Get the Party Started!

It's only right to talk about parties on cinco de mayo. Am I right? :)

So many of our schools take time to celebrate our kids, families and cultures they represent. This is more than a day of fun, its a great example of how schools show they want to know about our kids.

At the most recent Service Center meeting, one of our very own success stories was mentioned by a proud parent. A parent/colleague that works here at the Service Center talked about the great cultural night held at Excel Charter Academy this past week. Please join me in applauding Heidi at Excel for initiating this event, a first for the school.

That's a whole lot of happiness!

 

I think any school that has similar events will say that for all the work it takes to plan and coordinate the event it is completely worth it.

 Many of our schools that do a cultural night have classrooms choose a country to research and present on. They'll usually have cultural ambassadors, either kids or parents, that talk to the class about the country.

 

And the food...have we mentioned the food?!

 

So if you haven't tried this at your school and want to I encourage you to start planning! Start by forming a group of teachers/admin that share your vision. Pick a date and commit. We want to see your pictures and pass on the inspiration to the next school!







The Silver Lining of an Audit

 

You might be aware, if you're a Michigan school that receives Title III dollars, that occasionally Federal programs are audited :)

Auditors like to see a lot of evidence that things are being done well. I was so happy to receive some examples of such events happening in the EL community.

Many of our schools actively seek to engage EL families, and this week I was able to see some examples of that. Is your school doing something similar? Want to join the bragging wall (by my desk!)? Send me an example of what great parent engagement strategy you do!

Newsletters- EL teachers fill in their colorful form on a monthly basis highlighting school-wide activities, EL activities and upcoming events.
Literacy Nights- EL families are invited to attend these events to learn strategies and win academic supplies to use at home.
Cultural Celebrations- Many of our schools strive to foster cross-cultural communication by hosting potlucks, dessert nights and morning coffee dates.

Welcome Back!

I hope you all had a restful and recharging holiday season. I also hope your kids came back happy and ready to learn :)

The start of the new year is a good time to review how we as teachers and coordinators can welcome our new ELL students into our classrooms and into our schools. We're likely to recieve new students periodically and it can be a challenge for you as the teacher and the student who comes in halfway through the year. Imagine that scenario for a newcomer to the country. It is our goal and our mission to allow newcomers to feel safe and comfortable in their new environment.

Here are two great video clips that demonstrate the need for teachers to connect to their students and tips on how to make that transition as easy as possible for the student.

Welcoming Newcomers

Want more tips to pass along to your teachers of ELL students?
http://www.colorincolorado.org/educators/reachingout/welcoming/

http://www.everythingesl.net/inservices/cultureshock.php

http://www.colorincolorado.org/article/38575/

http://www.colorincolorado.org/article/33042/

Celebrate Diversity

Like any student, the English Language Learner wants to feel connected to their school. Challenges such as language comprehension, social norms, religious differences, and different background experiences can sometimes be so great that it blocks a student from feeling that connection. When a child becomes too overwhelmed with all these differences they really wont be thinking 'how can I improve my reading level?'

One simple way to ease that is to show interest in them and their culture. Find out where they are from. Show them you want to know more. Also, make sure your classroom teachers are aware of their background. Take a classroom/school census. Acknowledge and celebrate the many cultures.

If you do not have a space dedicated to cultural awareness you might want to consider finding a wall in your building! Take a look at Excel's great representation of their school's cultural make up!

Don't worry if you have a small population of ELLs! We live in a nation of immigrants, many of us came from elsewhere. Open it up to include your staff, or maybe the entire school! What a fun opportunity to teach about a census?!