CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) AND SCSBC’S RESPONSE: Find the lastest updates here for students, faculty and staff.
CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) AND SCSBC’S RESPONSE: Find the lastest updates here for students, faculty and staff.
As we continue to learn from the stories and experiences of our international families within our communities, it is clear that utilizing Culturally Responsive Practices (CRPs) can strengthen the intentionality of our programs. In the relational learning environments we have created, everyone is part of a dynamic collective, with many diverse voices coming together to grow in our faith. Being able to reflect on the unique ways we share with one another is also essential in building our understanding of the world around us. School leaders facilitate some of this learning by providing professional development and guidance within equity and accessibility frameworks. By reviewing the strategies and utilizing these guiding documents, they can implement crucial CRPs in schools; some of these initiatives can even bolster strong and flourishing international programs in new and exciting ways. For example, The Ministry of Education has outlined some systematic expectations for implementing the policies within the Accessibility Act (2023). We also know that schools have been encouraged to develop plans based on the suggestions offered in the Equity in Action Project (2023) and the K-12 Anti-Racism Action Plan (2024) for broader goals of engagement and awareness. How can schools demonstrate engagement with these documents to increase staff awareness and encourage our international families to share some of their experiences meaningfully as we build trust and unity?
We are often blessed within each of our schools to have shared history, faith, or vision within the broader context of Christian education. It frequently provides us with firm foundations as we approach new goals and initiatives. To be culturally responsive (keeping in mind every community is unique in composition) and foster the values and beliefs of each individual within it, we can also address assumptions and biases as we grow. A Culturally Responsive School Leadership Team (CRSL) can promote inclusive and anti-oppressive environments while engaging with “local community, minorities, and Indigenous students” (Khalifa & Delpit, 2018). Within our schools, culturally responsive practices can create opportunities for deeper shared experiences and learning. A few of our schools already provide opportunities for international service trips, while others continue to build valuable relationships with their sister schools. We have seen an incredible upswing in the return of short-term programs this year, providing us with accessible opportunities for students to learn about diverse cultures and traditions. Being intentional about how we engage in cultural awareness initiatives can be supported with informed visions and goals in strategic planning. How do we support students as they expand their worldviews, and what opportunities do schools explore to help us progress our learning and awareness? Many CRPs are utilized in our schools in the ways they approach: parent-teacher night, parent communication, clear student expectations, homestay orientation, feedback, counselling supports, UDL practices, expressions of praise or gratitude, room allotments, lunch programs, volunteer programs, extra-curricular . . . the list could go on.
Many of our schools also use a distributed leadership model that promotes collaboration and shared responsibility, valuing diverse perspectives and opinions. It ensures that community members feel both seen and heard, which leads to a stronger and more inclusive school culture. School staff share in the transformational and instructional learning, which can encourage the value of diversity for each student’s success and the organizational greater good. A cohesive and relational team is crucial for the longevity of some of these initiatives, so I have been very thankful to hear so many wonderful stories of how administrators hold space for feedback and reflection with each opportunity. International departments are making great strides in how we welcome new students into our communities by having authentic assessment plans and orientation programs to help students adjust to each unique school. Many staff members support our students in a variety of ways.
Styles of discipline, engagement, course structure, and extracurriculars can significantly impact school culture. Conflict resolution is another area where CRPs can reflect community needs. Facilitated by the core practices of Restorative Justice (RJ), conflict resolution can provide a common language for discussions with diverse families, students, and staff (Lopez, 2016). Honoring the diversity in modern school systems also emphasizes the importance of finding common ground. Regardless of the model, adequate training and clear expectations should also be aligned with expectations for staff as a school continues to use meaningful reflective exercises.
There is a natural progression for change to support CRPs, which requires a blend of guidance from leadership and staff to foster professional development and student growth (whole person and academic). We often hear about the level of importance students place on peer interactions and opinions, so if we can work together to create a more responsive environment, it may prompt mirrored interactions amongst the student body. A network of staff/team members sharing their stories, experiences, and expertise can also be the powerful underpinning for approaching and adapting our practices. CRSL initiatives, while initially first-order in practice, can become second-order as we flourish together. As we aim towards equity and inclusion through authentic and relational connections in our schools, we need to reflect on the institutional goals for Culturally Responsive Practices utilizing international education to explore the rewarding and nourishing opportunities at almost every level.
Sarah Edgar
SCSBC International Student Program Coordinator
