I See You, I Hear You (Part 3): Being Culturally Responsive = Seeing and Hearing Each Other

Meghan Retallick contributed this post. Click here to read the first post in this series. Click here to read the second post in this series. Click here to read all of Meghan's thinking.

Another blog post and a CBS News Resource inspired my thinking this month:

Leaders Who Can See and Hear Others

The Slave Ship

Last month, in Part 2 of this series on seeing and hearing each other, I reflected on what it means to see and hear students as readers and writers.  I shared my approach for an opening student conference, and this idea continues to grow as reading and viewing the resources above caused me to reflect on how we ask questions of each other and what this means in regards to culturally responsive practices.  For me, it seems that if we are being culturally responsive in our practice then we are truly seeing and hearing each other.  It is such a simple idea, and yet, so complex...I believe Michael Fullan would call this simplexity.  

First, I owe credit to what I know about culturally responsive practices to the work done by the DPI Literacy Consultants (shout out to you Barb, Laura, and Marci!) and the RtI Center of Wisconsin.  I still have a lot more to learn about how to apply this in our practices, but the following graphic inspired powerful reflection and new learning for me.

It comes from the Speaking and Listening Resources found on the Wisconsin DPI website and really opened my mind to what it means to be culturally responsive.  It is about so much more than I first realized.  I began to reflect on where I fell within this wheel and realized even though my life experience and existence can seem simple, it is actually more complex according to this.  I have had a variety of experiences that others have not that impact how I view the world.  When I stop to take the time to understand this about myself, I am more ready to ask a question such as Scott Pelley asked in the CBS News story, “The Slave Ship” (shared above):  “What does a black man see that I don’t?”  After really listening to the answer, I am in the right mindframe to follow with, “How can I connect to that in some way and empathize based on my own experiences?”  I am a yoga practitioner and immediately thought of the meaning of Namaste--the light within me honors the light within you (there are a few variations, but this is my favorite).  I may not have had the experiences you have had and cannot completely and fully understand what your experiences are like, but I honor your light and truth and it does connect me to you.  Injustice, pain, suffering, fear, joy, hope, and peace--these are universal human truths and even though my injustice is not as deep or all encompassing as yours, I can take my small experience to connect and honor you and then use my voice to work with you towards justice for all.

And so, what does this all mean for education and for us to grow into the best versions of ourselves?  I think we must listen first, really hearing and trying to visualize what is said.  And even if we don’t agree with it, we honor it and the person it comes from because it is their truth.  We find a connection, even small, to try to empathize and understand, and it is from that bridge that we begin to build new understandings together.  What do you see that I don’t?  If we all--students, teachers, administrators, parents, community members, educational leaders, politicians--continued to ask this question as we engaged in courageous conversations and then REALLY listened and worked to honor the answers shared, then I believe we would accelerate our growth and transformations in life as well as in school systems.  

It is my new mindset that every time I am stuck in a relationship, starting to feel frustrated, or feel lost and unsure, I stop, breathe, and ask myself, “What does _____ see that I don’t see?”  I haven’t asked it aloud to a person yet, but I hope being mindful of this practice during my own reflections will prepare me to embrace really having that conversation when the time comes.  I encourage you to take time to reflect on your own experiences that impact how you view the world, how those experiences may be different from those around you, and then imagine and visualize what others see that you don’t--or better yet, ask them and truly listen.