The concept of cultural and linguistic competence is an approach that informs our actions, thoughts, programming, and interpersonal interactions at all levels – with students, parents, and colleagues alike. The Newton Partnership is guided by the belief that in order to thrive in school, all children need to feel “known” and understood.  Likewise, in order to be productive at work, we all need to work to create an environment of mutual respect.  One that is “culturally competent,” or, as articulated by the National Center for Cultural Competence at George Washington University, reflects “a receptive environment that promotes addressing race, ethnicity, class, disability, privilege, power, gender, sexual orientation, historical trauma, spirituality and other psychosocial issues relevant to school, community and staff.”

What does cultural competence look like?

Cultural competence is an attitude, one that is ever-changing for the individual, the situation, and within an organization. On an individual level, we each must take personal and professional responsibility for our own cultural competence.  In many cases it may require hard work, introspection, and discomfort:  we all have blind spots as well as vulnerabilities. 

At an organizational level, cultural and linguistic competence requires organizations to:

• Value diversity

• Conduct cultural self-assessment

• Manage the dynamics of difference

• Institutionalize cultural knowledge

• Adapt to diversity by creating policies and services which reflect the changing reality of constituents and the community

Food for thought...

View The Danger of a Single Story by novelist Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie from the website "TED: Ideas Worth Spreading."  In it, Ms. Adichie "tells the story of how she found her authentic cultural voice -- and warns that if we hear only a single story about another person or country, we risk a critical misunderstanding."

View Silent Beats, a short, wordless movie set only to the rhythmic soundtrack of tap shoes clicking. This thought-provoking movie is about the assumptions we make about one another based on appearance.

 

RESOURCES

This section is under construction.  Please contact jenny_gamson@newton.k12.ma.us