Culturally Proficient Learning Communities: Confronting Inequities Through Collaborative Curiosity - Hardcover

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1412972272 ISBN 13: 9781412972277

Publisher: Corwin, 2009

Synopsis

Close the achievement gap with equity-focused professional learning communities!

Integrating the four Tools of Cultural Proficiency with the PLC framework, this relevant guide offers school leaders, district administrators, and staff developers a collaborative approach to address bias and inequity. The authors discuss the impact of our history on cultural understanding and provide a wealth of practical strategies and tools for building equity-focused PLCs, including:

• Templates, protocols, activities, and rubrics for deconstructing inequity in student achievement
• Stories, tools, and thinking prompts to guide an inside-out transformation toward cultural proficiency
• An extended example of one school district’s journey

About this title

About the Author

Delores B. Lindsey, Ph.D., retired as Assistant Professor of Educational Administration, at California State University, San Marcos. However, she has not retired from the educational profession. Using the lens of Cultural Proficiency, Dr. Lindsey helps educational leaders examine their policies and practices, as well as their individual beliefs and values about cross-cultural communication.  Delores’ message to her audiences focuses on socially just educational practices and diversity as assets to be nurtured. Dr. Lindsey coaches educators to develop their own inquiry and action research.  Her favorite reflective questions are: Who are we?  and Are we who we say we are? She serves schools, districts, and county offices as an Adaptive Schools Training Associate, a Cognitive Coach Training Associate, and a consultant to develop culturally  proficient  educators and schools. Her recent publications include A Culturally Proficient response to the common core: Ensuring equity through professional learning (2015, Lindsey, Kearney, Estrada, & Lindsey); and Culturally Proficient inclusive schools: All means all! (2018, Lindsey, Thousand, Jew & Piowlski).

Review

"From the very first word, this book provokes thinking and cultural responsibility for educating one’s self and others. The collaboration of the authors and their collective knowledge and experiences both challenge and celebrate every culture’s contribution for every student’s success. The focus on student achievement through the development of cultural proficiency is imperative to creating a community of learners where all students perform at levels higher than before. The end results will not only create culturally proficient educators, but also culturally proficient learning communities that promote and foster global education, collaboration for lifelong learning, and world citizenship." Author: Duncan DeBruhl, Assistant Superintendent, Educational Services Department Published On: 2009-02-19

"This groundbreaking publication is unrivaled in its explication of the role of cultural awareness in ensuring equity for the diverse groups in a school community. The authors deftly provide a treasure trove of tools and ideas that can give direction to educators who seek to support the varied cultures served in their schools. The volume is indispensible for leaders of learning community schools." Author: Sylvia Roberts, Associate Professor and Chair of Educational Leadership Published On: 2009-02-24

"Culturally Proficient Learning Communities challenges the paradigm of the current PLC structure. This book brings in a crucial tenet that until now has been left out of the PLC discussion: a willingness to have deeper conversations about issues of equity and access. The new framework is sure to stretch educators as they begin the process of using an inside-out approach to examine personal cultural norms and the way the norms impact leadership and instructional practices." Author: Stacie Stanley, Program Director, Office of Equity and Integration Published On: 2009-02-25

"This book is an affirmation of the combined experiences of the valiant authors and their commitment to the process of positive change within the educational system. This is truly a book that can be used in any school in America, and should be read by every administrator whose vocabulary includes the word ′diversity.′" Author: Jean M. Rogers, Educator Published On: 2009-03-03

"Cultural proficiency challenges learning communities to go even deeper when inquiring about student barriers to success. This perspective is necessary to truly address the achievement and expectation gaps in our schools. Before we ask ourselves why our students are not succeeding, we must examine and understand our own perceptions and assumptions about them." Author: Timothy A. Bias, Administrator Published On: 2009-03-03

"In many schools, professional learning communities are being established to enhance collaboration and communication among faculty. Many of these learning communities are focused on improving teaching and learning, but they continue to struggle to raise achievement for all of their students. This new book challenges professional learning communities to advance to the next level―to tackle the hard issues of diversity in the school setting. In a thoughtful and engaging style, the authors provide guidance for school faculties to close achievement gaps." Author: Rose Owens-West, Senior Project Director Published On: 2009-03-03

"This book asks two questions: What does it take to ensure that all students perform at higher levels than ever before? And what does it take to shake up our own thinking as educators, administrators, and parents in our communities to ensure that all students achieve these high levels of performance in a sustained manner? Whether we are Americans or Africans, answering these questions requires nothing less than that we turn our educational systems as well as ourselves inside out." Author: Leloba Molema, Professor Published On: 2009-03-04

"The authors help us to understand that a professional learning community is not an activity, but a way of being with others as co-learners. This guide includes valuable protocols and activities, as well as real-world scenarios that encourage reflection and allow us as school leaders to construct our own understandings. From the outset, we are gently coached to examine our core beliefs and how they frame our purpose as educators. This reflective process allows us to develop the skills necessary to lead school teams toward cultural proficiency." Author: Luis R. Valentino, Director of School Service, and Elizabeth J. Valentino, Assistant Principal Published On: 2009-03-04

"A book that encourages educators to examine their practices by asking tough questions and providing a road map for collaborative inquiry in straightforward, accessible language." Author: Teaching Tolerance magazine Published On: 2011-10-18

About this edition

• Publisher: Corwin
• Publication date: 2009
• ISBN 10: 1412972272
• ISBN 13: 9781412972277
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 168
• Editor: Lindsey Delores B., Jungwirth Linda D., Pahl Jarvis V.N.C., Lindsey Randall B.