Teaching and Learning: Language and Culture

The University of Chicago Consortium on School Research published a recent summary of research titled, " Supporting Social, Emotional, &Academic Development Research Implications for Educators " (October 2018). On the publication, the Consortium defines their mission as, "To build capacity for school reform by identifying what matters for student success and school improvement, creating critical indicators to chart progress, and conducting theory-driven evaluation to identify how programs and policies are working." In Chapter 3, "Teachers Shape Students’ Mindsets, Changing Their Learning Experience," the consortium identifies and describes how the teacher has a direct impact in shaping the mindsets of the students. The consortium identifies four learning mindsets essential for students to accept in order to develop in school: "I belong in this learning community. I can succeed at this. My ability and competence grow with my effort (also kno...

As a Language Development Coach (LDC), I have the privilege of learning about all of the new transfer students by reviewing their files, learning about their cultural-linguistic background, and their immigration history. This year, I was amazed by the diversity of our incoming students. I look forward to getting to know each of their unique assets, how they will acculturate and add value to our Woodlawn community. Before I show the numbers revealing the increases in student diversity, please remember our value statement: “Every student, every school, every day.” We need to make sure that EVERY student is successful in our system. Although the current Illinois Report Card on Woodlawn does not include 2018 numbers ( Illinois Report Card, Woodlawn MS, 2017 ), we see as indicated by the yellow bars that the the percentage of white WL students has dropped from 64% to 60% from 2013-2017; black students have remained at 2%; Hispanic students hovering about 10-11%; Asian students i...

On Wednesday, April 25th, 8th grade Spanish Biliteracy students attended We Day to celebrate their local/global service learning projects and be inspired to make a positive impact in our local and global communities. On the We Day website, We Day is described as a, " WE Day is a powerful, life-changing experience with world-renowned speakers and performers, mixed with real inspirational stories of change." The day was inspiring and filled with back-to-back celebrity performances (like Jordan Fisher and Ally Brooke from Fifth Harmony ) and inspirational speeches by world leaders like the former Prime Minister of Australia, Julia Gillard, and Margaret Trudeau. ( Complete list of Presenters in WE Day Illinois ). In order to qualify for our local service learning project, 8th grade students researched local food challenges and support organizations before organizing and implementing a canned food drive that collected more than 200 non-perishable food items. Students refle...

Written by Rocío Robledo-Zak Interviewed by Ryan Zak During a session of guided reading, I was re-teaching a mini lesson on cause and effect with a group of students. The passage we were using involved an expository text on the Pony Express. After students read the passage to themselves, they had to identify and describe at least three causes and effects into their journals. Once they completed that task, we did a turn and share in the group. One student identified one cause by stating that the riders of the Pony Express crossed territorial lands to help deliver mail and the effect was that Indians would kill them for invading their lands. After I praised the student’s response, another student made a teasing comment towards that student, “you see what your people did to the riders.” The lighter-skinned girl, whose comment directed towards the darker-skinned boy, seemed to have the explicit intention playfulness, but the implicit effect of race-related prejudice. After s...

From Good to Premier: Why we’re a “Great” Team! As a Language Development Coach (LDC) and a Spanish Biliteracy teacher, I have the privilege to collaborate with a wide variety of educators who constantly push my practice and innovate their own. By educator, I refer to ALL individuals working in our buildings: certified staff, administrative and instructional assistants, related service professionals, custodians, administrators, co-teachers, and instructional coaches. Every one of us has a profound impact on the growth of our students towards realizing their maximum potential. I am inspired every day by our collaborations, innovations, and advocacies for what we think is best for our students. In District 96, our vision statement highlights our ambitious goals towards greatness :   “Become the premier elementary school district in the nation,” ( About KCSD96 website ). As highlighted by the word, “become,” we are not there yet. We are constantly striving towards improvement, c...

“Welcome! It’s so great that you’re here for the conference. Take a seat,” the teacher warmly welcomes the parent to our November Parent-Teacher conferences, inviting them to sit together at a table. “Let me just start by saying how nice your kid is and how much I have enjoyed getting to know him,” the parent smiles as the teacher shares personal connections with the child and acknowledges an area of strength. “Let’s review the comments prepared by all of the teachers.” One by one, the teacher relays messages repeating the similar theme: “Your child would be doing better if he/she just tried a little bit harder,” or, “Your son/daughter is very nice, but not very motivated,” or, “I really like your son/daughter but he/she is not trying their best.” As a classroom Spanish teacher of these same students, I completely understand the sentiment expressed during these conferences. Parents expressed appreciation for our support, expressing similar concerns about effort/motivation, and...