Preparation
Prep: Required Texts
The Pine Project requires access to the picture books and discussion questions in I’m Your Neighbor Books’ award-winning Welcoming Library.
Don’t have access to a Welcoming Library?
No worries! This collection of 25+ acclaimed picture books with our embedded discussion materials is available as a free 6-week loan from I’m Your Neighbor Books. Contact Ange Ishimwe at I’m Your Neighbor Books at 207-613-1619 or info@imyourneighborbooks.org to reserve the book collection.
Have access to the Welcoming Library?
Make sure you have a collection that is aligned with the Pine Project. This is the list of books used in our Professional Development. Contact Ange Ishimwe at I’m Your Neighbor Books at 207-613-1619 or info@imyourneighborbooks.org to add books to your Welcoming Library.
Are you a Maine Librarian or Educator?
The Maine Department of Education provided a Welcoming Library: Pine Collection for every supervisory district in Maine. Ask your district office about a loan!
Prep: Recommended Texts
Hammond, Zaretta. Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain. Corwin, 2023
El Yaafouri, Louise. Restoring Students’ Innate Power:Trauma-Responsive Strategies for Teaching Multilingual Newcomers. ASCD, 2022
Prep: Take the Survey
Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University and Bates College, partnering with the Pine Project creators at I’m Your Neighbor Books, are seeking to understand the impact of providing educators with Social Emotional Learning (SEL) professional development that engages with multicultural literature.
Are you willing to participate in this research by taking a before and after survey?
Based on established research practices, any reported data will be aggregated across all study participants. In other words, your individual responses to the survey will never be shared in a way that can be used to identify you or your experience.
Your participation will help us develop more effective professional development programs.
The 1st survey may take you up to 30 minutes. That time, however, will be included in your awarded contact hours. And, thank you!
Start the Opening Survey
Thank you!
If you have any questions, the lead researcher Dr. Catarina Vales can be reached at cvales@andrew.cmu.edu.
Process
Process: Move Through the Pine 1-5
There are five Pine Project video modules—including Pine 1 which you may have already viewed. Each module includes the voices of educators, authors, illustrators, and community leaders—many who identify as Immigrant or New Generation. Sections of each module address a component of Social Emotion Learning (SEL) and reflect on the SEL journey of a character in one of the featured Welcoming Library books. The entire Professional Development is 5 hours of viewing time and up to 6 hours of assignments.
Process: Complete the Reflective Opportunities
As you view the videos, you will be asked to pause to explore the featured books, articles, and other materials listed as Reflective Opportunities.
Process: Earn Contact Hours
At the bottom of each page, fill out reflections to be awarded Contact Hours from the Maine Department of Education.
Reach Out
Contact Kirsten Cappy at I’m Your Neighbor Books at 207-613-1619 or kcappy@imyourneighborbooks.org with questions, concerns, or ideas.
