NJ Network to Close the NJ Network to Close the Achievement GapsAchievement Gaps

A review of concepts, A review of concepts, strategies and researchstrategies and research

Shared by Frank Myers and Jeanne Shared by Frank Myers and Jeanne WhiteWhite

The NetworkThe Network The Penn Center for Educational Leadership at The Penn Center for Educational Leadership at

the University of Pennsylvania and the the University of Pennsylvania and the Educational Information and Resource Center Educational Information and Resource Center (EIRC) collaborated to establish a regional (EIRC) collaborated to establish a regional network of school districts in southern NJ that network of school districts in southern NJ that would be committed to actively reducing the gaps would be committed to actively reducing the gaps in achievement and school engagement between in achievement and school engagement between their African American and Latino/Latina students their African American and Latino/Latina students and their Caucasian and Asian peers.and their Caucasian and Asian peers.

Delsea Regional School District is a network Delsea Regional School District is a network member district dedicated to closing observed member district dedicated to closing observed achievement gaps.achievement gaps.

Like a good buffet…enjoy your Like a good buffet…enjoy your

favorites then try something newfavorites then try something new!!

The School Leaders Our Children The School Leaders Our Children Deserve: A 3-Pronged Approach to Deserve: A 3-Pronged Approach to

Reinventing Schools for All LearnersReinventing Schools for All Learners

Associate Professor,Associate Professor,

Syracuse UniversitySyracuse University

Ph.D. – University of Ph.D. – University of

WisconsinWisconsin

Field experience in Field experience in educationeducation

as a teacher, as a teacher, administratoradministrator

& principal& principal

Dr. George Theoharis

11stst Prong: Increase Access/Inclusion Prong: Increase Access/Inclusion

Special Education Special Education

English as a Second Language (ESL)English as a Second Language (ESL)

Gifted & TalentedGifted & Talented

2nd Prong: Climate of Belonging2nd Prong: Climate of Belonging

Warm, welcoming and funWarm, welcoming and fun- It helps to create a warm, welcoming environment when - It helps to create a warm, welcoming environment when teachers approach each student as competentteachers approach each student as competent

Classroom community buildingClassroom community building

Continue to train staffContinue to train staff

Reach out to community and marginalized Reach out to community and marginalized familiesfamilies

Pro-active approach to disciplinePro-active approach to discipline

33rdrd Prong: Improve Core Learning Prong: Improve Core Learning Context Context

Addressing RaceAddressing Race

- Educators must reject “deficit view” of students - Educators must reject “deficit view” of students and begin to discuss hard issues of race, socio-and begin to discuss hard issues of race, socio-economic differences, religion, sexuality, etc. economic differences, religion, sexuality, etc. These shouldn’t be problems for teachers but These shouldn’t be problems for teachers but opportunities.opportunities.

CollaborationCollaboration

- Utilize all resources available- Utilize all resources available Addressing Equity Gaps in Curriculum and Addressing Equity Gaps in Curriculum and

InstructionInstruction

- Professional Development- Professional Development

- Curriculum- Curriculum

Beyond the Bake Sale: Beyond the Bake Sale: Building Effective Family and Building Effective Family and

School PartnershipsSchool Partnerships

Director, Education Policy and Management Program, HGSE

Ph.D. and Masters of Education from Harvard Graduate School of Education

Masters in Counselor Education

Recipient of Spencer Dissertation Fellowship

AuthorDr. Karen Mapp

4 Versions of Family-School Partnerships4 Versions of Family-School Partnerships Fortress SchoolFortress School Parents belong at home not at school. Our school is an Parents belong at home not at school. Our school is an

oasis in a troubled community. We want to keep it that oasis in a troubled community. We want to keep it that way.way.

Come-If-We-Call SchoolCome-If-We-Call School

Parents are welcomed but only in a limited fashion. Parents are welcomed but only in a limited fashion. Parents should help kids at home.Parents should help kids at home.

Open-Door SchoolOpen-Door School Promotes parental & community involvement . We’re Promotes parental & community involvement . We’re

working hard to get an even better turnout for working hard to get an even better turnout for activities.activities.

Partnership SchoolPartnership School All families & communities have something valuable to All families & communities have something valuable to

offer. Student success is of primary importance.offer. Student success is of primary importance.

Categories of Various School Categories of Various School PartnershipsPartnerships

Building relationshipsBuilding relationships

Linking to LearningLinking to Learning

Addressing DifferencesAddressing Differences

Supporting AdvocacySupporting Advocacy

Sharing PowerSharing Power

Supporting AdvocacySupporting Advocacy Fortress: Parents don’t come to conferences. Fortress: Parents don’t come to conferences.

Problems are dealt with by professional staff.Problems are dealt with by professional staff.

Come-If-We-Call: Schools call families when Come-If-We-Call: Schools call families when children have problems. Teacher calls for children have problems. Teacher calls for conferences.conferences.

Open-Door: Administration meets with parents to Open-Door: Administration meets with parents to discuss problems. Regular progress reports to discuss problems. Regular progress reports to parents.parents.

Partnership: Clear open process for resolving Partnership: Clear open process for resolving problems. Student lead parent conferences are problems. Student lead parent conferences are held three times a year. held three times a year.

Sharing PowerSharing Power

FortressFortress: Administration picks small group of : Administration picks small group of “cooperative parents” to help. Families afraid to “cooperative parents” to help. Families afraid to complain. “They might take it out on my kid.” complain. “They might take it out on my kid.” “Community groups should mind their own “Community groups should mind their own business; they don’t know about education.”business; they don’t know about education.”

Come-If-We-CallCome-If-We-Call: Administration sets agenda for : Administration sets agenda for parent meetings. PTO/VIP gets the school’s parent meetings. PTO/VIP gets the school’s message out. “Parents aren’t experts in message out. “Parents aren’t experts in education.” “Community groups address school education.” “Community groups address school board if they have concerns.”board if they have concerns.”

Sharing PowerSharing Power

Open-DoorOpen-Door: Parents can raise issues at PTO/VIP : Parents can raise issues at PTO/VIP meetings or see the administration. Resource meetings or see the administration. Resource center for low-income families is housed in a center for low-income families is housed in a portable classroom next to school. PTO/VIP portable classroom next to school. PTO/VIP officers can use school office.officers can use school office.

Partnership SchoolPartnership School: Parents and teachers : Parents and teachers research issues such as prejudice and tracking. research issues such as prejudice and tracking. Parent group is focused on improving student Parent group is focused on improving student achievement. Families are involved in all major achievement. Families are involved in all major decisions. decisions.

Four Core BeliefsFour Core Beliefs

1. All parents have dreams for their children

and want the best for them.

2. All parents have the capacity to support their children’s learning.

3. Parents and school staff should be equal partners.

4. Responsibility for building partnerships between home and school rests primarily with school staff, especially school leaders.

How to Teach Students Who How to Teach Students Who Don’t Look Like YouDon’t Look Like You

Ph.D., St. Louis UniversityPh.D., St. Louis University

M.A.I., Webster UniversityM.A.I., Webster University

M.A. , University of M.A. , University of MississippiMississippi

Best-selling authorBest-selling author

Education Education Consultant/CoachConsultant/Coach

Dr. Bonnie M. Davis

Why We Need To Know Why We Need To Know About Cultures…..About Cultures…..

40% of U.S. citizens are 40% of U.S. citizens are members of racial and members of racial and ethnic minoritiesethnic minorities

Between 2030-2050, White Between 2030-2050, White people will become a people will become a minorityminority

People speaking languages People speaking languages other than English will other than English will outnumber the English-outnumber the English-speaking population in more speaking population in more than 50 U.S. citiesthan 50 U.S. cities

A Journey of Cultural A Journey of Cultural ProficiencyProficiency

Cultural ProficiencyCultural Proficiency is defined as the policies and is defined as the policies and practices of a school, or the values and behaviors practices of a school, or the values and behaviors of an individual that enable the person or school to of an individual that enable the person or school to interact effectively in a culturally diverse interact effectively in a culturally diverse environment. It is a journey to learn what we don’t environment. It is a journey to learn what we don’t know we don’t about others. know we don’t about others.

CultureCulture is defined as the total of everything and is defined as the total of everything and individual learns by growing up in a particular individual learns by growing up in a particular context.context.

Webster connectionWebster connection

Our Own Cultural LensOur Own Cultural Lens

It is key to understand our own Cultural Lens.It is key to understand our own Cultural Lens.

Our culture is the lens through which we see the Our culture is the lens through which we see the world. It’s a set of expectations for appropriate world. It’s a set of expectations for appropriate behavior in seemingly similar contexts. behavior in seemingly similar contexts.

Cultures you know: Coach Purse culture, surfing Cultures you know: Coach Purse culture, surfing culturing, hunting & fishing culture, female culturing, hunting & fishing culture, female culture (culture (Men Are From Mars; Women Are From Men Are From Mars; Women Are From Venus)Venus)

Six volunteersSix volunteers

Relationship, Relationship, Relationship, Relationship, RelationshipRelationship

Build relationships with students as it relates to Build relationships with students as it relates to understanding them within the classroom understanding them within the classroom experienceexperience

Learn about each student as an individualLearn about each student as an individual

Create a safe and student-friendly environmentCreate a safe and student-friendly environment

Honor each student’s storyHonor each student’s story

Implement Brain-Compatible Implement Brain-Compatible StrategiesStrategies

Wait time strategyWait time strategy

-Wait seven seconds before responding-Wait seven seconds before responding

Movement strategy Movement strategy

-Elementary every 6 -8 minutes-Elementary every 6 -8 minutes

-Secondary every 8 – 10 minutes-Secondary every 8 – 10 minutes

-Movement increases retention-Movement increases retention

Check-In StrategyCheck-In Strategy

-Ask a question requiring a one-word answer-Ask a question requiring a one-word answer

-Gives everyone a voice, lessens stress, no -Gives everyone a voice, lessens stress, no right right

or wrong answeror wrong answer

Guiding PrinciplesGuiding Principles

Each of us is a unique Each of us is a unique brain and capable of brain and capable of learning at high levelslearning at high levels

Cultural proficiency is Cultural proficiency is the journey to learn the journey to learn what I don’t know I what I don’t know I don’t knowdon’t know

No significant No significant learning occurs learning occurs without a without a significant significant relationshiprelationship

What’s best for the What’s best for the best is best for allbest is best for all

Resilience:From Research to Practice

Education Consultant

Ed.D. and M.A., Mills College

Phi Delta Kappa Graduate Fellowship in Educational Leadership

Author

20 Years Classroom ExperienceDr. Sara

Truebridge

Resilience in ContextResilience in Context

Resilience is the self-Resilience is the self-writing and writing and transcending capacity transcending capacity within all youth, within all youth, adults, organizations adults, organizations and communities to and communities to spring back, rebound, spring back, rebound, and successfully adapt and successfully adapt in the face of in the face of adversity.adversity.

Resilience is the Resilience is the ability to develop ability to develop social and academic social and academic competence despite competence despite exposure to high risk exposure to high risk environments, severe environments, severe stress or simply the stress or simply the stress of today’s stress of today’s world.world.

Resilience in ActionResilience in Action

Three Protective Three Protective FactorsFactors

1. Caring relationships1. Caring relationships

2. High expectations2. High expectations

3. Meaningful 3. Meaningful participationparticipation

Four EnvironmentsFour Environments

1. Families1. Families

2. Schools2. Schools

3. Communities3. Communities

4. Peers4. Peers

Research Shows….Research Shows….

When the focus is on When the focus is on supporting and supporting and empowering youth, empowering youth, over 70% of young over 70% of young people in the most people in the most challenging of life’s challenging of life’s conditions not only conditions not only survive, but grow into survive, but grow into thriving adults.thriving adults.

In children followed In children followed from birth to 40 years from birth to 40 years old, risk doesn’t equal old, risk doesn’t equal outcome and behavior outcome and behavior doesn’t equal capacity. doesn’t equal capacity.

Beliefs of adults in a Beliefs of adults in a student’s family, student’s family, school, and community school, and community must change first to must change first to foster resilience in the foster resilience in the studentstudent

YOU MATTER!!!YOU MATTER!!!

““Kids can walk Kids can walk around trouble if around trouble if there is someplace there is someplace to walk to, and to walk to, and someone to walk someone to walk with.”with.”