What is Woven Traditions?

If All The Trees Were Oaks What if all the trees were oaks, How plain the world would seem; No maple syrup, banana splits, And how would orange juice be? Wouldn't it be a boring place, If all the people were the same; Just one color, just one language, Just one family name! -But- If the forest were the world, And all the people were the trees; Palm and pine, bamboo and willow, Live and grow in harmony. Aren't you glad, my good friend, Different though we be; We are here to help each other, I learn from you, and you, from me. Author Unknown

Woven Traditions is a Culturally Responsive and Standards Based Approach Curriculum. Our Curriculum represents Best Practices; is authored by experienced practitioners and is delivered by highly trained and competent practitioners. Much has been written about the two separately, but it is the integration of the approaches that is essential to the goal of high achievement for each student. Culturally Responsive training addresses the needs of students by improving enthusiasm and engagement, and the standards-based teaching provides each student the opportunity for rigorous, high-level learning. Woven Traditions means doing both, together.

VISION:
To be the World's most trusted name in Cultural Proficiency Education by delivering The Premier Comprehensive Multicultural/Multiracial Proficiency Training Program.

MISSION:
To make a measurable difference in the life of each Pre-Kindergarten through Post Graduate Educator and their Students.

It's All in the Logo

Our logo reflects the past, present and future. Also, in that reflection our logo captures many cultures (African-American, Appalachian, Hispanic/Latino, Native American, Asian, African, Jewish, and more).

The quilt has for years and years been crafted in a variety of ways for a variety of purposes in most every culture. It brings together many aspects of the quilt makers' life; scraps of new fabric saved from the making of clothes;
good cloth taken from otherwise worn garments;
symbols of good times and bad times. This fabric flows from a basket.

Basket making is one of the oldest crafts in history. Early humans used limbs, leaves, and vines woven together to carry things like nuts & berries, fish & game, rice & grains. Different cultures world-wide continue to develop and use baskets for various reasons. Their uses are infinite. Some examples include decorating homes, holding flowers for weddings, funerals, and carrying foods to family reunions.

Think to yourself how many cultures other than the above-named ones use quilts and baskets. Maybe we're all connected or at the very least share some things in common!

What is Cultural Competence?

It is the minimum level of achievement for participants along the continuum to Cultural Proficiency. More deeply, it is a set of congruent behaviors, attitudes, and policies that come together in a system, agency, or among professional that enables the system or professionals to work effectively in cross-cultural situations. Cultural Competence is a journey, not a destination. It can be viewed as a process; Sensitivity------> Awareness------> Knowledge------> Skills-------> Competence. One sees the difference, understands the difference that the difference makes. Cultural Proficiency, one sees the difference, responds positively, engages and consistently adapts.

Why is Woven Traditions Cultural Competence Important?

It helps to address student achievement gaps It reduces disparities in education It addresses inequitable access to quality curriculum and expert teachers It impacts the education status of culturally diverse communities It responds to the United States changing demographics and increasingly diverse population. It improves the quality of services and oucomes It is central to student learning: each student brings a unique culture to the classroom and educators must become knowledgeable about their students' distinctive cultural backgrounds so they can translate that knowledge into effective instruction and enriched curriculum

It helps to gain a competitive edge in the marketplace - addresses 21st Century Skills It meets state legislative mandates Is designed to create lessons/units that teach one if not several National Content Standards It highlights lessons/units on various cultures through engaging experience NCLB - No Child Left Behind - Today educators are required to not only increase all students' performance, but also to reduce achievement gaps and the predictability of those gaps among racial/ethnic groups of students. Not meeting state-based achievment targets have a range of challenging consequences.

How does Cultural Competence differ from Diversity, Cultural Sensitivity and Cultural Awareness?

• Diversity - understanding that each individual is unique, and recognizing our individual differences
• Sensitivity - knowing that cultural differences as well as similarities exist, without assigning values, i.e. better or worse, right or wrong, to those cultural differences
• Awareness - refers to the qualities of openness and flexibility that people develop in relation to others - must be supplemented with knowledge
• Competence - emphasizes the idea of effectively operating in different cultural contexts. Knowledge, sensitivity and awareness do not include this concept.

How does Cultural Competence Benefit Students?

Less cross-cultural miscommunication Assesses behavior more accurately Provides more effective services of interventions Uses culture as a point of strength to better engage students in classroom learning A key element in reducing the Achievement/Instructional Gap

Fosters critical thinking skills Improves students' engagement Prepares them to become lifelong learners Values, appreciates, and works better in cross-cultural and cross-racial situations Improves student performance

How does Cultural Competence Benefit Educators?

Cultural Competence leads to more effective teaching As students become more diverse, they are likely to benefit from different teaching strategies. But, educators will not cue into these differences and address them appropriately unless they use the students' culture to build a bridge to success in school Culturally competent teachers connect students' everyday experiences and integrate classroom learning with out-of-school experiences and knowledge

Being culturally competent creates confidence and skills to have conversations, lessons and activities regarding race, culture, and ethnicity How to interact effectively in environments with students/people who differ from you It lets you explore how your teaching style affects how you teach and who you reach You learn characteristics of a Culturally Responsive Teacher Enhances current curriculum by digging deeper

What else makes Woven Traditions so unique?

30 Hours of Profressional Development by Practitioners Data Driven (contact us for additional data) A Plan of Action A Cultural Competency Framework A Cultural Competency Curriculum Guide Reflective Journaling Instructional Guides, Case Studies, Case Vignettes, and many other tools for success

Enough Rigor and Relevance to offer Graduate Level course credit Standards Based - National Content Standards, Alaska Standards for Culturally Responsive Schools, National Association for Multicultural Education, The Center for Research on Education, Diversity and Excellence, National Standards on Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services, Twenty-First (21st) Century Skills

What does research say about Cultural Competence?

Teachers require support as they face the challenge of effectively teaching diverse students in their classroom. Teacher-educators have used various methods to foster change in teachers' thinking, attitudes, and behaviors regarding cultural diversity, but these efforts have produced mixed results because they often focused on content rather than the process of cross-cultural learning.

Suggestion for inquirers: Examine three process-oriented models that have been used to describe and measure the development of racial identity and cross-cultural competence. These modeals include Helms model of Racial Identity Development, Banks' Typology of Ethnicity, and Bennett's Development Model of Intercultural Sensitivity. The research using the models revealed insights for multicultural teacher education in assessing readiness to learn, designing effective learning opportunities, and providing appropriate support and challenge for teachers.

Who should be Trained?

"Each educator interested in making a significant change with their classrooms or academic leadership area by integrating their cultural proficiency into their occupational values."

Current and future teachers...

Pre-K and Head Start
Elementary
Middle School
High School
College Professors
Tutors
Residence Assistance
Residence Directors
and More!

How do we measure growth?

1. Pre-Post Confidence Questionnaires
2. Four Quadrant Evaluations
3. Rubrics to measure the understanding and progression
4. Standards for Teachers and Students
5. Improved student performance

Who should be involved in the planning?

• Superintendant/CEO
• Senior Leadership
• School Board
• Building Level Administration
• Lead Instructors
• Woven Tradition's Consultants

About the Authors

"Necessity is the Mother of Invention" - Jonathan Swift

Marla Marsh is currently Principal at Mayfield Elementary School where she leads the Equity Team. She began her career in 1984. She received her BA in Education from The Ohio State University and her Masters (Curriculum and Supervision) from Wright State University, and she is licensed K-12. Also, Marla is an adjunt professor at Ashland University.

Monica Marsh: is currently Principal at D. Russel Lee Career Technology Center - Butler Technology Career Development Schools working with 11th and 12th grade students. Monica currently holds the office of Secretary for the Career and Technical Education Equity Council (based in Tulsa Oklahoma). She, like her twin sister Marla, began her career in 1984 where she received her BA in Education from The Ohio State University and her Masters (Curriculum and Supervision) from Wright State University, and she is licensed K-12. Also, Monica is an adjunct professor at Ashland University.

Other Trained Consultants:

Rita Kolp - received her BS in K-8 from Miami University, Oxford, OH, and her MS in Education from Wright State University. Rita has been in education for almost twenty-five years.

Audley Smith, Ed.D. - received his BS in Science Education from Miami University, his MS in Education from Xavier University, and his Ed.D. from Miami University, Oxford, OH. Audley has been in education for almost twenty-five years.

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