Summary - Creating Culturally Responsive Schools CRN59600 26. Online registration by Cvent

Creating Culturally Responsive Schools is a self-paced, online professional learning course that meets the Alaska Department of Education's requirements for teacher certification in Multicultural Education. It is specifically designed for educators. You do not have to be currently teaching in a classroom to take this course

This course will serve as an important tool to help schools and communities examine the ways they meet the educational and cultural well-being of the students in their care.

Alaska Standards for Culturally Responsive Schools were developed by Alaska Native educators throughout the state. This important work examines how, educators, curriculum, schools, and communities must work together to address the unique learning needs of Alaska's diverse students. A holistic approach to learning and quality education that honors Alaska's past, present and future is critical for both rural and urban students. Seen as a complement to the Content Standards for Alaska Students, the Alaska Standards for Culturally Responsive Schools were adopted by the Alaska Board of Education in 1998.

The goal of this course is to introduce you to the Alaska Standards for Culturally Responsive Schools. The Cultural Standards are intended to guide an educator through a thoughtful process of introspection and investigation of key questions: How effectively do I teach my students? How might I improve my classroom or school to increase student engagement?

Creating Culturally Responsive Schools will help you evaluate the work you do through a lens of cultural knowledge. You will also discover how the cultural standards blend with the Content Standards for Alaska Students. In fact, the Alaska Standards for Culturally Responsive Schools offers you a new and useful tool we hope will add to your success as an educator in Alaska.

The goal of the course is to improve the learning for Alaskan students by focusing on their educational and cultural well-being.

Expected Learning Outcomes

Examine the knowledge systems, ways of knowing and world views indigenous people have drawn upon in addressing their education needs.
Recognize that all forms of knowledge, ways of knowing and world view are equally valid, adaptable and complementary to one another in mutually beneficial ways.
Use the cultural standards to provide guidance and ideas on how to teach through the local culture as a foundation for all education
Create indicators that describe what it looks like when students, teachers, curriculum, schools and communities are working together in culturally relevant ways
Develop a working plan for steps that can be taken to help students, teachers, curriculum, schools and communities to work together in culturally relevant ways
Participants will complete five assignments and a final project. For a a final project course participants will work with the instructor to design a specific plan that will help you in your school or your community move forward in creating a culturally appropriate learning environment for all students.

Course Books are required and sold separately. You can order print or digital versions. If you can borrow books from a previous participant, you don't have to purchase them.

Review the course syllabus

Methods of Instruction - Readings and written responses. No quizzes, midterms or final examinations.
Coursework takes place in our ASDN Canvas environment.

Contact Doug Penn and Laurie Van Huis directly if you have questions or concerns about the coursework: dpenn@alaskaacsa.org. Contact ASDN for registration or transcript questions.

Instructors Doug Penn and Laurie Van Huis. Doug and Laurie have been working as Alaskan educators for over 21 years. They have been responsible for teaching students from primary to high school as well as special education in the rural schools and communities of Prince William Sound and across the state of Alaska. Laurie and Doug have played active roles in school reform over the year and were integrally involved in developing and growing Chugach School District's competency based system of education which was recognized by the National Baldrige Award in 2001. In addition, Doug and Laurie have had the privilege to travel extensively throughout Alaska and the lower 48 providing educational support and training to educators as well as teaching courses for Alaska Staff Development Network for over 20 years.