Initially, the research topic my group wanted to investigate for our project was implementing a culturally responsive and relevant curriculum. When our group fist met in class, not everyone knew what we were talking about. After all, it was a group of 6, about double the size that we initially thought. The best way to explain what we were trying to do was to reference the song "They School" by Dead Prez that we had just heard in class a few days prior. Specifically, the section where the rappers talk about why they aren't learning things that could benefit their community, such as how to combat the drug problem in the streets. Eventually, we changed topics, believing that a topic so vast was not conducive to the 4 week class session.
The first chapter of Spectacular Things Happen Along the Way certainly would have been pertinent to that project. I can picture how lively the students were when naming problems with their community and school... much more enthusiastic than they probably would have been if they were naming English monarchs. Allowing these students to discuss issues they have actual experience with and knowledge about instills immeasurable confidence in them. The idea that the students were looking forward to continuing that discussion in future class periods alone is a testament to the effectiveness of the lesson. Their involvement in the project itself, which included them writing letters to school officials and even reading books that were "beyond their reading level and aptitude" was very encouraging.
As the author brought out early in the book, many times the media focuses only on the dangers of these areas: the poverty, the drugs, the violence, etc. The story of the children is rarely told. Cases like this are reminders of why the topic of culturally relevant curriculum interested me in the first place.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Homer's Philosophy on Statistics
"People can come up with statistics to prove anything, Kent. Forty percent of all people know that." - Homer Simpson
When Homer said that, he was trying to combat the evidence that the neighborhood watch program he was in charge of was having a negative impact on Springfield. It was obviously meant as a joke. It was a line that was supposed to be vintage Homer stupidity and ignorance. But the more studies I read, the more I realize how accurate it is. People can come up with statistics to prove anything. If they make certain assumptions and ignore certain variables, it's easy for people to design studies that validate whatever they want.
At the end of the article School Resources and Student Achievement, the authors, after analyzing data that positively correlates resources to achievement, make the observation that their data may be seen as "merely confirming the obvious." And honestly, I'm one of those people who thought that. I thought it was clear that school resources have an impact on student achievement, and this study was just confirming that.
However, there are studies out there that contradict this evidence. Several studies done by Eric Hanushek concluded that there was no impact, and statistically, these studies were sound. Those who have since criticized Hanushek's work have noted that flaws in Hanushek's logic or data collection have created conclusions that are not actually true.
We've all heard the notion that "numbers don't lie," but in fact, when put in certain contexts, it's pretty easy to have two (or even more) completely contradictory studies on the same topic. It's a reminder that we shouldn't be swayed simply by numbers. We have to fully understand and question the methodology behind them.
When Homer said that, he was trying to combat the evidence that the neighborhood watch program he was in charge of was having a negative impact on Springfield. It was obviously meant as a joke. It was a line that was supposed to be vintage Homer stupidity and ignorance. But the more studies I read, the more I realize how accurate it is. People can come up with statistics to prove anything. If they make certain assumptions and ignore certain variables, it's easy for people to design studies that validate whatever they want.
At the end of the article School Resources and Student Achievement, the authors, after analyzing data that positively correlates resources to achievement, make the observation that their data may be seen as "merely confirming the obvious." And honestly, I'm one of those people who thought that. I thought it was clear that school resources have an impact on student achievement, and this study was just confirming that.
However, there are studies out there that contradict this evidence. Several studies done by Eric Hanushek concluded that there was no impact, and statistically, these studies were sound. Those who have since criticized Hanushek's work have noted that flaws in Hanushek's logic or data collection have created conclusions that are not actually true.
We've all heard the notion that "numbers don't lie," but in fact, when put in certain contexts, it's pretty easy to have two (or even more) completely contradictory studies on the same topic. It's a reminder that we shouldn't be swayed simply by numbers. We have to fully understand and question the methodology behind them.
Monday, June 8, 2009
Rod Paige: Behaviorist?
When we discussed Rod Paige's comments about how "all children can learn," putting blame for failure entirely on teachers not doing their jobs, I couldn't help but think of some of BF Skinner's work on behaviorism.
Obviously, the focal point of behavioral learning theory deals with reinforcement, but the underlying belief of Skinner's was that students can learn anything. Skinner said something along the lines of "give me a student and I'll shape him into anything" (I can't find the exact quote from my Educational Psychology notes, but I found that quote online), essentially disregarding any innate differences in children and believing they can be shaped into whatever the teacher desires. It is implied that, if a teacher wants their students to learn and apply knowledge, that teacher could get the desired behaviors from their students. If those students do not exhibit the desired behaviors, it was the fault of the teacher. This is what Skinner's most ardent followers believed: if a student wasn't learning, a teacher wasn't teaching.
I wonder if Paige subscribed to Skinner's school of thought. After all, Skinner was a very influential thinker in the 20th century. Although behavioral learning theory, in its purest form, has been criticized severely over the decades, I'm curious if any of the core concepts were sources of inspiration for Paige's beliefs on education.
Obviously, the focal point of behavioral learning theory deals with reinforcement, but the underlying belief of Skinner's was that students can learn anything. Skinner said something along the lines of "give me a student and I'll shape him into anything" (I can't find the exact quote from my Educational Psychology notes, but I found that quote online), essentially disregarding any innate differences in children and believing they can be shaped into whatever the teacher desires. It is implied that, if a teacher wants their students to learn and apply knowledge, that teacher could get the desired behaviors from their students. If those students do not exhibit the desired behaviors, it was the fault of the teacher. This is what Skinner's most ardent followers believed: if a student wasn't learning, a teacher wasn't teaching.
I wonder if Paige subscribed to Skinner's school of thought. After all, Skinner was a very influential thinker in the 20th century. Although behavioral learning theory, in its purest form, has been criticized severely over the decades, I'm curious if any of the core concepts were sources of inspiration for Paige's beliefs on education.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Fruchter and NCLB
Some of the information in Fruchter's book on No Child Left Behind was pretty sobering, such as how the additional funding the law requires has not been allocated. But the part that was most interesting to me was the potential of NCLB to actually widen the achievement gap. The author brings out how students in urban settings tend to perform worse on standardized tests. Since teachers are held accountable, those low test scores could give good teachers more motivation to avoid poor, urban areas, in favor of the more affluent. So diverse schools are left with worse teachers, who can't prepare their students adequately for tests, and less money to provide resources to help their students' achievement. The scores remain low, and the gap never narrows.
Another thing I found interesting was the point about how pressure to reach Adequately Yearly Progress could motivate schools to push students out who are likely to fail. It reminded me of a recent episode of The Simpsons, where Superintendent Chalmers and Principal Skinner concocted an elaborate plan to make sure some of the less intelligent students (Bart, the bullies, Ralph Wiggum) were not around during state mandated standardized tests, so that their probable low scores wouldn't cause Springfield Elementary to lose their federal funding (of course, Simpsons fans are aware of the running gag that Springfield Elementary is very poorly funded, whether it was their cafeteria serving "malk" instead of "milk," or the auditorium being bulldozed into a mini-mart after budget cuts forced them to cancel art, music, and dance). Chalmers' anxiety about the test seemed unreasonable, but The Simpsons tends to satirize with hyperbole. Apparently, those kinds of actions aren't THAT far-fetched, as struggling schools will try desperate measures so that they don't fall further behind. When events in The Simpsons don't seem outrageous any more, I think it's safe to say we're living in scary times.
Another thing I found interesting was the point about how pressure to reach Adequately Yearly Progress could motivate schools to push students out who are likely to fail. It reminded me of a recent episode of The Simpsons, where Superintendent Chalmers and Principal Skinner concocted an elaborate plan to make sure some of the less intelligent students (Bart, the bullies, Ralph Wiggum) were not around during state mandated standardized tests, so that their probable low scores wouldn't cause Springfield Elementary to lose their federal funding (of course, Simpsons fans are aware of the running gag that Springfield Elementary is very poorly funded, whether it was their cafeteria serving "malk" instead of "milk," or the auditorium being bulldozed into a mini-mart after budget cuts forced them to cancel art, music, and dance). Chalmers' anxiety about the test seemed unreasonable, but The Simpsons tends to satirize with hyperbole. Apparently, those kinds of actions aren't THAT far-fetched, as struggling schools will try desperate measures so that they don't fall further behind. When events in The Simpsons don't seem outrageous any more, I think it's safe to say we're living in scary times.
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Annotated Bibliography
1. Mahoney, Joseph L. and Cairns, Robert B. (1997). Do Extracurricular Activities Protect Against Early School Dropout. Developmental Psychology Vol. 33 (2).
Link: http://search.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.montclair.edu:2048/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=9711153633&site=ehost-live
Article details study of several hundred students from 7th through 12th grade and how extracurricular activities impacted whether or not they dropped out. Can be used in our paper because we can point out discrepancies in the amount of money allocated for extracurricular activities in different districts, and the impact that could have on students. Developmental Psychology journal is published by the American Psychological Association, and the authors of this particular article are professors at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill.
2. Hanushek, Eric. (1989). The Impact of Differential Expenditures on School Performance. Educational Researcher Vol. 18
Article details a study done that actually downplays the impact resources have on school performance. I found the article in the book "Does money matter?: the effect of school resources on student achievement and adult success" by Gary Burtless, which is a compilation of articles dealing with the topic. In most articles I came across, references to this study were made. It was important to look at this article and to understand why some of the conclusions drawn were incorrect. The journal, Educational Researcher, is peer reviewed
3. Tobin, Kenneth and Kincheloe, Joe L. (2006). Doing Educational Research. Sense Publishers.
Link: http://books.google.com/books?id=pj1c67LuwJYC
Book describes many methods that could be useful in urban education. For the purpose of our project, I focused on a few excerpts (accessed through Google Books) that dealt with science education in an urban setting. Tobin's findings on how hands-on learning and relevant lab work help improve urban students' perspectives on science, and also help them understand the concepts, is pertinent to our project because the availability of the resources mentioned determines how applicable Tobin's suggestions are. Without the proper resources, these ideas cannot be implemented, and students could become disinterested in science. Tobin is a very renowned researcher and a credible source in the area of urban education.
4. (2009). High school dropout crisis continues in US, study says. CNN
Link: http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/05/05/dropout.rate.study/
Article brings out how lack of funding has damaged high school re-enrollment programs, which were programs that help students who have dropped out get back to school and earn their degree. Uncertain if this article will be used, as our focus is going to be on budget factors we can analyze in New Jersey districts (such as amount spent on faculty, extracurricular activities, or school supplies). It's unclear what these programs actually are, and whether or not they even exist in New Jersey. Statistics and testimonials brought out in article make reference to successes in Chicago, Milwaukee, Los Angeles, and Portland.
5. Greenwald, Rob et al. The Effect of School Resources on Student Achievement. (1996). Review of Educational Research, Vol. 66 (3).
Link: http://www.jstor.org.ezproxy.montclair.edu:2048/sici?sici=0034-6543(1996)66%3A3%3C361%3ATEOSRO%3E2.0.CO%3B2-4&origin=serialsolutions&cookieSet=1
This article is a meta-analysis on whether or not resources impact student achievement. Essentially, it is a rebuttal to Hanushek's study. The study analyzes the impact of 7 different variables on student achievement: Per-pupil expenditure, teacher ability, teacher education, teacher experience, teacher salary, teacher/pupil ratio, and school size. Review of Educational Research is a peer reviewed journal.
The actual analysis done in this article is very comprehensive. I appreciate how many different ways the information is broken down: full analysis, post-1970, quasi-longitudinal study, longitudinal study, etc. I also appreciate how cautious the authors were before jumping to conclusions, as they tested for both positive and negative correlations in each study, and only emphatically stated a variable had an impact if there were positive correlations and no negative correlations across the board. I also appreciated the sensitivity analysis done towards the end of the article.
The conclusion of this study, that there is a "substantial correlation between educational resource inputs and academic achievement," is really the core of our project. However, this study defined academic achievement by standardized test scores, which is why I found articles dealing with resource impact on other measures of student success (i.e. content knowledge and dropout rates) to supplement this article's findings.
Link: http://search.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.montclair.edu:2048/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=9711153633&site=ehost-live
Article details study of several hundred students from 7th through 12th grade and how extracurricular activities impacted whether or not they dropped out. Can be used in our paper because we can point out discrepancies in the amount of money allocated for extracurricular activities in different districts, and the impact that could have on students. Developmental Psychology journal is published by the American Psychological Association, and the authors of this particular article are professors at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill.
2. Hanushek, Eric. (1989). The Impact of Differential Expenditures on School Performance. Educational Researcher Vol. 18
Article details a study done that actually downplays the impact resources have on school performance. I found the article in the book "Does money matter?: the effect of school resources on student achievement and adult success" by Gary Burtless, which is a compilation of articles dealing with the topic. In most articles I came across, references to this study were made. It was important to look at this article and to understand why some of the conclusions drawn were incorrect. The journal, Educational Researcher, is peer reviewed
3. Tobin, Kenneth and Kincheloe, Joe L. (2006). Doing Educational Research. Sense Publishers.
Link: http://books.google.com/books?id=pj1c67LuwJYC
Book describes many methods that could be useful in urban education. For the purpose of our project, I focused on a few excerpts (accessed through Google Books) that dealt with science education in an urban setting. Tobin's findings on how hands-on learning and relevant lab work help improve urban students' perspectives on science, and also help them understand the concepts, is pertinent to our project because the availability of the resources mentioned determines how applicable Tobin's suggestions are. Without the proper resources, these ideas cannot be implemented, and students could become disinterested in science. Tobin is a very renowned researcher and a credible source in the area of urban education.
4. (2009). High school dropout crisis continues in US, study says. CNN
Link: http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/05/05/dropout.rate.study/
Article brings out how lack of funding has damaged high school re-enrollment programs, which were programs that help students who have dropped out get back to school and earn their degree. Uncertain if this article will be used, as our focus is going to be on budget factors we can analyze in New Jersey districts (such as amount spent on faculty, extracurricular activities, or school supplies). It's unclear what these programs actually are, and whether or not they even exist in New Jersey. Statistics and testimonials brought out in article make reference to successes in Chicago, Milwaukee, Los Angeles, and Portland.
5. Greenwald, Rob et al. The Effect of School Resources on Student Achievement. (1996). Review of Educational Research, Vol. 66 (3).
Link: http://www.jstor.org.ezproxy.montclair.edu:2048/sici?sici=0034-6543(1996)66%3A3%3C361%3ATEOSRO%3E2.0.CO%3B2-4&origin=serialsolutions&cookieSet=1
This article is a meta-analysis on whether or not resources impact student achievement. Essentially, it is a rebuttal to Hanushek's study. The study analyzes the impact of 7 different variables on student achievement: Per-pupil expenditure, teacher ability, teacher education, teacher experience, teacher salary, teacher/pupil ratio, and school size. Review of Educational Research is a peer reviewed journal.
The actual analysis done in this article is very comprehensive. I appreciate how many different ways the information is broken down: full analysis, post-1970, quasi-longitudinal study, longitudinal study, etc. I also appreciate how cautious the authors were before jumping to conclusions, as they tested for both positive and negative correlations in each study, and only emphatically stated a variable had an impact if there were positive correlations and no negative correlations across the board. I also appreciated the sensitivity analysis done towards the end of the article.
The conclusion of this study, that there is a "substantial correlation between educational resource inputs and academic achievement," is really the core of our project. However, this study defined academic achievement by standardized test scores, which is why I found articles dealing with resource impact on other measures of student success (i.e. content knowledge and dropout rates) to supplement this article's findings.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Culture Reflections
It's difficult to pinpoint exactly how culture will shape my identity as a teacher. Personally, I feel my family culture has influenced every aspect of my character. If I talk about everything, this blog post will turn into a term paper. Strictly from an educator's perspective, one thing immediately came to mind: patience.
Schools are becoming more and more diverse, and students who don't speak English particularly well are becoming more common. I've heard tales of frustration from ALL of my cousins who moved from Lebanon to the US and attended school: how annoyed their teachers are at their inability to speak or write well, the lack of effort put in to catching them up, the unreasonable immediate expectations. Depending on what country a student comes from, the changes could be VERY significant (in Lebanon, they write right to left). Math, my subject area, is of particular note, because many people may believe that math is "universal." Most math teachers, or aspiring math teachers, have heard arguments along the lines of "2+2=4 everywhere." There have even been cases where foreign students are put directly into regular math classes because of the notion of the universality of math. But as the standards for math change, the requirements to succeed also change. Math is becoming more logic-based, and requires linguistic and problem-solving skills on top of numeric skills to fully excel. I've had cousins come to the States and get completely baffled by word problems, while their teachers become irritated at the lack of comprehension. I hope to not be one of those educators.
As for culture's impact on learning in general, it really impacts everything. It can affect how interested a student is in a certain class. Perhaps students with Lebanese heritage aren't particularly interested in the Franco-Prussian war. One of the reasons that our group initially wanted to look at Culturally Responsive Curriculum as a research topic (a topic we have since abandoned) was because many school curricula could alienate students if the predominantly Euro-centric male point of view is what is focused on.
Culture can also impact how a student values education. My mother had 7 older sisters, none of whom went to college. Most of them grew up and attended school in Lebanon, and at that time, women in Lebanon were expected to be housewives. Two of my aunts were married before the age of 16, because it was believed that a woman's responsibility was to raise a family as early as possible. College was not really in the equation. When my Aunt Najla brought my mother to the US, my mother attended Clifton High School. Because she still associated herself with her Lebanese culture, she didn't think much of college, and therefore didn't value high school as seriously as her teachers would have hoped.
Schools are becoming more and more diverse, and students who don't speak English particularly well are becoming more common. I've heard tales of frustration from ALL of my cousins who moved from Lebanon to the US and attended school: how annoyed their teachers are at their inability to speak or write well, the lack of effort put in to catching them up, the unreasonable immediate expectations. Depending on what country a student comes from, the changes could be VERY significant (in Lebanon, they write right to left). Math, my subject area, is of particular note, because many people may believe that math is "universal." Most math teachers, or aspiring math teachers, have heard arguments along the lines of "2+2=4 everywhere." There have even been cases where foreign students are put directly into regular math classes because of the notion of the universality of math. But as the standards for math change, the requirements to succeed also change. Math is becoming more logic-based, and requires linguistic and problem-solving skills on top of numeric skills to fully excel. I've had cousins come to the States and get completely baffled by word problems, while their teachers become irritated at the lack of comprehension. I hope to not be one of those educators.
As for culture's impact on learning in general, it really impacts everything. It can affect how interested a student is in a certain class. Perhaps students with Lebanese heritage aren't particularly interested in the Franco-Prussian war. One of the reasons that our group initially wanted to look at Culturally Responsive Curriculum as a research topic (a topic we have since abandoned) was because many school curricula could alienate students if the predominantly Euro-centric male point of view is what is focused on.
Culture can also impact how a student values education. My mother had 7 older sisters, none of whom went to college. Most of them grew up and attended school in Lebanon, and at that time, women in Lebanon were expected to be housewives. Two of my aunts were married before the age of 16, because it was believed that a woman's responsibility was to raise a family as early as possible. College was not really in the equation. When my Aunt Najla brought my mother to the US, my mother attended Clifton High School. Because she still associated herself with her Lebanese culture, she didn't think much of college, and therefore didn't value high school as seriously as her teachers would have hoped.
Monday, June 1, 2009
Special Education School Closings
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2009/04/nj_to_close_schools_for_disabl.html
This is an article about a decision in April to close 18 state-run Special Education Schools, which provided services for students with disabilities and troubled kids, throughout New Jersey by the end of June, 2010, relocating the students to local district schools.
The main issue, as brought out in the article, is that these students were sent to these special schools because their local districts could not accommodate them. But given what we're learning about urban education, I have to wonder: what of the students that are relocated to urban schools? How well are the Special Education services in Newark and Trenton (two cities whose Special Education campuses will be closing) prepared to handle this situation? Special Education in urban schools was something I considered doing my final project on, and this ongoing story is definitely one of the reasons.
This is an article about a decision in April to close 18 state-run Special Education Schools, which provided services for students with disabilities and troubled kids, throughout New Jersey by the end of June, 2010, relocating the students to local district schools.
The main issue, as brought out in the article, is that these students were sent to these special schools because their local districts could not accommodate them. But given what we're learning about urban education, I have to wonder: what of the students that are relocated to urban schools? How well are the Special Education services in Newark and Trenton (two cities whose Special Education campuses will be closing) prepared to handle this situation? Special Education in urban schools was something I considered doing my final project on, and this ongoing story is definitely one of the reasons.
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