1. Workshop Series
(K-5 Educators and Administrators)
Coreen Olson
EDU6051
Culture, Equity, Power,
and Influence
Link to brochure:
There are two pages…please click
on the right hand side of the first
page to view the second page…
http-//pub.lucidpress.c#1315880

2. This workshop series is designed to be presented as a
series of 8 workshops as seen on the brochure (previous
slide). The workshops are designed as faculty meetings for
teachers and educational assistants at the K-5 level.
The school I have designed this workshop for services a
very diverse population. There are children who are black,
Hispanic, Indian, English language learners, visually
impaired, economically disadvantaged, and learning
disabled. Many come from households where they are
being raised by gay or lesbian parents.

3. These workshops have been created because there is a
need for on-going professional development to guide
conversations around race and culture. These
conversations will help to build understanding and
acceptance between students of different backgrounds,
cultures, and abilities.
It is imperative to create a safe and welcoming school
community for all students and their families. School
should be a place where diversity is accepted and all
students are encouraged and supported both socially and
academically, regardless of race, ethnicity, economic
status, or learning differences.

4. “Big Ideas” Integrated Into the
Workshop…..
 Culture needs to be understood as complex and
dynamic
 Culture also needs to be understood not just in terms of
celebrating diversity, but in terms of examining and
challenging power inequalities, privileges, and
oppression
 Educators can reduce economic achievement
gaps by increasing their “cultural competence”

5. Developing Cultural
Competence…
Closing
Achievement Gaps
Summer 2014

6. A major challenge confronts those of us who work
in today’s schools.
The challenge is the gap in academic achievement
that exists among minority students.
(race, language, and economic status)

7. In this series of workshops we will…
REFLECT ON….
 The meaning of “culture” and “cultural competence”
 The diversity of the learners in our classrooms
 The causes of low student achievement
EXPLORE….
 Innovative approaches to school reform
 Strategies that have been proven to close achievement gaps

8. Workshop #1
Inequality in U.S. Schools

9. Inequality in U.S. Schools
 Video Introduction
 Reflection
 Group Discussion and Activity
 Afternoon Meeting
 Self Reflection

10. Essential Questions…
 How is the income inequality gap affecting
students in our classrooms?
 What accounts for these widening gaps?
 What role can educators play in reducing this
gap?

11. Afternoon
Meeting….
 Consider various social locations
(e.g., race, class, age, gender,
ability, etc.) and in your journal,
write down your own
status for each.
 Think of a time when you have felt
oppressed, (ex. being denied
access to resources because of
your social location)
 Write or draw a picture about the
situation and how it made you feel.
 Share with your neighbor

12. “It’s becoming increasingly unlikely that
a low-income student, no matter how
intrinsically bright, moves up the
socioeconomic ladder.
What we’re talking about is a threat to
the American dream.”
~ S. Reardon

14. March 2014
US Department of
Education’s Office for
Civil Rights
Comprehensive data released
in March 2014 offers a striking
glance at the extent of racial
inequalities plaguing the
nation’s educational system….

15. Education Department’s findings…
 On your way in this afternoon, you took a slip of paper out
of the basket….
 We will each take a minute to share the “finding” we have on
our slip of paper

16. Reflection….
 Why do you think these inequalities exist?
 Do you notice any patterns?

17. Economic issues contributing to
racial inequalities…
 Rising residential segregation by income has led to
increasing concentrations of low- and high-income children
attending separate schools.
 A new “Schott Foundation for Public Education” report, “A
Rotting Apple: Education Redlining in New York City”,
reveals that the communities where most of the city’s poor,
black, and Hispanic students live, suffer from policies that
give their schools the fewest resources and least
experienced teachers.
 The report finds that a black, Hispanic student is nearly
four times more likely to be enrolled in one of the city’s
poorest performing schools.

18. Origins of Growing Income
Inequality…..
 Incomes grew rapidly and at roughly the same rate up and down the
income ladder, roughly doubling in inflation-adjusted terms between
the late 1940s and early 1970s.
 The years from the end of World War II into the 1970’s were years
of economic growth and prosperity.
 The income gap between those high up the income ladder and
those on the middle and lower rungs — while substantial — did not
change much during this period.

19. 1970’s…
 Income growth for households in the middle and lower
parts of the distribution slowed sharply, while incomes at
the top continued to grow strongly.
 Beginning in the 1970s, economic growth slowed and
the income gap widened.

20. Gaps increase in education…
 During this same time period, the gap between the average
reading and mathematics skills of students from low- and
high income families increased substantially.

21. Group Activity….
“ More than any other institution, schools are charged with making equality
of opportunity a reality.”
~ Greg Duncan
“During a period of rising inequality, can schools play this
critical role effectively? Or has growing income equality
affected families, neighborhoods, and schools in a manner
that undercuts the effectiveness of schools serving these
disadvantaged populations?”
 While you work on your group activity, think about the
following questions posed by Greg Duncan and Richard
Murnane (Growing Inequalities Threaten American Education)

22. Consequences for
American Children
Group Acrostic:
 Read the excerpt from “Growing
Income Inequality Threatens
American Education” (highlight the
“big ideas”).
file://localhost/Users/gjolsonmc/Des
ktop/Group Activity- Inequality.docx
(also in “Appendx A”)
 Work with your group members to
complete an acrostic poem. Be sure
to include include the “big ideas”
from this article .
 Use the letters from the word
“INEQALITY” to write your poem.

23. “Inequality”
Acrostic
Sharing
Share your
“Inequality” Acrostic
with the large group

24. Role of Teachers and Support
Professionals in Reducing
Achievement Gaps
 Infuse teaching and learning with high expectations
 Place most experienced educators with students who need the
most servicing
 Work to be “culturally competent”…recognize abilities in all children, be
aware of cultural differences, and cultivate resilience
 Continue to advocate for policies and programs that benefit all
students (ex. small class sizes, high quality preschool programs,
and rigorous teacher preparation programs).

25. Self Reflection…
“Think, Pair Share”….
After reading “Closing the Achievement Gap”, reflect on what
works in schools (the “lessons” mentioned in the article).
Reflect on the four “lessons” and the findings. How do they relate
to your philosophy of education and current practice?
Can schools make “equality of opportunity” a reality?
Be ready to discuss with the group….
Closing the Achievement Gap
link:

26. Closing…
Next week, we will learn about the role
“cultural competence” has in closing the
achievement gap.
Use a sticky note to write one “wondering”
you may have that relates to next week’s
topic and stick it to the greeting easel on
your way out.

27. Workshop #2
Introduction to Cultural Competency

28. We all have a story….

29. Introduction
to
Cultural Responsiveness
 Afternoon Meeting Activity
 Jigsaw Reading Activity
 Group Share and Discussion
 Video
 Personal Reflection
 Group Discussion

30. Afternoon
Meeting….
“We all have a story to tell..”
You will be playing
“Nosey Parker” with your group
members…do you know their
stories?
“Nosey Parker” worksheet…”Appendix B”

31. Debriefing…
1. Who found more than 10 things in common with a team
member?
1. Did anyone have anything unusual in common with
someone else?
1. How did you discover what you had in common (techniques
used)?
1. Why might you use this activity in your classroom?

32. Essential Questions…
 What is culture?
 What is “cultural competence” ?
 How can teachers effectively build upon
students’ cultural identities to facilitate
learning and reduce the economic
achievement gap?

33. What is culture?
Culture is the sum total of experiences,
knowledge, skills, beliefs, values, and
interests represented by the diversity of
students and adults in our schools.
Culture shapes a person’s sense of who
they are and where they fit in their family,
community and society.

34. Changing Demographics
About two out of every five public school students
are Black, Hispanic, Asian, or Native American
“When students of color are taught with culturally
responsive techniques, their academic
performance improves significantly.”
(National Collaborative on Diversity in the Teaching Force)

35. Disadvantaged Student
Population
Economic disparities among students also impacts learning.
The united States has the highest child poverty rate of the
seventeen wealthiest nations in the world.
(Mishel, Bernstein, & Allegretto, 2008)
Children of poverty are approximately 1.4 times as likely as their
nonpoor peers to have learning disabilities and/or developmental
delays, twice as likely to repeat grades and to be suspended from
school, and 2.2 times as likely to drop out of school.
(Brooks-Gunn & Duncan, 1997)

36. “From its beginnings, our nation’s school system has treated students
differently, depending on their race, social class, and gender.
Today, despite gains in educational opportunities, significant gaps
in academic achievement persist among groups.
As a nation, we have struggled to correct the flawed
doctrine of “separate but equal” and the inequitable policies
and practices that persisted for
decades……

37. As educators, we must now understand and interrupt the
systematic ways that groups of
students are still being treated inequitably today.
We must explore new ways of thinking about what
and how to teach.”
~ Reg Weaver; President NEA

38. Jigsaw Reading
 Read the article on your
own…silently
 Highlight key points and ideas
 Discuss the article with your
small group
 Make a poster illustrating how
the key points and ideas in
each article connect
 Prepare to share your poster
* Links to readings in “Appendix C”

39. Cultural Competence….

40. What is “Cultural Competence”?
 Understanding all people have a unique world view
 Knowing the community where the school is located
 Using curriculum that is respectful and relevant to the cultures
represented in the student body
 Being alert to the ways that culture effects who we are
 Examining systems, structures, policies, and practices for their
impact on all students and families

41. What it is NOT….
 Good intentions
 Cultural celebrations at designated times of the year
 A list of stereotypes
 Assumptions that all students from one culture operate
in similar ways and have had similar experiences
 The responsibility of the children, their parents,
or the community
 Color-blindness
 Simple tolerance

42. How to Increase Your Cultural
Competence
 Research the histories, cultures, and contributions of
diverse groups
 Attend diversity-focused professional
development seminars
 Value cultural differences and interact with
diverse groups
 Challenge all forms of discrimination in schools and promote
social justice

43. Strategies for Culturally
Competent Instruction…
 Acknowledge students differences and commonalities
 Validate students cultural identity in classroom practices and
materials
 Educate students about the diversity of the world around them
 Promote equity and mutual respect amongst students
 Motivate students to become active participants and think
critically
 Challenge students to strive for their “own excellence”

44. Self Reflection…..
Directions: Place a check by each item to reflect your practice. Then indicate
the three items you would like to explore in order to improve your practice
and cultural competence.
“I do this a
lot”
“I do this a
little”
“I haven’t
done this”
My priorities
to explore
I know the cultural background of the students and parents I come in contact with.
I reach out to parents to help them access services and information in our school.
I understand the value of the differences and diversity in our school population and
staff.
I work to help student awareness of differences and diversity in my classroom
I promote equity and mutual respect in my classroom
Also here…

45. Closing….
Look at your “Self Reflection” and put a star beside
one “Priority to Explore”. Make it a priority to explore
this week, in a way that improves your professional
practice. Be ready to share at next week’s
workshop. 

46. Appendix A
Workshop #1
Group Activity: Create an Acrostic

47. Appendix B
Nosey Parkers - Worksheet
With each of your three partners try to find out as much as you can that you have in common in
three minutes. Once you have completed the first person you have one minute to find another
partner find out everything that you have in common.
Tips: think films, music, sport, TV shows, married, children...
Name: Name: Name:
1. 1. 1.
2. 2. 2.
3.
3.
3.
4.
4.
4.
5. 5. 5.
6. 6. 6.
7. 7. 7.
8. 8. 8.
9. 9. 9.
10. 10. 10.

48. Appendix C
Workshop #2
“Jigsaw Readings”
 "The Importance of Culturally Competent Teachers"
 "Communicating Cross Culturally: What Teachers Should Know"
 "Promoting Educators' Cultural Competence to Better Serve
Culturally Diverse Students

49. Resources:
Duncan, G. and Murnane, R. Phi Delta Kappan. “Growing Income Inequality Threatens
American Education” (2014). Education Week
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2014/03/01/kappan_duncanmurnane.html?tkn=STOFrB
dmxtfhMpwF3IDBCkcHy0mszRXi9a%2B0&print=1
Reardon, S.. “The Widening Income Achievement Gap” (May 2013). Educational
Leadership/Volume 70/Number 8.
Schott Foundation. “A Rotting Apple: Education Redlining in New York City (2013). Schott
Foundation for Public Education. Cambridge, MA.
Workshop #1
Inequality
Hsieh, Steven. The Nation (March 2014) “14 Disturbing Stats About Racial Inequality in
American Public Schools”.http://www.thenation.com/blog/178958/14-disturbing-stats-about-
racial-inequality-american-public-schools

50. Resources continued…
Workshop #2
Cultural Competence
NEA Policy Brief. “Promoting Educators’ Cultural Competence to Better Serve Culturally Diverse
Students.”
“http://www.nea.org/assets/docs/PB13_CulturalCompetence08.pdf
State of Washington. Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction. “Eliminating the Gaps”
http://www.k12.wa.us/cisl/eliminatingthegaps/culturalcompetence/default.aspx
“The Importance of Culturally Competent Teachers”…Huffington Post…..
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/randy-miller/the-importance-of-cultura_b_787876.html
“Communicating Cross-Culturally”…What Every Teacher Should Know”
http://iteslj.org/Articles/Pratt-Johnson-CrossCultural.html