Heather December EDU/639 August 25, 2014 Dr. Tony Goss

Professional Learning Communities Professional Learning communities (PLCs) offer an infrastructure to connect individuals and a way of creating an organization that is dedicated to collaboration and continual learning (Newman, 2013).

Hispanic Americans or Latinos are national-origin groups from the Spanish-speaking Caribbean, Mexico, Central America, and Spanish-speaking South America who reside in the United States. Hispanics also include descendants from Spain, while Latinos are those from the Americas living in the United States. People of Mexican descent are the largest Hispanic group in the United States, and many prefer to be called by their specific national origin (such as Mexican American). Others may prefer terms they call themselves (such as Chicanos) (Saravia-Shore, 2014). Overview of Culture

The term Hispanic was created by the US government for the 1970 Census. It was used to identify people living in the United States who are of Latin American descent (Explore Hispanic Culture, 2012). History of Culture

Inclusionary Practices Raise student expectations, and support the idea that students should be active participants in their own learning (Wardle, 2013). This would help to reduce racism by helping other students understand the backgrounds of different races.

Student Diversity Acknowledge the racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, and other diversities of all the students in a school (Wardle, 2013). Educating students to become more aware of the true differences that originate with each race.

Provide students with meaningful reasons to take education seriously, as opposed to grades and "promise of future success.” Direct student involvement in the student's learning provides this real motivation (Wardle, 2013). Helping them be aware of meaningful education, helps to create a connection between learning and the students future. Student Involvement

Encouragement Abandon the traditional content-driven curriculum for a system of coaching and questioning; how a student arrives at an answer is often more important than the answer itself (Wardle, 2013). Encouraging students by getting there answers instead of the answers that they are “supposed” to give can encourage a broader learning environment.

Emphasize rigorous self-questioning because it forces students to examine their core values and beliefs (Wardle, 2013). Opening the minds of students, letting them explain their true values and beliefs, this encourages how they see and act in the future. Self-Questioning

Teach students character and the appropriate values needed to function in society through the modeling of teachers and the overall culture and fairness of the school community (Wardle, 2013). Try treaching students real values of how the world can be, instead of teaching what they should be… Culture Fairness

Teachers are artists Consider teachers as artists (as opposed to data driven technicians): The teacher is an actor in the theater of the school, provoking, cajoling, modeling, criticizing, demanding, and loving (Wardle, 2013). Students can see right through a teacher if they are acting, be real and understanding, this teaches students to be real and respect teachers in the long run.

Ready, Set, Goals! Expect teachers and students to agree together on the goals of their class and the means of attaining those goals; while this is very difficult to do, it is also critically important (Wardle, 2013). Instead of ignoring the differences between students, explain the differences, have controlled discussions that help each other to understand.

SCHOOLS ENLIST HISPANIC PARENTS TO IMPROVE STUDENT SUCCESS

Although Hispanic parents endorse similar levels of importance to education and attitudes towards parent involvement as compared to White and Black parents (Chavkin «feWilliams, 1993; Tinkler, 2002), they often report the least involvement in school (Stein berg, Lambom, Dombusch, & Darling, 1992) (Shuk, 2006). Today's teachers report feeling underprepared to meet students' language-learning needs effectively and typically have little to no training in how a student develops language (Lesaux, 2013). A better understanding from both teachers and parents might be the thing that is needed in creating a better educational environment for Hispanic students. Parent/Community Involvement

References Lesaux, N., & Rangel, J. (2013). How schools can best educate Hispanic students. Education Digest, (4), 41. Newman, R. (2013). Teaching and learning in the 21st century: Connecting the dots. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc. Shuk Wa WongHughes, J. N. (2006). Ethnicity and Language Contributions to Dimensions of Parent Involvement. School Psychology Review, 35(4), 645. Teaching Ideas. (2000). Reading Teacher, 54(3), Wardle, F. (2013).Human Relationships and Learning in the Multicultural Environment. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc.

All pictures where retrieved from google images References