ISM Cultural Competency Leadership

Independent School Management
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee
Seattle Girls’ School
Cultural Competency
in Independent Schools
What Leaders Need to Know
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

About Seattle Girls’ School

Goals
 Basic Definitions
 Cultural Competency
 Assessing Where You Are
 Priming for Change (or Sustaining It)
 Assessing and Reassessing
 Resources

Basic Definitions
Diversity: Difference, Variety
Diversity is Value Added:
Business Portfolio
Biodiversity
Creativity
Innovation

Dimensions of Identity and Culture
This model of identifiers and culture was created by Karen Bradberry and Johnnie Foreman for NAIS Summer Diversity Institute,
adapted from Loden and Rosener’s Workforce America! (1991) and from Diverse Teams at Work, Gardenswartz & Rowe (SHRM 2003).

Basic Definitions
Inclusion: A sense of belonging,
worthiness, and value one feels in an
organization
Are you an owner or an employee?
Are you “in the family” or are you a guest?

Inclusion Parable:
The Giraffe
and the Elephant

Basic Definitions
Equity: providing opportunities and
access to all so that every person can
achieve their full potential. Equitable
treatment involves acknowledging
diversity, recognizing and celebrating
our differences, and eliminating the
barriers that prevent the full
participation of all peoples.

Equality vs Equity
Everybody gets a shirt versus everybody
gets a shirt that fits.
Giving everybody some insulin in
equality. Giving only people who are
diabetic some insulin is equity.
What is “fair”?

Basic Definitions
Justice: An active and conscious effort
to work against multidimensional
aspects of systems of injustice (racism,
sexism, homophobia, etc.) by
identifying, describing, and dismantling
injustice wherever you find it, including
within yourself.
Derived from Robert J. Patterson, Ibram X. Kendi, and Ijeoma Oluo

Culture [consists] primarily of the
symbolic, ideational, and intangible
aspects of human societies… It is the
values, symbols, interpretations, and
perspectives that distinguish one
people from another.
James A. Banks
What is Culture?

Cultural Competency:
Many Models
Cultural competence is a set of
congruent behaviors, attitudes and
policies that come together in a
system, institution or individual and
enable that system, institution or
individual to work effectively in cross-
cultural situations.
Terry Cross

The Jones Model of Cultural Competence
Cultural Self-
Awareness
Cultural
Intelligence
Cross-Cultural
Effectiveness
Skills
Countering
Oppression
through
Inclusion

Cultural Competence: Key Elements
Value Orientation
Diversity as Value Added
Respect
Relationships
Equity
Thought Orientation
Knowledge
Awareness
Systems Thinking
Action Orientation
Consciousness Building
Capacity Building
Assessment
Adaptation

An Educational Imperative
The Moral Case
The Academic Case
The Economic Case
Institution Excellence
Teacher Excellence
Student Excellence

21st Century Education and Excellence
 Critical Thinking
 Collaboration
 Communication
 Creativity
 Cosmopolitanism

An Institutional Approach

From Exclusive to Inclusive:
Developmental Stages

Milton Bennett’s
Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity

Hallmarks of Earlier Phases
 People feel pressure to fit in
 People fear speaking up
 “Who you know” is more important than “what you
know” (relationship-based culture)
 You only trust those closest to you (cliques)
 Denial of differences is considered a virtue (“we
don’t see differences here”)
 It’s hard for outsiders to learn the rules (sink or
swim to prove yourself)

Hallmarks of Later Phases
 People can bring their full selves to school
 The school encourages and welcomes people to
contribute different opinions and points of view
 There is a performance driven culture
 People form dynamic and diverse groups (trust)
 Differences are seen as additive and productive
 Success is explicitly defined, and the school supports
people in achieving it
 The school has an interactive culture
 People have the competencies to adapt to different
cultural contexts.

Schools Have ZPDs, Too!
Status Quo:
Reliance on what the
school does already
and naturally
Zone of Proximal
Development:
Mindful and strategic
change toward the
next stage of growth
Too Much, Too Fast:
Unrealistic demands
on the community

Success vs Failure of Initiatives
------ + Consensus + Skills + Incentive + Resources + Action Plan = Confusion
Vision + ------ + Skills + Incentive + Resources + Action Plan = Sabotage
Vision + Consensus + ------ + Incentive + Resources + Action Plan = Anxiety
Vision + Consensus + Skills + ------ + Resources + Action Plan = Resistance
Vision + Consensus + Skills + Incentive + ------ + Action Plan = Frustration
Vision + Consensus + Skills + Incentive + Resources + ------ = Treadmill
Vision + Consensus + Skills + Incentive + Resources + Action Plan = Change
*Adapted from T. Krosier’s “Managing Complex Change.”

Identifying Growth Zones – The 5Ps
• Policy – Enumeration of commitment through mission,
strategic plan, handbooks, websites, etc.
• Programming – Training and programming for all
constituencies. Annual events, curriculum, support
groups, etc.
• Practice – Consistent and meaningful revisit of policy
and programs. Climate assessments, proactive
changes, and meaningful responses to incidents.
• People – Critical mass of people who are supportive
AND active on all levels.
• Pecuniary – Funding, people, and time allocated in the
strategic plan and daily life for supporting diversity
efforts.
(• Priority – When there is limited time, resources, or
competing priorities, which is first to go?)

Everybody Has a Role
 CC of Non-Teaching Educator (Staff)
 CC in Athletics (AD and Coaches)
 CC in Finances (Business, HR, Admissions, and Development)
 CC Interview Questions (Hiring Committees and Candidates)
 Cultural Proficiency for Teacher Administrators
(Department Heads, Dean of Faculty)
 Culturally Competent Leaders (Heads and Practitioners)
 Culturally Fluent Organization Development
(Heads and Practitioners)
 Inclusion Planning Tool (Policy, Practice, Event, etc.)
 Inclusive Classroom Practices (Teachers)
 Inclusive Communication Checklist (Communications)
 Librarian Cultural Competency Standards (Librarians)
 Recruitment to Retention (Admissions and Hiring)

Keeping Up To Date:
Assessment and Training

Assess and Reassess
 Demographic Trends
– Entrance Numbers
– Attrition Numbers
– Disciplinary Cases
– Academic Cases
– Financial Aid Breakdowns
 Climate Surveys
 Exit Interviews
 Programmatic Surveys
 Pre-Post Assessments
 Every 1-2 Years

Cultural Competency Skillsets
 Identity Development
 Cross Cultural Communication
 Intercultural Conflict
 Bias, Power, and Systems
 Privilege and Allyship
 Implicit and Unconscious Bias
 School Culture and Change
 Inclusive Curriculum
 Leading and Following
 Cultural Adaptation

Doing It on a Budget
 Free Climate Surveys
 Survey Monkey, Google Forms, etc.
 Word Clouds
 Task Forces
 Online Courses with Cohorts
 Post Conference Share-Outs and
Trainings
 Book Discussion Groups
 Expertise Exchange
 Forming Consortia With Other
Schools

Resources Available
at tiny.cc/rosettalee
 Common Vocabulary
 Assessment Tools From Various Organizations
 Links to Resource Websites
 Professional Development Options
 Must Read Books
 Can’t Find What You’re Looking For? Contact Me!

Making Choices, Setting Priorities

Final Questions or Comments?

Presenter Information
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee
6th Faculty and
Professional Outreach
Seattle Girls’ School
2706 S Jackson Street
Seattle WA 98144
(206) 805-6562
rlee@seattlegirlsschool.org
http://tiny.cc/rosettalee

ISM Cultural Competency Leadership

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