Presented By: Rachel Snider

Samantha HolmesYuri Thornton

Impacting Literacy Through Culturally Responsive Teaching

Practices

An Initiative of Closing the Achievement Gap (CTAG) at the

2:30-2:45 Introductions, Ice Breaker Activity2:45-3:15 CMSD and CTAG Overview3:15-4:00 The Wizard of Ed Related to Literacy

4:00-4:20 Taking the Next Step4:20-4:30 Q&A, Evaluations

Content Overview

CulturePovertySchool/Classroom Climate

This workshop will highlight strategies employed by the Cleveland Metropolitan School District’s Race to the Top initiative Closing the Achievement Gap (CTAG). CTAG is a targeted intervention program designed to address the needs of “at risk” minority males in an effort to reduce/eliminate educational disparities. This session will highlight the promising practices of CTAG’s newest initiative the Diversity Component, a professional development training module exploring culturally responsive teaching practices.

Objective

Be impeccable with your words.

Don’t take anything personally.

Don’t make assumptions.Always do your best.

The Four Agreements

Based on the book The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz

Do not operate from a deficit minded model or framework. (The glass is always half full.)

Be open to all input and information, not evaluative or judgmental.

Believe that the power to close and ultimately eliminate the achievement gap lies within us collectively. (There is no Superman.)

Respect and appreciate the opinion of others.

The 4 CTAG Agreements

Vision Statement

The Cleveland Municipal School District envisions 21st Century Schools of Choice producing excellence in graduates through a rigorous and challenging curriculum taking into consideration the learning styles, program preferences and academic capabilities of each student; with high quality and committed educators, administrators and support staff.

CMSD At A Glance

District Statistics

99 Schools Elementary/Middle Schools: 68 High Schools: 26

40,871 students served Black 67.6% Hispanic 13.8% Caucasian 14.6%

7,264 professional positions Teachers 3,106

Graduation Rate 56.1%

Specialized Services Special Education 24%Multilingual 6.4%Free and Reduced Lunch 100%

CMSD At A Glance

2011-2012

Began in July 2007 under Ohio Governor Ted Strickland as a statewide initiative to Close the Achievement Gap amongst minorities.

When funding ran out after 2 years, districts were expected to sustain the program.

CMSD received a $1.5 million grant to continue from Kaiser Permanente

CTAG is now funded through Race To The Top Area E: Turning Around the Lowest Achieving Schools

CTAG At A Glance

Ohio Revised Code 3306.31 requires school districts that have a 3 year overall average graduation rate of 80% or less to have CTAG Linkage Coordinators.

Target population: 9th grade at risk minority males

Risk factors determined by the Ohio Department of Education:1)Failed 2 or more classes in 8th grade2)Absent more than 36 days 3)Received 5 or more days suspension4)Over age for grade level

CTAG Tier I: Student Mentoring

CTAG Tier I: Student Mentoring

Linkage Coordinators Impacting Literacy

Book ClubsJournalsSummer Bridge ProgramExposure Trips

Mission Statement

Closing the Achievement Gap (CTAG) Diversity Component is dedicated to providing high quality professional development opportunities.

Our primary objective is to link educators with the tools and knowledge through a motivational framework surrounding Culturally Relevant Pedagogy, in an effort to promote academic achievement within the Cleveland Metropolitan School District.

CTAG Tier II: Educator PD

Diversity Coordinators are responsible for the execution and monitoring of the culturally relevant initiatives at the building, district, and citywide level as it relates to the diversity initiatives of the CTAG program.

Diversity Coordinators are facilitators and trainers that provide educators with the tools and skills needed to enhance their abilities as a culturally responsive educator.

Continuously research, benchmark, and development of diversity strategies, external best practices and trends relative to culturally relevant pedagogy; aligning such with CTAG mission and core beliefs.

The Role of a Diversity Coordinator

CTAG Tier II

Yuri Thornton

Thomas Jefferson 9th Grade Academy

John Marshall HSJames Ford Rhodes

HS

Samantha Holmes

East Tech HSLincoln West HS

Martin Luther King HSWashington ParkJohn Marshall 9th

Grade Academy

Rachel SniderCollinwood HSGlenville HS

John Adams HSJohn F. Kennedy HS

The CTAG Diversity Team

District Wide InitiativesEducator Symposiums:The Beginning of the Road: Introduction to Becoming a Culturally

Responsive Educator

Boys in Poverty

Annual Hispanic Symposiums:10 Steps to the Head of the Class with Dr. Samuel Betances

Non-Academic Barriers for Hispanic Males with Dr. Pedro Noguera

Methods of Reaching Educators

School Based Professional Development

The Wizard of Ed:Monthly professional development held in the 12

CTAG high schools to address student diversity and social emotional learning competencies.

Methods of Reaching Educators

CTAG Tier II: The Wizard of Ed

Guides educators through a series of steps that model the famous movie “Wizard of Oz”.

Educators are guided down the yellow brick road, an 8 month training process designed to prepare educators for incorporating and implementing Culturally Relevant Pedagogy (CRP) in their schools and classrooms.

What are some outside factors that can have an impact on literacy and

academic achievement?Culture Poverty

School and Classroom Climate

CTAG Tier II: The Wizard of Ed

Culture refers to not only the racial or ethnic groups we are born into but also groups that we choose to belong to– such as religious groups or organizational groups.

Culture is a combination of thoughts, feelings, attitude, beliefs, values, behaviors, and patterns that are shared by racial, religion, social, or organizational groups.

What is Culture?

www.teachingtoleraance.org

What is Culture?

Big CRaceEthnicityGenderGroup

Identity

Little CPersonality

TraitsCharacteristics Individual

Identity

www.teachingtoleraance.org

Activity #1

1.Write down 4 descriptors of your culture.

2.Cross 1 descriptor off of the list.

3.Share the remaining descriptor and describe your thoughts/feelings on this process.

What is Culture?

Repeat this process 2 times.

Generational PovertyWhen a family has been in poverty for two generations or more.

Poverty

Situational PovertyDevelops when there is an unforeseen act such as death, divorce, or illness and the resource base is temporarily depleted.Teaching with Poverty in Mind by Eric Jenson

Poverty

Black 43.4%

Hispanic

43.6%

Cleveland 51.3% of children are in

Poverty

United States Census Bureau 2010www.city-data.com

White 21.9%

Effects of Poverty on LearningChildren raised in poverty rarely choose to

behave differently, but they are faced daily with overwhelming challenges that affluent children never have to confront.

E.A.C.H.Emotional and Social Challenges Acute Chronic StressorsCognitive LagHealth and Safety Issues

Poverty

Hispanic Symposium with Dr. Betances

Poverty Impacting Literacy

Turn and Talk

1.With a neighbor, discuss the impact of vocabulary on literacy and academics.

2.What are some strategies that can be implemented to assist students?

Poverty Impacting Literacy

School ClimateRefers to the quality and character of school life

Based on patterns of students', parents' and school personnel's experience of school life

Reflects norms, goals, values, interpersonal relationships, teaching and learning practices, and organizational structures

What is School Climate?

Instructions1. On your post it note write one characteristic that you see, hear, or feel in a culturally responsive classroom.

2. Put your post it on the corresponding chart in the room.

Y-Chart Activity

Copyright: Video Education America

Pictures are worth a thousand words…

School Climate

Classroom Transformation

School Climate

Classroom Transformation

School Climate

Classroom Transformation

Print Rich (books, ACT/SAT vocabulary, quotes)

Infused Technology (Twitter board, There’s an App for That)

Culturally Relevant (flags, maps, posters, class meetings)

School Climate

Making the Classroom Culturally Relevant to African American Males

School Climate

BARBER SHOP

Hardy greeting-barber is familiar with regular customer

Healthy social interaction

Captures and builds on aspects of black culture such as communalism, oral tradition, verve, and movement

A visit is empowering and transformative- customers feel good when leaving

Culturally relevant music and sound is played

SCHOOL

Sometimes educators may not greet their students

Taught to behave in a proper manner

Rewards Eurocentric ways of knowing and communication

Students of color and disadvantaged students can often feel disempowered.

Most classrooms are sterile and absent of music

Boutte, Gloria. African American Communities: Implications for Culturally Relevant Teaching. Benedict College, Vol. 2:311, 2006

School ClimateMaking the Classroom Culturally Relevant to African American Males

PhysicalAttraction

Arrangement Atmosphere

Color and

ArtifactsMusic

CooperativeSpace

Interest Centers

CreativityMulti-Media

Creating Culturally Responsive Classrooms by B. Shade, C. Kelly, and M. Oberg

School ClimateCreating a Culturally Learning Environment

Instructions1. On your post it note write one characteristic that you see, hear, or feel in a culturally responsive classroom.

2. Put your post it on the corresponding chart in the room.

3. Compare and contrast.

Y-Chart Activity

Copyright: Video Education America

Celebrations

CRP Lesson Plans: Critically Reading Advertisements

Interdisciplinary lesson plans that incorporated student centered learning in the subjects of ELA, science, social studies, math, etc.

Rent-A-Center

Food Labels

What’s Next?

Educator’s Symposium

June 2013Two Days District wide (250 educators)Application Based

What’s Next?

Summer Institute

June – August 2013District wideTwo workshops per week

Your Yellow Brick Road

CMSD Educators

Diversity Book ClubBudget Reallocation

Your First Brick

Unions (if applicable)Advisory BoardSymposiums

Questions

Evaluations

"A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his

influence stops."

-Henry Brooks Adams

Contact InformationYuri C. Thornton Regional, CTAG Diversity Coordinator yuri.c.thornton@cmsdnet.net

Rachel Snider CTAG Diversity Coordinator rachel.j.snider@cmsdnet.net

Samantha R. Holmes CTAG Diversity Coordinator samantha.r.holmes@cmsdnet.net