Archive for July, 2008
« Previous EntriesHow to engage families in their child’s education
By Tobi Kibel Piatek | Wednesday, July 30th, 2008
|
This is a great topic to open up for this group. It is a question we as educators ask ourselves every day, “How do we engage our families so that they become an integral part of their child’s educational success?” We have found that regardless of culture, language barriers, socioeconomic status, having minimal/maximum or no education at all, students will not have academic success unless their families are involved in their children’s academic process. Many of our families feel like they are unable to help their children due to either one or more of the following: not finishing school themselves (sometimes the 3rd grade is the highest they have attended); unable to read the language of the books; not understanding how the work is to be completed; and /or needing to work several jobs to keep the family “afloat” and not being home to help out with class work. So how do we engage our families? Through school-to-home correspondence, teacher/parent conferences, emails/phone calls, after school activities, and in-school volunteer opportunities. We work with families to teach them on how to set up an environment in their own home that creates centers for learning. It may be just as simple as showing parents how a short break of play and snacks right after their child gets home from school, then setting up a quiet place in the home that is where all home work is completed, that sets up a routine for daily learning. For parents who work many hours and are not home to help with class work? Their children can stay after for homework club, or individual-group tutoring during their recess or lunch time during the school day. After school activities, after 5:00 p.m., that engages families and their children to the learning process. Activities such as reading nights, math nights, bingo games, etc… These activities allow teachers to engage with their student’s families to help them understand the process of working together and how that leads to academic successes. We have also made home visits in the evening to help engage families, or to make calls home later on in the evening to talk with parents personally. When students know that their parents/guardians are working closely with their teachers, students will work harder to be successful when the school and home have the same expectations of them. |
Topics: BACK TO SCHOOL, Family Involvement | No Comments »
Upcoming Event: Special Screening “Sangre de mi Sangre” ~ Fund Raiser
By Tobi Kibel Piatek | Wednesday, July 30th, 2008
Special screening
“Sangre de mi Sangre” (winner of the best film at the Sundance Film Festival)
Thursday, August 14th @ 7:00 pm
at the Living Room Theaters (341 SW 10th)
$10.00-Admit One
FUND RAISER
Entire proceeds will go to producing “Papers”, a story about undocumented youth and the choices they must make as they become adults without legal status.
Graham Street Productions, based in Portland, is producing this film. Please take a look at the following video to get an idea of the strong message they want to share with the community.
Topics: Upcoming Events | No Comments »
Things to Do: OPB Kids and Family Resources
By Tobi Kibel Piatek | Tuesday, July 22nd, 2008
http://www.opb.org/kidsfamily/
There is something for teachers, something for mentors, something for parents and PLENTY for kids on the OPB Kids and Family site. Parents and mentors looking for some good ways to enrich these summer days might want to check out some of these resources:
Lewis & Clark Explorer Guides If your are looking for some outdoor fun … plan your own Lewis & Clark adventure using these travel guides that are sure to bring the spirit of the Corps to life. (Note: I KNOW these are fun and interesting - because I wrote them!)
Eco Smart Tips, activities and resources to help you begin conversations with children about conservation and recycling. This site includes step-by-step instructions for activities families completed at OPB’s workshops with reused and recycled materials.
We know kids watch TV in summer -to make the most of that time, and to keep in touch with what they are watching, the OPB programming schedule in on this site, as well as some great ideas to connect learning and fun in summer days. Check out this collection of easy to use resources on Media Literacy:
Activities to Build On What You’ve Watched
Extend the Learning with Books :
Stay up to date on the latest listing for things to do in The Family Events Calendar
Teachers - look ahead to next year (while there is still time) check out the Lesson Plans from OPB
Topics: Recommended Resources, Family Involvement, Resources for Teacher, Quality Time, Things to do | No Comments »
Upcoming Event: A CONVERSATION WITH ALANA:ONE BOY’S MULTICULTURAL RITE OF PASSAGE
By Tobi Kibel Piatek | Monday, July 21st, 2008
Friday, July 25, at 1:30 p.m. in Room 333, Smith Memorial Student Union, at Portland State University
A Conversation with Alana is a one-act play performed by its author, Dr. Carlos E. Cortes, Professor Emeritus, Department of History, University of California, Riverside. This performance is one of a series of parallel sessions for a Core Commitments conference being held by the Association of American Colleges and Universities. For play description, see below. I had the opportunity to see this play while participating in Summer Institute for Intercultural Communication at Reed College. This annual conference is put on by the Intercultural Communication Institute, a private, non-profit foundation designed to foster an awareness and appreciation of cultural differences in both the international and domesitc arenas.
The play is a unique opportunity to see the world through the eyes of a man who was part of many cultures but never quite fit any of them. It is well worth seeing for any of us who work with kids from multicultural backgrounds (or, for those of us who know this experience first hand.
A CONVERSATION WITH ALANA: ONE BOY’S MULTICULTURAL RITE OF PASSAGE
“A Conversation with Alana” is a one-hour, one-person autobiographical play written and performed by Carlos E. Cortés, Riverside. In his play, Cortés presents his story of growing up as a young man of mixed ancestry in racially segregated, religiously divided early post-World War II Kansas City, Missouri. The son of a Mexican Catholic immigrant father and an American-born Jewish mother, whose parents came from Austria and Ukraine, Cortés had to learn to navigate Kansas City’s rigid racial, ethnic, and religious fault lines, while simultaneously dealing with the internal conflicts of his own divided family.
Topics: Upcoming Events, Culturally Competent | No Comments »
Oregonian Story: Xploregon helps youths discover another side of Oregon — and themselves
By Tobi Kibel Piatek | Monday, July 21st, 2008
Research shows that summer is a time when kids can really benefit from programs and activities that keep them engaged in learning and out of trouble. Last week we described some of the fun things available to kids in the David Douglas/IRCO Mentoring summer program.
For a look at another kind of mentoring program, this one for teens, check out this story in today’s Oregonian about the summer outings sponsored by Campfire USA’s Xploregon. The adventures “are a series of summer service-learning road trips for high school youth that combines the best aspects of a road-trip adventure, provides teens with volunteer experience, leadership development and opportunities to connect with peers in communities across Oregon.”
Whether kids are getting to know their city or their state, programs like these are helping kids see the world beyond their usual perspective, and, research shows, helping them stay in school when the summer is over.
For more information about the value of establishing and maintaining mentoring relationships during the summer, check out the Mentoring Fact Sheet from the U.S. Department of Education.
Are you participating in a summer mentoring program or experience? Share what you are doing - share your stories.
Topics: Mentor Stories, Resources for Mentor | No Comments »
Summer Fun for Mentoring Pairs
By Tobi Kibel Piatek | Friday, July 18th, 2008
What’s the perfect way to spend a sunny summer day? A trip to OMSI might be nice; or a day at the pool. How about a day at the rock gym, the zoo, or maybe fishing at Blue
How can you choose when there are so many wonderful opportunities? The kids in the David Douglas Mentoring Project with IRCO (Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization) don’t have to.
Every week throughout the summer, kids who are part of this one-on-one after-school mentoring program (and many of their mentors as well) get the chance to leave their familiar school and neighborhood and take a field trip.
For many of these kids, some new to Portland, some new to United States, many with limited opportunities to experience all that our city has to offer, these trips open a door to a wider world. And, they are just plain fun – for everyone.
Giving kids a chance to see the world beyond the familiar and known is a primary goal for the mentors who work with these kids. As I talked with pairs of mentors and mentees - over a wonderful lunch (provided for everyone) on a patio, overlooking the Willamette, at OMSI, this theme was repeated again and again. Mentors work with kids to introduce new ideas, new possibilities, and new visions for what their mentees can become. And to experience the opportunity to make a difference – in their own lives as well as the lives of the kids they work with.
Seng and Salim talk about so many things, including college and how Salim, who is “very smart” and speaks five languages, can get there. This pair shares many interests and characteristics, as well as the natural understanding that comes with their shared immigrant experience.
Seng, who was born in
Julie and William are another wonderful pair. William was especially happy on this day because he loves science, and especially OMSI. Julie is an educational assistant at the school where William will go next year. This is an added benefit – having a built-in friend at this new school will ease the transition and help him feel welcome.
Julie, whose own kids are growing up, is as enthusiastic as William when they describe the interesting science experiments Julie comes up with for their after school time.
There were many more pairs on this lovely day – sharing time, sharing fun, and sharing birthday cupcakes in celebration of Jaime’s big day. I want to thank you all of you for sharing your stories with me, so that I can share them on this blog.
DO YOU HAVE A MENTOR STORY? Share yours.
Topics: Mentor Stories | 1 Comment »
mentoring question
By | Friday, July 18th, 2008
I am wondering if anyone has advice on how to re-connect with a former student who I used to have a close mentoring relationship with. He is now 16 and not as interested in spending time with a former teacher, but I dont want to just let him be when I know that he is going through a lot now and making some really bad decisions. Is there anything I can do?
Topics: Help Wanted | No Comments »
One Mentor’s Tale
By Tobi Kibel Piatek | Wednesday, July 16th, 2008
Why I am a Mentor
I met Efrain Vargas yesterday. Efrain is a mentor to a young teen boy. He is 20 years old, engaging and articulate. A soccer scholarship got him to college, where he is now majoring in Psychology. He hopes to become counselor and focus on gangs. Going to college changed Efrain’s life in many ways, but most important he says, it showed him a world beyond his neighborhood in California … and got him away from the gang that was too much a part of his life. When I asked Efraim why he is a mentor, he gave me this essay he has written and told me I could share it here on the blog.
“What is the reason for being a gangster? So we can defend our city, the street where we live, but the city isn’t ours, the street doesn’t belong to us either. Why am I a gang member? Because my parents didn’t have time for me. No, those are just excuses of somebody that is weak and doesn’t know what they want, so they take the easy way out. Eternal days of suffering and having to worry about making it alive by the end of the day. No, I didn’t want that for me. I was one of those lucky young puppets who made it out and was given a second chance to change the world with all those horrible things I saw and did. I am here to make a difference in the lives of all these teen chicanos who did my mistake. It’s my obligation to try and lead them to the right path.” Efraim Vargas
Topics: Mentor Stories | 1 Comment »
PPS Info on School Movement
By | Friday, July 11th, 2008
If you click on this link, you will find the High Schools System Data pdf. It is a fascinating study of the movement of Portland high school students. The exodus from some schools is striking.
Topics: Dropouts | No Comments »
Reasons for dropping out
By | Wednesday, July 9th, 2008
Five top reasons students are dropping out
- School failure
- Lack of purpose, to see long term benefits
- Substance abuse
- Becoming a parent
- Poor attendance patterns
Topics: Dropouts | No Comments »
« Previous Entries