In a Nut Shell

Summarizing what I've learned throughout this course is a big task. Even though the course was relatively short, the content of the course was abundant...in a good way! To begin with, I evaluated the different factors of education which consist of social, political, economic and cultural issues. What sticks in my mind the most from this topic is that of cultural diversity and how demographic shifts impact everyone. In week 2, the topic was Teachers as Change Agents. A teacher must wear many hats. In designing the collage of a flexible teacher of the future, we show her with big ears to really hear what's going on, four arms to multi-task, different thoughts and images in bubbles above her head and most importantly a big heart for compassion in understanding the differences between students and their learning styles. Learning about Technology as a Catalyst for Change was an intensive topic as there are so many ways to examine how technology can affect teaching and learning. Accessibility to technology seems to be a big problem throughout homes and schools. If children are to be expected to know technology, they have to be trained properly and given the necessary tools to be creative. That is why I chose the proposal of using technology and literacy to enrich students through specific programs for my Make A Difference project. With regard to the types and ways a school changes, I learned that Charter Schools actually receive public money but have been freed from some of the rules and regulations that apply to public schools. I also never realized that Charter Schools "specialize" in the arts or math, or how quickly they can be closed down for financial reasons leaving students with little options on where to go or return for education. This last week states "Finding the Way to the Future". I find that this statement is a reflection of the journey that educators have taken and must continue to revolutionize. Teachers are the Agents of Change who must use the opportunities afforded to them to differentiate instruction. As educators, I learned that we must be diligent while allowing the young divergent thinkers to retain their creativity.

Changing Paradigms Ken Robinson "Paradigm Shift"

What an awesome speaker! Refreshing ideas that really led me to think. He spoke of the power of imagination and how, through the education process, that imagination is destroyed (without deliberation???). He showed results of a test given to a group of people. These highest group of divergent thinkers, thinkers who have the capacity to be creative and see multiple answers or one question,turned out to be the 3-5 year olds. Simply amazing at 98%. Sadly though, each year that they performed the test again, the percentage of divergent thinkers went down. By the age of 25 and over, only 2% were considered "genious" divergent thinkers. These are the people companies hire. Ken Robinson considers everything when trying to figure out what has transformed education, from the crisis in the natural environment to the global crisis of human resources. I love the point he makes about there being three types of people. There are the immovable, the movable and those who move. Teachers have to be able to move and initiate change in the schools. Robinson states that if you create the right conditions in our school, and value each learner, then growth will happen. AIM HIGH!!! His speech provoked me to think about all the other influences that children have. We have to treat these children as "digital natives" because they are just growing up in a different time. Incorporating and considering these changes will allow us to thrive in the education profession!!

What Have I Learned?

I have learned much during these past three weeks about the social, political, economic and cultural factors of education. The teacher, as the agent of change, must be ready and willing to fulfill this role. The impact that technology has had on learning and the school structure is enormous. Teachers have had to incorporate technology into the classroom to create interactive learning tools for the students, as well as, creating more manageable records for her/himself. Students have become producers of information, not just memorizing users. The influx of new technology will make both teaching and learning a constant job. I have learned that change is a good thing. Change may be scary at first because it upsets the apple cart, but change means we are LEARNING! Change means that we never stop asking questions. I'd like to share my vision on how students can improve in school and education in the Contemporary Age. It's really quite simple....never stop learning....never give up....and continuously strive for more.

Simulated Community Letter reflecting demographically changing community

New Tech Central School District

Office of the Curriculum Chair
Sally Mankoo
845.555.1212


July 21, 2009

Re: Development of a Multicultural Curriculum

Dear Members of the Community:

On behalf of New Tech Central School District, I write to ask for your support in developing a Multicultural Curriculum in our district. Within the last two years, the minority population in our school has increased by thirty (30%) percent. These minority students are suffering as this school does not have a curriculum that can cater to their specific needs, such as bilingual education and cultural diversity. This lack of multicultural curriculum has increased the dropout rate and the ability for these students to finish high school on time.

In order to develop such a curriculum, I am proposing that all teachers in this district be (re)trained in multiculturalism. Here is the list of four approaches which can be incorporated in the multicultural curricular design to help give these students a real sense of community within their school environment:

• 1 - Contributions Approach – teachers acknowledge special calendar days
• 2 - Additive Approach – a unit or course is introduced
• 3 - Transformation Approach – the entire Eurocentric nature of the curriculum is changed
• 4 - Social Action – Students learn to view issues from multiple perspectives

Programs for the elementary and middle school will consist of cultural awareness projects, and in the high school we will initiate a “buddy” system, whereby a volunteer student will help guide a minority student and be available to answer their questions with the help of a teacher, if needed.

Students who are dealing with a language barrier will be taught in a combination of both English and their native language. If we do not recognize that this is creating a barrier, then we have failed our children. It is very important to proceed quickly with the implementation of this curriculum. The teachers can begin with the first approach immediately so that we can begin to fully integrate minority students into the learning environment. The development of this new curriculum is necessary to build an understanding among racial and cultural groups. This new understanding will foster an appreciation of different cultures and make our school an inspirational and motivating place to learn.

The proposed time-line for the development of this curriculum will be three (3) months.

I thank you for your consideration. Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions.

Sincerely,

Sally Mankoo




Evaluation Rubric for "Letter to the Community"
(to be submitted with the assignment) 8pts
# Criteria /Element Possible points Self-evaluation Comments
1. The correct Letter format is used throughout:
• Proper Heading, Salutation, Introduction, Body, Closing, Spacing. 2 2
2. Content:
• The writer completely and accurately explains the purpose for writing the letter;
• The writer uses a proper, professional, clear language in presenting his/her main reasons, ideas of the letter and addresses it to a definite audience;
• Any requests are made clearly and politely;
• The writer uses her/his own voice and style while maintaining the appropriate tone and topic, presenting clear ideas and illustrations how his/her plan will work. 4 4
3. Aesthetics:
• The letter is neat, presentable and professional.
• The letter is presented creatively.
• The writer uses correct spelling, grammar, and punctuation. 2 2
Total: 8 8

http://www.thinkfinity.org/student_games.aspx

Using Technology to Teach - Pay Attention Video

Some of the statistics in this video are amazing. Technology is definitely transforming the way we learn and the way we teach. We have become digital learners. The saying, "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em" applies to this video. Children will be expected to have the ability to create via technology. In fact, they are already doing it! We should teach them in the same way. We all know that video games, cell phones, texting, and computers are in our children's lives. In order to keep up with them and keep them interested, why don't we teach and use these advancements to our benefit? Technology will make everyone's life easier!

One Size Does Not Fit All

In response to the readings for this week, I have found that when evaluating education in America, there are many factors which must be considered. A classroom setting years ago consisted of the teacher standing in front of the class dictating the lesson plan. Today, with such a diverse group of students, one lesson plan does not fit all students. Included within a class, there may be learning disabled, different learning styles, language barriers, and many more obstacles that a teacher must manage and consider.

The political agenda in the world has been at a high due to the war on terrorism. The impact has affected students as our current leaders try to educate and prepare students to become honorable citizens who are obedient to the law. The cultural and social aspects of education have changed so rapidly due to the influx of immigrants and the restructure of the traditional family. These changes have put a tremendous weight on the teacher and has broadened their responsibilities. Teachers now take on so many other roles that were traditionally filled by the parents. The key to effectively teaching and meeting the needs of each student is to adapt the material to closely fit the way each student learns best. What teachers say continually teach students important lessons in morals and ethics.

The issue of standardized testing is a real problem for this new group of diverse students. Students that come to the United States from poverty-stricken countries must overcome many barriers to succeed in the United States. These students are put on the back burner because they cannot meet the requirements and end up dropping out.