Thursday, March 20, 2008

It Takes a Community

Bobby Hobgood from Learn NC conducted a session at the NCaect conference about culturally responsive teaching. The suggested resources focused on meeting the needs of Latino students but the real key to creating a culture for learning is to realize we all bring our own history and our own perspective into the classroom. Teachers are challenged to blend all represented cultures to create a community of learners. A framework for creating this shared culture stresses the importance of:
Establishing inclusion - make sure everyone feels respected and connected
Developing a positive attitude toward learning - make it relevant and offer choices, build real world connections and my world connections
Enhance meaning - lesson has to matter to the learner
Engender competence - students have to believe they can be effective learners

Suggested resources from Learn NC included:
Helping Latino Students Feel Comfortable in your Classroom http://www.learnnc.org/lp/pages/latinosclassman2006-01

Climbing the school ladder: A challenging task for migrant Latino students http://www.learnnc.org/lp/editions/brdglangbarriers/1.1

Reaching Latinos through Social Studies
http://www.learnnc.org/lp/pages/latinossocialstudies

It is okay to be different: Teaching diversity with Todd Parr
http://www.learnnc.org/lessons/Readwritethink200606212024

Bridging Language Barriers
http://www.learnnc.org/lp/editions/brdglangbarriers/1.3

Funds of Knowledge
http://www.learnnc.org/lp/editions/brdglangbarriers/2.1

Don't put it down, put it up
http://www.learnnc.org/lp/pages/harwell-braun1

InTime Multicultural Education
http://www.learnnc.org/bestweb/intime

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