1. Community Event Proposal
Rebecca Yamour
Early Childhood Special Education Teacher
TESOL 507

2. Reading scores in our district have decreased and are low overall.
Problem # 1
Reading scores in our district have decreased and are low overall.
“Reading difficulties lead to poor achievement, which in turn leads to a lack of commitment to school.” (

3. Limited parent involvement
Problem # 2
Limited parent involvement
Parent involvement can result in fewer absences and increase academic motivation and achievement (Henderson and Berla, 1994).

4. Increased littering in our community.
Problem # 3
Increased littering in our community.

5. Community Event: “Read and Re-cycle Night”
Solution
Community Event: “Read and Re-cycle Night”

6. Read and Recycle Night Community Clean-up Popsicle Party Free Books
Raffle : Literacy Baskets
Literacy Make and Take Stations

7. Community Clean-Up
Families and community members will be assigned different areas in the community to clean and collect trash.

8. Popsicle Party, Books and Raffle
For participating in the community clean-up, families will receive popsicles, free books (gently used books from Bernie’s Closet), and a raffle ticket for a chance to win a literacy basket (donated by local businesses).

9. Make and Take Activities
Families will participate in multi-cultural activities that promote literacy. Activities will be hosted and provided by grade-level teachers and local businesses (library, children’s museum, restaurants, etc.).

10. Community Involvement
Community members will be invited to join our efforts. They can help by participating in clean-up, donating literacy materials or books, and/or hosting a make and take activity.
Community members will benefit by having a cleaner environment, getting exposure for their business, and helping local families.

11. Benefits
Low cost
Schools, families, and community members work together to meet needs of community
Increased knowledge about importance of literacy in educational success; materials and resources provided for home learning
Expand awareness of need to prevent global warming, decrease pollution, and increase “reduce, reuse, recycle” lifestyle
Promote cultural responsiveness

12. Culturally Responsive Teaching
Communicate high expectations
Be culturally sensitive
Have positive perspectives of families of culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds
Teachers act as facilitators
Use a variety of diverse teaching methods
Reshape the curriculum to reflect diversity
(Chartock, 2010)

13. References
Chartock, R. K. (2010). Strategies and lessons for culturally responsive teaching: A primer for K-12 teachers. Boston, MA: Pearson.
Henderson, A.T., and N. Berla. (1994). A New Generation of Evidence: The Family Is Critical to Student Achievement. St. Louis, MO: Danforth Foundation and Flint, MI: Mott Foundation.