rjbuss

12.17.09

So in regard to English in the classroom and across the curriculum, the NCTE speaks volumes again. Reading and writing are the most important subjects without a doubt. Teaching them across the curriculum is essential to succesfull and rewarding teaching. First the 21st Century Framework for curriculum and assessment from NCTE/IRA[| http://www.ncte.org/governance/21stcenturyframework]

Why? Because we are urban educators and the genteel nature of apartheid in America is now intellectually derived, not so easy to spot you know. Calling any student dumb or "just not able to read" ought to be an immediate walk to the parking lot in my opinion. Read here: []

I agree with most of that article, but I disagree with her outright hatred of structure. I'd argue that all kids, across race and class, value and need structure. Thoughts? jb

The horror stories of "I saw them distribute photocopied packets that reduced complex topics such as the Holocaust to a series of questions requiring only literal thinking and written answers in complete sentences, black ink only. I asked teachers if they thought classroom discussions might be helpful. All answered no, not or their students." quite adequately describes what has been done in the past around here with "[insert demonstrative adjective here] kids". The funny part is everyone who has demanded such regimented direct instruction, kept low on the bloom's totem pole, has usually seemed to do one of two things: speak out of one side their mouth and implement (or rather by default, not implement) the complete opposite, or create a lowbrow/ high management envirnoment to prove their point. I didn't take Beers' position as a complete hatred of structure, but I have successfully on occasion each quarter been able to have the moment of learning center or group task/differentiated monet of zen. The building of background knowledge and placement of meaningful activities with options creates a sense of freedom as described within a rather narrow structure, which yes, all kids value. That's the first thing Spurgin told me when I entered the student teaching classroom. I found some other ed research site yesterday which described four learner personalities and the term "anarchic" described those who like proejct based learning with freedom to choose topics, mode of conveyance of learning (ie assessment), and even choice of informational media. It was the opposite of those who thrive on being given content on which they pounce to learn and extend beyond recall. The Competent Classroom does a good job of creating task rotations which are the middle ground model which we shoudl use for our largely (outside of school) unstructured children. And I don't believe that has anything to do with race class or gender. Very little does these days. All three are nearly irrelevant to learning in the 21st century which is why I think I'd rather work in the inner city--there is definitely more promise of change in education. It's the St John's Nowhere, USA which are all going to fold soon or continue to produce children who are 40 years out of date for the sake of tradition. Thus I think the structure balance lies in the videos from the Harlem Children's Zone and their approach with the race to the top programs which will implement cradle to post-grad guidance to "[insert demonstrative adjective here] kids".

Next, watch this: media type="youtube" key="9bH99Q89IQQ" height="344" width="425"

Finally my thoughts on giving candy for the visual learner. ..

12/5/09 So much of what we need at Siloah is found in these few articles. The industrial model which has failed the majority of learners for the greater part of the last 80 years is all we have known and we must get over that. Educational research has overturned every rock in the past twenty years or so and most schools in our city are still struggling to get today's learners to sit down and submit to antiquated education methods. Read any one of these articles and try not to read them all. International Center for Leadership in Education

12/1/09

A true rebel in education: John Taylor Gatto has given the ultimate collection of sensationalist research seeking to debunk the wonders of compulsory education. In a love and logic twist of motivation, he seeks to prove that compulsory education has destroyed literacy in America. " Abundant data exist to show that by 1840 the incidence of complex literacy in the United States was between 93 and 100 percent, wherever such a thing mattered. Yet compulsory schooling existed nowhere. Between the two world wars, schoolmen seem to have been assigned the task of terminating our universal reading proficiency " (Ch 3 intro, table of contents). It may indeed be true that when it was illegal for many to learn to read, they risked life and limb to do so, whereas now, millions of Americans choose to be functionally illiterate, and more and more each year, stop reading beyond that which they are required to do. Needless to say, the guy can't stand Horace Mann or John Dewey. This is more politics of/in/against education than anything, but is a great read for consideration of the purpose and function of American schools, and is a scathing review of its efforts to produce independence through coercion. One may choose to read the book in its entirety at the following link: John Taylor Gatto: The Undergorund History of American Education

11/30/09 GOLD MINE! National Middle School Association has a bunch of tasty podcasts on middle schoolers. I am listening to the building relationships one, and unlike McDonald's, I'm lovin it. Anyone in for some professional development extra discussion?

http://www.nmsa.org/Publications/TodaysMiddleLevelEducator/tabid/1409/Default.aspx [|NMSA podcasts]

Old: Finding ways of incorporating simple differentiation into classes has helped me greatly as a teacher in a setting with more academic diversity than I have previously. recovered posting from the original pd meeting #1 discussion: I provide easy-read summaries with fact recall, in-text, questions for history lessons. These students are then able to complete assignments with modified expectations.

I have provided several dysgraphic students with Alpha Smarts. This helps them over an otherwise impossible hurdle or at least a heavily daunting one, which unnecessarily impedes performance.

I have worked on breakdown of long-term assessments to model planning and use formative assessments to monitor them. i.e. note-taking, organizers, and pre-writing activities which lead to detailed responses to broader scope questions. Beginning with a chapter study guide before going through the chapter helps many students see the big picture and see a purpose for studying the chapter content in detail. Posted Oct 12, 2009 4:49 pm "