- A journey that is sometimes difficult and requires self-reflection, open-mindedness, and patience (Worthington, Soth-McNutt, & Moreno, 2007);
- The ability to consider differences in behavior, beliefs, and perspectives while teaching or providing services to students of diverse backgrounds (Newell et al., 2010);
- The ability to think, feel, and act in ways that acknowledge, respect, and build on ethnic, sociocultural, and linguistic diversity (Lynch & Hanson, 2004, p. 43); and
- The true understanding of each other’s different perspectives; the process of going beyond our tendency to ignore differences and rely on universal assumptions; exploration beyond the limits of our own cultural systems of reference; a paradigm for peace (Davey, 2016).
In her 2016 TED talk, Anna Katrina Davey used the following Taoist story to explain how culture is so much a part of how we see things and communicate and use our time and work together, that it’s sometimes hard for us to see at all: A young fish asks an old fish, “what is this thing everybody talks about called ocean?” The older and wiser fish answers, “ocean is that which surrounds you on all sides.” The younger fish asks, “what do you mean? There is nothing around me - If the ocean surrounds me on all sides, why can I not see it?” She also made the compelling point that although it is comforting to believe that “deep down, we’re all the same,” we actually aren’t - we have big variations in values and desires, and we should work to understand and consider each other’s values and preferences. Referencing the golden rule, she said, “should be assume that we all want to be treated the same way?” and recommended Tony Allesandra’s platinum rule as an alternative (do unto others as they’d want done unto them).
- a personal awareness,
- knowledge of other cultures, and
- application of the skills (i.e., action).
Peruse the following ideas and suggestions, excerpted from various peer-reviewed sources (as cited). Which areas or ideas would you like to develop or explore further in order to stay engaged in the process of cross-cultural competency?
Group membership influences life experiences and construction of knowledge and biases (e.g., toward certain groups, religions, and customs). For Caucasians, part of the self-awareness journey involves acquiring an understanding of white privilege, as explored in “Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack,” a seminal work by Peggy McIntosh (1990). Which of the examples McIntosh provides represent daily effects of white privilege that exist in your life? If young children can’t articulate their cultural values, does that mean they are a non-issue for the child? Consider the fact that historically, media have primarily included imagery that implied that the norms of dominant society are desirable and differences are not necessarily celebrated (Jones, 2014).
Awareness of the values and practices that foster culturally competent school environments (including physical environment, materials and resources; communication styles; and values and attitudes) can be heightened using The Self-Assessment Checklist for Personnel Providing Services and Supports to Children and their Families (Goode, 2002), a 33 item checklist includes attention to nonverbal and environmental cues.
To work on building your cultural literacy (Sue & Sue, 2007) and broadening your perspective of cultures while keeping the continuum in mind, consider exploring biographies, fiction, nonfiction, movies, engaging in cultural immersion experiences, and connecting with cultural mediators willing to discuss their own culture with you. Cultural literacy includes communication style and awareness of political and social dynamics and historical information that affect groups. Ask for resource ideas, listen, and invite open dialogue about cultural factors and preferences to develop increased knowledge about other cultures.
Applying cross-cultural strategies for yourself, your student, and your school may involve consciously viewing a situation or issue through a cultural lens other than your own, intentionally engaging in welcoming gestures and being mindful about treating others the way they would prefer to be treated, and tapping into positive community resources within and outside your school building (Miranda, 2014).
In a reflection on her earlier work on white privilege, Peggy McIntosh (2010) wrote, “I see white privilege as a bank account that I did not ask for, but that I can chose to spend.” One way folks with power can make a difference is by planning effective responses to microaggressions that may occur in your classroom or school. Microaggressions in the classroom are everyday verbal, nonverbal, and environmental slights, snubs, or insults, whether intentional or unintentional, which communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative messages to target persons based solely upon their marginalized group membership (Sue, 2010). Souza (2018) offers the ACTION framework for responding to such microaggressions in her recent publication, which includes scripted examples of each step in the framework.
Student engagement increases when educators intentionally find ways to incorporate culturally relevant material; if educators and support staff search for resources that can enhance the relevance of their respective work with students. The Teaching Diverse Learners (TDL) Website is one example of a resource dedicated to enhancing the capacity of teachers to work effectively and equitably with English language learners (ELLs). Identify literature that avoids cultural stereotyping using resources like this Scholastic post, which includes great book recommendations (for grades K through 8) and advice on how to spot literature that transcends stereotypes.
What other action steps could you take? What skills and knowledge can you share with your colleagues, and what can they share with you?
References
Davey, A. K. (2016). Cultural competence as a paradigm for peace. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vL8ws2N1dQ
Jones, J. (2014). Best practices in providing culturally responsive interventions, In P.L. Harrison & A. Thomas (Eds.), Best Practices in School Psychology (pp. 49-60). Bethesda, MD: National Association of School Psychologists.
McIntosh, P. (2010). Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack & Some notes for facilitators. Retrieved from: https://nationalseedproject.org/Key-SEED-Texts/white-privilege-unpacking-the-invisible-knapsack
Miranda, A.H. (2014). Best practices in increasing cross-cultural competency, In P.L. Harrison & A. Thomas (Eds.), Best Practices in School Psychology (pp. 9-19). Bethesda, MD: National Association of School Psychologists.
Newell, M. L., Natasi, B. K., Hatzichristou, C., Jones, J. M., Schanding, G. T.,Jr., & Yetter, G. (2010). Evidence on multicultural training in school psychology: Recommendations for future directions. School Psychology Quarterly, 25, 249-278. doi:10.1037/a00215
Souza, T. (2018). “Responding to microaggressions in the classroom: Taking ACTION.” Retrieved from: https://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/effective-classroom-management/responding-to-microaggressions-in-the-classroom/
Sue, D. W., & Sue, E., (1977). Barriers to effective cross-cultural counseling. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 24, 420-429.
Worthington, R. L., Soth-McNutt, A. M. & Moreno, M. V. (2007). Multicultural counseling competencies research: A 20-year content analysis. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 54, 351-361.