Culturally Responsive Learning Sites Facilitators: Andreal Davis Michelle Belnavis Kathy Myles Kent Smith

Purpose: collaborative partnership to exemplify, research, and refine Wisconsin’s culturally responsive multi-level system of support Year One: five school districts from pre-K to grade 12 Seven Experiences: Center provides training, coaching, and tools to support alignment Data and Artifacts: collected to document school’s journeys and outcomes Culturally Responsive Practices Learning Sites Project

Culturally Responsive Practices Our Purpose The goal of the Wisconsin RtI Center’s Culturally Responsive Practices Learning Sites Project, is to engage in collaboration with School Districts from Pre-K to 12 th grade. Schools conduct action research to embed Culturally Responsive Practices into a Multi-level System of Support. They do this through capacity-building supports for schools participating in the project. This research will be accomplished through the systematic and data- driven supports of: school districts with coaching supports, classroom management embedded supports, blending of academic and behavioral practices, all infused with culturally responsive practices. By providing structured supports through the Wisconsin RtI Center, capacity will be built to implement system changes in culturally responsive practices throughout their Multi-level System of Support, at both the building and district levels.

Coming Together! Outline Map of Wisconsin Counties: Learning Sites Served

As a Culturally Responsive Learning Site you will have opportunities to: Participate as a team (either 2-3 or 3-5 staff persons) with the inclusion of one administrator or another school/district level leader Participate in a Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Teaching book study using a combination of online and face to face interactions Participate in a two-day professional development opportunity in November led by both Dr. Sharroky Hollie (Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Teaching) and Dr. Anthony Muhammad (Transforming School Culture) Participate in Culturally Responsive Practices school site visits with a focus on cultural imaging, problem solving teamwork, the use of affirmations, classroom management and acknowledgement systems

As a Culturally Responsive Learning Site you will have opportunities to: (continued) Observe Culturally Responsive coaching and modeling techniques (October, December, and February) Focus on culturally responsive pedagogy including: classroom management, academic language, culturally responsive texts, and academic vocabulary Participate in community site visits with an emphasis on the role of community, cultural traditions and cultural imaging Participate in an OPTIONAL Culturally Responsive Classroom Practices training lead by Dr. Shelley Zion Participate in cross-cultural sharing between the various CRP Learning Sites Receive information about CR conferences

Seven Experiences A professional development model which consists of: Book studies Articles School visits Community site visits Guest speakers Conferences and workshops Coaching and modeling

ExperienceExamples Book Study Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Teaching and Learning by Dr. Sharroky Hollie Power, Privilege and Difference by Allan G. Johnson Articles Reading, Writing and Righteous Anger: Teaching about Language and Society by Linda Christensen School Visits Madison Hawthorne Elementary Milwaukee College Preparatory Academy St. Rose Elementary (St. Rose, Louisiana) Mimosa Park Elementary (Luling, Louisiana) Community Site Visits Coffee Make You Black Reader’s Choice Bookstore Black Historical Museum

ExperienceExamples Guest Speakers Lynne Lavota-The Power of a Book Talk Darian and Israel Belnavis and Ari and Armani Davis (student voices) Additional optional opportunities: Angela Davis, Candy Boyd, Lisa Delpit Conferences and Workshops National Council on Educating the Black Child Disproportionality Summit Culturally Responsive Classroom Practices (led by Dr. Shelley Zion) Culturally Responsive Practices Training (led by Dr. Sharroky Hollie and Dr. Anthony Muhammad) Coaching and Modeling Madison Hawthorne Elementary Milwaukee College Preparatory Academy, St. Rose Elementary (St. Rose, Louisiana) Mimosa Park Elementary (Luling, Louisiana)

Hawthorne Elementary School: READY, SET, GOAL/MOU Conference School Goal from Interview: Increase efforts and opportunities to update School Improvement Plan to include discussion protocols and oral language development and movement Culturally Responsive Learning Sites Inventory Items that will directly impact this goal:  Demonstrated belief that all students can learn by policy and practices in place in school  Evidence of familiarity with culturally relevant practices  Has begun exploring Wisconsin Culturally Responsive Classroom Practices, Center for Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Teaching, or other culturally responsive practices initiatives  ­­Culturally responsive universal PBIS practices are in place  Staff have or are willing to identify issues with disproportionality in discipline and academic data  School evidences a high percentage of students that are most affected by the gap as measured by attendance, behavior, academics, and/or demographics  Have up to three (3) building level team members attend remaining learning site collaboration days as employment calendar permits (winter, spring)

Hawthorne Elementary School: READY, SET, GOAL/MOU Conference (continued) Culturally Responsive Learning Sites Offerings that will help you reach/achieve your school site/district goal:  Attend November training for Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Teaching, led by Dr. Sharroky Hollie  Participate in culturally and linguistically responsive book study  Participate in Culturally Responsive Classroom Practices led by Dr. Shelley Zion  Consider attending the CREATE, White Privilege, We Are More Alike Than Different and NCEBC conferences  Connect with Milwaukee College Prep about new and innovative ways to deliver instruction in a culturally responsive manner Extra Credit:  Present at the Wisconsin RtI Summit on Cultural Relevance at Hawthorne Elementary School, with the purpose of spreading their work out to the state.

Onalaska School District: READY, SET, GOAL/MOU Conference School Goal From Interview: Increase efforts and opportunities to include families in different events, using appropriate communication. Culturally Responsive Learning Sites Inventory Items that will directly impact this goal:  Have home/school/community connections in place to increase family and student engagement  Demonstrated belief that all students can learn by policy and practices in place in school  Evidence of familiarity with culturally relevant practices  Begin exploring Wisconsin Culturally Responsive Classroom Practices, Beyond Diversity, Center for Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Teaching, or other culturally responsive practices initiatives

Onalaska School District: READY, SET, GOAL/MOU Conference (continued) Culturally Responsive Learning Sites Offerings that will help you reach/achieve your school site/district goal:  Attend November training for Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Teaching, led by Dr. Sharroky Hollie  Connect with Beth Lehman, Hawthorne Principal and Lynn Winn, Falk Principal on ways to increase family engagement through the use of appropriate communication  Participate in presentation by WISPEI and RtI staff on positive family engagement strategies  Participate in culturally and linguistically responsive book study  Participate in Culturally Responsive Classroom Practices led by Dr. Shelley Zion  Connect with Milwaukee College Prep about positive relationship-building practices  Consider attending the CREATE, White Privilege and NCEBC Conferences  Possibly attend the Harambee time at Milwaukee College Prep, Falk, Mendota, and Hawthorne Elem. Schools - observe relationships between families and support staff  Attend or observe a Culturally Responsive instructional cycle led by Dr. Sharroky Hollie  Revisit and share the successes of the district-wide CRP initiatives Extra Credit:  Onalaska School District sponsored Onalaska Equity Day to focus on Increasing efforts and opportunities to include families in different events, using appropriate communication.

Collaborating To build culturally responsive multi-level systems of support by bridging our plan with the learning site’s goals.

Outcomes Obstacles Opportunities The Culturally Responsive Practices journey produces:

Know thyself The first step is to understand yourself. What are your: ● passions? ● influences? ● role models? ● biases? ● strengths?

Know thyself Deeper and more complicated cultural aspects: ● politics ● religion ● language ● ethnicity and national heritage ● soci0-economic issues

The 7 Experiences * Culturally Responsive Practices Book Study. (Hollie) * Hmong New Year Day at Elementary School (Onalaska) * 2 Day Conference with Dr. Hollie on CRP Instruction. * Site Visit at Hawthorne Elementary in Madison. * Classroom Training with Shelley Zion. * Book Study on Privilege, Power and Difference. *Site Visit at Milwaukee College Prep - Milwaukee. * Staff Professional Development = Onalaska Equity Day!

Know thyself Autoethnography Who are you and how did you come to be that way?

Know your students Classroom ● Community Building Activities ● Reach out to Parents ● Student of the Day ● Sharing Our Colors Sharing Our Colors Community ● Local Diversity Resources Local Diversity Resources

Classroom environment ● Affirming Images - images of students themselves and successful people from their cultures - including youth culture ● Diverse Classroom Libraries - resourcesresources

Slide Show from the CRP Journeys of Hawthorne and Onalaska