1. EXPLAINING MS. G’S SUCCESS

2. BAGGAGE -NECESSITIES & ACTUAL INSTRUCTION (FRESHMAN YEAR) Baggage Totally different background from the students. Gang Culture as a norm Creates hostile classroom divisions. Violence as a way of dealing with problems Gang culture saturates the school, school is not safe. Very unstable home lives- Very prominent racial prejudices and stereotypes. No positive educational expectations No past experience of success “Ghetto English”-failures, internalized the negative reputation. No positive experiences with previous teachers Teachers don’t care Teachers have low expectations-deliver content, make no connections to the students. Outdated, run down Material is evidence that the school doesn’t Material doesn’t relate to the students’ lives

3. NECESSITIES 4 CHANGE-ACTUAL INSTRUCTION Necessities 4 Change: Get them to question violence Foster safety in the environment/class. Provide evidence Of caring about the Student. Creating high expectations Provide manageable tasks at the beginning. Provide positive feedback Disrupt their expectations about “teacher” Actual Instruction: Durango Street- Connected Turn my life around and they read- Made a movie A movie requires collaboration Deeper experience of the material and creates reflection. Collective Goal Doesn’t feel like learning Demonstrates trust and high expectation

4. MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES 1. Verbal/Linguistic 2.Mathematical/Logical 3. Musical 4.Visual 5. Kinesthetic 6. Interpersonal 7. Intrapersonal

5. ENGAGEMENT THEORY 3 Levels of Student Engagement Topical Context/Interest Engagement Full Participation The movie actually provides a visual aid.

6. INTO-THROUGH & BEYOND 1. Getting into the students’ backpacks 2-Teaching through what is in the backpacks. (Tupac) “The Rose that Grew from Concrete Shakespeare-”A rose by any other name.” Symbolic language- Beyond the backpack-standardized tests.

7. ROMEO & JULIET? What did Ms. G do to connect with the students? -Named the gangs Turned R&J into a gang story How did Ms. G use R&J to help the students to question their violent lifestyle? She asked critical questions which forced the students to think about their gang involvement --Did it make sense that two young people had to die?

8. ROMEO & JULIET What did Ms. G do to connect the material to the students’ lives? -Named the gangs Portrayed R & J as a gang story How did she use R&J to help them question their violent lifestyle? Asks critical questions that connects the story to their own gang involvement -Do you know how you conflicts got started? Does it make sense that these two young people die?

9. WHAT DID THEY LEARN FROM THE MARRIOT AND THE PANEL? Experienced adults taking an interest in them (Actual interactions with people) -Allowed comparisons to their own family experience No excuses for not being successful. Exposure to what is possible beyond their own experience and also to what is possible with success in education Success in education can begin to make sense.

10. WHAT DID THEY LEARN FROM THE MARRIOT/PANEL? Exposure to what is possible with educational success Takes them beyond their immediate environment- -Provided them with mentors to learn from Success is possible-your background cannot be an excuse.