Anchor Competency Framework Focus: “Context Equates to Culture”

In Chapter 1 of “Teaching with a Social, Emotional, and Cultural Lens,” Nancy Markowitz and Suzanne Bouffard (2020) present the case for using a social, emotional and cultural lens in teaching. In this newsletter, we would like to take a moment to revisit the ‘beginnings’ of the Anchor Competencies Framework and the ‘why’ behind it. We, at the Center for Reaching and Teaching the Whole Child (CRTWC) continually reflect on the purpose of our Framework, as much for ourselves as for you, our TEI Fellows and followers. Let’s begin with what has been ‘nudging’ and driving our introspection lately. 

Educational and social terminology are under attack right now. It can feel exhausting, often undermining the purpose and intention of education. However, the imperative for culturally responsive practice has not, and will not change. As educators, we may ‘agree to disagree’ regarding terminology, but the reality is that ’context’ shapes our mindsets, beliefs and practices. 

In designing the Framework:

• “We knew that we needed to intentionally put context (both the teacher and student) at the core of this work, and that we had to include specific examples of teacher practices that connect social and emotional learning with culturally responsive practices, not just put them next to each other.” (Markowitz & Bouffard, 2020, p. 5-6)
• “We had always believed that attention to culture and context would promote an equitable environment; but we became increasingly aware of the need for the individual, family, social, political, and cultural contexts that both students and teachers bring to the classroom, as well as student learning preferences, to be front and center.”  (Markowitz & Bouffard, 2020, p. 5)

The Framework is designed to broaden our ‘lens’ which, in turn, impacts our practice. The seven Anchor Competencies of the Framework are designed through the lens of ‘contextual considerations’ to guide teacher practice as well as student skills development. For instance, building trusting relationships with attention to multiple contexts is foundational to developing the social, emotional, and cultural lens. 

We invite you to consider the following:

• Labels and terminology are both fleeting and contextual. How does the role of ‘context’- sociological, cultural, community, family and individual – frame your practice as an educator? Your efforts to provide an equitable learning experience for all students?

• What strategies have you found helpful when navigating ‘ever changing’ educational perspectives and terminology? 

We would like to share a few resources with you to expand thinking on issues related to context:

• Chotiner, I. (July 6, 2020). How to Confront a Racist National History. The New Yorker. (comparison to what Germany did about Nazism). https://www.newyorker.com/news/q-and-a/how-to-confront-a-racist-national-history?campaign_id=9&emc=edit_nn_20200708&instance_id=20110&nl=the-morning&regi_id=81817021&segment_id=32873&te=1&user_id=859241281418505f872b0ecfd650b153       
• Halberstadt, A. G., Castro, V. L., Chu, Q., Lozada, F. T., & Sims, C. M. (2018). Preservice teachers’ racialized emotion recognition, anger bias, and hostility attributions. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 54, 125-138. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0361476X17301649

In ‘Joy” for the Work….

The CRTWC Team