Culturally Responsive
When school staff value family and community ways of knowing, families can bring their full selves into the school and can use their knowledge and strengths to support their students and schools. Respect for family and community cultures, languages, histories and values are foundational to any successful partnership.
Family Engagement Resources for Culturally Responsive
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Building Block 3: Cultural Responsiveness
When school staff value family and community ways of knowing, families can bring their full selves into the school and can use their knowledge and strengths to support their students and schools. Respect for family and community cultures, languages, histories, and values is foundational to any successful partnership.
Alaska Strong Resources for Educators
The importance of creating a space where families feel comfortable and safe to share their strengths and their challenges is critical. The following resource provides a series of discussion questions around key topics including ones that can be used in informal settings with families. By creating intentional conversations that will help school staff and families discuss family strengths and needs, you can begin working together to support students both in and out of school.
Family Handout to Accompany Sealaska Heritage Institute Berry Unit
The following resources accompany Sealaska Heritage Institute elementary level thematic unit featuring Lingít, Yugtun, and Inupiat languages, cultures and history. They provide ideas and fun things to do to bring some “school” into your student's homes. At the end of each resource is a way for you students to bring a little of “home” back to school. Link can be found below to the Sealaska Heritage Institute teacher unit on berries.
Family Handout to Accompany Sealaska Heritage Institute Salmon Unit
The following resources accompany Sealaska Heritage Institute elementary level thematic unit featuring Lingít, Yugtun, and Inupiat languages, cultures and history. They provide ideas and fun things to do to bring some “school” into your student's homes. At the end of each resource is a way for you students to bring a little of “home” back to school. Link can be found below to the Sealaska Heritage Institute teacher unit on salmon.
Family Handouts for Plant Units
The plant handouts on yarrow, willow and labrador tea are meant to be sent home to give families some fun ideas to do at home. Respectful Harvesting Guidelines was prepared by the Kayaani Sisters Council, a group of Indigenous women across Alaska, and by Kaasei Training & Consulting, who are offering it to you as a gift. Being on the land and learning as a family is a goal we have for this resource.
Lesson Planning Best Practices for Teachers
Teachers play an important role in supporting their students as they connect their individual, familial and community experiences to new knowledge and classroom learning opportunities. Creating units and lessons that collaborate with families, community resources and Elders will foster learning at all academic levels. This resource provides a list of best practices, examples of how educators can encourage learning at home, and a tool to gather more information about families
Stronger Together Framework
The Power of School and Family Partnership in Alaska - This is a guide for school staff to integrate family partnership practices. This offers core building blocks, school-wide family partnership planning tools, and additional ideas on how to support family partnerships at a distance.
Transforming Schools: A Framework for Trauma-Engaged Practice in Alaska
This framework brings together lessons learned by school staff and community members within Alaska while integrating school-wide, trauma-engaged approach to improve academic outcomes and well-being for all students. Using stories, research, and best practices, this resource is designed for use by school/community teams seeking to make our schools a place of positive transformation and significant learning for each student.
