Module 6: Knowing the Community and Utilizing Its Resources

Students bring cultural capital in the form of personal or family assets to the classroom. Similarly, the school community offers assets that teachers may use to support teaching and learning. Burns, Paul & Paz (2012) define a community as a group of people living in the same locality, a group of people sharing common interests or similar identity, or the district or locality in which such groups live. Dorfman (1998) extended the idea of community to include services and resources. Access to services and resources play an important role in student success both socially and academically. Payne (1998) lists six types of resources students may need: financial, emotional, mental, spiritual, physical, and relationship/role models (Figure 6.1). These resource areas help teachers identify areas of needs for students. Furthermore, knowing the community and its resources will support teachers in providing access to needed services in an area of need for students.