We plan to create a school wide community of care with a team focused on implementing trauma informed practices in order to support and retain our staff who have been impacted by working in a crisis environment.
Our project goal is to improve literacy in all grade levels at our Title I school, through targeted professional learning.
This project supports a core team of five dual language immersion teachers in developing and implementing culturally responsive English Language Development (ELD) practices in our classrooms.
Our project grows from teachers’ recognition that we are not yet serving Mam-speaking students with the care, understanding or respect they deserve.
Our school aims to grow a generation of students from all backgrounds with a foundation in Mandarin Chinese language, literacy and knowledge of Chinese culture, which affords them to be multilingual global stewards . Establishing a global professional learning community (PLC) with those who share our vision and goals toward a student centered, social and environmental justice 21st Century Transdisciplinary Mandarin Dual Language Immersion (DLI) Curriculum will support our aim. The Light Award will be instrumental in cultivating a continuous, collaborative, cross cultural, cross linguistic learning community while also developing our leadership skills.
Our team of six elementary educators will work with The Teaching Well to obtain a two year cycle of wellness coaching. The program will include both self and collective care practices, and will also teach us how to model healthy SEL habits for our students. By integrating mindfulness into our teaching practice, we will develop tools to better manage our stress and build emotional resilience. Our students are still developing their prefrontal cortexes and rely on us to offer a regulated presence they mirror through co-regulation. Engaging in Mindful Mentoring and Group Coaching, the teachers on our team will not only grow individually but also as a cohesive group, equipped to mentor others and sustain this professional learning approach within the Garfield community.