Teaching Cultural Awareness through Mental Models
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Teaching Cultural Awareness through Mental Models
Written by Jane del Villar
Coman Hill Elementary School, a K-2
building in the Byram Hills Central School District
of Armonk, NY, is integrating systems thinking
tools into a diversity awareness initiative. The
district began diversity training in 2005, using a
framework called cultural proficiency, or the “lens
through which we explore and expand our moral
views,” (CampbellJones, CampbellJones & Lindsey,
2010). Last year, members of the Coman Hill
faculty and administration began a study group to
deepen knowledge on the cultural proficiency framework and build the capacity of teachers in
discussing, modeling and facilitating conversations about exemplary practice. The group
explored the essential question, “What does a culturally proficient classroom look like?”
In the spring of 2012, the Cultural Proficiency Study Group felt that it was time to take
its learning and experience to the students of Coman Hill.
The group knew it wanted to incorporate children’s literature into the introduction of
cultural proficiency to students, and looked through many fiction and nonfiction titles for
possible classroom use. In looking over the books, however, the committee felt somewhat
stymied. The books seemed to be issue-specific, and not conducive of a systemic approach to
the topic of cultural awareness.
Dr. Tim Kaltenecker, Byram Hills’ Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum, mentioned
that a systems thinking methodology might be a good way to introduce cultural proficiency to
students. He led the committee through a basic introduction of systems thinking tools. In
September of 2013, the committee decided to introduce cultural proficiency to its K-2 students
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through the use of mental models, metacognitive thinking and literature. Using the idea of a
mental model—defined at Coman Hill as a belief or attitude, consciously or unconsciously
formed, which shapes the way we view the world and take action—allowed teachers to target
issues of diversity by addressing the ways we think about differences. If students could be set
on the path of metacognitive thought, i.e., thinking about their thinking, they would have the
tools with which to deal with specific issues, as they came up.
Jane del Villar, Coman Hill librarian, first introduced the idea to a second grade class. She
used the Susan Meddaugh book, Harry on the Rocks, in which Harry, a shipwrecked dog,
hatches and raises a lizard which he finds on the island. When Harry finds out that the lizard is
really a dragon, his mental model of dragons kicks in (i.e., they’re dangerous, they might eat
you), and he shuns the little creature who, up until then, had been his sole friend on the island.
The students “got” the concept that a mental model is a set of beliefs which is often arrived at
without really understanding how or why. They brainstormed ways in which Harry could have
worked through this mental model. “Harry could think about what the dragon did for him,” said
one student. “Harry could have thought back to how much he liked the dragon before he knew
what it was,” voiced another. “He could have let the dragon know how he was feeling, and
they could have talked it out,” added a third. Mrs. del Villar realized that this lesson had given
students a way to discuss prejudice and acceptance through the lens of a fictitious character, as
well as a way to apply it to their own thinking about the world. Students had become aware of
their assumptions about self, others and the context in which people work together
(CampbellJones, CampbellJones & Lindsey, 2010).
A group of teachers agreed to continue piloting the lessons, using a three-pronged
approach. First, a story and an introduction to the concept would take place in the library.
Second, a follow up lesson and technology piece would be taught. And third, the classroom
teacher would continue the lesson, either centering it on the same book, or using a different
one.
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One book used with first grade students was the story of Small Saul. In this tale Small
Saul is a pirate of diminutive size. He loves to do homey things around his ship, he is nurturing
and he is not piratical in any of the stereotypical ways.
Children being introduced to the story were first asked for their opinions on the
character traits of pirates. They said things like, “They’re rough,” “They’re mean,” “They steal,”
“They’re dirty.” Two pictures from the book were then shown to the students. One depicted
Small Saul’s crewmates looting and pillaging a
bejeweled young woman. The other showed
Small Saul offering the same, now
bedraggled, young woman a plate of cookies
and a flower. Students voted on the picture
that best expressed their mental model of
pirates. Almost all children voted for the
stereotypical pirate picture.
In the story, the pirates ridicule Small Saul for his kindness. In fact, after spending some
time with him aboard their ship (during which period he attends to their injuries, bakes
delicious desserts, and makes the ship bright and homey), the pirates decide that Small Saul is
not a real pirate and that they are going to get rid of him. They push him overboard and sail off.
Of course, they begin to miss him almost immediately. They realize that Small Saul, although a
very different kind of pirate, is like a treasure. They go back to get him. In the last illustration of
the book, we see the pirates, themselves, taking on some of Small Saul’s ways—baking cakes,
showing kindness and nurturing their small, different, treasured colleague.
First graders responded to this story with empathy. In the discussion which followed the
story, they described their own mental models of pirates and how they had changed. “I thought
pirates were mean and dirty, but they don’t all have to be mean.” When asked if the pirates
aboard the Rusty Squid had changed their own mental models of how a pirate should be, they
emphatically said yes. “The pirates realized that Small Saul could be a pirate, too, even though
he was different,” and, “The pirates decided that Saul was a treasure and he belonged on their
3ship.” When children were asked what they should do if they have a negative mental model of
someone, they replied with responses such as, “Give the person a chance,” and, “You should
get to know someone before you make up your mind about them.” These responses
demonstrate the beginning of culturally proficient communication through “effective cross-
cultural communication” (CampbellJones, CampbellJones, & Lindsey, 2010, p.43).
Coman Hill technology teacher Rekha Singh took the Small Saul lesson one step further.
Her students investigated Small Saul’s character traits. The students in Mrs. Singh’s classes
wrote about the character traits Small Saul possessed which
made the pirates change their mental models and decide
that he was “like a treasure.” Mrs. Singh helped her
students to activate their higher order thinking skills by
having them reflect on what sort of person Small Saul was.
Students were able to identify various character traits which
made Small Saul a “treasure” and give examples to support
their thinking. For example, “Small Saul was just like a
treasure because he was kind when he made food for the
pirates.”
Second grade students read the story, The Sandwich Swap, by Her Majesty Queen Rania
Al Abdullah, in their classrooms. In the story, Lily and Salma are the best of friends and do
everything together. Unfortunately, they each develop a mental model that the other has a
“weird” lunch. Lily eats peanut butter and jelly every day, and Salma eats a hummus in a pita.
The difficulties escalate until finally the girls decide to try one another’s food. Second graders
discussed what each girl’s mental model of the other’s food was. Second grade teacher, Betsy
Eininger said, “We have had these sorts of conversations with our students before, but using
the idea of mental models has allowed the discussions to go deeper.” In the past a student
might have said, “That’s mean” or “That’s wrong” in response to a character like Lily or Salma’s
actions, but using mental models has given students a way to get into the thought processes of
others, has made them want to look for the reasons underlying certain behaviors and figure out
4how issues should best be approached. “I see my students being less judgmental,” stated Mrs.
Eininger, who has been experimenting with expanding her systems thinking introduction to
other areas of the classroom. “I was afraid to attempt it at first, “she said, “but my students like
it. Looking at the big picture makes sense to them. The concept of the parts contributing to the
whole is a structure with which they feel comfortable.” Another second grade teacher, Nicole
Cavalieri noticed, “Not only are my students connecting to the concept of mental models, they
can also apply it to authentic situations. They are using mental models to think about their
thinking and then to attempt to change their behaviors and reactions. Our conversations have
been elevated. ” Mrs. Cavalieri’s students have realized that they cannot necessarily change
someone’s mental model, but that, with understanding, our mental models can work together
and, “when our differences help us to work together, we become very powerful.”
CampbellJones, CampbellJones, and Lindsey (2010) call this our moral response to others. They
state that, “As a culturally proficient individual and organization, the focus is on what emanates
from within and how it manifests outwardly to engage with others” (p. 61).
After one year of using the concept of mental models to deepen its knowledge of
cultural proficiency, the study group at Coman Hill Elementary School is positive about the
future. In just one year, the seed for respectful dialog
has been planted in the minds of Byram Hills’
youngest students. In closing, it is worthwhile to re-
visit the question, “What does a culturally proficient
classroom look like?” As the Coman Hill school
community continues its investigation of this most
essential question, one thing is clear. The answer lies
not only in in accepting the differences, but also in
identifying the commonalities that exist among us
all. As the insightful second grader above suggested, “You can get over a bad mental model by
talking to the person and seeing if you like the same stuff.”
5References
CampbellJones, F., CampbellJones, B. and Lindsey, R.B. (2010). The cultural proficiency
journey: Moving beyond ethical barriers toward profound school change (p.17). Thousand Oaks,
CA: Corwin.
Meddaugh, S. (2003). Harry on the rocks. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin.
Rania, Queen, consort of Abdullah II, King of Jordan, 1970- (2010). The sandwich swap.
New York, NY: Disney/Hyperion Books.
Spires, A. (2011). Small Saul. Toronto, ON: Kids Can Press.
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