Dufour, R. (2005). On common ground: the power of professional learning communities. Bloomington: The Solution Tree.
Lists and addresses challenges, benefits and characteristics of successful professional learning communities.
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2007/10/10/07pratt.h27.html?print=1
Article on the lack of science in the elementary classroom due to NCLB, including a rebuttal to the belief that students can "catch up" on science in middle and high school.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071010/ap_pm_go_su_co/scotus_special_education
Article describes a ruling by the Supreme Court that will allow a family to be reimbursed for special education services provided by a private school.
http://louisville.edu/journal/workplace/issue5p2/singerpezone.html
Article questions the assumptions that our schools are failing and our society is sound, and suggests that schools reflect the values of the society in which they exist.
Dillon, S. (September, 17, 2007). Alabama plan brings out cry of segregation. New York Times.
Alabama residents forced from their homes in rezoning plan, and students forced out of high-performing school and into low-performing school. Educational and civil rights discussed.
Paolo Freire Freedom School in Tuscon, AZ
Public school bases its curriculum on the core standards of the Arizona Educational Standards, and its pedagogy on learning through authentic and relevant experiences.
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Recent Resources
Here are the resources I've received recently. If you're looking for something and don't see it here, please let me know via email or in class on Thursday, October 11. Resources submitted without basic bibliographic information have not been included.
This article discusses parent monitoring of student class work and of their grades. Schools have implemented different phone systems that call individual homes each night and let the parents know if their child has a test or has missed a class. Parents also have the option of checking an online website to see what assignments need to be completed or how they are doing academically. Some parents really like these systems while others feel it is a way for parents to still be in control of child’s life when they should be gaining their own independence. Some teachers utilize these systems as send reminders about homework while other teachers feel that only the overachiever type student and overbearing parent will utilize the e-monitoring.
http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/367175.html
Article entitled, "New Teachers, Extra Hard Task" states that there are more new teachers than ever joining the workforce in school districts that are falling behind in achievement. Politics, pros and cons are discussed.
Californians for Population Stabilization (CAPS). (2007). "If Californians are Having Fewer Children, Where Are All the People Coming From?" Television advertisement. Retrieved September 18, 2007, from http://www.capsweb.com.
Propaganda advertisement that uses a child as spokesperson to focus blame for California's problems on immigration.
http://civicmissionofschools.org
Document published by Carnegie Corporation of NY that emphasizes civic education in the public school system. Stated benefits include knowledge of history, appreciation of diverse perspectives, and perpetuating democracy.
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2007/06/06/39crawford.h26/html
Article entitled, "A Diminished View of Civil Rights" by James Crawford discusses the differences between equal education opportunities of the 1980s and 1990s and "closing achievement gaps" as stated in NCLB. Based on funding, education practice and student data, the author concludes that NCLB has caused an increase in the achievement gap and is moving education backward, toward a two-tier system.
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20070521/darling-hammond
Evaluation of NCLB from Stanford professor Linda Darling-Hammond. Conclusions: 1)NCLB's "noble agenda" has been lost in details and lack of funding; 2) the United States has one of the most inequitable education systems in the industrialized world; and 3) NCLB multiplies this inequity and more money will not make a difference, because "the law wastes scarce resources on a complicated test score game that appears to be narrowing the curriculum, uprooting successful programs and pushing low-achieving students out of many schools."
Schemo, D. (2007). Teachers and Rights Groups Oppose Education Measure. New York Times.
Article suggests reasons that attacks from civil rights groups and teacher unions may prevent NCLB from passing in the fall. This article surprised the reviewer by suggesting that the only reason teachers question NCLB is merit pay based on test scores.
http://www.sacbee.com/110/v-print/story/95168.html
Article about NCLB suggesting it should be changed but not abandoned.
www.edsource.org
Summary of Ed Source's 2007 research report, "Similar English Learner Students, Different Results: Why Do Some Schools Do Better?" Four key findings: 1)use of assessment data is important; 2)resources matter; 3)coherent, aligned instruction is key; 4)student achievement is a priority for principals and teachers.
Daum, M. (2007). Should Kids Be Seen? Santa Maria Times, September 15.
Editorial regarding voyeuristic and liability aspects of the television program Kid Nation.
http://www.kidsource.com/education/ten
Article focusing on research into bilingual education and the relationship between flaws in methodology and actual findings that support the efficacy of bilingual education.
http://education.astate.edu/jbeineke/articles/democracyarkansas.htm
Article entitled, "Looking for Democracy in Arkansas." Author John Beineke examined the relationship between democracy and education in three contexts: local site, district and state. Conclusion: "they all point to a lack of understanding as to how democracy should function to bring about positive change for our students."
http://www.slate.com/id/2149593/nav/tap1
Discussion of the relevance of homework. Includes ideas from three recent books on the subject: The Case Against Homework, The Homework Myth, and The Battle Over Homework.
Fasten your seatbelts-- parents lead a push to get safety harnesses mandated on school buses.
Los Angeles Times, September 15, 2007.
Article discussing the efforts of parents to influence policy in light of potential safety disaster.
http://agelesslearner.com/intros/experiential.html
Article and associated resources focusing on experiential learning.
Highlander Research and Development Center. (2007). Retrieved on September 26, 2007 from http://www.highlandercenter.org/index.html
This is the website for the organization founded by Myles Horton, coauthor of We Make the Road by Walking. The importance of this website is its mission to inform the group of people who are deemed least important in our society-- the poor. Through workshops, facilities, and communication, the center informs the public and creates an opportunity to overcome barriers and differences within society.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20789361/site/newsweek/page/0/print/1/displaymode/1098
Article commemorating the 50th anniversary of the integration of public schools in Little Rock, Arkansas and the evolution of the issue since.
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2007/09/19/05stempoll_web.h27.html?print=1
Education Week article discussing a new study in Kansas and Missouri that suggests parents and students don't think that math and science "upgrades" in curriculum/resources are all that urgent.
http://www.forumfoundation.org/resources/index.php?item=366&page=27
Article compares cultural beliefs/attitudes about the relationship between success and intelligence in America and China, including implications for educational effectiveness.
http://www.edsource.org/edu_sta.cfm
Standards and Curriculum Overview
http://www.louisville.edu/journal/workplace/issue5p2/singerpezone.html
Authors Alan Singer and Michael Pezone suggest that it is impossible to change schooling without changing society. Case studies from the authors' classes are used to suggest ways in which students experience the transformative value of social dialogue and the relevance of theories from Dewey, Freire and others.
Kelley, R. (2007). Dollars for scholars: a bold experiment pays parents to do the right thing. Newsweek, September 3.
Article describes Operation NYC, which provides a privately-funded incentive for low-income parents to get involved in their child's education by paying the parents $25 to attend a parent-teacher conference and $150 per month for maintaining full-time employment.
http://www.izzit.org/events/print_source.php?ID=468
Article from Indianapolis Star discusses Supreme Court hearing of Indiana's voter identification law. It is expected that the outcome will influence whose vote will be counted in the 2008 presidential election nationwide.
http://www.nytimes.com
Article entitled, "Sugar finds its way back to the school cafeteria" discusses allowing students to consume unhealthy products without providing healthy alternatives.
This article discusses parent monitoring of student class work and of their grades. Schools have implemented different phone systems that call individual homes each night and let the parents know if their child has a test or has missed a class. Parents also have the option of checking an online website to see what assignments need to be completed or how they are doing academically. Some parents really like these systems while others feel it is a way for parents to still be in control of child’s life when they should be gaining their own independence. Some teachers utilize these systems as send reminders about homework while other teachers feel that only the overachiever type student and overbearing parent will utilize the e-monitoring.
http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/367175.html
Article entitled, "New Teachers, Extra Hard Task" states that there are more new teachers than ever joining the workforce in school districts that are falling behind in achievement. Politics, pros and cons are discussed.
Californians for Population Stabilization (CAPS). (2007). "If Californians are Having Fewer Children, Where Are All the People Coming From?" Television advertisement. Retrieved September 18, 2007, from http://www.capsweb.com.
Propaganda advertisement that uses a child as spokesperson to focus blame for California's problems on immigration.
http://civicmissionofschools.org
Document published by Carnegie Corporation of NY that emphasizes civic education in the public school system. Stated benefits include knowledge of history, appreciation of diverse perspectives, and perpetuating democracy.
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2007/06/06/39crawford.h26/html
Article entitled, "A Diminished View of Civil Rights" by James Crawford discusses the differences between equal education opportunities of the 1980s and 1990s and "closing achievement gaps" as stated in NCLB. Based on funding, education practice and student data, the author concludes that NCLB has caused an increase in the achievement gap and is moving education backward, toward a two-tier system.
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20070521/darling-hammond
Evaluation of NCLB from Stanford professor Linda Darling-Hammond. Conclusions: 1)NCLB's "noble agenda" has been lost in details and lack of funding; 2) the United States has one of the most inequitable education systems in the industrialized world; and 3) NCLB multiplies this inequity and more money will not make a difference, because "the law wastes scarce resources on a complicated test score game that appears to be narrowing the curriculum, uprooting successful programs and pushing low-achieving students out of many schools."
Schemo, D. (2007). Teachers and Rights Groups Oppose Education Measure. New York Times.
Article suggests reasons that attacks from civil rights groups and teacher unions may prevent NCLB from passing in the fall. This article surprised the reviewer by suggesting that the only reason teachers question NCLB is merit pay based on test scores.
http://www.sacbee.com/110/v-print/story/95168.html
Article about NCLB suggesting it should be changed but not abandoned.
www.edsource.org
Summary of Ed Source's 2007 research report, "Similar English Learner Students, Different Results: Why Do Some Schools Do Better?" Four key findings: 1)use of assessment data is important; 2)resources matter; 3)coherent, aligned instruction is key; 4)student achievement is a priority for principals and teachers.
Daum, M. (2007). Should Kids Be Seen? Santa Maria Times, September 15.
Editorial regarding voyeuristic and liability aspects of the television program Kid Nation.
http://www.kidsource.com/education/ten
Article focusing on research into bilingual education and the relationship between flaws in methodology and actual findings that support the efficacy of bilingual education.
http://education.astate.edu/jbeineke/articles/democracyarkansas.htm
Article entitled, "Looking for Democracy in Arkansas." Author John Beineke examined the relationship between democracy and education in three contexts: local site, district and state. Conclusion: "they all point to a lack of understanding as to how democracy should function to bring about positive change for our students."
http://www.slate.com/id/2149593/nav/tap1
Discussion of the relevance of homework. Includes ideas from three recent books on the subject: The Case Against Homework, The Homework Myth, and The Battle Over Homework.
Fasten your seatbelts-- parents lead a push to get safety harnesses mandated on school buses.
Los Angeles Times, September 15, 2007.
Article discussing the efforts of parents to influence policy in light of potential safety disaster.
http://agelesslearner.com/intros/experiential.html
Article and associated resources focusing on experiential learning.
Highlander Research and Development Center. (2007). Retrieved on September 26, 2007 from http://www.highlandercenter.org/index.html
This is the website for the organization founded by Myles Horton, coauthor of We Make the Road by Walking. The importance of this website is its mission to inform the group of people who are deemed least important in our society-- the poor. Through workshops, facilities, and communication, the center informs the public and creates an opportunity to overcome barriers and differences within society.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20789361/site/newsweek/page/0/print/1/displaymode/1098
Article commemorating the 50th anniversary of the integration of public schools in Little Rock, Arkansas and the evolution of the issue since.
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2007/09/19/05stempoll_web.h27.html?print=1
Education Week article discussing a new study in Kansas and Missouri that suggests parents and students don't think that math and science "upgrades" in curriculum/resources are all that urgent.
http://www.forumfoundation.org/resources/index.php?item=366&page=27
Article compares cultural beliefs/attitudes about the relationship between success and intelligence in America and China, including implications for educational effectiveness.
http://www.edsource.org/edu_sta.cfm
Standards and Curriculum Overview
http://www.louisville.edu/journal/workplace/issue5p2/singerpezone.html
Authors Alan Singer and Michael Pezone suggest that it is impossible to change schooling without changing society. Case studies from the authors' classes are used to suggest ways in which students experience the transformative value of social dialogue and the relevance of theories from Dewey, Freire and others.
Kelley, R. (2007). Dollars for scholars: a bold experiment pays parents to do the right thing. Newsweek, September 3.
Article describes Operation NYC, which provides a privately-funded incentive for low-income parents to get involved in their child's education by paying the parents $25 to attend a parent-teacher conference and $150 per month for maintaining full-time employment.
http://www.izzit.org/events/print_source.php?ID=468
Article from Indianapolis Star discusses Supreme Court hearing of Indiana's voter identification law. It is expected that the outcome will influence whose vote will be counted in the 2008 presidential election nationwide.
http://www.nytimes.com
Article entitled, "Sugar finds its way back to the school cafeteria" discusses allowing students to consume unhealthy products without providing healthy alternatives.
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