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1. Advocacy Advocating for German Shari Fox
St. Louis Park Junior High
MCTLC / MNAATG Fall Mtg.
2. Advocacy
3. Advocacy Keeping strong! KEY: Good relations with
Families
Students
Colleagues
Community
Communicating importance of German
Everywhere to everyone!
Constantly
4. Advocacy 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
5. Advocacy 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…
6. Advocacy 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.
7. Advocacy Contests GACC
Goethe Institute
Step into German
AATG
Contests are fun and when you win, its great PR!
ADVERTISE IT!
8. Advocacy 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
9. Advocacy „keine Zeit“
Wer „keine Zeit“ hat,
diese Beziehungen zu pflegen,
riskiert ganz einfach
sein Deutsch-Programm.
Die Konkurrenz ist groß!
10. Advocacy Crisis? A plan to “remove German”, or
“reduce language options” has
been rumored or announced.
What do you do?
11. Advocacy 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?
12. Advocacy 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!
13. Advocacy And…
If “choice” between 2 languages,
WORK TOGETHER
14. Advocacy 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”
15. Advocacy 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!
16. Advocacy 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!
17. Advocacy 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?
18. Advocacy 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…)
19. Advocacy 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!
20. Advocacy 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
21. Advocacy Und noch was… Stay professional
Stay informed, seek communication with principal
“Inform, inform, inform” …everyone
Stay involved in the process
It may take years…
22. Advocacy viel Erfolg!