G. Holland and Associates LLC along with nationally renowned educational consultants and local university professors recently conducted a day-long professional development presentation for the teachers, staff and administration at Thomas Howe High School.
As school populations become increasingly more diverse, principal Keith Burke of Charter Schools USA recognized the need to prepare his teachers and staff to effectively engage all students in the classroom. In an attempt to improve the educational gap and to enhance cross-cultural relationships between teachers and students, this professional development resulted in teachers having feasible and measurable ways they can use The Historic Journey curriculum to improve student learning outcomes.
The Historic Journey curriculum is a comprehensive K-12 interdisciplinary curriculum that is aligned to Common Core State Standards. The curriculum, both text and web based, explores the literary, historical, social, scientific, mathematic and cultural endeavors of African-Americans.
A professional development segment centered on best practices and strategies for educating and engaging urban youth.
Community leaders and city officials including Brandon Brown, director of charter schools for the mayor’s office; Carol Craig, educational consultant, and Geoffrey L. Gaither, Juvenile Court judge, opened the session and gave brief overviews about the impact of educational preparedness on other sectors of our society.
Brown said, “The mayor’s office is committed to working with schools across Indianapolis to ensure students of all backgrounds have the educational opportunities they deserve. Our students are best served by teachers and administrators who understand the importance of cultural competency in the classroom, and we support professional development that facilitates culturally responsive teaching.”
The professional development part brought together nationally renowned educational consultants, Dr. Leonard Ingram of Chicago, and Augusta Mann of Phoenix. Ingram led a session titled, “Emotional Resilience in Effective Urban Classroom Teaching” that enhanced the ways in which teachers understand and respond to the diverse cultural, linguistic and socioeconomic backgrounds of their students.
Garry Holland introduced The Historic Journey DVD and resource curriculum. Mann and Marcus Kline of Chicago’s Freedom Home Academy International, examined strategies that teachers can use to effectively execute the cultural lessons in The Historic Journey curriculum.
In addition, Dr. Terrence Haywood, University of Indianapolis, conducted the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) with the entire staff, teachers and administrators. The IDI is the most comprehensive tool for measuring cognitive structures associated with intercultural sensitivity it assesses an individual or organization’s capacity to experience cultural differences. Dr. Robert Helfenbein, IUPUI, worked closely with staff to help them to integrate Common Core State Standards with The Historic Journey curriculum in order to prepare students for college and career readiness.
According to biology teacher Perry Lewis, “This is one of the best professional development sessions I have ever experienced.”
