?

64
The Challenge

• How to build bridges, connections, and
  Relationships between and among
  individuals/groups within our schools, outside in
  our schools surrounding communities, and
  outreaching to our students families and their
  home/community settings?

65
As a Leader of your Educational Community, YOU
are an Agent of Change! How will you respond to
this call?

• Diversity is not the end in itself. It is not
  just about being friends. It is about being
  allies and becoming effective agents of change.
  To work effectively as an agent of change in a
  pluralistic society, it is necessary to be able
  to connect with people different from oneself..
  Meaningful engagement is an important step, a
  prerequisite for the transformative education we
  need for a more just society. Beverly Daniel
  Tatum (2003) Why do all the Black Kids Sit
  Together in the Cafeteria

66
The Journey toward building a genuine
Multicultural Educational Community

• Starts from the core of our heartswith our
  feelings,
• ..our thoughtsto our actions
• How far are we willing to step out
• of our comfort zone, to change,
• to let go of, to movein order to
• make the connections and build
• the relationships need to create a Beloved
  Community where all are truly included and
  differences are indeed actively celebrated in
  meaningful and lasting ways?

67
Where WILL YOU go from here?

• Your Commitment (Postcard)
• Integrating your feelings, thoughts, and
  determining your action steps from here
• Further Food for Thought Dialogue (Handout)
• Questions related to diversity, multiculturalism,
  social justice that you can engage members from
  your home educational community in dialogue over.
  Follow the suggested process to prevent you
  from merely getting triggered by the questions

68
References

• Achugbue, E. (2003) A diversity glossary. NMCI
  Publications, Washington, DC.
• Banks, J.A., Cookson, P., Gay, G., Hawley, W.D.,
  Irvine, J. J., Nieto, S., Ward Schofield, J.,
  J., Stephan, W.G. (2005). Education and
  Diversity, in Social Education (69)1, pp. 36-40.
• Bell, L.A. (2007).  Theoretical foundations for
  social justice education.  In M. Adams, L.A. Bell
  P. Griffin (Eds.) Teaching for diversity and
  social justice, 2nd edition.  New York
  Routledge.
• Cohen, J. (2006). Social, Emotional, Ethical, and
  Academic Education Creating a Climate for
  Learning, Participating in Democracy, and
  Well-Being. Harvard Educational Review. 76 (2),
  201-237.
• For the Birds (2007)- Pixar Short Film, Walt
  Disney Pictures Present.
• Freire, P. (1995) Pedagogy of the Oppressed.
  New York Continuum Publishing Co.

69
References contd.

• Gallaudet Research Institute (November 2008)
  Regional and National Summary Report of Data from
  the 2000-08 Annual Survey of Deaf and hard of
  Hearing children and Youth. Washington. DC
  GRI, Gallaudet University
• Lee, C. (2007). Counseling for Social Justice.
  Alexandria, VA American Counseling Association.
• Multicultural Competence Areas (2006). Division
  of Student Life, University Las Vegas, NV.
• Multicultural Curriculum Transformation,
  Christine Clark, Ph.D. Mark Brimhall-Vargas
  presenters, sponsored by the PEP-Diversity
  committee, Gallaudet University, May 16-19th,
  2005.
• Paul C. Gorski, htttp//www.edchange.org/multicult
  ural
• Social-Emotional and Character Development
  (SECD), Problem Behavior Prevention, Students
  Academic Growth, and Safe, Civil, Engaging School
  Climates The New Playing Field for School
  Psychologists presented by Maurice J. Elias,
  Ph.D. at Professional Development Workshop, MSPA
  Meeting Awards Spring Conference School
  Violence and Creating Academic Success, April 24,
  2009.

70
References contd.

• Simms, L., Rusher, M., Andrews, J.F., Coryell,
  J. (2008) Apartheid in Deaf Education
  Examining Workforce Diversity, American Annals
  of the Deaf, 153(4), 384-395
• Sue, D.W. Sue, D. (2008) Counseling the
  Culturally diverse Theory and Practice. Hoboken,
  NJ John Wiley Sons.
• Wu, C.L. Grant, N.C. (2008) Setting the
  Context for Cross Cultural Dialogue and
  Interactions Guidelines for Diversity Education
  Trainings. Dept. of Counseling, Gallaudet
  University.
• Zirkel, S. (2008). The Influence of
  Multicultural Educational Practices on Student
  Outcomes and Intergroup Relations. In Teachers
  College Record 110(6) pp 1147-1181.