Project PLACE
Partnerships for Learning, Achievement, and Classroom Engagement
March 2021
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Project PLACE Update
As everyone in education continues to navigate these challenging times, our team is so pleased that Project PLACE has continued providing high quality professional learning that helps teachers work more effectively in diverse classroom settings. This year amidst the pandemic, Project PLACE pivoted to online professional development and customized coaching for 23 outstanding alumni participants who are deepening their knowledge and practices around culturally responsive instruction. Our research is showing that Project PLACE makes an impact on teachers' practices and students' achievement, and we are excited to continue this work in Clark, Fayette, and Scott counties. As you move forward in serving all students, whether remotely or in person, remember Project PLACE is here for you. Like our Facebook page and let us know how we can help.
Focus on Family Collaboration!
The home is a powerful learning environment! Meaningful school-home connections build mutual trust and respect. Effective family collaborations impact the children's social and academic development and learning.
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Family Collaboration Activities that Support EL’s Heritage Language
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1. Invite families to participate in reading, discussion, and writing using multilingual story books with their children or the class
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2. Vocabulary Routine
Include examples of home language in classroom vocabulary routines.
| Word in English |
Translation into native home language |
Family comments |
| Mischievous |
Travieso (Spanish) |
My mom said I was muy travieso when I was little. |
| Good deeds |
الاعمال الصالحة
(Arabic)
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I love when my daughter practices الاعمال الصالحة
as her name means.
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3. Using Linguistic Landscape as a learning resource
No matter where you are in the world today, language is everywhere you look. The term Linguistic Landscape is the language used in shop signs, products in the supermarket, the names of buildings, menus, graffiti, airports, public transport, road signs, street names, shopping centers, notices, advertising posters and billboards. Focusing on the Linguistic Landscape can provide exposure to different foreign languages in authentic contexts (Aladjem and Jou, 2016, p.66).
Ask students and their families to search for these authentic language examples in their daily environment and take photos to share and discuss!
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A useful resource for remote learning activities: Seesaw
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Seesaw remote learning activities related to family engagement categorized by grade level:
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Project PLACE teachers sharing Family Collaboration activities
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Jill Robertson - Tates Creek Elementary
Family interviews in flipgrid! We were reading about schools in different places. We watched some videos about classrooms around the world as well as how kids get to school. Students were asked to interview an adult about their school experiences. We heard from moms, dads, grandparents and older siblings. I love how the kids used the filters in flipgrid to make it look like a news clip!
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Taylor Wade - Anne Mason Elementary
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I started Family Journals with a few of my students yesterday. Hoping this is successful! They were excited to go home and show their parents.
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Samantha Arnold - Creekside Elementary
I was able to modify a science lesson where students could participate along with me at home! All of the items could be found in the home (pennies, water, salt, soap, and vinegar), and the item list was sent in advance just in case. Students were encouraged to participate but the experiment was completely optional.
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I was honestly surprised at number of students who chose to participate. The best part was seeing cousins, siblings, parents, and even grandparents engaging in the activity! I have received so much positive support from families surrounding this activity. It has given me hope that even during these unprecedented times, family collaboration is still very much possible.
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Elizabeth Willoughby - Creekside Elementary
Parent Circle event
Elizabeth Willoughby, Creekside Elementary, held a virtual Parent Circle to engage her Kindergarten families. She sent the parent invitations in English and in Spanish. During the event, parents had the opportunity to talk about their concerns, share their own kindergarten experiences, and discuss how teachers and families can work together to help the children have an easier transition from Kindergarten to first grade level.
See the link for more information!
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