by Dr. Deirdre S. Williams
Leadership Advancement Officer
Harris County Department of Education
Leadership Advancement Officer
Harris County Department of Education
As aspiring leaders are prepared to ensure that every child succeeds, it is imperative that they understand and value the current demographic reality of our nation and of the students from the communities in which they serve. The National Center for Education Statistics (2009) indicates that students of color are now the majority of students in K-12 public schools in the United States (Taylor et al., 2016). Our public school system is increasingly seeing a trend of students with backgrounds identified as ethnically, linguistically, culturally, and otherwise socially diverse while over 80 percent of the leadership force who serves these students is predominately White and monolingual (Taylor et al., 2016; Khan et al,, 2014; U.S. Department of Education, 2016). These cultural and linguistic disparities between our leader and student populations influence the overall student academic achievement in public education systems, arguably due to the lack of cultural knowledge, sensitivity, and competence to meet the needs of all students (Khan et al., 2014).
Culture embodies the assumptions and values, orientations to life, as well as the beliefs, practices and behavioral conventions that are shared by a group of people. Such elements not only influence an individual’s behavior but also affect how one interprets the “meaning” of other people’s behavior (Spencer-Oatey, 2008). Navigating intercultural spaces is complex and involves a deep understanding and commitment to confront generalizations and stereotypes. Every individual’s cultural practices, preferences, and prior experiences are markedly influenced by the intersection of social class, ethnicity, and gender (Alton-Lee, 2003). For this reason, it is incumbent upon aspiring leaders to deepen their understanding of the role that culture, race, and diversity play in student learning outcomes (Dharan, 2015). Without the opportunity to build their cultural capacity and apply them to the educational process new leaders will be inclined to cement their orientations to diversity based on prevailing perceptions (Dharan, 2015).
Educational leadership preparation programs have the ideal to provide trusting learning community environments where aspiring leaders can feel safe to explore the subconscious values, beliefs, assumptions, and expectations they hold about diversity. They should be given opportunities to share personal narratives of previous cross-cultural interactions both positive and negative to discover the impact those experiences have had on their existing beliefs. Further, learning experiences must be facilitated to teach content around critical learning theory related to race, leadership, and social justice issues. Then aspiring leaders should be pushed to engage in critical, courageous conversations to deepen their understanding of equity, equality, and ethics where they can be asked the questions that are oftentimes uncomfortable such as: What are the elements of their identity that influence biased leadership decisions? Do they recognize when power and privilege dynamics are hindering their diverse students? If so, how do they respond? and Describe the times when they have personally made decisions that hindered students based on their identity?
It is imperative that the learning to develop cultural competence is not just classroom conversations, but aspiring leaders have opportunities to practice through community-based learning in culturally diverse communities similar to those of the schools in which they will lead. When educational leadership preparation programs incorporate these aspects into their core leadership development practices, we will begin to think about learning in diverse schools as a way to deepen each individual’s culture through meaningful cross-cultural interaction. And, as a result, we will see leaders begin to acknowledge the “social context of their educational communities and empower” the students and families they serve (Santamaría & Santamaría, 2013, p.5). By learning to cultivate a culturally empowering and inclusive mindset of all members of the school community aspiring school leaders can ensure the academic success of diverse learners.
References
Alton-Lee, A. (2003). Quality teaching for diverse students in schooling: Best evidence synthesis. Wellington, NZ: Ministry of Education.
Dharan, V. (2015). Beginning teachers and diversity-why the need for extended critical professional support. Asia Pacific Journal of Teacher Education, 43(1) 61-74.
Khan, L., Lindstrom, L., & Murray, C. (2014). Factors contributing to pre-service teachers’ beliefs about diversity. Teacher Education Quarterly, 41(4), 53-70.
National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education. (2009). Fast Facts. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.
Santamaría, L. J., & Santamaría, A. P. (2013). Applied critical leadership in education: Choosing change. Oxford, England: Routledge.
Spencer-Oatey, H. (2008) Culturally Speaking. Culture, Communication and Politeness Theory. 2nd edition. London: Continuum
Taylor, R., Kumi-Yeboah, A., & Ringlaben, R. (2016). Pre-Service Teachers’ Perceptions towards Multicultural Education and Teaching of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Learners. Multicultural Education, 23(1), 42-48.
U.S. Department of Education, Policy and Program Studies of Service Office of Planning, (2016). The state of racial diversity in the educator workforce. Retrieved from http://www2.ed.gov/rschstat/eval/highered/racial-diversity/state-racial-diversity-workforce.pdf.
Culture embodies the assumptions and values, orientations to life, as well as the beliefs, practices and behavioral conventions that are shared by a group of people. Such elements not only influence an individual’s behavior but also affect how one interprets the “meaning” of other people’s behavior (Spencer-Oatey, 2008). Navigating intercultural spaces is complex and involves a deep understanding and commitment to confront generalizations and stereotypes. Every individual’s cultural practices, preferences, and prior experiences are markedly influenced by the intersection of social class, ethnicity, and gender (Alton-Lee, 2003). For this reason, it is incumbent upon aspiring leaders to deepen their understanding of the role that culture, race, and diversity play in student learning outcomes (Dharan, 2015). Without the opportunity to build their cultural capacity and apply them to the educational process new leaders will be inclined to cement their orientations to diversity based on prevailing perceptions (Dharan, 2015).
Educational leadership preparation programs have the ideal to provide trusting learning community environments where aspiring leaders can feel safe to explore the subconscious values, beliefs, assumptions, and expectations they hold about diversity. They should be given opportunities to share personal narratives of previous cross-cultural interactions both positive and negative to discover the impact those experiences have had on their existing beliefs. Further, learning experiences must be facilitated to teach content around critical learning theory related to race, leadership, and social justice issues. Then aspiring leaders should be pushed to engage in critical, courageous conversations to deepen their understanding of equity, equality, and ethics where they can be asked the questions that are oftentimes uncomfortable such as: What are the elements of their identity that influence biased leadership decisions? Do they recognize when power and privilege dynamics are hindering their diverse students? If so, how do they respond? and Describe the times when they have personally made decisions that hindered students based on their identity?
It is imperative that the learning to develop cultural competence is not just classroom conversations, but aspiring leaders have opportunities to practice through community-based learning in culturally diverse communities similar to those of the schools in which they will lead. When educational leadership preparation programs incorporate these aspects into their core leadership development practices, we will begin to think about learning in diverse schools as a way to deepen each individual’s culture through meaningful cross-cultural interaction. And, as a result, we will see leaders begin to acknowledge the “social context of their educational communities and empower” the students and families they serve (Santamaría & Santamaría, 2013, p.5). By learning to cultivate a culturally empowering and inclusive mindset of all members of the school community aspiring school leaders can ensure the academic success of diverse learners.
References
Alton-Lee, A. (2003). Quality teaching for diverse students in schooling: Best evidence synthesis. Wellington, NZ: Ministry of Education.
Dharan, V. (2015). Beginning teachers and diversity-why the need for extended critical professional support. Asia Pacific Journal of Teacher Education, 43(1) 61-74.
Khan, L., Lindstrom, L., & Murray, C. (2014). Factors contributing to pre-service teachers’ beliefs about diversity. Teacher Education Quarterly, 41(4), 53-70.
National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education. (2009). Fast Facts. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.
Santamaría, L. J., & Santamaría, A. P. (2013). Applied critical leadership in education: Choosing change. Oxford, England: Routledge.
Spencer-Oatey, H. (2008) Culturally Speaking. Culture, Communication and Politeness Theory. 2nd edition. London: Continuum
Taylor, R., Kumi-Yeboah, A., & Ringlaben, R. (2016). Pre-Service Teachers’ Perceptions towards Multicultural Education and Teaching of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Learners. Multicultural Education, 23(1), 42-48.
U.S. Department of Education, Policy and Program Studies of Service Office of Planning, (2016). The state of racial diversity in the educator workforce. Retrieved from http://www2.ed.gov/rschstat/eval/highered/racial-diversity/state-racial-diversity-workforce.pdf.
Dr. Deirdre S. Williams is the Leadership Advancement Officer for educator certification at Harris County Department of Education where she provides leadership development to educators pursuing principal and superintendent certification. She has served in both public health and education, conducting research and evaluations focused on systems in organizations that support equitable outcomes for disenfranchised populations. Dr. Williams earned an MS in epidemiology from the University of Texas School of Public Health, an EdD. in Curriculum and Instruction at Texas Southern University, and advanced her study in program evaluation at Claremont Graduate University.
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