Online conferences for educators and students, February - June 2008

Mr Ken Avenell
Australian Council for Educational Leaders
Australia

' Unity through diversity is the only true and enduring unity. '
(UN Secretary-General, Boutros Boutros-Ghali)

For many decades the educational world was quite stable. Schools reflected the relatively homogenous and culturally stable communities they educated. Leaders managed schools through a limited and predictable routine of practices. Leadership was largely a matter of applying proven and reliable processes. The school was isolated from the community and both schools and parents trusted it to stay that way.

Those days have been replaced by much more complex social circumstances. The world has gone global and, with it, the demography of our classrooms. As experienced educators, we are aware that there is potential for increased conflict in education, as more and more pluralistic interests are expressed. Conflicts can develop over the cost of educating special needs children, over curriculum content, over buildings access, over school structure, over teaching methods, over gender bias or over effective action for disadvantaged groups. Societies have become more pluralistic in make-up and the demands and needs of communities more diversified and insistent. Consequently, the nature of educational leadership has altered and become more complex, much less predictable, less structured, and more value-laden. In many sectors of the world there is considerable pressure for greater stakeholder involvement in decision-making within schools and there is also a heightened sensitivity to racial, ethnic and gender equity. Amid the changing demographics of many schools, school leaders therefore find themselves thrust into new roles.

In addition to managing the operational functions of the school, often they also mediate conflict that has a racial, ethnic, social, gender or disability dimension, involving students, staff, or parents. Most school leaders, however, are not prepared for these roles, and find that they need to acquire additional skills to lead a pluralistic school and now work outside the immediate and traditional professional context of the school.

Pluralistic leadership has become a major priority for all westernised public sector organisations, including education, for at least five reasons.

• Society, including the learning communities served by educators, is becoming increasingly diverse, multi-ethnic, multicultural and subject to the influences of globalisation.
• Educational policies across the world have refocused upon learning for social inclusion and social justice. Beyond compulsory education, this extends to attracting students from a broader social and educational spectrum. Within compulsory education, it may include curricula and pedagogies that reflect the educational needs of all students.
• There are legislative imperatives that will hold organisations to account, not only for failures to tackle discrimination but also for failures to promote positive action to assist disadvantaged and under-represented groups.
• The ' good business argument ' is that diversity management is needed to succeed in an increasingly competitive market, in which a diverse workforce is better able to understand the needs of diverse ' client ' groups.
• There are powerful moral and human rights arguments based on both negative freedoms (from discrimination) and positive freedoms (for organisations to act affirmatively).
  (Lumby et al, 2004)

Pluralistic leadership is a derivative of the Equal Opportunity (EO) movement but is still very different from EO, which focused on specific groups that were recognised as disadvantaged. However, whilst Equal Opportunity worked towards addressing social and economic issues that created barriers and disadvantage, it also created unfair stereotypes and generalisations of groups. This effectively divided the populace into competing or ' different ' groups. Within Equal Opportunity, groups were treated equitably, but group and inter-group dynamics were not addressed and acceptance certainly did not take place.

Pluralistic leadership, by contrast, is about recognising all types of difference, individual or group, rather than broad stereotypes. The uniqueness of each person is recognised within gender, ethnicity, religion, physical and intellectual ability. Pluralistic leadership assumes that acceptance can be reached by understanding, valuing and utilising the differences between groups.

The obverse of diversity is conformity, uniformity, standardization and homogeneity. Uniformity is designed to allow efficiency. Western schools are heritages of the industrial revolution and, as such, are institutions. Learning institutions, but institutions nevertheless. Uniformity and conformity maximise the capacity to deliver institutional outcomes at a cheaper price but these outcomes will always be pitched at the institutional norm. Those students who do not fit the prescribed developmental stage or cultural set are overlooked.

In 2002, the Aga Khan noted that:

' Supporting pluralism is as critical for the welfare and progress of human society as the alleviation of poverty and the prevention of conflict. In fact, all three are intimately related. Large sections of all societies, whether in the developing world or the developed world, are unaware of the wealth of global cultural resources, and of the need to preserve the precious value of pluralism in their own and in other's societies. The inability of human society to recognise pluralism as a fundamental value constitutes a real handicap for its development and a serious danger for our future ' .

All over the world there is the common experience of attempts by ethnic, religious or tribal groups to impose themselves on others. We have seen the continuous rise of movements of various political, ethnic and religious groups within nations, demanding expression of their own specific identities, often with the use of violent means. All such attempts are based on the concept of eradicating the culture that provides group identity, yet without cultural identity, social cohesion gradually dissolves and groups lose their ability to relate with each other, and with other groups.

With this in mind, the President of India, C.B. Kumaratunga observed in 2002 that: ' We have seen where the breakdown of accepted traditional, spiritual and moral value-systems, with their connected social and cultural practices, has increased isolation of the individual from the collective group, and has given rise to the individual seeking solace, not in spiritual or human relationships, but in the spiral of blind consumerism and in indulgence in drugs, alcohol, tobacco, and violence ' .

For pluralism to succeed, it is necessary for education to assist individuals and groups to understand how their actions impact on others and the implications of these. Developing support for pluralism does not occur naturally in human society. It is a concept that must be nurtured.

The American Centre for Multicultural Relations defines diversity as all the characteristics that differentiate us as individuals, as well as all the characteristics that make us alike. There are many dimensions to diversity that go well beyond obvious differences, such as race, gender, age, physical abilities, and marital status. The less obvious dimensions of diversity include, but are not limited to, status, education, sexual orientation, lifestyle, national origin, religious or political affiliation, departmental or organisational ' culture ' , and employee status (unskilled, skilled, professional, etc).

If we truly understand diversity, we know it is about allowing people to respect and value difference. Our own experiences tell us that when people feel valued and respected, they are more likely to work together for the common good of everyone.

Education that values pluralism is multicultural in its approach. Pluralistic education does not accept that schools should attempt to remove cultural differences and does not accept that schools should simply tolerate differences in groups. Rather, pluralistic education advocates that schools should be accented toward everyone being culturally enhanced, for the good of all. Pluralistic education recognises cultural diversity as a social inevitability, and strives to preserve and enhance cultural pluralism.

Pluralism provides us with an opportunity to learn. If we use the difference across diverse groups to engender healthy interaction we will have developed a means for coping with the intercultural tensions that are natural and can not be avoided in a global society. To accept cultural pluralism is to recognise that no group lives as a disparate entity but rather that each group exists as part of an interconnected whole.

If cultural pluralism is so basic a quality of our culture, it must become an integral part of the educational process at every level. Again, the American Centre for Multicultural Relations notes that: ' Education for pluralism includes three major thrusts: (1) the teaching of values which support cultural diversity and individual uniqueness: (2) the support of explorations in alternative life styles: and (3) the encouragement of multiculturalism, and multilingualism ' .

In leading the transition to a society that values pluralism, educational institutions must provide leadership for the development of individual commitment, where individual worth and dignity are fundamental tenets. This means that schools must assure that their educational process and content reflect a commitment to pluralism. In addition, special emphasis must be provided to help all learners to understand that difference has neither positive nor negative connotations. Difference is not deficiency. Cultural difference is not cultural deficiency. Gender difference is not gender deficiency. Racial difference is not racial deficiency and social difference is not social deficiency.

Genuine pluralistic education moves well past knowledge and acceptance of cultural differences. More important than the acceptance and support of these differences is the recognition of the right of these differences to exist.

Possibly because of the growth in ' risk management ' concepts, some people would like to see pluralism disappear. They see the diversity apparent in our societies, in our schools, and in our classrooms as a potential risk and wish to avert a possible source of conflict. But the way to make conflict disappear is by learning about pluralism, understanding it and utilising it as a tool to, not only enhance understanding, but to grow sensitivity and tolerance within others.

Each individual school leader should, as a beginning to addressing diversity in their own context, consider their own school's structure and the way it impacts on individuals or specific groups. Henze et al. (2002) gives the example that some schools are ability streamed. ' In such a process designed to enhance curriculum progress and efficacy of teaching and learning, schools have inadvertently built-in segregation of students along ethnic lines. Many cultures tend to be heavily represented in the lower ability levels, while the higher levels tend to be of others. Streaming of students has marginalised and segregated different groups ' .

Howard Gardner, one of the most famous educational theorists in the world, defined the concept of multiple intelligences. Gardner's ideas validate what we know about the power of teaching different children in different ways. Gardner's 1983 book, Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences, appealed to many teachers who had some students who did better in some areas than in others. Gardner is thus attributed with the move away from practices of homogenous grouping toward an emphasis on the value of diversity and inclusion to meet the needs of all students.

Pluralistic leadership is similar to pluralistic teaching. Diversity is valued and acknowledged, as well as being built into the learning framework. Tatum (2001), who has written extensively about the development of identity, identifies three processes that are needed to create effective pluralistic learning environments:

1. Affirming identity;

2. Building community; and,

3. Cultivating student leadership.

If a school does not respond to the changing demography of its student population, then it is clearly ' at risk ' of failing to provide a safe and respectful learning environment, and a meaningful, challenging education for all students.

In these circumstances, it is important for members of all groups to have a place where students of similar backgrounds can share their experiences, help each other, and feel positive about their own identity. If a school, however, has a policy that outwardly emphasises ' unity ' by discouraging people of common identity from meeting as a group, this can have a detrimental outcome on students' self-esteem.

Tatum (2001) also advises that schools that focus primarily on affirming identity and fail to provide structures that also build community may indeed become balkanized. But removing opportunities to affirm identity is usually ill-advised. Proactive school leaders tend to integrate all three processes in the life of the school community.

Maslow's hierarchy of needs (1968) suggests that everyone has a need for a sense of community and belonging; a need for self-esteem, and esteem by and of others; as well as the need to reach one's fullest potential.

Schools that focus on building a sense of community and creating a spirit of collective belonging, therefore, work on creating a leadership team that includes a range of groups drawn from across the different stakeholders, such as staff, students, and parents. Providing in-school structures, such as houses, families or teams, where personalised relationships are deliberately developed, would be a primary example of a focus on community and belonging. These approaches illustrate similarities among people and the sharing of similar goals, like student achievement, safety, and respect.

Similarly, focusing on self-esteem and the development of esteem for, and by, others is exemplified in students having opportunities to study and appreciate their own history and culture, as well as those of others through curriculum, special courses, celebratory events and professional development for staff in diversity and race relations.

Pluralistic leaders create the time, opportunity and processes by which teachers can become familiar with the varied and changing cultural makeup of the populations they serve, and then also have opportunity to reflect on teaching strategies and reframe their content.

Jones (2003), in giving advice for teaching for diversity, suggests that selecting materials, determining instruction methods, managing the classroom, and evaluating students are all influenced by cultural understandings and misunderstandings. Similarly, assuming that various racial groups have different learning styles is dangerous. Teachers must become aware that not all children flourish under a single teaching style and therefore teachers of diversity should have a variety of teaching styles. If a child does not master a skill the first time, it is taught again, but not the same way as the first time.

Leadership for diversity at the school level should include the following.

a. Staff familiarisation with the diversity of students:

• Developing staff appreciation of other cultures and groups;
• Assisting staff through their apprehension about student who are ' different ' because their cultures, languages, and behaviours are unfamiliar; and,
• Educating staff that all students, regardless of race or ethnic background, have diverse learning styles and that, therefore, teachers need diverse teaching styles.

b. Staff understanding how their own biases might be unconsciously displayed in the classroom:

• Assisting staff to be aware of the cultural richness their students bring to class and how to use these resources to plan instruction;
• Using what students already know to teach new concepts, including new cultures;
• Encouraging students and staff to learn about the histories and cultures of the groups in their schools; and,
• Providing time for curricular revision, and reflection on teaching approaches.

For pluralism to flourish, school leaders must ensure that relatedness across groups is a priority area of their leadership. Henze et al (2002) suggest that pluralistic school leaders:

• Develop a vision for diversity in the school that is not merely a motto or statement, but a set of practices that take place daily;
• Involve diverse stakeholders in the development of this vision ,so that it becomes everyone's vision;
• Seek out diverse perspectives on issues that affect the whole school, and listen actively;
• Create an environment where people can openly and safely discuss topics and issues related to race, gender, socio-economic status and ethnicity;
• Ensure the school staff is ethnically diverse and there are staff who are culturally similar to students;
• Create physical layouts conducive to a sense of community;
• Utilise small size or design structure to accent personalisation;
• Support the community to take pride in the school;
• Support positive inter-group relations;
• Focus on equity, diversity, community building; and,
• Require a foreign language for all students.

So where is the evidence? How do we know the value of pluralism? Aside from the altruistic intent of preventing the ignorance, suspicion and violence of balkanization, research also tells us:

• ' By simply attending a school where different cultures or raced mix, students identified being much less prejudiced and more comfortable around people from differing racial backgrounds ' (Wells et al. , 2004);
• ' Heterogeneous grouping of students is more beneficial to student outcomes than homogenous. Attending to diversity assists student ' s learning ' (Schechter, 2002);
• ' Backgrounds and abilities are an asset that can, and should, be used to develop the skills to teach diverse students effectively ' (Nieto, 2003; Gay, 2000 and Ladson-Billings, 1994);
• ' Teachers, regardless of race, ethnicity or gender, who care about and mentor their students, can have a dramatic impact on their students ' futures, even when those students face tremendous barriers related to poverty or racism ' (Valenzuela, 1999; Flores-Gonzalez, 2002 and Nieto, 2003);
• ' That having the same race and gender role models was a ' significantly and consistently predictive of greater achievement”. Therefore if one has a diverse school community, one should have a diverse school staff ' (Zirkel, 2002);
• ' Teacher classroom practices have a significant effect on student achievement, additionally; focusing on diversity issues is not detrimental to classroom practice. Teacher quality and classroom practice can have an effect on student achievement equal to or exceeding that of socioeconomic status ' (Wenglinsky, 2002); and,
• ' Acquiring foreign languages is essential for all students because this also includes learning the perspectives of how people perceive things, the practices of what people do, and the products that people create as a society. In studying another language students observe and analyse the perspectives, practices, and products of a culture and, in doing so, they become more aware of similarities and differences among cultures. Students become reflective learners adept at using cross-cultural analytical skills. They develop greater mental flexibility, improved self-concept, and a sense of cultural pluralism ' (Southwest Educational Development Laboratory, 2002).

Because of the power of the collective, each of us could personally advance the cause of pluralism simply through our own modelling of tolerance, openness and understanding towards other cultures, values and religions, thereby setting an example within our own societies.

The words of President Kumaratunga are again most fitting:

' The challenge of the 21st century for educational leaders will remain the enterprise of building pluralist, multi-ethnic and multi-cultural educational institutions. For this to happen, we will have to manage the existing diversity within our schools and direct the richness of this diversity towards positive change, whilst controlling and finally eliminating the conflicts generated by diversity ' .

References

Aga Khan, (2002). Keynote Speech - Prince Claus Fund's Conference on Culture and Development, Amsterdam, 7th September.

Henze, R; Katz, A; Norte, E; Sather, S and Walker, E (2002). Leading for Diversity: How School Leaders Promote Positive Interethnic Relations. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Jones, N B. (2003). Teaching for Diversity, Southwest Educational Development Laboratory, www.sedl.org.

Kumaratunga, C B (2002). First Madhavrao Scindia Memorial Lecture, New Delhi, 23 April.

Lumby, J, Muijs, D, Briggs, A, Glover, D, Harris, A, Middlewood, D, Morrison, M, Sood, K, and Wilson, M, (2004) ' Leadership, Development, and Diversity: The means of organisational transformation? ' , paper presented to the Centre for Excellence Conference, University of Lancaster, UK, March.

Maslow, A (1968). Toward a Psychology of Being. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold.

Nieto, S M (2003). Profoundly Multicultural Questions in the Best of Educational Leadership, ASCD, Alexandria.

Pyke, J (2004). Diversity Management, in Training and Development, AITD, Vol. 31, No 3.

Schechter, C (2002). ' Language Growth in Low-income Children in Economically Integrated Versus Segregated Preschool Programs ' . West Hartford, CT: Saint Joseph College, the School for Young Children. ww2.sjc.edu.

SEDL Language Education Research: www.sedl.org.

Tatum, B D (2001). ' Commentary ' . In Journal of Negro Education, 68(4), 550-554.

Thomas, M D and Bainbridge, W L (2001). ' School Leadership 101: Understanding the principles of effective leadership leads to better schools ' . In Show Me Education, Spring.

Wells, A S, Holme, J J, Revilla, A T, & Atanda, A K (2004). ' How desegregation changed us: The effects of racially mixed schools on students and society ' . Teachers College, Columbia University. Retrieved from www.tc.columbia.edu.

Wenglinsky, H (2002, February 13). ' How Schools Matter: The link between teacher classroom practices and student academic performance ' . In Education Policy Analysis Archives, 10(12).

About the author

Mr Ken Avenell is National President of the Australian Council for Educational Leaders. While concluding his doctoral studies in organisational leadership, he is also Leadership Consultant and Director of GKConsultancies. His expertise is in creating performance and solutions through people, particularly individual, team and organisational development via training, consulting and coaching. He has demonstrated successful change implementation in both the public and private sector through building teams, and developing leaders for organisational solutions and peak performance.

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