Focus Group Update

Kelly McDermott
Maria Medina, Spanish Cultural Liaison
Wayne Wells, American Indian Student Support Services Coordinator

Our kids are Our kids...

We started with Data
Retreats with English,
Math and Science.
We may not be that diverse but every
student matters. We need to
understand what this means for
our students of color.

Race

PLSAS
Population

White

6994

Black

390

Asian/Pacific
Islander

495

Hispanic

315

American
Indian

105

TOMS Math...

TOMS Reading...

What did we do?

How did we do it?

Focus Groups:
(link to Focus Group Recap sheet: http://tinyurl.com/jma4mly )
Latino Families
Native American Families
Somali Families
EL iPads
EL support class at Prior Lake Library
Partnered with Community Education
Working with EL teachers and Liaisons
Formed a Committee that debriefs every meeting
Looking at plans for next year to continue the work

Partnered with La ola del lago Interns

Maria Medina, Spanish Cultural Liaison

mmedina@priorlake-savage.k12.mn.us
952.594.4570 (cell)

Cultural Learning Differences...

Latin Culture
American Culture
-Oral transmission
-Written Transmission
(Personal contact, texts))

-Collectivism
(family)

(e-mails, paper)

-Individualism
(Independent)

-Traditional

-Modern

-Dont read
-Socio-economic status

- Read
- Race

Wayne Wells,
American Indian Student Support Services Coordinator

wwells@priorlake-savage.k12.mn.us
952.226.8651
District Website Information
Native Nations Schedule

(click on link)

(click on link)

Strategies for Teaching Native Americans (click on link)

American Indian Students...

Background/History
Ojibwa and Dakota
How they learn
Need to see themselves in the school
Need to feel comfortable
What teachers should know
Typically no support at home, no one monitoring them
Would love to see artwork in schools
socioeconomic difference amongst our American Indian Students
Some live with Grandparents/elders that may be raising 4-5 kids
Learn visually. Like to observe than do.
Learn by working in groups.
Typically are reflective and take more time to answer questions.

American Indian Students...

What teachers should know

May not attempt to answer unfamiliar
questions for fear of not performing well

What can teachers do

Find out their preferred learning style
expose students to new ways of learning slowly so they can feel
successful at it
Help American Indian students see themselves in your classroom and
in a positive way
Articles (click on link)
Strategies for Teaching Native Americans (click on link)

Mohamed Duale, Somali Consultant

Somal760@gmail.com
612-702-1846
(Hidden Oaks Parent)

Somali Culture...

Greetings
Wait for them to offer a handshake
Welcome them by saying Asslaamu Alaikum
(ah-sah-lahm ah-lay-koom)
May peace be upon you

Names
Have three parts.
Womens Head Covering (hijab, niqab, khimaar, or jilbaab)
Homework
Behavior
Large Families

Somali Students...Somali Resources

(click on link)

Appreciate oral communication best

Value education
Some families believe the school should fix
the problem
Prayer times (usually once at school)

What can you do?

Build Relationships, Get to Really Know your students

Research shows Teacher-Student relationships has a 0.72 effective
size (12th out of 150 influences on achievement-John Hattie)
An effect size of 0.50 is equivalent to 1 grade improvement in exam
results
Acknowledge their culture...ask them how they learn best
Learn how to say hello in their home language...ask them
Know and acknowledge important dates in their culture
Reach out to families (text, call and find out if they speak English at home)
Dont rely on Google Translate!
Have their culture represented in your class...ask student to share
(pictures, posters, books, videos, songs, etc.)

What can you do? Educate yourself.

Read monthly EL newsletters...lots of helpful tips in their
https://www.smore.com/ta95c
https://www.smore.com/hrw7n
https://www.smore.com/q36bz
https://www.smore.com/y8tyr
https://www.smore.com/jc9pn
https://www.smore.com/p4ycx

Future Plans for PLSAS...

Reworking Registration Process

Resource Manual for Parents
Resource Manual for Teachers
Partnership with Community Ed (classes for parents, supports for students)
Compile lists of Holidays for teachers to be aware of
Flags at Middle Schools
Posters at Middle Schools
Welcome in different languages for teachers at HOMS and TOMS
EL newsletters
Books for media center and for teachers
District Wide Equity work 16-17

Thank you!
Link to Culturally Responsive
Teaching Session:
http://tinyurl.com/jsyeqcv