Tonikiaa Orange's Homepage
Introduction
Student Bio/Information
Dr. Tonikiaa Orange is an elementary school site administrator at Culture and Language Academy of Success Charter School (CLAS). Dr. Orange’s journey in education started at the University of Pittsburgh, where she earned a BA in Political Science and African-American Studies. She continued her studies at Teachers College, Columbia University in NY where she received a MA in Politics and Education. She finished her studies back at the University of Pittsburgh as a Lilly Fellow, receiving her Ed.D. in Education focusing on educational evaluation. Before stepping in a classroom, Dr. Orange was fortunate to have worked with various school districts across the country managing, developing and evaluating educational programs, urban school reform initiatives, and curriculum development. She was an upper elementary and middle school teacher and focused on Math and Science instruction and learning. During her years as a classroom teacher she was selected as middle school Math department chair, Science Lead teacher and Academic English Mastery Program (AEMP) facilitator of which she won the AEMP Directors award in 2009.
In 2010 Dr. Orange was selected to participate in the UCLA Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad Program in Morocco. This program, specifically designed for teachers, provided her a unique cultural immersion experience for a better understanding of Morocco’s place in Africa, North Africa, and the wider world. Dr. Orange received intensive Arabic language instruction with seminars on Moroccan culture and society, which was supplemented by site visits and daily interaction with the local population to create a multidimensional, dynamic learning experience. It was an opportunity of a lifetime to fulfill a desire to see the continent she fell in love with before ever stepping foot on its soil. As an educator, it is one thing to talk about a country and another to actually share real world experiences with your students. She continues to share her experience of Africa with students. It is an opportunity to demonstrate to students that learning is a journey and a life long adventure.
As a new school leader her focus is on deepening all constituents understanding of Culturally Linguistic and Relevant Pedagogy. She works collaboratively with teachers to find innovative ways to bring content to children of color in order to make sure they are prepared to meet the realities of their world emotionally, socially and economically and provide them with the tools of critical questioning and reflection to challenge systems that block their opportunity along the way.
Tonikiaa Orange can be reached at drtonikiaa@yahoo.com
University Field Supervisor: DeeDee Lonon
Field Site Supervisor: Anthony Jackson
School Information
Culture and Language Academy of Success
Culture and Language Academy of Success (CLAS) is a non-affiliated kindergarten through eighth grade charter school. It is co-located, with our k4 -1 grade program housed at Coliseum Elementary School and our 2nd through 8th grade program housed at Orville Wright Middle School. The school serves 99% African-Americans and was created on the concept of Culturally Linguistic and Responsive pedagogy (CLR). CLAS is one of the few models, if not the only model, in the nation to demonstrate CLR in practice.
CLAS was created to address the need for Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) to close the so called “achievement gap”. The vision of CLAS came from frustrated educators working in the LAUSD Language Development Program of African American Students (LDPAAS). The focus of LDPAAS was to increase student achievement for African-American students using the tenants of CLR. LDPAAS eventually evolved into the Academic English Mastery Program (AEMP) and the focus broadened to include Mexican American, Hawaiian American and Native Americans.
CLAS opened in 2003 with 140 students and six classrooms. Today the school has grown to over 300 students with 15 classrooms. “CLAS is the living embodiment of a school wide model of culturally and linguistically responsive teaching and learning” (Hollie, pg. 47, 2012). Everyday we experiment with new instructional ideas, classroom management and other ways to ensure that our students are provided with an instructional experience that validates, affirms, inspires and motivates them.
Hollie, S. (2012) Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Teaching and Learning. Huntington Beach, CA: Shell Education.
Documents & CPSEL Project List
Project 3 - Plan and Run Faculty Meetings
Project 4 - Plan and Lead Professional Development
Project 5 - Collaboration with LAUSD Administrator
Portfolio Browsing Options
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Project webpages
CPSEL
Standard 1, Standard 2, Standard 3, Standard 4, Standard 5 and Standard 6
