Teachers say they benefited from the sense of community that developed through shared interests in an approach to teaching and curriculum development which responds to learners' lived experiences and real concerns. Teachers say they find the collaboration with other teachers, the detailed discussion of the writing and revision process and the support throughout the steps of curriculum development especially rewarding. One teacher commented about the process: I liked collaborating in the large group settings, as well as with my partner on writing the curriculum. I also really liked going through the stages of collecting student writing and using that writing to organize a unit of learning. Teachers also commented on how the process of eliciting learner narratives and curriculum development engaged the learners and created enthusiasm in the classroom: Students really came alive talking, thinking and writing about these questions. And this aliveness in the classroom is vital to successful learning and helping students stay motivated to come to class, to continue learning to read better, to express themselves more fully.
3b. Impact on Students The concepts of civics and history came to life for learners as they discussed the rights provided by the First Amendment, what it means to become a citizen in this new country, their concerns for their communities, and how to work together to solve community problems. Learners focused on immediate issues that affected their communities. One learner applied the First Amendment right to redress grievances to the difficulties immigrants experience in calling attention to problems in the workplace: To speak up about unfairness at work is not easy, especially for new immigrants.... It is not easy for them to express clearly what they want to say. They may be afraid of speaking in an appropriate way that may cause a lot of troubles or problems afterward. Another learner contrasted the rights granted in the First amendment with racial discrimination and the racial divisions she experiences in her community: Maybe I had a stereotype of black people because television influences your mind a lot. I thought all black people were bad because I heard that these people hate all Latin people.... Almost all people have wrong ideas about each other. It's a big problem. These narratives are used as catalysts to invite learners to explore issues in ways that push them to consider new perspectives, and to explore their own efficacy as community members with a voice.
3c. Impact on San Francisco's SHINE program Project SHINE to date has focused on deepening the academic experience of university students while also improving the language skills and civic knowledge of elders. The missing link for us, was to also provide benefits to ESL teachers in whose classes we placed "coaches". First Amendment Plus has strengthened our conviction that ESL teachers are also learners who benefit tremendously from working and learning within a community of peers. We are committed to linking materials development to professional development, thus investing not only in text resources, but also in human resources- an investment that doesn't sit on a shelf or go out of date!