Herbert Kohl links and written text

Ten Minutes a Day
Herbert R. Kohl

Bio
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herbert_Kohl_%28education%29

http://www.soe.usfca.edu/departments/ime/rtwconf/speakers/speakers_kohl.html

The beginning of change in how a teacher runs the class room, starts when the teacher is unsatisfied with how he or she is teaching
The change has to be desirable to the teacher
Kohl suggests that teachers remember how they were taught in order to reconstruct their classrooms
What did they like or dislike?

The suggestion of 10 minutes comes from his idea of trying a new method for 10 minutes and eventually expand to teaching that way all day
Kohl encourages bringing adults from the community into the classroom who aren't teachers
He also believes in the opposite: taking the students into the community where they live and relate experiences to the community

Kohl believes that students can more easily adapt to an open environment than the teacher
He suggests not trying something incompatible to how the teacher thinks
“Changing the nature of life in the classroom is no less difficult than changing one’s own personality, and every bit as dangerous and time consuming. It is also as rewarding”
(p 106)

He warns that if you are content being an authoritarian teacher, there is no point in trying to change that
Suggests that you discuss or write down what you want to change about your teaching style
Present the students with options that seem like they would be interesting to the students- allow them to sit and do nothing if they choose for the 10 min
Make it clear that nothing will be graded or needs to be explained in that time period

Step out of the way, but don’t disappear- you are available for help or talk
Learn to be lead by the students
- Follow their ideas, learn about the things they are interested in
If you, the teacher, do not know certain things they want to learn about find someone who does know or get the information and share it- then step out again


Allow the students to say no to what you want them to learn
Kohl cautions that other teachers might think what you are doing as “uneducational”
After the excursions, there was always a classroom discussion
Ask for parental help
The whole community should be where students learn, not just the classroom

What are some things you would do with those 10 minutes?
Ten minutes a day. (20101). In S.O.U.R.C.E.S Notable selections in education (3rd ed., pp. 105-109). Guilford, CT: McGraw-Hill/Dushkin. (Reprinted from A practical guide to a new way of teaching, by H. Kohl, 1969, New York Review)

Additional Resources on B.F. Skinner

B. F. Skinner

(1920-1990)

REFERENCES:

Johnson, J.A., Musial, D, Hall, G.E., Gollnick, D.M., & Dupuis, V.L. (2005). Introduction to the

     foundations of American education. 14th ed. Boston: Pearson Education.

Schultz, F. (2000). SOURCES: Notable selections in education. New York: McGraw-Hill

     Dushkin.

FURTHER READING:

Abra, J. (1988). Skinner on creativity: A critical commentary. Leonardo, 21, 407-412.

Barash, D.P. (2005, April 1). B.F. Skinner, revisited. The Chronicle of Higher Education, 

     pp. B10-B11.

Chance, P. & Vargas, J. S. (2002, May/June). The depths of genius. Psychology Today, p. 52. 

Hablas, R. H. (1979). Science and education: An examination of metaphor in the work of

     B.F. Skinner. Ph. D. dissertation, University of Dallas, United States. Retrieved April 28,

     2008, from Dissertation Abstracts International. (Publication No. AAT 8117141).

Thyer, B. A. (2007). On the possible influence of Bertrand Russell on B.F. Skinner's approach

     to education. The Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 40, 587.

Extra Sources for Presentation-Maxine Greene

Greene, M. (2007). The Maxine Greene Foundation:For social imagination, the arts, & education.
Retrieved on April 22, 2008 from http://www.maxinegreene.org/

This website packs a lot of infomration about Maxine Greene's life, her work, videos, speeches and articles that all represent her hard life's work and inspiration and progression made to education and hopefully to social change.


Dr. Greene feels that through art, people can come together of all different cultures, avoid stereoptypes, and become unified. This can help bring about social change and mend our world.

Art & Social Change Conference-Inspired by Maxine Greene from March 2008
Retrieved on April 22, 2008 from http://youtube.com/watch?v=Sm-kWImQB38/.

This website touches on Maxine Greene's opinions and view points regarding education, knowledge and their importance.

Shaw R. & Rozycki E.G. (2000). The Educational Theory of Maxine Greene.
Retrieved on April 22, 2008 from http://www.newfoundations.com/GALLERY/Greene.html.

Additional Resources E.D. Hirsch, Jr.: Literacy and Cultural Literacy by Marijana Ljutic

Marijana Ljutic
Professor King
Historical;, Philosophical, Multicultural Foundations
UEGE-5102-002
April 29, 2008

Additional Sources on E.D. Hirsch, Jr.: Literacy and Cultural Literacy

A Brief Summary of My Presentation:

The presentation on E.D. Hirsch, Jr. titled Literacy and Cultural Literacy dealt

with the crisis in the educational system in the United States. Cultural literacy of

American students is declining compared to other nations. The school systems within this

nation are not teaching students the core information which they are lacking an

understanding of. Schools are instead overloading students with too many options in the

curricula that no two students attending the same high school, for example, could be

taking completely different courses. There is no common curriculum that all students are

required to take which would help ensure that all students have a core background of

information. In order for schools in the United States to improve its standard of education

schools need to establish a core information which all students need to have. If students

have not learned and mastered basic knowledge then it is difficult to understand more

complex material.

Additional Sources On Cultural Literacy:

Denny, Kevin 2002. New Methods for Comparing Literacy across Populations: Insights
From the Measurement of Poverty. Journal of the Royal Statistical Society. Series
A (Statistics in Society), Vol. 165, No. 3 (2002), pp. 481-493 Published by:
Blackwell Publishing for the Royal Statistical Society Retrieved April 29, 2008.
http://www.jstor.org.avoserv.library.fordham.edu/action/showArticle?doi=10.2307/3559699&Search=yes&term=literacy&term=cultural&item=3&returnArticleService=showArticle&ttl=34188&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3Dcultural%2Bliteracy%26x%3D23%26y%3D11

Ljutic 2

Kantrowitz, Barbara (1992, November). What Kids Need to
Know. Newsweek, 120(18), 80. Retrieved April 29, 2008, from Research
Library database. (Document ID: 5605825). http://proquest.umi.com.avoserv.library.fordham.edu/pqdweb?index=7&did=5605825&SrchMode=1&sid=4&Fmt=2&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1209513063&clientId=9148

St John-Brooks, Caroline (1990, April). Trivial pursuit or essential information? The
Times Educational Supplement,(3850), 11. Retrieved April 29, 2008, from

Research Library database. (Document ID: 8880238).
http://proquest.umi.com.avoserv.library.fordham.edu/pqdweb?index=11&did=8880238&SrchMode=1&sid=1&Fmt=2&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1209513216&clientId=9148

The Knowledge Deficit: Closing the Shocking Education Gap for American
Children. (2006, February). Publishers Weekly, 253(7), 79. Retrieved April 29, 2008, from Research Library database. (Document ID: 988995841). http://proquest.umi.com.avoserv.library.fordham.edu/pqdweb?index=0&did=988995841&SrchMode=1&sid=3&Fmt=3&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1209512937&clientId=9148

www.coreknowledge.org . 2008 The Core Knowledge Foundation | 801 E. High Street |
Charlottesville, VA 22902.

Additional Resources: DuBois

Sarah Connell
UEGE 5102
April 29, 2008

Additional Resources

Barksdale, R. and K. Kinnamon. Black Writers of America. Upper Saddle River, NJ:
1972, pg 745-813.

DuBois, W.E.B. "Of Mr. Booker T. Washington and Others." Sources: Notable Selections in Education. Ed. Fred Schultz. 3rd ed. Guilford, CT: McGraw-Hill/Dushkin, 2001.

Poxpey, Spencer. " The Washington-Dubois Controversy and Its Effect on the Negro Problem." History of Education Journal 8.4 (1957): 128-52. 29 Apr. 2008 .

Additional Resources on Henry Giroux and Critical Pedagogy

The following websites provide good overviews of the tenets of critical pedagogy and describe the life and work of Henry Giroux:

• http://www.henryagiroux.com/ [See this site for a list of Giroux's many publications and links to his online articles.]
• http://www.perfectfit.org/CT/giroux1.html [Quotes Giroux on the roles of schools, teachers, and curriculum in critical pedagogy.]
• http://mingo.info-science.uiowa.edu/~stevens/critped/page1.htm

Check out video of an interview with Giroux himself about his thoughts concerning critical pedagogy. This is a six-part YouTube series:

1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvCs6XkT3-o
2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HQRPUBsEj0
3. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4hS4JPx3KY&feature=related
4. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdWsebB0NRc&feature=related
5. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUaKSrvfsGM&feature=related
6. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0zc8Upo6ro

In addition to Giroux's books and articles (which are listed in the two websites at top), these are some interesting books on critical pedagogy of special interest to teachers:

• Duncan-Andrade, J., & Morrell, E. (2008). The art of critical pedagogy: Possibilities for moving from theory to practice in urban schools. New York: Peter Lang. [A good resource for those in our class who plan to teach in New York City and want to be practitioners of critical pedagogy in an urban setting.]
• McLaren, P., & Kincheloe, J. L. (Eds.). (2007). Critical pedagogy: Where are we now? New York: Peter Lang. [This book discusses implications for critical pedagogy in the twenty-first century amidst technology and accountability.]

For all my math teachers out there, here is a research article (in PDF format) that discusses the use of critical pedagogy to develop "mathematics for social justice":

• http://math.unipa.it/~grim/21_project/21_charlotte_StinsonPaperEdit.pdf

Food for Thought:

• Is No Child Left Behind the antithesis of critical pedagogy? See what Giroux has to say at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgdVCnTTqXA
• Does Disney impede the empowerment of some children? If so, perhaps Disney should be kept out of the classroom. Check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byaMd_PNyIY

Jonathan Kozol "Savage Inequalities"- Extra Sources- Domenica Beauford

Jonathan Kozol- “Savage Inequalities: Children in America’s Schools
Outside Sources- Extra Information
Domenica Beauford

http://www.curp.neu.edu/sitearchive/staffpicks.asp?id=1117
(A review of Savage Inequalities: Children in America’s Schools)

http://www.blackcommentator.com/13_education.html
(Black Children Still Victimized by “Savage Inequalities”: Public education amid Racism and Isolation- An article about the racial inequalities that exist in education.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bu9PeeS0DGY&feature=related
(Jonathan Kozol: Letter to a Young Teacher- a video of Kozol speaking)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urBIZUrDmFo&feature=related
(Jonathan Kozol: The Restoration of Apartheid Schooling- a video of Kozol speaking to people about being a teacher and dealing with these inequalities)

The Shame of the Nation: The Restoration of Apartheid Schooling in America
by Jonathan Kozol
Published in 2005
Another one of his books that talks about more of his experiences of inequalities in American schools.

Amazing Grace: The Lives of Children and the Conscience of a Nation
by Jonathan Kozol
Published in 1995

Additional Resources for James Baldwin

• This website provides a biography of James Baldwin as well as a list of his major works. PBS featured him in the American Masters series and there is a link on the webpage for local broadcasts of James Baldwin: The Price of a Ticket.

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/database/baldwin_j.html

• This website includes a long list of links for James Baldwin’s works, biography, and criticism as well as providing some sample lesson plans for teaching Baldwin to students.

http://falcon.jmu.edu/~ramseyil/baldwin.htm

• This link shows Baldwin featured on the cover of the May 17, 1963 issue of TIME magazine

http://www.time.com/time/covers/0,16641,19630517,00.html

• This video shows an interview with Baldwin who speaks about his childhood growing up in Harlem.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhU2iKMEXUQ

• Works of Fiction:

Baldwin, J. (1957). Giovanni’s Room. Michael Joseph.

Baldwin, J. (1980). Just Above my Head. Corgi Books.

References

Schultz, F. (Ed.). (2001). Sources: Notable Selections in Education (3rd ed.). Guilford:

McGraw-Hill/Dushkin

Additional Resources for John Dewey - Education and Social Change presentation

This site identifies the connections between education and democracy. It refers to Dewey’s book, Democracy and Education, as well as the works of Piaget and Neisser:

http://web.ebscohost.com.avoserv.library.fordham.edu/ehost/pdf?vid=17&hid=112&sid=b899d419-4308-466e-842c-578d4b0b5e7a%40sessionmgr104

This is an interesting article that refers to the works of Dewey in relation to today’s educational world, particularly relating to standardized testing and high-stakes decisions for schools:

Daniel W Stuckart, Jeffrey Glanz. (2007, December). What Dewey Can Still Teach Us. Principal Leadership, 8 (4), 16-21. Retrieved April 29, 2008, from Research Library database. (Document ID: 1398283781).

This is a video about Progressivism in the 1940s. This helps us understand what was going on for education in Dewey's time:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opXKmwg8VQM

This book contains John Dewey's essay "Education and Social Change:"

Dewey, J. (2001). Education and social change. In F. Schultz (Ed.), SOURCES: Notable selections in education (3rd ed.) (pp. 333-341). New York: McGraw-Hill Dushkin.

This textbook contains information about Dewey as a philosopher, educator, and founder of Progressivism:

Johnson, J. A., Musial, D., Hall, G. E., Gollnick, D. M., & Dupuis, V. L. (2008). Foundations of American education: Perspectives on education in a changing world (14th ed.). Boston: Pearson Educational.

This is a book written by John Dewey. We can take a closer look at his ideas about education in a democratic society:

Dewey, John. (1916). Democracy and Education. New York: The MacMillan Company.

Additional Resources for Cornel West

Additional reading by or about Dr. Cornel West

Johnson, C. S. (2003). Cornel west and philosophy: The quest for social justice. New
York. Routledge.

West, Cornel (1993). Keeping faith: Philosophy and race in america. New York.
Routledge.

West, Cornel (1997). Restoring hope: Conversations on the future of black America.
Boston. Beacon Press.

West, Cornel (1999). The cornel west reader. New York. Basic Civitas Books.



Additional Links

http://www.pragmatism.org/library/west/


http://www.aecf.org/KnowledgeCenter/PublicationsSeries/RaceMatters.aspx

Related Videos of Cornel West

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxGRBIElSe0


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsdBrv_JA0s&feature=related

Images of Cornel West

http://www.wright.edu/news_events/news/cornel_west_lg.jpg

Additional information related to Diane Ravitch's "The Troubled Crusade"

-History of the State Education Department

http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/edocs/education/sedhist.htm


-President Truman’s Commission of Higher Education for Democracy, 1947

http://www.ed.uiuc.edu/courses/eol474/sp98/truman.html

-The Nation’s Report Card: 2006

http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/pdf/main2006/2007474.pdf

-U.S. Department Of Education: The Federal Role in Education, an overview

http://www.ed.gov/about/overview/fed/role.html?src=ln

-More information about Diane Ravitch

http://www.dianeravitch.com/

Brown v. Board of Ed. Resources

• The Brown Foundation website provides resources pertaining to the case. http://brownvboard.org/index.htm
• This four minute clip is an excellent resource for teachers to use to spark deep discussions.
• The following website is a good source of information and activity ideas for any landmark court case you might cover with your class. http://www.landmarkcases.org/brown/home.html
  

Further Elizabeth Cady Stanton Resources

Government Legislation Regarding Discrimination:

• Title IX - part of the 1972 Higher Education Amendment, Title IX addresses the civil rights of girls and women in the education system. It requires that “federally funded schools and colleges provide equal educational opportunity to girls and women” (Johnson, Musial, Hall, Gollnick, & Dupuis, 2008, p. 64)

• http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/tix_dis.html

Additional Resources Regarding Discrimination in the Classroom:

• http://www.now.org/ - National Organization for Women (NOW)

This website supports legislation for equity and candidates who support women’s rights and equity, and actively fights against sexual discrimination and harassment.

• http://www.aauw.org/ - American Association of University Women (AAUW)

This website includes discussions of issues, government policies, and research related to education and equity for girls and women.

Additional Elizabeth Cady Stanton Resources:

• Video clip - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXNQPb6bzT4

This video clip from YouTube presents an overview of Elizabeth Cady Stanton’s life and shows the roots from which her commitment to engaging in the struggle for women’s rights developed.

• DuBois, E. & Smith, R.C. (Eds.). (2007). Elizabeth Cady Stanton, feminist as thinker: A reader in documents and essays. New York: NYU Press.

• Libresco, A.S. (1995). Suffrage and social change: The organizing strategies of Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony. Social Education, 59, 266-269.

References

• Johnson, J.A., Musial, D., Hall, G.E., Gollnick, D.M., & Dupuis, V.L. (2008). Foundations of American education: Perspectives on education in a changing world (14^th ed.). Boston: Pearson Education.

• Schultz, F. (2000). SOURCES: Notable selections in education. New York: McGraw-Hill Dushkin.

Further Illich Resources

Ivan Illich and Deschooling Society Resources:
Illich, I. (1970). Celebration of awareness. Garden City, NY: Doubleday.
Illich, I. (1970). Deschooling society. New York: Harper and Row.
Illich, I. (2001). Deschooling society. In F. Shultz (Ed.), (2001). SOURCES: Notable
selections in education. (3rd ed.). Guilford, CT: McGraw/Dushkin, 95-102.
Hart, I. (2001). Deschooling and the web: Ivan Illich 30 years on. In Educational Media
International. 38 (2-3). 69-78.
Palmer, A. (Ed.). (2001). Ivan Illich. In Fifty modern thinkers on education: From Piaget
to the present. New York: Routledge. 181-187.

"To Hell with Good Intentions"- Another one of Illich’s provoking and controversial works, it argues against the presence of U.S. volunteers in developing countries:
http://www.swaraj.org/illich_hell.htm

4/10/08 Critical Essay #3

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Deadline for this 3rd online entry is 4/10/08 6pm

Thank you so much for your excellent work - you are a pleasure to be among!

Sincerely and virtually yours,
Dr King

Crit Refl 2-Parental Involvement

Kim Warga
Multicultural Foundations of Education
Dr. K. King
February 26, 2008
Critical Reflection Project #2

Hot Topic: Parental Involvement in Education

While there are numerous hot topics concerning our education system, I feel that the topic of parental involvement is one facet of education that can be addressed and fixed to make vast strides in the quality of education for our children. The simple issue of having a parents present when helping with homework or in attendance at class meetings may not seem so vital; however, it is something that can make a huge difference in a child’s life.
Many feel that parental involvement in schools provides numerous benefits which allow for a more successful school experience. There have been multiple research studies done that have shown “parents are instrumental to their children’s academic success and that parental involvement has a positive impact on student achievement” (Stewart, 2008, pg. 4). Parental involvement does not only include homework help; other facets of this issue include attendance at teacher conferences and involvement in school activities, such as open houses and social activities” (Stewart, 2008, pg. 5). Johnson and her colleagues (2005) point out that there has been such a drastic decline in parental involvement through past decades, so much in fact, that some theorize public education may not survive the next century. This may be hard to fathom, but “parental support has always been the backbone for public education” and without it, “the schools that lack communication with parents may not survive” (Johnson et al., 2005, pg. 476). School maybe the main place where a child grows a sense of character, but “the most profound impact on students' development comes from their families, notably their parents — whether we look at social, moral, behavioral, or academic development” (Berkowitz & Bier, 2005, pg. 1) These are only a few reasons why parental involvement is important.
Unfortunately, being involved in their children’s scholastic lives is not always easy for some parents. Mothers and fathers that work multiple jobs, have a low socioeconomic status, and fight to make ends meet may not be able to get involved. They may not be neglecting their responsibilities, but rather just unable to do everything that is required of them in just one day (LaBahn, 1995). Other parents “feel un-welcomed at school, lack knowledge and education, and may not feel that education is important” (LaBahn, 1995, pg. 2). Some parents may not speak English or be able to comprehend the school work of their children. This leads to embarrassment and neglect of parental involvement in their child’s lives which lead to less parental involvement in schools.
I think parental involvement is something that is completely beneficial and necessary for a child’s success. We learn and grow from our parents; when our children go off to school, parental care is needed more than ever. Parental involvement helps guide a child and make them better individuals. As said earlier, a child with involved parents ends up achieving higher grades academically, does a better job of communicating, has better morals, etc. Parents help to shape their child’s character. Obviously, parental involvement is necessary but is not always easy. There are many preoccupations and responsibilities parents face. Schools need to promote programs that help guide parents enforce communication and involvement. These “how to’s” can make a parent want to become more involved and take pressures away, putting parents more at ease. At the same time, companies need to keep in mind that children are the future of our world. There needs to be higher pay and more flexible hours for parents with school aged children. These times are monumental and can easily make or break a child. Communication is necessary for the prosperity of schools and school communities. Not only do the parents need to make an effort with the desire of their children to do well, the principal and teachers also have to make strong efforts to communicate to parents how important they are and beneficial they can be to a child’s scholastic life.


References:
LaBahn, J. (1995). Education and parental involvement in secondary schools: Problems, solutions, and effects. Educational Psychology Interactive, 20, 120-126.
Johnson, J. A., Musial, D, Hall, G.E., Gollnick, D. M., & Dupuis, V. L. (2005). Introduction to the foundations of American education. 14th ed. Boston: Pearson Education.
Stewart, E.B. (2008). School structural characteristics, student effort, peer associations, and parental involvement: The influence of school and individual level factors on academic achievement. Education and Urban Society, 40, 179-204.


Berkowitz, M.W. & Bier, M.C. (2008). Character education: Parents as partners. Educational Leadership, 63(1), 64-69.

2/27/08 Critical Reflection #2

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Deadline for this 2nd online entry is 2/27/08 12pm

I hope you realize that this is going to be a great resource for all of you to use in the future!
Enjoy the experience in blogging.

Sincerely and virtually yours,
Dr King

Critical reflection

“Hot topics” in the Education World Today

English as A Second Language: ELL’s

Jaclyn Peluso

Fordham University

Of the many “hot topics” discussed, one that I am always interested in is concerning the ELL’s (English Language Learners). As stated in Carrasquillo (2004), “The English Language learner population in the United States continues to be linguistically heterogeneous with over 100 distinct language groups identified”. This quote here identifies the immense need for teachers to be open and fully aware of the ever changing and growing population of non-English speaking students. There is much controversy associate with providing ELL’s with the proper education they need to succeed in a mainstream classroom.

Carrasquillo states that English Language Learners are defined as students with a primary language other than English who have limited range of speaking, reading, writing, and listening skills in English. Second language programs use instructional approaches which involve students from various language backgrounds. There are also bilingual programs in which the curriculum is taught in both the native language and English, though the majority being English. It is said that if an ELL student has a mastery of their own native language, they can transfer those literacy skills to the second language they are acquiring. This can be identified as a huge “pro” towards the movement of increasing the literacy rates of non-English speaking students.

One major social issue concerning the ELL’s is the funding necessary for supplying these students with the proper programs for education. Sadly, not all schools are able to meet the needs of their students in regards to mastering the English language. “Not only have many language minority children been subject to segregated education, low teacher expectations, cultural incompatibility with dominant culture-oriented curricula, and the educational neglect experienced by minority children in general, many also face unique and equally severe form of discrimination which results from lack of proficiency in the language of instruction” (Schultz, 2001). This quote shows the need for teachers to develop a curriculum that is adaptable and will thoroughly address the needs of both ELL students and native English students. Though this is hard due to the fact that non-native speaking students will always be behind when first beginning any English language program, they are still capable of achieving proficiency through consistent

In my opinion, I believe that ELL students will benefit most from being immersed in bilingual education programs, where both English and the learners native language is taught. It is important that they are exposed to English as much as possible but also crucial that they can associate their native language terms with their second language. Specific methods and instructional strategies must be used to best teach ELL’s and they must be comfortable in their learning environment as well. I feel it is necessary that teachers are educated and have specialized training in the area of ESL if they have ELL students in their classrooms.

References

Carrasquillo, Angela, Kucer, Stephen B., Abrams, Ruth. (2004). Beyond the Beginnings: Literacy Interventions for Upper Elementary English Language Learners. Buffalo: Multilingual Matters Ltd.

Schultz, Fred. Sources: Notable Selections in Education. Connecticut: McGraw-Hill/Dushkin.

Inequalities in American Public Schools (Segregation)

Mae-Domenica Beauford
Critical Reflection #1
Hot Topic: Inequalities in America’s Public School System

Segregated Schools- Do they still exist in 2008?

“No matter how complex the reasons that have brought us to the point at which we stand, we have, it seems, been traveling a long way to a place of ultimate surrender that does not look very different from the place where some of us began (Kozol, 2005, p. 10).” Inequality and segregation are problems that people often think of as an issue of the past that left with the court case Brown v. Board of Education but it is one of the heaviest burdens weighing our country down. “The most recent statistics-compiled, analyzed and released by the Civil Rights Project, at Harvard-reveal that America's schools are now in their twelfth year of a continuing process of racial resegregation. The integration of black students, the new study shows, had improved steadily from the 1960s through the late 1980s. But, as of the 2000-01 school year, the levels have backed off to lows not seen in three decades (Orfield et al, 2003).” Although inequality is an issue I have seen my whole life, after reading Jonathan Kozol’s “Shame of the Nation,” and getting the opportunity to have first hand experience in some of the classrooms, and schools that suffer the repercussions of these inequalities, I have truly realized how much this continuation of segregation based on social, economic, and ultimately racial status is hurting our nation; A nation that has decided to punish and deprive certain groups of people of a equal and rich education. “Segregation is the social condition that shaped those proverbial "unlevel" playing fields (Orfield et al, 2003).” How does one decide whose leg to break before the race has even begun? Mainly those who are poor, which just so happens that in many areas, especially urban areas, are African American and Latino groups, are often subjected to low funded education, inexperienced teachers, and poor resources yet still left on their own to succeed. “Studies have shown that high-poverty schools are overburdened, have high rates of turnover, less qualified and experienced teachers, and operate a world away from mainstream society (Orfield et al, 2003).”
The topic of inequalities, concentrated in the segregation of public schools is deeply embedded in education because it is an issue that relates and often connects the other “hot topics” together. These discriminations and ultimate lack of caring is the cause of many other problems such as social promotion, not being able to meet the requests of standardized tests, President Bush’s No Child Left behind Act, and disparity of funding. If these inequalities based on socioeconomic standards did not exist, and every child received the same educational direction and privileges to fulfill their potential, there would probably not be as many problems within the public school system. It also relates to the use of affirmative action, another very controversial topic in American education. “Affirmative action may well be the only tool left with the potential to ameliorate the negative effects of a college applicant's prior twelve years of segregated schooling (Orfield et al, 2003).”
The absence of integration in many schools also is very unrealistic in relation to many societies, especially in urban areas that tend to be multi-cultural. Once children leave the public school system and either proceed with higher education or get a job, what they have been sheltered from all their whole life will suddenly hit them. In “Shame of the Nation,” Kozol refers to one of his experiences within a classroom when a student asks him “What’s it like over there where you live (Kozol, p.15).” I think that learning and interacting with people from different cultures, countries, and races is an extremely important aspect of getting an education, especially in America, which is often termed as the melting pot. As stated in Johnson et al, “a diverse student body and faculty make it possible for students not only to learn about others but also to interact in authentic settings with people from different backgrounds (Johnson et al, 2005, p.115).” There are so many benefits of multi-cultural education including being able to facilitate conversation as a future educator. The classroom is a great place to introduce children to beautiful, rich cultures.
Like any inequality, segregation and unequal education is something that is unfair, and devalues certain children in our society. As an aspiring educator, if no one else believes in these children who are being subject to a lesser education than how are they supposed to believe in themselves? Although some children do persevere, that number is not high enough. I wonder, do these children not matter in our land of the free, home of the brave? Even if that is not the case, by having a shortage of outdated books, inexperienced teachers, little funding, and isolation from other groups of people, this is ultimately the message being sent to the children in these schools as they sit at their desks. Despite all of this, these children are still expected to succeed, to get an education, to pass standardized tests, and to be prepared to compete with other children that have had more years of quality training. Martin Luther King Jr. said “Injustice anywhere is injustice everywhere,” and I as a future educator, believe that all children should receive the same educational opportunities, and that it is important to empower children with the desire to learn, and confidence to succeed. If all children are not being given equal chances to learn, it only hurts the whole nation.


References

Johnson, J.A. Musial, D, Hall, G.E., Gollnick, D.M., & Dupuis, V.L. (2005). Introduction to the
foundations of American education. 14th ed. Boston: Pearson Education.

Kozol, Jonathan. (2005). The shame of the nation: the restoration of apartheid schooling in
america. New York: The Rivers Press.

Orfield, G., Eaton, S.E. (2003). Back to segregation. Third World Traveler. The Nation
Magazine, March 3.
http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Education/Back_To_Segregation.html

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