Chapter 15 - Instructional Practices in Effective Schools

This chapter was about different instructional practices that are associated with effective teaching methods. Educational goals are "general statements about directions toward which we want learning outcomes to lead." Educational objectives are "clearly defined, observable, and measurable student outcome that indicates learner progress toward the achievement of a particular educational goal. There are eight intelligences: verbal-linguistic intelligence, logical-mathematical intelligence, spatial intelligence, bodily-kinesthetic intelligence, musical intelligence, interpersonal intelligence, intrapersonal intelligence and naturalist intelligence. Every person has a part of all of these eight intelligences, the amount per intelligence just differs from person to person. There are four main models of instruction: family, the social family, the personal family, and the behavioural systems family. These four families differ in their orientation. The information processing family focuses on a student-centered orientation that resembles constructivism. Examples of this model are inquiry instruction, critical thinking instruction and synectics. The social family focuses on a student-centered orientation that resembles progressivism. Examples of this model are cooperative learning and problem-based instruction. The personal family focuses on a student-centered orientation that resembles Rogerian counseling. An example of this model is non directive instruction. Lastly, the behavioural systems family focuses on a teacher-centered orientation that resembles behaviourism. Examples of this model are direct instruction and mastery learning. Students vary in many different ways, and one way is the way the learn things. The imaginative learner, the analytic learner, the commonsense learner, and the dynamic learner are the four main types of learners.

~DaNo~

Chapter 14 - The School Curriculum: Development and Design

When making a curriculum, there are four questions that need to be asked and answered: 1. Who initiates the curriculum? 2. Who determines properties? 3. Who implements the curriculum? 4. Who is responsible for what happens? There are three major curriculum developments, and they are the following: prescriptive perspective, deliberative perspective, and critical perspective. The prescriptive perspective is the technical production perspective, where the curriculum planning is viewed as an objective, linear process. Planning its curriculum is a four-stop process. You start by identifying the purpose, aims, and goals. Next you identify and select the learning experiences. After this you organize the learning experiences, and then finish off with the evaluation. The descriptive perspective is the deliberative perspective that focuses on how curriculum decision making occurs in practice. This curriculum decision making happens in three phases: platform, deliberation, design. The critical perspective is the artistic perspective that views curriculum decision making as embodying educational imagination and transformation. The development of this curriculum is consensus building. It has an emphasis on learning events that are meaningful, has a need for deliberation in establishing priorities, has multiple modes of presentation and takes into consideration a nonlinear, cross-curriculum content organization. There are six different curriculum designs: 1. Subject-area (essentialism) 2. Integrated 3. Core (perennalism) 4. Student-centered (progressivism) 5. Constructivism (progressivism, social reconstructivism, postmodernism) 6. Social justice (social reconstructivism, postmodernism) Each of these curriculum designs have similarities and differences. Different forces that can influence the curriculum are the national curriculum standards, textbooks, mandated assessments, state governments, teachers, local school boards, parent and community groups, as well as the federal government.

~DaNo~

Chapter 12 - Teachers, Students, and the Law

Every teacher, or any employee I should say, has certain rights and responsibilities. This chapter discusses the rights and responsibilities related to terms and conditions of employment, teacher dismissal, teacher rights inside and outside the classroom, tort liability, discrimination, equal opportunity and affirmative action, and certain legal responsibilities of teachers. Education laws are different, depending on which State you are teaching in. In order to be a teacher, not only do you need certification, but you also need to be a citizen of (or reside in) the United States. Another requirement to be a teacher is to have a health and physical test done, as well as sign an employment contract. In order for this contract to be valid, there are certain basic elements that it needs to contain. These elements are the following: offer and acceptance, legally competent parties, consideration (compensation), legal subject matter, and agreement in the form required by law. This chapter also discusses teacher dismissal, which is the termination of employment during the term of the contract. Dismissal can be challenged, and usually the challenge revolves around two issues: whether the conduct in question fits the statutory grounds for dismissal and if so, whether the school board presented the facts necessary to sustain the charge. A few examples of reasons for dismissal are immorality, incompetency, and insubordination. Teachers have the right to express themselves, as long as they do not affect their teaching negatively. Freedom from employment discrimination and sexual harassment are two very important rights that teachers have. Other than rights, teachers also have certain legal responsibilities that they must follow in order to be a teacher and to keep their job. These responsibilities are reporting child abuse and neglect, and observing copyrights. The major type of student discipline that teachers use are suspensions and expulsions. Corporal punishment is only allowed in certain states, and is most often done by the principal, in the presence of another adult. This chapter was very interesting because it explained a lot of what teachers can and can not do.

~DaNo~

Chapter 7 - Modern American Education: From The Progressive Movement To The Present

This chapter is about how much education has changed and evolved from different points in time. Starting from the twentieth century unfolds, to the progressivism in education, to the postwar years, to Sputnik to the new federalism, to the 1990s, to the new century beginning. Important people to recognize in the beginnings of progressive education are John Dewey (in favor of the child-centered curriculum) and Ella Flagg Young. Other parts looked at during the progressive education times are the influences on higher education and the second world war, the child study movement, the measurement movement, and education during the great depression. The war had a great impact on schools because of teachers leaving and being enrolled in the army, as well as students not returning in order to work. In the postwar years, the most important thing was the Montessori movement, which has interest and motivation at the heart of the curriculum. The Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka had a huge impact on the civil rights movement. The 1970's brought retreat and retrenchment, the 1980's brought renewed conservatism and reform, where as the 1990's brought national goals, national standards, and choices. The new century begins with the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), which was offered by the president at the time, George W. Bush. This act required students in grades 3-8 to take tests in reading and math every year, and again in grades 10-12. The NCLB created new and expanded roles for the state and federal governments, as well as challenges for school districts.

~DaNo~

Chapter 11 - Legal Framework For The Public Schools

This chapter was pretty much exactly what the title says it is. It talks mostly about the different laws and what is legal/illegal when it comes to education. The federal government has no say in education, as it is reserved to the States to do so. The federal court system consists of three levels of courts of general jurisdiction: a supreme court, district courts, and courts of appeals. What I found most interesting is that there are thirteen different circuit courts. Twelve of those thirteen have jurisdiction over a specific geographic area, where as the thirteenth has jurisdiction to hear appeals in specific areas of federal law, called the Federal Circuit. A big controversy in education is the religious aspect, more so the religious activities in public schools. Some example of religious activities are: prayer and bible reading, prayer at school-sponsored events, the pledge of allegiance, religion displays and observances, wearing of religious attire, distribution of religious literature, religious access to school buildings and released time for religious instruction. Attendance at school is mandatory between the ages of 7 to 16, whether it is a private school, public school, or home schooled. A fact in this chapter that I found very interesting was the one about homeschooling, and how much it has grown over the years. In 1994, 600,000 children were home schooled, compared to 1.1 million in 2003.

~DaNo~

Chapter 10 - Students at Risk

This chapter was all about students at risk, how to identify certain students at risk, how to prevent certain problems, and how to intervene if need be. The following risks were discussed:

1. Tobacco, drugs, and alcohol use/abuse

2. Suicide

3. Dropping out of school

4. Teenage pregnancy

5. HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections (STI)

6. Child abuse and neglect

7. School violence

8. Gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth

I found the statistics for each of these risks to be very interesting and the different indicators were interesting as well. This chapter made me really think about certain of these problems, and how I would react to them personally. Some of the situations would not be easy to deal with, some others might be a little easier because of the personal experiences I have had. All in all, I found this chapter extremely interesting and gave me some very positive feedback on how to deal with, or prevent, certain situations. You never know what you will come across in your life...

DaNo

Childhood and Parenting in Children's Popular Culture and Childcare Magazines

I really enjoyed this text because I think it describes perfectly how society actually is. Luke talks about how girls and boys, at a very young age, are separated. The toys in a store (specifically Toys R Us) are placed in a strategic manner, so that the girls have to walk through all the boy toys before getting to their section. He gave an example about water guns, which really got me thinking. The boys water guns are shaped like actual hand guns, in metallic or primary colors. The girls water guns were shaped like lip sticks, compacts, or nail polish bottles, in different pinks and purples. All the boy toys were "high-tech" and the girl ones were kitchen appliances, ironing boards, and dolls. Another aspect he spoke about was how magazines affected a parents outlook on childhood. The articles in these magazines were very short, not written by professionals, and usually had a lot of advertising in them. Often first-time mothers will read these magazines and books like they have all the answers. Another interesting fact about these magazines is that they all revolved around women, and never spoke of fatherhood. I found this article very interesting because I had never really paid attention to the whole toys issue, but now the more I think about it, the more it makes total sense.