As the semester has come down to an end, I have realized how much I have grown. This class is designed to teach students on how to become culturally aware. In class, we have read many articles that are supposed to help us learn about different cultures. Personally, I found some of the articles offensive. For example, the article about cultural competency made me feel shameful that I was Caucasian. The article made it out to seem that my race made me culturally unaware. When in fact, I am more culturally aware than I have ever been. Despite reading this hurtful article, I did enjoy reading the case studies. Actually, I learned a lot from the case studies. For example, we had a case study about a person from an Indian culture. I have …show more content…
I am fortunate that I was in a class mixed with different ages, sex, and ethnic backgrounds. I was able to hear different stories from different age generations. This is beneficial for me when dealing with older clients. It can be challenging being in the professional setting where I am younger than my client. Thus, I learned from hearing the stories of my peers on how to address clients that are older than me. I was able to hear how my classmates viewed society and viewed cultural experiences based on their age, sex, and ethnic backgrounds. Personally, hearing my classmate’s stories about their life experiences is a learning experience in itself. It is a quality of the coursework I loved the …show more content…
Yes, I am culturally competent. I am culturally competent because I make sure I am aware of my client’s beliefs, values, and views. In addition, I am aware of my own views, values, and beliefs. My awareness allows me to not project any feelings I have onto my clients. Also, this awareness allows me to understand my client and their culture. In addition, I research my client’s culture. In order to be an effective and efficient counselor, I feel that you have to understand your client’s culture. I have learned how to do all this through my studies and education. I have learned how to be culturally competent and I have exposed myself to other cultures too. Thus, through my education, awareness, and exposure, I define myself as culturally
There are many definitions of the term cultural competence. Davidhizar et al, (1998) defines it as the process of developing awareness about one’s own thoughts, feelings and the environment without allowing influence from the background of others. Another definition of cultural competence is the ability to have adequate understanding and knowledge of client’s culture. Yet another definition describes it as the process of recognizing, accepting and respecting cultural differences. These definitions are universal and provide definitions of cultural competence in all dimensions of life. In the context of social work, cultural competence is defined as the ability of social workers to carry out their duties in a manner consistent with the expectations of cultural groups they serve. Goldberg (2000) asserts that cultural competence is not an ultimate goal that organizations should strive to achieve but rather it is a continuous process that should progressively grow over time. Experiences during practice should enable social workers to identify strengths and vulnerabilities that will enable them to develop into culturally competent professionals.
I am currently an English 160 student who is hoping to move on to the next course, which is English 161. I understand the requirements for English 161. It require students to explore a topic in some depth and conduct independent research related to that topic. Conducting research allows students to learn what it is like to participate in academic culture, posing questions about important issues and developing an argument in response to what others have said. It expected students to learn the most valuable skill in college, which is critical thinking. Students have to be able to read challenging readings. Although I still have problems with English, I think I’m qualified to move on.
Counseling a client from another culture, I believe it is the most beneficial experience in the world. My own personal theory on achieving the title of a culturally skilled counselor is to be sensitive to cultural differences of the client, while providing assistance blending into the American culture, and maintaining their own cultural identity. Counselors will require training and personal development to turn into a culturally skilled counselor. The program that I have proposed is two step processes which incorporate different components. The first step is counselor awareness and the other is client awareness.
I realize that understanding of the culture that the people I work with are the key to successful intervention and outcome. Being sensitive to individual’s culture and acquire adequate knowledge about their cultural background enhance the productivity of the interaction I may have with a client that could be family, individual, community or organization. Understanding of one’s cultural background could also prevent and minimize employing biases which potentially harm the clients I work with. In view of this, I have learned that before I engaged in any activities with individual or group I should take the time to understand the cultural backroad of the person to get insight on what is acceptable and not in that culture. Furthermore, I have learned to identify and utilize one’s strength as a tool to aid the change processes the client and I desire for. Due to the dynamic nature of people’s culture updating myself to the emerging changes in a different culture would be one of the area of continued learning I am focusing. For instance, in the contemporary US society, I can see how the immigration brought several people with diverse culture to the US general population structure. Considering this I have been convinced to be knowledgeable and culturally competent to effectively address the needs of people I will work with in different setting.
According to Osmond & Darlington (2005, p.3), as a professional social worker that critical reflection could be a fundamental approach to contribute to their work. Besides, the best value of the critically reflective approach might have a chance to engage with different ideas, knowledge, feelings and theories. Thus, critical reflection is a necessary approach to every social work to contribute them to be professional.
Remember, self-reflection is vital to becoming a culturally-competent counselor. The counselor should consistently re-examine their worldview and personal beliefs about diverse individuals and other cultures. The idea is for the counselor to explore their own prejudices, emotions, and preconceived notions of those that differ from themselves. Remaining curious and willing to learn about culturally distinct groups is a practical way of working effectively with varied clients in counseling and understanding what barriers and prejudices are typical in their
“Cultural competence is the ability to engage in actions or create conditions that maximize the optimal development of client and client systems” (Sue & Sue, 2013, p. 49). Multicultural competence includes a counselor to be aware of his or her biases, knowledge of the culture they are evaluating, and skills to evaluate a client with various backgrounds (Sue & Sue, 2013). Client assessment involves gathering information pertaining to the client’s condition. Making a culturally responsive diagnosis involves using the DSM-IV-TR axis (Hays, 2008). Following the axis backwards is ideal to discovering the client’s diagnosis, understanding the client’s ADDRESSING outline will help to come to a closer resolution for a diagnosis.
“An array of knowledges, skills, abilities and contacts possessed and used by Communities of Color to survive and resist racism and other forms of oppression” encompasses the main idea of Community Cultural Wealth. It is vital to understand that students will step foot into the classroom with a variety of cultures zipped up in their backpacks, and it is our job as educators to make sure that equality is instilled/taught in our classrooms. The second a student feels a sense of discrimination, whether from ourselves or their fellow classmate(s), is when the safe and comforting environment of the classroom begins to diminish. Here I will discuss just how important it is to see the differences amongst students as an advantage
...l their clients by understanding the dynamics of the stages of counseling. In order to enforce these skills counselors must be aware of cultural differences that can affect the counseling relationship. Additionally counselors must be open to gaining knowledge of cultural differences and applying their knowledge throughout the counseling process. Open-mindedness, attentiveness and sensitivity will reinforce a positive multicultural counseling relationship.
Working with others and improving own learning and performance are highly essential skills in social work. In this essay I will reflect on how well I have developed these two skills and what I need to do to improve them.
I have never really sat down and thought about my cultural identity, at least until I started this class. I never thought about how my identity was different than that of other members in my community. I also never put much mind to the communication challenges that I could face when speaking with members of my community. To be totally honest, there is more cultural differences that I have faced and actually paid attention to, and now I seem to understand the importance of how one culture differs from another.
Also, how other cultures have had a phenomenal impact on how I view everyday situations and how I draw conclusions, whether it’s about an ethnic group, my own and others or about hot topics in the news. Before this class I did not realize cultural relativism. I really was ethnocentric because I never took the time to evaluate other people’s cultures independently of my own. While I think it is normal for people to judge their peers, coworkers, etc. based on their experiences I also feel it would be beneficial for all of us to take the time to try and understand the sociological point of view of others that are not familiar to us or view things very different from us. The tools I have learned in this class seems to have made me a better listener and emphasizer because I have caught myself listening to people just to hear them and not just to respond. The change in my outlook about being intertwined in society has improved my communication skills at work and at
Culture is a powerful influence plays a big role in our interactions. Culture may also impact parenting style and a developing child. Having a strong sense of their own cultural history and the traditions associated with it helps children build a positive cultural identity for themselves. This also supports children’s sense of belonging and, by extension, their mental health and wellbeing. This class is crucial in understanding and working well parents, staff, and children. An effective educator understands how students’ cultures affect their perceptions, self-esteem, values, classroom behavior, and learning. As director, I need to use that understanding to help my students and staff feel welcomed, affirmed, respected, and valued. One way that I can do this is by using multicultural literature, especially children’s literature, to honor students’ culture and foster cross-cultural understanding. If cultural differences are not understood by teachers and management, it can lead to miscommunication and misunderstandings on both sides. It will be my job to do all I can to overcome both language and cultural differences to ensure a positive learning environment for
Throughout this course I have learned a lot about psychology. I will talk about how it affected me personally, socially, organizationally/societal, and the lasting impact it had in my life.
Much like Benjamin Franklin believed, I feel that a person should take advantage of the time the person has in life with activities a person wants to do or needs to do. A person should not spend much time on activities the person does not want to do. Life is way too short to concern oneself with work or other activities one wants nothing to do with all the time. When possible, I try to forget about my responsibility and just let go of the ‘things’ that do not matter to me. I think a person should try to occupy oneself with something productive, worthwhile, or necessary at all times. Even though a person’s life is left up to a person to live, I cannot imagine thinking that I owe my time to society through working a job that I simply despise. I am a compassionate person, but I do not owe anyone anything regarding my time.