Cultural Competency Prompts

You will post at least six entries over the course of the semester, describing and interpreting your Service Learning experience. (You must use pseudonyms for your school, teacher, and students.) You will also read and respond to the blogs of four peers at least once. Your first blog is due no later than the week of your third visit; blog at least weekly after your first entry. Each entry should be between 400-500 words. Include stories that illustrate your point—show us rather than tell us. Integrate the readings/theorists’ arguments throughout (at least five connections to five different theorists.

Prompts 2-6 ask for responses to the Cultural Competency Teaching Areas currently being adopted by colleges participating in the Rhode Island Teacher Education Renewal. (The five areas are italicized; the prompts follow in regular font.)

Label each post by identifying both the prompt and the theoretical connection(s).

1) Describe the neighborhood, school building and classroom in which you are volunteering. What do you notice about the space and structure of the school? How do people use the space? How does this school “feel” to you? What contributes to this feeling? Describe the classroom, the teacher, and the students. What is valued in this school? In this classroom? How can you tell?
2) The culturally competent teacher should be able to account for, demonstrate awareness of, and respond to the sociocultural distinctiveness of her or his students, families, and communities when planning for and delivering instruction. Describe the linguistic, ethnic, and sociocultural characteristics of the students in the classroom in which you are tutoring (Use the data on Infoworks as well your observations). What cultural capital do the children bring into the classroom? What assets can be developed that will strengthen our society/democracy?
3) The culturally competent teacher should be able to use a variety of assessment techniques appropriate to diverse learners and accommodate sociocultural differences that affect learning. How might the teacher be responsive to the linguistic, ethnic, and sociocultural characteristics of the students in his or her assessment practices?
4) The culturally competent teacher is aware of the diverse cultural groups represented in his/her classroom, investigates the sociocultural factors that influence student learning, and is able to integrate this knowledge into his/her teaching. No one enters a classroom without a personal history; thus, no one enters a classroom completely free of bias. How might your personal history/sociocultural characteristics intersect with those of your students? What challenges or advantages might you have as a teacher in this classroom? What misconceptions about various cultural groups have you confronted during this experience?
5) The culturally competent teacher involves and works with families and community resources, understanding the differences in families, the important influence of family participation in students’ learning, and the benefit of collaborating with the wider school community. Imagine that you are the teacher of this classroom. What challenges might you encounter in collaborating with the parents of your students? How might you address these challenges? How might you demonstrate respect for the concerns or contributions of parents?
6) The culturally competent teacher communicates in ways that demonstrate sensitivity to sociocultural and linguistic differences, using a variety of verbal and non-verbal communication techniques that encourage positive social interaction and support learning in their classroom. How have you (or the classroom teacher) communicated in ways that demonstrate sensitivity and responsiveness to sociocultural and linguistic differences?