Module 9 Getting Started

Overview - Getting Started

Please note: This module runs for two weeks--plan on learning all of the content this week in Module 9 and posting the presentation connected to this module inside of Module 10 for your discussion group to view and provide feedback to by Sunday, 11:59 pm.

Students need committed and capable teachers; a clean and safe environment; up-to-date books, computers, and facilities; and enough time to learn, but they need other things, too. The school’s organizational arrangements and routines, attitudes and beliefs, and social dynamics and partnerships with families and communities also shape what students accomplish in school. This module focuses on school culture and family engagement. As such, you will learn several key features of healthy school cultures—that is, school cultures that foster high academic quality and safe, supportive relationships.

Administrators, teachers, and other education professionals are responsible for creating classroom practices and school cultures where all students can reach their full potential. As you learned in previous modules, everyone in a school building plays a role in shaping school climate and culture. However, education professionals are not the only adults who influence whether schools actually become rigorous, and equitable learning communities. Parents and communities also play a role and must work together toward this goal.

Education professionals have a responsibility to learn deeply about the families, children, and communities they serve. With meaningful family partnerships, we learn information that can help each and every child feel visible, valued, and represented in classroom life.

In this module, we explore strategies for creating a sense of belonging and learning to see the strengths and important contributions parents and communities can offer to schools. Through building powerful, reciprocal, and supportive relationships with families, schools can better serve students and ensure that they thrive.

Specifically, we will focus on the following areas of family and community engagement in schools:

How parents and communities can be engaged as assets for better meeting student needs.
The role of asset-based theories in improving how we work with families in diverse communities.

The theories and strategies explored in this module have the potential for helping to build a supportive synergy between teachers and parents.

For an overview of the module and the connected assessment, please review the video below:

Learning Objectives

By the end of this module, you will be able to:

Define school climate and culture.
Evaluate policies and practices that can be used to create a healthy school culture and climate.
Identify various practices you will use to foster caring relationships with students and families that build on strengths and cultural assets.

To-Do List

To meet the objectives of this module, you will complete the following activities and assessments:

Review the content in the module and take notes using the guiding questions.
Create a presentation on your personal Community Cultural Wealth applying the theory to your life.
In Module 10, post your presentation in your group's forum by Sunday evening, July 6th, 11:59 pm (24 hr late grace)
Respond to two presentations in your group forum by Thursday, July 10th.

Schedule

**Week 4 Schedule: Modules 8, 9. and 10**
Monday	Thursday	Sunday
NEW Modules published Monday but feel free to start on Wednesday and enjoy the holiday this week! Tune in to the Weekly Announcement. Check in to review the assignments and assess the workload and commitments.	Post in the Module 8 Discussion Forum in VoiceThread.	Respond to peers in VoiceThread by Sunday evening, 11:59 pm. Finish reviewing and taking notes on Module 9 content to post your Community Cultural Wealth presentation in your group's forum by 11:59 pm (24 hr late grace).