Today I visited M School and U High School in a urban center close by. What a great experience. Seeing the young faces so eager to meet new people and be helpful. Interestingly enough, as a result of taking this course I was debating if I should be a teacher --- did I really have what it takes? I read the blogs of some students and feel that I can't hold a candle to their expertise, their grasp of their content, and their ability to blog! I was beginning to feel quite inadequate.
Somewhere during the the course of meeting with enthusiastic administrators, real teachers and some inspired students I realized that I enjoy being inside a school. School has always "felt" good. I was jazzed to be inside U High. Just being near knowledge puts me in a good mood (yes, I'm a library nut and a book store nut). I realized that I do have a way to go before I'm ready to teach but I also realize that this is the one of those permanent learning jobs as well. As one teacher at U High put it, "we need to be reflective teachers -- ask yourself why something didn't work, look to your peers for suggestions".
At the same time I'm writing this I'm also wondering how I will do this. Some of these activities go against my God given personality (which isn't like to change too much at my age). I have been primarily a "I work alone" sort of person, can I adapt? Can I get used to reaching out to other teachers when I don't know what to do? Now, I also have to admit that I'm not particularly fond of screwing up either but I'm supposed to somehow reflect on what I could have done differently. I have some challenges ahead of me but no more so then the students that step into the classroom to learn something new. We will all be affected by the experience.
Monday, June 2, 2008
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Reflections on My Culture/My Community
Our culture has been shaped by some many different things, I'm not sure if most people are even aware of it. Race, class, gender, language, religion, where we grew up all had an impact on us as children and it shaped what we now come to know as our current culture. But I really believe that it is the experiences we may have had as a result of these factors that is the true shaper of our culture. For example, am I shaped by the fact that I am Catholic or the fact that my parents insisted that we go to mass at 7:30am every Sunday and Holy Days of Obligation (never missed one) and I went through 12 years of Catholic education? I believe its the later. Am I shaped by the fact that I am a woman or that fact that someone told me girls don't do as well in math (boy, did that make me mad) and that girls had to wash dishes while the boys got to do the fun outside work (that made me mad too). My thought is that it is the experiences we have with these factors that shape our behavior and belief systems.
I have to admit that I haven't had a huge scope of experiences with different cultures, so identifying differences and commonalities will take time. I believe that everyone should respect where they came from and how they came to this time and place. We should not be attempting to change the way people believe however we should feel comfortable sharing what we know. It really won't make a difference where I chose to teach, the diversity will be in the classroom and must be met with open arms.
I'm sad to say that my open arms attitude may not be the norm in other cultures. If we all had open arms, then there would not be wars or terrorists. However, some cultures do strongly believe that their culture is the only true culture and the rest are just fools that need to be destroyed. Gosh, it pains me to say that. Its not the way that I believe and I can't understand why this has to be. I would be a fool to go into my classroom and believe that everyone was as open as I, so I must be prepared to make it clear that there is not room in the classroom for uncaring remarks. As my mother has always said, "If you don't have something nice to say then don't say anything at all".
I think culture often makes people view each other as different (which frequently translates to a bad thing). All we can do is to continue to encourage that different isn't bad its just different. Yes, its possible that when I teach the students will look at me differently, hear an accent that is different, or clothing that is different and it will most likely put up a temporary roadblock for learning. As a teacher from U High School mentioned, the focus of the first month of the school year should be to connect with the kids while sharing some subject content. Sharing the differences and looking for the commonalities will open up the path to a successful year of learning.
As a result of this culture I have developed, I view these factors differently. As a woman (who feels that equality is not there yet), I encourage girls to stick to their guns and be outspoken. I raise my children to believe that men and women should be equal. As a Catholic living in a predominantly Jewish neighborhood, I share my views on religion but I certainly don't expect understanding. The reality is that we are all very different. We can share our beliefs, however we should not expect that everyone will follow in our footsteps.
There is also another factor in our culture shaping --- society (probably best defined as your community). As a parent, I have specifically chosen to go "counter-cultural" as far as my community is concerned. There are two books that I have read that lead me to this choice; a book by Matthew Kelly (The Rhythm of Life: Living Every Day with Passion and Purpose, 2005 Fireside) and "Tuesdays with Morrie" by Mitch Albom (2003, Time Warner Paperbacks). Both books clearly indicate, that we need to look inside of ourselves to define culture and live that culture. I don't do or buy things just because everyone in the neighborhood is doing it (no cellphones until they are actually needed, limited time on computer and TV, no gaming systems -- poor dears). Instead, my children are friends that play together because they are not glued to a TV. So, I don't necessarily let culture define me --- I've defined the culture that I want.
My desire to learn has always been there and I'm not certain that I see a tie to learning experiences. I read books to learn how to bake, fix a sink or help my kids with their shyness. Plain and simple, I'm curious and fortunately there are books on every topic that you can think about. Does this mean that all students can be good learners if we can figure out how to tap into that curiosity?I have to admit that I haven't had a huge scope of experiences with different cultures, so identifying differences and commonalities will take time. I believe that everyone should respect where they came from and how they came to this time and place. We should not be attempting to change the way people believe however we should feel comfortable sharing what we know. It really won't make a difference where I chose to teach, the diversity will be in the classroom and must be met with open arms.
I'm sad to say that my open arms attitude may not be the norm in other cultures. If we all had open arms, then there would not be wars or terrorists. However, some cultures do strongly believe that their culture is the only true culture and the rest are just fools that need to be destroyed. Gosh, it pains me to say that. Its not the way that I believe and I can't understand why this has to be. I would be a fool to go into my classroom and believe that everyone was as open as I, so I must be prepared to make it clear that there is not room in the classroom for uncaring remarks. As my mother has always said, "If you don't have something nice to say then don't say anything at all".
I think culture often makes people view each other as different (which frequently translates to a bad thing). All we can do is to continue to encourage that different isn't bad its just different. Yes, its possible that when I teach the students will look at me differently, hear an accent that is different, or clothing that is different and it will most likely put up a temporary roadblock for learning. As a teacher from U High School mentioned, the focus of the first month of the school year should be to connect with the kids while sharing some subject content. Sharing the differences and looking for the commonalities will open up the path to a successful year of learning.
Expect the unexpected
Listening to the various stories about 'things' we might occur in the urban classroom reminded me of my interview with a computer software training company. I was tired of the corporate environment and wanted to do something more productive. I saw an ad for a computer instructor position; it sounded perfect. This would be my first real teaching experience (not counting teaching CCD), so I prepared very thoroughly for my interview. I was given an excerpt from one of the courses and I was told to prepare a "lesson" that I would present to several interviewers.
My lesson was to be for an Introduction to Microsoft Access Database -- no problem. I walked in, all set to show them what I knew. I walked into a conference room with a table, several chairs and a whiteboard -- no computer. Now what? I asked where the computer was, I had assumed there would be a computer. This is what I was told.... we don't have a computer and as an instructor you must be prepared to deal with anything in the classroom. One of the interviewers told a story of teaching a course to a corporate client that gave her a room with a large number of students and just a chalkboard.
Fortunately, I'm not afraid of a challenge so I gave my lesson using the white board and I got the job. It was a lesson that I've always kept at the back of my head --- expect the unexpected, roll with the punches, keep moving -- you get the point. I don't believe that I'm fully prepared for the challenges that may face me in the classroom but I'm ready to keep moving forward.
My lesson was to be for an Introduction to Microsoft Access Database -- no problem. I walked in, all set to show them what I knew. I walked into a conference room with a table, several chairs and a whiteboard -- no computer. Now what? I asked where the computer was, I had assumed there would be a computer. This is what I was told.... we don't have a computer and as an instructor you must be prepared to deal with anything in the classroom. One of the interviewers told a story of teaching a course to a corporate client that gave her a room with a large number of students and just a chalkboard.
Fortunately, I'm not afraid of a challenge so I gave my lesson using the white board and I got the job. It was a lesson that I've always kept at the back of my head --- expect the unexpected, roll with the punches, keep moving -- you get the point. I don't believe that I'm fully prepared for the challenges that may face me in the classroom but I'm ready to keep moving forward.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Finally a Bit of Good News
Browsing on the web yesterday, I found an interesting article on MiamiHerald.com; "Web charities help teachers equip classrooms" written by Hannah Sampson. I'm so excited, finally a bit of good news for Urban Schools. The story tells about a teacher in an urban school that is able to get the school supplies she needs through an online charity organization called DonorsChoose.org. The teacher defines what she needs and the donors can choose to donate all or part of the supply list. Think what could happen if the students received extra sets of textbooks, literature, science equipment. The possibilities are limitless.
Of course at the the same time I read an article about a Kentucky teacher that has apparently been caught on tape berating a 5-yr old boy at school, Wake Forest University drops the SAT and ACT requirement for college admission, and several universities are having issues with the chosen speaker at commencement ceremonies. All in the news for education.
Of course at the the same time I read an article about a Kentucky teacher that has apparently been caught on tape berating a 5-yr old boy at school, Wake Forest University drops the SAT and ACT requirement for college admission, and several universities are having issues with the chosen speaker at commencement ceremonies. All in the news for education.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Backpack Drives for Urban Schools
Over the last several years, my husband and I have purchased school supplies for "Backpack Drives" at his office. I would take the list and proceeded to pick up items as I shopped for my own kids' supplies. I didn't really put much thought into the whole process.
After our discussion about the state of affairs in urban schools, I now wonder if I really put the right items into those backpacks. Here is a revised list of what I think should be put in there....
- enough pens, pencils, markers, crayons to last the entire year (several boxes of each)
- enough notebooks to cover more than one class
- a few treasured books to read
- a ream or two of paper for the teacher (instead of the traditional apple)
- a case or two of snack bars, fruit cups to help make it through the day
- a roll of toilet paper
I think I might need to purchase a larger backpack.
After our discussion about the state of affairs in urban schools, I now wonder if I really put the right items into those backpacks. Here is a revised list of what I think should be put in there....
- enough pens, pencils, markers, crayons to last the entire year (several boxes of each)
- enough notebooks to cover more than one class
- a few treasured books to read
- a ream or two of paper for the teacher (instead of the traditional apple)
- a case or two of snack bars, fruit cups to help make it through the day
- a roll of toilet paper
I think I might need to purchase a larger backpack.
Monday, May 26, 2008
Interrogation of my Beliefs about Urban Schools
I certainly have been exposed to some incorrect views on life in the urban centers however I have also been fortunate enough to have an open mind. Over time, as I have added new life experiences to my repertoire my views have molded and changed. I understand that my views may be incorrect and that both I and the students will grow as a result of this teaching experience. I have always had a strong desire to help and a love of learning which will both come in handy for my career as a teacher.
My Urban Beliefs and How They Came To Be
I believe that many urban centers have interesting things to do and see, however they often appear engulfed in filth (try going down 8th Avenue to get to Midtown NYC – yikes). I believe that many urban schools are fighting to provide a good education with minimal resources but that there are a few diamonds in the rough. Communities that have worked together to change the culture and environment so that their children get the education they deserve. Without a doubt, I feel that urban teachers are courageous. Given such difficult circumstances many are trying to provide an a great education and many are just hoping their time to retire will be soon. The teachers in my neighborhood have no contract because they are trying to work out a better deal with health insurance and yet urban school teachers try their best with a shortage of resources and cash. I don't get it.
I believe that urban students try to do their best in school just like suburban students and that their are some that don’t make the effort just like suburban students. However, the difference lies in the stressful lives that they have to deal with that suburban students will probably never know.
I grew up in a primarily white Catholic suburban neighbor and I was taught to believe that there were certain parts of the city that you just stayed from. On the occasions that I went into downtown Milwaukee or Chicago, I thought the city and the schools looked scary and I didn’t bother to find out more than I needed to know. They did not look clean or have nice buildings like my own neighborhood.
I recall hearing statements like “look at that zebra couple” when a black person was dating a white person. I didn’t get it, why did it matter. I recall hearing concerns about black people moving into my neighborhood but again I didn’t really get it, why did it matter. I was not exposed to any type of diversity until I went to college (and even then it was minor). Finally diversity came when I moved to NYC. My second job on Wall Street put me in contact with more races, religions and cultures than I could have imagined. I spoke with people from countries all over the world and I was excited to learn their language when we had time to chat.
During this time, I also came to learn through my friends’ families that some urban schools were known to be very competitive and the students and teachers were top notch. This I learned from my middle-class friends that lived in Gramercy Park and the Upper West/East Side. All were in neighborhoods with predominantly more income. During this same time, I also had some experiences helping out at a soup kitchen in Newark and in Montclair. I began a personal endeavor of working with Church World Services on the CROP Walk to help raise money to feed the hungry. I really feel that many beliefs in my childhood were turned topsy-turvy when I moved to NYC.
How Will My Urban Beliefs Affect My Work?
I would imagine that these beliefs will make my interactions with teachers and students successful. I understand the misconceptions that so many of us grew up with and proceeded to propagate with our own misstatements. I’m certain that I don’t really know the half of what it is like to live in an Urban Center or go to school in the schools of the Urban Centers but I have an open mind and an open heart to experience what their school systems have to offer.
My life experiences have shown me that you can not believe everything that you’ve been told – we should make every effort to experience some of this for ourselves or go to more reliable sources. I can not believe everything I see in print, TV or movies. I have to question, who is the audience and how have they modified the story so that it ‘satisfies’ the audience. This was seen in the article “Teachers in the ‘Hood: Hollywood’s Middle-Class Fantasy” by Robert C. Bulman (2002, The Urban Review). The message of the movie is most often based in the view of the writer not in reality. A fair share of the high school genre films are created by middle-class writers with a view that students in urban centers can not succeed without a middle-class hero to show them the way. As Americans, we certainly enjoy our heroes and our happy endings but that doesn't make it reality.
I believe that all students have the capacity to learn. I would like to use that as my foundation and then use my understanding of urban misconceptions to have patience and respect for the students that walk through the door. The students have enough issues to face just to make it to the classroom, once inside they should feel that it’s a place where someone believes in them. I remember my son’s kindergarten teacher said something along the line of “You can make a million mistakes and I’ll still love you”. Well, that’s a bit corny for a middle school or high school mathematics teacher but the intent is the same. How about the catch phrase from the teacher of the show “The Magic School Bus” – “let’s make mistakes and get messy”? That’s the type of environment I would like to create; no penalty for trying or failing. As mentioned in the article “The Promise of Urban Schools” prepared by the Senior Fellows in Urban Education at the Annenberg Institute of Reform we are to become change agents, making adaptations to the curriculum and become guides on expeditions of learning. The classroom should be a place where students can ask questions, make assumptions, test them out, share their experiences and experiment with knowledge.
My Urban Beliefs & The Teacher I Hope To Become
I have always been the type of person that likes to learn knew things – its all about the knowledge. That’s why I’m in graduate school. As I go through this course and modify my assumptions about urban centers, schools, students and teachers it will forever affect me. I have already changed my views on race versus national origin as a result of the article "Demographics: Teachers Should Know" by Harold Hodgkinson (2001, Educational Leadership). Understanding that a race (ie. Hispanic) can represent many countries, languages and cultures is important to set up a useful connection to your students. Understanding cultural differences as the affect a students relationship to time, extended families or hierarchy can affect how they will interact with the teacher. I will clarify these and many others assumptions as I experience other realities over time. It would be no different than changing someone’s belief that 2+2=5. If the belief is incorrect and we have an open mind, than the belief can be changed.
In conclusion, I didn’t grow up in an urban environment but I’m capable of experiencing this part of my life and career with an open mind. My life experiences are the baggage and assets that I take with me as I teach. Good and bad, they all affect the way that I interact with students, teachers and parents.
My Urban Beliefs and How They Came To Be
I believe that many urban centers have interesting things to do and see, however they often appear engulfed in filth (try going down 8th Avenue to get to Midtown NYC – yikes). I believe that many urban schools are fighting to provide a good education with minimal resources but that there are a few diamonds in the rough. Communities that have worked together to change the culture and environment so that their children get the education they deserve. Without a doubt, I feel that urban teachers are courageous. Given such difficult circumstances many are trying to provide an a great education and many are just hoping their time to retire will be soon. The teachers in my neighborhood have no contract because they are trying to work out a better deal with health insurance and yet urban school teachers try their best with a shortage of resources and cash. I don't get it.
I believe that urban students try to do their best in school just like suburban students and that their are some that don’t make the effort just like suburban students. However, the difference lies in the stressful lives that they have to deal with that suburban students will probably never know.
I grew up in a primarily white Catholic suburban neighbor and I was taught to believe that there were certain parts of the city that you just stayed from. On the occasions that I went into downtown Milwaukee or Chicago, I thought the city and the schools looked scary and I didn’t bother to find out more than I needed to know. They did not look clean or have nice buildings like my own neighborhood.
I recall hearing statements like “look at that zebra couple” when a black person was dating a white person. I didn’t get it, why did it matter. I recall hearing concerns about black people moving into my neighborhood but again I didn’t really get it, why did it matter. I was not exposed to any type of diversity until I went to college (and even then it was minor). Finally diversity came when I moved to NYC. My second job on Wall Street put me in contact with more races, religions and cultures than I could have imagined. I spoke with people from countries all over the world and I was excited to learn their language when we had time to chat.
During this time, I also came to learn through my friends’ families that some urban schools were known to be very competitive and the students and teachers were top notch. This I learned from my middle-class friends that lived in Gramercy Park and the Upper West/East Side. All were in neighborhoods with predominantly more income. During this same time, I also had some experiences helping out at a soup kitchen in Newark and in Montclair. I began a personal endeavor of working with Church World Services on the CROP Walk to help raise money to feed the hungry. I really feel that many beliefs in my childhood were turned topsy-turvy when I moved to NYC.
How Will My Urban Beliefs Affect My Work?
I would imagine that these beliefs will make my interactions with teachers and students successful. I understand the misconceptions that so many of us grew up with and proceeded to propagate with our own misstatements. I’m certain that I don’t really know the half of what it is like to live in an Urban Center or go to school in the schools of the Urban Centers but I have an open mind and an open heart to experience what their school systems have to offer.
My life experiences have shown me that you can not believe everything that you’ve been told – we should make every effort to experience some of this for ourselves or go to more reliable sources. I can not believe everything I see in print, TV or movies. I have to question, who is the audience and how have they modified the story so that it ‘satisfies’ the audience. This was seen in the article “Teachers in the ‘Hood: Hollywood’s Middle-Class Fantasy” by Robert C. Bulman (2002, The Urban Review). The message of the movie is most often based in the view of the writer not in reality. A fair share of the high school genre films are created by middle-class writers with a view that students in urban centers can not succeed without a middle-class hero to show them the way. As Americans, we certainly enjoy our heroes and our happy endings but that doesn't make it reality.
I believe that all students have the capacity to learn. I would like to use that as my foundation and then use my understanding of urban misconceptions to have patience and respect for the students that walk through the door. The students have enough issues to face just to make it to the classroom, once inside they should feel that it’s a place where someone believes in them. I remember my son’s kindergarten teacher said something along the line of “You can make a million mistakes and I’ll still love you”. Well, that’s a bit corny for a middle school or high school mathematics teacher but the intent is the same. How about the catch phrase from the teacher of the show “The Magic School Bus” – “let’s make mistakes and get messy”? That’s the type of environment I would like to create; no penalty for trying or failing. As mentioned in the article “The Promise of Urban Schools” prepared by the Senior Fellows in Urban Education at the Annenberg Institute of Reform we are to become change agents, making adaptations to the curriculum and become guides on expeditions of learning. The classroom should be a place where students can ask questions, make assumptions, test them out, share their experiences and experiment with knowledge.
My Urban Beliefs & The Teacher I Hope To Become
I have always been the type of person that likes to learn knew things – its all about the knowledge. That’s why I’m in graduate school. As I go through this course and modify my assumptions about urban centers, schools, students and teachers it will forever affect me. I have already changed my views on race versus national origin as a result of the article "Demographics: Teachers Should Know" by Harold Hodgkinson (2001, Educational Leadership). Understanding that a race (ie. Hispanic) can represent many countries, languages and cultures is important to set up a useful connection to your students. Understanding cultural differences as the affect a students relationship to time, extended families or hierarchy can affect how they will interact with the teacher. I will clarify these and many others assumptions as I experience other realities over time. It would be no different than changing someone’s belief that 2+2=5. If the belief is incorrect and we have an open mind, than the belief can be changed.
In conclusion, I didn’t grow up in an urban environment but I’m capable of experiencing this part of my life and career with an open mind. My life experiences are the baggage and assets that I take with me as I teach. Good and bad, they all affect the way that I interact with students, teachers and parents.
What does Memorial Day have to do with Urban Education?
Memorial Day was once a day of remembrance and respect for any war veteran. Now, its often nothing more than a short vacation break before the end of the school year. I'll admit that I'm going away for the weekend! Hopefully I'll remember to put my flag outside when I return and than bring it back in before night fall. Most importantly, I hope that I remember to take a moment to remind myself and my children about why we celebrate Memorial Day and to be thankful and prayerful for those that are still fighting.
So what does this have to do with Urban Education? Should we not be mindful that students may have family members that have lost their lives or are still at war trying to defend our country? Memorial Day is a day for all people to respectfully remember those that have gone to war for us, died at war for us or are still at war for us. This day is a part of our American History and the meaning behind the day should be shared with all.
So what does this have to do with Urban Education? Should we not be mindful that students may have family members that have lost their lives or are still at war trying to defend our country? Memorial Day is a day for all people to respectfully remember those that have gone to war for us, died at war for us or are still at war for us. This day is a part of our American History and the meaning behind the day should be shared with all.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
My Bibliographies
This article provides a study on mathematical achievement scores over a 15 year period. These scores indicate that the gap is being closed between various demographic groups in regards to Basic Skills. This includes recommendations for fiscal and cultural policy changes that will help to support the standardization of these scores. At the time of publication the author was an Assistant Professor at University of Wisconsin - Madison. He has written other articles on Math and Urban Education. He has a large collection of resources used to produce this article and a detailed array of demographic break down of achievement scores.
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Villasenor Jr., Albert and Kepner Jr., Henry S. “Arithmetic from a Problem-Solving Perspective: An Urban Implementation.” Journal for Research in Mathematics Education. Vol. 24. No. 1. (1993): pp. 62-69. 21 May 2008. http://www.jstor.org/stable/749386.
This article reports on a study conducted with 24 urban first-grade teachers. The study compared an experimental math pedagogy versus the current math pedagogy. The classrooms consisted of 57-99% minority students. This article is interesting in that it repeats a similar study done in 1989 but in an urban setting. I like the how the study findings are visually displayed. Kepner is a professor of Mathematics and Computer Education at University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee and Villasenor is a Math Education Consultant from Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.
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Lee, Hea-Jin and Herner-Patnode, Leah M. “Teaching Mathematics Vocabulary to Diverse Groups.” Intervention in School & Clinic. Vol. 43. No 2. (2007): pp. 121-126. 22 May 2008. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=27358882&site=ehost-live.
The article discusses the current teaching standards and assessments for Math as defined by NCTM and NCLB. The author uses a case study of a 4th grade urban math teacher to support the success of following the NCTM pedagogy. The article does a nice job of comparing the ideals from the NCTM and actual implementation in the real world. Authors are professors from Ohio State University.
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Gutstein, Eric. “’And That’s Just How it Starts’: Teaching Mathematics and Developing Student Agency.” Teachers College Record. Vol. 109. No. 2. (2007): pp. 420-448. 22 May 2008. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=24414187&site=ehost-live.
The article discusses the author’s experience of teaching middle-school mathematics in a Chicago public school with primarily Latino students. The article makes several ties to studies done by Paulo Freire who believed there is a connection between education and politics. The article defines the methodologies used and responses from students. The author is unable to conclude if the agency developed by the students is long standing or had any impact on choices outside of school. The author has written several other articles and has a full list of resources. The author is a teacher of Mathematical Education at the University of Illinois-Chicago and has taught high school and middle school mathematics.
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Malloy, Carol E. and Malloy, William W. “Resiliency and Algebra 1: A promising non-traditional approach… .” Clearing House. Vol. 71. No. 5. (1998): p 314-318. 22 May 2008. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=564624&site=ehost-live.
This article discusses a study of the achievement level of students enrolled in an Algebra I course in North Carolina during 1995-1996. The article discusses concerns of student preparedness and their resiliency to change in pedagogy. The article indicates that changes should occur only when there is specific student aptitude and desire to learn. The resource list is a bit short. The authors are assistant professors at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Article in Review: "Arithmetic from a Problem-Solving Perspective: An Urban Implementation" by Albert Villasenor, Jr. and Henry S. Kepner, Jr.
This article (Villasenor Jr, Kepner Jr, 1993, Journal for Research in Mathematics) was very interesting in that it repeated an experiment that was completed in 1989 using Cognitively Guided Instruction (Carpenter, Fennema, Peterson, Chiang & Loef, 1989, Journal for Research in Mathematics Education) to teach mathematics. In the original experiment 40 first-grade teachers were selected from suburban settings. Villasenor has repeated the experiment using 24 first-grade teachers in urban classrooms that contain at least 50% minority students (minority is defined as African-American, Hispanic, and other non-white). Half of the teachers receive specific training in the usage of Cognitively Guided Instructions for Mathematics.
The article does a great job of explaining the need for the repetition of the experiment in the urban environment, the experiment methodologies, and assessments. What I find most fascinating, are the results. The students take both a pre-test and a post-test. A random sample of 144 students is selected from both groups. The students' whose teachers are using the CGI methods have great proficiency in solving written problem-solving, oral word problems and oral number facts. These students repeated use advanced math strategies to solve the problems. I followed up on the original study and there was an increase in scores for the CGI group as well, however the discrepancy in scores is much greater in the urban setting. I'm curious if this has anything to do with too many years of just teaching the same old way whereas suburban schools may have experiment with other methods resulting in a much small gain in scores.
This article ties into my theme of the common thread. I see a similar pattern of student educational engagement that seems to be the key to the students educational success.
Additionally, I have found some links to schools and groups that are promoting the Congnitively Guided Instruction method.
- Promising Practices Network; http://www.promisingpractices.net/program.asp?programid=114
- National Center for Improving Student Learning and Achievement in Mathematics and Science (NCISLA); http://www.wcer.wisc.edu/ncisla/teachers/
- Education Reform: Mathematics Education; http://math.edreform.net/resource/2114
This article is a must read.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
A Common Thread
I'm beginning to see a common thread in the education materials that I've been reading. Let me explain...
Last year I read a book called "The Biggest Job We'll Ever Have: The Hyde School Program for Character-Based Education and Parenting" by Macolm Gauld, Laura Gauld and Marc Brown (2003, Scribner). I read this book as a parent, wondering how I could incorporate character building into my parenting style. It has been a great experience, I spend so much less time with the nick picking little stuff and look at the overall character traits that I would like to see my children grow into. The process suggests that we identify the concepts (the desired character traits) and evaluate our behaviour (our response to our children's actions) against the concepts. Are we responding to our children so that they "know the rules" or that they see the character that we are trying to develop. I value courage, when I see that my children have done something that took some bravery (from their viewpoint) than I make a point of acknowledging that giant step that they took. My days as the Mother Superior are long over.
Now I look at this book with a renewed interest as a teacher in progress. The methods and stories in this book have a similar threads with the methods described in several articles that I have read this month as well as a book that I read earlier in the year. Are we attempting to develop the character of critical thinking and problem solving in our students? In the article "The Pedagogy of Poverty Versus Good Teaching" by Martin Haberman (1991, Phi Delta Kappan), he provides several tips to 'good teaching' that revolve around identifying the concepts that need to be shared not the details and getting the students active in the learning experience. In "The Promise of Urban Schools" by the Senior Fellows in Urban Education at Annenberg Institute for School Reform (2000), they refer to the pedagogy as a 'powerful learning experience' where the teacher is the guide and the students own the experience. In "What the Best College Teachers Do" by Ken Bain (2004, Harvard University Press ) the common thread continues as he identifies the best practices that allow the students to take control of their education while the professor guides them toward the goals (the concepts to be learned). The students are responsible to thinking critically and deeply about the concepts that are being taught. As a result the students really own the material from the class.
Fortunately for my students I have a little bit of time to determine how I'm going to turn off the control freak button that runs my life and learn to be the quiet guide that helps to develop critical thinking in my students.
Last year I read a book called "The Biggest Job We'll Ever Have: The Hyde School Program for Character-Based Education and Parenting" by Macolm Gauld, Laura Gauld and Marc Brown (2003, Scribner). I read this book as a parent, wondering how I could incorporate character building into my parenting style. It has been a great experience, I spend so much less time with the nick picking little stuff and look at the overall character traits that I would like to see my children grow into. The process suggests that we identify the concepts (the desired character traits) and evaluate our behaviour (our response to our children's actions) against the concepts. Are we responding to our children so that they "know the rules" or that they see the character that we are trying to develop. I value courage, when I see that my children have done something that took some bravery (from their viewpoint) than I make a point of acknowledging that giant step that they took. My days as the Mother Superior are long over.
Now I look at this book with a renewed interest as a teacher in progress. The methods and stories in this book have a similar threads with the methods described in several articles that I have read this month as well as a book that I read earlier in the year. Are we attempting to develop the character of critical thinking and problem solving in our students? In the article "The Pedagogy of Poverty Versus Good Teaching" by Martin Haberman (1991, Phi Delta Kappan), he provides several tips to 'good teaching' that revolve around identifying the concepts that need to be shared not the details and getting the students active in the learning experience. In "The Promise of Urban Schools" by the Senior Fellows in Urban Education at Annenberg Institute for School Reform (2000), they refer to the pedagogy as a 'powerful learning experience' where the teacher is the guide and the students own the experience. In "What the Best College Teachers Do" by Ken Bain (2004, Harvard University Press ) the common thread continues as he identifies the best practices that allow the students to take control of their education while the professor guides them toward the goals (the concepts to be learned). The students are responsible to thinking critically and deeply about the concepts that are being taught. As a result the students really own the material from the class.
Fortunately for my students I have a little bit of time to determine how I'm going to turn off the control freak button that runs my life and learn to be the quiet guide that helps to develop critical thinking in my students.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
My Thoughts on... "The Power of Urban Schools" (Annenburg Inst for School Reform)
As a mother of elementary aged children and a graduate student, my thoughts on this article come with some personal experiences in hand. I'm in agreement on the need to have educators taking responsibility for their instruction and teach with active learning in mind. When the teachers engage my children the year is a breeze, they are excited to go to school and be a part of the action. I have alse been fortunate to have been on the recipient of this type of instruction and its a pleasure to take part in it. Dr DT was my first professor here at the University and she actively engaged us in the learning process. I really believe that it is the key to education in any locale. Engage the children in the learning, in the exploration and the knowledge will come with excitement and ownership.
However I'm almost dismayed at the thought that the only hope for urban schooling is via political change and public commitment. I see first hand that our current distribution of funding to schools have left urban school far short of what they deserve. How can education be equitable under these conditions? It's sad to read about the discrepancies with respect to resources both material and human. In my children's school we have everything we need and then some. I would be very frustrated to see the inbalance. We have Smart boards and PCs in every class room, aides in every class room, current teaching resources and a nice big yard for recess. To hear that there are schools that don't have current books or technology breaks my heart.
Is our only hope of digging out of the hole is via politic change and public commitment. I have experience that indicates this is a hard pill to swallow for the public. I recently had to work with our adminstration to determine why kindergarten children where being trained to spell Dolch reading sight words. I couldn't believe that they would be required to have a spelling test in kindergarten. The teachers believed it was not a developmentally appropriate activity so why does the BOE think that it is? Out of 60 parents, I could only convince 3 to write letters to the BOE and Administration. Most parents couldn't be bothered, some just did the homework because it came home in the backpack. Parents are to busy to make the effort to dig into what is going on at school. How do we expect to get the public to move on the topic of fair distribution of school funding when they don't care about a small issue of spelling tests in kindergarten?
A recent article in the Star Ledger discussed the rating of educational systems of several countries. Hands down the Finnish are the best educators, they also have a country that pays for all schooling through college and have leveled the educational playground. The article also indicated that this is successful in Finland because it is a cultural decision to have equity in schooling. All children get the same and are expected to attend. In the United States our culture dictates to go for the big prize, the big job, the big house and you must dump a lot of money into your education to do so.
However I'm almost dismayed at the thought that the only hope for urban schooling is via political change and public commitment. I see first hand that our current distribution of funding to schools have left urban school far short of what they deserve. How can education be equitable under these conditions? It's sad to read about the discrepancies with respect to resources both material and human. In my children's school we have everything we need and then some. I would be very frustrated to see the inbalance. We have Smart boards and PCs in every class room, aides in every class room, current teaching resources and a nice big yard for recess. To hear that there are schools that don't have current books or technology breaks my heart.
Is our only hope of digging out of the hole is via politic change and public commitment. I have experience that indicates this is a hard pill to swallow for the public. I recently had to work with our adminstration to determine why kindergarten children where being trained to spell Dolch reading sight words. I couldn't believe that they would be required to have a spelling test in kindergarten. The teachers believed it was not a developmentally appropriate activity so why does the BOE think that it is? Out of 60 parents, I could only convince 3 to write letters to the BOE and Administration. Most parents couldn't be bothered, some just did the homework because it came home in the backpack. Parents are to busy to make the effort to dig into what is going on at school. How do we expect to get the public to move on the topic of fair distribution of school funding when they don't care about a small issue of spelling tests in kindergarten?
A recent article in the Star Ledger discussed the rating of educational systems of several countries. Hands down the Finnish are the best educators, they also have a country that pays for all schooling through college and have leveled the educational playground. The article also indicated that this is successful in Finland because it is a cultural decision to have equity in schooling. All children get the same and are expected to attend. In the United States our culture dictates to go for the big prize, the big job, the big house and you must dump a lot of money into your education to do so.
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