Creating a Culturally Responsive Learning Environment for First Year Students

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Focusing on the First Year
Creating a Culturally Responsive Learning
Environment for First Year Students Dr. Mary F.
Howard-Hamilton October 16, 2006 University of
Minnesota
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Learn, Change, Develop, Experience

• Purpose review demographic trends, discuss the
  issues first year students face, discuss/develop
  administrative/program-matic practices and
  learning strategies, and discuss the
  organizational change process

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Topics of Discussion

• Retention Issues Demographics
• Good practice in student affairs/higher education
• Differences matter
• It takes a village (institution) to raise/retain
  first year students

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Statistics Unemployment Educational Attainment
Ones work may be finished some day, but ones
education never

• African Americans
• (16-24 year olds)
• Total 22
• lt H.S. 37
• H.S. 22
• lt College 14
• AA/AS 7
• BA/BS 9

• European Americans
• (16-24 year olds)
• Total 9.8
• lt H.S. 16.2
• H.S. 10.6
• ltCollege 6.7
• AA/AS 4.9
• BA/BS 5

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Statistics
He who learns, teaches

• Undergraduate Students
• 14,257,100
• 1,763,800 African Americans
• 1,121,600 AA women
• 642,700 AA men
• Grad Students
• 2,035,700
• 189,600 African Americans
• 132,900 AA women
• 56,700 AA men

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Good Practice Education remains the key to both
economic political empowerment

• Good Practice in Student Affairs Engages Students
  in Active Learning
• Good Practice in Student Affairs Helps Students
  Build Coherent Values and Ethical Standards
• Good Practice in Student Affairs Sets and
  Communicates High Expectations for Student
  Learning
• Good Practice in Student Affairs Uses Systematic
  Inquiry to Improve Student and Institutional
  Performance

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Good Practice

• Good Practice in Student Affairs Uses Resources
  Effectively to Help Achieve Institutional
  Missions and Goals
• Good Practice in Student Affairs Forges
  Educational Partnerships the Advance Student
  Learning
• Good Practice in Student Affairs Builds
  Supportive and Inclusive Communities

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Differences Do Matter

• Within group diversity
• Cultural differences
• Assessing the institutional environmentoften
• Language
• Institution acknowledgement and support

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It Takes a Village or an Institution

• Bolman and Deal Frames of Organizational
  Leadership
• Human Resource faculty and administrators
  provide the leadership for FY diversity
  initiatives, training for faculty,
• Structural institutional support using
  assessments for FYE overall and for FY students
  of color. Transforming the U Strategic Planning
• Political forming coalitions across campus and
  connecting departments and colleges
• Symbolic creating FYE symbols and traditions

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Project MAP Making Achievement Possible
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Real Life

• Juan is an 18-year-old Mexican-American male who
  is a freshman at The University of Minnesota.
  Juan has lived in Texas for ten years and this is
  the first time he has lived in the Midwest
  region. He is a first generation college student
  and received an academic scholarship to attend
  college. Juan lives in the residence halls on
  campus and is a member of the Hispanic Student
  Organization (HSO). Juan is viewed as an outgoing
  person and has formulated relationships with
  diverse students from numerous backgrounds. Juan
  largely spends most of his time with his
  Mexican-Americans friends. One night Juan was
  walking on campus with a friend, who is also
  Mexican-American, and they were having a
  conversation in Spanish. Suddenly, two male
  individuals accosted them verbally. The
  individuals screamed, You are in America now,
  you should be speaking English Juan has become
  very reserved since this incident, he does not
  attend HSO meetings, seldom hangs out with his
  Mexican-American friends, and he does not speak
  publicly in Spanish. In addition, he has missed
  several classes and has given serious thoughts to
  leaving UM.

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Next Steps Organizational Leadership

• Human Resource - communicating with FYE faculty
  or orientation leaders about his experience,
• Structural policies and administrative offices
  in place to assist students, academic warning
  system in place
• Political HSO connected with FYE
• Symbolic Overall retention, sagas/stories part
  of the institutional culture about diversity,
  diverse students, FY experiences for students of
  color

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Juan

• Understand student development theories that
  pertain to race/gender
• There is a need for counterspaces on campus
• There is a need for students to share
  counterstories
• There is a need to teach majority students about
  racial ethnic groups, race, and racism
• There is a need for faculty to listen to the
  stories told by students of color

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Next Steps

• Faculty and staff mentors
• Cultural Centers and Cultural Organizations
• FYE Courses that focus on race, racism, and
  diversity
• Purposeful exposure (for majority group members)
  to diversity
• Assess the climate for students of color
• Pre college programs
• Financial support

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Discussion

• Comments, Questions, Thoughts