LA 3.1: (30 min) Reviewing Analysis of My Invisible Backpack. Using their notes from homework on the Invisible Backpack, have teachers sit in groups of 4. They need to discuss the privileges they have from their homework. After the discussion, each group needs to create 3 ‘ahas’ to share with the class. As they work, you should circulate to be sure they are discussing in depth, and the relationship they see between McIntosh not understanding why men didn’t get women’s issues and how whites in America are blind like that about poverty and privilege. Have them share their AHAs.
LA 3.2: (30 min)For this activity, move the students into 4 groups. Assign each group one of the portions of the chapter from Funds of Knowledge ch. 4 to read together. Some of the assignments seem to have the same page, but it’s because there’s a break in the page and one group will read the top part, and another group will read the bottom part. Bring chart paper and markers so they can make a chart explaining what their section was about. Then give each group a turn to share. Discuss afterward if needed.
LA 3.3: (40 min) Office of Civil Rights Role. Students should be sitting in the same school/feeder schools group. They studied OCR and other federal laws that apply to teaching ELs in HW 2.5. Some may have been in a school or district in which OCR became involved because of a complaint; others may not. Leave them in groups of 4. They also had a document entitled Ensuring Participation of ELs to work with as they noted how well their school was doing in each of the areas, and then they had an Analyzing Compliance Data sheet they should have filled in. They discuss the questions and determine where improvement is needed as well as identify possible solutions. You need to circulate through the room as they work to collect ideas on the board for fixing some of these issues. Have a brief discussion regarding OCR.
LA 3.4: (30 min) Serving ELS in Schools and Classrooms. Students should be in same school groups or feeder school groups again. They are to read the article Pat’s Story in their group. It is located below the directions for the learning activity, so they just need to scroll down. You should lead a short discussion to summarize the event in the story, why they think it happened, and if they have had an experience like that. Groups then make a list of strategies that are good to use when instructing English Language learners focusing on being sure needs are met. They then answer the questions in direction #4. Then they address direction #5. You can collect their lists, which should include a title and a brief explanation, so you can create a list to share next week.
LA 3.5: (30 min) Exploring Community Engagement Through Examples. You will need to supply chart paper and markers for each group to make a poster explaining the plan they read. This activity supports the partnership plan as it has eight examples of partnership plans others have done. Have them in groups of 3 and assign each group one of the articles. After reading, they need to make a poster giving information and showing both of the plans they read, showing the specifics and should be given a title. It should show who the partners are, the goal of the partnership, and how it works. Have them post their poster, and everyone will gallery walk through the plans. They then return to their seats and write ideas for their own partnership plan. They can have a partner to work with on this plan if they’re at the same school, or if they can get another teacher from their school to work on it with them. The assignment will be due and be presented in session 6.
Explanation of Homework
HW 3.1: Reflections on my Learning. This homework is the online journal reflection they have completed for previous sessions. They will turn it in to you at the end of class and the whole thing will be worth 200 points.
HW 3.2: Family Profile Major assignment. Students are asked to make their second visit with the family and to complete the Family Profile assignment. Both this and the partnership plan are due in session 6, so the earlier they finish one of them the better. It reminds them that they should change the student and family names for privacy, and that they also need to create a visual representing this family and will use it when they share in small groups in session 6.
HW 3.3: A Teacher's Perspective on Family Involvement. For this homework they need the article ‘A Teacher’s Perspective’ and use the reading guide for it. Both are linked in the activity directions. Explain that what they read includes the six PTA Standards and the teacher’s perspective is a paragraph below each standard. The reading guide asks them to reflect on what the teacher wrote in the article. They need to bring the completed reading guide to session 4.
HW 3.4: Partnership Plan.They need to search online for Community-based Organizations and Faith-based Organizations that might be helpful in creating their partnership plan assignment. We have included 2 examples that were really created by teachers to help them think of things they might be able to do. In each of the examples, teachers recognized a problem and then reached out to community resources and other teachers to make it work. That’s what they need to do for their plan. In previous homework they were to create an outline of a plan, and they can begin with that or go for something fresh.
HW 3.5.: Beliefs about Poverty. For this assignment, they will watch 2 TED talks, one by Mia Birdsong, and the other by Rutger Bregman. They fill in the viewing guide. Then they read a summary from the ASCD book Disrupting Poverty. They take their own notes for the reading. These prepare them to learn more about students who live in poverty during session 4.