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Alan Edwards

Eager Students Fall Prey to Apartheid's Legacy - 1 views

  • KHAYELITSHA, South Africa — Seniors here at Kwamfundo high school sang freedom songs and protested outside the staff room last year because their accounting teacher chronically failed to show up for class. With looming national examinations that would determine whether they were bound for a university or joblessness, they demanded a replacement.
    • Alan Edwards
       
      In the black townships of South Africa, many public schools do not meet the students' high expectations of career or college preparation. This article describes how students have worked for justice: protesting (at times violently) and teaching themselves lessons when teachers fail to show for work.
  • Here in the Western Cape, only 2 out of 1,000 sixth graders in predominantly black schools passed a mathematics test at grade level in 2005, compared with almost 2 out of 3 children in schools once reserved for whites that are now integrated, but generally in more affluent neighborhoods.
    • Alan Edwards
       
      Apartheid is alive and well in South Africa's education system.
    • Alan Edwards
       
      The author relies on interviews with current teachers, students, and administrators in South Africa. She also cites data and perspectives from the Development Bank of South Africa. In her piece she examines the current situation in a single township, then ties the issue to the entire nation.
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    • Alan Edwards
       
      The author works to briefly explain how the schools were intentionally segregated in order to continue the subjugation of blacks and colored people. In the wake of N. Mandela's election, she explores how corruption and unequal distribution of resources has contributed to the education system's condition today.
    • Alan Edwards
       
      The crisis in South Africa is a reminder of the horrible education inequalities between the rich and poor, the white and the black. The student responses to their situation is at times inspirational as well as disheartening. For older students, this article could be used to encourage student involvement in dialogue with decision-makers of the school. Schools need to be responsive to the positive needs of its student body.
  • KHAYELITSHA, South Africa — Seniors here at Kwamfundo high school sang freedom songs and protested outside the staff room last year because their accounting teacher chronically failed to show up for class. With looming national examinations that would determine whether they were bound for a university or joblessness, they demanded a replacement.
  • Post-apartheid South Africa is at grave risk of producing what one veteran commentator has called another lost generation, entrenching the racial and class divide rather than bridging it. Half the students never make it to 12th grade.
  • But South Africa’s schools also have problems for which history cannot be blamed, including teacher absenteeism, researchers say. And then when teachers are in school, they spend too little time on instruction. A survey found that they taught for a little over three hours a day, rather than the five expected
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    NYT's Celia Dugger examines the quality of education for South Africa's majority black population. 15 years after the election of Nelson Mandela and the official end to apartheid, the nation's school system remains a bastion of inequality.
Sarah Franquemont

Geography Action! 2009 -- National Geographic - 6 views

    • Sarah Franquemont
       
      Choose a "Geography Action!" theme at right and be directed to a variety of primary and secondary sources (maps, lesson plans, video and audio resources, and pictures) relating to that theme.
    • Sarah Franquemont
       
      The site contains information on conservation, topography, human migration, and other relevant topics for geography teachers.  A variety of supplemental maps also illustrate these concepts.
    • Sarah Franquemont
       
      Cultural and region specific information is broad, so while this site is valuable for geography teachers, it may not provide detailed enough information for history teachers.
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    How might teachers use this site?
Kenneth O'Regan

American Art - 2 views

  • Norman Rockwell Telling Stories Through January 2, 2011
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    This is the front page of the Smithsonian American Art Museum. This website is a lot more than just the site for an art museum. Inside, you can find information about current exhibits, collections, upcoming events, teacher resources, and much more. Over the next few months there are also some special events for high school teachers, including one on October 16th titled "Teaching History through Art." I think it is easy, in most high schools, to forget the importance of art in our society and how it can give a glimpse of our cultural history.
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    How might teachers use this site?
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    Art can define elements of our history. I would probably be better able to answer this question if I could attend the seminar on October 16th. Taking a look at a few of the featured exhibitions on the main page of the site, we can already make some history connections. Consider the current Norman Rockwell exhibition. Rockwell provides excellent visualizations of idealized, traditional American society in a broad period, roughly 1913 to shortly before his death in 1978. Rockwell paintings could be used in any kind of lesson plan dealing with either of the World Wars, the Boy Scouts, or the rise of middle-class America in the 1950s. Another lead exhibit on the page is titled The Pond, by an artist whose name currently escapes me. Taking a look at the photos of a pond somewhere in Maryland in the 1980s, the pictures tell a story of forgotten parts of the American wild that are surrounded by urbanization and industry.
Lindsay Andreas

National Governors Association - 0 views

  • increase student participation in rigorous college preparatory courses, better align expectations between high school and postsecondary education, hold these systems accountable, and ensure students graduate from high school ready for college or the workplace in the global economy.
    • Lindsay Andreas
       
      An important part of our mission as secondary educators is to prepare students for either post-secondary work and the workplace.
  • While states invest significant resources in education programs, governors also recognize and appreciate the federal government’s contribution to provide additional resources or assistance for those most in need.
    • Lindsay Andreas
       
      It is important to remember the break-down in financing, and therefore, where real power lies. If we want policy change, we need to know the most effective avenues for lobbying. We may think Obama sets the education policy agenda but the reality is, governors have a lot of power and persuasion in the field. For example, it always amazes me how different public higher education systems are, and this is because certain states have made it a priority to fund higher education greatly.
  • In this new economy and era of education reform, now is the time to reform postsecondary education by increasing relevance and rigor, accountability, and linkages with kindergarten-12th grade (K-12) education and the workplace, and by expanding financial aid to students of all ages.
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  • Provide capacity-building incentives to states to increase teacher supply and retention, as well as education research.
    • Lindsay Andreas
       
      On the national level, you only seem to hear about accountability but it is refreshing to see that the NGA takes a lot more into account. I really feel like they are better in touch with the realities of education policy.
  • Authorize states to provide diverse learning options and assessment options, including the option for growth models, determined at the state level.
    • Lindsay Andreas
       
      Again, they are concerned with other models of assessment for accountability. I think it is safe to say no one disagrees that there should be accountability but the approach varies greatly and I am more aligned with NGA approaches.
  • Congress should refrain from establishing any federal mandates to ensure maximum state and local flexibility to create aligned systems.
  • A one-size-fits all approach to high school learning is outdated and does not support the diverse needs of students. Governors encourage Congress to support state and local policies and programs that expand the availability of learning opportunities for students of all ages including, but not limited to, virtual school options, service learning, internships, apprenticeships, programs addressing out-of-school-youth, alternative learning programs, and the availability of financial aid.
    • Lindsay Andreas
       
      Thank you! School choices and meeting diverse needs. I really like their recommendations, they want to leave room for discretion.
  • Maximum flexibility in designing state accountability systems, including testing and other indicators of achievement, is critical to preserve the unique balance involving federal funding, local control of education, and state responsibility for system-wide reform. Maximum flexibility in state testing will help improve how students are assessed for academic proficiency and postsecondary readiness. Flexibility should include the option for states to utilize growth measures to assess student performance.
  • Teachers and school leaders must receive the professional support and training needed to provide students with the skills necessary to compete in a global society, particularly in science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM), literacy, and international and language studies.
    • Lindsay Andreas
       
      I think the support issue is very relevant because of my experience at McKinley. They are in the process of introducing AP and a STEM program but the teachers are confused about how it should work, I think if they were given more support and guidance, things would run much more smoothly.
  • High schools must compete with other more highly compensated professions for teachers and school leaders, especially in the areas of mathematics and science. Congress should continue to support and expand state-administered pilot projects on performance pay, especially in critical shortage areas or hard-to-staff schools.
    • Lindsay Andreas
       
      There are a lot of bright young people that don't think about getting into the education profession because it doesn't pay enough and doesn't get enough respect. I really do believe we must make the profession more attractive in order to get the best pool of professionals.
  • Federal policies should encourage—not discourage—promising state efforts in dual enrollment programs that permit students to obtain high quality college-level credits or provide the opportunity to earn an industry-recognized credential while still in secondary school.
  • Congress also should support state efforts that encourage more students to enroll in Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) coursework and pay for student AP testing.
    • Lindsay Andreas
       
      I don't necessarily know if I believe in these programs, I'm undecided. I did AP in H.S. and I don't know if I get the point exactly, however, if you are going to do these programs, make sure it is clear the goal of having such programs.
  • The use of a high school graduation rate in any accountability framework must serve as an incentive to promote state and local innovation to better engage and educate every student, and count all students who graduate from high school. Congress and the Administration should work closely with governors to ensure the proper use and application of the NGA Voluntary High School Graduation Rate.
    • Lindsay Andreas
       
      I think this is so on point, sometimes we do all this testing and numbers/stats but don't even know why we are using them. If we use them to better innovate, that seems like a good thing to me.
  • Governors believe that career and technical education programs and career and technical education teacher certification requirements should reflect the need to better integrate career and academic curriculum and integrate career professionals into the career and technical education teaching corps.
    • Lindsay Andreas
       
      Amen! I believe in a balance between theory and practice, you need both! Let's invest in prep, it's not the most popular thing because it takes time to see the results but I think it is important and worth the wait.
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    This is the National Governors Association, education policy website, specifically, I have selected the policy position on High School Reform, as it is most pertinent to us, the end goes into higher education but that is for another time. The NGA is one of the best education policy sites. As we know, the states are the primary forces in setting education agendas and it is important to see what bi-partisan work they are doing. Governors are usually very influential in education politics.
Debbie Moore

Census in Schools - 0 views

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    This site is sponsored by the U.S. Government, Census Bureau. It is speicfically designed as an educational resource for students, teachers and schools. The Census Bureau will provide lesson plans, maps, worksheets and other educational material free of charge to any teacher.
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    I observed my cooperating teacher using this site (Census in Schools) for a 6th grade geography class. The students responded positively and were actively engaged in the lesson. The students were able to work with their own individual maps while exploring and answering essential questions. The site also has information and materials appropriate for all other grades. I think that this site could also be used for U.S. History since the first census orginiated for the purpose of creating a representative government.
kkasargodstaub

Global Education Collaborative - 1 views

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    An excellent resource for teachers who are looking for resources on global education. The collaborative has resources for lesson plans but also features to let educators interact with each other and collaborate on curriculum.
kyleassad

World History for Us All - 0 views

    • kyleassad
       
      I would use this site if I was required to build my own curriculum for the grades which I was teaching.  It provides a comprehensive collection of big, intermediate, and close up views of content and how to segment it in different approaches.  It could be used in whole or as a supplement to the provided curriculum from a school district.
    • kyleassad
       
      This site does not immediately provide the sources it uses.  However, when accessing the "Foundations of this Curriculum" link at the top, it leads to the manner in which the curriculum was developed, it's background, and the way in which it continues to be developed.
    • kyleassad
       
      This site has very strong credibility.  It lists all the project officers, teachers, consultants, etc. that are contributing to the content of the website.  They show the updated material as it becomes available, and allows for evaluations to be offered.  It also has a comments page, which is admittedly very positive.  It also has a links page that links to sources, affiliates, and other useful sites. I think that give the standards provided by UC Berkeley, this site is a very credible option for new social studies teachers looking for help with lesson plans and organization of curriculum.
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    A resource for World History curriculum created by the San Diego State University and National Center for History in the Schools.  It is a through and evolving website for teachers.
Laura Wood

Rethinking Schools Online - 0 views

  • Check out these Rethinking Schools Publications
    • Laura Wood
       
      Rethinking schools offers some fantastic resources for teachers. The Rethinking Globalization text has activities for all ages to start making students aware of the global nature of our lives and to help them to take action instead of being passive consumers of world goods/culture.
  • Teaching for Environmental Justice
    • Laura Wood
       
      Articles, resources, and publications from teachers and educators that subscribe to critical pedagogy. The information is based in opinion, theory, historical documents, and cool lesson plans and curriculum ideas. I recommend checking out the articles that are here, and checking out some of their publications from a library (or from me, I have "Rethinking Globalization").
    • Laura Wood
       
      MAPS!
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    Rethinking Schools is an organization committed to equity and to the vision that public education is central to the creation of a humane, caring, multiracial democracy. While writing for a broad audience, Rethinking Schools emphasizes problems facing urban schools, particularly issues of race. Rethinking Schools tries to balance classroom practice and educational theory. It is an activist publication, with articles written by and for teachers, parents, and students. It also addresses key policy issues, such as vouchers and marketplace-oriented reforms, funding equity, and school-to-work.
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    This is my go-to site! Thanks for posting it!
Michael Sheehan

Learning Never Stops: Gilder Lehrman Institute for American History - An amazing resour... - 0 views

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    A tremendous resource for social studies teachers.
Elliot Borg

National Constitution Center: Educators - 0 views

  • Resources to engage students in the Constitution, current events and civic learning.
    • Elliot Borg
       
      Under "Classroom resources," teachers can find print resources links to sites that provide students with the tools they need to better understand the context and content of the Constitution
    • Elliot Borg
       
      This site uses decades of commentary and sites from other organizations to provide the most access points to students to promote a good learning environment for them all.
    • Elliot Borg
       
      In an American History or American Government class, this site would prove extremely useful to better my students understanding of the dense, old, and vague language of the Constituion.
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    The National Constitution Center in Philidelphia has a website that has information for the general public and educators. It has lots of information that teachers could find useful in a classroom setting.
Lindsay Andreas

Teaching For Change | Building social justice starting in the classroom - 0 views

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    The best part about this website, which makes it different from most of the Social Justice education websites I've encountered, is the section specifically for parents. Most sites are geared for the classroom specifically through teachers and students but a fundamental and important component of building communities is parent involvement. It is D.C. based and it also has a great list of resource materials for teachers.
Debbie Moore

Museum - 3 views

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    The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum is significantly more than just a museum and it is arguably the most thorough site on the Holocaust as well as other acts of genocide. Just reviewing the website and all that it offers can take several hours. Through the education filter, teachers can find complete information on how to teach the Holocaust or other acts of genocide. For example, the site offers online lessons, teacher workshops, essential topics, teaching resources, lesson plans, activities, and a list of common student questions. USHMM site suggests 5 guidelines for teaching the Holocaust, which include defining genocide, investigating the context and dynamics that led to genocide, understanding parallels to other genocides and analyzing American and world responses. A function that I find very useful and interesting is the "Mapping Initiative" filter where one can learn how to use Google Earth to view a Darfur Layer file. This file provides comparisons of before and after views of villages impacted by the ongoing events in Darfur. There is also a section of photographs, videos, and testimonies. In addition the USHMM maintains an archive consisting of wide variety of documents including photographs and films. Lastly, if field trips are a possibility, admission is free and there is a special children's exhibit called Remember the Children: Daniel's Story.
James Leslie

Social Studies Homework Help - 2 views

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    This site has a variety of resources that can help students and teachers with studying at home.
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    This site has a variety of resources that can help students and teachers with studying at home.
Alan Edwards

New Deal Network - 1 views

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    Created by the Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt Institute and historians, the New Deal Network is a great online resource for the era. Check out the documents sections where they have materials organized by topic. (e.g. Japanese Internment, Tennessee Valley Authority, Anti-Semitism). This could be an important resource for teachers preparing lessons as well as student research.
Alan Edwards

Dave's ESL Cafe - 0 views

    • Alan Edwards
       
      Dave's ESL cafe is a site that is maintained by Dave Sperling. I cannot find any information about the man and his affiliations on the website, but he does have contact info.
    • Alan Edwards
       
      Dave collects and posts lesson plans, strategies, and assessments for teaching English language learners. Dave appears to have exclusive control on what gets posted, and there are a lot of helpful ideas from educators around the world.
    • Alan Edwards
       
      I think this site is a great resource for teachers with ELL students. It maintains a large selection of works collected from educators. Many of the lesson aim at creating a more active and fun classroom. Also, if the forum was up and running it would also be a great place for teachers to help one another with their teaching dilemmas.
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    Dave's ESL Cafe includes a wide selection of strategies, lesson plans, and tools for teaching English language learners. There is a section for teachers as well as a section for students themselves.
James Leslie

Carter Center Teacher Resource Center - Middle & High School Lessons - 2 views

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    Another page with links to teaching resources and lesson plans.
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    I just took a glance at one of the lesson plans from the Carter Center and I love how thorough it is. Great resource!
Stephanie Beer

Human Rights Reports - 6 views

    • Stephanie Beer
       
      The State Department publishes human rights reports each year on countries throughout the world. The information is very up to date.
    • Stephanie Beer
       
      This website would be a valuable resource for teaching students about human rights. Students could use the country reports to research human rights conditions in a country of their choice.
    • Stephanie Beer
       
      This site could be used in conjunction with a unit on Human Rights perhaps using the Model UN organization's Global Classroom curriculum on Human Rights. Students could use this website as a resource to research human rights conditions in different countries around the world.
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    This site gives human rights reports listed by country and year. It is an excellent resource for information on human rights conditions throughout the world.
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    How might teachers use the site?
Anissa Madrill

US Constitution Web Portal - 0 views

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    for teachers and students grades 4 to 12!  Tons of resources from the founding fathers to lesson plans.
Kenneth O'Regan

Lesson Plan: Historical Perspectives: Coming Home from War. PBS Teachers - Resources Fo... - 0 views

    • Kenneth O'Regan
       
      The homecoming experiences of soldiers in World War II, Vietnam, and our current wars are very reflective and telling of national attitudes toward each respective war/conflict. This can help students put these events into a larger historical context.
    • Kenneth O'Regan
       
      The phrase "Support the Troops" was everywhere a few years ago. Its usage has disappeared a little bit now, but what it really means is still very open for interpretation.
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    As another tough topic to tackle in the high school social studies classroom, this multimedia-based PBS lesson plan aims to help students grades 9-12 understand the difficulties encountered by US soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. Television, internet, and many other factors have changed the way we view war and receive our veterans. The lesson plan examines the conditions faced by troops returning from not just Iraq and Afghanistan today, but also from Vietnam and World War II. Like the other collection of lesson plans I posted earlier, this is material that can be a little bit emotional, especially for students who have a family or friend connection to veterans.
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