Teaching Note: Ethnic Sharing: Laying the Foundation for Culturally Informed Practice With BSW Students

Abstract

This article describes the use of ethnic sharing, a structured, narrative exercise designed to increase cultural competence among students in social work programs. The premise of this facilitated exercise is that self-awareness and cultural awareness create the foundation for culturally informed practice. Twenty-five BSW students from diverse backgrounds participated in this guided group learning session and experienced brief cultural immersion. A content analysis of participant feedback about the exercise indicated that students engaged in self-examination, gained cultural awareness, and demonstrated a beginning understanding of culturally informed practice. Analyzing the students' written responses according to a phenomenological perspective revealed the following themes: (a) Don't stereotype or make assumptions, (b) remain open minded and refrain from making judgments, and (c) be aware of cross-cultural similarities and differences. The utility of ethnic sharing as an experiential learning exercise for...