Integrating Cultural Responsiveness Into Supervision: Understanding the Context, Meeting the Need, and Suggestions for Practice
Kim Edwards (SIQS Educational Consulting, LLC)
Invited Panel
OBM
Biography:Ms. Kimberly Edwards, M.Ed., is a Program Manager and educator in Washington, DC. Kimberly has worked in the field of education for more than 10 years. She received a Master of Education from the University of Virginia in 2011 and a Graduate Certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis from George Mason University in 2018. Prior to moving to Washington, DC, Ms. Edwards worked in Richmond, VA, in therapeutic day schools and public schools. Her current work aligns with her research interests, centering on coaching staff on culturally responsive and impactful learning pathways; instructing behavior management; focused professional development; strategizing and developing school-wide anti-racism and effective social behavior practices.
Abstract: In recent years, much more emphasis has been placed on cultural competence, humility, and responsiveness, as they relate to ABA service provision. These concepts have received attention in published literature, in discussions about issues facing the field, and in our new Ethics Code. The field is making progress in defining these skills, and much discussion exists around the teaching and training of this skill set for practitioners. In addition to these needs, there is an obligation to integrate the coverage of these issues into supervision. In this panel discussion, panelists will review the context and need for this expansion of supervision, the development of a tool to assess the extent to which supervision is culturally responsive, the associated issues in practice and mentorship that should be considered in this context, and future directions for mentoring.