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everything we're doing. Continuing with business as usual will mean failure or mediocrity for too
<br />many of our students, as the data related to racial, cuftural, linguistic, and economic achievement
<br />gaps demonstrate {National Center for Education Statistics, 2005). Rapidly changing
<br />demographics demand that we engage in a vigorous, ongoing, and systemic protess of
<br />professional development to prepare a11 educators in the school ta function effectively in a highly
<br />diverse environment.
<br />Many education leaders in diversity-enhanced schaols are moving beyand blame and
<br />befuddlement and working to transform themselves and their schools to serve all their students
<br />well. From observing and coflaborating with them, I have learned that this transfor�native work
<br />proteeds best in five phases: (1) building trust, (2) engaging personal culture, (3) confronting
<br />issues of socia! dominance and social }ustice, (4} transformi�tg instructional practices, and {5)
<br />engaging the entire school community.
<br />Phase 1: Bui[ding Trust
<br />Ninety percent of U.S. pui�lic school teachers are white; mosk grew up and attended school in
<br />middle-class, English-speaking, predominantly white communities and received their teacher
<br />preparation in predominantly white colleges and universities (Gay, Dingus, & Jackson, 2003).
<br />Thus, many white educators simply have not acquired the experiential and education background
<br />that would prepare them for the growing diversity of their students �Ladson-Billings, �aaz;
<br />Vavrus, 2002).
<br />The frst priority in the trust phase is to acknowledge this challenge in a positive, inclusive, and
<br />honest way. 5�hool leaders shouEd base initial discussion5 on the following assumptions:
<br />• Inequities in diverse schools are not, for the most part, a function of intentional
<br />distrimination.
<br />• Educators of aI! racial and cultural groups need to develop new competencies and
<br />pedagogies to successfully engage our changing populations.
<br />• White teachers have their own cultural connections and unique personal narratives that are
<br />legitimate aspects of the overall m9x of schao! diversity.
<br />School leaders should also mode! for their coEleagues inclusive and nonjudgmental discussion,
<br />reflection, and engagement strategies that teachers can use ta establisn positive learning
<br />communities in their classrooms.
<br />For example, schoof leaders in the Apple Va{ley Unified School District in Southern CaEifornia, where
<br />racial, cultural, and linguistic diversity is rapidly increasing, have invested considerable time and
<br />resources in creating a climate of openness and trust. They. recently implemented four days of
<br />intensive work with teams from each school, including principals, teacher leaders, union
<br />representatives, parents, ciergy, business leaders, and community activists from the NAACP and
<br />other arganizations.
<br />Qne essential outcome in this initial phase of the con�ersatian is to estab{ish that racial, cultural,
<br />and ecanomic differences are real—and that they make a difference in education outcomes. Said
<br />one Apple Valley participant, "I have become aware that the issue of race needs to be dealt with,
<br />not minimized." Said another, "I need to move beyond being color-blind." A second key outcome is
<br />to establish the need for a persona! and professional journey toward greater awareness. As an
<br />Apple Valley educator noted, "There were a lot of different stories and viewpoints shared at this
<br />inservice, but the one thing we can agree on is that everyone needs to improve in certain areas." A
<br />third key outcome in the trust phase is to demonstrate that difficult tapics can be discussed in an
<br />environment that is honest, safe, and productive. One Apple Valley teacher commented, "We were
<br />able to tallc about all of the issues and not worry about being po{itically corre�t."
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