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Changing the culture of institutions means changing mindsets and how we do our work.
We take a holistic approach to changes to practice based largely on the principles in Bandura's Social Learning Theory (1977) and Lave and Wenger's Situated Learning and Communities of Practice (1991). Our facilitators are peers (active full time staff and faculty) rather than professional developers, and therefore use real-life relevant examples from their own institutions, students, and workplaces when they facilitate our programs. We also have a thriving alumni-coach program, where alumni are invited back to work with small groups of participants and develop their skills in facilitating peers through a program they attended themselves.
We also treat our professional development participants who arrive at our programs as assets to their organization, and take people 'where they are.' In ESCALA programs there is no shaming about what people should have known before coming, and for that reason we take time to set the context, teaching about Latine and Hispanic students' cultural assets as well as important aspects of educational history. We believe that even the most resistant faculty or staff member can become an advocate for HSI servingness work, and that equity leaders can be found in the classroom. Given enough opportunities to reflect on their own work, as well as a judgement free opportunity to learn about compelling research on culture, engagement and instructional practice, many faculty walk away with a new lens on what it means to serve their students and be responsible for their success.
In every program we create ample opportunities for participants to dialogue together, to develop greater empathy for one another and a common purpose for what it means to be working towards Latinx success.
Watch our 1- minute video "ESCALA's Unique Approach" below to learn more about what to expect in our programs.
HOw do you HELP PRACTITIONERS REFLECT ON PRACTICE?
HOw do you HELP PRACTITIONERS REFLECT ON PRACTICE?
We invite participants to reflect on the current state of Latinx student experiences and outcomes at the national, institutional, and individual levels, and consider how their training in higher education perpetuates myths of culture-free teaching & learning.
After our courses, HSI faculty and staff are empowered to use this reflection process continuously throughout their careers...to act as agents of change in their HSIs and improve Latinx student outcomes.
HOw DO YOU DEMOnSTRATE EQUITABLE COMMUNICATION?
HOw DO YOU DEMOnSTRATE EQUITABLE COMMUNICATION?
We teach HSI practitioners how to use speaking and listening protocols to build trust and relationships with Latinx and marginalized colleagues at their HSIs. They learn to pay attention to how they use space in discussions and be more mindful of how to create spaces in their courses and work with students. We believe that this communication equity is key to moving HSIs toward building a culturally responsive community for Latinx students.
HOW DO YOU OVERCOME RESISTORS to PD?
HOW DO YOU OVERCOME RESISTORS to PD?
All of our courses feature equity-based exercises that ask faculty and staff to make small but concrete changes in their actions with Latinx students. Participants receive supportive feedback on their work from facilitators and coaches which bolsters their confidence to continue reflecting on and changing their practice. Our scaffolded approach and insistence on change, however small, build autonomy and capacity in faculty and staff to sustain the changes beyond our courses. This supportive community that we create through collective action is why many of our alumni want to continue their work with us and become trained as facilitators and coaches.
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