advocating for german

Advocating for German

Shari Fox

St. Louis Park Junior High

MCTLC / MNAATG Fall Mtg.

Goals

• How to prepare, prevent “crisis”

• What you can do in case of crisis

• Discussion

Keeping strong!

• KEY: Good relations with – Families– Students– Colleagues– Community

• Communicating importance of German– Everywhere to everyone!– Constantly

Families

• E-Newsletter every 6-8 weeks• Articles in the School Newsletter• Keeping in touch with issues, rewards• Your own Web Site• Homework/Projects involving parents• Extra-curricular activities (Clubs, trips,

etc.)• Build their confidence in you

Extra-Curricular Activities

• “International Rollerparty”• German Club• International Cooking Club• Hip Hop Club• Talent Show

• The more kids you relate well to, the better your reputation, the more your program grows, the more support you earn…

School Involvement

• Extra curricular activities• Billboards (subject matter, labels, etc.)• Project Displays• Displays about German • “Special” summative assessments (experiential)• Staff development (offer workshops)• Colleagues support active/important school

members• ADVERTISE! Put it on district website, in the

Newsletter, etc.

Contests

• GACC

• Goethe Institute

• Step into German

• AATG

• Contests are fun and when you win, its great PR!

• ADVERTISE IT!

Community Involvement

• Use District Website for PR

• Local paper

• Service Learning projects

• Companies / Tour German-based companies; make connections concrete

• Germanic American Institute

• Immersion school volunteering

„keine Zeit“

Wer „keine Zeit“ hat,

diese Beziehungen zu pflegen,

riskiert ganz einfach

sein Deutsch-Programm.

Die Konkurrenz ist groß!

Crisis?

A plan to “remove German”, or

“reduce language options” has

been rumored or announced.

What do you do?

What to do

• Don’t take it personally• Find out the facts:

– Why?– When effective?– How (at which levels, entire or phase-out)?– Who decides?– What is the decision process?

• How can YOU be involved in the decision process in a professional manner?

Steps, II

• Get the FACTS!• Meet with your principal• Take careful notes• Be prepared• LISTEN, reiterate to clarify

• Du willst Gegenargumente entwickeln.• Your credibility is at stake!

And…

• If “choice” between 2 languages,

WORK TOGETHER

Samples reasons

• “Spanish is the language of choice”– Need to fill the growing demand

• “Can’t support such a small program”

• “We need to ease scheduling issues”

• “We need to free up money for …”

• “Not as important as a life skill / no applications”

Counterpoints

• Form possible counterpoints/solutions to the previous reasons offered for cuts.– Know your community issues and interests

• Remember…non-emotional, factual evidence is of the essence!

Sample Counterpoints

• How does cutting save money?– “Show the math”– Fund other program using grant or federal money?

• German is not the only or even main cause of scheduling issues– “Show us how it could ease issues”– Offer solutions to the issues (get creative)

• German program may be smaller, but growing / stronger– Attrition rates, enrollment!

Sample Counterpoints, II

• German as a business & science language– Different languages have different applications– Offering fewer languages leaves kids all with same

skills --- who has the niche?

• Importance of language choices in global society• Spanish is language of choice

– Reduced options means less diversity– Most popular is not always the most beneficial– We are the educators! If it went by popularity, would

there be math, science and reading?

Sample Counterpoints, IV

• German program may be smaller, but growing / stronger– Lower attrition rates – Increasing enrollment!– Show trends– Compare to Spanish, but not French

• ? Is this a move to fund other, new programs?– Would make the budget point MOOT

• Not wise to cut existing, strong programs in order to engage in new, risky programs. – You may never get it back!– New program may not be supported (remember Japanese,

Russian…)

Was dann?

• Make a ppt. presentation on your German Program and its applications– Glaubwürdige Quellen angeben! Nicht einfach googlen.

• Present personally to involved decision makers– Superintendant– Site council– Principals– School Board– Dept. Heads

• Public Forum?• Get on the School Board Agenda

– Have community support present!

Kids

• Kids are talking, what do you say?– Don’t ignore it– Answer diplomatically– Don’t be negative about other languages– Don’t let them worry– Reassure them of importance and relevance

of German– Give them arguments to counter other

students

Und noch was…

• Stay professional

• Stay informed, seek communication with principal

• “Inform, inform, inform” …everyone

• Stay involved in the process

• It may take years…

viel Erfolg!

Kontakt: Shari Foxwww.myteacherpages.com/webpages/SFox1