Global Competency Is Imperative for Global Success

What is Global citizenship?

Global citizens are people who live a global way of life. Instead of thinking nationally, they are thinking internationally. Being a global citizen is leveling the playing field for everyone. We are a part of our MAT Flex cohort, but we are also part of a larger community that includes the university as a whole.

Economic and Social Justice- Is dedicated to eliminating global poverty through sustainability at a local level as well as electing leaders that will fight for legislation in neighboring countries and around the world that will strive to preserve the integrity of people around the world. Examples would be eliminating child labor and sexual trafficking. Caring for is something you can do in your community through good works. And caring about is a way to think globally.

Protecting the Earth- Without a hospitable physical environment we will live with increasingly discomfort. Promote information gathering and ideas about how to keep the world livable. Keeping updated text and knowledge can help us improve the health of our earth.

Social and Cultural Diversity- Diversity usually involves racial, ethnic, and religious differences. Students should be taught that these surface differences are not relevant to the tasks at hand. Diversity plays a role in human survival.

Educating for Peace- We must value the lives of all people, not just those of our own nation. We should educate students that this ideal is lost in war. We must promote peace in all areas of the curriculum. We should promote that peace, not war is an organizing concept.

Global citizenship is the notion that we need to rethink who we are as global citizen in order for us to teach children to be global citizens.

One additional resource:

Global Competency Is Imperative for Global Success

http://chronicle.com/article/Global-Competency-1s-1mpe/9742/

What is Cultural Competence?

What is Cultural Competence?
King, M. A., Anthony S., & Osher, D.

Definition:
Set of cohesive behaviors, policy, procedures that reflect cultural sensitivity, and understanding in a cross-cultural environment.

1. Value Diversity
• Accepting and respecting differences.
• Value differences within groups
• Vietnamese family
• “Different does not mean wrong”
2. (Capacity) - Cultural Self-Assessment
• The ability to recognize our personal cultural sensitivity level
3. Consciousness of the Dynamics of Cultural Interactions
• The ability to recognize the historical interactions of cultures on a societal level.
4. Institutionalization of Cultural Knowledge
• Gathering information and incorporating this knowledge into the operations of your environment.
• Positive representations of all cultures.
5. Adapt to Diversity
1. Flexibility
2. Focuses on changing activities to fit cultural norms in the given environment.


Practical approaches

• Students can bring food dishes that reflect their cultural background and share recipes.

• Schedule time to reflect using a journal.

• Be aware of classroom demographics and become familiar with them through additional research.

• Artwork and décor can reflect student-body cultures.

• Modify curriculum, body language, and communication patterns to meet the specific needs of each classroom.


Additional Resources:
file:///Users/student/Desktop/NASWCulturalStandards.pdf

Ashley Hordichok
Jan Yates
Kimberly Moua
Armando Montano
Zach Bowman

Diversity, Group Identity, and Citizenship Education in a Global Age, Group 3

What does it mean to be a citizen in our current global age?
Different conceptions of citizenship face many challenges, historically, politically, socially, and culturally.
This article discusses assimilationist, liberal, and universal conceptions of citizenship as it relates to education.
“Liberal assimilationist notions of citizenship assume that individuals from different groups have to give up their home and community cultures and languages to attain inclusion and to participate effectively in the national civic culture” (p. 129).
National identity vs. immigrant culture. These are frequently conflicting – why is this necessary?
This even existed in ancient civilizations. Mesopotamia, Egypt, even the US!
“Most cultural, social, and educational policies in nation-states throughout the world, including the United States, were guided by an assimilationist policy prior to the ethnic revitalization movements of the 1960s and 1970s” (p. 130).
Briefly discusses the importance of cultural democracy coexisting political and economic democracy.

Marshall’s citizenship typology explains that we need to be cosmopolitan citizens concerned for the well being of the world. Our actions affect others in some way – we need to be aware of how our actions affect others.

Mainstream Citizenship Education
Reinforces status quo and dominant power relationships
Doesn’t challenge class, racial, and gender discrimination that takes place within establishments
No critical thinking, decision-making, or actions just memorization

Transformative Citizenship Education
Recognizes cultural identities of students
Over time develops positive racial and ethnic attitudes
Gain more knowledge and skills
Leads to equal status
Common goals
Cooperation
Has to be structured
Fosters cooperation not competition between racial, ethnic, and cultural groups

Levels of Citizenship
Legal – Most basic citizenship level. Simple legal citizen.
Minimal – Vote in local and national elections, i.e. votes for the president.
Active – Involvement increases beyond voting. Conventional citizens – will research before voting.
Transformative – Questions why our society currently functions as it does. What needs to change?

http://www.fisd.us/CharacterEd/lessonplans/patreile/Lesson%20Character%20and%20Citizenship%20Education%20A%20Tree%20for%20Your%20Classroom.htm Citizenship/community lesson plan for third grade class. Approximately 2-week project. Students will discuss what different terms currently mean to them and how to include others even though we all have different backgrounds. Will teach students to think about the diversity of others.


Group members: Diann Espinoza, Chris Dorough, Lisa Crippen, Paul Mulloy

Cultural Competence Group 2 Notes

Nickie Carter, Amanda Bautista, Krista Evers, Ali Palmer, Sarah Conkey
LC1, January 30th, 2010

Cultural Competence Jigsaw
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_competence

~ Guiding children towards awareness about their personal attitude, knowledge, and skills towards culture.

Key Elements of Our Article
• Referring to Cultural Competence as the interactions we have with people of different cultures.
• Diversity Training University International (DTUI) gives four elements for developing cultural competence:
o Awareness: know your own personal reactions to differences in people.
o Attitude: Training in cultural competence helps to create positive attitudes within yourself to allow your biases to evolve.
o Knowledge: being aware of labels of society and cultures and knowing what is current.
o Skills: practicing cultural competence by always being conscience that it is relevant and present.
• Cultural competence is a pressing issue today due to the History of American Ethical practices. Originally, the US was made up of predominantly white Northern European cultural attitudes. As the US grew over the centuries, cultural diversified through immigration from other countries, and people continue to struggle with understanding all the differences between cultures.
• The role of US Educators is forefront for bringing diverse groups of Americans together within our larger US society.



What is Cultural Competence?
~ Cultural Competence is the foundation of positive relationship in our global community. Processing CC is to know and understand one’s own culture, background, and biases explicitly. Further, one needs to openly invite knowledge and traditions different from their own. By understanding one’s own culture and being open to embrace differences from other groups, only then will effective communications and interactions be exchanged across cultures.

What are some practical approaches for better understanding how to promote Cultural Competence in Education?
• Providing visuals to children that are derogatory examples of other’s cultures that are assimilated into society, ie: “land o lakes” and “Redskins” sports team. Starting a class discussion around examples seen in the community/society.
• Personal Cultural Heritage Appreciation—ancestral projects/family trees.
• Appreciating Culture: group projects, visual aides, research to celebrate different cultures and world views. Exploring student’s personal heritage as well as introducing new cultural knowledge.
• Cultural and/or tradition sharing: Show and tell where students bring in items and create a lesson around their visual aide.


What are some specific ideas for how I can develop cultural competence in my practice and with my students?
• Create a safe environment where students feel comfortable to share their personal experiences, traditions, and cultures.
• Be open and willing to understand the differences in your student’s cultures; this serves to be a role model for acceptance and understanding for the other students.
• According to DTUI developing cultural competence comes through four elements: Awareness, Attitude, Knowledge, Skills

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES RELATED TO OUR ARTICLE:

First, the more concise flow chart one:
http://www.unc.edu/courses/2006ss1/nurs/292/001/cross.gif

Second, the more in depth one:
http://www.d.umn.edu/sw/culturalcomp/Cultural%20Competence%20Conti.htm

Relationship, The 4th "R": The development of a Classroom Community

Meltzoff's article highlights some important aspects of why teachers need to see themselves as community builders vs transmittors of information. The following are some key points taken from the paper.

If we agree that learning is a social act, then effective teaching shifts the role of the teacher as a deliverer of lessons to a builder or creator of a classroom learning community

Rationale
In order to be participating citizens children need to learn how to be both strong individuals and members of a community.

"..they must learn to function as part of an increasingly complex world community, where global peace and justice demand ever increasing levels of cooperation."

The quality of social life can improve as the social character of each individual develops. By extension the quality of schooling can also improve as students learn to be part of a classroom community.

In education & society individualism is the dominant value orientation. However, the concepts of cooperation and conflict resolution have moved to the forefront of concern. As children participate in a school classroom community, they receive guided practice in the relationship skills necssary for active invovlement in both the private and public spheres.


Metaphorical Understanding of Classroom Community
Although life in the classroom is a social experience, it does not necessarily constitute a community.
Teachers have certain images of their classrooms; they are guided by a metaphorical understanding of teaching, learning, and ideas.

"..the concepts that govern our thought are not just matters of the intellect. They also govern our everyday functioning."

Shift of metaphors...
Industrial model --- Weaving - created by the relationhip of the strands of one to another -- Relationship - teacher facilitates learning, teaching is an interactive process.

Community is build on the relationship guided by the teacher and developed in a synergistic context of culture, school district, school, staff, teachers, parents and students.


The Strands of a Classroom Community
Shared Leadership
Communication
Responsiveness
Shared Ethics
Cooperation
Shared Environment & Shared History
Commitment
Wholeness
Interdependence

The Classroom as a Hybrid Community
a classroom community is a hybrid of a traditional community of place, a moral community, a responsive open community, and an institution.

Summary
The strands are not fixed, nor is community-building an all-or-nothing proposition. The more strands incorporated into the classroom, the closer the members come to developing a community. As teachers - at all levels -  develop classroom communities, additional strands may become evident.

Community-building is a viable and essential goal for all teachers. Our society need to foster the growth of people who are skilled in personal and interpersonal relationships, as interpersonal moral development precedes civic virtue.

In order to create communities that are inclusive of all people from all backgrounds and abilities, our citizens must learn to share leadership and power, to participate in decision-making and problem solving.

Teachers must provide opportunities for students to express opinions and to communicate clearly in group settings.

Students must practice working individually as well as in group settings.

If we long for healthy communities in a sustainable world, our citizens must cooperate with one another for the common good, and acknowledge our interdependence with the rest of the ecosystem.

Strands Charts

Intro to this Blog

Welcome Flex 2010 cohort!
I have created this blog to support our ongoing exploration, processing, brainstorming, learning...and hope that it well become an important support for our learning community.
Anita