What's Your Dream?

Watch this video as a class and ask your students to respond to the following questions in the comment section of the blog?  It's very important that we start talking about Dr. King's legacy before MLK day.

What is your dream?
How does Martin Luther King's dream affect your life today?

Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Fun Theory

How does this video relate to culturally responsive teaching strategies?  When you address a student's culture as a positive asset to their identity as a learner, it increases classroom engagement and achievement. This video is a great example of how one small change in your teaching approach or classroom space with regard to culture can raise the fun level!  This change might be a new mentor text, an interactive bulletin board display, or an exciting academic project about student backgrounds.

Culturally Responsive Teaching Video - Staff Meeting

Latishia Wilson, an awesome DRT, shared this video. This video changed my perspective about what it means to be a culturally responsive teacher. I really enjoy using a wide variety of strategies. For example, I have noticed that "Pick a Stick" really increases engagement and active listening. I am also using "Musical Around the Room" to preview vocabulary words. What are your thoughts and reflections about this video.

Text-To-Self Connection to Multicultural Literature

In second grade, we are teaching making connections to our literacy groups. During independent reading time, Jahmaya was able to make some amazing text-to-self connections. "My brother comes to visit me, and I know he will come back soon... just like the character.." She explains. This is an exciting example of using multicultural text to provide a vehicle for minority students to make connections. Also, students who are not minorities identified with this same experience reflected through the main character of the book called, Brothers. Multicultural text is a positive teaching tool for all students because it illuminates how we share similiar experiences as human beings.

November DRT Newsletter

What are your thoughts about November's DRT newsletter?  Post feedback comments about further suggestions and reflections.  Do you plan on inviting the Artist in Residence to your school community?

First Grade Math Game Night

Woodbrook Elementary's first grade team hosted a success night for parents.  Students taught their parents math games for the Investigations math curriculum.  This is an excellent example of cultivating the home-school connection.