Improving cultural competence
PART 2: This section is designed to help improve your cultural competence by advancing your cultural knowledge and experience, increase your sensitivity toward culturally diverse group members, and to reflect on the intercultural experience. It intends to challenge your biases, prejudices, and limited knowledge about a specific culture. For this assignment, please select a person (interviewee) where you feel some sense of discomfort/who has a different cultural and/or ethnic background from you, as you consider embarking on this activity. You should spend some time with the person and interview the person (please exercise social distance….this can be done via zoom, skype, etc.) to explore any similarities and differences with your culture. DO NOT PUT YOUR SELF IN AN UNSAFE SITUATION. You may select a cultural population that is defined by nationality, ethnicity, or race and of a minority group in the United States. Look up relevant scholarly sources such as books and journal articles regarding the person’s cultural population. Get a sense of not just what is known but also what is unknown about this person’s community.
=>>: Make sure to discuss your assumptions and biases about the person/population you have selected.
=>>: Discuss your reactions to the experience. How was your experience consistent with and/or different from your biases and preconceptions? How did this experience add to your knowledge of your selected cultural group? What did you learn about yourself through this experience? Were your experiences consistent or inconsistent with published works on this population? What were your level of challenge (ways in which this experience challenges your biases, prejudices, and limited knowledge and extends your current level of cultural awareness, knowledge, and skill)? How does your experience connect to the course content (i.e., readings, activities, and discussions)? How do the models of privilege, power, and cultural identity development apply to the cultural group members with whom you interacted?
=>> As a school counselor, who will you develop an effective multicultural intervention with a client or student from your selected group.
Suggestions: Ask your interviewee to tell you about their culture, life, way of being, what is most important to them, and why. Gather as much information as you can, but do not jeopardize your opportunity to get to know someone of a different culture, because you are too busy getting all the specific information.
Be sure to include your reflection on the experience: Were you comfortable asking your interviewee about their culture? What did you learn? What made an impression on you? How will this assignment inspire you to be aware of Multicultural/Diversity concerns during counseling/ working with others? Remember, you can add to this list. Include comments on some of the following questions:
What differences in culture and ethnicity were you able to identify?
How does the interviewee self-identify?
What customs or rituals are important to your interviewee?
What language(s) are used? Communication styles?
What were non-verbal communications utilized?
What are the customs of dress used?
What are their beliefs about Family? Religion? Gender Roles? Work? Education? Humor?
What are their favorite foods? Hobbies? Entertainment?
How have the “isms” affected their lives?
Were there any surprises? Confirmations? Lessons?
