University of Wisconsin-Whitewater

Department of Curriculum and Instruction

Informing the Education Consumer: Issues in American Public Education

CIGENRL 214: Spring 2005 Sec 01 Tue 3:45-6:15

 

 

Coordinator:                Anne D’Antonio Stinson

                                stinsona@uww.edu

Office:                    Winther Hall 3042                                               

Office Phone:                (262) 472-1973                                               

Office Hours:                Mon 2-4, Tue 2-3, Thur 1-3

Home Phone:                (262) 473-7244

 

               

Required Text

A course reader is available at the University Bookstore.

 

Course Description

The course explores the political pressures affecting various aspects of public education including legal issues, standards and standardized testing, the Americans with Disabilities Act, school violence, school funding, literacy, language in education, the arts in education, technology in education, multiculturalism, gender issues, and curriculum reform. Units of study will broadly focus on three areas: (1) the mission of public education, (2) the actual practice it engenders, and (3) the impact of that practice on American society. Units will be led by professors having expertise in the areas to be considered. 

 

Course Objectives

Students enrolled in the course will be expected to:

•                      Think critically and analytically about forces affecting public education in America; integrate and synthesize knowledge and draw conclusions from information encountered in the twelve units (see class schedule below)

•                      Be prepared to make sound ethical and value judgments as education consumers based on an understanding of the sociological, psychological, and socioeconomic forces affecting students and teachers, and a knowledge of past successes, failures, and consequences of educational movements, especially major curricular and legal movements

•                      Understand and appreciate the diversity in American public schools with regard to cultures, languages, and abilities

•                      Communicate effectively in oral and written forms

•                      Appreciate the importance of fine and performing arts programs in public schools

 

Course Requirements

•                      Attend one local school board meeting (or view one on Cable 6); prepare a written response

•                      Document 10 volunteer hours in a public school; prepare a written response

•                      Prepare written responses to ten of the 12 units (as structured by the individual presenters), including responses to any related readings; 2-3 pages each

•                      Synthesizing response paper, appropriated references (APA style); 5-6 pages

 

Evaluation

20%                Attendance and participation; incidental assignments                                Due:                as assigned

10%        School board experience and written response                                                                4/5

15%                Volunteer experience and written response                                                                                4/19                               

30%        Written responses to weekly presentations and related readings                                 weekly

25%                Synthesizing response paper                                                                                   5/12 (Thursday)

 

 

Grade Scale

93-100%                A                                                T+                 = 3 points/3

                85-92%                   B                                                T                   = 2 points/3

                77-84%                   C                                                T-                = 1 point/3

                69-76%                   D                                                0                = 0 points/3

                  0-68%                   F

 

Attendance Policy

Students are permitted two absences. A third absence will result in a reduction of one letter grade. A fourth absence will result in an additional reduction of one letter grade, etc. ATTENDANCE IS REQUIRED ON 3/29 (midterm assessment) and THURSDAY, 5/12 (final exam).

Please note: Calling me to tell me you will be absent a third time does not excuse a third absence, etc.

Also note: Students who miss more than two classes and/or respond to fewer than ten presentations are not eligible to earn an A for the course. Students who miss either the midterm assessment or the final exam are not eligible to earn an A for the course.

 

Contact Information

 

                Volunteer coordinators:

                                Lakeview Elementary                                call 472-8400 for more information

                                Lincoln Elementary                                Kris Coan, 472-8500

                                Washington Elementary                                Shawyn Anderson, 472-8600

                                Whitewater Middle School                Carolyn Markson, 472-8324

                                Whitewater High School                                Carolyn Markson, 472-8324

 

                Whitewater Unified School District                                472-8700

                534 S Elizabeth St.                                                School Board meets on the 4th Monday of each month

                               

                                                                                                                                               

Reasonable Modifications Requests

Students in need of some reasonable modification of the instructional context should meet with me as soon as possible to discus the needed modification.  If the modification requires the assistance of personnel, equipment, or materials that are beyond my control, please contact Disabled Student Services.

 

 

 

 

Class Schedule

 

1/18

Introduction to the course. To Sir, With Love                                                        Film presentation

1/25

“A Brief History of Education in America”                                                        Katy Heyning, C&I

Related reading: Kliebard, H. (1987). Curriculum ferment in the 1890s. The struggle for the American curriculum. New York: Routledge.

PRE-LECTURE ASSIGNMENT: Dr. Heyning asks that you locate and bring with you one current newspaper article concerning some aspect of education.  

2/1

“Understanding PL504 & IDEA–                                  Diana Rogers-Adkinson, Special Education

Laws That Help Children with Disabilities”

Related reading: TBA

2/8

“Assimilation & Pluralism”                                                  Ellen Smith, Educational Foundations

Related reading: Spring, J. (2004). Deculturalization and the claim of racial and cultural superiority by Anglo-Americans. Deculturalization and the struggle for equality. Boston: McGraw Hill.

PRE-LECTURE ASSIGNMENT: Professor Smith asks that you write two paragraphs on two interesting/important ideas you learn from the reading. Be sure to address why these ideas are important for educators.

2/15

“Respecting Bilingualism”                                                                           Wallace Sherlock, C&I

Related reading: Lindholm-Leary, K. (2005). The rich promise of two-way immersion. Educational Leadership, 63 (1).

Nieto, S. (2002). We speak in many tongues: Language diversity and multicultural education.  Language, culture & teaching. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

2/22

Conrack                                                                                                                Film presentation

Related reading: from Conroy, P. (1972). The water is wide. New York: Bantam Books.

Krashen, S. (2002). Another urban legend. Rethinking Schools, Summer 2002.

3/1

“The Peripheral Curriculum: The Arts in Education”                                         Bill Chandler, C&I

Related reading: Greene, M. (1991). Texts and margins. Harvard Educational Review, 61 (1).

3/8

“Athletics in Education: Does it Fit?”                                                         Bruce Bukowski, AAEC

Related reading: Bukowski, B. (2001). A comparison of academic athletic eligibility in interscholastic sports in American high schools. The Sports Journal, 14 (2).

Foley, D. (1990). The great American football ritual: Reproducing race, class, and gender inequality. In A. Yiannakis & M. Melnick, Eds. Contemporary Issues in

Sociology of Sport, 4th ed.  Champaign, Il: Human Kinetics.

Lucus, J. & Lovaglia, M. (2002). Athletes’ expectations for success in athletics compared to academic competition. The Sports Journal, 15 (2).

3/15

“Reality Education: No Child Left Behind”                                                  M. Virginia Epps, C&I

Related reading: Marshak, D. (2003, November). No Child Left Behind: A foolish race into the past. Phi Delta Kappan, pp. 229-231.

from Meier, D. & Wood, G. (Eds.). (2004). Many children left behind. Boston: Beacon Press.

Neill, M. (2003, November). Leaving children behind: How No Child Left Behind will fail our children. Phi Delta Kappan, pp. 225-228.  

Posner, D. (2004, June). What’s wrong with teaching to the test? Phi Delta Kappan, pp. 749-751.

3/22

SPRING BREAK!

3/29

Midterm assessment. Attendance is required.

4/5

School of Rock                                                                                                      Film presentation

Related reading: Helm, J. (2004). Projects that power young minds. Educational Leadership, 62 (1), pp. 58-62.

PRE-LECTURE ASSIGNMENT: Do some internet research on the American educator John Dewey. On a 5x3 index card, write down five things that you learn. 

Response paper due (school board experience).

 

4/12

“ICT in the Classroom”                                                                                  John Zbikowski, C&I

Related reading: Bennett, F. (2002). The future of computer technology in k-12 education. Phi Delta Kappan, 83 (8), 621-625.

Gardner, C. (2001-2002). To government regulations be true. Educational Leadership 59(4), 39-41.

Levin, H. (2004). Laptops unleashed: A high school experience. Learning and Leading with Technology, 31(7), 6-11.

4/19

“Schools &Families”                                                                                 Simone DeVore, Special Education

Related reading: TBA

Response paper due (volunteer experience).

4/26

“Dissecting the Math Wars”                                                   Melissa Freiberg & Susan Kidd, C&I

Related reading: none

PRE-LECTURE ASSIGNMENT: Dr. Freiberg & Professor Kidd ask that you write a one-page reflection on your own experiences learning math.

5/3

Writing day.  No formal class meeting.

Thur, 5/12

Final assessment. (3:15-5:15) Attendance is required. Synthesizing response paper due.