Creating Culturally Responsive Classrooms Day Three

Agenda Introductions and Overview Bias Quiz Playspent Community Asset Mapping Lunch Roadville & Trackton Homework assignments!

Session Objectives: Participants will be able to 1.identify the ways that culture influences our understanding of ourselves and others, 2.Uncover funds of knowledge in families and communities, and 3.Learn how to develop culturally responsive relationships.

Check in and Overview  Remember your missions statement? How has reflecting on that changed your practice?  Think about the identity circles activity- any connections made?  Have you observed the elements of culture playing out in your setting?

Bias Survey  Individually, take the bias survey from the handouts. Respond, from a gut level, to the questions.  Think about groups who are not represented on this survey that you might react to on the “1” end of the scale- add those to your list.  Discuss your responses as directed  How does your reaction to this group impede your ability to create a connection?  Why might it be important to create a connection?  What do you need to do to move towards a more neutral place?

 If you have a computer (no iPads), log on to the site above-  If you do not have a computer, find a partner with one- someone who is NOT from your district!  One person plays the game while the other observes and takes notes about decisions made, reactions, comments- then switch roles.  In order to use the ask a friend option, you have to be on facebook- and you have to send a message to a friend that describes what you need, without letting them know you are playing a game- it has to be a REAL ask. You can explain later….  Debrief as a whole group

Community Mapping  Get a piece of chart paper, and some markers  In your school groups, draw a map of your community- major landmarks, the locations of schools, housing, businesses-  Create a legend to help us understand the dynamics of the community- types of housing, neighborhoods, other key features

Maps Discussion  How much did you know? What areas are you unfamiliar with?  How many of your staff live in the community? How connected are they?  Do people from different racial/ethnic/religious groups see themselves represented?  Can all members of the community access the resources/services they need?

Roadville & Trackton  Discuss the chapter that describes your community-  what are the strengths of your community- the things that make you unique?  What is most important to you?  What are the strengths of your children?  How should schools be set up to meet your children’s needs- behavior, communication, academic?  If you had to send your child to a school in the “other” community, how would they do?  What worries would you have?

PTA meeting !

Brown Middle School was built in 1920, has seats for 500 students, and currently has enrollment of 210 Green Middle School was built in 1980, has seats for 450 students, and currently has enrollment of 190.

Reflections & Connections  How do we need to shift schools to meet the needs of both groups?  As a teacher, how do I need to shift my practice?  How does this exercise connect back to everything we’ve learned to date- power/privilege, identity, culture, community?

What will you do to bring this back?  Funds of Knowledge Resource- think about how you’d use this in conjunction with the activities we did today!

For Fun with Language…  xvoKBw

Closing  For next session, you will need to :  Read the Weinstein Article  do the 2 homework assignments  bring with you artifacts that you use to manage your classrooms- your classroom matrix, photos, class rules, letters home, discipline policies or plans…..  Next session: March 4 th -7th  Mark your calendar! DATE CHANGE for the final session! April 29/30 May 1/2