3. Diversity Leadership
a. Demonstrate and recognize the significance of diversity and responding to all the needs
b. Create and monitor a positive environment for all learners
c. Create and monitor a positive environment for all staff
d. Promote sensitivity of diversity throughout the school community
e. Demonstrate the ability to adapt education programs to the needs of diverse constituencies
Reflection
Diversity leadership is an important part of our schools today as we have continually changing dynamics that we face as educators. School leaders must be able to recognize the unique differences in students, as well as helping to prepare teachers for change.
This competency of leadership is one that I am deeply passionate about. I have spent a lot of time during my field experience and my personal life focused on diversity and take advantage of opportunities to study and research diversity when possible. One of my artifacts is a paper that I wrote about the changing role of school leaders and their ability to close the achievement gap.
Other opportunities and experiences I have had with diversity include, planning and facilitating two community forums at Eagle Ridge Junior High in our low income housing units. These forums were a chance for parents to meet staff members, communicate their needs and begin to create a bridge between our families and our school. The goal of these forums was to increase parental involvement in education, while recognizing the unique needs of our families of color.
In addition, at Eagle Ridge Junior High, I have planned and facilitated courageous conversations about race through various activities. One such activity, as noted in one of my artifacts, staff members were charged with the goal of discussing cultural expectations for academic excellence and how this impacts our schools philosophy on how we instruct, assess and discipline students. We did this through discussing stereotypes and assumptions that exist within us and our school and how we can begin to break those stereotypes so we can successfully reach every student in our building. Our conversations focused on how we can be the most equitable educators and still hold students to high expectations.
I have spent much of my personal time being involved in my own children’s education. I have helped organize and attend events held at their schools such as the Richfield Dual Language School multicultural fair and National African American Parent Involvement Day. I believe that being actively involved in my own children’s school brings a different perspective to my learning as a future school leader.
I am working towards completing my Urban Education Certificate through Hamline University. This program has opened my eyes to many new ideas about diversity in our school systems. I have been able to put many things that I have learned directly into practice as a Professional Learning Community facilitator at Eagle Ridge and as a teacher. I know that this knowledge will help me become a leader in diversity.
All of these things have impacted my knowledge and compassion about diversity leadership. They have helped me gain the knowledge about the unique needs of all learners. It is important to recognize that each student has a different socioeconomic status, religion, race, culture, background, ability to learn, family situation and brings that background to school with them each day. As a leader, it is up to us to determine how we can best meet the needs of each one of those individuals, while holding them to the highest expectations so they can all be successful.