Our Goals
While our goals were constantly developing and refocusing during the process of information gathering and planning the event, by the time we were ready to implement our project, there were several goals in place.
Our first goal was to learn as much as we could about this population. The entire information gathering process was centered around seeking information and soliciting ideas. We approached the project with eyes wide open and the hope that we would learn as much as possible about the ESOL families and their cultures.
Our motivating factor is to improve access to materials and technology for this population. Learning the procedures and methods of using the Media Center can help promote the "social inclusion" of students (Warschauer, 2002, p. 5). Being a part of the Accelerated Reader program by using Media Center materials and technology, as well as being able to talk about books of interest, access the catalog to find out more about our offerings and do research using the available databases and Internet, helps the ESOL students to come closer to being full participants in the learning community. As Warschauer (2002) points out, access and understanding are precursors to "literacy" (p. 9), of which there are many kinds. We are hoping that this event will open the door to the information literacy curriculum for students. As we learn more about the population we are serving, we hope to educate them as to the tools the Media Center provides and "the significance of these tools in their life and community" (Amiel, 2005, p. 6). Of course, we are starting off at an elementary level, but it is a start nonetheless, toward becoming "critical agents of change in regards to the digital divide" (Amiel, 2005 p. 7).
We believe that the inclusion of families in this project is critical to its success. In order for students to become integrated into the school community and parents to take on the role of "stakeholder" in the school, they must be made welcome and shown the many ways that they can play a part in their student's education. This also includes getting their input on improvements and additions to our collection and services (In-Class Discussion, January 19, 2006, based on the ideas of Sleeter and Grant, 1994).
This leads directly into our goal of recruiting diverse volunteers to play a role in the Media Center. Just as Delpit argues that African-American students should have an African-American at least consulting in the classroom, she might argue that other cultures need to be represented in roles throughout the school (Delpit, 1998). We welcome and embrace the chance to get to work side by side with members of other cultures, taking it as an opportunity to learn more about our students and the cultures from which they have grown, moving a step toward the role of "ethnographer" that Delpit (1998) recommends (p. 297).
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