What is cultural competence?
Respecting people of all cultural backgrounds and fostering an
environment free of discrimination in society are both examples of cultural competence.
Professionals' cultural competence includes cultural awareness, knowledge, skills, encounters, and motivation to mirror one's own cultural values and practices with those of other cultures.
A person's cultural competence is their ability to work, interact, and build meaningful relationships with people from different cultural backgrounds. People's beliefs, practices, and behaviors can be part of their cultural background. Self-awareness, the development of diversity-related social skills and behaviors, and the capacity to advocate for others are all necessary components of cultural competence. Tolerance doesn't just mean being willing to overlook differences; it goes beyond that. Instead, it includes acknowledging and respecting diversity in all settings through our words and actions.
Cultural competence development is not a one-time event.
Empathy, effective engagement, and active listening are all components of cultural competency.
Looking for ways to incorporate cultural competency into the classroom? ChildCareEd offers serval courses designed to support educators as they work toward creating a culturally sensitive environment.
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