I have a few questions such as where do I begin and how to
get my audience to listen and take me seriously. I guess these are just my
points of nervousness right now. The director and the owner of the school are
very supportive of me and have been helping me along my journey, but I’m still
nervous about motivating and encouraging the other staff members to engage in
my plan. Part of my plan relays on the staff members to work with parents and
provide parents with guidance for implementing literacy activities at home
(which might actually add some additional workload for them). If I cannot get
the other
staff members on board, I’m a little worried I will not have the support to
complete my long term goal of developing a parent board to help maintain a
literacy program at the school.
I’m trying to gather more information about presenting an AAP. If
anyone has any ideas, please let me know. I’m sure there’s no right or wrong
way to present information and the AAP, but I’m just curious about other’s
ideas. Should I use a powerpoint or should I simply provide handouts? Should I
show documented research results or simply summarize all my findings?
I have used several resources to gather my data to supply to
my audience. One source that I have found extremely useful is:
National Center for Family Literacy. (2006). The effect of family literacy interventions
on children’s acquisition of reading. Retrieved from http://lincs.ed.gov/publications/pdf/lit_interventions.pdf
Another source that I have used quite extensively is http://www.read20.org/parents.html.
This website offers helpful sites to educators and families regarding
supporting literacy. This is such an important website for me because it allows
me to gather additional data, help parents find information, and help other
educators find additional information/resources.
hi Jamie,
ReplyDeleteI think you're right when you mention that there is no right or wrong way to present information, although being organized and excited are two very things that you could definitely do for it. You should present the information in the best way you would feel most comfortable telling it. Don't focus on the negative of not be able to get the other staff members on your side because worrying about that won't get you any closer on knowing how to convince them. It's great that your director has been very supportive with this process. Thanks for your insights as to what is concerning you and your helpful sites for both teachers and parents. Great job on your post! Good luck! :-)
I have that same fear or should I say I had that same fear. Initially I felt that I would just be another burden talking to people about things that are already apparent, poverty. Over the last two years I have been attending kendall and doing my field hours, I have learned about the hardships and lack of support these teachers face n a daily and on top of that they are not being compensated fairly. What was I walking into? I just knew I would be another problem that they really didn't need. Thankfully to my surprise I wasn't. They are happy to help out their students but most of the times their finances do not allow them to. So to have someone else besides themselves advocating and contributing to a problem that is so widespread brought them relief. They were willing to give me pointers and assured me that my presentation will go fine. All I can do is my best and what more can anyone ask for. Word of advice and encouragement that I hope helps.
ReplyDeleteJamie,
ReplyDeleteMaybe as part of your presentation you could ask the other members (workers) how they would need to be supported in order to best implement your plan. If you give them a chance to provide some input maybe they will be more likely to "buy in."
For my presentation I am planning on providing handouts (fact sheet) to hand to the audience members as they arrive and then to use a Power Point presentation when speaking. I think that this would be a great tool to keep me on target and also share some information that I do not put on the fact sheet.
I think it would be good to provide facts and summarize information both. I think that there is just some information that needs to be factual in order for others to understand the importance of it. The reading program that we use for parents, Raising A Reader, has a website, www.earlylearningfund.org, that has some great resources if you are looking for more ideas. This is a book bag program that we do. Yes it does take time for the teachers to check the books in, look at them, and then check them out again but the benefits are worth it and the excitement that the children have when they get a bag make it worthwhile. We have been doing this for 7 years and would not change it for the world!
You are so awesome. I actually went to this website called Surveymonkey.com and it allows you to create surveys and questionnaires about whatever topic you want. I created a quetionnaire to give to my taget audience at the beginning of my presentation that we can review together at the end. I want to have an established program like yours that occurs annually.I just want to say thank you for everything you do for those children and for your advice.
ReplyDeleteYes there is no right way or wrong way to do your presentation, but there is the way where you can get the audience attention from the start or lose them. I too am struggling in the same way. One thing I was told to do and will be using is to read a book to the audience and then ask them what they have gained from the book? What did the literacy in the book tell them and teach them? What did the visual arts tell them? I think reading a book to them and then going into a discussion is a great way for you to get everyone involved and get right into your topic.
ReplyDeleteI think if you show the teachers what a difference this will make they will be on board. Many teachers are always looking for new and different teaching approaches. Maybe you can come up with one for literacy at home or at school or even after school. Or even explain to the teachers how fun it would be if each classroom creates a pot luck and the students from various cultures can bring in their food and their favorite stories that they can share with one another. This can take place like maybe once a month. This way you are brining in the parents into the school and creating a connection with them; they will also see how their child engages in literacy and may support it even more.
I think it's great that you have the support of the administration. That is one of the biggest steps in what we are doing. When you have the upper management on board then it can help you recruit others that are under their management. I hope you were able to make your decisions in how you wanted to present your presentation and hope it all went well.
ReplyDeleteI wanted to stop by your blog and take a minute to give you thanks for all of your support for me and others during this class this quarter. We have had our moments of discouragement but we have had each other to turn to for support (as well as our instructor). I hope that you are successful in all you plan to do in the future and I hope that you will continue to be an advocate for children!
Jamie,
ReplyDeleteThe end is finally here! Congratulations on finishing up with your plan and your presentation. I think that you have chosen an excellent topic and feel that it will benefit many children and families for years to come. Thank you for your support and for standing up for what is best for the children and families that we are priviledged to work with! Good luck!
Jennifer