“Insure” the Future of
Your French Program
AATF in Montreal, July 7, 2011
Margot M. Steinhart
Northwestern University, IL
Eileen Walvoord
Niles North & West High Schools, Skokie, IL
Samantha Godden-Chmielowicz
Carl Schurz High School, Chicago, IL
Randa Duvick
Valparaiso University, IN
Introducing the Session
Margot M. Steinhart
Questions for Reflection
• Do you know the signs that a French
program may be in danger?
• What are your resources to sustain your
French program?
• Whom can you identify and cultivate as
allies for your program?
• How do you mobilize supporters to
advocate for the French program?
Organization of Presentation
• Recognizing the signs that a French
program may be vulnerable
• Cultivating allies to enrich the French
program
• Focusing on promotion of French and its
visibility in the classroom, school, and
community
Organization of the Presentation
(2)
• Mobilizing allies to support and advocate
for the French program
• Identifying human and material resources
for promotion and advocacy
• Initiating a plan of action to make your
French program more visible
• Comments, Questions
Recognizing the Signs that a
French Program may be
Vulnerable
Margot M. Steinhart
Potential Signs of a Vulnerable
French Program
K-12
Potential Signs of a
Vulnerable French Program
K-12
• Insufficient budgets
• Other language priorities
• Call for program review
• Politics of unsupportive decisionmakers
Potential Signs of a
Vulnerable French Program
K-12
• Ignorance of importance of French
or Indifference
• Invisibility of French program
• Retirement or frequent
Resignations
• Inadequate teacher preparation
Potential Signs of a Vulnerable
French Program
Higher Ed
Potential Signs of a Vulnerable French
Program - Higher Ed
• Insufficient Finances
• Unawareness of the Numbers
Game
• Lack of Institutional Support
Potential Signs of a Vulnerable French
Program - Higher Ed
• Indifference or Unfavorable
Perception by Others
• Academic Reorganization
• Invisibility of French Faculty
Ignorance, Indifference & Invisibility
contribute to the demise of French
programs.
________________________________________________
Sources:
• Robert (Tennessee Bob) Peckham,
http://www.utm.edu/staff/globeg/advofr.shtml
• Robert (Tennessee Bob) Peckham. ”Before they just
disappear—Danger Signs for College Foreign Language
Programs” Part of C243: French No Exit: Call for PostSecondary Advocacy, at the July 2010 AATF Convention
in Philadelphia
Cultivating Allies to Sustain
the French Program
Samantha Godden-Chmielowcz
•Allies: WHY do we need them?
Because, when French is in
danger...
decisions may come suddenly
teacher feels abandoned,
isolated
Allies: WHY do we need them?
Because, if French is in danger...
• decision-makers listen to voters
and /or funders
• teacher may not have a voice
• allies can work as a team for success
Allies: WHO?
Students & Former Students
Parents
Colleagues & Counselors
Administrators
Board Members
Community Members
Allies: WHAT can they do?
Communicate
Educate
Alert the media
Organize opposition
Defend French
But only if...
we have shown them
reasons to value their
French program, will
they be ready to
defend it.
Allies: HOW do we get their
support?
Create interest!
Create excitement!
Create a buzz!
Spread the word!
Doing what we've always done...
Engaging Classroom Activities
High Interest Projects
Field Trips
Travel & Exchange Programs
National French Contest
French Club
National French Week
National French Honor Society
Outstanding Senior Award
Immersion Day
PLUS...
Visibility
and
Involvement
Focusing on
Promotion
through
Visibility & Involvement
Eileen Walvoord
Visibility & Involvement
Students
Bulletin Boards
Video Announcements
Electronic Signs & Screens
School Newspaper & Yearbook
School Website
Teacher Website
Testimonials
Visibility & Involvement
FORMER STUDENTS
Stay in Touch
Invite as Speakers
Use as Classroom Resources
Send Info to Alumni News
Request Testimonials
Visibilty & Involvement
PARENTS
September Parent Booklet
Newsletter
"Bonjour" Letter
Parent Interview
Family Tree Project
Visibility & Involvement
PARENTS
Parent/Grandparent Activities
Class Speakers
Field Trip Chaperons
Fifteen Ways To Compliment
Films to Watch At Home
Visibility & Involvement
PARENTS
Activities to do With Your Child
Study Strategies For French
Celebrities Who Speak French
Maps of the Francophone World
French Companies in the USA
Ten Reasons to Study French
Visibility & Involvement
PARENTS
Parent-Teacher Night
Open House
Progress Reports
Phone Contact
Parents as Resources
Testimonials
Visibility & Involvement
COLLEAGUES
Collaboration
Guest Speaker
Colleagues Survey
Bell-ringers
Visibility & Involvement
COUNSELORS
Letter for Spanish-speaking parents
10 Reasons to Study French in
Spanish
Colleagues Survey
Invitation to French Class or Club
Events
Contest Judges
Visibility & Involvement
SCHOOL COMMUNITY
CREATE ANNUAL IN-SCHOOL
EVENTS:
National French Week
Crêpe Sale
Mardi Gras Mask Contest
Bûches Contest
T-shirt Contest
National French Contest
Visibility & Involvement
SCHOOL COMMUNITY
PARTICIPATE IN ALL-SCHOOL
EVENTS:
Homecoming
International Night
Relay For Life
Spirit Days
Visibility & Involvement
SCHOOL COMMUNITY
PARTICIPATE IN LARGER
SCHOOL LIFE
French Club
National French Honor Society
Visibility & Involvement
ADMINISTRATORS
Invite to French Events
Ask to Judge Events
Send Samples of Food !
Visibility & Involvement
BOARD MEMBERS
Greet at All-School Events
Invite to French Events
Ask to Be Contest Judges
Use Colleague Survey
Thank Them for Their Support
Report on Trips & Exchanges
Send Valentines!
Visibility & Involvement
COMMUNITY
Invite Local Speakers
Volunteer in Local Institutions
Collaborate With Local Institutions
Visibility & Involvement
PUBLICITY
Posters
School Flat Screen
Video Announcements
Local Newspapers
Local TV & Radio
Community Websites
School Website
Moving from Promotion and
Visibility to Advocacy
Margot M. Steinhart
Randa Duvick
Mobilizing Allies and Supporters
to Advocate for the French Program
K-12
Margot M. Steinhart
Questions
You Should Ask Yourself
• How does your community see itself?
• What is your community’s world–
view?
• Why would your community make a
decision to cut French instruction?
Building Support
•
•
•
•
Find allies
Cultivate them
Include them in French activities
Motivate them to lead
Allies who believe in the program will
support it
How do I get others
involved?
• Identify allies and target key parents
• Facilitate a network of parents
• Provide parent–allies with arguments and
talking points
 AATF website
 The World Speaks French website
 French Language Advocacy Wiki
When Mounting a Campaign
Think About…
• Who can storm the barricades—
o Yourself
o Parents
o Students (past and present)
o Colleagues and community
members
When Mounting a Campaign
Think About…
• What YOU could do—and what you should
not do…
• What can others do?
o Parents
o Current and former students
o Colleagues and community members
What Can
Advocates Do?
The World Speaks
French
Communicate!
Meet
Mobilize
Message
Leaflet
Petition
Alert the Medi@
• E-mail education-beat journalists
• Organize meetings to attract press
coverage
• Write letters to the editor
• Contact local TV public affairs
departments
• Call-in on local talk–radio shows
Educate
the School Board!
• Meet informally with one or two
members
• Write–and call–BOE members
• Submit petitions
• Get on the Agenda at BOE meetings
• Be politely persistent
Tailor Your Message
Help is on the Wiki
Tailor Your Message
Help is on the Wiki
French Language Advocacy
frenchadvocacy.wikispaces.com
Video Stories DVD
Online Wiki
10 Reasons
to Study French
• Flyers
o In bulleted form
o In narrative form
• PowerPoint presentations
• Extended examples for articles and
speeches
Reasons to Study French
Different Strokes for Different Folks
Flyers
Reasons to Study French
Different Strokes for Different Folks
PowerPoint
presentations
Reasons to Study French
Different Strokes for Different Folks
Brochure
Technology:
An Advocate’s Best Friend
Uses of Technology
in Advocacy
•
•
•
•
Communicate with allies
Organize advocacy campaigns
Enlist supporters
Present compelling arguments to
decision–makers
Spread the Word
Recruit Active Supporters
• For quick to instantaneous communication
o
o
o
Email
Skype and other video-chat software
Video Calling
• More extensive document sharing
o Facebook
o
o
Google Docs
Wikis
Raising Awareness of
“The Situation”
• Create webpages
• Blogs are free
• Social networking
o
o
Facebook
Twitter
Make the Case for
Retaining Your Program
• Electronically
o
Online petition sites
 One time setup
 No fee
 Distribute via email
www.thepetitionsite.com
Make the Case for
Retaining Your Program
• In person or via the web
o
o
o
PowerPoint
PhotoStory
iMovie
The World Speaks
French
Make the Case
Video Stories
• On DVD or download from Wiki
o
o
o
o
Thirteen stories
First person accounts
Short and useful
Web versions for
 PC, Mac, iPod, iPhone
The World Speaks
French
Video Stories
Advocacy Strategies
Summary
• Identify and contact effective parent–
allies
• Articulate reasons
o
o
for studying foreign languages
for the importance of French to your
community
• Match your arguments to your
community
o
o
Educational goals
Cultural and economic aspirations
Advocacy Strategies
Summary
• Use social networking and media
outlets to harness support
• Keep the momentum
o
o
o
In the community
With the advocates
For the students
• Get visible and stay visible
Call Now!
Your Best Friends are Standing
By…
• Be proactive
• Promote now
• Publicize your French program tout de
suite
Help is on the Wiki
Mobilizing Allies to Support and Advocate
for the French Program
Higher Ed
Randa Duvick
Allies: Post-secondary
• Who are they?
o Current students
o Past students = alumni
o Friends:
 Faculty from "linked" departments
 "Friends" in other departments
o Administrators (Dean…), Board
members/Trustees
o Local, regional, or state business leaders
Mobilizing Allies: Post-secondary
• Others can communicate with decisionmakers on your behalf
• Determine who the decision-makers are
o
Dean? Provost? President? Board? State
board?
Mobilizing Allies: Post-secondary
• Gather your "ammunition" for the allies
1. Gather statistics on…
Enrollment and enrollment trends:
 Majors, minors, gen ed courses, etc.
 FTE faculty and ratio with enrollments
o Class size
o Assessment outcomes
o
Mobilizing Allies: Post-secondary
2. Document your program's connections
with other programs and units
• General Education contribution
• Contribution to other majors (required for int'l
business or…)
• Internships/Co-ops/Service Learning
Mobilizing Allies: Post-secondary
• Articulate your program's intersection
with institutional mission and vision
o
Service? Career/internship? Liberal learning?
Internationalization? Etc.
Mobilizing Allies: Post-secondary
• Determine how allies might
communicate with decision-makers
o
o
o
o
o
On-line petition?
E-mail to decision-makers? US mail?
Build a Facebook page/website?
Twitter or other social media campaign?
Letters to Editor?
Materials: Promotion
What materials are available to help me
promote my French program?
French Advocacy Wiki:
https://frenchadvocacy.wikispaces.com
Table of Contents (handout)
o "Cultivating Allies" page
o "Technology" page
Materials: Promotion
• AATF National Bulletin
o
o
o
National French Week ideas
Poster & Essay Contests
Promotion ideas
• Alliance française
o
o
Activities for your students
Connections with other Francophiles
Materials: Promotion
• Délégation du Québec
o
Events, companies
• French Consulate
o
o
Events, companies
Author tours
Materials: Advocacy
• What materials are available to help in
an advocacy campaign?
• French Advocacy Wiki:
https://frenchadvocacy.wikispaces.com
o
Table of Contents
(handout)
Materials: Advocacy
• When I feel the need to respond with an
advocacy campaign, I want help
knowing…
… what to do
… whom to contact
… what to say
… what to do
• Advocacy Checklists
• Success Stories
• Essays:
o
Board member perspectives
• Sample Advocacy Letters:
o
o
Parent to parent
Teacher to parent
… whom to contact
• Advocacy Checklists
• Essays:
o
Advocacy Role of AATF Chapter President
• Sample Advocacy Letters:
o
o
o
To Board
To Superintendent
To Provost
• Success stories
…what to say
•
•
•
•
Talking points
Presentation: 10 Reasons to Study French
Sample Advocacy Letters
Essays:
o
o
o
"Ease & Challenges…"
"Not Zero-Sum Game…"
"Which Language Should I Study…"
…what to say
• Flyers:
o
o
o
"10 Reasons to Study French"
"French Words in English"
"French Companies/Products in US"
• Sample Brochure--French Language of
Choice (also template)
• Testimonials: Text and Video Stories!
• Maps
French Language Advocacy
Wiki
http://frenchadvocacy.wikispaces.com
Activity: "Think Promotion!"
Together with a partner, brainstorm the following:
Think of an activity that you already do with your French class
or classes that you could make more visible to outsiders—
parents, colleagues, administrators, school board members, the
public in general...
How might you modify the activity to give it more visibility,
or what can you do to get the word out about this fantastic
activity??
"Insure" the Future of
your French Program
Questions
and
Comments
"Insure" the Future of your
French Program
Margot M. Steinhart
Northwestern University, IL
m-steinhart@northwestern.edu
Eileen Walvoord
Niles North & West High Schools, Skokie, IL
eilwal@d219.org
Samantha Godden-Chmielowicz
Carl Schurz High School, Chicago, IL
mmegodden@juno.com
Randa Duvick
Valparaiso University, IN
randa.duvick@valpo.edu
http://frenchadvocacy.wikispaces.com
Sample 'chapter title cue' slide
with green to show progression of
presentation
this white space is free to: add
enlarged section title? lay
foundation of section (for the
longer ones)? Other??