Teach-A-Rama Brings Educators Together to Better Assist Students

"Through the Looking Glass" was the theme of this year's Teach-A-Rama event held at San Bernardino Valley College (SBVC) on Sept. 20. Sponsored by SBVC's Office of Instruction working in partnership with representatives from the National Sorority of Phi Delta Kappa, Inc. and the Delta Rho Chapter for the Far Western Region, the event welcomed some 80 educators from elementary through college levels, academic professionals like teacher's aides and substitute teachers, and parents, where various speakers gave presentations on the various cultural elements students encounter in the classroom, with the aim of providing educators and parents a closer look at the factors impacting students and offering solutions and suggestions to these factors. Session focuses included: reading across the curriculum, student behaviors, and changes in the rules and regulations governing student behavior. "Teach-A-Rama is an ongoing part of our sorority's three-point program," explained Joyce Payne, Basileus with the Delta Rho Chapter. "We want to continue to build the highest qualifications in education and help our educators be educated, because it's ongoing. We as educators have to be at the forefront of that learning, and make sure that it is implemented in the classrooms." This year's Teach-A-Rama event was also extended to include sponsorships from educators in Washington, Nevada, Arizona, and California, explained Payne. "We wanted many more educators to get a taste of what we are doing here," Payne said. San Bernardino Valley College's Vice President of Instruction Dr. Haragewen Kinde, San Bernardino City Unified School District (SBCUSD) Board Member Dr. Margaret Hill and Payne all spoke at the event, sharing its purpose and intent. Following their opening, presenters included keynote speaker Dr. Louie Rodriguez, a Colton native, professor at Cal State San Bernardino and author of "The Time is Now"; Euricidi Fitz, a PAR Consultant with the SBCUSD; Keisha Handy, an academic coach with Montery Elementary School in the SBCUSD; and Dr. Kennon Mitchell, the Assistant Superintendent of Student Services at SBCUSD. "We're providing other educators and parents with strategies on how to help students," Hill explained. "One of those is, 'think before you push,' and we had a counselor talk about how you can turn your classroom into a positive learning environment. Another is 'under the umbrella,' where an academic coach discussed how to make students excited about reading and how that can be infused by teachers through all disciplines," Hill said. Payne said some of the factors that students face in school today include the necessity of academic relationships built between students and teachers. "Something as simple as that can help build a connection," Payne said. "And that's what it is. There's a disconnect." Payne also touched on how often times, expectations for minority students are low. "Sometimes teachers are willing to take so much less from (minority students) and that's not fair to them," Payne said. Both Payne and Hill shared they see the difference the Teach-A-Rama event creates in educators each year. "Last year we were talking about Core (curriculum), and we had that initial step in terms of understanding Core," Payne said. "That was the light bulb that came on last year. This year, while we're talking about behaviors, we could see that something clicked." Hill said the networking opportunities that Teach-A-Rama provides are beneficial to area educators. "You're bringing in people from local districts so there's local resources available," Hill said. "Then you're picking up strategies to enhance what they're already doing."