Providing Professional Development Workshops for Teachers and Leaders
Workshop Overview
As standardized education policies spread worldwide, local knowledge and learning outside of school are often ignored and not valued as important for academic success.
Students don't simply leave their cultural backgrounds and everyday experiences at the school door. They bring them right into the classroom, and these experiences can be powerful tools for learning and engagement.
This workshop shows educators how to tap into this valuable "Funds of Knowledge" from students' lives to design curriculum that helps them succeed academically.
The Funds of Knowledge approach recognizes that every student comes to school with a wealth of knowledge and skills gained from their families, communities, and cultural backgrounds. This "funds of knowledge" is often invisible in traditional curriculum, which can lead to students feeling undervalued and unheard.
When/Where
Where: Online (Zoom)
Time: 6pm - 7.30pm ICT
Session 1: February 7, 2024
Session 2: February 8, 2024
Session 3: February 14, 2024
Session 4: February 15, 2024
Audience
K- 12 Educators; EFL Teachers
Workshop Fee
Individual
USD 380 per participant
Group of 3 or more
USD 340 per participant
Workshop Goals
The primary goals of this workshop are for educators to:
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Acquire the tools to authentically get to know their students and the local community rather than relying on second- or third-hand, often stereotypical and biased information.
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Gain the ability to develop curriculum based on the language, culture, and knowledge of the community in which they work.
After completing this workshop, participants will be able to:
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Use ethnographic tools to learn about their students language and culture beyond a superficial level.
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Design curriculum around local languages, cultures, and knowledge.
Methodology
The methodology used in presenting this workshop is primarily dialogic learning.
The facilitator will lead participants in critically reflecting on and discussing problems of practice related to meeting the needs of students from different backgrounds.
After learning about and seeing examples of thematic units designed around students’ funds of knowledge, participants will apply what they are learning by using the ethnographic method of participant observation to identify local knowledge.
They will then draft a thematic unit based on students’ funds of knowledge that is aligned to learning standards and competencies.
Workshop Facilitator
Cathy Amanti, PhD, is a bilingual education curriculum specialist.
She participated in one of the first research studies that operationalized the concept of Funds of knowledge in schools. She conducted ethnographic research in students’ homes and designed and taught thematic curriculum units around students’ funds of knowledge.
She has written about and presented on Funds of Knowledge for three decades.
Since 2007, Knowledge Source Institute (KSI PD) has been a champion for student potential, ignited by the belief that every educator holds the key to unlocking it.
We fuel that passion by equipping educators with the essential knowledge, skills, and mindset they need to thrive through our professional development (PD) offerings. Over 140 workshops, delivered to more than 10,000 educators from diverse schools around the world, stand testament to our impact.
KSI PD goes beyond mere knowledge transfer. We delve deeper, empowering educators with practical strategies and a collaborative spirit to build learning environments where every student's unique spark can truly shine.
