Being a second-generation immigrant, my culture and my identity play a huge role of who I am and how I serve my students as a psychologist. I am aware, working in the urban city that is Yonkers, the culture implications that may arise when working with such a diverse group of students. Yonkers Public Schools serves 27,000 students Pre-K-12, and out of those 27,000, about 3,174 or 13% are English Language Learners (Yonkers City School District At A Glance). Working with such a diverse population makes me realize how incredibly difficult it is to take cultural differences into considerations when, for example, doing counseling. Coming from a Hispanic background, a lot of people believe counseling is taboo, and for a lot of these parents, it might be difficult to convince that the need of the child is far greater than a value that has been inculcated in them for generations. Hispanics also believe seeing a professional such as a Psychologist or Psychiatrist is something for the “crazies”. For this reason, it is important to stay educated on the population one serves to better serve and not overstep and offend, while still being able to provide adequate and appropriate services. However, with my culture in mind it saddens how a lot of schools located in urban cities lack resources, and unfortunately it affects how we serve our English Language Learner (ELL) population.
Equity in education is about making sure that students receives what they need to succeed even if that fluctuates across socioeconomic or racial lines (Gunn, 2018). I am an advocate in providing that equity as best I can as a part of the pupil support team. If I know that there are parents of ELL students who might be struggling in school, I offer them free online resources (Colorin Colorado, DaybyDayNY: Spanish, International Children's Digital Library, etc.). I guide them to our libraries which offer amazing programs that aide immigrant parents and their students. I use my own experience growing up in a dual-language household in a district that did not offer much for me, and extend my hand as much as I can to others who are now in similar situations.
Culture is often observed as religious traditions, unique recipes, and holidays, but at the core, culture is an exclusive experience. Cultural leanings influence the way students partake in education. To involve students in an efficient in the learning process, teachers, administrators and school staff must know the academic abilities of their individual students, as opposed to relying on ethnic/racial stereotypes or previous experience with other students of comparable experiences (Futterman, 2018). In my school, the Special Education Department consists of 3 Diagnostic Kindergarten classrooms, the monolingual and bilingual school psychologists, and the social worker. As a team, we all try our best to collectively be on the same page in regards to being culturally responsive. We start by appreciating the cultures that are embodied in our school, providing recognition and validation of the students’ cultures, have high esteem for ourselves and high regards for everyone else, and confidence that all students will thrive. A lot of the teachers within the building are encouraged to follow a culturally responsive teaching. It is imperative to create a culturally responsive education that places an emphasis on uplifting the learning capacity of students who have been known to be habitually been marginalized (ELL and students of color), especially in education (Gunn, 2018). is that we work toward equity by ensuring that marginalized students receive opportunities for high-level thinking and grow into deep thinkers. Providing students who come to school struggling due to external factors, the same resources provided to students in higher income schools will not minimize or close the achievement gap. However, making sure these students are provided with amazing teachers and funding that will lead to the kind of quality education they need to be successful and move forward is on the road to tightening that gap.
Yonkers follows a unified curriculum based on the New York State Common core, however, the teachers in each school have liberty to modify as they see fit. A lot of the teachers in my school, special education or not, follow a culturally inclusive curriculum. In this curriculum teachers distinguish the curriculum to accommodate all the learners, and this includes ELL students. Teachers usually use a selection of videos, pictures, texts, and experiences that touches upon the linguistic, religious, and cultural diversity of the students and have all students in mind while lesson planning (Cultural inclusion). Translators are offered for every parent teacher meeting because we want to make sure every parent is heard and understood.
In Yonkers, approximately 4,364 or 17% of the student population are students with disabilities (Yonkers City School District At A Glance). As pupil support team (PST), psychologists and social worker, we strive to provide the optimal and appropriate services with the diversity of our students in mind. Pupil support should be dedicated to the encouragement of a comprehensive educational environment that responds and respects to the variances in ethnicity, race, language, and culture. As pupil support, we strive to have cultural capability in all areas of service delivery (counseling, assessment, consultation, parent support, PST and IEP meetings) (Cultural Competence). One has to be aware of our delivery in our counseling, understanding if a child is an ELL learner when testing and accommodate the testing appropriately, and being able to sympathize with parents when a concern is something not excepted in our own cultural, and much more (Cultural inclusion). We offer a great support for both ELL and typically developing child alike. My school has two ENL teachers and they push in or pull out ELL students and helps them acquire fluency in English in math and ELA content areas. Our Yonkers libraries also offer a slew of programs and supports for our students and parents. From homework help, to a “teen scene” area, and English conversation group where adults could practice their English, amongst other things.
Overall the climate within Yonkers and my school is very inclusive. These include: The expansion of positive social skills and pro-social behaviors, a strong sense of connection to school, and supportive relationships. I work a long side professionals who have a vision and expand on it. They look at all cultural, linguistic, and external factors when referring to a child. We do not refer a child to special education because he or she is an ELL, we look at all comprehensive factors and make sure the discrepancy in language is in both languages. We use appropriate tools, language, and methodology to ensure each child gets all the appropriate services they deserve.
References
Cultural Competence. (2020). Retrieved from https://www.nasponline.org/resources-and-publications/resources-and-podcasts/diversity/cultural-competence
Cultural inclusion. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://education.nsw.gov.au/teaching-and-learning/curriculum/multicultural-education/culture-and-diversity/cultural-inclusion
Futterman, L. (2018, June 22). Understanding the Impact of Culture on Equity in Education. Retrieved fromhttps://home.edweb.net/understanding-impact-of-culture-on-equity-in-education/
Gunn, J. (2018, December 20). What Equity in Schools & Education Really Looks Like. Retrieved from https://education.cu-portland.edu/blog/leaders-link/equity-in-schools/
Yonkers City School District At A Glance. (2019). Retrieved from https://data.nysed.gov/profile.php?instid=800000034777