Transcript Slide 1

North Carolina Diversity
Standards & Cultural
Competence
Edwin D. Bell
Winston-Salem State
University
Introduction
In 2004 the NC Board of Education
integrated six diversity standards into
the standards expected of all new
teachers. This was their effort to
create an operational definition of
cultural competence in the
expectations for teachers in North
Carolina.
NC Diversity Standards
In order for children to be successful
learners, effective beginning teachers must
welcome and accept all students in their
classroom. These teachers must have
knowledge of the diverse backgrounds,
cultures, and learning styles of their
students. In doing so, they are able to
apply sound pedagogical practices that will
enhance their selection of goals, methods,
and materials for diverse learners. (NC
State Board of Education, 2004, p. 2-1)
Standard 1
Teachers understand the central
concepts, tools of inquiry, and
structures of the discipline(s) they
teach and can create classroom
environments and learning
experiences that make these aspects
of subject matter accessible,
meaningful and culturally relevant for
diverse learners. (NC Board of
Education, 2004, p. 2-2)
Standard 2
Teachers understand how students’
cognitive, physical, socio-cultural,
linguistic, emotional, and moral
development influences learning and
address these factors when making
instructional decisions. (NC Board of
Education, 2004, p. 2-2)
Standard 3
Teachers work collaboratively to
develop linkages with
parents/caretakers, school
colleagues, community members and
agencies that enhance the
educational experiences and well
being of diverse learners. (NC Board
of Education, 2004, p. 2-2)
Standard 4
Teachers acknowledge and
understand that diversity exists in
society and utilize this to strengthen
the classroom environment to meet
the needs of individual learners. (NC
Board of Education, 2004, p. 2-2)
Standard 5
Teachers of diverse students
demonstrate leadership by
contributing to the growth and
development of their colleagues, their
school and the advancement of
educational equity.
Standard 6
Teachers of diverse students are
reflective practioners who are
committed to educational equity.
This is the standard that comes
closest to a working definition of
cultural competence, which Diller and
Moule (2005) use.
Cultural Competence
What is cultural competence? Put
most simply, it is the ability to
successfully teach students who
come from cultures other than your
own. (Diller & Moule, 2005, p. 2)
Cultural Competence (continued)
It entails developing certain personal
and interpersonal awareness and
sensitivities, learning specific bodies
of cultural knowledge, and mastering
a set of skills that, taken together,
underlie effective cross-cultural
teaching. (Diller & Moule, 2005, p. 2)
Cultural Competence (continued)
Cultural competence, whether in a
school system or an individual, is an
ideal toward which to strive. It does
not occur as the result of a single day
of training, a few consultations with
experts, reading a book, or even
taking a course. Rather it is a
developmental process that depends
Cultural Competence (continued)
on the continual acquisition of
knowledge, the development of new
and more advanced skills, and ongoing, reflective self-evaluation of
progress. (Diller & Moule, 2005, p. 13)
Assignment
Reflect on your school behavior in
relation to each of North Carolina’
diversity standards; write a paragraph
that describes your behavior in
relation to each standard in terms of
your strengths and areas that need
development.
Assignment (continued)
Design a plan that will enable you to
strengthen areas that need
development.
Submit the analysis and the plan as a
Microsoft Word File to the Assignment
Area in BlackBoard.
References
Diller, J. V. & Moule, J. (2005) Cultural
competence: A primer for educators.
Belmont, CA: Thomson Wadsworth.
NC Board of Education (2004). Standards for all
teachers. Retrieved from
http://www.ncpublicschools.org/humanr
srcs/downloads/specialtystandards.pdf