Creating Caring Communities of Learners

1. Creating Caring Communities of Learners Molly Niland Samantha Morrill Sean Smith Dana Murphy Caitlynn Brown Hannah Molinelli

2. Terminology ELL: English language learner ESL: English as a second language

3. Article 17: Creating Intentional Communities to Support English Language Learners in the Classroom The diversity of prior background knowledge and schema development among all learners is a challenge that English teachers face ELL’s face a “silent period” in which they are building critical mass before being able to produce the language From the learner’s perspective, a mutual interview begins the establishment of a mentor relationship with the teacher and provides a culturally responsive connection between home and school Teachers need to form intentional communities of learners that both support and integrate the resources that ELLs bring to the English classroom Secondary classroom culture needs to be expanded by the teacher to remove isolation and marginalization of ELLs

4. Article 18: Cultivating Optimism In the Classroom Building Block 1: Personal Efficiency: Students need a reason, or “payoff,” to invest time and energy into the future. Building Block II: Students must have the mindset that if they think long enough about a problem, eventually they’ll come up with a solution Empowered Preschoolers: Preschoolers need the chance to show off what they’ve learned to receive praise. 6th Grade Astronauts: Students participated in a full on space simulation which used english, math, science and history skills. After presenting it to parents, students have concrete evidence that they are capable to succeed. Middle School Reforms: A team of students who felt uncomfortable in school were asked to investigate the areas they didn’t like. Then, they met to come up with several reforms which they presented to teachers. They then worked together to make the changes. Students learn they have a voice and can create change.

5. Article 19: Teachers Connecting with Families Before the School Year: Send a postcard Call the home During Parent Conference: Focus on the child’s natural strengths Get parent to talk first Focus on one important issue Throughout the Year: • at the beginning of the school year have a welcome parents meeting • -ask each parents about their concerns • Call each student at home • Call, email parents regularly • Encourage parent volunteers

6. Article 20: How not to talk to your kids Children who are praised for being smart end up giving up faster when they aren’t immediately good at something Children who are praised for having good effort are more willing to be wrong and take on a challenge Having a high self-esteem does not improve grades or career achievement Research shows that over praised children are more competitive and more likely to cheat because they do not know how to handle failure

7. Article 21: Democracy and EducationEmpowering Students to Make Sense of Their World Important connection between education and democracy: freedom to learn from and build on experience, and to use the knowledge we learn to prepare us for our future. Teachers teach with the belief that today's curriculum prepares the students for the next grade level. Teachers should be inspiring students to have desire to learn and understand what they are learning. Our curriculum is, “a mile wide and an inch deep.” We are too focused on test scores and not on connecting the subject matter to real life experiences. The mission of schooling should be to help students understand and make sense of the curriculum, and to be successful today and in the future.

8. Discussion Questions Article 18 discussed the importance of optimism in the classroom starting at a young age; if you were a teacher in a pre-school class how could you incorporate this in your classroom? How could you ease the uncomfortable feelings a child experiences during their ‘silent period’ transition? Though we talked about the downsides of praising children, how do you think praising children could work to benefit their futures?