5 tools for your Culturally Responsive Writing Centers

The purpose of a Culturally Responsive Writing Center is to increase the level of engagement for your students.  You can set up a little nook in your classroom where students go to write narratives and responses to culturally responsive images.

Include the following items:

1) Teacher-Student exchange journals

2) Family photos that students can use to create stories

3) Cultural Objects that represent the students ( You may send a letter home and ask students to collect items that represent traditions and family values.)

4) Quotes from famous minority figures

Using a Multicultural Text as a Springboard for Goal Setting

Mrs. Jasper and her teaching assistant wanted to use a space theme for their classroom this year.  So, I suggested reading one of my favorite books called, Ron's Big Mission.  It's about a young African-American boy who decides to make an important risk in an effort to educate himself.  This book is a must read for goal setting during the first few months of school.

The students created mission badges to represent their long term goals and special qualities.

Two Books to Empower Your Students

Click below for detailed activities and templates.
scholastic lesson plan STAND TALL
I AM Poem Electronic Template

Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon is a great self-empowerment tool to help your students understand and appreciate their own special contributions and uniqueness in the world.

Me I AM is simply a classic.  It places an esteemed value on each individual child!  The illustrations are  remarkable examples of multicultural detail.

The Power of Memoir and Film Narratives

I am thrilled about starting my first year in fourth grade.  I am continuously planning with the "Culturally Responsive" framework in mine.  During the first three weeks of schools, our fourth grade team will be guiding students through the writing process for producing a narrative based on an influential life event.  After moving through the writing process, each student will be producing an iMovie.  The students' work will be shown a local film festival.  This activity not only reflects the diverse experiences of students, but it also weaves in critical technology skills.  In addition, the students are analyzing, synthesizing, and creating knowledge through both a writing and technology medium.  Students will be given a wide range of choices to create their film narratives which include: a comic strip with scanned documents, personal family photos, and audio of the "Where I'm From" poem template.  Choice will be a deeply embedded Culturally Responsive Teaching strategy to keep students engaged.

I would like to give Janelle Catlett a special thank you for exposing us to a dynamic mentor text that can be used to teach narrative writing and bio poems.  Check out Mama, Where Are You From?  She also walked us through the entire IMovie process.

Increasing Reading Growth Over the Summer

I am in the process of creating summer packets to mail to my students to motivate daily reading, writing, and math problem solving.  A significant portion of my students don't necessarily have a large selection of books at home, but I discovered that every one of my students has access to the internet at home.  Research indicates that students can lose up to two levels of growth over the summer.  On my quest to find the answer to this complex problem, I stumbled across another teacher's blog.  She's truly incredible, and I found out about the "We Give Books" site from one of her posts.  The "We Give Books" website allows students to read books online for free.  This site is a twenty-first century example of using technology to promote equity in education.  "We Give Books" gives every student with internet access the gift of reading.  Click on the link below to browse the site.
Online Books Link
Check out the "Panicked Teacher" blog for more amazing resources.
Panicked Teacher Blog Link

Suggestions for Ending the Year in a Culturally Responsive Way

Many teachers give their students an end of the year gift.  This year I will send each student home with a little beach bag that includes the items listed below.  I will print the message that I came up with below and put it inside the beach bag.

Chex Mix – Represents our diverse classroom.  All of us are different.  Our differences unite us.

Seashell – Always remember that you are special and unique like a seashell…

On the beach there are no two seashells that are exactly the same. There is no one that is exactly like you!

Chapstick – Always remember that your words have power.  Use your words to help, heal, and understand.

Pencil – Write your own story…  Your experience matters.

Beachball – All of your classmates’ names on your beach ball are there to remind you of how your friends changed your life this year.

Click on the link below for the printable version of the message.
End of the year Gift Idea
Hi blogger friends!  Feel free to leave a comment or send a picture if you used this idea.

Resources for "Wilma Unlimited"

Wilma Unlimited is one my favorite children's books.  Her story weaves in a wide variety of critical themes to discuss in the classroom setting including: resilience, courage, optimism, and character.  The text is also contextualized with the undertones of racial segregation which is an important topic to explore with young people.  I am hosting a writing contest at our school that asks the children to write about their "Shero".  This word is not in the dictionary, but I wanted use a term that kids would catch onto easily.  I used the Wilma Unlimited book to model writing about my own personal "Shero".

There is an attachment included from one of my favorite sites, called The Best Children's Books.  I will be using those printables at the conclusion of the year.  I love the magazine cover idea... Check it out.
http://www.the-best-childrens-books.org/Wilma-Unlimited-ideas.html

Teachers, students, and blog visitors:  Post a comment about your Shero.

Sylvia Elder's Creative Literacy Share

Mrs. Jasper's class received a visit from their Cultural Community Ambassador, Mrs. Elder.  The students wrote alternate endings to the True Story of the Three Little Pigs.  Part of "Culturally Responsive Teaching" is allowing students to develop and explain their own perceptions about text.

Check out their viewpoints in the comments section.
Attention Mrs. Jasper's Students:  Tell me about Mrs. Elder's visit.