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 on- going, 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 srcs/downloads/specialtystandards.pdf srcs/downloads/specialtystandards.pdf