text:
50 Literacy Strategies for Culturally Responsive Teaching, K-8
Publication Year: 2006
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781483350288
Subject: Bilingual/ELL Learners, Teaching Strategies for Diverse Students, Elementary English
"The authors provide practical approaches to literacy instruction that are desperately warranted. They offer a prescription for using strategies, selecting text, making home-school connections, and building learning communities aimed at benefiting all students. In short, this is a text that is long overdue."
--Alfred W. Tatum, Assistant Professor
Northern Illinois University
Make literacy MEANINGFUL in your classroom for students of ALL cultures!
This book will allow teachers to use innovative strategies to promote engaged, inclusive literacy, and raise their students' appreciation for the cultural diversity in their own classroom communities. This resource celebrates awareness of individual, ethnic, cultural, linguistic, and economic diversity, and addresses all aspects of studies within the context of culturally responsive teaching. Field-tested with K-8 teachers, each strategy is described for use at beginning, intermediate, and ...
- Chapters
- Front Matter
- Back Matter
- Subject Index
- Chapter 1: Classroom Community: Getting to Know Me, Myself, and Us
- Autobiography: All About Me
- Biography: What Do You Like?
- Physical Differences
- Abilities and Capabilities
- Graphing Different Ethnic Groups in the U.S.
- Graphing Differences for Analysis
- What's in a Name?
- A Web Page: An Electronic Book About You
- ABC's of Cultural Communication: Getting to Know You in a Few Minutes
- Chapter 2: Home, Community, and Nation: Making Contributions to Literacy Learning
- What Is a Family?
- Home Is Where the Heart Is: Connecting with Families
- Community Soup
- Heroes and Sheroes: Contributions to Our World
- A Day in the Life of Youth/Adults
- Yesterday and Today: Grandparents/Senior Citizens and Parents
- Place Name Games and Geographic Awareness
- Storytelling
- Chapter 3: Multicultural Literature Events: Motivating Literacy Learning in Content Areas
- Literature: Celebrate Famous People from Diverse Backgrounds
- Literature in Mathematics
- Appreciation of the Arts
- Literature in History
- Literature in Science
- Exploration of Values: Reader Response to Diversity
- Math Expression and Everyday Language
- Chapter 4: Critical Media Literacy: Exploring Values
- Introduction to Critical Media Literacy
- Critical Media Literacy and Literature: Understanding Family, School, and Community Values
- Deep Viewing and the Visual Media
- Textual and Visual Connections
- Internet Traveler
- Chapter 5: Global Perspectives and Literacy Development: Understanding the World View
- Community and Conflict: Peaceful Problem Solving
- Being Grateful for Diversity
- The World and Our Place in It
- Diverse Means of Transportation
- Compassion: Journal Writing, Interviewing, and Theatrical Presentation
- Weather and Us
- Speaking and Learning Languages
- Flora and Fauna of Regions
- Architecture Around the World
- Calendar of Holidays/Festivals from Around the World
- Differences in Names and in Addresses
- Group Poems
- Recipe Books
- Converting from the U.S. System to the Metric System
- Chapter 6: Inquiry Learning and Literacy Learning: Beginning to Know Research
- KWLQ: Researching Diversity
- Inquiry Learning: Questioning and Analysis
- Exploring Diversity on the Internet: Pen Pals and E-Pals
- Collecting Multicultural Adages
- Multicultural Book Clubs
- Brain Teasers
- Searching the Origins of English Words
Copyright[Page iv]
Copyright © 2006 by Corwin Press
All rights reserved. When forms and sample documents are included, their use is authorized only by educators, local school sites, and/or noncommercial or nonprofit entities who have purchased the book. Except for that usage, no part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Schmidt, Patricia Ruggiano, 1944–
50 literacy strategies for culturally responsive teaching, K-8/Patricia
Ruggiano Schmidt and Wen Ma.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-1-4129-2571-6 (cloth)—ISBN 978-1-4129-2572-3 (pbk.)
1. Language arts (Elementary)—Activity programs. 2. Multiculturalism—Study and teaching—Activity programs. 3. Literacy. I. Ma, Wen. II. Title.
III. Title: Fifty literacy strategies for culturally responsive teaching, K-8.
796.323′63′0973–dc22 2006001769
This book is printed on acid-free paper.
10 11 12 13 14 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2
Acquisitions Editor: Jean Ward
Editorial Assistant: Jordan Barbakow
Copy Editor: Bill Bowers
Typesetter: C&M Digitals (P) Ltd.
Proofreader: Teresa Herlinger
Indexer: Rick Hurd
Cover Designer: Scott Van Atta
Foreword[Page vii]
Patricia Ruggiano Schmidt and Wen Ma are to be congratulated for writing what will become a classic and invaluable classroom resource, 50 Literacy Strategies for Culturally Responsive Teaching, K–8. There is no more compelling rationale for this book than the teacher's comment quoted by the authors that "I'm an American; I don't have a culture." Many teachers are culturally out of contact with themselves and their roots. As I noted in 2000 in the Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, teachers are "…the individuals of the third-, fourth-, and fifth-generations who are the lost ones whose first cultures like unsettled spirits haunt their angst-filled reveries. They are the shadow diasporas, consensually self-validated as groups, but only vaguely." How can a teacher address cultural issues and hold the belief that some human beings do not have a culture? It is with great excitement and expectation that I read this book. Schmidt and Ma state that "…we were inspired to design a text for elementary and middle education that demonstrates how to develop cultural sensitivity and an appreciation for differences." They also argue that much of what teachers know about culture and diversity amounts to stereotypes. I noted in 2004 that "The morning newspapers regale us with stories about illegal immigrants, immigrants who are criminals, and immigrants who become outstanding success stories, winning spelling bees or making vast fortunes." This book will help students and teachers get past the stereotypes. Bravo!
This book is a welcome addition to work in culture and diversity. It presents teaching and learning strategies designed to introduce students to the diversity in their own classroom communities. Strategies are designed for students who are beginners, intermediates, and advanced. The authors brilliantly connect their strategies to other areas of the curriculum.
I believe that what is most outstanding about this book may be an unintended, but significant, outcome. Students will learn about diversity and culture, but the most important outcome, I believe, will be that the teachers themselves will learn about the diversity and cultures in their own classrooms and schools by virtue of using the strategies. I have argued that if students' cultures are not considered by teachers, the students will fail. The pattern of failure across the United States appears to support this conclusion. This book provides multiple strategies for teaching students about diversity and culture. It is my hope that these strategies will help in some small way to reduce the [Page viii]number of students who feel alienated because their cultures are not recognized or are subject to stereotypical perceptions by their classmates and teachers.
Thank you to Schmidt and Ma for this gold mine of strategies. It is needed and overdue.—
Preface[Page ix]Why Is This Text Needed?
We, the authors of 50 Literacy Strategies for Culturally Responsive Teaching, K–8, saw a great need for this text in our nation's schools. (Together we have 30 years of public school classroom teaching experiences and an additional 20 years in teacher education and research.) We discovered this need as we began talking with teachers and teacher educators across our country and working with our graduate and undergraduate students. Present and future elementary and middle school teachers appeared to be aware of our nation's ethnic, cultural, and linguistic diversity, but they expressed concerns about the lack of appropriate strategies and resources for differentiating instruction for these students in urban, rural, and suburban classrooms. Therefore, we were inspired to develop a literacy strategies text that emphasized cultural sensitivity and an appreciation for diversity, and that promoted literacy learning at elementary and middle schools. We see the concept of culture as the factor that embraces all kinds of diversity. For example, if the culture that surrounds linguistic or economic diversity is not addressed, how can we make the English language arts relevant? At first, we were hesitant about dealing with such a huge and complex task. But because of the unmet need, we decided that we must do something. As the medical profession pledges, "First, do no harm," we believed we must start somewhere. As a result, we state, honestly, that this text is not comprehensive; it is just an early attempt to assist teachers as they implement culturally responsive instruction.What Is the Purpose of This Text?
The purpose of this text is to help present and future teachers begin to make home/school/community connections that promote our students' academic and social achievement. All strategies connect to the English Language Arts Standards proposed by the International Reading Association (IRA) and the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) (Appendix A) and the standards will be noted in the introduction of each strategy. Many of these literacy strategies are not new, but are simply modified for culturally responsive instruction, thus demonstrating that making learning culturally relevant is not a great hurdle. We have also avoided too much specificity, since teachers traditionally adapt what they teach to their own students' specific strengths and challenges. Rarely do teachers implement strategies in exactly the same way each year.[Page x]Where Have Applications of Strategies Occurred?
We have repeatedly observed the application of most strategies in numerous elementary and secondary urban, high-poverty classrooms, so one could say that the strategies have been tested for success. A few teachers have adapted them for high school, and a few teachers in suburban and rural settings have successfully used them in their classrooms. These teachers realize that diversity exists in all populations. (Actually, every family has its own special culture: its own way of talking, working, celebrating, playing, etc.) The teachers ranged in professional experience from novice to 25 years and were willing to try these strategies simply because they were curious about them, frustrated with present teaching/learning results, and/or desired to encourage more successful literacy development. They recognized the time-consuming aspects of some strategies, but their efforts yielded the positive results that motivated them to continue with adaptation and application. Interviews and anonymous surveys revealed comments that have been inserted at the end of several strategies. We thought that these would be informative and encouraging.What About Stereotypical Thinking?
We realize that stereotypical understandings of certain groups of people can be strongly embedded in the psyche and that it is no easy task to change attitudes. But we believe that most teachers are predisposed to the negation of harmful stereotypes and want all students to achieve emotionally, socially, and academically in their classrooms. Moreover, we think we have seen that successful applications of the strategies may actually reinforce positive cultural sensitivity and might even begin to eliminate negative notions about certain groups of people.Who Will Find This Text Useful?
Inservice teachers will find 50 Literacy Strategies for Culturally Responsive Teaching, K–8, particularly useful since it offers literacy strategies with transformative messages that can be used across the curriculum. According to English standard dictionaries, "a strategy is a carefully devised plan to achieve a goal or the art of developing or carrying out such a plan." Preservice teachers will also find this text useful as they practice teaching and designing literacy lessons.How Much Teacher Education Is Necessary to Use These Strategies?
This unique text may encourage teachers to use culturally responsive strategies in their classrooms on Monday morning. We know that teachers appreciate an [Page xi]understanding of the theoretical foundations for particular strategies, so that they will be better prepared to implement them. Often, however, there is little time to discuss theory when there are pressing classroom requirements. Actually, the application of strategies helps teachers begin to think differently about differences, seeing first hand how they can be adapted to fit the needs of particular students. The very act of planning strategy application promotes communication between home, school, and community, thus strengthening connections for relevant instruction. Additionally, translators, sign language, and basic personal contacts promote relationships for English Language Learner (ELL) student success.Why Emphasize Cultural Differences?
Our focus is on cultural differences, since we believe that they have been ignored too long in favor of the dominant mainstream culture that empowers the European American and middle class population at the expense of the human dignity of the traditionally ignored peoples. It is "nice" to address similarities in classrooms. Doing so serves an important unifying purpose, but similarities are not what cause wars and serious disturbances in our world. Therefore, learning to value differences in perspectives, languages, cultures, physical appearances, and so forth, offers opportunities to expand inquiry learning, critical thinking, and problem solving (Siegler & Alibali, 2005). We have also included strategies related to differences in climate, geography, measurement, architecture, and flora and fauna. These differences demonstrate the evolution of human diversity and help us appreciate other cultures by bringing new ideas to our own.
Some strategies do not specifically and directly address certain groups, but will certainly assist in recognizing their enriching differences in the classroom. These strategies will assist in building learning communities that not only foster an appreciation of differences, but also promote reading, writing, listening, speaking, and viewing through meaningful activities. Additionally, these strategies may allow teachers to individualize and accommodate across different categories of special learner needs, such as students with academic, social, cognitive, emotional, physical, linguistic, and ethnic differences. All can participate and learn.What Is the Organization of the Text?
There are six major sections in this text. The first section is entitled Classroom Community: Getting to Know Me, Myself, and Us. It contains strategies to develop a risk-free learning community, one that offers a comfort level for sharing. Students in such classrooms are confident that their questions, answers, and contributions will be thoughtfully and respectfully responded to in ways that assist in the learning process for all. So we think these strategies may be useful at the beginning of the school year. However, any of these strategies may [Page xii]be repeated throughout the school year, as reminders and reinforcement for the importance of diverse learning communities, communities that support their members for understanding the curricula.
The next section, Home, Community, and Nation: Making Contributions to Literacy Learning, has strategies that can be interspersed throughout the school year whenever appropriate. We feel these strategies can be used again and again, with slight modifications, as students begin to see how important it is to connect with their home, community, and nation.
The third section, Multicultural Literature Events: Motivating Literacy Learning in Content Areas, is meant to do just that, with rich pieces of youth literature. The literature resources given as examples are presented to entice teachers to explore the many literature resources that exist to promote understanding of particular subjects in a content area. The List of Cited Youth Literature provided at the end of the book serves as an additional resource. These pieces of literature are successful motivators for culturally responsive lessons, since they represent numerous cultures. They are written and illustrated by authors and illustrators from diverse backgrounds.
The next section is Critical Media Literacy: Exploring Values. Today's youth are exposed to the media for many hours daily. Therefore, we believe it is essential to include culturally responsive strategies that encourage youth to critically analyze visual and print messages. These strategies may help students consider and think critically about stereotypes, fads, and biased news presentations.
The fifth section is Global Perspectives and Literacy Development: Understanding the World View. This group of strategies presents the big picture. Students are provided with opportunities to situate themselves and their cultures on the planet Earth. Activities related to the strategies help students see their own lives in relation to the lives of people from other parts of the world. The purpose of these literacy strategies is not only to help students deepen understanding of the curriculum, but also to extend their learning beyond local and national communities.
The last section is Inquiry Learning and Literacy Learning: Beginning to Know Research. The theme for this group of strategies is "questioning is the answer." School students learn early on that "the teacher asks questions and students give expected answers." Unfortunately, this is the structure of numerous classrooms throughout the world. However, in a democratic society, a questioning citizenry is what keeps democracy alive (Dewey, 1916; Herber, 1978; Schon, 1987). Therefore, it is the work of the educator to stimulate questioning behaviors and an inquiring spirit. These strategies will help students begin to take risks and ask questions and learn basic research procedures.How Do I Use This Text?
Each strategy in 50 Literacy Strategies for Culturally Responsive Teaching, K–8 is presented to encourage easy implementation and adaptation to suburban, urban, and rural student populations in numerous curriculum content areas. Most strategies are presented with a brief explanation, links to the ELA (English Language Arts) Standards, and then steps to follow for beginning, intermediate, [Page xiii]and advanced learners. Some strategies combine beginning and intermediate levels and others combine intermediate and advanced levels. For most strategies, materials are suggested and examples given. Furthermore, the strategies are not so prescriptive that the experienced teacher will feel as though she or he is following a script. The authors actually hope the strategies stimulate critical analysis and creative thinking. So, we encourage teachers to modify and extend lessons with more appropriate ideas and activities. At the end of each strategy, suggestions for curriculum connections are provided to assist in a broad-view, thematic learning process. Hopefully teachers will seize these opportunities to integrate and collaborate for connections across the curriculum and grade levels.
Please note that each strategy is connected to the IRA and NCTE Standards for the English Language Arts. Notice that teacher comments accompany many strategies as experienced "words of wisdom." These helpful comments may alert you to specific aspects in the implementation process.
Teachers may wish to begin at the beginning of this text, since the first two sections, Classroom Community: Getting to Know Me, Myself, and Us and Home, Community, and Nation: Contributions to Literacy Learning, focus on building strong learning communities and positive connections between home, school, and community. However, we also think that any of the strategies in different sections may be used in any order, as long as the classroom teacher integrates the strategy with a particular instructional goal or curriculum focus.
A word of caution is necessary here. Sometimes, communication with families and communities can be challenging when teachers are attempting to develop working relationships. So, the following tenets may be helpful to remember:
- Many teachers have discovered that sending notes home is the least effective way to contact families.
- Many teachers have discovered that personal phone calls and meetings on neutral ground, such as those at a recreation center, park, or local coffee shop, are most useful for initiating relationships with family and community members.
- Many teachers know that an interpreter-translator may be necessary for those new to this country who are learning our culture and the English language. Even though some people may appear to have a high level of English language proficiency, they may not understand the nuances of the culture. Therefore, interpreters-translators may be necessary for communication between home and school for those new to the English language as well as those new to the culture.
The key idea to remember is that the environment for sharing and collaboration must be risk-free, a place to begin positive and carefully attentive communication.
To begin using the strategies, teachers may prefer experimentation, so they might study strategies, find one that seems appropriate to the curriculum, and try it. The following directions may help.[Page xiv]
Why Is This Text So Important?
- Read the first paragraph that describes the strategy.
- Then study the steps for beginner, intermediate, and advanced learning. These three levels are arbitrary at best. Beginners might be defined as kindergarten through second-grade interest and/or academic abilities. Intermediate might be defined as third- through fifth-grade interest and/or academic abilities, and advanced may be described as sixth-through eighth-grade interest and/or academic abilities. Additionally, some strategies are labeled beginner/intermediate and/or intermediate/advanced. These were designed in this manner to indicate that the steps may be appropriate for both levels.
- Decide what level would be most appropriate for specific students in your class.
- Decide what can be accomplished by the whole class, what can be accomplished by small groups, and what can be accomplished by pairs or individual students.
- For English Language Learners who were good students in their native lands, pairing with an equal-ability student will maintain interest levels. If the student has had little formal education, the interest level is key. In both cases, drawing upon the positive memories of students' native lands and cultures is the first consideration. Students must be assisted in their comfort and interest levels to motivate them (Cummins, 1986; Igoa, 1995; Schmidt, 1998a, 2002).
- Family and community surveys, notes, or other written communication may need to be translated. Oral communication may also require trans lators. However, personal efforts to communicate with sign language can be effective when there is a sincere person-to-person effort put forth by the teacher.
- Study the curriculum connections to see how activities for the strategy can be integrated into particular content areas.
- Follow the steps, but always be open to modifying and adjusting to your students' interests and challenges.
- Finally, don't give up after one strategy doesn't seem to work. Try another …and don't worry about perfection. The strategies were created to produce a "healthy hum" (Schmidt, 2001, p. 141) in classrooms where reading, writing, listening, speaking, and viewing are used as powerful learning tools.
This section is included as a brief theoretical framework and rationale for this text. The list of citations is referenced in the back of this text, so that educators may study more in-depth research.
The U.S. Department of Education predicts that by the year 2010, minority populations will become the majority populations in our schools (U.S. Department of Education, 2000). Presently, this diversity has had a significant impact on urban education, but in the future, will have an even greater impact [Page xv]on rural and suburban education. Therefore, it is time for successful teacher inservice and preservice programs to connect home, school, and community with culturally relevant or culturally responsive teaching (Au, 1993; Cochran-Smith, 1995; Florio-Ruane, 1994; Moll, 1992; Noordhoff & Kleinfield, 1993; Osborne, 1996; Schmidt, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005; Tatum, 1992, 1997; Tatum, 2000; Willis & Meacham, 1997; Zeichner, 1993).
Research and practice demonstrate that strong home, school, and community connections not only help students make sense of the school curriculum, but also promote literacy development (Au, 1993; Boykin, 1978, 1984; Edwards, 2004, 1996; Faltis, 1993; Goldenberg, 1987; Heath, 1983; Leftwich, 2002; McCaleb, 1994; Moll, 1992; Reyhner & Gracia, 1989; Schmidt, 2000, 2004, 2005; Xu, 2000b). However, in recent years home, school, and community connections have become a significant challenge.
There are various reasons for this situation. First, as our school population has become increasingly diverse, both culturally and ethnically, our teaching population has consistently originated from European American, suburban experiences. Typically, educators describe themselves as white and middle class and often add, during discussions about diversity, "I'm an American; I don't have a culture." (Paley, 1989; McIntosh, 1990; Florio-Ruane, 1994; Snyder, Hoffman, & Geddes, 1997; Schmidt, 1999a). Second, most teachers have not had sustained relationships with people from different ethnic, cultural, and socioeconomic backgrounds. As a result, much of their knowledge about diversity has been influenced by media stereotypes (Finkbeiner & Koplin, 2002; Pattnaik, 1997; Tatum, 1997). Third, school curriculum, methods, and materials usually reflect only European American or white culture and ignore the backgrounds and experiences of students and families from lower socioeconomic levels and differing ethnic and cultural backgrounds (Boykin, 1978, 1984; Moll, 1992; Foster, 1994; Ladson-Billings, 1994, 1995; Delpit, 1995; Purcell-Gates, L'Allier, & Smith, 1995; Nieto, 1999; Howard, 2001; Sleeter 2001; Walker-Dalhouse & Dalhouse, 2001). Fourth, many teacher education programs do not adequately prepare educators for "culturally relevant pedagogy" (Ladson-Billings, 1995) a term that directly relates to making strong home, school, and community connections (Wallace, 2000; Sleeter, 2001; Lalik & Hinchman, 2001). Fifth, when cultural differences are ignored in classrooms, student fears and alienation increase (Cummins, 1986; Igoa, 1995; Schmidt, 1998a, 2002; Greene & Abt-Perkins, 2003). Consequently, this disconnect has become a national problem whose influence has been linked to poor literacy development and extremely high dropout rates among students from urban and rural poverty areas (Au, 1993; Banks, 1994; Cummins, 1986; Edwards, 2004; Edwards, Pleasants, & Franklin, 1999; Goldenberg, 1987; Heath, 1983; Nieto, 1999; Payne, DeVol, & Smith, 2005; Schmidt, 1998a, 1999b; Trueba, Jacobs, & Kurtin, 1990).
It is obvious that there is a significant body of research concerning culturally responsive teaching. Unfortunately, there has been little evidence of its implementation in our nation's schools. So, it seems appropriate to suggest that this text, offering culturally responsive literacy strategies, is not only needed, but also, as some would say, "urgently necessary."[Page xvi]Acknowledgments
This book of strategies is the result of urban, rural, and suburban teachers who believed they could make a difference in the academic and social lives of their students. They volunteered for our inservice programs and enrolled in teacher education classes with us. They took the challenges we offered and applied them to the challenges in their own classrooms. They broke new ground in modern education by deferring, in some instances, to traditional educational practices of long ago …meeting with families outside of school. They visited in homes, parks, recreation centers, churches, mosques, and many other locales. Additionally, these elementary and middle school teachers demonstrated a genuine respect by using family and community resources in classrooms and schools. The teachers encouraged family and community members to contribute their "funds of knowledge" to schools, thus making the curriculum relevant to children's ethnic, cultural, and linguistic diversity.
We must thank these teachers for their bravery in attempting many ideas, and their creativity in adapting them in new ways.
Finally, we thank our editor, Jean Ward, for her vision and her belief in social justice.
Corwin Press gratefully acknowledges the contributions of the following reviewers:
- Lori Czop Assaf
- Assistant Professor
- Texas State University–San Marcos
- San Marcos, TX
- Sandra Golden
- Education Recruitment Specialist
- Notre Dame College
- South Euclid, OH
- Barbara Kapinus
- Senior Policy Analyst and Program Consultant
- National Education Association
- Washington, DC
- Elizabeth Noll
- Associate Dean for Graduate Programs,
- Faculty Development & Associate Professor of Language, Literacy, & Sociocultural Studies
- College of Education University of New Mexico
- Albuquerque, New Mexico
- Brenda A. Shearer
- Professor of Reading Education
- University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh
- Oshkosh, WI
- Doris Walker-Dalhouse
- Professor of Reading
- Minnesota State University Moorhead
- Moorhead, MN
About the Authors
Corwin Press[Page xx]
The Corwin Press logo—a raven striding across an open book—represents the union of courage and learning. Corwin Press is committed to improving education for all learners by publishing books and other professional development resources for those serving the field of PreK–12 education. By providing practical, hands-on materials, Corwin Press continues to carry out the promise of its motto: "Helping Educators Do Their Work Better."
Conclusion[Page 121]
Now that you have tried these strategies, you may realize what other teachers, who worked on inservice programs with us, concluded "Indeed …there are seven characteristics for culturally responsive instruction and they can be described."Seven Characteristics for Culturally Responsive Instruction (Schmidt, 2003)
When implementing successful culturally responsive instruction, teachers became aware of these specific characteristics. As they created lesson plans and observed videos of their classrooms, it became apparent that these Seven[Page 122]Characteristics were elements that provided a structure for assessing their own lesson plans. So, as you adapt the strategies in this book and create new ones, you may want to use the Seven Characteristics as your guide for success.
Additionally, when teachers in our inservice programs were asked to define culturally responsive teaching, they provided the list displayed below.Defining Culturally Responsive Instruction
One teacher said it best when explaining culturally responsive instruction: "Everybody benefits when there is culturally responsive teaching …children, families, teachers, and community." With this strong message, we conclude this book and wish you and your students, and their families and communities, the very best in education.
As you implement these 50 literacy strategies, think about how other teachers define culturally responsive instruction as expressed in the following box of statements.
Epilogue[Page 123]
As we complete this text, we feel we have to respond to questions confronting most authors: So what? And what now?
First of all, and once again, this small collection of strategies aims at helping classroom teachers to enrich and diversify their literacy curricula across K–8 grades by offering some practical literacy learning strategies. Where applicable, we have offered suggestions for teaching across the curriculum. We have also connected specific content and ELA Standards with strategies. However, we want to emphasize again that the strategies are not intended to replace textbooks or standard curricula, thus they should not be directly linked to assessment in the content areas. (Although better command of content knowledge may result due to the connections made with students and their families and communities.) Actually, we believe these strategies may help teachers with additional ideas and activities to use, thus adding to more fun, engaging, and hands-on learning experiences for the students. We see these strategies as motivators and connectors to the standard curricula.
Moreover, we believe in teaching for diversity—cultural, ethnic/racial, linguistic, environmental, geographical, disciplinary, and conceptual, to name but a few. While teaching in the increasingly multicultural and complex world, it is all the more important to develop students' (and teachers') awareness of all forms of differences and similarities; of possibilities and hypotheses; of personal strengths and weaknesses; and of school, family, community, and society connections. We think such an open and multilateral view contributes to educating the learner not just with discrete skills and knowledge, but as a whole person with cognitive, social, and affective development. Needless to say, teaching about diversity does not magically rid the society of all problems and issues, but it is a necessary step to start facing and then addressing some of those concerns for a more accepting and just world. Teaching for these goals cannot be accomplished just by learning language skills or acquiring knowledge, nor does it end just by reading a few books. Yet the journey has to begin somewhere. We feel that the strategies included in this book may be a good place for some of our youngsters to begin.
In addition, even though we have used many of the strategies, or observed our colleagues using them, in actual classrooms or workshops at different points in our careers, the strategies are not written as summaries of empirical research. They are more of a reflection of our own (and our colleagues') classroom teaching experiences and exploration. We also want to point out that, [Page 124]although the strategies are clearly related to and supported by the theoretical framework that we presented at the beginning of the book regarding multicultural literacy, responsive pedagogy, and home/school connection for teaching and learning literacy and other content areas, we wrote the strategies in a simplified, step-by-step manner to make it easier for our teacher colleagues to operationalize any of them in their classrooms. Variations of some of the strategies may have been used in different classrooms, or recreated using other examples by ingenious teachers. In this sense, the strategies may appear simple, or not brand new. We still feel that putting them together in this book helps many more teachers to start the thinking and exploring process, as we did. This is particularly helpful to young teachers who have not yet accumulated many classroom-based strategies and are willing to try new ideas.
So, what's next? Of course the strategies included in this book are few, but they are useful for culturally responsive literacy instruction. They should not be viewed as fixed scripts. Classroom teachers are knowledgeable and resourceful, and they know their classrooms and students. While we learned from our own experiences that these strategies worked and would thus provide useful ideas for other teachers to implement in their literacy and cross-curriculum programs, it is up to each teacher who uses this book to view these strategies as works-in-progress—they may want to retest, modify, adapt, and/or recreate any of the strategies in order to better suit their instructional needs across different learners and learning contexts.
Resource A: Standards for the English Language Arts[Page 125]
In 1996, the International Reading Association and the National Council of Teachers of English published Standards for the English Language Arts. The document is the result of a project that involved thousands of educators, researchers, parents, policymakers, and others across the United States. Its purpose is to provide guidance in ensuring that all students are proficient language users so they may succeed in school, participate in society, find rewarding work, appreciate and contribute to our culture, and pursue their own goals and interests throughout their lives (http://www.reading.org/resources/issues/reports/learning_standards.html).The Standards
- Students read a wide range of print and nonprint texts to build an understanding of texts, of themselves, and of the cultures of the United States and the world; to acquire new information; to respond to the needs and demands of society and the workplace; and for personal fulfillment. Among these texts are fiction and nonfiction, classic and contemporary works.
- Students read a wide range of literature from many periods in many genres to build an understanding of the many dimensions (e.g., philosophical, ethical, aesthetic) of human experience.[Page 126]
- Students apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate texts. They draw on their prior experience, their interactions with other readers and writers, their knowledge of word meaning and of other texts, their word identification strategies, and their understanding of textual features (e.g., sound-letter correspondence, sentence structure, context, graphics).
- Students adjust their use of spoken, written, and visual language (e.g., conventions, style, vocabulary) to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences and for different purposes.
- Students employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing process elements appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes.
- Students apply knowledge of language structure, language conventions (e.g., spelling and punctuation), media techniques, figurative language, and genre to create, critique, and discuss print and nonprint texts.
- Students conduct research on issues and interests by generating ideas and questions, and by posing problems. They gather, evaluate, and synthesize data from a variety of sources (e.g., print and nonprint texts, artifacts, people) to communicate their discoveries in ways that suit their purpose and audience.
- Students use a variety of technological and information resources (e.g., libraries, databases, computer networks, video) to gather and synthesize information and to create and communicate knowledge.
- Students develop an understanding of and respect for diversity in language use, patterns, and dialects across cultures, ethnic groups, geographic regions, and social roles.
- Students whose first language is not English make use of their first language to develop competence in the English language arts and to develop understanding of content across the curriculum.
- Students participate as knowledgeable, reflective, creative, and critical members of a variety of literacy communities.
- Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information).
Resource B: List of Cited Youth Literature[Page 127]1990). Manners. New York: Greenwillow., (1998). Pioneer girl: The story of Laura Ingalls Wilder. New York: HarperCollins.(1996). Kofi and his magic. New York: Clarkson Potter.(1977). Anno's journey. Tokyo: Fukuinkan.(1983). Anno's mysterious multiplying jar. New York: Philomel.(2003) Anno's Spain. New York: Philomel.(1999). Mary Anning and the sea dragon. New York: Farrar, Straus, & Giroux.(1975). Tuck Everlasting (34th printing). New York: Sunburst Books/Farrar, Straus, & Giroux.(1997). The magic fan. Orlando, FL: Harcourt Brace.(1985). Where the buffaloes begin. New York: Penguin Putnam.(1987). Little Nino's pizzeria. New York: Voyager.(1990). The adventures of taxi dog. New York: Dial.& (2001). Island in the sun. New York: Penguin., & (1991). Native American stories. New York: Fulcrum.(2003). All night, all day: A student's first book of African-American spirituals. New York: Simon & Schuster.(1994). How many days to America?New York: Clarion.(1989). Terrible things: Allegory of the holocaust. New York: Jewish Publication Society of America.(1999). Smoky nights. New York: Voyager.(1994). The greedy triangle. New York: Scholastic.(1997). Spaghetti and meatballs for all!New York: Scholastic.(1993). The most beautiful place in the world. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.([Page 128]1997). Story of the Chinese zodiac. Taipei, Taiwan: Yuan-Liou.(1987). Stories from Mencius. Beijing, Republic of China: The Overseas Chinese Library.(1992). A river ran wild. New York: Harcourt Brace.(1993). The great kapok tree. New York: Gulliver.(1999). The armadillo from Amarillo. New York: Voyager.(2001). Shaman's apprentice. New York: Viking Press., & (1989). The Egyptian Cinderella. New York: Thomas Crowell.(1993). The Korean Cinderella. New York: Thomas Crowell.(1996). The Irish Cinderlad. New York: HarperCollins.(1999). The Persian Cinderella. New York: HarperCollins.(1998). Angkat: The Cambodian Cinderella. Arcadia, CA: Shen's.(1993). Sadako. New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons.(1995). The story of Ruby Bridges. New York: Scholastic.(1994). Walk two moons. New York: HarperTrophy.(1990). Aida: Told by Leontyne Price. New York: Gulliver., & (1999). The skin I'm in. New York: Hyperion.(1997). Whoever you are. San Diego: Harcourt Brace.(1991). Monkey island. New York: Yearling.(1999). Keeper of the swamp. New York: Publishers Group West.(1989). Diego Rivera. New York: Raintree.(1986). The village of round and square houses. New York: Little, Brown.(1997). The ledgerbook of Thomas Blue Eagle. New York: Lickle., & (1997). Seven brave women. New York: Greenwillow.(1991). More geometrics. New York: Grosset & Dunlap.(1991). Chrysanthemum. New York: Greenwillow.(2001). We were there, too!New York: Farrar, Straus, & Giroux.(1995). Sweet Clara and the freedom quilt. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.(2003). Girl wonder: A baseball story in nine innings. New York: An Anne Schwartz Book.(2003). Shutting out the sky. New York: Orchard.(2002). Caribbean dream. New York: Scholastic.(1996). The golden flower. New York: Simon & Schuster.(1993). My New York. New York: Little, Brown.(1987). Sacajawea. New York: Troll Associates.(1998). City by numbers. New York: Viking.(1996). Three whales who won the heart of the world. Waipahu, HI: Island Heritage.(1995). McHeshi goes to the game park. RioVista, CA: Jacaranda Designs.(1996). A view from Saturday. New York: Simon & Schuster.(1992). Masai and I. New York: Simon & Schuster.(1994). Wilma unlimited. San Diego: Harcourt Brace.(1993). My Hanukkah alphabet. New York: A Golden Book.(1998). The storyteller's beads. San Diego: Harcourt Brace.(1997). Ali: Student of the desert. New York: William Morrow.(2000). Across America, I love you. New York: Hyperion.(1993). The giver. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.(1994). Sea shapes. New York: Gulliver.(1992). The seven Chinese brothers. New York: Scholastic.(1998). Snowflake Bentley. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.(1980). Hiroshima, No Pika. New York: Lothrop, Lee & Shepherd.([Page 129]1994). Baba Yaga and Vasilisa the brave. New York: Morrow Junior.(1992). If You lived with the Sioux Indians. New York: Scholastic.(2000). Tituba. New York: Gulliver.(2000). Hannah's journal. New York: Silver Whistle.(1997). Betcha!New York: Scholastic.(1997). Divide and ride. New York: HarperCollins.(1996). Give me half!New York: HarperCollins.(1980). Ashanti to Zulu: African traditions. New York: Puffin.(1997). Harlem. New York: Scholastic.(1962). How big is a foot?New York: Bantam Doubleday Dell.(1997). Sir Cumference and the first round table. Watertown, MA: Charlesbridge.(1992). Dreamcatcher. New York: Orchard.(2002). A is for Appalachia. Prospect, KY: Harmony House.(1996). Maya Angelou: Journey of the heart. New York: Puffin.(1988). The keeping quilt. New York: Simon & Schuster.(1996). Why?New York: A Michael Neugebauer Book.(1995). My fellow Americans. New York: Browndeer Press.(1992). The Algonquians. New York: Franklin Watts.(1999). The girl who swam with the fish: Athabascan legend. Vancouver, BC: Alaska Northwest.(1993). The corn grows ripe. New York: Puffin.(1988). Tar Beach. New York: Scholastic.(1995). My dream of Martin Luther King. New York: Crown.(1992). Dragonfly's tale. New York: Clarion.(1997). Just like me: Self-portraits of fourteen artists. San Francisco: Students' Book Press.(1999). Honoring our ancestors: Stories and pictures by fourteen artists. San Francisco: Students' Book Press.(1992). Journey to the golden land. Philadelphia: The Jewish Publication Society.(1994). Tutankamen's gift. New York: Atheneum Press.(2001). Cendrillon: A Caribbean Cinderella. New York: Simon & Schuster., & (1993). Grandfather's journey. New York: Houghton Mifflin.(1997). Children of the earth … remember. Minnetonka, MN: Northword Press.(1985). How much is a million. New York: Scholastic.(1995). Math curse. New York: Viking.(1960). Cricket in Times Square. New York: Farrar, Straus, & Giroux.(1988). San Antonio: The wayward river. San Antonio, TX: San Antonio Press.(1996). Starry messenger. New York: Farrar, Straus, & Giroux.(1998). Tibet: Through the red box. New York: Farrar, Straus, & Giroux.(1958). Witch of Blackbird Pond. New York: Houghton Mifflin.(1980). People. New York: Delacorte Press.(1987). Mufaro's beautiful daughters: An African tale. New York: Scholastic.(1999). Reach for the sky. New York: Inch by Inch.(1990). Big thunder magic. New York: HarperCollins.(1989). Araboolies of Liberty Street. New York: Farrar, Straus, & Giroux.(1992). The moon lady. New York: MacMillan.([Page 130]2001). The grapes of math. New York: Scholastic.(2002). Math for all seasons. New York: Scholastic.(2003). Math-terpieces. New York: Scholastic.(1990). Grandfather Tang's story. New York. Crown.(2000). Off to the sweet shores of Africa. San Francisco: Chronicle.(2001). Play gently, Alfie bear. New York: Dutton.(1991). Rain player. New York: Clarion.(2000). The trip back home. Orlando, FL: Harcourt.(1995). Dancing moons. New York: Doubleday.(1997). Cornrows. New York: Penguin Putnam.(1975). Dragonwings. New York: HarperTrophy.(1990). The devil's arithmetic. New York: Puffin.(1996). Encounter. New York: Harcourt Brace.(
References[Page 131]2001). A comparative analysis of student and teacher development in more and less proficient discussions of literature. Reading Research Quarterly, 36(2), 96–120. http://dx.doi.org/10.1598/RRQ.36.2.1, , & (1993). Literacy instruction in multicultural settings. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich.(1994). An introduction to multicultural education. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.(1992). The cultural gap in literature-based literacy instruction. Education and Urban Society, 24(2), 227–243. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0013124592024002005(1998). Finding common ground to study and implement charater education: Integrating structure and content in moral education. Journal of Research in Education, 8(1), 3–8.(1978). Psychological/behavioral verve in academic/task performance: Pre-theoretical considerations. Journal of Negro Education, 47(4), 343–354. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/2294999(1984). Reading achievement and the social-cultural frame of reference of Afro-American students. 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Greenwich, CT: Information Age Press., , , & (1999). A path to follow: Learning to listen to parents. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann., , & (2004). Students' literacy development: Making it happen through school, family, and community involvement. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.(2002). Fifth-grade Students' perceptions of how they experience literature discussion groups. Reading Research Quarterly, 37(1), 46–69. http://dx.doi.org/10.1598/RRQ.37.1.2(1993, 2000). Joinfostering: Adapting teaching strategies for the multilingual classroom. New York: Maxwell Macmillan International.([Page 132]2002). A cooperative approach for facilitating intercultural education. Reading Online, 6(3). International Reading Association, http://www.readingonline.org., & (1994). The future teachers' autobiography club: Preparing educators to support learning in culturally diverse classrooms. English Education, 26(1), 52–56.(1994). Effective black teachers: A literature review. In E. R.Hollins, J. E.King, & W. C.Hayman (Eds.), Teaching diverse populations: Formulating a knowledge. New York: SUNY.(1995). Audience awareness in technology-mediated environments. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 13(3), 245–261. http://dx.doi.org/10.2190/WFF9-89N4-84P2-BKR7, & (2002). Student cultural diversity: Understanding and meeting the challenge. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company.(1999). Intelligence reframed: Multiple intelligences for the 21st century. New York: Basic Books.(1995). Diverse learners participating in regular education "Book Clubs."Reading Research Quarterly, 30(3), 352–380. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/747621, , & (1987). Low-income Hispanic parents' contributions to their first-grade Students' word-recognition skills. Anthropology and Education Quarterly, 18, 149–179. http://dx.doi.org/10.1525/aeq.1987.18.3.05x1130l(2003). Making race visible. New York: Teachers College Press., & (1983). Ways with words: Language life and work in communities and classrooms. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.(1978). Teaching reading in content areas ((2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.2001). Historical fiction picture books and values: An author's reflections. In P. RuggianoSchmidt & A. WattsPailliotet (Eds.) Exploring values thro ugh literature, multimedia, and literacy events. Newark, DE: International Reading Association.(2001). Telling their side of the story: African American Students' perceptions of culturally relevant teaching. The Urban Review, 33(2), 131–149. http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/A:1010393224120(1997). On the brink: Negotiating literature and life with adolescents. Newark, DE: Teachers College Press/International Reading Association.(1995). The inner world of the immigrant student. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.(2005). The heart of whiteness. San Francisco: City Lights.(2001). Multicultural books and values: Connecting with people and places. In P.Ruggiano Schmidt & A.Watts Pailliotet (Eds.), Exploring values through literature, multimedia, and literacy events. Newark, DE: International Reading Association.(1994). The dreamkeepers: Successful teachers of African American students. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.(1995). Toward a theory of culturally relevant pedagogy. American Educational Research Journal, 32, 465–491. http://dx.doi.org/10.3102/00028312032003465(2001). Connecting home and school values through multicultural literature and family stories. In P. R.Schmidt & A. W.Pailliotet, Exploring values through literature, multimedia, and literacy events. Newark, DE: International Reading Association., , , & (2001). Critical issues: Examining constructions of race in literacy research: Beyond silence and other oppressions of white liberalism. Journal of Literacy Research, 33(3), 529–561. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10862960109548122, & ([Page 133]2002). Learning to use diverse Students' literature in the classroom: A model for preservice teacher education. Reading Online, 6(2). International Reading Association, http://www.readingonline.org(1994). Building communities of learners. New York: St. Martin's Press.(1997). Starting small (video). 400 Washington Ave, Montgomery, AL: Teaching Tolerance.(1990). White privilege: Unpacking the invisible knapsack. Independent School, Wellesley College Winter Issue. Wellesley, MA.(McMahon, S., & Raphael, T. (Eds.). (1997). The book club connection: Literacy, learning, and classroom talk. New York: Teachers College Press.1992). Bilingual classroom studies and community analysis: Recent Trends. Educational Researcher, 22(2), 20–24. http://dx.doi.org/10.3102/0013189X021002020(2003). Kindergarten predictors of first-and second-grade reading achievement. Elementary School Journal, 104(2), 93–110. http://dx.doi.org/10.1086/499744, , & (1999). The light in their eyes. New York: Teachers College Press.(1993). Preparing teachers for multicultural classrooms. Teaching and Teacher Education, 9(1), 27–39. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0742-051X%2893%2990013-7, & (1986). KWL: A teaching model that develops active reading of expository text. The Reading Teacher, 39, 564–570. http://dx.doi.org/10.1598/RT.39.6.11(1996). Practice into theory into practice: Culturally relevant pedagogy for students we have marginalized and normalized. Anthropology and Education Quarterly, 27(3), 285–314. http://dx.doi.org/10.1525/aeq.1996.27.3.04x0351m(2001). Critical media literacy and values: Connecting the 5 W. In P. R.Schmidt & A. W.Pailliotet (Eds.), Exploring values through literature, multimedia, and literacy events (pp. 20–45). Newark, DE: International Reading Association.(1989). White teacher. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.(1997). Cultural stereotypes and preservice education: Moving beyond our biases. Equity and Excellence in Education, 30(3), 40–50. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/1066568970300307(2005). Bridges out of poverty. Aha! ProcessHighlands, TX:., , & (PBS Adult Learning Service (1999). Scanning television (video). Alexandria, VA: Face to Face Media Limited.1995). Literacy at the Harts' and the Larsons': Diversity among poor inner-city families. The Reading Teacher, 48(7), 572–578., & (1989). Helping minorities read better: Problems and promises. Reading Research and Instruction, 28(3), 84–91. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/19388078909557978& (Risko, V. J. & Bromley, K. (Eds.). Collaboration for diverse learners: Viewpoints and practices. Newark, DE: IRA.1982). The literacy transaction: Evocation and response. Theory Into Practice, 22, 268–277. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00405848209543018(1982). Schemata: The building blocks of cognition. In J.Guthrie (Ed.), Comprehension and teaching: Reseach reviews. Newark, DE: International Reading Association.(1998a). Cultural conflict and struggle: Literacy learning in a kindergarten program. New York: Peter Lang.(1998b). The ABC's of cultural understanding and communication. Equity and Excellence in Education, 31(2), 28–38. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/1066568980310204(1998c). The ABC's Model: Teachers connect home and school. In T.Shanahan & F. V.Rodriguez-Brown (Eds.), National reading conference yearbook 47 (pp. 194–208.). Chicago, IL: National Reading Conference.([Page 134]1999a). KWLQ: Inquiry and literacy learning in science. The Reading Teacher, 52(6), 789–792.(1999b). Know thyself and understand others. Language Arts, 76(4), 332–340.(2000a). Emphasizing differences to build cultural understandings. In V.Risko and K.Bromley (Eds.), Collaboration for Diverse Learners: Viewpoints and Practices. Newark, DE: IRA.(2000b). Teachers connecting and communicating with families for literacy development. In T.Shanahan & F.Rodriguez-Brown (Eds.), National Reading Conference Yearbook, 49. Chicago: National Reading Conference.(2001). The power to empower. In P. R.Schmidt & P. B.Mosenthal (Eds.). Reconceptualizing literacy in the new age of multiculturalism and pluralism. Greenwich, CT: Information Age Press.(2002). Literacy learning and scientific inquiry: Students respond. The Reading Teacher, 55(6), 534–548.(2003). Balance is beautiful. In P.Mason & J.Schumm (Eds.). Promising practices for urban reading instruction. Newark DE: International Reading Association.(2004, December). Supporting culturally relevant pedagogy: It made the difference. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the National Reading Conference, San Antonio, TX.(2005). Preparing educators to communicate and connect with families and communities. Greenwich, CT: Information Age.(2001). Exploring values through literature, multimedia and literacy events. Newark, DE: International Reading Association., & (1987). Educating the reflective practitioner. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.(1999). Critical viewing as a response to intermediality: Implications for media literacy. In L. M.Semali & A. W.Pailliotet (Eds.). Intermediality: The teachers' handbook of critical media literacy (pp. 1–30). Boulder, CO: Westview.(2001). Unraveling the curriculum of global values. In P.Schmidt & A. WattsPailliotet (Eds.), Exploring values through literature, multimedia, and literacy events. Newark, DE: International Reading Association.(Shananan, T., & Rodriguez-Brown, V. F. (Eds.). National reading conference yearbook 47, 194–208. Chicago: National Reading Conference.1996). Minneapolis and Brittany: Children bridge geographical and social differences through technology. Learning Languages, 2(1), 3–11.(2005). Children's thinking: International edition,, & (4e.New York: Prentice Hall.1990). Cooperative learning: Theory, research, and practice. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.(2001). Preparing teachers for culturally diverse schools. Journal of Teacher Education, 52(2), 94–106. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0022487101052002002(1997). Digest of education statistics. Washington, DC. National Center of Education Statistics, Office of Educational Research and Improvement., , & (2000). Breaking down barriers that disenfranchise African American Adolescent readers in low-level tracks. In P.Mason & J. S.Schumm (Eds.), Promising practices for urban reading instruction (pp. 98–118). Newark, DE: International Reading Association.([Page 135]1992). Talking about race, learning about racism: The application of racial identity theory in the classroom. Harvard Educational Review, 62(1), 1–24.(1997). Why are all the black kids sitting together in the cafeteria?New York: Basic Books.(1990). Cultural conflict and adaptation: The case of the Hmong students in American society. New York: Falmer Press., & (U.S. Department of Education. (2000). Minority population growth. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education.2001). Parent-school relations: Communicating more effectively with African American parents. Young Students, 75–80., & (2000). A call for change in multicultural training at graduate schools of education: Educating to end oppression and for social justice. Teachers College Record, 102(2), 1086–1111. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/0161-4681.00093(2003). Learning to trust: Transforming difficult elementary classrooms through developmental discipline. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass., & (1997). Break point: The challenges of teaching multicultural education courses. JAEPL, 2, 40–49., & (2000). Preservice teachers in a literacy methods course consider issues of diversity. Journal of Literacy Research, 32(4), 505–531. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10862960009548094(1993). Educating teachers for cultural diversity. East Lansing, MI: National Center on Teacher Learning.(
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Instead, let's enjoy today. Because today is what matters right now. That way we can be more involved in her interests and be able to chat about what we take away from the movie after. It also gives her confidence in knowing that she has a voice that can be heard. One of our favorite choices? The new live-action Dumbo, because it not only opens conversations about being inclusive and putting family first, but it also encourages her to soar to new heights no matter what obstacles he encounters.
Like that time that we signed her up for soccer after school. Initially she was terrified of having to make new friends and the possibility of not being good at the sport. Being outside of her comfort zone made her more confident on herself and she enjoys those hours running after a ball so much that now every time we suggest new activities she's excited with the possibility of new adventures and discoveries.
When she's afraid, we share examples from characters we love.
What I learned about motherhood after I brought my newborn to the ER - Motherly
He was scared in the beginning but did it! Both hers and ours. We want her to know that our family is a safe place to be honest and heard. We want her to be comfortable around us to express herself openly so we can all grow together. It probably helps a lot that her dad is in the art world, so we have a walking encyclopedia of knowledge with us whenever we go to one. We've already noticed how our daughter is inspired by what we see, and how her little sponge brain is absorbing all the knowledge we put in front of her.
Bring home the new Disney live-action Dumbo adventure to share these special moments with your families. This article was sponsored by Disney.
Joke #4160
Thank you for supporting the brands that support Motherly and mamas. I have a confession: I hate to say "no" to people. I'm a first-born daughter so perhaps it's just in my DNA to a be a people pleaser. I get a lot of personal identity value from feeling competent and capable. And, truthfully I love saying "yes. I love the "I don't know how you do it" comments, the recognition that I'm the kind of person who always gets things done—they fill me with satisfaction and pride; they fuel me. So when I became a new mama, I said "yes" to it all… to music classes, workout challenges, the Pinterest craft, date nights with friends.
And then I said "yes" some more when I co-founded Motherly while having two young daughters. Do you know what happened? I got burnt out. My personal tank was on empty because I'd left no time for self-care. I was doing so much for other people and continually putting myself last.
I wish I could say that I came to this realization on my own because I'm incredibly wise, but in the end, my body was the one to force me to take a break. I developed optic neuritis, temporary blind spots in my right eye and was quickly diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis MS , an incurable neurological disease. Like any significant medical diagnosis, I was rocked to my core and forced to reevaluate everything from my career to my family dynamics, my support structure, my wellness habits—most definitely including how often I said "yes" to everyone and everything except myself.
The good news is, I have amazing doctors and am privileged to have access to cutting edge medical treatments that mean I'm very likely to never fully develop MS. Repeat after me: Self-care is not selfish. Prioritizing your health and wellness as a parent does not make you a '"bad" mom or dad.
- Eine wahre weihnachtliche Freude (German Edition)?
- Country Side Poet: Old Timey Home Remedies.
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It makes you a smart parent, an empowered parent, a setting-a-good-example parent. You'll be happier and more fulfilled. And as everyone knows, a happy family starts with happy parents and no one is going to decide to serve you up a plate of happiness.
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- Lord Hear my cry.
- Account Options.
Take ownership and make it happen. Living in the present means accepting the limitations of who you are right now. You don't need to do all the things at the same time. Some seasons, like when you have a newborn, are going to be a time to hunker down with your family.
Other seasons, like when you start a business or new career, are going to lend themselves to a career-focused period of time. When your children gain a sense of independence, your season for volunteering may arrive. Empty nester? It may be your season to discover a new hobby. And with each new season comes new constraints and new opportunities. That new baby or new career may mean it's not your season to be a class parent or cook home cooked meals every night. Instead, it may be your season to volunteer for a monthly lunch duty shift and schedule a meal delivery service during the week.
And it's okay. There will be a season for the other stuff, I promise. I'm not saying it's easy to say "no" but it does get easier the more you practice. Asked to join a meal train for a new mama? You can say "no" to cooking another home-cooked meal and instead, schedule a healthy delivery service for the night.
Trust me, when you're a new parent, any kind of food that you didn't have to cook yourself! Asked to chair a new committee? A perfectly reasonable response is, "I love the work you are doing, but it's just not my season to volunteer outside the home right now.
Responding this way instead of with a "yes" that I'll ultimately regret, has been life-changing for me.
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It has afforded me the grace of self-reflection to prioritize what means the most to me in my current season, which now includes managing a chronic disease. And here's a secret: The offers and requests won't end. There's no need to suffer from FOMO because there will always be another opportunity.
But your health won't wait, especially for those of us fighting a chronic disease. We must practice self-care religiously because this journey is a marathon, not a sprint.
Belly Button Book
Find ways to fuel your mind, body, and spirit. Cue the zombie memes and comeback anthems: It looks like Toys "R" Us may be on the brink of announcing plans to open a handful of new stores in the U. The plan would reportedly include about six stores that would be only 10,square feet a third of the size of the old big-box stores plus an e-commerce site. A spokesperson for Tru Kids told Motherly there was no official comment on this news at the moment. But Bloomberg's reports came after Barry had reportedly pitched this plan at an industry conference last week.
Dolls and Little Tikes, confirmed to Bloomberg that he had been pitched the idea. The toy industry, and those of us consuming its goods, have been anticipating something like this since February, when Tru Kids Inc. That includes Toys "R" Us stores that still exist elsewhere in the world. That's when Barry began promising that his company was brainstorming new ideas for its comeback.
All Toys "R" Us stores in the U. I put the bar back in after each birth.
See a Problem?
I had the bottom pierced. Lol bye girl. I got one of the long plastic barbels and just gave up. It all got too tight at the end.
Bye to my nipple piercings too. Any mamas having issues with their belly button piercings? I took mine out a few weeks ago because I felt it was time. One of my coworker's bought some of the pregnancy belly button bars and gave me one Has anyone removed their belly button piercing that was fully healed then started having drainage causing a rash around their belly button area? I have a belly button piercing and I am 27 weeks and 2 days pregnant today and my belly button is starting to pop!
I ordered of little cheap plastic ones that are all different colors a couple weeks We had vicks and baking soda, but never the caster oil. I think you mom was so right about keeping cleaned out. Thanks Susie. They've taken alot of it off the shelves. I agree with you on the meds. We had paregoric horrible!
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We don't think you can get terpin hydrate anymore. Thank you Kathy. I remember the paregoric as well, just forgot to mention it. It was good for babies when they had the colic. Susie you sure know how to make me and others young again thank you. I loved this post, Susie I recognize many of the old home remedies I remember my mother -in-law first marriage used to put Vicks in her throat when she had a sore throat AND--she'd rub it on her feet at times As a child, I used to take Cod Liver Oil Not sure what it was for, but I took it

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Interlocking Composite Deck Boards
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The deck needs to To be bolstered when your hot spa is going to be installed onto it. Building a deck can be a more substantial ways to add extra living area and value for your residence. Bear in mind that numerous decks are somewhat simpler and quicker to maintain than some others. Decking is on the list of very widely used wood products to work with in the great britain. Our finished deck will have approximately two feet of space under it (between the bottom of this deck and the top layer of the bottom ). Because modular decking consists of wood, you can opt out of Merbau, treated walnut and more. A high priced deck and the fixing clip that is also pricey and mend it with a twist which may fail is some thing that only must not be contemplated.


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More flights added to Bendigo to Sydney service
The City of Greater Bendigo has welcomed news Qantas has added more flights for the second time since launching the Bendigo to Sydney service in March.
Wonderland exhibition opens at Living Arts Space
New exhibition Wonderland will open at the Living Arts Space on Saturday.
Lyttleton Terrace Customer Service Centre on the move
The City of Greater Bendigo's Lyttleton Terrace Customer Service Centre is on the move! From Monday December 9, you can find our new Customer Service Centre at 15 Hopetoun Street, Bendigo.
2020 Bendigo Dining and Shopping guide launched
2020 Bendigo Dining and shopping guide launched
City performs strongly in 2018/2019 'Know Your Council' data
Data released by the State Government today shows the City of Greater Bendigo performed well in 2018/2019 across key service areas.
Greater Bendigo scoops four gold awards at the RACV Victorian Tourism Awards
Greater Bendigo won four golds, one silver and one bronze at the 2019 RACV Victorian Tourism Awards
2019 Summer in the Parks program underway
The City of Greater Bendigo's annual Summer in the Parks program starts this week with the lighting of the Christmas Tree in Rosalind Park tomorrow.
20 new Clever Weather sensors installed across Bendigo
The Bureau of Meteorology has praised the City of Greater Bendigo and La Trobe University for creating one of the first weather sensor networks in the country that gives accurate real-time temperature data to reveal extreme hot spots in the summer and the
City seeks community comments on gender equity
The City of Greater Bendigo in collaboration with the Coalition for Gender Equity is leading the development of the Greater Bendigo Gender Equity Strategy
Christmas decorations installed across Greater Bendigo
Christmas decorations have begun being installed across Greater Bendigo, with new decorations going up in Bendigo and Heathcote.


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text: Hi everyone, this is my first posting so I would be grateful of any replies and advice you have to offer. My Mum is only 66yrs old, after noticing memory loss, vagueness and growing lack of social interaction, I spoke to our GP. After visiting Mum she referred her to a community Phsyciatric Nurse who began to visit. She in turn got a Consultant to see Mum, he thought Mums problem may be vascular related. For over a year she has done nothing around the house, apart from now if you leave a cup of coffee for 2 seconds it is thrown out, the cup washed and put away, but she denies doing it! She has started smoking again after stopping 25yrs ago. She can appear relatively ok but when she has a cigarette almost instantly she changes and returns to the room almost like a zombie. it is the same reaction every time she has a cigarette. What I find hard is one minute I'm talking to her normaly like my old Mum almost and the next feeling so patronising, because I'm talking about the weather to fill in the silences and the only reply I get is "Mm Mm" or just "I dont know". How do you ever get used to your Mum being someone else than who she has been all your life, and even worse for my poor Dad, having to look after his wife almost like looking after a child. Any of your comments would be most welcome.


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financial institution wouldn't for-go belongings during the desire of a few trade creditors34 Lietch had usually structured the enterprise to shield assets
legislation: Corporations Act60 By Law, to Recuperate an unfair preference, the liquidator need to demonstrate the transaction occurred at any given time when the organization was insolvent, that the transaction gave the creditor an advantage in excess of other creditors(preferential cure) and that the creditor suspected or ought to have suspected that the company was insolvent.sixty
Is at this time a major Make up of meat in cold stores due to difficulty in selling into sluggish markets, Japan as well as US.22 Blind Manufacturers and Suppliers
Sale of abattoir was never marketed. Roly Hancock wished to have a backwards phase from the operations8.
gaurd versus long run price rises in cost of energy and imposts including carbon tax22 Vitality is a major and rising part of operating, Diesel, energy and gas23
The workers explained the effects the violence has experienced on their own life, with numerous admitting to becoming physically abusive or getting to alcohol along with other medicine.[45]
Proposal is reliant on a different airport at Blind Manufacturers and Suppliers Toowoomba currently getting constructed, rail url improvements which can be proposed to Miles and extension on the rail from there to Roma.
Gympie meatworks – Nolan Meats enterprise was functioning as normal52 highest throughput of cattle, processing 400 head a day52
Slaughterhouses that produce meat that's not intended to be eaten by individuals are sometimes generally known as knacker's yards or knackeries. This is when animals are slaughtered that aren't navigate here suit for human use or which can no more work on a farm, which include retired function horses.
community businessmen say protracted motion in the abattoir has harm nearby retail investing since they rely on day to day people today to walk into stores.fifteen
Nippon build leather-based wet blue tannery close to abattoir to approach Oakey hides and from other amenities, such as competitors7 before GFC hides are worthy of $a hundred and ten each7
JBS's US beef division (which includes Australia) sent fall in Internet sales and earnings in it's third quarter monetary success.
Wallangarra (NSW) is quickly shut resulting from a scarcity of sheep13 Facility was planning to modify its plant to equip being a beef chain but This could just take Blind Manufacturers and Suppliers nine months to complete13
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MONDAY, June 24, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- Doctors often prescribe anticholinergic drugs for a variety of ills. But a new study suggests they may increase the risk of dementia in older patients.
These medicines include everything from Benadryl (diphenhydramine) to certain antipsychotics and Parkinson's meds. They're used to treat a wide range of other conditions, including depression, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, overactive bladder, allergies, and gastrointestinal disorders.
Anticholinergic drugs help contract and relax muscles, and work by blocking acetylcholine, a chemical that transmits messages in the nervous system.
But the new British study found that people aged 55 and older who took strong anticholinergic medications daily for three years or more had a 50% increased risk of dementia.
"Our study adds further evidence of the potential risks associated with strong anticholinergic drugs, particularly antidepressants, bladder antimuscarinic drugs, anti-Parkinson drugs and epilepsy drugs," said study author Carol Coupland. She works in the division of primary care at the University of Nottingham.
Anticholinergics are known to cause short-term side effects -- including confusion and memory loss -- but it's unclear if long-term use increases the risk of dementia.
To find out, Coupland's team examined the medical records of nearly 59,000 patients in the U.K. with dementia, as well as a control group of more than 225,000 patients without dementia. All the patients were 55 and older. The average age of the dementia patients was 82.
Overall, they study found an increased risk of dementia among those who took anticholinergic drugs. After accounting for other risk factors for dementia, the researchers concluded that strong anticholinergic meds were associated with an increased risk of dementia.
There was no increased risk of dementia among patients who took other types of anticholinergic drugs such as antihistamines (Benadryl) and gastrointestinal drugs.
In the one to 11 years before dementia diagnosis or the equivalent in controls, nearly 57% of dementia patients and 51% of people in the control group were prescribed at least one strong anticholinergic drug, with an average of six prescriptions in dementia patients and four in controls.
The study was published June 24 in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine.
The researchers noted that this was an observational study, so it cannot prove that anticholinergic drugs help cause dementia. For example, it's possible that the drugs were prescribed to dementia patients to help treat very early symptoms of the disease.
However, if anticholinergics do help cause dementia, about 10% of dementia cases might be attributable to the drugs, the study authors said.
At the very least, "this study provides further evidence that doctors should be careful when prescribing certain drugs that have anticholinergic properties," study co-author Tom Dening, head of Nottingham's Center for Dementia, said in a university news release.
He stressed, however, that "it's important that patients taking medications of this kind don't just stop them abruptly, as this may be much more harmful. If patients have concerns, then they should discuss them with their doctor to consider the pros and cons of the treatment they are receiving."
And Coupland stressed that, "the risks of this type of medication should be carefully considered by health care professionals alongside the benefits when the drugs are prescribed." In some cases, "alternative treatments should be considered where possible, such as other types of antidepressants or alternative types of treatment for bladder conditions," she said.
Coupland added that, "we found a greater risk for people diagnosed with dementia before the age of 80, which indicates that anticholinergic drugs should be prescribed with caution in middle-aged people as well as in older people."
Dr. Gayatrii Devi is a neurologist specializing in memory disorders at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. She believes many people too easily resort to anticholinergics for sleep complaints, especially.
"There is an increasing epidemic of reliance on sleeping medications, from benzodiazepines including medications like Ambien and Xanax, to anticholinergics commonly used in many over-the-counter sleep aids, to power ourselves off at night," she said.
Devi believes there are other behavioral ways to resume getting a good night's sleep.
"Ideally, what we want to do is to go back to something we were born experts at -- sleeping," Devi said, "without any sleep medications."
More information
The U.S. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke has more on dementia.
SOURCE: Gayatri Devi, M.D., neurologist, Lenox Hill Hospital, New York City; University of Nottingham, news release, June 24, 2019


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At least 52 people have been killed in a prison riot in Brazil which saw rival gangs battle for five hours, officials say.
Gang members from one prison block invaded another part of Altamira jail in Pará state, local media reported.
Officials giving a news conference said 16 of the dead were decapitated – the remainder suffocated after part of the prison was set on fire.
Two prison officers who were taken hostage have since been freed.
The violence began at around 07:00 local time (10:00 GMT), and ended at around noon, officials said.
Video reported to be from the prison carried by Brazilian media showed smoke billowing from at least one prison building, while another clip appeared to show inmates walking around on the rooftops.
The two rival gangs involved have not been named by authorities.
The prison in Altamira where Monday's violence broke out has a capacity of 200, but was occupied by some 300 prisoners.
Brazil's G1 news outlet reported that gang leaders involved in the attack were to be moved to federal prisons for isolation.
Violence in Brazilian prisons is not uncommon. The country has the world's third-largest prison population of some 700,000 people, and overcrowding is a widespread problem.
Clashes between rival gangs are frequent, as are riots.
In May, 40 people were killed on the same day in four different prisons in Manaus in Amazonas state – a day after 15 died in prison fights in the area.
More than 130 people were killed in January 2017 alone, as violence broke out in several prisons between the country's two largest gangs, resulting in lengthy riots and the eventual transfer of hundreds of prisoners.
Brazil's far-right President Jair Bolsonaro has vowed to bring in tighter controls in prisons, while building more across the country.
But this will not be straightforward as most prisons are controlled at the state level.
What causes prison riots in Brazil?
A crackdown on violent and drug-related offences has seen the country's prison population boom in recent decades.
Overcrowding makes it hard for prison authorities to keep rival factions separate. It also raises tensions inside the cells, with inmates competing for limited resources such as mattresses and food.
Gang warfare
Killings between rival gang members are common in Brazilian prisons.
This was exacerbated when a two-decade truce of sorts broke down in recent years between two of the country's most powerful gangs – the Sao Paulo-based First Capital Command (PCC) drug gang and Rio de Janeiro's Red Command.
Lack of resources
Many Brazilian prisons are underfunded.
Poorly-trained and badly-paid prison guards often face inmates who not only outnumber them but who also feel they have little to lose as they face long sentences already.