Moving Up! Educators - Diverse Learners
Milpitas Unified School District is microcosm of the world! We embrace the rich tapestry of children, parents, teachers, and community members who hail from all points of the globe. Teachers, you have the ability to help shape the future, by teaching collaboration, cooperation, and understanding to our youngest citizens. Read on to find out how you can best prepare our diverse learners and their families.
Teaching Resources
Want some handy, accessible resources to help you with culturally and linguistically sensitive teaching? Interested in finding out what practices and approaches really can make a difference for our diverse learners? Yearn for some tried-and-true techniques for helping all of our children succeed? Here are some topical resources to check out!
- Colorín Colorado is a super-site for ELL teachers and parents. Do you crave help in preparing your classroom, holding a bi-lingual family night, or finding a professional book list to support ELL teaching? Don't wait - visit today!
- National Education Association, English Language Learners page offers the vision, many languages, one mission: education for all. Visit to get access to some great articles, multi-media, research, tools, and an online community. Don't miss the diversity toolkit!
- National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) "is the nation's leading voice for high quality early childhood education for children from birth through age 8" and they take a stand for all children. Read and reflect on their linguistic and cultural diversity position papers - how does your classroom measure up?
- Teaching Diverse Learners (TDL) out of Brown University comes this comprehensive website covering elementary literacy, strategies, policy, and families.
- Wonderopolis sponsored by the National Center for Family Literacy (NCFL) can bring a daily wonder into your classroom and into the lives of your families. Get your wonder on!
CDE to the Rescue
The California Department of Education (CDE) is world-renowned for its support for teachers and administrators. There are handy guides, frameworks, and resources to inform all aspects of our children's education, including cultural and linguistic learners. Here is an overview of some of the materials that can help with our diverse learners birth through early elementary.
CDE English Learners webpage hosts a wealth of information with links, materials, and references.
Improving Education for English Learners: Research-Based Approaches this 2010 guide is available for purchase and covers up to date research and strategies applicable for teaching children kindergarten through 12th grade and includes programs and practices for effective sheltered content instruction.
Preschool English Learners Principles and Practices to Promote Language, Literacy, and Learning (Second Edition) 2009 this guide is now online and is targeted to support our youngest students by covering relevant research and providing strategies for our 3 to 5 year old young English language learners.
CDE English Learners webpage hosts a wealth of information with links, materials, and references.
Improving Education for English Learners: Research-Based Approaches this 2010 guide is available for purchase and covers up to date research and strategies applicable for teaching children kindergarten through 12th grade and includes programs and practices for effective sheltered content instruction.
Preschool English Learners Principles and Practices to Promote Language, Literacy, and Learning (Second Edition) 2009 this guide is now online and is targeted to support our youngest students by covering relevant research and providing strategies for our 3 to 5 year old young English language learners.
Family Learning
Family literacy programs are another best practice for helping our young English language learners become dual language powerhouses! There are some excellent national and local models. Family literacy programs can contain a mix of ingredients for success:
Here are a few great models and/or resources for family literacy, family learning, and/or adult education:
★ In Milpitas
City of Milpitas Recreation Services - offers parent and me classes, youth and teen classes, family classes, and adult classes for the community.
Milpitas Adult Education - brought to you by the Milpitas Unified School District, Adult Ed offers classes for adults wishing to develop basic skills, get their GED, learn English and become citizens, polish business practices, take up a new hobby, and more.
Milpitas Family Literacy Program - our very own home town Milpitas family literacy program invites children who are not in traditional preschool programs to join with their family in attending weekly sessions with Ms. Linda Lambert.
Vision Literacy - a Milpitas based program with services for adults who want to improve skills in community literacy, computer literacy, family literacy, leadership development, and health literacy.
★ In Santa Clara County
First Five Santa Clara County – family resource centers located throughout the county bring learning and information to local neighborhoods. Centered around the first five years of life, First 5 provides support services, developmental screenings, child language and literacy development, referrals, parenting classes, and a lot more. Plus - they host an excellent website with podcasts, videos, information about school readiness, and Potter the Otter!
Santa Clara County Library District - our network of affiliated libraries supports literacy in a variety of ways for young and more mature readers alike. Visit their site to learn about Learning Express, preschool story times, summer reading programs, read-with-me kits, reading program for adults, and of course, excellent book lists.
★ National Organizations
Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy - national family literacy gap map, network of programs, family literacy grants, policy and advocacy, and so much more.
National Center for Family Literacy - on a national scale, family literacy works. This site brings together information about model programs, a literacy now blog, policy and advocacy, family resources, and lots more!
- provide ESL and adult education as needed
- incorporate early childhood education
- teach parents about how to support their children educationally
- include activities which can be accomplished by children and adults working together
Here are a few great models and/or resources for family literacy, family learning, and/or adult education:
★ In Milpitas
City of Milpitas Recreation Services - offers parent and me classes, youth and teen classes, family classes, and adult classes for the community.
Milpitas Adult Education - brought to you by the Milpitas Unified School District, Adult Ed offers classes for adults wishing to develop basic skills, get their GED, learn English and become citizens, polish business practices, take up a new hobby, and more.
Milpitas Family Literacy Program - our very own home town Milpitas family literacy program invites children who are not in traditional preschool programs to join with their family in attending weekly sessions with Ms. Linda Lambert.
Vision Literacy - a Milpitas based program with services for adults who want to improve skills in community literacy, computer literacy, family literacy, leadership development, and health literacy.
★ In Santa Clara County
First Five Santa Clara County – family resource centers located throughout the county bring learning and information to local neighborhoods. Centered around the first five years of life, First 5 provides support services, developmental screenings, child language and literacy development, referrals, parenting classes, and a lot more. Plus - they host an excellent website with podcasts, videos, information about school readiness, and Potter the Otter!
Santa Clara County Library District - our network of affiliated libraries supports literacy in a variety of ways for young and more mature readers alike. Visit their site to learn about Learning Express, preschool story times, summer reading programs, read-with-me kits, reading program for adults, and of course, excellent book lists.
★ National Organizations
Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy - national family literacy gap map, network of programs, family literacy grants, policy and advocacy, and so much more.
National Center for Family Literacy - on a national scale, family literacy works. This site brings together information about model programs, a literacy now blog, policy and advocacy, family resources, and lots more!
Families as Partner
Family engagement is a best practice! Children do better in school and in life when their parents and family members are engaged. Early education and early elementary teachers have the awesome responsibility of introducing families to the school culture and building responsive, reciprocal relationships. A warm, welcoming partnership between home and school will set the stage for shared responsibility for learning now and for the school years to come. Listed below are some strategies and resources to help you on the road to genuine partnering with families.
Family Engagement: Learn!
There are numerous resources available to learn more about parent engagement best practices and models. Here are a few to get you started:Check out this nine part series to “learn about family, school, and community, engagement research, best practices from the field, and new innovations that are making a difference in school improvement and student learning.” ★ A webmaster best pick!Visit this site to see a massive collection of research and resources for parents and teachers alike, making the case for enhanced partnership.The mission of this national organization is to involve parents and communities in their children’s education to achieve lifelong student success. Their broad website offers information and resources for Early Education and Family Literacy, College Awareness and Preparation, and Community Engagement and Advocacy.(FEI) provides local “continued educational opportunities that increase family engagement and leadership for parents/caregivers, educators/providers, and the community.”This is the national leader in research, policy, and practice for family engagement and involvement.(NNPS) "invites schools, districts, states, and organizations to join together and use research-based approaches to organize and sustain excellent programs of family and community involvement that will increase student success in school."They are our local experts in PreK-3 family engagement services, Leaders for Change, and Mentores Project.Santa Clara County's gem of an organization partners with schools to promote the Search Institute's developmental asset approach - including students, families, teachers, and community members. Check out their school-based services for elementary schools to see how they can help.This site from Harvard's Graduate School of Education offers research-based reports and interviews about family empowerment and involvement and explains why these matter for positive child outcomes.
Family Engagement: Assess!
The Parent Services Project out of San Rafael has developed a fantastic assessment matrix for carefully evaluating your site's family engagement practices. Download the ★ PreK-3 Family Engagement Assessment Tool to take a good, hard look at where you are and where you might want to go. Use this with your fellow teachers and administrators to get everyone on board.
Family Engagement: Principles to Adopt!
The Santa Clara County Office of Education, Early Learning Services Department cares about our early learners and their families. The Early Learning Master Plan outlines the current status of early education in the county and charts out a vision of what we want to accomplish in the future. Dedicated stakeholders in the county participated in all phases of the plan creation and developed the Principles of Family Engagement and Leadership. The rationale and principles are as follows:
Family engagement is a shared responsibility in which schools and other community organizations are committed to reaching out to involve families in meaningful ways, and families are committed to actively supporting their children’s learning and development. The Santa Clara County community will be inspired and supported to create partnerships where families are valued, nurtured, and engaged in children’s education and healthy development.
★ Partnership
The reciprocal relationship between families and staff is one of equality and respect, resulting in the creation of a mutually beneficial partnership. Success comes from promoting the excellence of all partners.
★ Family Strengths
Families are assets, not barriers to overcome or work around. They are vital resources to themselves, to one another, and to programs.
★ Social Support
Support is important to all families. Social support networks create connections and build relationships, promoting the overall well-being of the child, the family, and the community.
★ Cultural Competence
Each family’s culture is recognized, valued, respected, and reflected in practice.
★ Shared Leadership and Power
Families and staff are partners in decisions that affect children and families and together inform, influence, and create policies, practices, and programs.
★ Shared Responsibility
All community members recognize that learning begins at birth and occurs in multiple settings, and all take responsibility for expanding learning opportunities, community services, and civic participation.
★ Child Success
Families, staff, and community members collaborate to advocate that children have access to opportunities that equitably support their success and healthy development.
Read, adopt and implement the Principles of Family Engagement and Leadership in your classroom and program by signing the pledge today! Send your signed pledge in to join the movement ~
Santa Clara County Office of Education
Early Learning Services Department
1290 Ridder Park Drive, MC 260
San Jose, California 95131-2304
Family Engagement: Handouts!
The Santa Clara County Office of Education, Early Learning Services Department has done it again! They have developed some handy, user-friendly handouts supporting different aspects of family engagement. Take a look at these goodies from their Family Engagement and Leadership Institute held April 27, 2013.
★ Families as Their Children's Important Partners: Building Early Language and Math Skills
(English | Spanish | Vietnamese)
★ Being Ready for School: Advocating for Children's Needs and Two-Way Communication
(English | Spanish | Vietnamese)
★ Early School Success: Fostering Effective Home-School Connections
(English | Spanish | Vietnamese)
Family Engagement: Learn!
There are numerous resources available to learn more about parent engagement best practices and models. Here are a few to get you started:Check out this nine part series to “learn about family, school, and community, engagement research, best practices from the field, and new innovations that are making a difference in school improvement and student learning.” ★ A webmaster best pick!Visit this site to see a massive collection of research and resources for parents and teachers alike, making the case for enhanced partnership.The mission of this national organization is to involve parents and communities in their children’s education to achieve lifelong student success. Their broad website offers information and resources for Early Education and Family Literacy, College Awareness and Preparation, and Community Engagement and Advocacy.(FEI) provides local “continued educational opportunities that increase family engagement and leadership for parents/caregivers, educators/providers, and the community.”This is the national leader in research, policy, and practice for family engagement and involvement.(NNPS) "invites schools, districts, states, and organizations to join together and use research-based approaches to organize and sustain excellent programs of family and community involvement that will increase student success in school."They are our local experts in PreK-3 family engagement services, Leaders for Change, and Mentores Project.Santa Clara County's gem of an organization partners with schools to promote the Search Institute's developmental asset approach - including students, families, teachers, and community members. Check out their school-based services for elementary schools to see how they can help.This site from Harvard's Graduate School of Education offers research-based reports and interviews about family empowerment and involvement and explains why these matter for positive child outcomes.
Family Engagement: Assess!
The Parent Services Project out of San Rafael has developed a fantastic assessment matrix for carefully evaluating your site's family engagement practices. Download the ★ PreK-3 Family Engagement Assessment Tool to take a good, hard look at where you are and where you might want to go. Use this with your fellow teachers and administrators to get everyone on board.
Family Engagement: Principles to Adopt!
The Santa Clara County Office of Education, Early Learning Services Department cares about our early learners and their families. The Early Learning Master Plan outlines the current status of early education in the county and charts out a vision of what we want to accomplish in the future. Dedicated stakeholders in the county participated in all phases of the plan creation and developed the Principles of Family Engagement and Leadership. The rationale and principles are as follows:
Family engagement is a shared responsibility in which schools and other community organizations are committed to reaching out to involve families in meaningful ways, and families are committed to actively supporting their children’s learning and development. The Santa Clara County community will be inspired and supported to create partnerships where families are valued, nurtured, and engaged in children’s education and healthy development.
★ Partnership
The reciprocal relationship between families and staff is one of equality and respect, resulting in the creation of a mutually beneficial partnership. Success comes from promoting the excellence of all partners.
★ Family Strengths
Families are assets, not barriers to overcome or work around. They are vital resources to themselves, to one another, and to programs.
★ Social Support
Support is important to all families. Social support networks create connections and build relationships, promoting the overall well-being of the child, the family, and the community.
★ Cultural Competence
Each family’s culture is recognized, valued, respected, and reflected in practice.
★ Shared Leadership and Power
Families and staff are partners in decisions that affect children and families and together inform, influence, and create policies, practices, and programs.
★ Shared Responsibility
All community members recognize that learning begins at birth and occurs in multiple settings, and all take responsibility for expanding learning opportunities, community services, and civic participation.
★ Child Success
Families, staff, and community members collaborate to advocate that children have access to opportunities that equitably support their success and healthy development.
Read, adopt and implement the Principles of Family Engagement and Leadership in your classroom and program by signing the pledge today! Send your signed pledge in to join the movement ~
Santa Clara County Office of Education
Early Learning Services Department
1290 Ridder Park Drive, MC 260
San Jose, California 95131-2304
Family Engagement: Handouts!
The Santa Clara County Office of Education, Early Learning Services Department has done it again! They have developed some handy, user-friendly handouts supporting different aspects of family engagement. Take a look at these goodies from their Family Engagement and Leadership Institute held April 27, 2013.
★ Families as Their Children's Important Partners: Building Early Language and Math Skills
(English | Spanish | Vietnamese)
★ Being Ready for School: Advocating for Children's Needs and Two-Way Communication
(English | Spanish | Vietnamese)
★ Early School Success: Fostering Effective Home-School Connections
(English | Spanish | Vietnamese)
