Teacher's ASsistant, Riverside Elementary School summer program
Riverside's Mission:
“Riverside Elementary staff, in cooperation with parents and community, educates and ensures growth in each student, regardless of race, culture, home language, gender, socio-economic status or learning needs, for academic, social and personal success by providing a safe, supportive, challenging and meaningful learning environment.”
“Riverside Elementary staff, in cooperation with parents and community, educates and ensures growth in each student, regardless of race, culture, home language, gender, socio-economic status or learning needs, for academic, social and personal success by providing a safe, supportive, challenging and meaningful learning environment.”
Background Information on the Bilingual Program
- Riverside houses a two-way bilingual immersion program which aims for its students to be proficient in Spanish and English.
- Riverside also has an English only program alongside the immersion program.
- The two programs are integrated into one community.
- Half of the students in each immersion classroom are native English speakers and the other half are generally native Spanish speakers.
- English speaking parents would like their children to learn to speak Spanish while Spanish speaking parents often want their children to preserve their language and culture and feel more comfortable being active in a community where Spanish is spoken.
Importance of the Summer School Program
The summer school program supports children that are learning at a slower pace or struggle to maintain grade level work by reinforcing the concepts and skills learned during the school year. The program also offers the children small class sizes of twelve students per class with one teacher and one teacher's assistant in each classroom. This learning environment builds a sense of community and instills confidence in the children. Free breakfast and lunch are provided to all children in the program.
The summer school program supports children that are learning at a slower pace or struggle to maintain grade level work by reinforcing the concepts and skills learned during the school year. The program also offers the children small class sizes of twelve students per class with one teacher and one teacher's assistant in each classroom. This learning environment builds a sense of community and instills confidence in the children. Free breakfast and lunch are provided to all children in the program.
Summer School Program Goals
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How the Program is Funded
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How Children Were Selected to be Invited to the Program
- School principals determined which early grades would be targeted (k, 1, 2 and 3rd).
- Teachers identified students that needed the highest level of support in reading or math and/or both.
The Curriculum Taught During the Program
- The reading curriculum was created by an NCSD instructional coach. The goal was to create thematic units of study that integrated science, social studies, reading and writing.
- The math curriculum was created by an NCSD instructional coach and 3rd grade teacher. The goal was to engage students in strengthening number sense and place value through interactive games, iPad math apps and games online.
- The students in the Bilingual program have remained together in the same classroom during summer school in order to receive support in both Spanish and English.
Why I chose this work
I chose this work because of the community. After experiencing a difficult childhood and marriage I found myself a single mother of six children without a supportive community around me. Experiencing these difficulties honed my desire to advocate for justice, for the oppressed and for the underrepresented. I soon found community support in the local Latino community which led me to involve myself and my two youngest children in the Riverside Bilingual Elementary School Program. Learning Spanish along with my children has positively impacted my life and my ability to communicate and share with the community.
I chose this work because of the community. After experiencing a difficult childhood and marriage I found myself a single mother of six children without a supportive community around me. Experiencing these difficulties honed my desire to advocate for justice, for the oppressed and for the underrepresented. I soon found community support in the local Latino community which led me to involve myself and my two youngest children in the Riverside Bilingual Elementary School Program. Learning Spanish along with my children has positively impacted my life and my ability to communicate and share with the community.
Implementing Change
By giving my support to the teachers in the Riverside Summer School program for incoming third and fourth graders that need extra support in core curriculum such as reading,writing and math I will be able to implement change. I supported the teachers this summer by facilitating science and art projects, and leading reading practice for small groups of students. I believe that I have contributed diversity to the program and am a role model of a strong, persistent and confident woman .
By giving my support to the teachers in the Riverside Summer School program for incoming third and fourth graders that need extra support in core curriculum such as reading,writing and math I will be able to implement change. I supported the teachers this summer by facilitating science and art projects, and leading reading practice for small groups of students. I believe that I have contributed diversity to the program and am a role model of a strong, persistent and confident woman .
Reflection
Over the four week summer program at Riverside I have had the opportunity to spend a significant amount of time per week volunteering. The open emotions and honesty of children is always refreshing and I find it amazing that children accept and look to the adults around them for guidance. I saw the importance of the small class sizes to the progress of the children. Assessments were taken at the beginning and end of the four week program and nearly all students showed an increase in their scores. I learned, by assisting some wonderful teachers, skills for dealing with unruly groups of children. At times I wondered if my help was needed but I soon realized that volunteers are important to school programs by creating additional learning opportunities in the school setting and that what I had to offer as an individual was even more important. In the book Walk Out Walk On by Margaret Wheatley and Deborah Frieze, I felt a connection to the spirit and leadership of Anna Marunda from Zimbabwe. In the book, Anna tells a portion of her story saying,
“ ‘ I thought that because I was one of the poorest people in my community, I had no role to play,’....’At Kufunda I learned that each one of us has something special to give. I have learned that I have been an example in my community for being a widowed woman who overcame severe hardship. I have learned that I am a strong woman .I have learned that I can find peace of mind within myself. I have learned that I am a good listener, and I am trustworthy, so people are coming to me, inviting me to join them.,’ “(117-118).
As I spend time volunteering at the Riverside Elementary Immersion Program, I am able to be a strong example to all while supporting the teachers and showing my children the joy I get from being involved in their lives.
Also, in the book Walk Out Walk On, Margaret Wheatley and Deborah Frieze speak about practices they have developed to sustain themselves as Walk Ons which are Name, Connect, Nourish and Illuminate. By walking out on mistreatment I have named myself as strong. By connecting with new friends in the Latino community, I have found support and encouragement. By talking with teachers and parents at Riverside Elementary, I have found nourishment. By sharing my story I have illuminated what is possible.
In the future I view myself effecting change in my profession. I am currently a pre-dental student and as a dentist I see myself finding ways to treat patients in traditionally under-served communities at no or low cost, such as the Latino immigrant community and advocating for the acceptance of the state health plan by dentists.
Over the four week summer program at Riverside I have had the opportunity to spend a significant amount of time per week volunteering. The open emotions and honesty of children is always refreshing and I find it amazing that children accept and look to the adults around them for guidance. I saw the importance of the small class sizes to the progress of the children. Assessments were taken at the beginning and end of the four week program and nearly all students showed an increase in their scores. I learned, by assisting some wonderful teachers, skills for dealing with unruly groups of children. At times I wondered if my help was needed but I soon realized that volunteers are important to school programs by creating additional learning opportunities in the school setting and that what I had to offer as an individual was even more important. In the book Walk Out Walk On by Margaret Wheatley and Deborah Frieze, I felt a connection to the spirit and leadership of Anna Marunda from Zimbabwe. In the book, Anna tells a portion of her story saying,
“ ‘ I thought that because I was one of the poorest people in my community, I had no role to play,’....’At Kufunda I learned that each one of us has something special to give. I have learned that I have been an example in my community for being a widowed woman who overcame severe hardship. I have learned that I am a strong woman .I have learned that I can find peace of mind within myself. I have learned that I am a good listener, and I am trustworthy, so people are coming to me, inviting me to join them.,’ “(117-118).
As I spend time volunteering at the Riverside Elementary Immersion Program, I am able to be a strong example to all while supporting the teachers and showing my children the joy I get from being involved in their lives.
Also, in the book Walk Out Walk On, Margaret Wheatley and Deborah Frieze speak about practices they have developed to sustain themselves as Walk Ons which are Name, Connect, Nourish and Illuminate. By walking out on mistreatment I have named myself as strong. By connecting with new friends in the Latino community, I have found support and encouragement. By talking with teachers and parents at Riverside Elementary, I have found nourishment. By sharing my story I have illuminated what is possible.
In the future I view myself effecting change in my profession. I am currently a pre-dental student and as a dentist I see myself finding ways to treat patients in traditionally under-served communities at no or low cost, such as the Latino immigrant community and advocating for the acceptance of the state health plan by dentists.