Funds of Knowledge

Funds of Knowledge begins on the premise that every household andCommunity is an educational setting in which knowledge vital toThe family and community’s survival is passed down from the elders To the younger members of the family.--As families and communities recognize the value of such knowledge,They create social relationships and establish social contexts to transmitThis knowledge. This is cultural knowledge in action-as opposed toFoods, clothes and festivals.

How is a household an “Educational Setting?”

Integrated Instruction

• The purpose of learning Funds of Knowledge is not to gain static information about students’ cultures, but to translate knowledge about students’ families and communities into Thematic Units based on such knowledge.

• Parents and Community members appreciate the opportunity to tell their story to interested listeners.

• Enables teachers to learn about the child as a whole person, not simply as a ‘student’ or a person only from the perspective of school.

• Enables classrooms to become a part of the students’ social networks of ‘reciprocity’.

What is a Thematic Unit? How is it Different than a lesson?

• Thematic Unit---Broad Theme under which there are many Lessons that can include multiple subject areas Ex. The Power of Numbers in our Lives

• Lesson-Has a specific learning objective toward which all the activities aim.-Multiplying Negative Integers

Thematic Unit-Integrated Math-Chem.

• Theme: The Power of Numbers

Traditional Material

Local Contractor/Builder

Numbers in Society andCommunity

Statistics

Medicine-Folk Medicine

Numerical Operations

Geometry in Action

Grandmother

Local Financial Advisor

Integrating Funds of Knowledge

• Teachers identify community members who possess educationally relevant skills as part of their professions, hobbies, or household responsibilities.

• Those individuals are invited to present about those skills in the classroom.

• The classroom can become part of the knowledge network in the community.

Information Gained from Ethnographic Home Visit

• Allows you to see the educational environment, family, travel, literacy documents, professional accoutrements

• Learn about family history, professional skills• Gives parents an opportunity to clarify

‘educacion’ roles, express concerns.

Conducting Ethnography

• Be aware of personal stereotypes and biases• Be prepared for parents’ interests and

predispositions• Look for artifacts of literacy and education• Establish rapport by asking about family and

other children• Ask about family history and travel

Jacoby’s Story(will not write)

Parent Interview

Father’s Skill-Mechanics-Tools

Journal about Fathers tools(pictures and words)

Table 1 A Sample of Household Funds of Knowledge Agriculture and Mining Ranching and farming Horse ridingskills Animal management Soil and irrigation systems Crop planting Hunting,tracking, dressing Mining Timbering Minerals Blasting Equipment operation and maintenance

Economics Business Market values Appraising Renting and selling Loans Labor laws Building codes Consumer knowledge Accounting Sales Household Management Religion Budgets Childcare Cooking Appliance repairs

Construction Carpentry Roofing Masonry Painting Design and architecture

Repair Airplane Automobile Tractor House maintenance

Medicine Contemporary medicine Drugs First aid procedures Anatomy Midwifery Folk medicine Herbal knowledge Folk cures Folk veterinary cures Household Management Religion Catechism Baptisms Bible studies Moral knowledge and ethics

Funds of Knowledge Ideas

• Health &PE• Information (trophies) integrate, build on their

strengths• Sports equipment, soccer goals, parent

interests, • Science, ingredients from cooking/kitchen,

medicines, folk medicine, -garden, for earth sciences, weather. Tools and equipment-values related to caring for equipment.

Funds of Knowledge Ideas

• English• Job fair, how they communicate, Have people come from the

community, different communication practices, digital communication. Research on the job and writing a report. Have role models from the community

• Economy-bring in a tax person, a banking representative. “Game of Life.” Architecture, then a construction worker from the community. The History of the professions in an area.

• Math in everyday life. Architecture and geometry.• Banking, physics and geometry in sports.• Math, mapping out your life. Compound interest• Myth busters.

What did the teacher mean by "Meritocracy can be disillusioning?

How is a household an “Educational Setting?”

Creating Connected Instruction

Integrating Funds of Knowledge

Information from Ethnographic Home Visit

Conducting Ethnography

Jacoby’s Story(will not write)

Parent Interview

Father’s Skill-Mechanics

Journal about Fathers tools(pictures and words)

Table 1 A Sample of Household Funds of Knowledge Agriculture and Mining Ranching and farming Horse ridingskills Animal management Soil and irrigation systems Crop planting Hunting,tracking, dressing Mining Timbering Minerals Blasting Equipment operation and maintenance

Economics Business Market values Appraising Renting and selling Loans Labor laws Building codes Consumer knowledge Accounting Sales Household Management Religion Budgets Childcare Cooking Appliance repairs

Construction Carpentry Roofing Masonry Painting Design and architecture

Repair Airplane Automobile Tractor House maintenance

Medicine Contemporary medicine Drugs First aid procedures Anatomy Midwifery Folk medicine Herbal knowledge Folk cures Folk veterinary cures Household Management Religion Catechism Baptisms Bible studies Moral knowledge and ethics

Funds of Knowledge Ideas

• Health &PE• Information (trophies) integrate, build on their

strengths• Sports equipment, soccer goals, parent

interests, • Science, ingredients from cooking/kitchen,

medicines, folk medicine, -garden, for earth sciences, weather. Tools and equipment-values related to caring for equipment.

Funds of Knowledge Ideas• English• Job fair, how they communicate, Have people come from the

community, different communication practices, digital communication. Research on the job and writing a report. Have role models from the community

• Economy-bring in a tax person, a banking representative. “Game of Life.” Architecture, then a construction worker from the community. The History of the professions in an area.

• Math in everyday life. Architecture and geometry.• Banking, physics and geometry in sports.• Math, mapping out your life. Compound interest• Myth busters.

Conducting Ethnography

• Be aware of personal stereotypes and biases• Be prepared for parents’ interests and predispositions• Look for artifacts of literacy and education• Establish rapport by asking about family and other children• Ask about family history and travel

Language Brokering

• Deals with the fact that often the youngest members of the family learn English the fastest.

• Because of that, they are put into many positions where they translate for the family.

Bilingual Assignments

• The assignment can be completed in two columns.

• The first column can be completed in their native language,

• The second can be their native language translated into English