Change is local. Join me on November 14, 2015, for the annual neighborhood conference hosted by the St. Louis Association of Community Organizations. You can still register at http://www.slaco-mo.org/conference.html. Our panel at 11 am discusses how to “Adopt Your Neighborhood School and Vice Versa!” Other panels address local government, lessons learned from Ferguson, and youth engagement. See you there!
MODLAN Meets Again
On November 20-21, 2014, at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, Dr. Kim Song, colleagues, and I will host “Bridges to Dual Language Learning.” English language and bilingual teachers from across the state will have opportunities to visit The Spanish School (www.sllis.org) and join a series of workshops:
- Dual Language Immersion Models and Reading Strategies (Marisela Rodriguez, American Reading Company)
- Dual Language Immersion for Academic Achievement (Griselda Pirtle, ELL Director, CCSD59, Illinois)
- Effective Language Learning Strategies
- Biliteracy and ELLs’ Academic Language Learning
-
Immigrant Family Lives and Schools’ Responsibilities: From Federal to Local Policies
- Co-teaching and Online Coaching for Transforming Teachers of Linguistically Diverse Students
JOIN US! For more information, please email coppersmiths @ umsl.edu.
Cambio de Colores Conference
In June 2015, colleagues and I joined together at the annual Cambio de Colores conference. New this year: an entire ‘track’ of presentations on dual language and English Learners (EL) education. I was especially excited to be part of a panel discussing the development and challenges of dual language programs in Kansas City and Carthage, Missouri and community bilingual outreach at libraries in Springfield. There is great work happening – and great needs – across the state. Join us to discuss the “cambiodecolores.org” – Change of Colors – in Missouri and the Midwest.
Research with Children
“The more one is in a position to make decisions for children, to speak on their behalf, the more one is able to silence their voices.” (Lee, 2001, p. 10)
For 18 months in the early 2000s, I ‘hung out’ with elementary-aged children from six Mexican immigrant families; we did homework together, played with younger siblings, drew pictures, and created imaginary games. (In formal research terms, I designed an ethnography and used participant observation techniques informed by the social science of childhoods and scholars like Allison James, Alan Prout, and Marjorie Faulstich Orellana.) I wanted to explore how young kids understood a new language education program being developed and implemented in their school district. I believed that children served as cultural brokers for their families, possibly shaping how their parents understood and made choices about the new program.
As I published the results of the study, however, I found that I relied heavily upon my conversations with adults, field notes from adult-centric interactions and meetings, and interview transcripts. I generally neglected most of the data that I collected with youth, and thus, inadvertently silenced their voices. I reflect upon the entire process and re-analyze data from youth to explore questions of ethics in doing research with children and young people. The results of my reflections are in this newly published piece, “From Relating to (Re)Presenting: Challenges and Lessons Learned from an Ethnographic Study with Young Children,” qix.sagepub.com/content/21/4/354.abstract. I welcome your ideas and feedback on this!
Cambio de Colores
“Cambio de Colores is a multistate conference about integration of immigrants in new destinations in the Midwest.” It is one of my favorite professional development opportunities because everyone comes to this conference: practitioners, teachers, researchers, advocates, policymakers and others who work with immigrant communities. Consider joining us to share your experiences, or to learn more about a related growing network discussed below – the Missouri Dual Language Network plans to meet there, too, and hopefully plan some visits to multilingual Missouri communities! More information at: http://www.cambiodecolores.org/