Embedded Files
Why the "Volunteer Spirit"?
In creating our modules, we wove together the practices of reflecting, connecting and collaborating with our institution's vision of “Volunteer Spirit,” which is characterized by a passion for promoting social change through conscientious service and leadership (not volunteerism or saviorism). Those who embody the “Volunteer [Teacher] Spirit (i.e., VOLTS)” listen to and learn from the diverse perspectives of community partners to support and co-lead collaborative efforts that truly benefit communities. Accordingly, VOLTS modules can help advance equity by preparing educators who are ready to “form deep partnerships with families built on listening, valuing, and honoring family strengths” (p. 5, Framework) to advance racial, linguistic, and social justice in education.Why the "Volunteer Spirit"?
VOLTS overview
VOLTS overview
VOLunteer Teacher Spirit (VOLTS): Amplifying Family and Community Engagement in Teacher Preparation provides a set of guiding modules for teacher educators to integrate the core belief and value, honoring the expertise that families and communities possess, across the Educator Preparation Programs (EPP). We leveraged partnerships with community-based organizations and families to build the necessary infrastructure for coursework that develops teachers’ capacity for equity-focused family and community engagement. The resulting three modules align with the National Association for Family, School and Community Engagement's Family Engagement Core Competencies.
Four EPP faculty, who focus on racial, linguistic, and social justice in their STEM, literacy, and ESL education research and teaching, collaborated with three community organizations committed to promoting literacy and STEM education for Black and Latinx children in our local community. We collaborated to co-development these modules to support other teacher educators to embed family and community engagement, tied to meaningful community-based experiences, throughout EPP coursework.
People
Dr. Frances K. Harper
Dr. Clara Lee Brown
Associate Professor of ESL Education
Dr. Janine Al-Aseer
Director of University-Assisted Community Schools & Clinical Assistant Professor
Rebecca Hemans
Mary McMillan Terry
Partners
This material is based upon work supported by the National Association for Family, Community and School Engagement's (NAFSCE) Family Engagement and Educator Preparation Innovation Project. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of NAFSCE.
Page updated
Report abuse