Culturally Proficient Learning Communities

Dr. Delores B. Lindsey retired as Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership at California State University San Marcos; however, she has not retired from the education profession. Her primary focus is developing culturally proficient leaders. She helps educational leaders examine their organizations' policies and practices, and their individual beliefs and values about cross-cultural communication. Her message to her audiences focuses on viewing, creating, and managing socially just educational practices, culturally proficient leadership practice, and diversity as an asset to be nurtured. Her favorite reflective question is: Are we who we say we are? Delores and husband Randall, her favorite Sage/Corwin author, continue to co-write about the application of the four Tools of Cultural Proficiency. Her most recent publication, which is on the Bestseller list from Corwin, is Leading While Female, A Culturally Proficient Response for Gender Equity, with Trudy Arriaga and Stacie Stanley. Dr. Linda Jungwirth, Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) California Educator of the Year-Professor of Education (2013), and President of Convening Conversations, Inc., is passionately devoted to supporting organizations in Culturally Proficient Leadership, building trusting, inclusive, collaborative communities. Dr. Jungwirth taught middle and high school science, and served as: district technology coordinator; county office curriculum and professional development coordinator serving 66 districts in Southern California; and director of the Center for the Advancement of Small Learning Environments for 19 high schools in 11 Southern California districts. Dr. Jungwirth is adjunct professor for Pepperdine University's Educational Leadership, Administration, and Policy doctorate program teaching culturally proficient leadership and communication. Dr. Jungwirth is recognized internationally for her work in Cultural Proficiency, and is co-author of Corwin's bestseller, Culturally Proficient Learning Communities: Confronting Inequities Through Collaborative Curiosity, and Rowman-Littlefield's 10 Models of Teacher Evaluation: The Policies, The People, The Potential. Dr. Jungwirth is a National Training Associate for Thinking Collaborative (ThinkingCollaborative.com) in the areas of Cognitive CoachingSM and Adaptive Schools-Facilitating and Developing Collaborative Groups. Additional recognition includes Administrator of the Year, California League of High Schools, Region 10, and the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) Wilson A. Grace Award for her ideals of tolerance, compassion, and professional leadership, and as a leader who motivates and inspires personal and professional growth in others. . Jarvis V.N.C. Pahl is executive director of Pahl Business & Educational Consortium (PBEC). She taught biology and microbiology in California, Maryland, Connecticut, and Brazil. She also taught while in the Peace Corps, and in Botswana Africa. As a school administrator, she worked in California high schools and school districts. She was a member of the Graduate School of Education's School Management Program at the University of California in Los Angeles. She has traveled in Asia, Africa, Europe, North America, South America, Antarctica, and the Arctic Circle. She speaks Portuguese, some Setswana (language of Botswana), and Spanish. As a consultant, she has designed, planned, and facilitated hundreds of learning experiences for parent groups, students, teachers, administrators, and blended groups of educators, parents, students, and individuals from the business world. She believes individuals have a gene for leadership in their area of specialty. Randall B. Lindsey is Emeritus Professor at California State University, Los Angeles. He has served as a teacher, an administrator, executive director of a non-profit corporation, as Interim Dean at California Lutheran University, as Distinguished Educator in Residence at Pepperdine University, and as Chair of the Education Department at the University of Redlands. All of Randy's experiences have been in working with diverse populations and his area of study is the behavior of white people in multicultural settings. His Ph.D. is in Educational Leadership from Georgia State University, his Master of Arts in Teaching is in History Education from the University of Illinois, and his B.S. in Social Science Education is from Western Illinois University. He has served as a junior high school and high school teacher and as an administrator in charge of school desegregation efforts. At Cal State, L.A. he served as Chair of the Division of Administration and Counseling and as Director of the Regional Assistance Centers for Educational Equity, a regional race desegregation assistance center. With co-authors he has written several books and articles on applying the Cultural Proficiency Framework in various contexts. Email - randallblindsey@gmail.com Website - CCPEP.org Twitter - @RBLindsey41

Foreword by Shirley M. Hord Preface Acknowledgments About the Authors Part 1. Getting Centered 1. Getting Centered With the Tools of Cultural Proficiency 2. Getting Centered With Our History 3. Getting Centered: The Evolution of Learning Communities Part 2. Voices From the Field 4. Maple View: Sustaining a Culturally Proficient Learning Community 5. Assessing Cultural Knowledge Through Shared Personal Practice 6. Valuing Diversity Is a Reflection of Shared Beliefs, Values, and Vision 7. Managing the Dynamics of Difference Through Collaboration 8. Adapting to Diversity Through Supportive and Shared Conditions 9. Institutionalizing Cultural Knowledge Through Collective Learning Part 3. Call to Action: Disturb the System Through Curiosity and Inquiry 10. Aligning Our Behaviors With Our Values References Index

"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." -- Duncan DeBruhl, Assistant Superintendent, Educational Services Department "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." -- Sylvia Roberts, Associate Professor and Chair of Educational Leadership "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." -- Stacie Stanley, Program Director, Office of Equity and Integration "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.'" -- Jean M. Rogers, Educator "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." -- Timothy A. Bias, Administrator "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." -- Rose Owens-West, Senior Project Director "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." -- Leloba Molema, Professor "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." -- Luis R. Valentino, Director of School Service, and Elizabeth J. Valentino, Assistant Principal "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." -- Teaching Tolerance magazine