Using Student-Centered Funds of Knowledge in Diverse Classrooms-Elementary
Lori Edmonds
University of Maryalnd Baltimore County
STEP T for ELLs Program
What does or has your
family used fire for?
Please write your answer on the index card.
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Using Student-Centered
Funds of Knowledge in
Diverse Classrooms
Lori Edmonds
BYU TRESOL Teachers Celebration
June 10, 2010
Overview
• A brief history
• Making Funds of Knowledge
(Moll, 1992) student centered
• Example from the Howard County
science curriculum
• Unit plan development!
www.umbc.edu/stept
[email protected]
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Using Student-Centered Funds of Knowledge in Diverse Classrooms-Elementary
Lori Edmonds
University of Maryalnd Baltimore County
STEP T for ELLs Program
What are Our
Funds of Knowledge about
Funds of Knowledge?
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Funds of Knowledge
A Brief History
Built on research by Carlos Vèlez-Ibàñez
(Bonds of Mutual Trust, 1983)
Action Research Based
Hispanic Community
Funds of Knowledge
Moll (1992)
Students have valuable knowledge
that comes from their
home/community that should be
used in the classroom.
www.umbc.edu/stept
[email protected]
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Using Student-Centered Funds of Knowledge in Diverse Classrooms-Elementary
Lori Edmonds
University of Maryalnd Baltimore County
STEP T for ELLs Program
Student-Centered Funds of
Knowledge (Edmonds, 2008)
Teachers are very busy.
The population is diverse.
Students are capable.
Informing Teachers of
Students’ Funds of
Knowledge
Asking cultural questions
Interviewing assignments
Photo journal assignments
You’ve gotten your students’
funds of knowledge…
Now what?
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www.umbc.edu/stept
[email protected]
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Using Student-Centered Funds of Knowledge in Diverse Classrooms-Elementary
Lori Edmonds
University of Maryalnd Baltimore County
STEP T for ELLs Program
Funds of Knowledge
at the 3rd Grade Level
Howard County teachers
and the Light, Sound,
and Heat Unit
Original
Curriculum
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What does or has your family used fire for?
www.umbc.edu/stept
[email protected]
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Using Student-Centered Funds of Knowledge in Diverse Classrooms-Elementary
Lori Edmonds
University of Maryalnd Baltimore County
STEP T for ELLs Program
They’ve gotten their students’
funds of knowledge…
Then what?
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Had students:
• Explain their use of fire as heat, light, and
sound
• Discuss the ways that each example produces
heat, light, and sound
• Observe the similarities and differences of these
types of energy
• Give non-fire examples of heat, light, and sound
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Assessment
Original
New
• Participation
• Semantic map of
camping
• Camping
Connections
worksheet
• Participation
• Drawings from
engagement
• Connections
worksheet
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www.umbc.edu/stept
[email protected]
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Using Student-Centered Funds of Knowledge in Diverse Classrooms-Elementary
Lori Edmonds
University of Maryalnd Baltimore County
STEP T for ELLs Program
Connecting Content and
Student Identity
Identity is integral with
whether students are going
to engage or not engage.
James Cummins, 2010
Research Findings
“the more that participants can engage and
identify with the topic matter, the more
interest and motivation they will have”
This type of approach creates a nonjudgmental environment where students are
safe to synthesize their background
knowledge with their new hypotheses as
they gather new information.
Gonzalez, Moll, Amanti (2005)
Benefits of Using Funds of
Knowledge
• Builds trust and respect between parents and school.
• Students are better able to make the connection
between home/school cultures
• Encourages parent/child bonding
• Students learn to value the unique perspectives of
their classmates
• Enables students to discuss the topic in the home
language first
• Students become better learners when they are given
the responsibility of teaching.
www.umbc.edu/stept
[email protected]
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Using Student-Centered Funds of Knowledge in Diverse Classrooms-Elementary
Lori Edmonds
University of Maryalnd Baltimore County
STEP T for ELLs Program
Bibliography
Gonzalez, N., & Moll, L. C. & Amanti, C. (2005). Funds of knowledge:
theorizing practices in households, communities, and classrooms. New
Jersey: Erlbaum Associates, Inc.
Moll, L. C. (1992). Funds of knowledge for teaching: Using a qualitative
approach to connect homes and classrooms. Theory into Practice, 31 (2),
132-141.
Velez-Ibanez, C.G., (1996). Border visions: Mexican cultures of the
Southwest United States. Tucson: The University of Arizona Press.
Lori M. Edmonds
[email protected]
www.umbc.edu/stept
www.umbc.edu/stept
[email protected]
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