Based on your understanding of culturally responsive education and leadership (CRE/L), which one do you think is the most important in your school setting?

Learning Goal: I’m working on a research & summaries question and need an explanation and answer to help me learn.

For this weeks’ discussion, I interviewed 2 dynamic female school leaders on the opposite end of the educational spectrum- one is a Vice-President (VP) of a local community college and the other is the district-level Professional Development Coordinator (PDC). Both school leaders have worked in education for over 20 years. VP has also worked in the K-12 sector, with additional experience as a leadership consultant and school principal. In her current role, the VP oversees faculty research development, supplemental faculty training and academic management, overseeing the Academic Dean and Department Chairpersons. The PDC has just started her role as a district school leader, developing workshops and training opportunities for her school district of 42 schools. Both are influential in developing new initiatives for transformative teaching and learning.

The five questions posed to the interviewees are based on their understanding of culturally responsive education and leadership. The following are the five interview questions and summarized responses:

1. Based on your understanding of culturally responsive education and leadership (CRE/L), which one do you think is the most important in your school setting?

Both participants mentioned the importance of inclusive education and how cultural education helps teachers identify student strengths and abilities by using prior knowledge. The VP believes that when students learn from their strengths, a sense of accomplishment is accelerated, and students will easily transition learned skills for use outside of the classroom. The PDC added that this notion promotes a higher level of learning, where students foresee use of skills in real life and attribute learned skills to successful living.

2. Which CRE/L activities have you seen implemented in a school or which one do you advocate and why?

The participants mentioned the practices of restorative justice and socio-emotional learning as two indicators of culturally responsive approaches. The PDC found that social emotional learning is most effective in elementary school, as those students are more inquisitive and adaptable to behavior management. The VP found that restorative justice can be challenging with adults, specifically to ‘get to the core of a problem’.

3. What style of leadership would be most effective in a CRE/L school environment?

The VP introduced the notion of ‘participative democratic leadership’ as a way to ensure that learning is inclusive and school leaders need to feel engaged as all stakeholders are involved in developing a cohesive learning environment. The PDC agreed with this idea, also noting the challenge at the district level to get active feedback from school leaders and teachers.

4. How do you think CRE/L can inform education policy at the systemic level? Is this approach to learning beneficial for all demographics, or apply only to school environments that have specific needs (i.e., urban schools)?

Both participants agreed that data informs school policy to show how culturally responsive education can benefit their school setting. The VP mentioned a 2-pronged approach of obtaining stories from leadership staff and teachers, and academic metrics.

5. How does CRE/L helps students in higher education? Can these strategies apply to students beyond-12?

Both participants also agreed that CRE/L is applicable for higher education, with the VP noting that tertiary education I now moving toward student-led learning with professors as facilitators and data has shown this to be effective. Interestingly, the PDC stated they are also implementing more student-led learning in an effort to prepare students for college.

The quality of educational leadership is an essential to a thriving school environment. Corinne Brion (2019) claims that educational leaders are ‘change agents’ for schools, influencing the morale of teachers and students, creating a culturally dynamic environment for student learning. The responses from both school leaders provide more insight on the idea of cultural proficiency. Cultural proficiency prompts school leaders to exercise elements of cultural competence- evaluating cultural knowledge and the benefits of diversity, managing different dynamics, diversity adaptations and entrusting each other with cultural knowledge (Brion, 2019). Claude Steele (1997) shares a theoretical perspective on culturally based teaching and learning outcomes, inquiry about the situation surrounding them in order to understand the situation. In other words, it is important that school leaders understand the environment and resources in which they are to provide instruction to determine if frameworks like CRE/L are applicable. Both participants revealed a shared interest and understanding of CRE/L and revealed how it can benefit or challenge their respective school settings.

Resources:

Steele, C. M. (1997). A threat in the air: How stereotypes shape intellectual identity and performance. American Psychologist, 52(6), 613-629. Retrieved from the Walden University Library.

Brion, C. (2019). Cultural Proficiency: The Missing Link to Student Learning. Journal of Cases in Educational Leadership, 22(4), 99–114. Retrieved from the Walden University Library.