The document discusses cultural competence with European Americans. It provides an overview of different waves of European immigrants to America from the 17th to 20th centuries. It then discusses concepts like white privilege and white supremacy, noting how some white Americans may feel a sense of entitlement or make judgments against those perceived as different. The challenges of working with this cultural group are outlined, along with the importance of teaching awareness to help reduce guilt, shame, and prevent future social injustices. Appropriate educational experiences and strategies are recommended, such as using examples from history and social justice issues in teaching.

1. Cultural Competence with
European Americans
Melissa Reynolds
EDU 627 – Multicultural Education
Spring 2012

2. Overview of Chapter 9
Immigrants from these countries were considered European American:
– In the 17th century
• Germany
• England
• France
• Netherlands
– In the 19th century
• Ireland
– In the 20th century
• Italy
• Poland
• Russia
• Greece

3. Overview of Chapter 9
White
A term used by early European Americans “in
order to consolidate strength, increasing their
ability to maintain control and dominance over
the Native Americans and African slaves (Rogers
& Bowman, 2003, p.12).”

4. Overview of Chapter 9
White Privilege
A belief that those within the White race feel
entitled to certain advantages and benefits based on
a history of enslavement, segregation, genocide,
and exploitation of those within other races.

5. Overview of Chapter 9
White Supremacy
The internal thoughts of those within the White
race to believe misinformation from society and
construct misguided judgments of other races
and cultures.

6. Overview of Chapter 9
White Supremacy Culture is often comprised of
stereotyping, profiling, and making judgments
against those who are perceived to be different
from the White European American.

7. Overview of Chapter 9
Difficulties when working with this culture:
• Often unwilling or unable to identify their subconscious
feelings of superiority
• May experience guilt and become shame-focused
• May try to separate themselves from their culture and focus
on using their own personal behaviors, rather than that of
the group’s
• Make statements for those their culture has oppressed in
the past, often ending in resentment

8. Overview of Chapter 9
The importance of teaching awareness to this culture:
• To educate is to provide empowerment and
accountability
• Identifying an individual’s own injustices can lead to the
lessening of guilt and shame
• Knowledge promotes healing of past social injustices
and prevents future

9. Teaching to This Population
In the article, “The Capacity for Connection,” it states:
“A healthy white identity encompasses many aspects: (a)
understanding and valuing oneself as a person; (b) being
aware and appreciative of the histories, cultures and
societal positions/roles of one's immediate and extended
family; (c) realistically appreciating one's own skills and
interests and how they can be used to contribute to many
communities -- family, school, neighborhood and the
larger society.”
(Teaching Tolerance, 2012).

10. Teaching to This Population
The article recommends teaching such values to
White students by using examples of social
justice issues. To teach mathematics principles
use “the rates of unemployment and disparities
in incomes. Critical reading skills can be honed
by critiquing biased and incomplete news
reports.”
(Teaching Tolerance, 2012).

11. Teaching about Whiteness
In the article, “Teaching about Whiteness,” Prof.
Gregory Jay states that “studying whiteness can
change the dynamic of any classroom, whatever
its ethno-racial makeup, by moving the
conversation from personal attitudes (and guilt)
to the objective analysis of historical events,
legal codes, social institutions, and cultural
practices.”
(Jay, 2012).

12. Teaching about Whiteness
Jay also states that “studying whiteness opens
our eyes to the persistent biases towards
whiteness that continue to influence our culture
and society…the persistence of these benefits
raises ethical and moral questions we need to
struggle with, for they have profound effects on
the larger effort toward social justice and
democratic equality.”
(Jay, 2012).

13. Appropriate Educational Experience
Available online through the site, Teachers’ Domain, is an
example lesson plan that can guide an educator through
this topic:
“Objectives
• Understand white supremacy as an organized system
of repression
• Explore the roles of segregation and white resistance in
creating and reinforcing attitudes of white supremacy
• Contrast the values, attitudes, and reality of
segregation with the principles expressed in the
country's founding documents”
(Teachers’ Domain, 2002-2012).

14. Appropriate Educational Experience
This lesson plan is divided into 3 parts that will allow an
educator to fully encompass the multiple layers this topic
possesses.
• Define – Define what White Supremacy means and how it
affects today’s society.
• Historical References – Show examples of oppression laws
from this nation’s history to engage in discussions
• Resistance – Allow students to see and experience
examples of supremacy extremists
(Teachers’ Domain, 2002-2012).

15. Intriguing Quotes
“It is a challenge for those who seek social
justice to keep in mind not only the ways that
their own identities make them vulnerable to
oppression but also the ways that their
identities grant privilege.”
(Pewewardy, Almeida, Dressner & Hann, p. 257)

16. Intriguing Quotes
“A healthy identity does not rest on feelings of
superiority, ‘power over others,’ the need to
compete and be ‘best,’ or possession of more
material things than others. Instead it is seeing
oneself as a part of the whole, not the center,
and as unique, but not ‘special’.”
(Teaching Tolerance, 2012).

17. Intriguing Quotes
“Silence about whiteness lets everyone continue
to harbor prejudices and misconceptions,
beginning with the notion that ‘white’ equals
normal.”
(Jay, 2012).

18. Discussion Question
Now that the topics of White privilege and
supremacy have been reviewed, what about
these readings surprised you the most or not at
all? How will you use this information to teach
others?

19. References
Jay, G. (2012.) Teaching about Whiteness.
Retrieved from: https://pantherfile.uwm.edu/gjay/www/Whiteness/Teachwhiteness.html
Pewewardy, N., Almeida, R., Dressner, L., & Hann, C. (2011.) Cultural
Competence with European Americans. In D. Lum (Ed.), Culturally
Competent Practice: A framework for understanding diverse groups
and justice issues. (pp. 248 – 272). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole.
(Original works published 1997).
Teachers’ Domain. (2002-2012). Understanding White Supremacy.
Retrieved from: http://www.teachersdomain.org/resource/iml04.soc.ush.civil.lp_whsup/
Teaching Tolerance. (2012). The Capacity for Connection.
Retrieved from: http://www.tolerance.org/activity/capacity-connection