I am still recuperating from an enjoyable, hopefully fruitful WABSE (Washington Alliance of Black School Educators) conference. There were approximately 200 adults and 75 students in attendance over the course of three days of workshops. Attendees heard presentations about the African American Achievement Gap Final Report, they had opportunities to begin to develop an action plan for their schools and districts, and they heard from specialists in African American culture as it applies to education. Attendees came from across our state – there were teachers from Pasco and Everett, Olympia and Seattle. Attendees were African American, Caucasian, Asian and Hispanic. Although WABSE draws a predominantly African American crowd, the goal of the organization is to support any educator, parent or community member who works with African American children.
Even as one of the organizers of the event, there were many things I learned, the most important being that many people in our communities have pieces of the answer to the achievement gap. Our greatest issue is that the answers lie in outlying communities. Our answers are held in the minds and hands and hearts of many across our state. The pieces of the puzzle do exist, but there has been up until now no way to bring those pieces of the puzzle together in one place. There has been no clearinghouse for that information. Joe has not been talking to Susan who has not been talking to James who has not been talking to Ronnie. We are each fighting this problem we call “the achievement gap”, each with his or her own piece, each missing necessary pieces held in the hands of another maybe only minutes down the I-5 corridor or across the Snoqualmie Pass.
In this time of increased technology, we are still not communicating effectively. We continue to try to re-invent the wheel. We continue to make attempts to eliminate the achievement gap with merely SOME and not ALL of the tools necessary. I am not sure yet how to tackle this problem, but I am going to do my best to try to use our website to gather all these expert voices from our community in one place. If you are one of those people who has an answer, who has figured out how to gather our parents of color, who has figured out how to draw our men of color into the hallways and classrooms of our schools, who has found a way to interest students of color in mathematics and science, I am pleading with you to send me your answers, send me your research, send me stories of your experiences. I am not promising that all of it will end up on our website or that it will remain in the form in which it was sent, but I do want to ask you to share with us. I am asking you to join me in this journey to build a bridge, to build a community of learners and educators.
This request is not limited to those who attended the WABSE conference. If you are someone who didn’t know about the event or who couldn’t find the resources to attend, but you believe you have a piece of the puzzle, please contact me via e-mail (erin.jones@k12.wa.us). You, too, are invited to share in this process. I am not just looking for the answers to the achievement gap for African American students. I am looking for answers to the gap for our Native American students and our Cambodian students, our African immigrants and our Samoan students, our Latino students and our Eastern European immigrants. We would like to create a section on our website that is dedicated to best practices for all of our communities who are “in the gap.” We cannot do this alone. You cannot do this alone. We need one another. Please join us in this endeavor.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Teachers having a voice. Who is representing our students?
As always, life is a little crazy between running the office, doing presentations and advocating for parent involvement and our students of color on Capitol Hill. I think I have been invited to be on every board known to mankind. Well, not every board, but it feels like it…
Being in the classroom, it’s easy to become insulated, to feel like you are on an island, doing so much on your own. Am I the only one doing this? Is there someone with whom I can partner to some extent? Although I don’t enjoy board meetings, there is something about getting a number of different kinds of folks around the table from different industries with different backgrounds talking about the same issues. Suddenly it is apparent that you are not alone. There are other people out there with the same goals. We just didn’t know about one another.
Somehow we need to figure out a way to gather like-minded educators in a regular organized way to allow them to share ideas, to commiserate, to dream. This process should not be afforded merely to those who have left the classroom and now have “time” to chat. The conversations I was involved in today should have been happening with actual teachers around the table, people who are experiencing the challenges of trying to deliver curriculum while developing relationships with students struggling to find themselves in a complex world.
I know I realized this months ago, but something about today’s meeting struck me distinctly – so many of the decisions being made in our state (and likely around the nation) are happening in rooms full of middle-aged white men and women. I am not saying that these people do not know what they are talking about or that they should not be part of the conversation, but I am becoming more and more convinced that if our system is going to bring the changes we really need, the tables at board meetings MUST represent not only the diversity of the students being served by our system, but also with a diversity of perspective, which can only come by having young, middle-aged and experienced educators of all ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds at the table at once.
Being in the classroom, it’s easy to become insulated, to feel like you are on an island, doing so much on your own. Am I the only one doing this? Is there someone with whom I can partner to some extent? Although I don’t enjoy board meetings, there is something about getting a number of different kinds of folks around the table from different industries with different backgrounds talking about the same issues. Suddenly it is apparent that you are not alone. There are other people out there with the same goals. We just didn’t know about one another.
Somehow we need to figure out a way to gather like-minded educators in a regular organized way to allow them to share ideas, to commiserate, to dream. This process should not be afforded merely to those who have left the classroom and now have “time” to chat. The conversations I was involved in today should have been happening with actual teachers around the table, people who are experiencing the challenges of trying to deliver curriculum while developing relationships with students struggling to find themselves in a complex world.
I know I realized this months ago, but something about today’s meeting struck me distinctly – so many of the decisions being made in our state (and likely around the nation) are happening in rooms full of middle-aged white men and women. I am not saying that these people do not know what they are talking about or that they should not be part of the conversation, but I am becoming more and more convinced that if our system is going to bring the changes we really need, the tables at board meetings MUST represent not only the diversity of the students being served by our system, but also with a diversity of perspective, which can only come by having young, middle-aged and experienced educators of all ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds at the table at once.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Students teach others about American Indian culture
Middle-schoolers in program create lesson plans on children's books
LACEY – Students in Nisqually Middle School's Native Culture class were surprised at how attentive first- and second-graders can be when listening to a book being read.
Read the story
LACEY – Students in Nisqually Middle School's Native Culture class were surprised at how attentive first- and second-graders can be when listening to a book being read.
Read the story
Thursday, February 19, 2009
We can make real, lasting change!
Hello, again! I spent President’s Day with many of you at African American Legislative Day! I have only attended one other such event, and this was long before I worked in Olympia and knew any of the “players,” so-to-speak. I am just realizing now that I met Rosalund Jenkins almost 3 years ago at that event, just before making the decision with my husband to move to Spokane, far removed from anything political. Such memories…
The last time I attended the event, all of the festivities took place in the Rotunda. There were hundreds of students and parents and community members. Every African American person involved in any branch of the government had some opportunity to speak or to be seen. I was impressed, actually, by the numbers of brown people who worked for our state government, especially in a predominantly Caucasian state. I was impressed by the sheer numbers of people who showed up for the event.
Living and working in this area gives me a very different perspective on “all things governmental.” As a staff person for the African American Achievement Gap Study, I have developed new relationships with African American people up and down the west side of the state, as well as African Americans from Spokane. However, the more powerful aspect of the day was the number of non-African Americans who chose to take time out of their busy schedules on a national holiday to participate in the events. I believe this expression of compassion for others is what our state will require to eliminate the achievement gap for all students. Although I am African American and have a particular passion for my children and those who look like me, my greatest passion as a teacher and a Washingtonian is to see ALL of our students find success in life, not only as students but as they enter adulthood and pursue careers and family life.
Going into the day, I was very aware that the Center for the Improvement of Student Learning was on the chopping block in at least one bill. I wanted to be sure the African American community was aware of what we had to offer, so as individuals went to visit their legislators, they could speak favorably on our behalf. I was in my office at 8:30 or so grabbing flyers and extra business cards. I was hoping to touch base with Superintendent Dorn to double-check our meeting times for the afternoon (I had been asked to introduce him in two different meetings). By 9:30 I was at the Washington Center for the Performing Arts where the majority of the day’s events would take place. I wasn’t sure how many people I would see. Roz had mentioned that this year the focus would be different – not celebration but education on how to engage in political process.
I had the opportunity behind stage to meet community members from Vancouver all the way to north of Seattle. I made a five minute presentation on the final report for the African American Achievement Gap Study and left people with a challenge to take ultimate responsibility for our children and not to leave the responsibility to the Legislature or to OSPI. It was encouraging to see so many people in the audience that I had worked with in the past from Tacoma Public Schools and Spokane Public Schools and, more recently, from Puyallup and Seattle Public Schools. It was exciting to see students and teachers, fathers and mothers, grandparents and interested community members – all present to engage in making a positive impact on our state.
As is the case for my life, I had to run from that presentation to my car to the Hill where I would meet Superintendent Dorn to bring him to the Washington Christian Leaders Coalition meeting. My intentions were to introduce the superintendent, although I had received a text message from a pastor friend of mine, Pastor Carl Livingston from Seattle, who had arranged to put the needs of the CISL office on their agenda. In the event that I would have the opportunity, I had made 40 flyers, picked up 30 information cards and 30 business cards to pass out to those who were interested in participating in the work of CISL in the future.
Pastor Livingston ended up being the facilitator of the meeting when we arrived and gave both Superintendent Dorn and I a wonderful introduction before giving him the floor for his 20 minute arranged speech. My job was to make sure he got out of the building in 20 minutes so he would not be late to his next meeting. When the time came, the group did not want to let him go. It seemed that everyone still had questions. Mr. Dorn was still a stranger to them. They wanted to know who he was, to understand how he was going to represent the needs of African American children. Finally, I had to insist that he leave the room, and the new moderator asked if I would be available to remain to respond to questions and then take some time to share about CISL.
I had come with flyers and hand-outs and business cards, but I had not expected to be given the floor for more than 45 minutes. What an honor! I had expected to merely share for a couple of minutes, but this group of pastors gave me the opportunity to share in detail about the services CISL could provide, to make connections with those who were already doing amazing work in the African American community and to celebrate that work as a group. Some people were skeptical that CISL or anyone could really make a difference. Some believed that the teachers and administrators and systems that truly needed change would be unwilling to receive any help. Many others were just excited that there existed an agency within OSPI that could provide free training for parents and for educators. Others were suddenly full of ideas about how CISL could help facilitate conversations in church meetings and amongst community organizations to improve the educational experiences of the African American students in Washington State.
What a wonderful, unexpected opportunity! Although I will be sending a personal thank you letter to the Washington Christian Leaders Coalition for the chance to address this group of local leaders, I want to publicly thank Pastor Livingston and the rest of the leadership team of WCLC for this opportunity. We received word today that as of the most recent decisions, CISL will remain in operation. We have to work together as a community. The African American Legislative Day was a great example of community. We cannot expect others to help us before we help ourselves.
Thank you to everyone who attended this event! Thank you to the Commission on African American Affairs for organizing the special events. Thank you to WCLC. Thank you to Tabor 100. Thank you to anyone who may not have attended any of the special events but who met with legislators. Whether you are White or Black, Latino or Native American, Asian or Pacific Islander, the greatest lesson to be learned by this experience is that when we come together as communities, whether ethnic communities or neighborhoods, we can make real, lasting change. The other lesson is that we all must engage in the political process and take special interest in the issues that impact us and those about whom we care.
The last time I attended the event, all of the festivities took place in the Rotunda. There were hundreds of students and parents and community members. Every African American person involved in any branch of the government had some opportunity to speak or to be seen. I was impressed, actually, by the numbers of brown people who worked for our state government, especially in a predominantly Caucasian state. I was impressed by the sheer numbers of people who showed up for the event.
Living and working in this area gives me a very different perspective on “all things governmental.” As a staff person for the African American Achievement Gap Study, I have developed new relationships with African American people up and down the west side of the state, as well as African Americans from Spokane. However, the more powerful aspect of the day was the number of non-African Americans who chose to take time out of their busy schedules on a national holiday to participate in the events. I believe this expression of compassion for others is what our state will require to eliminate the achievement gap for all students. Although I am African American and have a particular passion for my children and those who look like me, my greatest passion as a teacher and a Washingtonian is to see ALL of our students find success in life, not only as students but as they enter adulthood and pursue careers and family life.
Going into the day, I was very aware that the Center for the Improvement of Student Learning was on the chopping block in at least one bill. I wanted to be sure the African American community was aware of what we had to offer, so as individuals went to visit their legislators, they could speak favorably on our behalf. I was in my office at 8:30 or so grabbing flyers and extra business cards. I was hoping to touch base with Superintendent Dorn to double-check our meeting times for the afternoon (I had been asked to introduce him in two different meetings). By 9:30 I was at the Washington Center for the Performing Arts where the majority of the day’s events would take place. I wasn’t sure how many people I would see. Roz had mentioned that this year the focus would be different – not celebration but education on how to engage in political process.
I had the opportunity behind stage to meet community members from Vancouver all the way to north of Seattle. I made a five minute presentation on the final report for the African American Achievement Gap Study and left people with a challenge to take ultimate responsibility for our children and not to leave the responsibility to the Legislature or to OSPI. It was encouraging to see so many people in the audience that I had worked with in the past from Tacoma Public Schools and Spokane Public Schools and, more recently, from Puyallup and Seattle Public Schools. It was exciting to see students and teachers, fathers and mothers, grandparents and interested community members – all present to engage in making a positive impact on our state.
As is the case for my life, I had to run from that presentation to my car to the Hill where I would meet Superintendent Dorn to bring him to the Washington Christian Leaders Coalition meeting. My intentions were to introduce the superintendent, although I had received a text message from a pastor friend of mine, Pastor Carl Livingston from Seattle, who had arranged to put the needs of the CISL office on their agenda. In the event that I would have the opportunity, I had made 40 flyers, picked up 30 information cards and 30 business cards to pass out to those who were interested in participating in the work of CISL in the future.
Pastor Livingston ended up being the facilitator of the meeting when we arrived and gave both Superintendent Dorn and I a wonderful introduction before giving him the floor for his 20 minute arranged speech. My job was to make sure he got out of the building in 20 minutes so he would not be late to his next meeting. When the time came, the group did not want to let him go. It seemed that everyone still had questions. Mr. Dorn was still a stranger to them. They wanted to know who he was, to understand how he was going to represent the needs of African American children. Finally, I had to insist that he leave the room, and the new moderator asked if I would be available to remain to respond to questions and then take some time to share about CISL.
I had come with flyers and hand-outs and business cards, but I had not expected to be given the floor for more than 45 minutes. What an honor! I had expected to merely share for a couple of minutes, but this group of pastors gave me the opportunity to share in detail about the services CISL could provide, to make connections with those who were already doing amazing work in the African American community and to celebrate that work as a group. Some people were skeptical that CISL or anyone could really make a difference. Some believed that the teachers and administrators and systems that truly needed change would be unwilling to receive any help. Many others were just excited that there existed an agency within OSPI that could provide free training for parents and for educators. Others were suddenly full of ideas about how CISL could help facilitate conversations in church meetings and amongst community organizations to improve the educational experiences of the African American students in Washington State.
What a wonderful, unexpected opportunity! Although I will be sending a personal thank you letter to the Washington Christian Leaders Coalition for the chance to address this group of local leaders, I want to publicly thank Pastor Livingston and the rest of the leadership team of WCLC for this opportunity. We received word today that as of the most recent decisions, CISL will remain in operation. We have to work together as a community. The African American Legislative Day was a great example of community. We cannot expect others to help us before we help ourselves.
Thank you to everyone who attended this event! Thank you to the Commission on African American Affairs for organizing the special events. Thank you to WCLC. Thank you to Tabor 100. Thank you to anyone who may not have attended any of the special events but who met with legislators. Whether you are White or Black, Latino or Native American, Asian or Pacific Islander, the greatest lesson to be learned by this experience is that when we come together as communities, whether ethnic communities or neighborhoods, we can make real, lasting change. The other lesson is that we all must engage in the political process and take special interest in the issues that impact us and those about whom we care.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Parent Engagement that Best Serves your Community
In the last week I have presented in 4 different cities…at staff meetings, school improvement meetings, and a district-wide parent engagement meeting. Everywhere I go, educators are clamoring for help. Teachers and administrators know they need to get parents engaged in schools, but they’re not really sure how to do it. I would love to say that I have all the answers, but I really don’t. I, like you, have many questions still. How do we develop thriving PTA’s? How do we meet the needs of our students whose families are in economic crisis? How do we find funding to provide the necessary resources for all of our families… and even our schools?
There are no easy answers to these questions, no silver bullets. I wish I could leave every presentation knowing that I have left families and educators with every answer to every question, with the ability to create a successful situation for every child tomorrow, but I am not superwoman (although I would love to be), nor am I God. What I do know is that most of these answers reside within the members of a community. What I can bring is a new perspective about who should be around the table at school improvement meetings and PTA meetings. I may not have the answers, but I believe I can bring the right questions, which will hopefully lead a community to find the answers that will best serve that community.
Although it would be much easier to have one clear answer, I think there is great danger in the cookie-cutter mentality - that there is one way to engage parents, one way to engage students of color in their learning, one way to develop family-community-school partnerships. I am hoping with CISL that we can provide you with such a variety of best practices that as we facilitate conversations with your educators, your families, your community leaders, you will learn about those practices that best match the needs of your environment.
There are no easy answers to these questions, no silver bullets. I wish I could leave every presentation knowing that I have left families and educators with every answer to every question, with the ability to create a successful situation for every child tomorrow, but I am not superwoman (although I would love to be), nor am I God. What I do know is that most of these answers reside within the members of a community. What I can bring is a new perspective about who should be around the table at school improvement meetings and PTA meetings. I may not have the answers, but I believe I can bring the right questions, which will hopefully lead a community to find the answers that will best serve that community.
Although it would be much easier to have one clear answer, I think there is great danger in the cookie-cutter mentality - that there is one way to engage parents, one way to engage students of color in their learning, one way to develop family-community-school partnerships. I am hoping with CISL that we can provide you with such a variety of best practices that as we facilitate conversations with your educators, your families, your community leaders, you will learn about those practices that best match the needs of your environment.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Thoughts on Cultural Competency
Hello, Everyone! I know it’s been a while since I last wrote in this blog. Sorry, sorry, sorry! It’s been a crazy couple of months wrapping up the African American Achievement Gap Study. We now have a Final Report that you can access from our website. As a matter of fact, I asked the other commissions if they would allow us to post all of the final reports on our website so people who were interested could go to one place to gather information.
Today I want to write to you about the process post-Final Report. As some of you know, I have been doing presentations on eliminating the achievement gap since I came on board at CISL. I have done presentations at conferences, in staff meetings and in individual classrooms. I plan to continue with these presentations, so please invite me or Sally Brownfield (our other facilitator) to visit you. We can share data as well as strategies that may be helpful as you consider the diverse populations you serve every day. I would also be more than happy to present this information to parent groups. Parents are often left out of the data loop and don’t realize how critical this information is for the success of their own children.
Just this week, in honor of Dr. King, the five different achievement gap study groups were invited to make two separate presentations to the Senate Education Committee and the House Education Committee. As a newbie to the Hill, I was a little nervous. What would I have to say to these important people? Then I remembered, when it comes to educating our students of color, I am really the expert. I went into our first presentation with confidence, excited to share our findings with this committee. Unfortunately, the experience served to remind all of us why we are even involved in this work…
At the end of our presentation, one of the members of the committee asked the powerful question – What is “cultural competence”? There may be many of you out there who have heard this term thrown around on occasion and who may also have the same question. The question itself was not a problem. My colleague shared the theoretical definition – cultural competence is the ability to communicate and interact effectively with members of different cultures (particularly those to which you do not belong). Again, the problem was not the question. The problem came with the attachment I made to the definition. I decided we talk too often about the theoretical. I wanted each member of the committee to understand a practical application of cultural competence, and so I added a description of a situation in which cultural competency is required. For example, when disciplining an African American child, one should not take a step into that boy’s personal space and proceed to raise one’s voice. This will be perceived as a challenge to the young man who will likely respond in a negative way and further disengage from the work that is happening in the classroom.
Before I could completely finish my thought, this member interrupted me to submit that this was not what she was thinking. She was convinced that cultural competence should relate more to understanding the cultural challenges that occur when a student moves from another country where people have no toilets… I was dumbfounded and chose to mention that I was raised as an African American in a white home (I was adopted), whereas my husband and most of my students were raised in an urban, predominantly African American community. I saw very distinct cultural differences between us and had to learn to adapt in order to communicate effectively. Before I could finish, this person interrupted me and began to suggest that these differences were not in fact things that teachers should learn about. She said teachers already had too much to worry about and should not have to also worry about these minor distinctions. She even suggested that students who were born and raised here really weren’t so different that trainings on these cultural differences would even be necessary.
I mention this interaction to you because of the response of all the other members of the study groups. As I sat through the rest of the presentation (our heated interaction was eventually cut off by the committee chair), I was shaking inside. I was worried that I had said the wrong thing, although I had not raised my voice and had remained very respectful. I was worried that I had sounded stupid, although I really believed everything I had spoken out loud. Every word I had spoken was based on 15 years of experience in the classroom. As I turned around to return to my seat after the presentation, most of the members of the other groups shook my hand. Some even said “thank-you.” In the face of my insecurity, the other presenters were so excited that I had made a stand for the heart of the reason we were even involved in these studies and making these presentations. Many of them stopped me after all the presentations were over to say they really appreciated my willingness to speak out in the face of such important figures.
If the answer to the achievement gap issue was merely in helping people learn to be better math teachers or better English teachers… However, the issue is not in teachers’ abilities to do a better job of teaching content. The bigger concern is that too many teachers do not know how to communicate with the children and families with whom they interact each day. I would even suggest that most teachers have a desire to do a better job in this area. They are just not sure where to go to learn how to do a better job.
After hours of thinking about this unfortunate incident, I have come to the conclusion that this very conversation may be the most important one we can have as we go forward in making efforts to eliminate the achievement gap. This weekend many of us will gather from every ethnic group. I plan to ask each group to give me the 5 – 10 most critical elements of culture that they would like me to communicate with teachers as I go into schools to help educators through this process. If there is anything you would like to share from your culture and experience, please feel free to do so via our e-mail (cisl@k12.wa.us). I would love to add your voices to ours.
When all is said and done, what happened that one day with that one individual is not the big deal. The big deal is that there are still far too many educators who believe as this person does and who need to understand the damage we are doing to our students when we don’t communicate effectively with each one. Is this a difficult charge? Yes! As a former teacher who spent most of my career in very diverse communities nothing like the one in which I grew up, I am aware of the challenges of developing an effective bank of strategies. However, I like many of you, believe that the education of all of our students is so critical to the future of our communities, our state, our nation that it’s worth doing the work required to become knowledgeable about what really works. Please join me in making our schools a better place for all students!
Today I want to write to you about the process post-Final Report. As some of you know, I have been doing presentations on eliminating the achievement gap since I came on board at CISL. I have done presentations at conferences, in staff meetings and in individual classrooms. I plan to continue with these presentations, so please invite me or Sally Brownfield (our other facilitator) to visit you. We can share data as well as strategies that may be helpful as you consider the diverse populations you serve every day. I would also be more than happy to present this information to parent groups. Parents are often left out of the data loop and don’t realize how critical this information is for the success of their own children.
Just this week, in honor of Dr. King, the five different achievement gap study groups were invited to make two separate presentations to the Senate Education Committee and the House Education Committee. As a newbie to the Hill, I was a little nervous. What would I have to say to these important people? Then I remembered, when it comes to educating our students of color, I am really the expert. I went into our first presentation with confidence, excited to share our findings with this committee. Unfortunately, the experience served to remind all of us why we are even involved in this work…
At the end of our presentation, one of the members of the committee asked the powerful question – What is “cultural competence”? There may be many of you out there who have heard this term thrown around on occasion and who may also have the same question. The question itself was not a problem. My colleague shared the theoretical definition – cultural competence is the ability to communicate and interact effectively with members of different cultures (particularly those to which you do not belong). Again, the problem was not the question. The problem came with the attachment I made to the definition. I decided we talk too often about the theoretical. I wanted each member of the committee to understand a practical application of cultural competence, and so I added a description of a situation in which cultural competency is required. For example, when disciplining an African American child, one should not take a step into that boy’s personal space and proceed to raise one’s voice. This will be perceived as a challenge to the young man who will likely respond in a negative way and further disengage from the work that is happening in the classroom.
Before I could completely finish my thought, this member interrupted me to submit that this was not what she was thinking. She was convinced that cultural competence should relate more to understanding the cultural challenges that occur when a student moves from another country where people have no toilets… I was dumbfounded and chose to mention that I was raised as an African American in a white home (I was adopted), whereas my husband and most of my students were raised in an urban, predominantly African American community. I saw very distinct cultural differences between us and had to learn to adapt in order to communicate effectively. Before I could finish, this person interrupted me and began to suggest that these differences were not in fact things that teachers should learn about. She said teachers already had too much to worry about and should not have to also worry about these minor distinctions. She even suggested that students who were born and raised here really weren’t so different that trainings on these cultural differences would even be necessary.
I mention this interaction to you because of the response of all the other members of the study groups. As I sat through the rest of the presentation (our heated interaction was eventually cut off by the committee chair), I was shaking inside. I was worried that I had said the wrong thing, although I had not raised my voice and had remained very respectful. I was worried that I had sounded stupid, although I really believed everything I had spoken out loud. Every word I had spoken was based on 15 years of experience in the classroom. As I turned around to return to my seat after the presentation, most of the members of the other groups shook my hand. Some even said “thank-you.” In the face of my insecurity, the other presenters were so excited that I had made a stand for the heart of the reason we were even involved in these studies and making these presentations. Many of them stopped me after all the presentations were over to say they really appreciated my willingness to speak out in the face of such important figures.
If the answer to the achievement gap issue was merely in helping people learn to be better math teachers or better English teachers… However, the issue is not in teachers’ abilities to do a better job of teaching content. The bigger concern is that too many teachers do not know how to communicate with the children and families with whom they interact each day. I would even suggest that most teachers have a desire to do a better job in this area. They are just not sure where to go to learn how to do a better job.
After hours of thinking about this unfortunate incident, I have come to the conclusion that this very conversation may be the most important one we can have as we go forward in making efforts to eliminate the achievement gap. This weekend many of us will gather from every ethnic group. I plan to ask each group to give me the 5 – 10 most critical elements of culture that they would like me to communicate with teachers as I go into schools to help educators through this process. If there is anything you would like to share from your culture and experience, please feel free to do so via our e-mail (cisl@k12.wa.us). I would love to add your voices to ours.
When all is said and done, what happened that one day with that one individual is not the big deal. The big deal is that there are still far too many educators who believe as this person does and who need to understand the damage we are doing to our students when we don’t communicate effectively with each one. Is this a difficult charge? Yes! As a former teacher who spent most of my career in very diverse communities nothing like the one in which I grew up, I am aware of the challenges of developing an effective bank of strategies. However, I like many of you, believe that the education of all of our students is so critical to the future of our communities, our state, our nation that it’s worth doing the work required to become knowledgeable about what really works. Please join me in making our schools a better place for all students!
Friday, December 5, 2008
HB2722 African-American Achievement Gap Study
I’m back after a long season of being out of the office in Baltimore, Seattle, Spokane, Tacoma… everywhere but home. I wanted to take this opportunity to share with you some of the important work CISL has been doing lately.
Some of you may have attended one of the town hall meetings associated with the House Bill 2722, the African-American Achievement Gap Study. We held town hall meetings in Seattle, Spokane and Tacoma over the course of the past 2 weeks, hoping to hear from educators, parents, students and community members about their experiences with education. The town hall presentations offered our state’s data around African-American student success in math and reading, as well as data related to the importance of teacher quality, student supports, leadership and family/community involvement.
Following the presentations, all participants had the opportunity to share in small groups around the four goals the committee has developed: (1) Providing quality early learning opportunities for all African-American children; (2) Making sure the teachers teaching African-American students are of the highest quality; (3) Making sure all African-American students graduate on time, ready for college and career opportunities, and (4) Assuring that all African-American students enter post-secondary institutions without the need for remediation. These conversations were rich and provided the committee with wonderful feedback that will inform the final plan.
More than anything, I think the town hall meetings were most powerful in that they provided opportunities for those who do not usually have a voice to share their own experiences. Giving people a voice empowers them to believe they are important, that what they say and do matters. As an African-American mother, educator and community member, I was so proud to be a part of these events, to be able to see other mothers and children talk about education publically, many for the first time.
As we closed out these meetings, I stood in front of each group and exhorted them to not wait for the Legislature or school districts to mandate change, to begin to take action in their own homes, in their own schools, in their own communities. I don’t know that parents realize the immense power of their decisions. As most of the research will support, parent involvement is critical to the success of all students, Black, White, Latino, Asian or Native American. Parents do not need to wait for this bill to go to the Legislature. They can begin to take time to find quiet places for their children to do homework. They can set aside time each day for the family to stop everything and read. Parents can take time to talk with their children about what goes on at school each day.
Being a parent is not easy. I have three of my own children, and each is as different as possible from the other. What works with my youngest does not work with my oldest. The teachers my daughter has operate much differently from the teachers my oldest son has, and they are in the same school. I guess I have decided we need to take one step at a time. Make a determination to try one new thing that you are not doing right now. Don’t try to do it all. There is a document on our website that provides some suggestions about how to get involved with your kids in ways that will help them be successful. Pick one thing on that sheet and try it for a month or two until you feel confident. Then try something else.
You are the master of your own destiny. Schools are not perfect places. There is much that still has to be changed so all schools are serving all kids well, but all we have control over is what happens in our homes with our children. Let’s make every moment count!
Erin Jones, Director
Center for the Improvement of Student Learning
Some of you may have attended one of the town hall meetings associated with the House Bill 2722, the African-American Achievement Gap Study. We held town hall meetings in Seattle, Spokane and Tacoma over the course of the past 2 weeks, hoping to hear from educators, parents, students and community members about their experiences with education. The town hall presentations offered our state’s data around African-American student success in math and reading, as well as data related to the importance of teacher quality, student supports, leadership and family/community involvement.
Following the presentations, all participants had the opportunity to share in small groups around the four goals the committee has developed: (1) Providing quality early learning opportunities for all African-American children; (2) Making sure the teachers teaching African-American students are of the highest quality; (3) Making sure all African-American students graduate on time, ready for college and career opportunities, and (4) Assuring that all African-American students enter post-secondary institutions without the need for remediation. These conversations were rich and provided the committee with wonderful feedback that will inform the final plan.
More than anything, I think the town hall meetings were most powerful in that they provided opportunities for those who do not usually have a voice to share their own experiences. Giving people a voice empowers them to believe they are important, that what they say and do matters. As an African-American mother, educator and community member, I was so proud to be a part of these events, to be able to see other mothers and children talk about education publically, many for the first time.
As we closed out these meetings, I stood in front of each group and exhorted them to not wait for the Legislature or school districts to mandate change, to begin to take action in their own homes, in their own schools, in their own communities. I don’t know that parents realize the immense power of their decisions. As most of the research will support, parent involvement is critical to the success of all students, Black, White, Latino, Asian or Native American. Parents do not need to wait for this bill to go to the Legislature. They can begin to take time to find quiet places for their children to do homework. They can set aside time each day for the family to stop everything and read. Parents can take time to talk with their children about what goes on at school each day.
Being a parent is not easy. I have three of my own children, and each is as different as possible from the other. What works with my youngest does not work with my oldest. The teachers my daughter has operate much differently from the teachers my oldest son has, and they are in the same school. I guess I have decided we need to take one step at a time. Make a determination to try one new thing that you are not doing right now. Don’t try to do it all. There is a document on our website that provides some suggestions about how to get involved with your kids in ways that will help them be successful. Pick one thing on that sheet and try it for a month or two until you feel confident. Then try something else.
You are the master of your own destiny. Schools are not perfect places. There is much that still has to be changed so all schools are serving all kids well, but all we have control over is what happens in our homes with our children. Let’s make every moment count!
Erin Jones, Director
Center for the Improvement of Student Learning
Thursday, November 6, 2008
CISL e-newsletter (November 2008)
CENTER FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF STUDENT LEARNING (CISL)
www.yourlearningcenter.org
November 2008
View the Web version:
CISL E-NEWSLETTER
INSIDE:
1. Partnering for Student Success Conference Presentations and Handouts
2. National Expert Advice on Strategic Plan for Closing Achievement Gap
3. Teaching about Thanksgiving
4. Renton Principal Wins 2008 Milken National Education Award
5. Free CISL Video
=======================================
1. PARTNERING FOR STUDENT SUCCESS CONFERENCE
Watch presentations and download handouts
Look at pictures from the conference:
=======================================
2. NATIONAL EXPERTS OFFER THEIR ADVICE ON THE STRATEGIC PLAN FOR CLOSING THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP FOR AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDENTS
Listen to their conversations:
*Dr. Karen Mapp
*Paul Ruiz
*Dr. Ron Ferguson
*Dr. Deryl Hunt
Attend a Town Hall Meeting
=======================================
3. TEACHING ABOUT THANKSGIVING
Sally Brownfield shares ideas for parents and resources for teachers
=======================================
4. RENTON PRINCIPAL WINS 2008 MILKEN NATIONAL EDUCATION AWARD
=======================================
5. FREE CISL VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS PROMISING FAMILY AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP PRACTICES
Successful Schools: Families Matter is available for free. Learn how you can watch, download and order the video
=======================================
CONTACT US
For questions, comments or suggestions, please contact CISL at (360) 725-6165 or cisl@k12.wa.us.
=======================================
To subscribe to this newsletter: email cisl@k12.wa.us and ask to be added to the list.
www.yourlearningcenter.org
November 2008
View the Web version:
CISL E-NEWSLETTER
INSIDE:
1. Partnering for Student Success Conference Presentations and Handouts
2. National Expert Advice on Strategic Plan for Closing Achievement Gap
3. Teaching about Thanksgiving
4. Renton Principal Wins 2008 Milken National Education Award
5. Free CISL Video
=======================================
1. PARTNERING FOR STUDENT SUCCESS CONFERENCE
Watch presentations and download handouts
Look at pictures from the conference:
=======================================
2. NATIONAL EXPERTS OFFER THEIR ADVICE ON THE STRATEGIC PLAN FOR CLOSING THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP FOR AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDENTS
Listen to their conversations:
*Dr. Karen Mapp
*Paul Ruiz
*Dr. Ron Ferguson
*Dr. Deryl Hunt
Attend a Town Hall Meeting
=======================================
3. TEACHING ABOUT THANKSGIVING
Sally Brownfield shares ideas for parents and resources for teachers
=======================================
4. RENTON PRINCIPAL WINS 2008 MILKEN NATIONAL EDUCATION AWARD
=======================================
5. FREE CISL VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS PROMISING FAMILY AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP PRACTICES
Successful Schools: Families Matter is available for free. Learn how you can watch, download and order the video
=======================================
CONTACT US
For questions, comments or suggestions, please contact CISL at (360) 725-6165 or cisl@k12.wa.us.
=======================================
To subscribe to this newsletter: email cisl@k12.wa.us and ask to be added to the list.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Families and Communities: Building Bridges
So, I sat in a meeting yesterday with parents and parent involvement professionals from a number of school districts across the state of Washington. I am used to being in meetings where we talk and talk and talk and do nothing. We talk about doing and walk away with theories that sound good but have no practical application. However, I can say I have now been in two critical meetings in the last week where we have talked about really practical ways for schools to build bridges to families and communities.
I wanted to share with you some ideas I heard at this meeting – food for thought. One of the school representatives shared about an event that has worked well in her district. They hold a free back-to-school carnival a couple weeks before school starts as a way to reconnect with the community every year. This carnival is hosted by the district and several community partners (churches, health agencies, daycare providers, etc.). Families who attend the event can get free immunizations, information about health care, information about the school their child will be attending and free school supplies. Representatives are available from each of the schools, to answer questions about the particular school and to connect with parents.
Another suggestion that was made in this meeting but also in another meeting I attended was that parents just need to be asked what they want. Parents aren’t often given the opportunity to have a voice and feel unimportant in the school community. As a former teacher, I can say that schools haven’t done a very good job of engaging families in a dialogue. Too often as teachers we talk at parents and don’t listen. We tell parents when to come to school, where to go when they come and what to do when they get where we tell them to go.
Finally, we talked about the importance of educating parents (and even teachers, sometimes) about the special programs in our schools. Most parents in Title I and LAP communities don’t have any idea what those terms mean or what kinds of services available for their students. Although schools with such programs are mandated to have a parent involvement component, most parents in these communities are unaware of their role in the process. We need to do a better job in schools of creating effective communication strategies with our families and more opportunities for parents to engage in the everyday life of school.
Although there is much that must change if schools are to become effective models of education, I believe there is hope in this system. I want to do whatever I can to support all of you in the work you do as teachers, administrators, parents, concerned citizens… I hope to continue this conversation with you as the year progresses. My hope is that you will be helped by this information and running commentary. Keep up your hard work.
I wanted to share with you some ideas I heard at this meeting – food for thought. One of the school representatives shared about an event that has worked well in her district. They hold a free back-to-school carnival a couple weeks before school starts as a way to reconnect with the community every year. This carnival is hosted by the district and several community partners (churches, health agencies, daycare providers, etc.). Families who attend the event can get free immunizations, information about health care, information about the school their child will be attending and free school supplies. Representatives are available from each of the schools, to answer questions about the particular school and to connect with parents.
Another suggestion that was made in this meeting but also in another meeting I attended was that parents just need to be asked what they want. Parents aren’t often given the opportunity to have a voice and feel unimportant in the school community. As a former teacher, I can say that schools haven’t done a very good job of engaging families in a dialogue. Too often as teachers we talk at parents and don’t listen. We tell parents when to come to school, where to go when they come and what to do when they get where we tell them to go.
Finally, we talked about the importance of educating parents (and even teachers, sometimes) about the special programs in our schools. Most parents in Title I and LAP communities don’t have any idea what those terms mean or what kinds of services available for their students. Although schools with such programs are mandated to have a parent involvement component, most parents in these communities are unaware of their role in the process. We need to do a better job in schools of creating effective communication strategies with our families and more opportunities for parents to engage in the everyday life of school.
Although there is much that must change if schools are to become effective models of education, I believe there is hope in this system. I want to do whatever I can to support all of you in the work you do as teachers, administrators, parents, concerned citizens… I hope to continue this conversation with you as the year progresses. My hope is that you will be helped by this information and running commentary. Keep up your hard work.
Conversations about School PTA's
Sorry I’ve been away for so long! Life is busy, as you know if you are a parent and working full-time. For those of you who attended the “Partnership for Student Success”, thank you so much for making the conference such a success! You all are such a wealth of information yourselves.
I want to share with you where I have been in the last few weeks, both as a parent and as a professional. At the conference, I learned many things from people who attended. There are so many of you - black, white, Asian, Hispanic, Native American who have such great hopes for your students and for your schools. I am glad to hear that, in spite of the struggles, there is still hope. I am glad to hear that so many parents are still eager to advocate for their children and still believe they can have a voice.
Working as the director of CISL has given me the opportunity to hear from so many different sectors of our state population. There are some regions where parents feel highly supported in their schools and some regions where parents feel like aliens in a strange land. There are some districts where the PTA groups are thriving and meetings are full and effective and other districts where parents are not finding ways to engage in their students’ school communities. There are some schools that have begun to think out of the box and others who do not seem to have a clue why parents should be involved in school beyond parent-teacher conferences and choir concerts.
It was a conversation with a mother from a small town near Bremerton who really got me thinking… She challenged a statement I made at the conference about my previous experiences with PTA. She didn’t like what she perceived to be a negative tone about the models of PTA I had seen in the urban communities where I had lived and worked. Her PTA was thriving and involved parents and grand-parents, educators and community members. She could not understand the possibility that PTA was not working everywhere.
As much as I would love to see PTA organizations thrive in my community, I haven’t seen a model like this yet. Although I have paid my dues and have attended all the PTA meetings this year at my children’s school, I was still seeing an absence of people of color, as I had in my 8 years of as a public school educator. I was still not seeing the value of PTA for the parents around me beyond raising money, even though there were so many other needs.
So, what is the answer to this dilemma? Was I just not involved enough? Was PTA a model that only worked in middle class white environments? What could I do to make the PTA better for my family and for other families?
Coincidentally, the subject of PTA came up in four different venues in my professional and personal life. At a high school parent night, I met the PTA president from a predominantly African-American high school. She shared glowing reports about the work of her PTA and the many opportunities parents had to volunteer in her school in a variety of ways. I was in awe! If it was working for her, how could we recreate this success in other schools?
In three other meetings, I spoke with parents of color and white parents alike who experienced rejection from the parent involvement groups at their schools. Several parents felt there were language barriers. Other parents were unable to attend meetings because of the time commitment, so could not figure out a way to plug in. One parent mentioned that her sexual orientation became a hindrance for her in the way other parents in the group treated her and her child.
With all of these experiences swirling through my head, I decided to commit myself to studying different models for parent involvement that are working here in Washington State. I want to visit flourishing PTA groups, as well as groups like the Multicultural Advisory Committee (in North Thurston) and develop a list of the elements that are working in different communities. I would also like to celebrate those programs and events that are successful, so you can each pull from these experiences the elements you think apply to your community. My thinking has transformed. In the words of Dr. Hunt, a family involvement expert and visitor in our office just last month, “It’s not the problem that counts, it’s the solution.”
I want to make an effort as the director of CISL but also as the parent of three, to share what I hear about the successes of others and hope this will help you in your quest. I know I am not in this alone. I am also aware that what works in one place may not work for another place, but I hope in all the suggestions, you will find something that works for where you are.
I want to share with you where I have been in the last few weeks, both as a parent and as a professional. At the conference, I learned many things from people who attended. There are so many of you - black, white, Asian, Hispanic, Native American who have such great hopes for your students and for your schools. I am glad to hear that, in spite of the struggles, there is still hope. I am glad to hear that so many parents are still eager to advocate for their children and still believe they can have a voice.
Working as the director of CISL has given me the opportunity to hear from so many different sectors of our state population. There are some regions where parents feel highly supported in their schools and some regions where parents feel like aliens in a strange land. There are some districts where the PTA groups are thriving and meetings are full and effective and other districts where parents are not finding ways to engage in their students’ school communities. There are some schools that have begun to think out of the box and others who do not seem to have a clue why parents should be involved in school beyond parent-teacher conferences and choir concerts.
It was a conversation with a mother from a small town near Bremerton who really got me thinking… She challenged a statement I made at the conference about my previous experiences with PTA. She didn’t like what she perceived to be a negative tone about the models of PTA I had seen in the urban communities where I had lived and worked. Her PTA was thriving and involved parents and grand-parents, educators and community members. She could not understand the possibility that PTA was not working everywhere.
As much as I would love to see PTA organizations thrive in my community, I haven’t seen a model like this yet. Although I have paid my dues and have attended all the PTA meetings this year at my children’s school, I was still seeing an absence of people of color, as I had in my 8 years of as a public school educator. I was still not seeing the value of PTA for the parents around me beyond raising money, even though there were so many other needs.
So, what is the answer to this dilemma? Was I just not involved enough? Was PTA a model that only worked in middle class white environments? What could I do to make the PTA better for my family and for other families?
Coincidentally, the subject of PTA came up in four different venues in my professional and personal life. At a high school parent night, I met the PTA president from a predominantly African-American high school. She shared glowing reports about the work of her PTA and the many opportunities parents had to volunteer in her school in a variety of ways. I was in awe! If it was working for her, how could we recreate this success in other schools?
In three other meetings, I spoke with parents of color and white parents alike who experienced rejection from the parent involvement groups at their schools. Several parents felt there were language barriers. Other parents were unable to attend meetings because of the time commitment, so could not figure out a way to plug in. One parent mentioned that her sexual orientation became a hindrance for her in the way other parents in the group treated her and her child.
With all of these experiences swirling through my head, I decided to commit myself to studying different models for parent involvement that are working here in Washington State. I want to visit flourishing PTA groups, as well as groups like the Multicultural Advisory Committee (in North Thurston) and develop a list of the elements that are working in different communities. I would also like to celebrate those programs and events that are successful, so you can each pull from these experiences the elements you think apply to your community. My thinking has transformed. In the words of Dr. Hunt, a family involvement expert and visitor in our office just last month, “It’s not the problem that counts, it’s the solution.”
I want to make an effort as the director of CISL but also as the parent of three, to share what I hear about the successes of others and hope this will help you in your quest. I know I am not in this alone. I am also aware that what works in one place may not work for another place, but I hope in all the suggestions, you will find something that works for where you are.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
My Last Orientation for the Year
I have now attended my last school orientation for the year. Although I was impressed by the numbers of parents in attendance at the middle school orientation, there were easily twice as many parents at the elementary open house. Some hallways I dared not enter for fear of being squeezed into a corner.
All in all, my son was very happy with his new school and new classroom. He was excited to get to know the new students, hoping for the first time in his life that there would be other children around him every day with similar interests and similar eccentricities. He enjoyed talking with the teacher about his recent travels to Europe and about the microscope he had acquired from one of my favorite middle school teachers, Mr. Penello (who happens to live a few doors down from my parents).
As parents entered classrooms, we were handed packets of paper with information and forms to complete. I don’t think I have ever been as conscious of the importance of adult literacy as I am now. As the director of CISL, one of my charges is to help parents navigate the school system. How does a parent respond to a packet if s/he is not a reader? I was a reading teacher, and I am overwhelmed by the 20-page stack I received for each of my students. Do parents who don’t speak English feel comfortable coming to an orientation knowing they may not understand anything that is being said? Orientation must be an overwhelming experience for both groups. Do these families just not attend? What about parents who do not have an office desk or dining room table on which to fill out paperwork? Do these packets not get turned in? Some of you may think these silly questions, but let me remind you that thousands of students served here in Washington are in a state of transition or living without water and electricity or furniture. Some students are living with their families in a shelter…or in a vehicle. There is so much we take for granted about the children we see around us.
Getting back to my son’s classroom… After perusing the books on the shelves and looking at the posters displayed around the room, I asked the teacher if there was anything I could do to support her in the classroom. She asked if I would be interested in supervising a science team for a contest or organizing the Scholastic orders for the month. To be honest, although Mr. Penello was one of my favorite science teachers ever (Mr. Britt, you’re a close second), I would not say science is my strong suit at this point in my life. I was an English and French teacher for the last fifteen years. When it comes to organizing anything that requires the sending out of money… Well, there’s a reason my husband takes care of our bills. I am the QUEEN of procrastination.
Is there nothing else I can do? I was a teacher for 15 years! I taught my son’s current grade-level for most of that time. Is there nothing else I can offer? I speak languages. I have traveled the world. I have written music and directed plays. I was a little offended. Was I so useless? ... And then last night I ran into a PTA regional director who brought me back to reality and reminded me that not all teachers have had wonderful experiences with parents. To my son’s teacher, I am as yet an unknown quantity. Just the fact that I was a teacher does not mean I would necessarily interact well with her students.
I am glad that PTA director put me back in my place. She helped me to realize that I need to be more patient with my son’s teacher. However, this experience also brought to my recollection a thought I have had in my head since the day I arrived in my new office and saw Karen Mapp’s book Beyond the Bake Sale on my desk. I have not yet had time to read the whole book, but from what I read that day, it became apparent to me that school systems – administrators, teachers, even PTAs – have not done a very good job of involving parents in the education of their children during the school day. The most interested and available parents are often asked to organize fund raisers or make copies or maybe, if they’re lucky, to supervise in the lunchroom, attend field trips or chaperone a school dance. Aren’t there other ways we could be helpful as parents?
The wheels in my head have been turning… Maybe not all parents have interesting jobs. Some may work at home as mothers (yes, being a stay-at-home mom or dad is a job). Some parents may not work at all, but I believe each parent has something to offer – a skill, a talent, an experience. Is there a way to invite parents to engage in the classroom in a way that benefits everyone? Is there a coffee shop owner who can talk about the process of buying a franchise or the process of making different kinds of non-caffeinated drinks? Is there a bus driver who can talk about his/her experience driving a bus and how s/he chose this career? Is there a lawyer who can talk about the difference between reality T.V. and real life? Are there people who have skills or hobbies that could be turned into free after-school classes?
I say these things not to point a finger at my son’s teacher, because if any finger-pointing were to be done, one of the fingers would be pointing back at me as a teacher. I say these things because it is time for all of us – parents, educators, community organizations – to think about the ways we can build bridges that connect us and not walls that divide us. We all have something to offer one another. We each hold a key to the success of the children in America’s classrooms.
All in all, my son was very happy with his new school and new classroom. He was excited to get to know the new students, hoping for the first time in his life that there would be other children around him every day with similar interests and similar eccentricities. He enjoyed talking with the teacher about his recent travels to Europe and about the microscope he had acquired from one of my favorite middle school teachers, Mr. Penello (who happens to live a few doors down from my parents).
As parents entered classrooms, we were handed packets of paper with information and forms to complete. I don’t think I have ever been as conscious of the importance of adult literacy as I am now. As the director of CISL, one of my charges is to help parents navigate the school system. How does a parent respond to a packet if s/he is not a reader? I was a reading teacher, and I am overwhelmed by the 20-page stack I received for each of my students. Do parents who don’t speak English feel comfortable coming to an orientation knowing they may not understand anything that is being said? Orientation must be an overwhelming experience for both groups. Do these families just not attend? What about parents who do not have an office desk or dining room table on which to fill out paperwork? Do these packets not get turned in? Some of you may think these silly questions, but let me remind you that thousands of students served here in Washington are in a state of transition or living without water and electricity or furniture. Some students are living with their families in a shelter…or in a vehicle. There is so much we take for granted about the children we see around us.
Getting back to my son’s classroom… After perusing the books on the shelves and looking at the posters displayed around the room, I asked the teacher if there was anything I could do to support her in the classroom. She asked if I would be interested in supervising a science team for a contest or organizing the Scholastic orders for the month. To be honest, although Mr. Penello was one of my favorite science teachers ever (Mr. Britt, you’re a close second), I would not say science is my strong suit at this point in my life. I was an English and French teacher for the last fifteen years. When it comes to organizing anything that requires the sending out of money… Well, there’s a reason my husband takes care of our bills. I am the QUEEN of procrastination.
Is there nothing else I can do? I was a teacher for 15 years! I taught my son’s current grade-level for most of that time. Is there nothing else I can offer? I speak languages. I have traveled the world. I have written music and directed plays. I was a little offended. Was I so useless? ... And then last night I ran into a PTA regional director who brought me back to reality and reminded me that not all teachers have had wonderful experiences with parents. To my son’s teacher, I am as yet an unknown quantity. Just the fact that I was a teacher does not mean I would necessarily interact well with her students.
I am glad that PTA director put me back in my place. She helped me to realize that I need to be more patient with my son’s teacher. However, this experience also brought to my recollection a thought I have had in my head since the day I arrived in my new office and saw Karen Mapp’s book Beyond the Bake Sale on my desk. I have not yet had time to read the whole book, but from what I read that day, it became apparent to me that school systems – administrators, teachers, even PTAs – have not done a very good job of involving parents in the education of their children during the school day. The most interested and available parents are often asked to organize fund raisers or make copies or maybe, if they’re lucky, to supervise in the lunchroom, attend field trips or chaperone a school dance. Aren’t there other ways we could be helpful as parents?
The wheels in my head have been turning… Maybe not all parents have interesting jobs. Some may work at home as mothers (yes, being a stay-at-home mom or dad is a job). Some parents may not work at all, but I believe each parent has something to offer – a skill, a talent, an experience. Is there a way to invite parents to engage in the classroom in a way that benefits everyone? Is there a coffee shop owner who can talk about the process of buying a franchise or the process of making different kinds of non-caffeinated drinks? Is there a bus driver who can talk about his/her experience driving a bus and how s/he chose this career? Is there a lawyer who can talk about the difference between reality T.V. and real life? Are there people who have skills or hobbies that could be turned into free after-school classes?
I say these things not to point a finger at my son’s teacher, because if any finger-pointing were to be done, one of the fingers would be pointing back at me as a teacher. I say these things because it is time for all of us – parents, educators, community organizations – to think about the ways we can build bridges that connect us and not walls that divide us. We all have something to offer one another. We each hold a key to the success of the children in America’s classrooms.
Middle School Orientation
Well, my middle school children have just experienced orientation at their new school. The event was organized so that all new students (both 7th and 8th graders) could do activities together in groups of 10 – 12, facilitated by 8th grade students. The groups played name games and listened to speakers. They took tours of the building and saw their new schedules.
Parents could come later and meet with teachers and counselors. We were invited to sign up for the PTA and for the Parks and Recreation middle school events. Athletic packets were passed out and parents were encouraged to pay for their child’s hot lunch.
As a former middle school teacher, I was pretty impressed with the enthusiasm of the student leaders and faculty present at the event. My only concern, after talking with someone else who had taken off work to attend the event, was that as well-run as the afternoon was, the timing was not well-suited for those families in which both parents worked day jobs. Although there were many parents present, I now wonder how many other parents could have attended had the event been held in the evening.
These are things as schools that we need to think about… 20 or 30 years ago, most moms were at home during the day and could pick up and leave to run errands or assist in a classroom or attend an orientation in the middle of the day. The times are different now. Most women work a full-time job and take care of their children. Many women and even some men are single parents. How can we think about doing things differently to accommodate the different needs of our society so that all parents and guardians can participate in the education of our nation’s children?
Yesterday I paid my PTA dues and signed up to participate in this “mechanism” for the first time in my children’s educational journey. Why had I not signed up before? We were busy at nights. After teaching a full day, I did not have the energy to be out for hours at night as well, in addition to athletic events and church. Furthermore, the PTA groups always seemed to be comprised predominantly by the stay-at-home mothers with whom I had little in common. I do not know how my experience will be here, but I have joined. I am committed to challenging traditional thinking and trying to help create a parent-community-school partnership that is inclusive, not exclusive.
Stay tuned for the next installment – the elementary open house…
Parents could come later and meet with teachers and counselors. We were invited to sign up for the PTA and for the Parks and Recreation middle school events. Athletic packets were passed out and parents were encouraged to pay for their child’s hot lunch.
As a former middle school teacher, I was pretty impressed with the enthusiasm of the student leaders and faculty present at the event. My only concern, after talking with someone else who had taken off work to attend the event, was that as well-run as the afternoon was, the timing was not well-suited for those families in which both parents worked day jobs. Although there were many parents present, I now wonder how many other parents could have attended had the event been held in the evening.
These are things as schools that we need to think about… 20 or 30 years ago, most moms were at home during the day and could pick up and leave to run errands or assist in a classroom or attend an orientation in the middle of the day. The times are different now. Most women work a full-time job and take care of their children. Many women and even some men are single parents. How can we think about doing things differently to accommodate the different needs of our society so that all parents and guardians can participate in the education of our nation’s children?
Yesterday I paid my PTA dues and signed up to participate in this “mechanism” for the first time in my children’s educational journey. Why had I not signed up before? We were busy at nights. After teaching a full day, I did not have the energy to be out for hours at night as well, in addition to athletic events and church. Furthermore, the PTA groups always seemed to be comprised predominantly by the stay-at-home mothers with whom I had little in common. I do not know how my experience will be here, but I have joined. I am committed to challenging traditional thinking and trying to help create a parent-community-school partnership that is inclusive, not exclusive.
Stay tuned for the next installment – the elementary open house…
Friday, August 29, 2008
Jones Family 2008-2009
Have you ever wondered if you are the only parent who has a difficult time making connections to your child’s school? As the new director of the Center for the Improvement of Student Learning (CISL) at OSPI and as someone who has just moved into a new community, I decided it may be helpful to use this blog to chronicle my experiences as the mother of three children (an 11 year-old, a 12 year-old and a 13 year-old) and an educator. I hope you can learn from my experiences.
I know there are some of you out there saying, “School must be easy for her. She’s an educator. She works for OSPI. If anyone ‘gets’ school, it must be her.” I am passionate about doing this blog because as experienced as I am, I do not have all the answers. Furthermore, I have not always been here. I have not always had positive or easy experiences. I think each one of you will be able to relate to some portion of my past story and/or some portion of my current one.
I am an African-American woman who was raised as an ex-patriot in the Netherlands. I grew up as one of the only brown people in a sea of very wealthy Caucasians. When I decided to come to America for college, I came very aware that I was a foreigner in this country. I knew I would be culturally different from the other African-Americans, so I was ready to “not belong” to their community right away. What shocked me was how I was perceived by Caucasians in my college community. My first three years in America were years of self-discovery and much pain as I realized I was not like anyone else around me. Not only was I called a “foreigner” by those in the African-American community, most of whom had never heard of the Netherlands; I was also called the “n” – word as I walked down the street to the store. I was followed by security in stores as I walked down aisles looking for a new toothbrush or a bar of soap. It was not until my junior year that I finally decided either people would like me or not like me. I couldn’t change where I had grown up or the color of my skin.
Shortly after graduation from college, I married an African-American man who had grown up in a single-parent home in an urban community. We married and spent the first four years of our marriage living in very poor communities where gang violence was a daily affair and meals consisted of whatever we could gather from our WIC checks and the food bank. He was working on his graduate degree, and I was substitute teaching when I could get work. Finally, I was hired as the only teacher of color in a private school. In the midst of that first job, I became pregnant with my oldest child. As my children grew from infancy to school age, I became concerned about the state of affairs in our public schools. I looked at the resources my students had in the private school where I worked as compared to the lack of resources and apparent lack of concern for education I was seeing in the public schools. Suddenly, my perceptions of school were personal and not just professional.
I now have three school-aged children. I have one child who has struggled with academic endeavors from the time he was four and I asked him to practice writing. Based on his difficulty remaining focused to complete tasks, we suspected he was ADD, which was later confirmed. He is very intelligent, but struggles with organization and completing assignments. He is gifted athletically and musically. My second child struggles with the content of some subjects but is organized and persistent so has demonstrated above-average grades throughout elementary school. This child is very social and thrives on daily interactions with peers, as well as participation in team sports and band. If there is “drama” to report in school, she is somehow involved. The third child has participated in highly-capable programming for most of his academic career. Although he demonstrates high achievement academically and participates in band, he struggles socially amongst his peers.
Anyone with more than one child knows that no two children are ever alike. This makes parenting at home and at school very complicated. Each child has different needs. Some can be left alone to complete assignments and to manage their behavior. They are self-motivated and self-sufficient. Others require many reminders and a regular call to a teacher.
I am a teacher by trade, so maybe you think I should have this all together. Let me tell you, I am still learning. I still haven’t figured out the way to guarantee that the homework my son has done at home in front of my eyes will make it to his teacher’s desk. I still haven’t figured out how to stop my daughter from allowing other people’s “issues” to distract her from her job at school – to be a student. I haven’t figured out how to stop worrying about whether or not my youngest will have made enough friends by his birthday to warrant having a party. I haven’t figured out how to get as involved as I would like in my children’s school while holding down a full-time job.
As we begin a new year, I want you to know that I send my children off to school the first day just as nervous as you. Will my children get the best teachers? Will my youngest son be laughed at because he’s not good at playing football or basketball like the rest of the boys? Will my children remember to bring home all the necessary beginning-of-the-year paperwork? Will their classrooms be overcrowded? Will they like their new schools?
Don’t think because I have an important position in education that schools will treat me any differently from you. I have been yelled at (when a teacher thought I was a student skipping class, not a parent visiting a classroom). I have been ignored (I mean, not even looked at or spoken to by office staff). I have been told by a teacher that she thought my child was stupid, until she realized he was ADD and just needed to be refocused. I have had important paperwork lost by a teacher. I have struggled just like you to get my kids the kind of education I believe they (and all children) deserve.
As we begin a new school year, I have already made appointments with my children’s principals. I want them to know me and to know that I care. Did I not care before? That was not the case. This will be the first year I can get away from work to make these appointments. I was always in school working with other people’s children and unable to get away to take care of my own the way I would have liked to.
This is a new season for me. As I walk through a new year as a parent of children in a new school, as an employee in a new position, I want to be very aware of ways other parents who are busy during school hours can be involved. I want to think more intentionally about how to support those of you who may have to work two or three jobs or who work a 9:00 – 5:00 and can’t get away to visit a classroom during the day.
Join me for the next nine months and learn with me about how we can do a better job of partnering with our schools to create more successful experiences for our children. Hear about my successes and feel free e-mail me with yours.
If you have questions or suggestions to add to this blog, please write to me at erin.jones@k12.wa.us. I may not have answers for you, but I can help connect you to the resources you need.
I know there are some of you out there saying, “School must be easy for her. She’s an educator. She works for OSPI. If anyone ‘gets’ school, it must be her.” I am passionate about doing this blog because as experienced as I am, I do not have all the answers. Furthermore, I have not always been here. I have not always had positive or easy experiences. I think each one of you will be able to relate to some portion of my past story and/or some portion of my current one.
I am an African-American woman who was raised as an ex-patriot in the Netherlands. I grew up as one of the only brown people in a sea of very wealthy Caucasians. When I decided to come to America for college, I came very aware that I was a foreigner in this country. I knew I would be culturally different from the other African-Americans, so I was ready to “not belong” to their community right away. What shocked me was how I was perceived by Caucasians in my college community. My first three years in America were years of self-discovery and much pain as I realized I was not like anyone else around me. Not only was I called a “foreigner” by those in the African-American community, most of whom had never heard of the Netherlands; I was also called the “n” – word as I walked down the street to the store. I was followed by security in stores as I walked down aisles looking for a new toothbrush or a bar of soap. It was not until my junior year that I finally decided either people would like me or not like me. I couldn’t change where I had grown up or the color of my skin.
Shortly after graduation from college, I married an African-American man who had grown up in a single-parent home in an urban community. We married and spent the first four years of our marriage living in very poor communities where gang violence was a daily affair and meals consisted of whatever we could gather from our WIC checks and the food bank. He was working on his graduate degree, and I was substitute teaching when I could get work. Finally, I was hired as the only teacher of color in a private school. In the midst of that first job, I became pregnant with my oldest child. As my children grew from infancy to school age, I became concerned about the state of affairs in our public schools. I looked at the resources my students had in the private school where I worked as compared to the lack of resources and apparent lack of concern for education I was seeing in the public schools. Suddenly, my perceptions of school were personal and not just professional.
I now have three school-aged children. I have one child who has struggled with academic endeavors from the time he was four and I asked him to practice writing. Based on his difficulty remaining focused to complete tasks, we suspected he was ADD, which was later confirmed. He is very intelligent, but struggles with organization and completing assignments. He is gifted athletically and musically. My second child struggles with the content of some subjects but is organized and persistent so has demonstrated above-average grades throughout elementary school. This child is very social and thrives on daily interactions with peers, as well as participation in team sports and band. If there is “drama” to report in school, she is somehow involved. The third child has participated in highly-capable programming for most of his academic career. Although he demonstrates high achievement academically and participates in band, he struggles socially amongst his peers.
Anyone with more than one child knows that no two children are ever alike. This makes parenting at home and at school very complicated. Each child has different needs. Some can be left alone to complete assignments and to manage their behavior. They are self-motivated and self-sufficient. Others require many reminders and a regular call to a teacher.
I am a teacher by trade, so maybe you think I should have this all together. Let me tell you, I am still learning. I still haven’t figured out the way to guarantee that the homework my son has done at home in front of my eyes will make it to his teacher’s desk. I still haven’t figured out how to stop my daughter from allowing other people’s “issues” to distract her from her job at school – to be a student. I haven’t figured out how to stop worrying about whether or not my youngest will have made enough friends by his birthday to warrant having a party. I haven’t figured out how to get as involved as I would like in my children’s school while holding down a full-time job.
As we begin a new year, I want you to know that I send my children off to school the first day just as nervous as you. Will my children get the best teachers? Will my youngest son be laughed at because he’s not good at playing football or basketball like the rest of the boys? Will my children remember to bring home all the necessary beginning-of-the-year paperwork? Will their classrooms be overcrowded? Will they like their new schools?
Don’t think because I have an important position in education that schools will treat me any differently from you. I have been yelled at (when a teacher thought I was a student skipping class, not a parent visiting a classroom). I have been ignored (I mean, not even looked at or spoken to by office staff). I have been told by a teacher that she thought my child was stupid, until she realized he was ADD and just needed to be refocused. I have had important paperwork lost by a teacher. I have struggled just like you to get my kids the kind of education I believe they (and all children) deserve.
As we begin a new school year, I have already made appointments with my children’s principals. I want them to know me and to know that I care. Did I not care before? That was not the case. This will be the first year I can get away from work to make these appointments. I was always in school working with other people’s children and unable to get away to take care of my own the way I would have liked to.
This is a new season for me. As I walk through a new year as a parent of children in a new school, as an employee in a new position, I want to be very aware of ways other parents who are busy during school hours can be involved. I want to think more intentionally about how to support those of you who may have to work two or three jobs or who work a 9:00 – 5:00 and can’t get away to visit a classroom during the day.
Join me for the next nine months and learn with me about how we can do a better job of partnering with our schools to create more successful experiences for our children. Hear about my successes and feel free e-mail me with yours.
If you have questions or suggestions to add to this blog, please write to me at erin.jones@k12.wa.us. I may not have answers for you, but I can help connect you to the resources you need.
Thursday, May 8, 2008
COLLEGE ACCESS SUMMIT
Join The College Success Foundation to create a statewide college access network.
When: Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Breakfast and networking reception begin at 9 a.m.
Summit 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
What: KnowHow2GO College Access Summit
Where: University of Washington
HUB West Ballroom – Seattle campus
Who: You, along with college access providers, youth-serving
organizations, and community leaders from around the state
On May 20, 2008, the Northwest Education Loan Association (NELA) in partnership with College Success Foundation (CSF) will launch KnowHow2GO Washington at a statewide college access summit.
Reminder: Space is limited, so click here to register and reserve your spot.
The summit will feature:
• KnowHow2GO campaign launch and College Bound scholarship program
• What's happening in your region and best practices from national and statewide experts
• Breakout sessions and peer learning opportunities
• Networking with statewide and regional partners
• Information on the availability of mini-grants
Ultimately, our vision is to create a statewide network around college access — and we need your participation.
• In addition to launching the KnowHow2GO campaign, our vision is to help more students connect to resources — like you — in their local community.
• A statewide network of college access providers, advocates and youth-serving organizations will help more students realize their college aspirations.
• KnowHow2GO Washington presents a timely opportunity to realize this common vision and create a shared agenda around college readiness and access.
When: Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Breakfast and networking reception begin at 9 a.m.
Summit 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
What: KnowHow2GO College Access Summit
Where: University of Washington
HUB West Ballroom – Seattle campus
Who: You, along with college access providers, youth-serving
organizations, and community leaders from around the state
On May 20, 2008, the Northwest Education Loan Association (NELA) in partnership with College Success Foundation (CSF) will launch KnowHow2GO Washington at a statewide college access summit.
Reminder: Space is limited, so click here to register and reserve your spot.
The summit will feature:
• KnowHow2GO campaign launch and College Bound scholarship program
• What's happening in your region and best practices from national and statewide experts
• Breakout sessions and peer learning opportunities
• Networking with statewide and regional partners
• Information on the availability of mini-grants
Ultimately, our vision is to create a statewide network around college access — and we need your participation.
• In addition to launching the KnowHow2GO campaign, our vision is to help more students connect to resources — like you — in their local community.
• A statewide network of college access providers, advocates and youth-serving organizations will help more students realize their college aspirations.
• KnowHow2GO Washington presents a timely opportunity to realize this common vision and create a shared agenda around college readiness and access.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
10 Ways to Celebrate Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Month at Home
1. Recognize the great diversity of Asian and Pacific Islander ethnicities and languages. How many can you name?
2. Read about Asian Pacific American History.
3. Talk with your child about the moments in our history that we should never forget.
• What happened to Japanese Americans during World War II?
• How did Chinese immigrants contribute to the building of the Transcontinental Railroad?
• Who was the first Asian Pacific American governor in the continental United States?
4. Some Asian Americans came to the United States as refugees. Talk with your child about what it means to be a refugee.
5. Put on a play or do a readers’ theater of an Asian or Pacific Islander folk tale.
6. Visit the Seattle Asian Art Museum or the Wing Luke Asian Museum. Go on the Chinatown Discovery Tour.
7. Make a Hawaiian lei with your child or learn how to make a paper crane.
8. Write a haiku.
9. Many people know about Ellis Island and the important role it played in receiving immigrants from European countries. What do you know about Angel Island?
10. Make banana pancakes.
2. Read about Asian Pacific American History.
3. Talk with your child about the moments in our history that we should never forget.
• What happened to Japanese Americans during World War II?
• How did Chinese immigrants contribute to the building of the Transcontinental Railroad?
• Who was the first Asian Pacific American governor in the continental United States?
4. Some Asian Americans came to the United States as refugees. Talk with your child about what it means to be a refugee.
5. Put on a play or do a readers’ theater of an Asian or Pacific Islander folk tale.
6. Visit the Seattle Asian Art Museum or the Wing Luke Asian Museum. Go on the Chinatown Discovery Tour.
7. Make a Hawaiian lei with your child or learn how to make a paper crane.
8. Write a haiku.
9. Many people know about Ellis Island and the important role it played in receiving immigrants from European countries. What do you know about Angel Island?
10. Make banana pancakes.
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Civil Rights Conference on the dropout crisis in the Northwest (May 30, 2008)
The Dropout Crisis in the Northwest: Confronting the Graduation Crisis in All Communities with Special Focus on American Indian and Alaska Native Students is scheduled for May 30, 2008 at the University of Washington.
Our feature speakers will include Susan C. Faircloth of Penn State University, Christopher B. Swanson of Education Week, Nettie E. Legters of Johns Hopkins University, Mandy Smoker Broaddus of the Office of Public Instruction in Helena, Montana, Sally Brownfield of Hood Canal School District, and Gary Orfield, among others.
Click here to register. Registration is free to the public.
Lunch will be provided. Due to our limited space, we will confirm your registration by email before May 26, 2008. Please join us. We look forward to seeing you at the conference.
Our feature speakers will include Susan C. Faircloth of Penn State University, Christopher B. Swanson of Education Week, Nettie E. Legters of Johns Hopkins University, Mandy Smoker Broaddus of the Office of Public Instruction in Helena, Montana, Sally Brownfield of Hood Canal School District, and Gary Orfield, among others.
Click here to register. Registration is free to the public.
Lunch will be provided. Due to our limited space, we will confirm your registration by email before May 26, 2008. Please join us. We look forward to seeing you at the conference.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Washington State Coalition for Language Access Conference
The WASCLA Conference brings together participants throughout Washington State to share improvements and progress in working to ensure access to Limited English Proficient individuals.
Who Should Attend?
Those who are interested in language access including interpreters, translators and those providing services in the following areas: domestic violence, sexual assault, crimes such as trafficking, advocacy, law enforcement, housing, health- care, immigration, public benefits, family law, and government services.
Goals for the Summit:
Learn more about LEP policies, interpreter and translator best practices, training for staff on working with interpreters, telephonic interpreting, interpreter and translator certification, reimbursement systems, translation models, and cultural competence. Discuss a statewide database to share interpreter and translator resources. Network with professional interpreters and translators.
Click here for more information.
Who Should Attend?
Those who are interested in language access including interpreters, translators and those providing services in the following areas: domestic violence, sexual assault, crimes such as trafficking, advocacy, law enforcement, housing, health- care, immigration, public benefits, family law, and government services.
Goals for the Summit:
Learn more about LEP policies, interpreter and translator best practices, training for staff on working with interpreters, telephonic interpreting, interpreter and translator certification, reimbursement systems, translation models, and cultural competence. Discuss a statewide database to share interpreter and translator resources. Network with professional interpreters and translators.
Click here for more information.
Monday, April 14, 2008
Preventing the Kindergarten Readiness Gap
Dear Education Leaders and Supporters:
As we implement multiple strategies to meet state standards and “leave no child behind,” we cannot ignore the readiness skills of our future students. Forty percent of children walk into kindergarten already one to three years behind. What happens in the early learning years, long before a child enters kindergarten, has a profound impact on his or her future education.
Educators want to get out of the remediation business because it doesn’t work well and it is very costly. Early intervention is a powerful strategy, such as offering READY! for Kindergarten classes for parents and primary caregivers of children birth to age five. The READY! for Kindergarten program focuses on fun family activities that lead to school readiness. Over 50 school districts are benefiting from this approach.
You and your colleagues are invited to attend a one-day seminar presented by the National Children’s Reading Foundation. The attached brochure contains all of the information. Please join us to discover the unexpected research and practical options for narrowing and eliminating the readiness gap before students enter kindergarten.
Click here to learn more or to register now.
From the National Children's Reading Foundation
www.readingfoundation.org
As we implement multiple strategies to meet state standards and “leave no child behind,” we cannot ignore the readiness skills of our future students. Forty percent of children walk into kindergarten already one to three years behind. What happens in the early learning years, long before a child enters kindergarten, has a profound impact on his or her future education.
Educators want to get out of the remediation business because it doesn’t work well and it is very costly. Early intervention is a powerful strategy, such as offering READY! for Kindergarten classes for parents and primary caregivers of children birth to age five. The READY! for Kindergarten program focuses on fun family activities that lead to school readiness. Over 50 school districts are benefiting from this approach.
You and your colleagues are invited to attend a one-day seminar presented by the National Children’s Reading Foundation. The attached brochure contains all of the information. Please join us to discover the unexpected research and practical options for narrowing and eliminating the readiness gap before students enter kindergarten.
Click here to learn more or to register now.
From the National Children's Reading Foundation
www.readingfoundation.org
Celebrating Earth Day at Home
On April 22nd, we join over 100 different countries in celebrating Earth Day. This is an opportunity to appreciate nature and discover ways to protect our environment. At home and in the classroom, it is a great time to learn with our children about our planet and how each of us can contribute to keeping it clean.
Ten Ways to Celebrate Earth Day with your Child:
1. Talk about how her daily choices impact the rest of the world.
2. Participate in local Earth Day celebrations.
3. Decorate your house for Earth Day with homemade crafts.
4. Take a tour of your house. What could you do at home to use less electricity and water?
5. Read about an endangered species.
6. Talk to your child about how to reduce your household garbage. Reduce, reuse, recycle.
7. Join the Environmental Kids Club.
8. Enjoy nature. Go for a walk. Go to a park. Play outside!
9. Plant a tree.
10. Talk about how to stay safe from environmental risks at home.
Ten Ways to Celebrate Earth Day with your Child:
1. Talk about how her daily choices impact the rest of the world.
2. Participate in local Earth Day celebrations.
3. Decorate your house for Earth Day with homemade crafts.
4. Take a tour of your house. What could you do at home to use less electricity and water?
5. Read about an endangered species.
6. Talk to your child about how to reduce your household garbage. Reduce, reuse, recycle.
7. Join the Environmental Kids Club.
8. Enjoy nature. Go for a walk. Go to a park. Play outside!
9. Plant a tree.
10. Talk about how to stay safe from environmental risks at home.
Friday, March 21, 2008
Hands-on Environmental Lessons
Students learn how to test water quality and gain a better understanding of the local environment.
Click here to learn more.
Click here to learn more.
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