Culturally Responsive Distance Education...(sketchnote)

So last week I watched the webinar called Moving Beyond the Packet, by Zaretta Hammond.  (You can get your own link here:  https://crtandthebrain.com/covid19-webinar1-recording/ ) The above sketchnote is my initial takeaway from the whole thing... There was a lot of good stuff that made sense to me.  

The basic premise of the webinar was to find ways to leverage the current situation.  Though she didn't state it this way, exactly, my takeaway is. Rather than focus on the pitfalls of the situation, focus on the places we can leverage to enhance student cognitive growth during this time.

The Culture Tree, below, shows us that many of the things we often see/do in classrooms in the name of culturally responsiveness, tend to fall into the category of surface culture.  And since we know that much of students' ablility to access and grow new understandings is based on the background knowledge they come in with.  WE Cannot Give our students background knowledge by singing songs, telling stories, or handing them other spoils of culture... Background knowledge is built within the areas of shallow and deep culture.  Hopefully we can guide our kids to engage in learning and experiences that will build their background knowledge...

What does that mean for us as educators during this time of remote learning?  First of all it means knowing your students, their interests and curiosities, and encouraging choice will be key to helping them leverage this time for their own growth.  

More specifically there were 3 Design principles highlighted (as a Skinny list) that would be a good place to start with online distance learning.  

• Anchor learning to a BIG Picture 
• ex. use of Essential Questions, to allow more entry points and connections
• Use Cognitive Hooks and background knowledge, then build from there...
• Leverage "chewing" on information....by encouraging doing, making, creating...

Ok, so that part was semi helpful in my mind, seems like a lot of you are doing those things already, this seems similar to the first webinar I reported on...

What is New?

The next section of the webinar focused on the Remix! Things we already know and do, but now is a good time to Rethink, Reinvent, Remix, Reposition.... I created a chart so you can scan for what might help you most!

Leverage this time for:	By Putting into Practice….  (as a Routine activity---research says One off strategies don’t work)
DEEPEN BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE	Assign more nonfiction Assign informational TV programs, (Think Ms Frizzle, Bill Nye, etc ) Include math in this… Build on interests, curiosities and provide opportunities to SHARE
GIVE THE BRAIN A DIRECTIVE  (specific way to Share)	BE Specific: “Tell the biggest surprise from the ___ that you read” Encourage a Thinking Routine, ex. “I used to think___, Now I think ____.” Require a share!
CULTIVATE THINKING ROUTINES	Connect unknown to the known What are the parts to the whole? How do the parts fit in the whole? A couple resources for thinking routines: Agency by Design, page or routines, tools and practices http://agencybydesign.org/thinking-routines-tools-practices Think From the Middle resource for thinking routines… http://www.rcsthinkfromthemiddle.com/thinking-routines.html Thinking routines: Video http://www.rcsthinkfromthemiddle.com/thinking-routines.html
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF TIME TO ENCOURAGE NEW WAYS FOR PROCESSING INFORMATION	Introduce Sketchnotes,  sketchdoodles,  Focus on How to… with scaffolds...ungraded Resources: Sketchnoting tips https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_oJfghR30U TEDtalk How to Draw to Remember Morehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gj3ZnKlHqxI
BUILD WORD WEALTH (But “hide the vegetables” this shouldn’t be worksheets)	Robust word study Scrabble,  Heads up Taboo Assign Word Collecting Scavenger Hunts withing work, packets, books, house, etc Challenges Contrast Analysis Urban dictionary vs standard Evaluation of a word Magnetic poetry..

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