Flags, Families and Technology:

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Flags, Families and Technology

• A collaborative project using UNCA Dept. of
  Education students to mentor ESL students
• Presented by Judy Smith, Shelley Worman, Dr.
  Nancy Ruppert, Amanda Byrd and Amanda Shuler.

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The Collaborators

• Judy Smith, ESL Teacher, Emma Elementary School,
  NBTC Candidate
• Shelley Worman, Media Coordinator, Emma
  Elementary School, National Board Certified
  Teacher
• Dr. Nancy Ruppert, Professor of Education,
  University of North Carolina at Asheville
• Amanda Byrd and Amanda Shuler, UNCA students

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Overview

• Emma School and History of the Project
• Grant Support/Budget
• Project based Learning
• Educational Objectives
• Emma School Improvement Plan
• Collaboration

• The Process
• Technology Considerations
• Pre and Post Test
• Lessons Learned
• The Products
• The Future of the Project

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Emma Elementary School
Working Together for Student Success
A National Blue Ribbon School
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Emma Elementary School A Blue Ribbon School

• Over 480 students
• 135 ESL students who are attending pull out
  classes
• 34 in grades 3-5
• Two ESL teachers and one assistant for 135
  students
• Full Title One School
• One Full Time Media Coordinator with a half time
  assistant

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History/Purpose of the project

• To integrate ESL students into their new school
  community through a cross grade level, integrated
  project-based learning experience.
• Students will develop an appreciation of each
  others culture and respect their differences
• 2000 Original Flag/Banner Project included
  research, 8 flags and banners
• 2003 Current Project

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Grant Support

• Progress Energy Mini-Grant
• Buncombe County Schools Foundation Grant
• Buncombe County Schools At Risk Grant
• UNCA Department of Education
• Montreat College- Adventures of the American
  Mind
• Buncombe County School Technology Department and
  Media Services Department
• Rio Grande University Department of Education

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Project Based Learning

• The Flag/Banner project was utilized
• To create a focal point that supports our
  students unique backgrounds while educating our
  school community of our diversity.
• To support our students quest to integrate into
  our school community through a hands-on project
• To enhance the learning of our students through
  the integration of many subjects through
  technology

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NC Standard Course of Study-Educational Objectives

• See Handout

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Emma School Improvement Plan

• Major Goal To consistently teach science/social
  studies objectives in K-5 classrooms
  incorporating projects into the instructional day
  that integrate multiple curriculum areas

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To Establish Standards of High Expectations at
Emma School

• Implement use of technology as indicated in the
  NC Standard Course of Study
• Promote positive student self concept
• Meet the needs of ESL and minority students

To improve and strengthen communication skills
through writing activities

• Provide editing and conferencing opportunities
  for all students
• Celebrate writing through publishing student
  books, author parties
• Use technology for publishing writing

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To improve the academic performance of ESL
students

• Increase student awareness of different cultures
• Participation in ESL classes, collaborating using
  computers-the Flag/Banner Project

To improve reading performance of all students

• Integrate science and social studies into the
  reading curriculum

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Budget

• Flags- 3x5- prices vary with intricacy 20-35
  each
• Banners-custom made- 11 each
• Colored fabric, glue, stiffening and t-shirt
  computer iron on graphics for country name
• Kidspiration- prices vary by District
• PowerPoint-prices vary by District
• Boardmaker
• Microsoft Word

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The Process

• Pre-Test
• Rubric
• Student Research
• Creating Symbols
• Student Book
• PowerPoint Presentation

• Videotape Presentation
• Review Game
• Post-Test
• Celebrations

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PreTesting

• BOARDMAKER Program was utilized to create Picture
  Pre-Test
• Students were given a pre-test of their knowledge
  about the existing banners in the Media Center.
  Responses were recorded on each picture.
• UNCA students administered test
• Test results

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Boardmaker Test
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RUBRIC

• Student work was organized with the rubric of the
  project.
• The teacher initialed each completed section of
  the project.

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• RUBRIC COUNTRY FLAGS AND BANNERS PROJECT
• NAME ____________________________________________
  _____________
• ______1. Have you written sentences for your new
  symbol in PowerPoint?
• ______2. Have you made a graphic organizer and
  written sentences in Kidspiration about your new
  symbol?
• ______3. Have you written sentences about the
  old banner you researched?
• ______4. Have you edited your sentences,
  checking for punctuation, spelling, and grammar
  errors?
• ______5. Have you written sentences about your
  response to the project?
• Include the following what you did, what you
  have learned, how you feel about the project, how
  you think other people will feel about it, why
  you think it is important to our school that you
  did this project, etc.
•  

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Student Research

• SYMBOLS FOR THE BANNERS
• Students chose a country to research using the
  internet, encyclopedias, country books,
  magazines, and other resources in the Media
  Center.
• Students collected their research information on
  a graphic organizer.
• Assisted by UNCA student mentors

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The Old Banners
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Creating Symbols

• Students chose symbols to use and drew a picture
  of them, labeling them with the colors needed.
• Symbol designs were enlarged and transferred to
  cloth, using the colors indicated on the design,
• Details were painted on the symbols using the
  student sketch for reference.
• Symbols were glued on the country banners.
• Assisted by UNCA students

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STUDENT BOOK

• Symbols were scanned, cropped, and saved to a
  diskette.
• Each countrys symbols were inserted into a
  PowerPoint slide, formatted with a border, sized,
  and positioned on the slide.
• Student sentences about the symbols were inserted
  onto a corresponding slide.
• These slides were grouped to follow the page
  sequencing of the book.
• Title and acknowledgment page slides were also
  designed.
•  

Red FoxesThe red fox lives in the
mountains of Armenia. Jorge T.
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POWERPOINT PRESENTATION

• Symbols and sentences created for the book were
  formatted to use in the PowerPoint presentation.
• Each student formatted their own slide with the
  symbol they had drawn and the sentence that
  described it.
• Students decided what color and transition to use
  for their slide.

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VIDEO TAPE PRESENTATION

• Students prepared stories about their families
  and their response to the project.
• Students practiced sharing them orally and
  recorded them on an audiocassette.
• Students were videotaped as they shared their
  stories and responses.

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Review Game

• Questions were prepared by the teacher about the
  symbols on the old and new banners. These were
  based on the sentences the students wrote.
• The students participated in a brisk Jeopardy
  style game. Student teams discussed in English
  the correct answer.

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POST-TEST

• The Post-test was given using the same pictures
  that were used in the Pre-Test. Responses were
  recorded on the pictures for comparison.

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Creating PowerPoint Presentation

• Students created pages with their sentence
• Symbols were scanned for importing

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Book Publishing

• Ms. Worman imported all data to one PowerPoint
  and enhanced document for publication
• 52 page limit
• Studentreasures

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Videotaping Students

• UNCA students, Dr. Ruppert and ESL teachers
  videotaped student comments on the experience

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Celebrations

• UNCA Luncheon-ESL students were guests of their
  student mentors on campus
• Invited to present at Buncombe County School
  Board meeting
• Ceremony and refreshments at PTO presentation

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Technology Considerations

• Hardware
• Digital cameras
• Scanner
• Laptops
• Computers on network
• Video
• Camera

• Software
• Kidspirations
• PowerPoint
• Boardmaker
• Microsoft Word
• Research Resources
• Internet
• CD-Rom encyclopedias
• Books

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The Products

• Student created banners, representing our diverse
  population, featured in the most public place in
  the school-The Media Center!
• PowerPoint presentations by Emma students, UNCA
  students and teachers/Media Coordinator
• Book-Tour Guide to Emmas Flag and Banner
  Project-added for circulation to the Media Center
  collection
• Videotape of students

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Parent Involvement

• Students asked parents to share their stories
  with them
• ESL families honored at PTO meeting presentation
• Invited to Buncombe County School Board Meeting

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Future of the Journey

• Students will create a scavenger hunt for classes
  to use to discover more about the countries
  their classmates are from
• Students will continue writing about their
  family's journey to the United States
• More conferences?
• Journal articles
• Present to Buncombe County ESL teachers and Emma
  teachers
• Presentation to Buncombe County School Board

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Worth the Journey

• A Collaborative Project

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Lessons Learned Dr. Ruppert

• The higher the degree of collaboration between
  higher education and public schools, the more
  powerful the outcomes.
• My students learned more about being a teacher
  from these 15 weeks than I ever could have taught
  them.
• I learned more about my students by reading their
  journals and watching them interact with the
  children than I would learn from a paper-pencil
  exam.
• We were as much an inspiration to one another as
  we were to the students and children involved.
• Vision cannot be kept. We must find ways to
  support and encourage one another.
• Those who love children and are passionate about
  what they do make good collaborative partners.
• In the end, we agree that it is worth the time
  and commitment.
• To have the opportunity to inspire is a gift.

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Levels of Collaboration

• Students observe.
• Criteria is given.
• University person works with Classroom teacher
  and then observes the experience.
• University person works with Classroom teacher
  and participates throughout the entire experience.

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Who benefits from the different levels of
collaboration?
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How powerful is the partnership?

• Commitment
• Of the student
• Of the teacher
• Dispositions
• Professionalism
• Collaboration
• Productivity
• Experiences of children
• Meaningful opportunities

• Evaluation
• Of the student
• Helping the children
• Support
• Of the teacher
• Of the student

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What we believe has been most beneficial
from our experiences UNCA Students

• Be open-minded
• Be as interested as much as the students are.
• Each child is different.
• Be persistent.
• Encouragement so that the child knows they are
  capable.
• Have patience
• Communicate so they understand.
• Ability to speak a language is not a gauge for
  intelligence.
• It is important that the children feel
  comfortable with you.

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LESSONS LEARNED

• Judy Smith
• Through collaboration with fellow teachers and
  other students, my ESL students achieved an
  excellent product.
• I benefited from the expertise of my colleagues.
• My own gifts and contributions as a professional
  educator were validated through the sharing
  process involved in the collaborative effort.
• Collaboration requires real communication between
  the participants.
• It is personally and professionally challenging
  to participate in an activity that has a huge
  learning curve for you.
• Collaborative projects evolve as they unfold and
  take you and your students to levels of learning
  you did not anticipate.
• Successful collaboration requires the willingness
  to continue until the learning goals and
  objectives for your students are realized.

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Lessons Learned

• Shelley Worman
• When things look impossible just smile and say
  there is a way! We can make this happen for our
  children.
• Continue to grow through putting yourself in
  situations that force stretching.
• Its a matter of figuring out what to click and
  passing it on.
• Collaboration inspired us to give this project a
  life of its own.
• You must remain flexible to let the children lead
  the way as they grow.
• Collaboration enriches any project through the
  myriad of experiences brought to the table by the
  participants.
• Collaboration develops camaraderie, creates a
  professional and personal support system and
  makes everything more

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Contact Us

• Emma Elementary School
• 37 Brickyard Road, Asheville, NC 28806
• 828-232-4274 Shelley Worman
• 828-232-4272 Judy Smith