1. Garden Hills Elementary
Grade Level Collaboration
K, 1st
, 3rd
, 4th
, 5th
Week of 2.3.14
Pre-Reading: Please read and reflect/think about the discussion questions below to be ready for
discussion at grade level collaboration
The Dream Keepers: Does Culture Matter? (pgs.17-32)
 On page 17, Ladson-Billings asserts that “the pedagogical instruction that many teachers of
African-American students receive…leads to an intellectual death…thus successful
teachers…travel a different route to ensure the growth and development of their students.”
o What is your reaction to this quote? How do you travel a different route to ensure the
growth and development of your students? Please share.
 On page 19, Ladson-Billings states that “culturally relevant teaching uses student culture in
order to maintain it and to transcend the negative effects of the dominant culture. The
negative effects are brought about, for example, by not seeing one’s history, culture, or
background represented in the textbook or curriculum or by seeing that history, culture, or
background distorted. Or they may result from the staffing pattern in the school (when all
teachers and the principal are white and only the janitors and cafeteria workers are African-
American, for example) and from the tracking of African-American students into the lowest-level
classes.”
o How do we use student culture in our school to transcend the negative effects listed
above? How can we improve in this area? Please share specific ideas/goals.
 On pages 22-25, Ladson-Billings describes and discusses three different vignettes that speak to
the power of expectations and how they align to teacher behaviors and student outcomes.
o Please reflect on your teaching practice. How do your teacher behaviors align to
student outcomes in the classroom?
Writing Coaching Cycle:
 Bring enough copies of student writing samples for your colleagues to review as you share what
teaching point you selected, how you conferenced with the student, and how that instruction
has impacted his/her writing.
Data Binder:

2.  Please bring your data binder to collaboration. Be ready to share how you have organized it and
how you are using it to plan your instruction.