Session V      (Saturday, March 3  @   10:45 – 12:15)

Academia Semillas del Pueblo Xinaxcalmecac: Educación Desde Abajo
Academia Semillas del Pueblo Xinaxcalmecac sprouted from a vision of community members and educators in 2002 to provide an indigenous based, multicultural and multi-lingual curriculum to children in the greater Los Angeles area.  Academia is a kindergarten through eighth grade public charter school dedicated to providing urban children of immigrant native families an excellent education founded upon native and maternal languages, cultural values, and global realities.  The school's name in the Nahuatl language means, “The house of higher learning for the seeds of our people.”  This workshop will speak of the trajectory of the development of the school throughout the past 5 years.  In this, we will explore, its philosophy, its teaching methods, the integral role of parents as leaders and the manner it addresses the child in a holistic manner.  As being part of a society that continues to spur on feelings of xenophobia, we will also discuss the way that it is continuing provide an excellent education, despite the recent hate crimes it has endured.  For more information, visit www.dignidad.org
Presenter:  Mixpe Ley

Art Integration: Beyond the Art Elective
This workshop will explore art as an integrative teaching tool. The presenter will discuss ways in which art is integrated with social  studies, science, and language arts at her school and how it is utilized as a  tool to facilitate deeper understanding of subject matter, social issuespopular/visual cultural, and identity. The workshop will provide an opportunity for participants to discuss the changing role of art education and integration within schools and create a lesson outline based on this model. The presenter will also share art integration projects that she has done with students at her school.
Presenter:  Melissa Vashe

Building Community in a Public School Setting
All brain research shows that unless you can engage the emotional brain of humans, no real learning can occur.  This definitely applies to teens.  Come learn how teachers at the Alameda Community Learning Center, a 6th-12th grade public charter school, have empowered students and created a caring learning community that has led to high academic achievement.
Presenters:  Carlton Grizzle, Carrie Blanche, Gail Smith-Pratt

Can Boys Read?
Based on a research project for the Reading Certificate Program, the focus is on what kinds of reading boys do and why. The session will begin with a reading survey, continue with a PowerPoint presentation, and end with a discussion of observations on classroom reading. Articles will be provided for each participant to read either on their own or during the session as time permits.
Presenter:  Sherri Hicks

Democracy in Education: Ecological Culture-Shifting
Finding solutions to our current social and ecological crises requires a shift not only in knowledge but in the very ways we approach learning.  What happens when students take on responsibility for their learning?  How can our educational experiences mirror our ecological surroundings to encourage sustainable, democratic living?  This workshop will begin with a brief case study of the Audubon Expedition Institute, a field-based program in radical ecological studies and community education.  Then we'll create collective definitions of transformative learning, democratic education, self-directed learning, and bioregional education and explore how to apply these practices in educational and social change settings.
Presenter:  Shannon Tracey

Eric Rofes and "Test/Positive/Now":  Collaborative Performance as a Tool for Change
Performance artists Tim'm West, Daniel Derdula and Jason Hancock Torres will discuss their collaboration with Eric Rofes on the development of "Test/Positive/Now", an experimental multi-media performance piece originally performed in 2005 at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco. This piece was conceived to break new ground and spur critical dialogue about the ways we understand HIV infections and risk-taking among gay and bisexual men. These artists will share a video of the original pilot performance, discuss future directions for the work, and present a short developmental sketch combining poetry, spoken dialogue, and choreographed movement.
Presenters:  Tim'm West, Daniel Derdula, Jason Hancock Torres

Revitalizing Yurok Language/Culture Through the Classroom
Learn about how the American Indian Academy Charter High School integrates Yurok Language and Culture throughout the curriculum.  Learn Yurok through interactive games.
Presenters:  Kathleen Vigil, Kate Droz, Rachel Provolt

Soldiery Begins in the Classroom: The Social Studies Classroom as Vehicle for Social Justice
This session is intended to inform educators and interested lay persons in ways to utilize the Social Studies as a means for exploring and examining our social milieu in ways that promote social justice and social change/activism.  As a Midwestern teacher dealing with a population that is “browning” at an ever increasing rate, it is essential to imbue students with perspectives that encourage diversity, social change, conflict resolution and action in an essentially recalcitrant environment.  This session will discuss topic selection for the classroom as well as activities which facilitate understanding and perspective taking. These will be tied to the uses of concrete and organic knowledge needed to achieve understanding of the social world and the associated critical thinking skills addressed by Bloom’s Taxonomy. We will also address the position of the teacher as facilitator, provocateur and expert.
Presenter:  Duane Moore

Straight But Not Narrow: What It Means To Be A Straight Ally
In the ongoing fight for equal rights, straight allies have the potential to make a great difference.  Opinion polls show that people who know someone who is gay or lesbian are more likely to support equal rights for all gay and lesbian people.  When straight people are comfortable identifying as an ally they have the power to reach portions of society that sometimes are not open to the LGBTQIA community.  This workshop will feature an educational slide presentation about the different types of Straight Allies, how to come out as a Straight Ally, and what Allies can do to affect community change. It will also feature 3 comedic video segments created by Humboldt Pride, and a role playing theatrical event involving costumes and creative scripts; sure to start explosive dialog. This will be a safe space where we can practice standing up for equal rights in common situations. We will be finishing this workshop with an informative Q & A with our team and each participant will receive a resource packet stuffed with educational articles, brochures, and information about local organizations that welcome and support Allies.  This workshop is open to all conference participants, with a specific invitation to family members, educators, ministers, student allies and community members wanting to learn how to stand up for equality in a more bold, educated way.
Presenters:  Rebbecca Caya, Am'thyst Sloan, Anthea Proulx

U.S. Senate Committee Simulation
Learn how to create US Senate Committees within your own classroom to promote understanding of the legislative process.  Learn how to teach about the legislative process through a student research/simulation of current agenda items for the US Senate and House's standing committees.  Simulations are one to two period activities with extensions.
Presenter:  Jennifer

Waldorf Methods in the Public Sector:A Presentation by Coastal Grove Charter School
Wondering how to nurture the heart of each child, inform their hands to self-sufficiency, cultivate their deepest thinking and their value for community in this ever increasingly plastic, self-centered, materialistic, consumer culture?  We've been thinking about this.  Waldorf-methods pedagogy is one of the many pro-active vehicles towards a radically positive and vibrant future.  We invite folks curious about Waldorf methods, alternative education, or more specifically our Arcata Bottoms-based Waldorf-methods charter school, Coastal Grove, to join us in a holistic survey of Waldorf-methods in the public sector from Kindergarten to Eighth grade.  If you want to know it, it helps to do it.  We'll dive into to this presentation with a survey of activities to awaken the many intelligences of students K-8th grade.  We'll also share real live inspiring examples of student work, give a presentation of the principles behind Waldorf-inspired curriculum and make sure to include question/answer opportunities.  Prepare to participate!
Presenters:  Jen Mishkin, Carlotta Clark

The World is a Classroom: Socially Conscious Travel
This workshop will discuss “socially conscious travel” as a form of alternative education and service learning. The presenter will describe socially conscious travel in its various forms, illustrate its purpose, investigate various travel resources, and look at existing venues for travel in an open discussion format. Participants will receive material on different travel avenues, minimizing negative environmental impacts, and managing social impacts.  Participants will have the opportunity to develop travel goals appropriate for different levels of education.
Presenter:  Lorrie Loveman