Week 5 Discussion question 1

“Social Foundations of Curriculum” Please respond to the following:

·        Debate It: Take a position for or against this statement: The U.S. should establish a moral education curriculum that must be implemented by all K-12 schools. Provide reasons and examples to support your response.

·        From the first e-Activity, consider the needs of all learners in the school district where you work or one with which you are familiar. Identify barriers in existing curricula, and examine whether Universal Design guidelines would enhance student representation, engagement, and / or expression.

Week 5 eActivity

·        Review the Website for Universal Design for Learning. Be prepared to discuss.

·        Research the Internet or the Strayer Library, or both, to locate a recent article on the integration of multiculturalism in schools and other public institutions by several governments in Western Europe (i.e., France, Germany, and Great Britain). Be prepared to discuss.

Week 5 Discussion 2

COLLAPSE

·                4

·                5

“Required Reading and Multiculturalism” Please respond to the following:

·        Debate It: Take a position for or against this statement: All students should be required to read the “25 recommended works to be read by 8th grade” listed in Table 5.1, Chapter 5. Provide the titles of at least three works you would include in this or another recommended list. Provide reasons and examples to support your response.

·        From the e-Activity, review the impact of multiculturalism on schools in Western Europe. Provide a rationale for either expanding or rejecting multiculturalism in your local school district. Provide the Website(s) you referenced in your discussion, using APA format.

Curriculum Tips 5.1 Principles for Improving Schools

A number of important principles result in school effectiveness and excellence. Based on recent efforts to improve schools and reform education, school leaders and teachers can adapt many of the following principles for improving their own schools and the education of students.

1.  The school has a clearly stated mission or set of goals.

2.  School achievement is closely monitored.

3.  Provisions are made for all students, including tutoring for low achievers and enrichment programs for the gifted.

4.  Teachers and administrators agree on what is good teaching and learning; a general and agreed-upon psychology of learning prevails.

5.  Emphasis on cognition is balanced with concerns for students’ personal, social, and moral growth; students are taught to be responsible for their behavior.

6.  Teachers and administrators expect students to learn, and they convey these expectations to students and parents.

7.  The school day and school year are increased approximately 10 percent (or about 35 to 40 minutes per day and 15 to 20 days per year). This amounts to 1½ to 1¾ additional years of schooling over a 12-year period.

8.  Additional remedial reading and math classes, with reduced teacher–student ratios, are provided for all students in the lowest 50th percentile on state or national tests. These additional classes replace physical education, study hall, foreign language, and elective courses—or, if extra money is provided, they are part of an after-school program or weekend program.

9.  Teachers are expected to make significant school improvement; they are paid extra for staying after school and planning curriculum.

10.  Administrators provide ample support and information, time for teacher enrichment, and time for teachers to work together. Individual lunch breaks and preparation periods are discouraged; the focus is on socialization and collegial planning.

11.  A sense of teamwork prevails; there is interdisciplinary and interdepartmental communication. The emphasis is on group activities, group cooperation, and group morale.

12.  Incentives, recognition, and rewards are conveyed to teachers and administrators for their efforts on behalf of the team effort and school mission.

13.  The interests and needs of the individual staff members are matched with the expectations and norms of the institution (school/school district).

14.  The staff has the opportunity to be challenged and creative; there is a sense of professional enrichment and renewal.

15.  Staff development is planned by teachers and administrators to provide opportunities for continuous professional growth.

16.  The school environment is safe and healthy; there is a sense of order (and safety) in class Rooms and hallways.

17.  There is a agreement that standards are needed, but they are not imposed by outside “authorities” or “experts”; rather, they are implemented (or at least modified) by teachers and administrators at the local level.

18.  Teachers are treated with respect and as professionals. They are trusted to make important decisions that deal with standards and involve teacher evaluation and accountability.

19.  Parents and community members are supportive of the school and are involved in school activities.

20.  The school is a learning center for the larger community; it reflects the norms and values of the community; and the community sees the school as an extension of the community.

slip away over the summer.³⁸ Not only do low-income (and single-parent families) get less adult attention, there is also a discrepancy in the number of books in the home between poor and middle-class families. Poor parents also speak fewer words, shorter sentences, and a restricted language in communicating to their children. Hence, there is a need to require summer school for all low-achieving students, starting in the first grade, and to make more books available through the mail or a library pick-up system during the summer to target children.³⁹ The purpose is to close the reading gap between proficient and nonproficient readers, because the ability to read is tied to academic success.