My cultural heritage derives from a conglomeration of different aspects of my legacy. My family is native to the Dominican Republic, where people have roots extending to Africa and Spain. In its essence, my background reflects a generationally-rich cultural heritage and diversity. Most immigrants think that by coming to the United States of America will enrich their lives with substantial benefits and economic success. This is what my mother believed when she saw the opportunity to replace her native country for the American dream. Being born in New York City automatically made me a Dominican-American Afro-Latina. American culture immersed itself in the already established Dominican culture that had a Spaniard and African twist. Growing up, I was surrounded by peoples of the same background, along with exposure to diverse others from different backgrounds and upbringings. The diversity I experienced and continue to receive has greatly impacted the way I think and portray myself to the world, especially in my career as a School Psychologist.
I grew up in a multicultural environment, constantly interacting with culturally diverse people. This exposure has become the greatest advantage throughout my professional career. Having the knowledge and understanding of diverse cultures has enabled me to interact with the students I serve successfully. My cultural background has allowed me to have an open mind and to be more receptive to people I encounter. My cultural sensitivity is important for my career as a school psychologist. I have learned to become aware of and sensitive to other individuals' culture and values. I use my knowledge when working with my students, using it as a guiding mental tool to help me better assist the students I work with every day. My students come from a multitude of backgrounds, such as Latino and Chinese. I noticed that often when thinking about culture and education, we tend to not take into consideration the immense impact these factors have on interactions. Professionally, we have to become more aware that cultural habits, behaviors, beliefs, values, etc. impact the way students participate in education (Linton & Davis,2013). Based on my personal beliefs, values, and personal experiences, students should receive the appropriate education they deserve, and their culture should be an important factor to consider. A school environment of equity fosters an understanding of what students need to succeed. It is our right as educators to establish the support necessary to achieve this. Creating equity happens when educators establish a welcoming classroom and school environment where every student receives ample support to achieve excellence no matter who they are and where the student comes from (Linton & Davis, 2013).
In my workplace, the Clearview School, there are eleven classes with eleven teachers, and each class has a support system. The support system includes two teacher assistants per class. This factor chimes into the connectedness that is in the school. The acceptance of all students and staff is established with the healthy relationships that have been created. The welcoming school environment has been a positive effect on the way educators provide their services to the students, whether it is academics, speech therapy, counseling, occupational therapy, etc. The positive climate of the school truly aids the staff members in providing the most effective service to all our students. The students I work with are preschoolers with disabilities. Many of my students have Spanish or Mandarin as their native language. For these ELL's, we provide multitiered language support to best serve the students and to ensure their progress. The school has several bilingual classes supporting both Spanish and Mandarin speaking students. Therapists certified in Spanish or Mandarin provide extra language support during the students' therapy sessions.
Our school celebrates diversity on a consistent basis. Aside from the usual food and the cultural holiday festivities, the Clearview school offers various workshops and parent training in the native languages for parents or legal guardians to attend and get valuable information on how to help their child succeed. We are a school that is invested in parent involvement, and this is an excellent way to continue the cultural support and celebrate the school's diverse population. As a school psychologist, I am in constant communication with parents not only to discuss their child's progress or concerns but also to ensure that the school is supporting them. In addition to that, the mental health department provides linguistic support to parents when needed to help them understand and keep them updated on their child's progress and behavior in school. In my opinion, the most effective way to celebrate diversity is by providing direct support to both students and their parents. Ensuring that both parties are given the support they need, such as linguistic support, will ultimately lead to more positive results. This is based on my personal experience and it is what I live by in my career. For students, I find it vital to receive the appropriate language support to establish a foundation that will soon lead them to learn the English language and succeed in the American educational system.
Reference:
Linton,C. & Davis, B. (2013). Equity 101: Culture, Book 2. Sage Publications. P. 1-16.