Today, we have the pleasure of hosting three esteemed guests. I’m Vicki Saylor, the Arizona Regional Manager for Common Sense Education. Joining us are Dr. Elvira Armas, Mrs. Charlene Freed, and Mrs. Maida Lavandence from the Center for Equity for English Language Learners at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, California. Their expertise in education is invaluable, and we’re thrilled to have them with us.
Dr. Armas: Hello, everyone! It’s a privilege to be here. My journey in education spans 32 years, beginning as a bilingual classroom teacher. I’ve supported educators at various levels, from schools to districts, and now at the university level. Currently, I am the Director of Programs and Partnerships at Loyola Marymount University’s Center for Equity for English Learners. Established in 2006 by Dr. Magali Davaden, our center is dedicated to advocating for excellence and equity for English learners. We aim to transform educational systems and policies through research, professional learning, and policy initiatives. Our center offers numerous distance learning programs and has collaborated with over 65 organizations to conduct research in areas such as dual language learning and college readiness. We also provide open-source tools and resources on our website.
Vicki: Thank you, Dr. Armas! Your resources are invaluable, especially for distance learning. Could you tell us about the “Equitable Distance Learning for English Learners” design principles and their importance?
Dr. Armas: Certainly, Vicki. Our focus is on promoting equity by honoring diversity. We developed these design principles to guide educators in creating inclusive lessons. They are grounded in research and practical experience, emphasizing the need to support underserved communities during distance learning. These principles help educators set clear goals and outcomes, focusing on social and emotional learning, oral language development, and varied participation structures. We invite everyone to explore these resources and hear stories from our dedicated teachers and parents on our website.
Vicki: Let’s hear from Mrs. Maida Lavandence. Could you share your background and the strategies you use with your students?
Mrs. Lavandence: Thank you for having me! I’ve been teaching for 19 years in the Montebello Unified School District. Building strong connections with my students is my strength. I focus on mindfulness and creating a positive classroom environment. Before classes, I communicate with parents to understand their needs and expectations. I also use sentence frames to support English language development during activities like show-and-tell.
Vicki: Now, let’s talk to Mrs. Charlene Freed, a renowned teacher. Can you share your experiences and strategies?
Mrs. Freed: Of course! When we learned we wouldn’t return to school on March 13th, my students were anxious. I created activities to keep them engaged, such as taking pictures and describing their feelings. We also designed superheroes to help them express emotions and connect with peers. I believe in fostering creativity over consumption and focus on oral activities to enhance engagement.
Vicki: Maida, could you elaborate on your strategies?
Mrs. Lavandence: Certainly! My students enjoyed sharing about themselves, so we did a show-and-tell with sentence frames. I emphasized a growth mindset, encouraging students to view mistakes as learning opportunities. We created posters highlighting their strengths, helping them articulate their positive attributes.
Vicki: Thank you all for sharing your insights. Do you have any final advice or key takeaways?
Dr. Armas: We must innovate for our students, especially those at risk. Engaging families as partners is crucial for success.
Mrs. Freed: I encourage teachers to create opportunities for students to express themselves and connect with their families.
Mrs. Lavandence: Reflect on our practices and embrace change. This is a time to recognize the value of teachers and not revert to the status quo.
Vicki: Thank you all for your valuable insights! This session will be available on our YouTube channel, along with slides and resources. Thank you for joining us today!
Engage with the design principles discussed by Dr. Armas. Visit the Center for Equity for English Learners’ website to explore their resources. Reflect on how these principles can be applied in your own educational context to support English learners effectively.
Inspired by Mrs. Lavandence’s approach, create a plan to build strong connections with your students. Incorporate mindfulness activities and establish communication channels with parents to understand their expectations and needs.
Design an oral language activity, such as a virtual show-and-tell, using sentence frames to support English language development. Encourage students to express themselves creatively, as suggested by Mrs. Freed.
Following Mrs. Freed’s strategy, have students design their own superheroes. This activity should focus on helping them express emotions and connect with peers, fostering creativity and engagement.
Adopt Mrs. Lavandence’s emphasis on a growth mindset by creating activities that encourage students to view mistakes as learning opportunities. Develop a project where students create posters highlighting their strengths and positive attributes.
**Welcome to Distance Learning with Common Sense**
We have three very special guests today. My name is Vicki Saylor, and I’m the Arizona Regional Manager for Common Sense Education. I’m thrilled to have our guests today: Dr. Elvira Armas, Mrs. Charlene Freed, and Mrs. Maida Lavandence. They come to us from the Center for Equity for English Language Learners at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, California. We’re honored to have them here; they are well-versed and wonderful educators. Thank you so much for being here.
We’ll start with Dr. Armas. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your center?
**Dr. Armas:** Absolutely! Good afternoon, everyone. It’s our pleasure to be here with this esteemed panel, and thank you for the invitation. I have had the privilege of a 32-year journey as an educator, starting as a bilingual classroom teacher. I’ve also supported teachers at both the school and district levels, working as a coach and at the county level, bridging that work to the university. Currently, I serve as the Director of Programs and Partnerships at Loyola Marymount University in the Center for Equity for English Learners. We were founded in 2006 by our Executive Director, Dr. Magali Davaden. We’re committed to engaging with diverse stakeholders across the state and nation, advocating for excellence and equity for English learners. Our vision is to transform systems and schools to affect policy and practice for English learners, focusing on research, professional learning, and policy. We have many professional learning programs available via distance learning and have partnered with over 65 organizations, schools, and districts to conduct research and evaluation efforts in various areas, including dual language learners and college readiness for English learners. We also create open-source tools and resources available on our center’s website.
**Vicki:** Thank you so much! I saw all of your resources, and as a former English language development teacher, I find it a great place to look for our needs, especially for distance learning. You created something called “Equitable Distance Learning for English Learners” design principles. Can you tell us a little about that and why it’s important to implement when creating lessons for our learners?
**Dr. Armas:** Yes, Vicki. During this unprecedented time, our focus continues to be on promoting equity, which begins with honoring diversity. We need to differentiate resources and instruction and work collaboratively with other educators. We developed the design principles for equitable distance learning for English learners, which are based on research and real-life practices. We know that during this time of distance learning, it’s crucial to serve our underserved communities, who are most at risk due to existing inequities. The equitable distance learning principles help us identify explicit goals and outcomes. You can find them on our website, and they center on connections to students’ social and emotional learning, promoting oral language development, and varied participation structures. We invite you to visit our website to hear narratives from our accomplished teachers and parents.
**Vicki:** Thank you for that recap! Now, let’s turn it over to Mrs. Maida Lavandence. Can you tell us a little about yourself and the students you serve, as well as some strategies you implement surrounding these design principles?
**Mrs. Lavandence:** Hi, thank you for having me! I’ve been teaching for 19 years in the Montebello Unified School District. My strength as a teacher is the connections I build with my students. I focus on mindfulness and creating a positive environment. Before class, I reach out to each parent and family to understand their needs and expectations. I also incorporate feedback and use sentence frames to support English language development during activities like show-and-tell.
**Vicki:** That’s wonderful! Now, let’s talk to Mrs. Charlene Freed, who is a well-known teacher and has received several awards. Can you share about the students you serve and some strategies you use?
**Mrs. Freed:** Sure! On March 13th, we received notice that we wouldn’t be returning to school. My students were frightened and worried about their families. I created activities to keep them engaged, like having them take pictures of themselves and describe how they felt about the situation. We also created superheroes to help them express their feelings and connect with each other. I believe in teaching students to create rather than consume, and I focus on oral activities that promote engagement.
**Vicki:** Thank you, Charlene! It’s clear that so much learning is happening. Let’s check back with Maida to see if she can share more about her strategies.
**Mrs. Lavandence:** Sure! I found that my students enjoyed sharing about themselves, so we did a show-and-tell with sentence frames. I also emphasized a growth mindset, encouraging students to see mistakes as opportunities for growth. We created posters highlighting their positive attributes, which helped them articulate their strengths.
**Vicki:** That’s fantastic! It’s essential to empower students and families, especially during distance learning. Before we wrap up, do any of you have final words of advice or key takeaways?
**Dr. Armas:** Yes! We can innovate for our students, particularly those at risk. Engaging families as partners is crucial for success.
**Mrs. Freed:** I encourage teachers to create opportunities for students to express themselves and connect with their families.
**Mrs. Lavandence:** We need to reflect on our practices and not return to the status quo. This is a time for change and recognizing the value of teachers.
**Vicki:** Thank you all for your insights! This session will be available on our YouTube channel, along with the slides and resources. Thank you for joining us today!
Equity – The quality of being fair and impartial, especially in the context of education where all students have access to the same opportunities. – The university implemented new policies to ensure equity in the admission process for all applicants.
Learners – Individuals who are engaged in acquiring knowledge or skills through study, experience, or teaching. – The course was designed to accommodate different types of learners, including visual and auditory learners.
Education – The process of receiving or giving systematic instruction, especially at a school or university. – Education is a fundamental right that empowers individuals to contribute meaningfully to society.
Distance – The space between two points, often used in the context of distance learning, which refers to educational instruction delivered remotely. – Distance education has become increasingly popular, allowing students to learn from anywhere in the world.
Learning – The acquisition of knowledge or skills through study, experience, or teaching. – Continuous learning is essential for professionals to stay updated with the latest industry trends.
Strategies – Plans of action designed to achieve a long-term or overall aim, particularly in educational settings to enhance learning outcomes. – Teachers are encouraged to develop innovative strategies to engage students in the classroom.
Development – The process of growth or improvement, particularly in skills or knowledge, often used in the context of professional development. – Professional development workshops are crucial for educators to refine their teaching practices.
Diversity – The inclusion of different types of people and ideas, often referring to the variety of backgrounds and perspectives in an educational environment. – Embracing diversity in the classroom enriches the learning experience for all students.
Engagement – The act of being involved or committed, especially in the context of students actively participating in their learning process. – Student engagement is a key factor in achieving successful educational outcomes.
Resources – Materials, tools, or assets that are used to support learning and teaching. – The library offers a wide range of resources to assist students with their research projects.
