Dream Act: What Teachers Can Do
Art by: Kiera L. when she was 3 years old.
Abstract:
If you are a US based PK-12, Adult Ed, or Higher Ed ELD professional, join our interactive learning space to explore the DREAM Act alongside colleagues and undocumented students known as DREAMers. Many young people note that their English teacher was their first confidant in the US. What does this mean? What can teachers do to support DREAMers and move others to action?
Target audience:
US based PK-12, Adult Ed, or Higher Ed teachers, counselors, and administrators who want to learn about the DREAM Act and how to support DREAMers.
Sponsor(s):
Secondary Schools Intersection, Higher Education Intersection, Social Responsibilities Intersection
Session objectives:
By the end of this online session:
1. Participants will have explored the stories of DREAMers, undocumented youth educated in US K-12 schools who wish to pursue their dreams of a college education.
2. Participants will have identified common challenges faced by DREAMers.
3. Participants will have examined the history of the Dream Act policies at the federal and state levels. They will explore challenges faced by DREAMers in their local communities.
4. Participants will have shared legal and educational resources to support undocumented students in their community.
5. Participants will have synthesized what they learned about DREAMers and the DREAM Act to take action within their community.
Syllabus:
Week 1: Participant Introductions & Who are the DREAMers?
Participants will introduce themselves within our Google+ community and explain why they are interested in our session. We will also meet as a group within Google Hangout to get to connect to each other face to face. Week one also introduces the voices of undocumented students and the history of their struggle for the Dream Act. This will include the voices of DREAMers who qualify for DACA, little DREAMers, mix status families, and unaccompanied minors. Participants will learn DREAMers' stories through videos, poetry and writing and then discuss what they've learned within the Google+ community.
Week 2: Challenges Faced By DREAMers
After revisiting Week 1 articles and videos, participants will identify common challenges faced by DREAMers and discuss what teachers can do to support students through these challenges. Throughout this week, a DREAMer will participate in the community’s discussion and communicate with participants in our Google Hangout.
Week 3: Dream Act Policies
Participants will have examined the history of the Dream Act policies at the federal and state levels. Through reviewing online resources, participants will explore whether or not the state they live in has passed a Dream Act. During Google+ discussions, participants will compare what they learned about policies at the federal and state level. Participants will discuss the unique challenges faced by mixed-status families, little DREAMers, and DREAMers who qualify for DACA. An immigration lawyer will join this week's discussion.
Week 4: Legal, Educational, and Advocacy Resources
Participants will have shared legal, educational, and advocacy resources to support undocumented students in their community. Participants will learn about different advocacy events that have been held throughout the United States to support DREAMers in pursuing their dreams of a higher education. Participants will discuss resources they found on Google+ and within a Google Hangout.
Week 5: Advocacy
Participants will have synthesized what they learned about DREAMers and the DREAM Act to take action within their community. During this week, participants can write a letter to a federal, state, or local politician advocating for DREAMers, write an article for a local newspaper to educate their community about DREAMers, write a lesson plan to educate their students about DREAMers, or create a workshop to educate co-workers about DREAMers. As a group, particiant will meet in Google Handouts to share ways they are supporting out DREAMers in our community. Participants will also fill out a session evaluation.
Moderators:
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Name (last, first)
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Email address
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Location (country of residence)
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Biodata
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Foerster Luu, Anne Marie
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foersteratgmu@gmail.com
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U.S.
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Anne Marie Foerster Luu graduated with an MEd from University of Maryland and is currently a National Board Certified ESOL teacher in K-5 public elementary school, a teacher educator, and mom.
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Dodson, Lori
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lmdods9@gmail.com
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U.S.
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Lori Dodson graduated with her M.S. in Education (TESOL) from Shenandoah University. She currently teaches ESOL and reading at a K-5 public school and has served on the WATESOL Board.
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Saroughi, Maryam
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msarough@masonlive.gmu.edu |
U.S. |
Maryam Saroughi is a doctoral student in College of Education and Human Development at George Mason University. Her research interests include education equity and social justice, language learning and teaching, English language learners’ success and closing achievement gap between different groups of students. Her native language is Farsi.
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Digital Media:
1. Dream Act What Teachers Can Do Wiki: The wiki contains the syllabus, objectives, and weekly tasks.
2. Google Plus Community: This is a private community where participants can discuss the weekly task and share resources with each other.
How to join this session
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To join this group:
| Steps to Participate: From January 5th to 11th, 2015 |
- Create a gmail account so you can join our Google Plus Community.
- To join the Google Plus Community, email evodreamact2015@gmail.com. In your email, please include:
- A brief description of who you are,
- A few sentences about why you are interested in participating in the EVO Session Dream Act: What Teachers Can Do?
- Your gmail address (This is so that we can invite you to our discussion sessions in our Google+ community.)
3. Once you are added to our Google Plus Community Dream Act What Teachers Can Do, you can access it here.
For those new to Google Plus, click here to read a tutorial.
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