[Educators] create and engage their students in literacy practices that develop awareness, understanding, respect, and a valuing of differences in our society.

Literacy Event #1: Story Sharing
(Diversity- cultural, ethnic, religious, economic)

IRA Standard 4:  Element 4.1- Candidates recognize, understand, and value the forms of diversity that exist in society and their importance in learning to read and write.

Annotation/Details of the Event

Students in grades 7-12 will be interviewing older adults from St. Camillus Assisted Living and Nursing Home located in Milwaukee, WI. Students will be paired with an adult and students will interview them two times a week for two weeks.  There will be an initial "getting to know each other" meeting between each student and adult before the interviews take place.  The adults will be sharing events and details about their lives or about one specific event in their life.  Students will be taking notes during the interview, or if the adult agrees, students can record the interview to be used later.  Once the interviews have concluded, the students will take their notes and/or recordings, type them out, creating a short biography or chapter in a biography from the interviewed adults.  Students will then design a cover, perhaps including a picture of the adult, and make a book for the adult to keep.  Once all of the books are finished, there will be a celebration with refreshments at St. Camillus where students will read/share the stories.  This entire process will enable students to take part in and understand the importance of reading and writing.

Diversity
Through the pairing of student to adult, the story sharing process, and general conversation, both the students and adults will learn more about one another's lives, including their cultural background, racial identity, religious beliefs, and economic status.  Diversity will be recognized, understood, and valued through this shared process. 

243 words by Wendy Smith