Transcript Impacting Literacy Through Culturally Responsive Teaching Practices

Impacting Literacy Through Culturally
Responsive Teaching Practices
An Initiative of Closing the Achievement Gap (CTAG) at the
Presented By:
Rachel Snider
Samantha Holmes
Yuri Thornton
Content Overview
2:30-2:45
2:45-3:15
3:15-4:00
Introductions, Ice Breaker Activity
CMSD and CTAG Overview
The Wizard of Ed Related to Literacy
Culture
Poverty
School/Classroom Climate
4:00-4:20
4:20-4:30
Taking the Next Step
Q&A, Evaluations
Objective
This workshop will highlight strategies employed by the Cleveland
Metropolitan School District’s Race to the Top initiative Closing the
Achievement Gap (CTAG). CTAG is a targeted intervention
program designed to address the needs of “at risk” minority males in
an effort to reduce/eliminate educational disparities. This session
will highlight the promising practices of CTAG’s newest initiative the
Diversity Component, a professional development training module
exploring culturally responsive teaching practices.
The Four Agreements
Based on the book The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz
 Be impeccable with your words.
 Don’t take anything personally.
 Don’t make assumptions.
 Always do your best.
The 4 CTAG Agreements
 Do not operate from a deficit minded model or framework.
(The glass is always half full.)
 Be open to all input and information, not evaluative or
judgmental.
 Believe that the power to close and ultimately eliminate the
achievement gap lies within us collectively. (There is no
Superman.)
 Respect and appreciate the opinion of others.
CMSD At A Glance
Vision Statement
The Cleveland Municipal School District envisions 21st Century
Schools of Choice producing excellence in graduates through a
rigorous and challenging curriculum taking into consideration the
learning styles, program preferences and academic capabilities of
each student; with high quality and committed educators,
administrators and support staff.
CMSD At A Glance
District Statistics
99 Schools
Elementary/Middle Schools: 68 High Schools: 26
40,871 students served
Black 67.6%
Hispanic 13.8%
Caucasian 14.6%
7,264 professional positions
Graduation Rate
Specialized Services
Teachers 3,106
56.1%
Special Education 24%
Multilingual 6.4%
Free and Reduced Lunch 100%
2011-2012
CTAG At A Glance
 Began in July 2007 under Ohio Governor Ted Strickland as a
statewide initiative to Close the Achievement Gap amongst
minorities.
 When funding ran out after 2 years, districts were expected to
sustain the program.
 CMSD received a $1.5 million grant to continue from Kaiser
Permanente
 CTAG is now funded through Race To The Top Area E: Turning
Around the Lowest Achieving Schools
CTAG Tier I: Student Mentoring
Ohio Revised Code 3306.31 requires school districts that have a 3
year overall average graduation rate of 80% or less to have CTAG
Linkage Coordinators.
Target population: 9th grade at risk minority males
Risk factors determined by the Ohio Department of Education:
1) Failed 2 or more classes in 8th grade
2) Absent more than 36 days
3) Received 5 or more days suspension
4) Over age for grade level
CTAG Tier I: Student Mentoring
Linkage Coordinators Impacting Literacy
Book Clubs
Journals
Summer Bridge Program
Exposure Trips
CTAG Tier II: Educator PD
Mission Statement
Closing the Achievement Gap (CTAG) Diversity Component is
dedicated to providing high quality professional development
opportunities.
Our primary objective is to link educators with the tools and
knowledge through a motivational framework surrounding
Culturally Relevant Pedagogy, in an effort to promote academic
achievement within the Cleveland Metropolitan School District.
The Role of a Diversity Coordinator
 Diversity Coordinators are responsible for the execution and monitoring
of the culturally relevant initiatives at the building, district, and citywide
level as it relates to the diversity initiatives of the CTAG program.
 Diversity Coordinators are facilitators and trainers that provide educators
with the tools and skills needed to enhance their abilities as a culturally
responsive educator.
 Continuously research, benchmark, and development of diversity
strategies, external best practices and trends relative to culturally relevant
pedagogy; aligning such with CTAG mission and core beliefs.
CTAG Tier II
The CTAG Diversity Team
Yuri Thornton
Samantha Holmes
Thomas Jefferson 9th
Grade Academy
John Marshall HS
James Ford Rhodes
HS
East Tech HS
Lincoln West HS
Martin Luther King HS
Washington Park
John Marshall 9th
Grade Academy
Rachel Snider
Collinwood HS
John Adams HS
Glenville HS
John F. Kennedy HS
Methods of Reaching Educators
District Wide Initiatives
Educator Symposiums:
The Beginning of the Road: Introduction to Becoming a Culturally Responsive Educator
Boys in Poverty
Annual Hispanic Symposiums:
10 Steps to the Head of the Class with Dr. Samuel Betances
Non-Academic Barriers for Hispanic Males with Dr. Pedro Noguera
Methods of Reaching Educators
School Based Professional Development
The Wizard of Ed:
Monthly professional development held in the 12 CTAG high schools to
address student diversity and social emotional learning competencies.
CTAG Tier II: The Wizard of Ed
Guides educators through a series of
steps that model the famous movie
“Wizard of Oz”.
Educators are guided down the yellow
brick road, an 8 month training process
designed to prepare educators for
incorporating and implementing
Culturally Relevant Pedagogy (CRP) in
their schools and classrooms.
CTAG Tier II: The Wizard of Ed
What are some outside factors that can have an
impact on literacy and academic achievement?
Culture
Poverty
School and Classroom Climate
What is Culture?
Culture refers to not only the racial or ethnic
groups we are born into but also groups that we
choose to belong to– such as religious groups or
organizational groups.
Culture is a combination of thoughts, feelings,
attitude, beliefs, values, behaviors, and patterns that
are shared by racial, religion, social, or
organizational groups.
www.teachingtoleraance.org
What is Culture?
Big C
Little C
 Race
 Personality Traits
 Ethnicity
 Characteristics
 Gender
 Individual Identity
 Group Identity
www.teachingtoleraance.org
What is Culture?
Activity #1
1.
Write down 4 descriptors of your culture.
2.
Cross 1 descriptor off of the list. Repeat this process 2 times.
3.
Share the remaining descriptor and describe your
thoughts/feelings on this process.
Poverty
Generational Poverty
Situational Poverty
When a family has been in
poverty for two generations
or more.
Develops when there is an
unforeseen act such as death,
divorce, or illness and the
resource base is temporarily
depleted.
Teaching with Poverty in Mind by Eric Jenson
Poverty
Black
43.4%
White
21.9%
Cleveland
51.3% of
children are
in Poverty
Hispanic
43.6%
United States Census Bureau 2010
www.city-data.com
Poverty
Effects of Poverty on Learning
Children raised in poverty rarely choose to behave differently, but
they are faced daily with overwhelming challenges that affluent
children never have to confront.
E.A.C.H.
Emotional and Social Challenges
Acute Chronic Stressors
Cognitive Lag
Health and Safety Issues
Poverty Impacting Literacy
Hispanic Symposium with Dr. Betances
Poverty Impacting Literacy
Turn and Talk
1. With a neighbor, discuss the impact of vocabulary
on literacy and academics.
2. What are some strategies that can be implemented to
assist students?
What is School Climate?
School Climate
 Refers to the quality and character of school life
 Based on patterns of students', parents' and school
personnel's experience of school life
 Reflects norms, goals, values, interpersonal
relationships, teaching and learning practices, and
organizational structures
Y-Chart Activity
Instructions
1. On your post it note write
one characteristic that you see,
hear, or feel in a culturally
responsive classroom.
2. Put your post it on the
corresponding chart in the room.
Copyright: Video Education America
School Climate
Pictures are worth a thousand words…
School Climate
Classroom Transformation
School Climate
Classroom Transformation
School Climate
Classroom Transformation
 Print Rich
(books, ACT/SAT vocabulary, quotes)
 Infused Technology
(Twitter board, There’s an App for That)
 Culturally Relevant
(flags, maps, posters, class meetings)
School Climate
Making the Classroom Culturally Relevant to African American Males
BARBER SHOP
SCHOOL
Hardy greeting-barber is familiar with regular
customer
Sometimes educators may not greet their
students
Healthy social interaction
Taught to behave in a proper manner
Captures and builds on aspects of black culture
such as communalism, oral tradition, verve, and
movement
Rewards Eurocentric ways of knowing and
communication
A visit is empowering and transformativecustomers feel good when leaving
Students of color and disadvantaged students
can often feel disempowered.
Culturally relevant music and sound is played
Most classrooms are sterile and absent of music
Boutte, Gloria. African American Communities: Implications for Culturally Relevant Teaching. Benedict College, Vol. 2:311, 2006
School Climate
Making the Classroom Culturally Relevant to African American Males
School Climate
Creating a Culturally Learning Environment
Physical
Attraction
Color
and
Artifacts
Arrangement
Music
Cooperative
Space
Atmosphere
Interest
Centers
Creativity
Creating Culturally Responsive Classrooms by B. Shade, C. Kelly, and M. Oberg
MultiMedia
Y-Chart Activity
Instructions
1. On your post it note write
one characteristic that you see,
hear, or feel in a culturally
responsive classroom.
2. Put your post it on the
corresponding chart in the room.
3. Compare and contrast.
Copyright: Video Education America
Celebrations
CRP Lesson Plans: Critically Reading Advertisements
Interdisciplinary lesson plans that incorporated student centered
learning in the subjects of ELA, science, social studies, math, etc.
 Rent-A-Center
 Food Labels
What’s Next?
Educator’s Symposium
 June 2013
 Two Days
 District wide (250 educators)
 Application Based
What’s Next?
Summer Institute
 June – August 2013
 District wide
 Two workshops per week
Your Yellow Brick Road
CMSD Educators
 Diversity Book Club
 Budget Reallocation
Your First Brick
 Unions (if applicable)
 Advisory Board
 Symposiums
Questions
Evaluations
"A teacher affects eternity; he can never
tell where his influence stops."
-Henry Brooks Adams
Contact Information
 Yuri C. Thornton
Regional, CTAG Diversity Coordinator
[email protected]
 Rachel Snider
CTAG Diversity Coordinator
[email protected]
 Samantha R. Holmes
CTAG Diversity Coordinator
[email protected]