2. The cultural groups represented in the communities and families of each Head Start program are the primary sources for culturally relevant programming.
The cultural groups represented by the, families and the community served
by Head Start are the primary source for culturally relevant information
to incorporate Into all aspects of the program. Families and community
members can help collect accurate information about the community and its
needs. Such culturally diverse programming idealizes and builds upon that
which is most familiar to each child and valued by significant others in
their lives, namely aspects of each family's own culture. Cultural relevance
enhances learning by extending children's experiences more fully to include
the home environment.
In community needs assessments and all phases
of planning, grantees must consider issues relevant to all cultural and
ethnic groups in the low-income community and determine which children
and families are most in need of Head Start services. Absence of language-proficient
staff is unacceptable as a reason for failing to serve significant ethnic/cultural
groups in a community.
3. Culturally relevant and diverse programming requires learning accurate information about the culture of different groups and discarding stereotypes.
Stereotypes and misinformation about cultures of different groups interfere
with growth, communication, and respect. Stereotypes are learned; they
are perceived and nourished by ignorance, lack of information, and limited
interaction. Culture can influence values, perceptions, and behaviors.
Ethnic/cultural groups also may share stereotypes that can affect their
perceptions of themselves and other groups.
Individuals at every level of Head Start should
make a commitment to improve their programs by acquiring accurate information
about cultural groups, by examining institutional and personal biases,
and by discarding stereotypes and misinformation.
Accurate information about different cultural groups can be obtained from many sources:
· Talking directly with a variety of individuals from the cultural group.
· Reading books written by individuals within cultural groups. It is essential to keep in mind that individual differences exist within cultures and, therefore, care must be taken not to stereotype everyone within a particular culture based on information obtained from one source.
· Viewing audiovisual materials.
· Utilizing any other resources acceptable to the group.
4. Addressing cultural relevance In making curriculum choices Is a necessary, developmentally appropriate practice.
Children are more open to learning when their cultures are respected
and reflected within all aspects of the Head Start program. Acquisition
of new skills is embedded within the process of cultural programming. Children
learn about their culture as they progress in all the other aspects of
development. Cultural relevance can enrich activities designed to facilitate
children's communication, creativity, language, cognitive, physical, social,
and. emotional development.
In order to accommodate children's various
learning styles, teaching staff must set up the environment to include
many opportunities for hands-on, concrete experiences. Children
who learn by imitation, listening, and trial-and-error will find opportunity
for solo learning without undue stress and with verbal response to and
from the teacher. Thus, a rich environment offering many choices and adequate
time for exploration will meet children's needs. Children can figure out
what given situations mean, while at the same time, staff can observe children
in small groups and fine tune their own teaching styles. Training for teaching
staff needs to focus on establishing the match between ways children learn
and ways they are taught.
5. Every individual has the right to maintain his or her own identity while acquiring the skills required to function in our diverse society.
A culturally relevant program enhances each person's development. Children
more readily learn new skills required to cope with diversity. A program
that recognizes and honors the child's and family's cultural identity contributes
greatly to a child's self-esteem and to the development of a clear and
positive personal and social identity.
This is turn contributes to children's learning
and to their capacities to fully engage the world. Such an approach provides
an opportunity for children to explore their own cultural uniqueness in
a safe, non threatening manner. All children have the right to develop skills
that allow them to respond to negative events in an active and effective
manner. Children need to learn all the skills necessary to function effectively
in a diverse society. Ultimately, children have the right to grow up in
a society where differences exist, can be maintained, and are respected.
6. Effective programs for children with limited English speaking ability require continued development of the primary language while the acquisition of English is facilitated.
Children whose primary language is not English may need special attention.
Children acquire a first or primary language from their families and the
people who care for them. Language acquisition is a natural process based
on discovering meanings perceived in conversation and facilitated by significant
adults.
Use of children's primary languages facilitates
learning in the preschool years. Staff who speak the children's languages
promote their primary language development most effectively. At the same
time, staff can begin to help children become proficient in English. A
natural approach to language acquisition is much more effective and appropriate
than formal instruction.
Research indicates that developing and maintaining a child's primary language supports and facilitates learning of the second language. This Is best accomplished without translation and with the recognition of the child's need to develop understanding before speaking. Staff and families should be aware of these findings and build upon first language skills. Therefore,
· Staff and program resource people must reflect the language of the families being served.
· Families sometimes need to be helped to understand the value of the primary language as a foundation for second language acquisition.
· Staff should be trained in techniques for second language acquisition, i.e., gestures, pointing, modeling, and other ways to help children figure out the meaning without translation.
· The child whose home language is other than English must be viewed as fortunate because having more than one language is an asset in today's world.
· Any process of child assessment must be conducted in the child's primary language.
· When any child is evaluated to determine whether there is a disability; an assessment must be conducted in the child's primary language.
· Staff should examine their own biases toward regional variations of language and dialects, and recognize families' and children's primary languages as equally valid ways to communicate.
· It is valuable for children whose primary language is English
to learn a second language. For example, one out of every five job opportunities
requires skill in speaking a second language. A substantial number of the
world's children today are bilingual because their societies recognize
that communication among nations is critical for economic and political
survival.
7. Culturally relevant programming requires staff who reflect the community and families served.
Head Start Program Performance Standards for the Education Services
Component require grantees to have staff and program resources reflective
of the racial and ethnic population of the children in the program (1304.2-
2[c] [2]). Grantees must make efforts to extend this principle to all components
and services. These staffing priorities also must be reflected in the delivery
of health, nutrition, mental health, parent involvement, social service,
and main-streaming services, as well as at all program administrative levels.
Program quality need not be compromised
in implementing this principle. Incorporating cultural relevancy and providing
staff who speak the primary language of en rolled children and families
lay the foundation for a good Head Start program. Individualized staff
development, sup port services, effective recruiting, staff utilization,.,
and a pertinent in-service training plan- are required in order to fully
incorporate this principle and maintain, a program of overall excellence.
Ways to increase culturally/ethnically relevant staff include:
· Establish a training program that recruits, trains, and provides slots for relevant staff in all components and services.
· Plan for program expansion well in advance to provide an opportunity to train staff.
· Consider Joint Training Partnership Act (JTPA), Job Opportunities and Basic Skills Training (JOBS), Child. Development Associate (CDA) Scholarship Assistance, and similar programs as additional resources.
Discuss the feasibility of sponsoring joint training with organizations
such as local schools, social service groups, and health agencies.
8. Multicultural programming for children enables children to develop an awareness of, re spect for, and appreciation of individual cul tural differences. It is beneficial to all children.
Very concrete experiences that celebrate individual differences contribute
to children's natural understanding and acceptance of and respect for others
who appear different from themselves. Diversity within each classroom and
home-based socialization sessions can be the starting point for activities
and discussions about individual differences. Emphasis on what is happening
with the children themselves facilitates the beginning of understanding
and acceptance of differences and contributes to development of social
competence in Head Start children.
Young children's misconceptions about people
may be based on their own limited experience and what they see modeled
by adults around them. Therefore, in order "to teach young children to
overcome any inappropriate responses or behaviors triggered by cultural
differences," adults must intervene appropriately and immediately, problem
solve with children, and honestly answer questions regarding diversity
(Derman-Sparks and the A.B.C. Task Force, 1989, p. 57).
It is essential that multicultural activities
to enable children to learn more about other cultures and people be delivered
in an appropriate manner. Contemporary cultures should be integrated into
the everyday environment and activities, rather than teaching cultures
as a separate once-a-week or once-a-year activity. This type of approach--what
Derman-Sparks and her colleagues identify as 'the "tourist approach"--trivializes
cultures and other people and may promote stereotypes by focusing only
on obvious artifacts, traditions, and celebrations that often lock people
in the past and to a particular country. Children presented with this type
of approach gain little information about differences within cultures and
about people and their contemporary cultures in the United States, and
in later years will lack skills to deal with bias and institutional isms
(i.e., racism, classism, disabilitism).
Our goals are to develop capacities in children
to help them communicate adaptively with people who are culturally different,
and to enrich children's lives through active engagement with peoples and
works of other cultures.
9. Culturally relevant and diverse programming examines and challenges Institutional and personal biases.
Institutional and personal biases are values or practices that favor
one group or culture by race, sex, income, physical attributes, or age.
Institutional biases are reflected in practices and behaviors of the dominant
group that devalue minority groups and cultures. Institutional biases can
be reflected in program design. Community needs assessments, child assessments,
program evaluations, curriculum, health requirements, dress codes, languages
spoken, and other means of communicating and parent involvement practices
should be reviewed for institutional bias. They may obvious and intentional,
or they may be subtle and unintended. Wherever they exist, or whatever
the intent, they are harmful and unacceptable. Multicultural programming
re quires that staff, families, and the community examine, challenge, and
work to eliminate institutional biases.
Skills to deal with bias must be taught to
children. Appropriate or effective multicultural programming directly addresses
issues of bias and stereotypes by enabling children to stand up for themselves
and others when confronted with biased situations. Children's critical
thinking skills are enhanced by providing them opportunities to develop
concepts of fairness and empathy.
Bias and discriminating behaviors will not
go away if ignored; children may infer tacit acceptance of ignored behaviors.
Therefore, an active and integrative approach must be incorporated into
all aspects of programming because we want children to grow up armed with
the atti tudes, knowledge, and skills for living in a complex, diverse
world in a socially competent manner.
10. Culturally relevant and diverse program ming and practices are incorporated in all components and services.
Head Start is a comprehensive program in which all components affect
services to children and families. Cultural differences, stereotypes, and
biases can be found in all components, not just educational services. To
achieve Head Start goals and maximize child and family development, these
principles must not be limited to the education component but must be applied
to all aspects of the program.
Conclusion
APPROPRIATE MULTICULTURAL PROGRAMMING is imperative in order to fully
achieve Head Start goals. It requires scrutinizing all aspects of program
operations and self-examination by program staff. It also requires coordinating
with community organizations, schools, and other public or private agencies
and institutions with similar needs and goals.
In many instances, implementation of these
principles will require leadership, courage, change, risk-taking, training,
and resources. Implementing Head Start programs that incorporate a multicultural
perspective throughout all components and services can be accomplished
by commitment, support, and leadership of Head Start grantees and the Administration
for Children and Families, both nationally and regionally.
Finally, as we celebrate diversity, Head Start
children will grow more competent and be able to accept the commonalities
and differences in people. The result will be long lasting and valuable
for all of us who will live in tomorrow s global village.
Head Start Multicultural Principles
1. Every individual is rooted in culture.
2. The cultural groups represented in the communities and families of each Head Start program are the primary sources for culturally relevant programming.
3. Culturally relevant and diverse programming requires learning accurate information about the culture of different groups and discarding stereotypes.
4. Addressing cultural relevance in making cur riculum choices is a necessary, developmentally appropriate practice.
5. Every individual has the right to maintain his or her own identity while acquiring the skills required to function in our diverse society.
6. Effective programs for children with limited English speaking ability require continued development of the primary language while the acquisition of English is facilitated.
7. Culturally relevant programming requires staff who reflect the community and families served.
8. Multicultural programming for children enables children to develop an awareness of, respect for, and appreciation of individual cultural differences. It is beneficial to all children.
9. Culturally relevant and diverse programming examines and challenges institutional and personal biases.
10. Culturally relevant and diverse programming and practices are incorporated
in all components and services.