Looking at Schultz's pedagogy in his book Spectacular Things Happen Along the Way: Lesson from an Urban Classroom in comparison to Martin Haberman's description of The Pedagogy of Poverty, we see something very different. Looking at Schultz's pedagogy at Carr Academy, we rarely see the teaching acts that constitute the core functions of urban teaching: giving information, asking questions, reviewing tests, giving tests, and the rest of the menu of urban teaching. What we see is the opposite; we see good teaching: "Whenever students are involved with issues they regard as vital concerns, good teaching is going on." After listed major problems in need of fixing in their school, the students in Schultz' class came to the conclusion that they need a new school--a curriculum was created on students' needs--good teaching was going on.
As Haberman tells us in his list of good of teaching, "Whenever students are actively involved, it is likely that good teaching is going on." To get a new school, the fifth graders created a website, survey, petition, and short-film. These students were actively involved in finding a solution to a problem that needs to be solved. Schultz breaks the mold of the core functions of urban teaching while elicit compliance with the system.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Monday, November 10, 2008
Introducting Spectacular Things
I started reading Schultz's Spectacular Things Happen Along the Way: Lessons form an Urban Classroom a week ago. I wanted to complete the reading assignments as fast as I could, so I can work on my IQ project--I wanted to kill two birds with one stone. That didn't happen--my stone killed no bird. I stopped reading the book after the first two chapters because I had more important things to take care like working on my IQ project which I did not work on. So, yesterday, I started reread Schultz's book.
I must confess, going back a week ago, at first I didn't find the book interesting or "spectacular." I don't know why. Things took a turn for the better, I started getting the "juice" of the book. Clearly, what the students in Room 405 were doing were not solving a textbook problem. They were doing spectacular things; things that haven't done in my decade and a half of education. These fifth graders in Carr Academy were learning math, reading, writing, social studies, and other things on a curriculum based on one thing--getting a new school. I don't know how Schultz did it. Nonetheless, Schultz was able to mold all the above content while these fifth grades in Room 405 fought for what their Board of Education had promised them six years ago--a new school.
The fifth graders in Room 405 went to a school that had no lunchroom or a gym. As the children tell us in their 'pizza thing' that they had to eat in the hallway and they had to use a gym across the street for physical education and extracurricular activities. Furthermore, their classroom which supposes to be a learning environment had no AC or heat. Their restrooms were fiflty and smelly; they had leaky sinks; they were no soap or paper towels;and no bargage cans in the restrooms, as they tell us in their 'pizza thing.' Man, reading their descriptions of their school, I thought those fifth graders were describing inside my good, old, high school. However, looking back and started to think, I realized my school wasn't that better in comparison to Carr Academy. These kids had it worst than me. That's all I have for now. I'll return with more about Spectacular Things Happen Along the Way: Lessons form an Urban Classroom.
I must confess, going back a week ago, at first I didn't find the book interesting or "spectacular." I don't know why. Things took a turn for the better, I started getting the "juice" of the book. Clearly, what the students in Room 405 were doing were not solving a textbook problem. They were doing spectacular things; things that haven't done in my decade and a half of education. These fifth graders in Carr Academy were learning math, reading, writing, social studies, and other things on a curriculum based on one thing--getting a new school. I don't know how Schultz did it. Nonetheless, Schultz was able to mold all the above content while these fifth grades in Room 405 fought for what their Board of Education had promised them six years ago--a new school.
The fifth graders in Room 405 went to a school that had no lunchroom or a gym. As the children tell us in their 'pizza thing' that they had to eat in the hallway and they had to use a gym across the street for physical education and extracurricular activities. Furthermore, their classroom which supposes to be a learning environment had no AC or heat. Their restrooms were fiflty and smelly; they had leaky sinks; they were no soap or paper towels;and no bargage cans in the restrooms, as they tell us in their 'pizza thing.' Man, reading their descriptions of their school, I thought those fifth graders were describing inside my good, old, high school. However, looking back and started to think, I realized my school wasn't that better in comparison to Carr Academy. These kids had it worst than me. That's all I have for now. I'll return with more about Spectacular Things Happen Along the Way: Lessons form an Urban Classroom.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Annotated Bibliography
Rodriguez, A.J. (1998, December). Strategies for counter-resistance: Toward sociotransformative constructivism and learning to teach science for diversity and for understanding. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 35(6), 589-622.
The above article is the fifth entry article in my annotated bibliography for my inquiry project. This article looks at how science is taught by science teachers. The author believes, as he tells us in the article, that there need to be “an alternative orientation to teaching and learning science that takes into account how social, historical, and institutional contexts influence learning and access to learning in schools” (Rodriguez, 1998, 590). Basically, the author is arguing that there need to be a transformative instruction to teach diverse students science. Hence, as he explains in his article, we need to “to teach for understanding and diversities that implement more culturally inclusive, socially relevant pedagogical strategies and more intellectually meaningful pedagogical strategies” (ibid.). This article suggests what teaching needs is a progressive instruction that links multicultural and social institutions that are seen in urban schools in science instruction. In an attempt, the author suggests a sociatransformative constructivist as the vehicle to link learning for understanding and diversities in urban schools. By using this orientation, as the author explains, “helps teachers learn to teach for diversities and understanding” (589). One problem with the article, and most studies that I have read, is the article does not provide empirical evidences or guidance about how the proposed changes can be implemented in the classroom. As a matter of fact, the author critiques such flaw in his article. As he explains in the article, “The result of the project reported here address lack of empirical evidence in the multicultural/learning-to-teach literature” (593). Looking ahead at my inquiry project, I believe I will have the same problem the author faces in the article: lack of empirical evidence for the paper because constructivism pedagogy lacks information that systematically gathers and exposes to a variety of methodology checks. As of right now, i don't know how I'll tackle or discuss such issue in my paper.
The above article is the fifth entry article in my annotated bibliography for my inquiry project. This article looks at how science is taught by science teachers. The author believes, as he tells us in the article, that there need to be “an alternative orientation to teaching and learning science that takes into account how social, historical, and institutional contexts influence learning and access to learning in schools” (Rodriguez, 1998, 590). Basically, the author is arguing that there need to be a transformative instruction to teach diverse students science. Hence, as he explains in his article, we need to “to teach for understanding and diversities that implement more culturally inclusive, socially relevant pedagogical strategies and more intellectually meaningful pedagogical strategies” (ibid.). This article suggests what teaching needs is a progressive instruction that links multicultural and social institutions that are seen in urban schools in science instruction. In an attempt, the author suggests a sociatransformative constructivist as the vehicle to link learning for understanding and diversities in urban schools. By using this orientation, as the author explains, “helps teachers learn to teach for diversities and understanding” (589). One problem with the article, and most studies that I have read, is the article does not provide empirical evidences or guidance about how the proposed changes can be implemented in the classroom. As a matter of fact, the author critiques such flaw in his article. As he explains in the article, “The result of the project reported here address lack of empirical evidence in the multicultural/learning-to-teach literature” (593). Looking ahead at my inquiry project, I believe I will have the same problem the author faces in the article: lack of empirical evidence for the paper because constructivism pedagogy lacks information that systematically gathers and exposes to a variety of methodology checks. As of right now, i don't know how I'll tackle or discuss such issue in my paper.
Monday, November 3, 2008
Transformative Instruction: A Case for Constructivism Pedagogy in Learning Biological Science in Urban Schools
As of right, until I'm told that I need to make change on the title, this will be the title of my inquiry project. The thesis, as of right now, of the paper: there need to be a transformative instruction in teaching biological science in urban high schools. Science teachers might need to shift their practices of biological science instruction to better meet the needs of their ethnically diverse students in urban schools. Science contents, in urban schools, like biological science are taught by science teachers in two types of resistances: resistance to ideological change and resistance to pedagogical change (Rodriguez, 1998, 589). Follow the leader, classrooms have diversified, science instruction needs to follow suit. Second, since science contents will become part of high-stake testings, as a result, it is important to find ways to teach science contents like biological science to urban students. Third, the paper asserts that there is an achievement gap in science in urban schools and the standard that is placed on urban students will do no good because, as Gale Seiler (2001) explains in her article Reversing the “standard” direction: Science emerging from the lives of African American students, "such approach fails to address the roles of cultural and social [institutions] play in the lives of urban students" (1000). As a result, we need to find ways to tailor biological science curriculum to the needs and interests of urban students. Furthermore, we need to find mechanisms to diminish the disparities that are seen in biological science curriculum in urban schools. I suggest the use of constructivism pedagogy as an approach to teach biological science in urban schools because: (1) this form of pedagody, as Patchen & Cox-Perton (2008) explains, "provides a means of increacing marginalized students' access to science and technological fields" (994); (2) it, as Lee et. al (2008) puts it, "contributes the emerging knowledge base on science and English language and literacy with English Language Learner (ELL) students" (733). Oh yeah, I will need to do a case study of a classroom teacher to investigate whether and how constructivism pedagody can be used as a tool to teach meaningful biological science to urban high school students.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Community Inquiry Project: The Level of Science Literacy in Newark
One of our major assignments for our urban class is to design a community inquiry project. For this week, we are to brainstorm a topic that we would like to examine for our community inquiry project. For the last few days I have been thinking about my community inquiry project. What topic(s) that I would like to examine for my community inquiry project? For the last few days I could not answer that question. For inspiration, I decided to check out the topics that my fellow classmates had decided to examine for their inquiry project. Man, to say the least, there are some great topics that are posted on my classmates' blogs. Although my classmates came up with great topics to examine for their community project; however, I believe their ideas are to grand: these ideas require in depth analyses and a great amount of research--my classmates' topics need to be in the sugular level.
As a result, I have decided that my topic needs to be a simple one, not superb. Something that we can examine in depth without going aboard with ideals like how we can fix urban schools. So, for my community project, I would like to know how the Office of Science of Education plans to raise the level of science literacy in Newark, specifically biology. In order to do, I will examine one of the high schools in Newark and what they are doing to raise the level of science literacy of their students. What types of programs they are providing students? The kind of biology classes students are taking; their scores in high stakes tests; and other things that I haven't think of yet. Next, I will do an evaluation of the school's plan to raise students' level of science literacy. Are they succeeding or failing? If they are failing, what needs to be done to create a better plan to raise students' level of science literacy? That's all I have for know.
As a result, I have decided that my topic needs to be a simple one, not superb. Something that we can examine in depth without going aboard with ideals like how we can fix urban schools. So, for my community project, I would like to know how the Office of Science of Education plans to raise the level of science literacy in Newark, specifically biology. In order to do, I will examine one of the high schools in Newark and what they are doing to raise the level of science literacy of their students. What types of programs they are providing students? The kind of biology classes students are taking; their scores in high stakes tests; and other things that I haven't think of yet. Next, I will do an evaluation of the school's plan to raise students' level of science literacy. Are they succeeding or failing? If they are failing, what needs to be done to create a better plan to raise students' level of science literacy? That's all I have for know.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
The Culture Collage: Why?
Last week in my urban class I prepared a culture collage "that visually depicts my individual and 'teachers' identities, as well as the 'source(s)' of these identities, particularly as it relates to me as 'being with and of culture.'" The culture collage was a dreadful experience; something I hope I never experience in my life. Why? Why you say such a thing, many of you are thinking. 'The culture collage gave me an opportunity to examine what experiences, people, things, etc. that are important to me" as one student happily explains in his/her blog. The student is absolutely correct. Nonetheless, an opportunity that I wished I had refused. Seeing these pictures that I chose in my culture collage send chill through my veins and brought feelings and old memories that I had bottle tightly inside my heart. It must be known, I'm not a touchy or emotional person. I don't like to huge people except beautiful women. I don't like to share my feelings--not even to those I consider dear to my heart. I'm not a cold hearted person--I like to keep things to myself. I'm somewhat of a loner--there's nothing more fun being alone in my room by myself listen to music.
The culture collage caused me to remove myself out my comfort zone. I didn't like. Looking at old pictures of myself and people that are important in my life and had shaped my life brought a feeling of sorrow. I'm not going to explain in details about how I felt looking at these pictures because I don't have the balls to do so. I know it would have being great if I write them down. However, i don't have the guts to do so. As I always do, I will keep those touchy feelings to myself. And don't even ask to elaborate my feelings in my blog or in class. I will not do it. The only thing that I wanted you guys to know, unlike most people in the class, the culture collage was a dreadful experience. I did it out of necessity and it's worth 12.5% of my grade.
The culture collage caused me to remove myself out my comfort zone. I didn't like. Looking at old pictures of myself and people that are important in my life and had shaped my life brought a feeling of sorrow. I'm not going to explain in details about how I felt looking at these pictures because I don't have the balls to do so. I know it would have being great if I write them down. However, i don't have the guts to do so. As I always do, I will keep those touchy feelings to myself. And don't even ask to elaborate my feelings in my blog or in class. I will not do it. The only thing that I wanted you guys to know, unlike most people in the class, the culture collage was a dreadful experience. I did it out of necessity and it's worth 12.5% of my grade.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
NJRCL Report III
This is the last post concerning the NJRCL report and the book Unequal Childhoods. This post will focus on what ways these information from the NJRCL report and Unequal Childhoods is useful (or not) for me. As a future teacher, I believe I can use these information as tools to learn about my students and structure a learning environment. Next year, I will be teaching in an environment that is part of Essex County and resembles the poor communities in Unequal Childhoods. I will have students that are struggling to obtain basic needs; students that live in foster homes; students that are poor; and other problems that are not mention in the report or the book. For theses students, school will not be one of their top priorities; finding a job to help mom pays the rent or putting food on the table will have priority over school. It will be hard as a teacher to convince these students that school is important for getting ahead in life when they are facing these social problems. I will have my hands full as a teacher.
However, reading the report and the book provided me with information concerning the challenges and concerns that urban students face in their daily life. I, myself, is a product of urban schooling. Even though, I never faced these problems that poor children in the book faced while living in an urban community. I knew a few students that faced these challenges and concerns like coming to school early for breakfast because there's no food at home. Teaching in an urban community will be a challenge. I will need all the skills and dispositions in my hands to face these problems. I will need to know how to deal with unrulling students because I will have a few. I know class will consist mostly of dealing with behavioral problems. Teaching will sometimes be frustrated because most of my students will be in lower grade level. As a future urban teacher, I believe I will need to be somewhat compassion, and don't jump to conclusion about my students. I believe the latter one is very important for teachers teaching in an urban school because knowing where your students come from provide you with a view of their struggles and what they have to go through day to day. We seldom forget about our students' live outside the classroom and jump to conclusion about our students. I think reading the report and the book provide teachers like me a view of our students' live outside the classroom. My friend, for most urban students' live outside the classroom is groosome and harsh. Let us take these things into account when we teacher urban students.
However, reading the report and the book provided me with information concerning the challenges and concerns that urban students face in their daily life. I, myself, is a product of urban schooling. Even though, I never faced these problems that poor children in the book faced while living in an urban community. I knew a few students that faced these challenges and concerns like coming to school early for breakfast because there's no food at home. Teaching in an urban community will be a challenge. I will need all the skills and dispositions in my hands to face these problems. I will need to know how to deal with unrulling students because I will have a few. I know class will consist mostly of dealing with behavioral problems. Teaching will sometimes be frustrated because most of my students will be in lower grade level. As a future urban teacher, I believe I will need to be somewhat compassion, and don't jump to conclusion about my students. I believe the latter one is very important for teachers teaching in an urban school because knowing where your students come from provide you with a view of their struggles and what they have to go through day to day. We seldom forget about our students' live outside the classroom and jump to conclusion about our students. I think reading the report and the book provide teachers like me a view of our students' live outside the classroom. My friend, for most urban students' live outside the classroom is groosome and harsh. Let us take these things into account when we teacher urban students.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
NJRCL Report II
In our second part of our extended blog about the NJRCL report, I will try to make connections between the NJRCL report and the realities theses families, families in Unequal Childhoods, might face if they lived in Essex County, New Jersey. The poor families in Unequal Childhoods would have the same problems living in Essex County, NJ: unable to make rent payment, unable to find childcare, and unable to find food for their family. The biggest problem that the poor families like Katie Brindle and Harold McAllister's mother faced in the book was trying to make rent payment. A great percentage of the family's budget went to rent payment. In comparison to the report, rent payment makes a higher percentage of the total budget of the poor families in the book, even though they live on government assistant. Rent strangled the family's budget such so necessities like clothing for children were sacrificed for the greater good of having a place to live. Second, childcare was somewhat of a problem. Even though they had relatives that provided childcare when they were absent, sometimes childcare became a problem like when Miss. Brindle was unable to find someone to take care of little Brindle. She had no choice but to take little Brindle with her to collect her food stamps. As she explains to us in the book, collecting food stamps at the government building is a hassle: you have to take the bus, and wait in lines for hours.
One difference between the book and the report is the role food in the lives of the poor families. Food was a major concern for the poor families on the book. Even though they received government assistant like food stamps, food was still a problem. There wasn't that much food at home; when the families had food, caution was taking to salvage the food until the next batch of food stamps arrives. I believe living in Essex County would have been similar for the poor families in the book.
One difference between the book and the report is the role food in the lives of the poor families. Food was a major concern for the poor families on the book. Even though they received government assistant like food stamps, food was still a problem. There wasn't that much food at home; when the families had food, caution was taking to salvage the food until the next batch of food stamps arrives. I believe living in Essex County would have been similar for the poor families in the book.
NJRCL Report
New Jersey is one of the wealthiest states in the United States; as of 2004, according to the U.S Census Bureau, New Jersey has a median household income of $57,338; in comparison to the United States median household income of $44,334, New Jersey is a rich state. Yet, as Diana Pearce tells us in her report, "New Jersey's high median income translates to elevated prices for basic necessities that burden lower-income residents" (9). For low-income people that reside in New Jersey, the cost of living is very strenuous to adequately meet their basic needs. To show the effects of New Jersey's high median imcome on low-income residents, we will take a look at the real cost of living in Essex County, one of the less well-off counties in the New Jersey, and make connections between the NJRCL report and the six families in Unequal Childhoods, a book that i'm reading for class.
In order to analyze the real cost of living in Essex County, we will use Pearce's Self Sufficience Standard of Living--how much is needed for a family of a certain composition in a giving place to adequately meet their basic needs---without public or private assisstance (9). Looking at the self-sufficiency for Essex County, we see that housing, the cost of rent and utilities, consumes a great share of the total budget. However, if a member of the family is an infant preschooler, a great share of the total budget is consumed by child care. This measurement is different from the federal poverty measurement. First, the federal povery measurement assumes that a great share of the total budget will go toward food. But, looking at the self sufficiency standard for Essex County, food makes between 9-13% of the total budget (15). Second, transportation, which the federal poverty measurement doesn't pay that much attention to, makes between 6-12% of the total budget, almost the same percentage of total budget consumes by food. Most of the Essex County residents expenses are going toward housing and child care, not food as the federal poverty measurement assumes. Last, if we look at the poverty median income of residents in Essex County and compare it to the self sufficiency standard for Essex County, 230% of the residents in Essex County would be considered poor because their incomes are not suffience enough to provide the basic needs to live in New Jersey. Scary isn't it? On my next post
In order to analyze the real cost of living in Essex County, we will use Pearce's Self Sufficience Standard of Living--how much is needed for a family of a certain composition in a giving place to adequately meet their basic needs---without public or private assisstance (9). Looking at the self-sufficiency for Essex County, we see that housing, the cost of rent and utilities, consumes a great share of the total budget. However, if a member of the family is an infant preschooler, a great share of the total budget is consumed by child care. This measurement is different from the federal poverty measurement. First, the federal povery measurement assumes that a great share of the total budget will go toward food. But, looking at the self sufficiency standard for Essex County, food makes between 9-13% of the total budget (15). Second, transportation, which the federal poverty measurement doesn't pay that much attention to, makes between 6-12% of the total budget, almost the same percentage of total budget consumes by food. Most of the Essex County residents expenses are going toward housing and child care, not food as the federal poverty measurement assumes. Last, if we look at the poverty median income of residents in Essex County and compare it to the self sufficiency standard for Essex County, 230% of the residents in Essex County would be considered poor because their incomes are not suffience enough to provide the basic needs to live in New Jersey. Scary isn't it? On my next post
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Urban, Suburban, and Rural
Urban, suburban, and Rural--what are the differences between urban, suburban, and rural? What makes a community urban, suburban, or rural? The Census Bureau defines an urban area as : "Core census block groups or blocks that have a population density of at least 1,000 people per square mile (386 per square kilometer) and surrounding census blocks that have an overall density of at least 500 people per square mile (193 per square kilometer)." The concept urban as defined by the US Census Bureau is an area with high density of humans. Well there are many places in the United States that have high density of humans that are not considered urban like Montclair, NJ and Langhorne, PA. Why? I believe like Philip M. Anderson and Judith P. Summerfield in their article "Why is Urban Education Different from Suburban and Rural Education," In Steinberg, S.R. & Kncheloe, J. (Eds.) (2004), that there are certain assumptions we made about urban.
What kind of assumptions we make about urban? To look at that question, we will take a look at Anderson and Summerfield's article about urban education. They tells us, "First, that urban education is different from other forms of education. Second, urban schools are not the "norm" and are to be contrasted with, or measured against, suburban and rural schools rather that the other way around. Furthermore, urban is deficient in relation to the other categories, or that urban has problems the other two categories do not" (30). An outsider looking at urban education will say that urban education is different: urban schools have more students per class; they have a lot of unqualified teachers according to the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) definitions of qualified teacher; most urban students are poor and received free or reduced lunch; and high crimes and violence occur alot in urban schools. The authors tell us, "Looking at the facts of the matter, based primarily on research by the National Center for Education . One finds that the myths do not hold." If the authors' assertion that the myths about urban education do not hold. Why urban education is seen as deficient in relation to suburban, and rural education? The reasons I think urban education is seen as deficient in relations to the other categories are suburban school systems have become the "successful" model of education in the United States. Almost every mother, father, or guardians want to send their child/children to a suburban school because it is perceived as the best way that your child will receive a rich knowlege. Furtheremore, urban education is seen as the protagonist of suburban education because of their differences. Unlike urban community, suburban community is an area with low density of humans, mono-cultural, lots of tress, and less contact with your neighbors. The latter reason is placed for my own pleasure.
What kind of assumptions we make about urban? To look at that question, we will take a look at Anderson and Summerfield's article about urban education. They tells us, "First, that urban education is different from other forms of education. Second, urban schools are not the "norm" and are to be contrasted with, or measured against, suburban and rural schools rather that the other way around. Furthermore, urban is deficient in relation to the other categories, or that urban has problems the other two categories do not" (30). An outsider looking at urban education will say that urban education is different: urban schools have more students per class; they have a lot of unqualified teachers according to the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) definitions of qualified teacher; most urban students are poor and received free or reduced lunch; and high crimes and violence occur alot in urban schools. The authors tell us, "Looking at the facts of the matter, based primarily on research by the National Center for Education . One finds that the myths do not hold." If the authors' assertion that the myths about urban education do not hold. Why urban education is seen as deficient in relation to suburban, and rural education? The reasons I think urban education is seen as deficient in relations to the other categories are suburban school systems have become the "successful" model of education in the United States. Almost every mother, father, or guardians want to send their child/children to a suburban school because it is perceived as the best way that your child will receive a rich knowlege. Furtheremore, urban education is seen as the protagonist of suburban education because of their differences. Unlike urban community, suburban community is an area with low density of humans, mono-cultural, lots of tress, and less contact with your neighbors. The latter reason is placed for my own pleasure.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Teaching for Understanding
"Knowledge and skill have been the mainstays of American education" (David Perkins, "Teaching & Learning for Understanding" NIEA Reviw (October 1993), p.11). This quote says alot of about American education. In the United States, the goals of the American education are for students to be knowledgeable about history, science, geography, and so on. Second, to be skillfl in the routines of arithemetic, the craft of writing, and the use of foreign languages. At a time, in the 19th and throughout the 20th Century, I would argue such methods would have been fine for educating American students. However, because time has changed dramatically over the last half century, the mainstays of American education are outdated and needed to be replaced to accomadate present day learning that can help students survive in today's society.
In the article, Teaching & Learning for Understanding, David Perkins tells us that the old ways of teaching students--knowledge and skill--must go because they do not guarantee understanding; they do students little good; and we can acquire them without understanding their basis or when to use them (10-11). I agree with David Perkins' arguement and I support his proposal of teaching and learning for understanding. His proposal sounds great on paper: "Working in groups, students can learn to connect what they have learned to their own lives" (10). Learning for understandind sounds like a great method that can help students integrate into today's technological savy society.
In the article, Teaching & Learning for Understanding, David Perkins tells us that the old ways of teaching students--knowledge and skill--must go because they do not guarantee understanding; they do students little good; and we can acquire them without understanding their basis or when to use them (10-11). I agree with David Perkins' arguement and I support his proposal of teaching and learning for understanding. His proposal sounds great on paper: "Working in groups, students can learn to connect what they have learned to their own lives" (10). Learning for understandind sounds like a great method that can help students integrate into today's technological savy society.
Friday, September 26, 2008
Good Teaching II
In my last post, I wrote a lot about the pedagogy of poverty, but i didn't explain why the pedagogy of poverty does not work. In this post, i will take the time to explain why the pedagogy of poverty does not work. For those who didn't read my previous post, before continue reading, I recommend that you read my previous post because it will help you understand the pedagogy of poverty and what I will be writing as of right now.
Based on my last post, the pedagogy of poverty doest not work. Why? Not focusing so much on Haberman's reasons why the pedagogy of poverty does not work, but base on my point of view why it does not work. Let's us begin the journey. To me, the pedagogy of poverty does not teach students to learn. It teaches students to take things--concepts, events, vocabularies, and others--and give them back to the teacher either on a quiz, test, paper, or out loud in class. I'm not saying, taking things and give back to teachers by students are wrong; but, using it as the only means of learning is very, very bad. Furthermore, students are not asked to think through what they have learned or questioned them. They are thought, it is what it is--so learn it and memorize it. These are not good teaching. They are bad and old-fashioned teaching methods that need to be change to correlate with present society. We need new teaching methods to teach our present day students.
Based on my last post, the pedagogy of poverty doest not work. Why? Not focusing so much on Haberman's reasons why the pedagogy of poverty does not work, but base on my point of view why it does not work. Let's us begin the journey. To me, the pedagogy of poverty does not teach students to learn. It teaches students to take things--concepts, events, vocabularies, and others--and give them back to the teacher either on a quiz, test, paper, or out loud in class. I'm not saying, taking things and give back to teachers by students are wrong; but, using it as the only means of learning is very, very bad. Furthermore, students are not asked to think through what they have learned or questioned them. They are thought, it is what it is--so learn it and memorize it. These are not good teaching. They are bad and old-fashioned teaching methods that need to be change to correlate with present society. We need new teaching methods to teach our present day students.
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Good Teaching
In my search for things that reconcile hope and despair in Urban schools I stumbled on an interesting article--to be accurate I was assigned to read the article--the truth will set you free. This little piece of gem formally title “The Pedagogy of Poverty Versus Good Teaching,” written by Martin Haberman in Phi Delta Kappan (Dec 1991, pp. 290-294). Mr. Haberman is a very old man; he has been writing about education since 1958, he happily notes in the article. For people who are bad at math, Mr. Haberman has been writing about education for half a century--that's a long time. Enough about Mr. Haberman's age, let's focus on the important matter which is Mr. Haberman's article.
Mr. Haberman's article, The Pedagogy of Poverty Versus Good Teaching, looks at the teaching acts that constitute the core functions of urban teaching. Upon looking at these basic acts, Mr. Haberman notices, as he tells us, these basic acts "constitute the pedagogy of poverty--not merely what teachers do and what youngsters expect but, for different reasons, what parents, the community, and general public assume teaching to be." The basic acts that teachers usually do like telling students to open their books to this page and read this paragraph is expected by you, your teacher, and yes, your parent(s) or guardian(s), and educational policy makers. They assume (you, me, and everyone) these basic acts are what teaching is and it's good teaching. Martin Haberman tells us otherwise. He tells us that,"There are occasions when any one of the 14 acts might have a beneficial effect. Taken together and performed to the systematic exclusion of other acts they have become pedagogical coin of the realm in urban schools." Urban schools primary means of instruction is singular; there's no either or, just one form of teaching that is recognized by everyone; as a result, it is constructed of the basic acts that are mandated and institutionalized in the system at all grade levels and subjects. Since the pedagogy of poverty has been here for a long time and it is embedded in our society, why change it. "It appeals to several constituencies: it appeals to those who themselves did not do well in schools; those who rely on common sense rather than on thoughtful analysis; those who fear minorities and the poor; those who has low expectations for minorities and the poor; and those who do not know the full range of pedagogical options available" as Haberman tells us. Looking at the spectrum of those who appeal to the pedagogy of poverty, we can say that a majority of us are in that spectrum; for good reasons or bad reasons we find ourselves allocate in the spectrum of poverty. Do not be ashamed of yourself--I am.
Mr. Haberman's article, The Pedagogy of Poverty Versus Good Teaching, looks at the teaching acts that constitute the core functions of urban teaching. Upon looking at these basic acts, Mr. Haberman notices, as he tells us, these basic acts "constitute the pedagogy of poverty--not merely what teachers do and what youngsters expect but, for different reasons, what parents, the community, and general public assume teaching to be." The basic acts that teachers usually do like telling students to open their books to this page and read this paragraph is expected by you, your teacher, and yes, your parent(s) or guardian(s), and educational policy makers. They assume (you, me, and everyone) these basic acts are what teaching is and it's good teaching. Martin Haberman tells us otherwise. He tells us that,"There are occasions when any one of the 14 acts might have a beneficial effect. Taken together and performed to the systematic exclusion of other acts they have become pedagogical coin of the realm in urban schools." Urban schools primary means of instruction is singular; there's no either or, just one form of teaching that is recognized by everyone; as a result, it is constructed of the basic acts that are mandated and institutionalized in the system at all grade levels and subjects. Since the pedagogy of poverty has been here for a long time and it is embedded in our society, why change it. "It appeals to several constituencies: it appeals to those who themselves did not do well in schools; those who rely on common sense rather than on thoughtful analysis; those who fear minorities and the poor; those who has low expectations for minorities and the poor; and those who do not know the full range of pedagogical options available" as Haberman tells us. Looking at the spectrum of those who appeal to the pedagogy of poverty, we can say that a majority of us are in that spectrum; for good reasons or bad reasons we find ourselves allocate in the spectrum of poverty. Do not be ashamed of yourself--I am.
Monday, September 15, 2008
Hope vs. Despair: How Do We Reconcile the Two?
Hope is not what we think when we speak about public schools—especially urban schools. Disparity is seen when looking at public schools. Why shouldn’t we see disparity? When Harold Hodgkinson (2001) tells us in his article Educational Demographics: What Teachers Should Know that, “Twenty percent of U.S. kids are below the poverty line today—exactly the same percentage as 15 years ago—even though most of the nation is less segregated and wealthier” (9). In the past two decades have we made changes to fix this broken educational system? My main goal for this blog is to situate hope within a broad perspective that allows us to reconcile the despair that we see in public schools—especially urban schools.
A decade ago the Annenberg Institute for School Reform, as they tell us in their article The Promise of Urban Schools, “invited a small group of committed scholars and successful urban educators to think creatively together about the unresolved issues facing our nation’s urban schools” (1). After two years of researching and development, the group outlines a framework that would allow urban schools to excel in the postindustrial age. There first proposal to resolve issues facing urban schools is “the personal and collective agency of students and adults in the school and its community” (2). Believing that change in urban schools can only be made by those that are living in the community and those that are working in urban schools; the Senior Fellows perceive students and adults (teachers, parents, community leaders, and others) in the community and schools as major players in shaping a more just and equitable schools. The Senior Fellows' second proposal is the ability of urban schools to “function as equitable, just, humane communities” (4). As we all know, or better as Hodgkinson bluntly tells us that, “nothing is distributed evenly across the United States. Not race, not religion, not age, not fertility, not wealth, and certainly not access to higher education” (7). We live in one of the richest country in the world; yet, the United States has the largest gap of wealth between the poor and the rich. Knowing such facts, the Senior Fellows believe that it is important to pair the issues of equity and justice. As they explain to us in their paper, “Educational justice means that all children can achieve in school, regardless of their own or their community’s race, ethnicity, language, religion, gender, or economic status” (6). Such policies, as they tell us, “are the responsible of educators and policy makers at the local, district, state, and national levels” (6). There third proposal concerns the standard at which urban students are held. They believe that “like schools in all communities, urban schools must be held to high standards” (6). They believe powerful learning experiences and pedagogies can help urban students achieve high standards like their counterpart, suburban students. The last thing the Senior Fellow touch upon is assessment strategies. The Senior Fellows believe that, “exhibitions of students achievement should include multimodal and multimedia demonstrations and student-generated publications as well as text-based evaluations” (9). Something that we rarely see on state and federal tests.
The Senior Fellows outline a good framework that would allow urban schools to excel in the postindustrial age. Yet, I find myself doubting their proposals. My reason for doubting the Senior Fellows’ proposals is because the proposals they provide us are the same rhetoric that have been proposal by others to better urban schools: agency of changes, equity and justice for urban schools, and better instruction and curriculum. Their proposals sound like something a presidential candidate would say concerning education in America—ideals—things that people want to here. The Senior Fellows fail to discuss the problems that urban schools are facing. The only time that they discuss the problems that urban schools are facing is in their second proposal—the tension between equality and justice that are seen when looking at urban schools. I believe the Senior Fellows should have discus the disparities that urban schools are facing more in depth.
In conclusion, I believe to reconcile hope in urban schools we must bring to tension the disparities that urban schools are facing. We must not hide behind high hope to fix urban schools—they're just rhetoric. We must face our fear—that is the disparities that loom around urban schools. "We must look at the shifting demographics in the United States affecting the population that most concerns educators: their students" as Hodgkinson explains to us. In doing so, we can bring hope to urban schools.
A decade ago the Annenberg Institute for School Reform, as they tell us in their article The Promise of Urban Schools, “invited a small group of committed scholars and successful urban educators to think creatively together about the unresolved issues facing our nation’s urban schools” (1). After two years of researching and development, the group outlines a framework that would allow urban schools to excel in the postindustrial age. There first proposal to resolve issues facing urban schools is “the personal and collective agency of students and adults in the school and its community” (2). Believing that change in urban schools can only be made by those that are living in the community and those that are working in urban schools; the Senior Fellows perceive students and adults (teachers, parents, community leaders, and others) in the community and schools as major players in shaping a more just and equitable schools. The Senior Fellows' second proposal is the ability of urban schools to “function as equitable, just, humane communities” (4). As we all know, or better as Hodgkinson bluntly tells us that, “nothing is distributed evenly across the United States. Not race, not religion, not age, not fertility, not wealth, and certainly not access to higher education” (7). We live in one of the richest country in the world; yet, the United States has the largest gap of wealth between the poor and the rich. Knowing such facts, the Senior Fellows believe that it is important to pair the issues of equity and justice. As they explain to us in their paper, “Educational justice means that all children can achieve in school, regardless of their own or their community’s race, ethnicity, language, religion, gender, or economic status” (6). Such policies, as they tell us, “are the responsible of educators and policy makers at the local, district, state, and national levels” (6). There third proposal concerns the standard at which urban students are held. They believe that “like schools in all communities, urban schools must be held to high standards” (6). They believe powerful learning experiences and pedagogies can help urban students achieve high standards like their counterpart, suburban students. The last thing the Senior Fellow touch upon is assessment strategies. The Senior Fellows believe that, “exhibitions of students achievement should include multimodal and multimedia demonstrations and student-generated publications as well as text-based evaluations” (9). Something that we rarely see on state and federal tests.
The Senior Fellows outline a good framework that would allow urban schools to excel in the postindustrial age. Yet, I find myself doubting their proposals. My reason for doubting the Senior Fellows’ proposals is because the proposals they provide us are the same rhetoric that have been proposal by others to better urban schools: agency of changes, equity and justice for urban schools, and better instruction and curriculum. Their proposals sound like something a presidential candidate would say concerning education in America—ideals—things that people want to here. The Senior Fellows fail to discuss the problems that urban schools are facing. The only time that they discuss the problems that urban schools are facing is in their second proposal—the tension between equality and justice that are seen when looking at urban schools. I believe the Senior Fellows should have discus the disparities that urban schools are facing more in depth.
In conclusion, I believe to reconcile hope in urban schools we must bring to tension the disparities that urban schools are facing. We must not hide behind high hope to fix urban schools—they're just rhetoric. We must face our fear—that is the disparities that loom around urban schools. "We must look at the shifting demographics in the United States affecting the population that most concerns educators: their students" as Hodgkinson explains to us. In doing so, we can bring hope to urban schools.
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