SATELLITE SITE PROFILES 2001-2002

1. SATELLITE SITE PROFILES2001-2002 CHANDLER SAN JOSÉ LAS VEGAS SUNNYSIDE

2. Participants Speak Out • Positive feelings about MAPPS Realmente, pense que era para ayudarme, pero no sabia que me iba a envolver tanto, que iba a aprender tanto y que no lo practico no mas conmigo, sino que lo conllevo a otros sitios. Vistes? Es cheve, es chevere. [Truthfully, I thought that it was to help me, but I didn’t know that I was going to get so involved or that I was going to learn so much and that I wouldn’t just use it for me but that I would take it to others. You see, it’s awesome. - Parent, San Jose I’ve been very impressed with the number of times that we get together to learn and to celebrate the successes. I think it’s important, too many programs don’t take the time out to say look what we’ve done, acknowledge our successes and look where we’re going. - Assistant Principal, Sunnyside

3. Because of MAPPS and the exposure and confidence it has given me, I feel like I can make a REAL difference for kids and for parents. Because of MAPPS, my district readily supports me in my desire to learn more about how children learn, how adults learn, and how we can better serve the needs of both. Because of MAPPS, I have made new friends, looked out new windows, and knocked on doors I didn’t even know existed. THANKS MAPPS! - Facilitator, Las Vegas I think it’s a really neat experience for (our children) because their school experience is not just an isolated part of their day. They can come home and say, ‘OK, mom or dad is interested in this and cares and is involved.’ (MAPPS) is a really good bridge between those two worlds. - Parent, Chandler

4. Enthusiasm for Different ways of Learning Me gusta de todo porque estoy conviviendo con los demás padres de familia, escuchando opiniones, cosas que ayudan a los niños a mejorar. Algo quizás muy simple que me hubiera pasado a mi pero oigo las opiniones de los demás personas y eso me ayuda bastante. [I like it all because I’m interacting/sharing/living together with other parents of families, listening to opinions, things that will help my children do better. Sometimes there’s something simple that perhaps would have escaped me but listening to the opinions of other parents helps me a lot.] - Parent, San Jose MAPPS has been very different from my previous experience with (math). I went through my whole life being told how things were and not given any freedom to figure it out on my own. Being able to experiment with blocks or whatever is much more interesting... - Parent, Chandler

5. I’ve learned that the idea is to open your mind to other ways of learning math because everyone learns differently and everyone has a different comfort zone with math, but you can still get to that same outcome. Now when my son brings homework to me I first ask him, ‘How are you doing this and what are your thoughts on it? ‘ - Parent, Chandler. It’s different than those days in high school because there’re people answering questions and you don’t feel like it’s a dumb question. Every question is important and everyone is willing to answer and help. They don’t make you feel like you’re stupid. - Parent, Sunnyside

6. On Linking Home, School and Community... Para mi fue importante sentir la relacion que habia con el maestro. Era una relacion de igualdad, yo no siento que por ser el maestro se sienta más que uno, siempre fue una relacion en la que el maestro usaba sus cononocimientos en una forma positiva, siempre trato a todos por igual me senti en confianza. No solamente ha sido este semestre. [The relationship with the teacher has been very important for me. It is a relationship based on equality, I don’t feel as if he feels superior to us because he is the teacher. He has always used his knowledge in a positive manner, he treats everyone as an equal and I feel very comfortable (in that environment), it hasn’t just been this semester.] - Parent, Sunnyside

7. Oftentimes you just see (parents) more on a helping kind of volunteer status, they’re there and they’re helping or assisting but you’re never actually working together towards a common goal... If they come in they might be helping you with a task, but we’re not necessarily working together on something we find meaning in. I think that was one of the nice things about (MAPPS) is that (the parents and teachers) were actually working together. We each had some kind of connection to what we were doing even though we came from our different backgrounds, but together we were working at something. That is what really brought the whole almost bonding experience to it. - Teacher, Chandler One of the strongest differences I’ve seen at our level of entry into MAPPS is that we’re learning too. Instead of us being the professionals knowing all the answers, presenting the lesson, we’re right there with the parents learning together. - Principal, Sunnyside

8. It’s just been really great working with the parents...I’ve worked in a lot of different programs but this one is really unique because I feel that I’m interacting, I almost feel that when I’m not teaching the class, we’re at the same level. The parents, we’re all sitting together at the same table and we’re working on, say a problem together and that to me, it helps me build this connection with the families. I think they see me not just as the teacher, but as their equal and just to be able to build those bridges is amazing. I feel it and I think that my parents feel it with me also. Because I feel that our interaction is not just the formal, I am the teacher. They can walk into my classroom and I know they feel confident walking in there. And I know that they’re walking and they feel comfortable about being around me and in the classroom—it’s not as intimidating anymore. -Teacher, San Jose I want my community to succeed and to be able to teach the parents these skills that they need for their children and also for themselves. - Parent, San Jose

9. I enjoy working with the teachers and seeing them let down their hair. I feel that the teachers are getting to know us as human beings instead of just as a parent. It’s another bridge that has to be created. If you have a good relationship with your children's teachers and you can communicate, you can learn to be honest and say, ‘I understand my child has a strength and/or weakness in this area and how can we work with this?’ - Parent, Chandler

10. Chandler Leadership Team 1- Total Number of Participants: 37

11. Las Vegas Leadership Team 1~Total Participants: 34

12. San Jose Leadership Team 1~Total Participants: 14

13. Sunnyside Leadership Team 3~Total Participants: 43

14. Summary of Unique Features Chandler • Chandler offered a 2nd course open only to parents from the district. We've called this section the "MFP only" group as they did not attend any of the MAWS nor were they involved with leadership training sessions. They now have the option of joining one of the school-based teams. • Mary Fachman, Chandler's Parent Liaison helped Derek Griffith put together a MAPPS commercial for our own version of recruitment.

15. Las Vegas • All leadership team members continue to attend all of the sessions, including the teachers who have attended MFP this year. • The LeadershipTeam created a MAPPS cookbook as a result of the MAW, “Step by Step.” • One of the most effective strategies that Las Vegas has implemented is their use of the evaluation forms for weekly feedback.

16. San Jose • San Jose continues to use the “bounty” recruitment strategy that compensates schools for the number of parents from their school who attend events. Schools are allowed to use the money in any way they like as long as it is used within the school. • San Jose began with a small leadership team but according the Director George Castro, "it has become obvious over the past year that there is a lot of incipient leadership that we didn't know about." They have plans to allow some of the parents who want to take on more of a leadership role to join LT2. • All of the sessions continue to be taught in Spanish only. The Spanish only policy might change next year as San Jose partners with other school districts and community projects.

17. Sunnyside has incorporated a Family Literacy class as one of the sites for MAWS. They are taught in Spanish only as this meets the needs of the community. Another new feature is that Leadership Team 3 participants were given more room to explore their willingness to take on leadership roles at earlier times in the program. Several LT3 members have either assisted with a MAW or have presented a MAW almost entirely by themselves. In April a group of MAPPS mothers, some from LT1 and others from LT2 joined Dr. Civil, Martha, Bety and Emily in New Orleans to present a paper at the national AERA conference (American Educational Research Association). Sunnyside

18. Number of MAPPS hours for 2001 - 2002

19. Plans for Next Year Chandler Leadership for LT1 and LT2 • August 22-- "A MAWS Showcase"- a well run MAW followed by discussion taught by Gina and Cheryl. This is to be a model broken into parts with discussion after each part. Math for Parents • Fall 2002- 3 different classes will be offered. "Patterns" for Guests, Numbers for LT2 and "Fractions" for LT1 and some Guests. These will be held Thursday Nights beginning August 29th. MAWS • LT1 is being put into 7 school based sites. Each of the 7 teams will present 2 MAWS per semester. LT2 will attend the MAWS. Mentors • The list of mentors will be Gina, Cheryl, Nora, Beth and Melinda. The teachers will be brought together to discuss their roles and interactions with the parents as they plan and facilitate. Three of the 7 teams will need a mentor.

20. Las Vegas Leadership Team 1 • LT1 will be divided into 6 site-based teams, each consisting of 5 or 6 members: 2 co-presenters, 1 local site person, 1 or 2 publicity liaisons, and 1 evaluator. Leadership Team 2 • Leadership Team 2 will meet on Tuesdays for either a MFP course or a MAW. Pam Abreu will be teaching the school teams on Monday or Wednesday. MFP • MAPPS staff will be offering 2 sections of the MFP course in the fall, one for each team (LT 1 & LT 2). • "Thinking about Fractions, Decimals and Percents" will be taught by Pam Abreu in Fall 2002. MAWS • MAPPS staff will offer a new set of MAWS to each team. • Denise Silva will teach a portion of the MAWS to LT2 and all of the MAWS to LT1. • Coordination of MAPPS will shift to Las Vegas City Schools with New Mexico Highlands University (NMHU) and Luna Community College continuing as partners. Mentors • A mentor will be assigned to each LT1 school-based team. Each of the teams will have 1 MAW event per semester at their school which means there will be 6 MAWS per semester.

21. San Jose Leadership Team 1 • LT1 is being split into 3 groups of 5 and 6. Rocio, Yesenia and Ana will be the trainers for the 3 groups. These groups will be teaching MAWS at their school-based sites. MFP • There will be 4 courses taught next year. In the fall of 2002 two sections of “Thinking in Patterns” will be taught by Rudy Duran and Julio Soto. In the Spring of 2003, the course “Data for Parents” will be taught. MAWS • SJ has utilized their student aides in the teaching of the MAWS. They will be training another student to do the same thing for next year. • SJ would like to keep the attendance at the MAWS to around 30 people. They allow participants to bring one child with them. • SJ has narrowed the age range of the MAWS. Instead of K - 6, or K – 12, they’ve made it K – 3, 4 - 6, and 7 - 12.

22. Sunnyside Since we are now in our third year of the project, many district parents and teachers have take on roles of increased leadership for the project. We have created the following hierarchy of leadership roles: Apprentices • For Leadership Team members in their first year (LT4) with MAPPS. Facilitators • For Leadership Team members in their second year (LT3) with MAPPS. These individuals are trained to organize and lead the Math Awareness Workshops. They are in charge of presenting the 32-36 Workshops that occur in the District during the year.   Trainers/Mentors • For Leadership Team members in their third year (LT2) with MAPPS. These individuals train those parents, teachers and administrators who are to become Workshop Facilitators. They are also the mentors to those facilitators throughout the year.  

23. Overseers • For Leadership Team members in their fourth year (LT1) with MAPPS. These individuals train the Trainers/Mentors in training those who are to become Workshop Facilitators and mentors. Additionally, each Overseer will be designated three MAPPS schools and a Trainer/Mentor that they will be monitoring. MFP • Two different MFP courses will be offered in the fall: “Data for Parents”forthe Leadership Team parents and “Fractions, Decimals and Percents” for the Family Literacy participants. MAWS for Family Literacy Sites • This Spring parents from Leadership Team 2 and Leadership Team 3 presented “Measuring the Distance Around” to various Family Literacy sites during their daily academic program. Due to the success of these sessions the joint effort will be continued in the Fall.