“Imagine that we are faced with a pile of jigsaw puzzle pieces and told to put them
together. Our first reaction might well be to ask for the picture. When we put
together a jigsaw puzzle, we usually have a picture to guide us. None of the pieces
means anything taken alone; only when the pieces are put together do they mean
something.” - (Beane, Toward a Coherent Curriculum, 1995)
When first reading this quote, I could not imagine what you had in mind, the picture was vague. The collaborative efforts through discussion and the final project “put the pieces together” for me. The highlight for this coursework was the group discussions as well as the collaborative curriculum project. The group discussions helped solidify my comprehension of what other school units are developing in their regions. Sometimes the question arises whether one is doing the “right thing” for our school community, and this class assured me that we are heading in the right direction for our students. Although it seems other school regions are also heading in the right direction, we are traveling at different speeds, depending on the stage of development in their school structure and their leadership. It seems quite a few schools are adjusting to consolidation, and transitions can be time consuming and exhausting. It is refreshing to know that we are all in this together, working for the same goals, the success of our students and their learning achievement. The pieces of that puzzle are coming together.
It was enlightening to interview my principal, Larry Schooley, concerning curriculum selection. It seems his perspective matches what I had anticipated when chosen to teach at that school, so no real surprises. Our school is newly formed, and I have never worked for Larry, so gaining this perspective about his views gave me insight into curriculum expectations for our school. This task never would have taken place, so the assignment was appreciated. Another challenge appreciated was the various technological methods you introduced, Skype being the favorite, and one I plan to use again. I am not sure about blogging for my students, but I do plan to create our own website, something I have never attempted. Good inspiration!
The questions surrounding our assessment system were intriguing, and I realize that until our leadership shifts their views of standardized testing, the methodology for standardized testing will not change. What can change is what we do with the results, and I believe our school unit has progressed in that area with further improvement to come in the next few years. It is my hope that if our school does not possess Heidi Hayes Jacobs’ book, Curriculum 21, it will be placed in our teacher resource library. I appreciate that you selected this particular textbook for our course. She is the “puzzle master”!
Thank you for an informative, challenging, and inspiring session! The picture in the puzzle is now clear...
Respectfully submitted,
Jo Ann G. Weatherbee
Friday, July 29, 2011
Mindshift Article - Blogging
An enlightening article supporting blogging for students...
July 28, 2011 | 8:00 AM | By Tina Barseghian
Can Learning How to Blog Change Makeal’s Life?
How can learning to blog make a lasting impact on a 12-year-old boy living in a rough, East Oakland neighborhood?
In the second installment of MindShift’s My Education series, which examines whether technology in learning can have a lasting impact on low-income kids through the perspective of one child, the question focuses on Makeal Surrell, a sweet-natured kid who lives with his two sisters and his aunt/guardian a few blocks from Elmhurst Community Prep (ECP) middle school.
Last year, Makeal missed more than 20 days of school, partly due to being sick from asthma. But since he started an after-school blogging apprenticeship with Google, through the Citizen Schools enrichment program, his absences have declined. During the spring semester, Makeal and his classmates were bussed once a week to the Google offices in San Francisco, where they were taught by Google employees all about blogging. By the end of the semester, Makeal had published his own blog about his favorite subject: skateboarding.
Or at least a little about skateboarding. During the spring semester, Makeal published eight posts consisting of mostly videos, photos, and a couple of short written entries. And though he started with three skateboarding-related posts, he moved onto other subjects that interested him: movie reviews and rap videos.
And that was the point — to get Makeal and his classmates a medium for their self-expression, as they learn technical skills like how to create a blog and upload content.
“The idea is to give them confidence as they move through school and potentially enter the workplace.”
“The educational environments … that have most impact will be the ones that create opportunities for kids to create digital media literacies that we all recognize as important and that have social implications, educational implications and civic implications, as well,” said S. Craig Watkins, author of The Young and the Digital in a recent interview. “So we have to equip kids with skills that help them not just to consume, but to become architects of their information environment.”
At ECP, Makeal and his classmates attend an after-school enrichment program.
And for low-income kids like Makeal, who are living under difficult circumstances by anyone’s standards, what might be considered a simple task like blogging can actually have an impact on what Watkins refers to as “their disposition towards learning and as learners.”
And the fact that Makeal was given free rein to choose the topic of his blog made the experience more meaningful. Digital media expert Mimi Ito puts it this way: “[The freedom to choose] has the potential to ignite a transformative identity shift,” she said. “For kids who are alienated from mainstream structures of schooling, they don’t feel like they have choices in their own identity and trajectory, so for them to be trusted to choose and have an interest is important.”
Anna Wilson, a Google employee who was part of the after-school apprenticeship program and taught ECP kids how to blog, said she hopes the experience will help Makeal in the long run.
“We wanted to show them that this was not just a viable revenue stream with a career — because what we do at Google is advertising, we monetize the Web — but also that it could be something very personal, that you only share with close friends and family, sort of like an online diary,” she said. “The idea is to give them confidence as they move through school and potentially enter the workplace.”
Makeal says he may not be returning to ECP next fall, depending on his family circumstances, and if so, may not enroll in another after-school enrichment program. But the hope is that his blogging experience will give him a sense of lasting confidence that will stay with him wherever he ends up.
About MindShift: Technology is revolutionizing the world of education – replacing familiar classroom tools and changing the way we learn. MindShift explores the future of learning in all its dimensions – covering cultural and technology trends, groundbreaking research, education policy and more. The site is curated by Tina Barseghian, a former editor of Edutopia and the mother of a grade-schooler.
July 28, 2011 | 8:00 AM | By Tina Barseghian
Can Learning How to Blog Change Makeal’s Life?
How can learning to blog make a lasting impact on a 12-year-old boy living in a rough, East Oakland neighborhood?
In the second installment of MindShift’s My Education series, which examines whether technology in learning can have a lasting impact on low-income kids through the perspective of one child, the question focuses on Makeal Surrell, a sweet-natured kid who lives with his two sisters and his aunt/guardian a few blocks from Elmhurst Community Prep (ECP) middle school.
Last year, Makeal missed more than 20 days of school, partly due to being sick from asthma. But since he started an after-school blogging apprenticeship with Google, through the Citizen Schools enrichment program, his absences have declined. During the spring semester, Makeal and his classmates were bussed once a week to the Google offices in San Francisco, where they were taught by Google employees all about blogging. By the end of the semester, Makeal had published his own blog about his favorite subject: skateboarding.
Or at least a little about skateboarding. During the spring semester, Makeal published eight posts consisting of mostly videos, photos, and a couple of short written entries. And though he started with three skateboarding-related posts, he moved onto other subjects that interested him: movie reviews and rap videos.
And that was the point — to get Makeal and his classmates a medium for their self-expression, as they learn technical skills like how to create a blog and upload content.
“The idea is to give them confidence as they move through school and potentially enter the workplace.”
“The educational environments … that have most impact will be the ones that create opportunities for kids to create digital media literacies that we all recognize as important and that have social implications, educational implications and civic implications, as well,” said S. Craig Watkins, author of The Young and the Digital in a recent interview. “So we have to equip kids with skills that help them not just to consume, but to become architects of their information environment.”
At ECP, Makeal and his classmates attend an after-school enrichment program.
And for low-income kids like Makeal, who are living under difficult circumstances by anyone’s standards, what might be considered a simple task like blogging can actually have an impact on what Watkins refers to as “their disposition towards learning and as learners.”
And the fact that Makeal was given free rein to choose the topic of his blog made the experience more meaningful. Digital media expert Mimi Ito puts it this way: “[The freedom to choose] has the potential to ignite a transformative identity shift,” she said. “For kids who are alienated from mainstream structures of schooling, they don’t feel like they have choices in their own identity and trajectory, so for them to be trusted to choose and have an interest is important.”
Anna Wilson, a Google employee who was part of the after-school apprenticeship program and taught ECP kids how to blog, said she hopes the experience will help Makeal in the long run.
“We wanted to show them that this was not just a viable revenue stream with a career — because what we do at Google is advertising, we monetize the Web — but also that it could be something very personal, that you only share with close friends and family, sort of like an online diary,” she said. “The idea is to give them confidence as they move through school and potentially enter the workplace.”
Makeal says he may not be returning to ECP next fall, depending on his family circumstances, and if so, may not enroll in another after-school enrichment program. But the hope is that his blogging experience will give him a sense of lasting confidence that will stay with him wherever he ends up.
About MindShift: Technology is revolutionizing the world of education – replacing familiar classroom tools and changing the way we learn. MindShift explores the future of learning in all its dimensions – covering cultural and technology trends, groundbreaking research, education policy and more. The site is curated by Tina Barseghian, a former editor of Edutopia and the mother of a grade-schooler.
Monday, July 25, 2011
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Persistent Issues In Curriculum: Assessments
There must be accountability for public education and the best way to measure achievement is through assessment. How do we know whether students are making progress in their learning? How do we know whether students are achieving immediate and long term goals and objectives? There has to be an accurate measurement to monitor and summarize student learning and achievement that is “embedded within instruction” on a continuous level. Teachers use a variety of assessments in all shapes and sizes to address student progress throughout the school year, both summative and formative that help them make professional judgements concerning student competency and progress. The evidence shown in the assessments assist teachers to guide students in the direction they need to go to be successful in the classroom and beyond. These types of assessments are necessary to monitor progress and demonstrate accountability for students and teachers.
Our schools frequently administer standardized tests to measure educational learning outcome. What is the purpose of standardized tests? The results provide student data to improve learning, or at least that is what I have been told, although the improvement has not been as clear as classroom assessments. It seems to me that some schools use the standardized test data to discover where students are in their learning, and assist them to where they need to be in their learning, but there are those schools who do not use the standardized test results, and some who never look at them at all. In past years, our school unit has spent a good amount of time analyzing standardized student data to improve student achievement. We have placed many students in Response To Intervention classes to assist students with their learning progress and placement to benefit the student. We have shifted our instruction in math, reading, and language arts to accommodate student progress, but we did not make the annual yearly progress status. Students can learn to test well, but why are they learning to test well? Students need to become reflective, critical thinking, concerned and informed citizens who will contribute to the common good in their own community, our national community, and our global community. How do the standardized tests fit into this picture?
According to the National Center For Fair and Open Testing, “Their use encourages a narrowed curriculum, outdated methods of instruction, and harmful practices such as retention in grade and tracking.” The National Center states that tests do not reflect what students learn and are based “in behaviorist psychological theories from the nineteenth century. While our understanding of the brain and how people learn and think has progressed enormously, tests have remained the same. Behaviorism assumed that knowledge could be broken into separate bits and that people learned by passively absorbing these bits. Today, cognitive and developmental psychologists understand that knowledge is not separable bits and that people (including children) learn by connecting what they already know with what they are trying to learn. If they cannot actively make meaning out of what they are doing, they do not learn or remember. But most standardized tests do not incorporate the modern theories and are still based on recall of isolated facts and narrow skills.” Standardized tests do not prepare students in critical thinking skills, or analytical problem solving, and they do not prepare our students for “real life.”
Standardized testing needs to enter the 21st century methodology, aligning techniques with structure. There is no room in our schools for outdated assessments that are not aligned with what schools need to teach, including standardized tests. In 21st century classrooms, “Assessment moves from regurgitation of memorized facts and disconnected processes to demonstration of understanding through application in a variety of contexts.” We owe it to our students to change standardized testing, if we use it at all. We need to align learning with what is actually necessary for students to be prepared life long learners. There is an opportunity for schools to change their philosophy, and meet the 21st century demands our students will face in their future. Philosopher John Dewey believed, “the aim of education is to enable individuals to continue their education...The object and reward of learning is continued capacity for growth.” Schools cannot remain in the standardized test quagmire for our sake, and the sake of our students. Schools need to grow into the 21st century.
Fairtest. What’s Wrong With Standardized Tests? December 17, 2007 Retrieved from: http://fairtest.org/facts/whatwron.htm
Scholastic, Inc. Standardized Tests: What You Should Know Before Your Child Sharpens His #2 Pencil. Retrieved from: http://www.scholastic.com/resources/article/standardized-tests/
21st Century Schools, (2010). What Is 21st Century Education? Retrieved from: http://www.21stcenturyschools.com/What_is_21st_Century_Education.htm
Our schools frequently administer standardized tests to measure educational learning outcome. What is the purpose of standardized tests? The results provide student data to improve learning, or at least that is what I have been told, although the improvement has not been as clear as classroom assessments. It seems to me that some schools use the standardized test data to discover where students are in their learning, and assist them to where they need to be in their learning, but there are those schools who do not use the standardized test results, and some who never look at them at all. In past years, our school unit has spent a good amount of time analyzing standardized student data to improve student achievement. We have placed many students in Response To Intervention classes to assist students with their learning progress and placement to benefit the student. We have shifted our instruction in math, reading, and language arts to accommodate student progress, but we did not make the annual yearly progress status. Students can learn to test well, but why are they learning to test well? Students need to become reflective, critical thinking, concerned and informed citizens who will contribute to the common good in their own community, our national community, and our global community. How do the standardized tests fit into this picture?
According to the National Center For Fair and Open Testing, “Their use encourages a narrowed curriculum, outdated methods of instruction, and harmful practices such as retention in grade and tracking.” The National Center states that tests do not reflect what students learn and are based “in behaviorist psychological theories from the nineteenth century. While our understanding of the brain and how people learn and think has progressed enormously, tests have remained the same. Behaviorism assumed that knowledge could be broken into separate bits and that people learned by passively absorbing these bits. Today, cognitive and developmental psychologists understand that knowledge is not separable bits and that people (including children) learn by connecting what they already know with what they are trying to learn. If they cannot actively make meaning out of what they are doing, they do not learn or remember. But most standardized tests do not incorporate the modern theories and are still based on recall of isolated facts and narrow skills.” Standardized tests do not prepare students in critical thinking skills, or analytical problem solving, and they do not prepare our students for “real life.”
Standardized testing needs to enter the 21st century methodology, aligning techniques with structure. There is no room in our schools for outdated assessments that are not aligned with what schools need to teach, including standardized tests. In 21st century classrooms, “Assessment moves from regurgitation of memorized facts and disconnected processes to demonstration of understanding through application in a variety of contexts.” We owe it to our students to change standardized testing, if we use it at all. We need to align learning with what is actually necessary for students to be prepared life long learners. There is an opportunity for schools to change their philosophy, and meet the 21st century demands our students will face in their future. Philosopher John Dewey believed, “the aim of education is to enable individuals to continue their education...The object and reward of learning is continued capacity for growth.” Schools cannot remain in the standardized test quagmire for our sake, and the sake of our students. Schools need to grow into the 21st century.
Fairtest. What’s Wrong With Standardized Tests? December 17, 2007 Retrieved from: http://fairtest.org/facts/whatwron.htm
Scholastic, Inc. Standardized Tests: What You Should Know Before Your Child Sharpens His #2 Pencil. Retrieved from: http://www.scholastic.com/resources/article/standardized-tests/
21st Century Schools, (2010). What Is 21st Century Education? Retrieved from: http://www.21stcenturyschools.com/What_is_21st_Century_Education.htm
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Comparative Education
In German and American schools, education is mandatory, free, and publicly run. German students begin with kindergarten which is not mandatory, then at age six students begin Grundschule, with compulsory attendance until age ten to twelve. At age ten, German students enter one of three tracks which ultimately determine whether the student will enter a university or a “technical field or trade.” Students who attend Hauptschule receive a general academic education with the focus on the “world of work.” In some states these schools do not exist, never did exist, or have transformed into intermediate polytechnical or specialized schools. Only the Gymnasium is a university-preparatory school, so essentially a decision is made as early as the fourth grade about whether a child will be allowed to attend college.This does not happen in America, and this elitist practice is currently being debated in parts of Germany.
The typical German school day begins at 7:30AM and ends around 12:-1:PM. Each day contains thirty to forty 45 minute periods per week with the secondary schools using 90 minute block lessons. After each 45 minute session, students have a fifteen-twenty minute break. There are about 12 compulsory subjects: two or three foreign languages (one to be taken for 9 years, another for at least 3 years), physics, biology, chemistry and usually civics/social studies (for at least 5, 7, 3, and 2 years, respectively), and mathematics, music, art, history, German, geography, physical education and religious education and ethics for 9 years. Renate Tower,(a Penobscot School German teacher), said in our brief interview that by Gymnasium entrance, students have at the minimum, taken five years of English. A few afternoon activities are offered at German schools, mainly choir or orchestra, sometimes sports, drama or languages, but not officially graded in students' report cards.
In German schools, students are not provided lunch, snacks, any extra curricular activities, and for some states, there is no school contained physical education. Libraries are not part of their schools, so students frequent their public libraries. Technology is limited, so there are no laptops provided to take home to work on their hours and hours of homework they are required to complete daily. They are not bussed to or from school, and attend only half days, with dismissal ranging from 12:-1:PM. They have two weeks less vacation than we have in our school year, attending school approximately 220 days to our 180 days per year. Renate prefers the school system in Maine over other schools she has observed in other states, and she prefers Maine schools over German schools, because students “have more opportunities to choose for themselves” what they want to do with their future lives. “It has not been decided when they are ten years old.”
Germany follows a strict grouping and tracking philosophy, providing “different paths for students based on individual ability.” Students remain in one of three groups for all their school years, unless the parents are rich and influential. American schools practice inclusion, assist students throughout their school career, and typically host after school and summer programs to assist any remedial learners to achieve and succeed in school. German students are segregated based on academic achievement in fourth-sixth grade, (varies from state to state), and both students and families feel the pressure for advancement into Gymnasium, attempting to avoid Hauptschule placement. Students can be home schooled in America, but homeschooling is not allowed in Germany. There are church run schools in Germany, and some private schools. Students may attend any school anywhere within Germany, providing their grades are good enough and the school is willing to accept the student.
Germany is not quite the size of California, so we are quite different geographically as well as educationally, and according to the Educational System In Germany report, not all schools in Germany are consistent throughout their country. “It is important to note that there are regional differences in the education system in Germany.” The German states vary in their regional differences and their educational implementation.
The Christian Democrats, who have held power predominantly in the southern states, strongly identify with the traditional school forms and the fostering of the academic elite, while the Social Democrats have encouraged school reform as a means of increasing “equality of educational opportunity.” As a result, many aspects of schooling in the states of central and northern Germany differ from those in the southern German states, although each state has the same education structure and core curriculum, practice the same examination requirements for “completing upper secondary schooling (Abitur), and recognize school completion credentials from around the country.” It is the states who determine the educational curriculum, while the federal government “plays a minor role.”
Our American states also run the educational system, influencing mandates and standards implementation, but the federal government plays a larger role in education. Each German state's school structure has been influenced to some extent by different historical and political events. Education is the responsibility of each state, and part of their constitutional sovereignty. According to Renate, teachers are employed for the states by the Ministry of Education, and after a period of time can choose to hold that position for life. Teachers receive a reduction in their teaching hours if they assume the role of school administration. The local town is responsible for the school building and employs the janitorial and secretarial staff, typically two custodians and one secretary for a school of six to eight hundred students. In America, teachers are interviewed by administration, other teachers, school board, and community members, ultimately chosen by the principal with various input from the interviewing team, approved by the superintendent, and can hold a provisional contract for two to three years. These hiring practices vary from state to state and regions within states, depending on the school unit.
The disparities in educational programs are vastly different from state to state, region to region, county to county, and school unit to school unit in the United States. We have many exceptional schools who have demonstrated proven success for a number of years, but not all schools throughout our country can be “exceptional, and certainly there are “failing schools.” It is not clear that all our students have an equal beginning and a chance to continue in a direction they have chosen, but I do not believe the socio-economic factors are the entire fault for “failing schools.” Of course there are dismal situations in some of our nation’s schools, some of which are being addressed through reformative programs and intervention strategies, and there have been success stories reported. Michelle Rhee, Washington School Chancellor, made great strides improving those failing schools, changing leadership positions, administrators and teachers, although she did not embrace all the stakeholders and community leaders in the reformation process. It does take a team of collaborating leaders to make improvements. A report from Time magazine states,”Daily and weekly figures on student performance, attendance, tardiness — these numbers are pored over by teachers who are themselves regularly monitored and evaluated. The goal is for every person in the building to be constantly improving.” When a collaborative leadership team owns the strategic plan for improving a school unit, students achievement will result.
With each new administration, comes further developments to improve our educational status in the world. A Nation at Risk, a 1983 report commissioned by the Reagan Administration warned that "a rising tide of mediocrity in our schools threatens our very future as a nation." Due to the implementation of No Child Left Behind, schools are forced to make adequate yearly progress which is reported publicly. Former President Bush declared that in the Information Age, a solid education is a “fundamental civil right.” What will be done with these reports is another story involving reformation and transformation in our most troubled schools, all of which are currently being debated by the Obama administration, our Maine governor, the Maine Department of Education, and our local administrations. Can this leadership improve our schools? Once good leadership has been established, curriculum development can follow, and schools begin to improve in their climate, culture, and achievement levels. Heidi Hayes Jacob wrote, "Curriculum development is the essential function of school leadership. Whether this role is carried out by a principal, an assistant principal, for curriculum, a team leader, a department head, or by leading classroom teachers, the curriculum defines all other roles in a school.” There is no quick fix for troubled schools, but I do believe the solutions begin with our leadership, local, state, and national, collaboratively working for improvements in our educational system.
References
Ashwill, M. A. (1999, June). The Development and Implementation of Education Standards In Germany. Retrieved from:
http://www2.ed.gov/pubs/GermanCaseStudy/chapter1a.html
Chuck Emerson Media Services. (2001) How To Germany - German School System. Retrieved from: http://www.howtogermany.com/pages/germanschools.html
Cruz, G. (2002, February 22). A Quick Fix For America’s Worst Schools. Retrieved from: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1963754,00.html
Flippo, H. (2011). The German Way and More: Education.
Retrieved from: http://www.german-way.com/educ.html
Symonds, W. C. (2001, March 19). How To Fix America’s Schools. Bloomberg Business Week. Retrieved from:
(http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/01_12/b3724001.htm
The typical German school day begins at 7:30AM and ends around 12:-1:PM. Each day contains thirty to forty 45 minute periods per week with the secondary schools using 90 minute block lessons. After each 45 minute session, students have a fifteen-twenty minute break. There are about 12 compulsory subjects: two or three foreign languages (one to be taken for 9 years, another for at least 3 years), physics, biology, chemistry and usually civics/social studies (for at least 5, 7, 3, and 2 years, respectively), and mathematics, music, art, history, German, geography, physical education and religious education and ethics for 9 years. Renate Tower,(a Penobscot School German teacher), said in our brief interview that by Gymnasium entrance, students have at the minimum, taken five years of English. A few afternoon activities are offered at German schools, mainly choir or orchestra, sometimes sports, drama or languages, but not officially graded in students' report cards.
In German schools, students are not provided lunch, snacks, any extra curricular activities, and for some states, there is no school contained physical education. Libraries are not part of their schools, so students frequent their public libraries. Technology is limited, so there are no laptops provided to take home to work on their hours and hours of homework they are required to complete daily. They are not bussed to or from school, and attend only half days, with dismissal ranging from 12:-1:PM. They have two weeks less vacation than we have in our school year, attending school approximately 220 days to our 180 days per year. Renate prefers the school system in Maine over other schools she has observed in other states, and she prefers Maine schools over German schools, because students “have more opportunities to choose for themselves” what they want to do with their future lives. “It has not been decided when they are ten years old.”
Germany follows a strict grouping and tracking philosophy, providing “different paths for students based on individual ability.” Students remain in one of three groups for all their school years, unless the parents are rich and influential. American schools practice inclusion, assist students throughout their school career, and typically host after school and summer programs to assist any remedial learners to achieve and succeed in school. German students are segregated based on academic achievement in fourth-sixth grade, (varies from state to state), and both students and families feel the pressure for advancement into Gymnasium, attempting to avoid Hauptschule placement. Students can be home schooled in America, but homeschooling is not allowed in Germany. There are church run schools in Germany, and some private schools. Students may attend any school anywhere within Germany, providing their grades are good enough and the school is willing to accept the student.
Germany is not quite the size of California, so we are quite different geographically as well as educationally, and according to the Educational System In Germany report, not all schools in Germany are consistent throughout their country. “It is important to note that there are regional differences in the education system in Germany.” The German states vary in their regional differences and their educational implementation.
The Christian Democrats, who have held power predominantly in the southern states, strongly identify with the traditional school forms and the fostering of the academic elite, while the Social Democrats have encouraged school reform as a means of increasing “equality of educational opportunity.” As a result, many aspects of schooling in the states of central and northern Germany differ from those in the southern German states, although each state has the same education structure and core curriculum, practice the same examination requirements for “completing upper secondary schooling (Abitur), and recognize school completion credentials from around the country.” It is the states who determine the educational curriculum, while the federal government “plays a minor role.”
Our American states also run the educational system, influencing mandates and standards implementation, but the federal government plays a larger role in education. Each German state's school structure has been influenced to some extent by different historical and political events. Education is the responsibility of each state, and part of their constitutional sovereignty. According to Renate, teachers are employed for the states by the Ministry of Education, and after a period of time can choose to hold that position for life. Teachers receive a reduction in their teaching hours if they assume the role of school administration. The local town is responsible for the school building and employs the janitorial and secretarial staff, typically two custodians and one secretary for a school of six to eight hundred students. In America, teachers are interviewed by administration, other teachers, school board, and community members, ultimately chosen by the principal with various input from the interviewing team, approved by the superintendent, and can hold a provisional contract for two to three years. These hiring practices vary from state to state and regions within states, depending on the school unit.
The disparities in educational programs are vastly different from state to state, region to region, county to county, and school unit to school unit in the United States. We have many exceptional schools who have demonstrated proven success for a number of years, but not all schools throughout our country can be “exceptional, and certainly there are “failing schools.” It is not clear that all our students have an equal beginning and a chance to continue in a direction they have chosen, but I do not believe the socio-economic factors are the entire fault for “failing schools.” Of course there are dismal situations in some of our nation’s schools, some of which are being addressed through reformative programs and intervention strategies, and there have been success stories reported. Michelle Rhee, Washington School Chancellor, made great strides improving those failing schools, changing leadership positions, administrators and teachers, although she did not embrace all the stakeholders and community leaders in the reformation process. It does take a team of collaborating leaders to make improvements. A report from Time magazine states,”Daily and weekly figures on student performance, attendance, tardiness — these numbers are pored over by teachers who are themselves regularly monitored and evaluated. The goal is for every person in the building to be constantly improving.” When a collaborative leadership team owns the strategic plan for improving a school unit, students achievement will result.
With each new administration, comes further developments to improve our educational status in the world. A Nation at Risk, a 1983 report commissioned by the Reagan Administration warned that "a rising tide of mediocrity in our schools threatens our very future as a nation." Due to the implementation of No Child Left Behind, schools are forced to make adequate yearly progress which is reported publicly. Former President Bush declared that in the Information Age, a solid education is a “fundamental civil right.” What will be done with these reports is another story involving reformation and transformation in our most troubled schools, all of which are currently being debated by the Obama administration, our Maine governor, the Maine Department of Education, and our local administrations. Can this leadership improve our schools? Once good leadership has been established, curriculum development can follow, and schools begin to improve in their climate, culture, and achievement levels. Heidi Hayes Jacob wrote, "Curriculum development is the essential function of school leadership. Whether this role is carried out by a principal, an assistant principal, for curriculum, a team leader, a department head, or by leading classroom teachers, the curriculum defines all other roles in a school.” There is no quick fix for troubled schools, but I do believe the solutions begin with our leadership, local, state, and national, collaboratively working for improvements in our educational system.
References
Ashwill, M. A. (1999, June). The Development and Implementation of Education Standards In Germany. Retrieved from:
http://www2.ed.gov/pubs/GermanCaseStudy/chapter1a.html
Chuck Emerson Media Services. (2001) How To Germany - German School System. Retrieved from: http://www.howtogermany.com/pages/germanschools.html
Cruz, G. (2002, February 22). A Quick Fix For America’s Worst Schools. Retrieved from: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1963754,00.html
Flippo, H. (2011). The German Way and More: Education.
Retrieved from: http://www.german-way.com/educ.html
Symonds, W. C. (2001, March 19). How To Fix America’s Schools. Bloomberg Business Week. Retrieved from:
(http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/01_12/b3724001.htm
Friday, July 8, 2011
Commentary - Will Richarson's "weblogg-ed"
When I first skimmed through Will Richardson’s blog, I was skeptical about his philosophy. He grabbed my full attention when I read, “We don’t give kids time to go deep, we don’t honor failure, and we’re not about learning to learn as much as we are about learning to know.”
Many of Will’s thirteen (“baker’s dozen”) expectations for learning outcomes are practiced in our schools, but how they are implemented are different then the description Will shared in his blog. Our school has worked through transitions and integration processes over the last few years, and most participants have faired well and are content and successful in their new positions or have retired, but I would not say everyone “embraced” this change in our school structure.
The health and fitness areas have been examined and a revised wellness policy was approved this spring. Whether the revised edition will be implemented as structured is an outcome yet to be seen, but with our good leadership and staff, it is possible there will be improvement in these areas. What we need to work on is “developing expertise” in learning to learn. This resource was a good awakening.
In Curriculum 21, the Cloud Institute advocates that students learn specific topics and attributes as future citizens in a sustainable global world. This organization offered a course,”Inventing The Future:Leadership and Participation For The 21st Century” that showed positive outcomes after reviewing the 18 month evaluation. This is a good idea with good intentions, and the participants were ready, willing, and able to contribute, develop, investigate, explore, envision, research, and so on. Not all educational stakeholders are ready, willing, or able to follow this example. These good changes do not happen without incentive from exterior as well as interior motivation from the educational stakeholders. Unless our leadership has bought into these ideas with support from our community and school board, this type of change will not happen. The ownership begins at the top.
As I have stated, our school system has good leadership, but they can only do so much with what has been given to them. I believe we are headed in the right direction, striving to improve in all areas throughout our school unit, but this will take some time to achieve.
Many of Will’s thirteen (“baker’s dozen”) expectations for learning outcomes are practiced in our schools, but how they are implemented are different then the description Will shared in his blog. Our school has worked through transitions and integration processes over the last few years, and most participants have faired well and are content and successful in their new positions or have retired, but I would not say everyone “embraced” this change in our school structure.
The health and fitness areas have been examined and a revised wellness policy was approved this spring. Whether the revised edition will be implemented as structured is an outcome yet to be seen, but with our good leadership and staff, it is possible there will be improvement in these areas. What we need to work on is “developing expertise” in learning to learn. This resource was a good awakening.
In Curriculum 21, the Cloud Institute advocates that students learn specific topics and attributes as future citizens in a sustainable global world. This organization offered a course,”Inventing The Future:Leadership and Participation For The 21st Century” that showed positive outcomes after reviewing the 18 month evaluation. This is a good idea with good intentions, and the participants were ready, willing, and able to contribute, develop, investigate, explore, envision, research, and so on. Not all educational stakeholders are ready, willing, or able to follow this example. These good changes do not happen without incentive from exterior as well as interior motivation from the educational stakeholders. Unless our leadership has bought into these ideas with support from our community and school board, this type of change will not happen. The ownership begins at the top.
As I have stated, our school system has good leadership, but they can only do so much with what has been given to them. I believe we are headed in the right direction, striving to improve in all areas throughout our school unit, but this will take some time to achieve.
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Curriculum 21 Commentary
According to Jacobs, the three key questions for upgrading content, “What is essential and timeless? What is not essential or dated? What should be created that is evident and necessary?” all need to be addressed concerning curriculum design and implementation. Once the various stakeholders have been organized and the people who decide how these questions will be answered are established, discussions for actual planning can begin. It was refreshing to read about social studies as the first choice. “It is ultimately the study of ourselves as human beings that is the basis for addressing contemporary issues.”(Jacobs, 2010).This is a brilliant idea for initiating life long learning and encouraging students to become the “social scientists” necessary for state, national, and global awareness.
Our newly formed high school has planned integrated curriculum across the content areas, and have organized teams to address the needs of the whole child. This plan is in its initial stages, and it is a fluid process that will be manipulated and guided throughout the process over a period of several years. We are fortunate to have forward thinking administrators leading the way. They must have copies of this book!
Another good idea she described was to combine health and physical education into one curriculum. Pasco Count schools in Florida are doing just that, but they have taken it a step further with online P.E. classes. Some part of the curriculum does involve a computer monitor, because it is instruction about health and wellness topics, nutrition information and education about drugs and alcohol. Students have to submit a log of their physical activity verified by an adult, such as a coach, YMCA trainer, or their parent. The feedback has been positive with most reporting more physical activity than students in a traditional physical education class. This virtual school has been in operation since the 1990’s, and in 2009 Florida required all districts to provide online course options. The National Association for Sport and Physical Education said, “Online physical education in neither inherently good or bad.” What do you think?
Retrieved from: rblair@tampatrib.com
Our newly formed high school has planned integrated curriculum across the content areas, and have organized teams to address the needs of the whole child. This plan is in its initial stages, and it is a fluid process that will be manipulated and guided throughout the process over a period of several years. We are fortunate to have forward thinking administrators leading the way. They must have copies of this book!
Another good idea she described was to combine health and physical education into one curriculum. Pasco Count schools in Florida are doing just that, but they have taken it a step further with online P.E. classes. Some part of the curriculum does involve a computer monitor, because it is instruction about health and wellness topics, nutrition information and education about drugs and alcohol. Students have to submit a log of their physical activity verified by an adult, such as a coach, YMCA trainer, or their parent. The feedback has been positive with most reporting more physical activity than students in a traditional physical education class. This virtual school has been in operation since the 1990’s, and in 2009 Florida required all districts to provide online course options. The National Association for Sport and Physical Education said, “Online physical education in neither inherently good or bad.” What do you think?
Retrieved from: rblair@tampatrib.com
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Blog # 2 - Curriculum
Dear Colleagues,
Curriculum planning has been part of my school life since around 1999. We had our first curriculum coordinator who gave good directions and inspired everyone in the art of curriculum writing for our district. Although I had experience with curriculum writing from college, the basic template for our district curriculum writing was somewhat different than early college curriculum writing.
We worked on everyone's curriculum, with all teachers assigned to different curriculum committees.I was assigned to the social studies curriculum committee. Last year I wrote a basic 8th grade health curriculum for nutrition, and at this time I am working on a 9th grade social studies curriculum.
Any assistance in the area of curriculum writing would be appreciated.
Thank you.
Sincerely yours,
Jo Ann G. Weatherbee
Curriculum planning has been part of my school life since around 1999. We had our first curriculum coordinator who gave good directions and inspired everyone in the art of curriculum writing for our district. Although I had experience with curriculum writing from college, the basic template for our district curriculum writing was somewhat different than early college curriculum writing.
We worked on everyone's curriculum, with all teachers assigned to different curriculum committees.I was assigned to the social studies curriculum committee. Last year I wrote a basic 8th grade health curriculum for nutrition, and at this time I am working on a 9th grade social studies curriculum.
Any assistance in the area of curriculum writing would be appreciated.
Thank you.
Sincerely yours,
Jo Ann G. Weatherbee
Monday, June 20, 2011
Blog # 3: Schools To Study
Blog # 3: Schools To Study - Jo Ann G. Weatherbee
by Jo Ann G Weatherbee - Sunday, June 19, 2011, 08:04 PM
1. The first school I reviewed was Prep North Central, an exemplary, integrated project based school that does not except excuses; all are responsible for their actions and their success, although every day is a new day. They have an extended day, 7:30AM-4:30PM, positive culture, strict discipline, a contract for success,parental involvement with home visits conducted, and teachers who genuinely care about the success of their students.
2. The next school was in New york, Comprehensive Assessment Drives Long Term Success, School of the Future. Philosophy is what you assess is what you teach with real world thinking and students learning the discipline of thinking. The "right answer is not the point here", applying the skill to a problem is the focus, e.g.slope formula application:"Does the stairs in the school comply with the state building codes?"They make connections to real life and see their progress which empowers them to succeed. The work is collaborative with real data and real assessment and students and teachers feel valued and appreciated.
3. Knowledge Is Power Program - KIPP: There are five pillars for success in this school, High Expectations, Choice and Commitment, More Time, Power To Lead, and Focus On Results. High Expectations. KIPP schools have clearly defined and measurable high expectations for academic achievement and conduct that make no excuses based on the students' backgrounds. Students, parents, teachers, and staff create and reinforce a culture of achievement and support through a range of formal and informal rewards and consequences for academic performance and behavior.
Choice & Commitment. Students, their parents, and the faculty of each KIPP school choose to participate in the program. No one is assigned or forced to attend a KIPP school. Everyone must make and uphold a commitment to the school and to each other to put in the time and effort required to achieve success.More Time. KIPP schools know that there are no shortcuts when it comes to success in academics and life. With an extended school day, week, and year, students have more time in the classroom to acquire the academic knowledge and skills that will prepare them for competitive high schools and colleges, as well as more opportunities to engage in diverse extracurricular experiences.
Power to Lead. The principals of KIPP schools are effective academic and organizational leaders who understand that great schools require great school leaders. They have control over their school budget and personnel. They are free to swiftly move dollars or make staffing changes, allowing them maximum effectiveness in helping students learn.
Focus on Results. KIPP schools relentlessly focus on high student performance on standardized tests and other objective measures. Just as there are no shortcuts, there are no excuses. Students are expected to achieve a level of academic performance that will enable them to succeed at the nation's best high schools and colleges.
4.Minnesota New Country School: This school also has high expectations for their students, highly personalized, caring, with respect and responsibility expected and modeled. They have a self-directed, project-based learning primary focus; driven by constructivist pedagogy (Adults explain; Students explain); a Personalized Learning Plan (PLP) for all students emphasizing
student needs and interests; a Personalized work space for each student; Internet access;Technology infused environment; technology as a tool;Individual/group projects complemented by multiple teaching approaches based on student needs and interests;Achievement demonstrated publicly; highest work place standards are quality goal;All students prepared for post-secondary education, workplace and active citizenship ;All students and staff engage in quiet reading every day.
Commonalities Between The Schools=
a. Caring, respectful, responsible environments
b. Project based learning
c. Authentic assessment
d. Self-directed learning - adults explain, students explain = collaboration
e. Parental involvement
f. Time for success with an extended school day
g. Technology infused
h. Positive and strict discipline
i. Highly successful with most students attending college
by Jo Ann G Weatherbee - Sunday, June 19, 2011, 08:04 PM
1. The first school I reviewed was Prep North Central, an exemplary, integrated project based school that does not except excuses; all are responsible for their actions and their success, although every day is a new day. They have an extended day, 7:30AM-4:30PM, positive culture, strict discipline, a contract for success,parental involvement with home visits conducted, and teachers who genuinely care about the success of their students.
2. The next school was in New york, Comprehensive Assessment Drives Long Term Success, School of the Future. Philosophy is what you assess is what you teach with real world thinking and students learning the discipline of thinking. The "right answer is not the point here", applying the skill to a problem is the focus, e.g.slope formula application:"Does the stairs in the school comply with the state building codes?"They make connections to real life and see their progress which empowers them to succeed. The work is collaborative with real data and real assessment and students and teachers feel valued and appreciated.
3. Knowledge Is Power Program - KIPP: There are five pillars for success in this school, High Expectations, Choice and Commitment, More Time, Power To Lead, and Focus On Results. High Expectations. KIPP schools have clearly defined and measurable high expectations for academic achievement and conduct that make no excuses based on the students' backgrounds. Students, parents, teachers, and staff create and reinforce a culture of achievement and support through a range of formal and informal rewards and consequences for academic performance and behavior.
Choice & Commitment. Students, their parents, and the faculty of each KIPP school choose to participate in the program. No one is assigned or forced to attend a KIPP school. Everyone must make and uphold a commitment to the school and to each other to put in the time and effort required to achieve success.More Time. KIPP schools know that there are no shortcuts when it comes to success in academics and life. With an extended school day, week, and year, students have more time in the classroom to acquire the academic knowledge and skills that will prepare them for competitive high schools and colleges, as well as more opportunities to engage in diverse extracurricular experiences.
Power to Lead. The principals of KIPP schools are effective academic and organizational leaders who understand that great schools require great school leaders. They have control over their school budget and personnel. They are free to swiftly move dollars or make staffing changes, allowing them maximum effectiveness in helping students learn.
Focus on Results. KIPP schools relentlessly focus on high student performance on standardized tests and other objective measures. Just as there are no shortcuts, there are no excuses. Students are expected to achieve a level of academic performance that will enable them to succeed at the nation's best high schools and colleges.
4.Minnesota New Country School: This school also has high expectations for their students, highly personalized, caring, with respect and responsibility expected and modeled. They have a self-directed, project-based learning primary focus; driven by constructivist pedagogy (Adults explain; Students explain); a Personalized Learning Plan (PLP) for all students emphasizing
student needs and interests; a Personalized work space for each student; Internet access;Technology infused environment; technology as a tool;Individual/group projects complemented by multiple teaching approaches based on student needs and interests;Achievement demonstrated publicly; highest work place standards are quality goal;All students prepared for post-secondary education, workplace and active citizenship ;All students and staff engage in quiet reading every day.
Commonalities Between The Schools=
a. Caring, respectful, responsible environments
b. Project based learning
c. Authentic assessment
d. Self-directed learning - adults explain, students explain = collaboration
e. Parental involvement
f. Time for success with an extended school day
g. Technology infused
h. Positive and strict discipline
i. Highly successful with most students attending college
Introductions - Jo Ann G. Weatherbee
Dear Colleagues,
Recently, my position has been changed to Oceanside H.S. West as one of two 9th grade Modern World History teachers. Currently, I am enrolled in a social studies master's program,and this class is one of the recommended courses. It seems I will learn more technology than anticipated, although I look forward to the challenges and opportunities described in the assignment list.
The required textbooks have not arrived from amazon,and I leave for Florida June 23-30. Obviously, I will remain in contact online completing all assignments as requested with a little help from all of you. It was difficult to navigate Moodle, and now where do I sign up for Skype and gmail?
Thank you for your assistance, and most of all your patience!
Sincerely yours,
Jo Ann G. Weatherbee
Recently, my position has been changed to Oceanside H.S. West as one of two 9th grade Modern World History teachers. Currently, I am enrolled in a social studies master's program,and this class is one of the recommended courses. It seems I will learn more technology than anticipated, although I look forward to the challenges and opportunities described in the assignment list.
The required textbooks have not arrived from amazon,and I leave for Florida June 23-30. Obviously, I will remain in contact online completing all assignments as requested with a little help from all of you. It was difficult to navigate Moodle, and now where do I sign up for Skype and gmail?
Thank you for your assistance, and most of all your patience!
Sincerely yours,
Jo Ann G. Weatherbee
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