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jbdrury

Angel Island - California's "Immigration Station" - 1 views

  • This document reproduces in its entirety a book published by The Women's American Baptist Home Missionary Society, Chicago, in 1917. It describes the processing of Asian immigrants through Angel Island in San Francisco Bay - the "Ellis Island" of the west.
  • Unrestricted and unregulated immigration would not be wise either on our eastern or western coasts. We need the most careful consideration of the character of our future citizenship. But when we have decided who may be admitted to our land, let us receive all who come with a true Christian courtesy
    • jbdrury
       
      This provides an interesting contemporary description of the Angel Island facility, and under this sub-heading are further descriptions of other immigrants (Indian, Korean, etc.) coming through Angel Island.
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    • jbdrury
       
      This section - on Japanese Picture Brides - describes the missionaries perceptions of these young japanese girls coming to America for the first time, but the pamplet includes "interviews" with some of the women (whether or not these are factual could be debated).
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    This is the second part of my Angel Island posting. I find this document fascinating; it is a complete reproduction of a 1917 pamphlet produced by The Women's American Baptist Home Missionary Society, and includes interesting - and sometimes offensive - first hand accounts of immigrants coming through Angel Island at the time. The non-secular language cannot be denied as well, but it still makes for a fascinating glimpse into the perceptions of asian immigrants during this period of our history.
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.
Laura Wood

Even Babies Discriminate: A NurtureShock Excerpt. | Newsweek Life | Newsweek.com - 1 views

  • Kids as young as 6 months judge others based on skin color. What's a parent to do?
    • Laura Wood
       
      I find this particularly important after seeing how some race dynamics play out in my practicum. Specifically I find myself asking "Why are all the White kids sitting together in the classroom?" This article might give one reason.
  • Prior research had shown that multicultural curricula in schools have far less impact than we intend them to—largely because the implicit message "We're all friends" is too vague for young children to understand that it refers to skin color.
    • Laura Wood
       
      Highlights the importance of being specific with kids. I'm not sure why our modesty makes us, as teachers, code and shy away from just being real with our students. One of the goals that I have set for myself this semester is to get real with students, just tell them the truth (for example saying, "That's disrespectful. Stop.") instead of playing games (for example feeling flustered and walking away or saying something vague like, "behave").
  • They wanted their children to grow up colorblind. But Vittrup's first test of the kids revealed they weren't colorblind at all. Asked how many white people are mean, these children commonly answered, "Almost none." Asked how many blacks are mean, many answered, "Some," or "A lot." Even kids who attended diverse schools answered the questions this way.
    • Laura Wood
       
      And here's the gold. Kids are not color blind. Adult embarrassment to speak about race does not mean we're not communicating messages to our children about race and prejudice, it just means that we're also communicating that it's something to be embarrassed about and/or hush up. I really recommend reading this article in full. It's fantastic.
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  • Vittrup was taken aback—these families volunteered knowing full well it was a study of children's racial attitudes. Yet once they were aware that the study required talking openly about race, they started dropping out.
    • Laura Wood
       
      Parents are so uncomfortable talking about race with their children, they drop out of the study. Why is this conversation So hard to have???
  • hardly any of these white parents had ever talked to their children directly about race.
    • Laura Wood
       
      To quote Zinn "you can't be neutral on a moving train" (i.e. you can't fail to proactively oppose a racist infrastructure/social order without perpetuating that racist infrastructure/social order. i.e. If you don't teach your kids explicitly anti-racist behavior, language and attitudes, you tacitly support and perpetuate a racist system - whether you are racist or not)
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    An article that summarizes some incredibly important findings on race and racism. Specifically, if you don't talk about racism with kids, you support the status quo. Even very young kids.
Erin Power

Reauthorization of ESEA: Why We Can't Wait -- Secretary Arne Duncan's Remarks at the Mo... - 1 views

    • Joellen Kriss
       
      What a conundrum this is...
  • People want support from Washington but not interference. They want accountability but not oversight. They want national leadership but not at the expense of local control.
  • And now that I'm here I'm even more convinced that the best solutions begin with parents and teachers working together in the home and the classroom.
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  • Many teachers complain bitterly about NCLB's emphasis on testing. Principals hate being labeled as failures. Superintendents say it wasn't adequately funded.
  • And many parents just view it as a toxic brand that isn't helping children learn.
    • Joellen Kriss
       
      I like how he/his speech writers recognize here that schooling is something that belongs to the states. It seems like he's saying that the federal government is just stepping in for a moment, until things start going well.
  • Until states develop better assessments—which we will support and fund through Race to the Top—we must rely on standardized tests to monitor progress—but this is an important area for reform and an important conversation to have.
  • it places too much emphasis on absolute test scores rather than student growth—and it is overly prescriptive in some ways while it is too blunt an instrument of reform in others.
    • Joellen Kriss
       
      SUPER DUPER BINGO! NCLB encourages hig TESTING standards, but not LEARNING standards!! Good for you Arne (that's what he wants his staff to call him...in case you didn't know.)
  • NCLB is that it doesn't encourage high learning standards. In fact, it inadvertently encourages states to lower them. The net effect is that we are lying to children and parents by telling kids they are succeeding when, in fact, they are not.
    • Joellen Kriss
       
      This is one of the issues in my practicum schools and one of the big debates there right now.
  • We don't believe that local educators need a prescription for success. But they do need a common definition of success—focused on student achievement, high school graduation and success and attainment in college.
    • Joellen Kriss
       
      ...because the goals are and always have been, decent, but the means, are and always have been, bad (to keep it clean.)
  • In my view, we should be tight on the goals—with clear standards set by states that truly prepare young people for college and careers—but we should be loose on the means for meeting those goals.
  • They are simply not ready for college-level work when they leave high school.
    • Joellen Kriss
       
      But do they really?
  • Before we do, however, we want to hear from you. We want your input.
  • We don't need another study. We must stop simply admiring the problem. We need action.
  • And so the work of reauthorizing ESEA begins in states and districts across America—among educators and policy makers, parents and community leaders. This work is as urgent as it is important.
  • And yet we are still waiting for the day when every child in America has a high quality education that prepares him or her for the future.
  • Our shared goals are clear: higher quality schools; improved student achievement; more students going to college; closing the achievement gap; and more opportunities for children to learn and succeed.
  • Let's build a law that respects the honored, noble status of educators—who should be valued as skilled professionals rather than mere practitioners and compensated accordingly.
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    Secretary of Education Arne Duncan's speech at the Monthly Stakeholders meeting this past week. It's a part of a series of town hall style meetings that the secretary is holding with those who have a stake in the policy they will be shaping: teachers, parents and others. The speech is interesting mostly because, what he's calling for sounds great to me, but I wonder if there's any possibility of anything this reasonable ever happening. Secretary Duncan seems like an ok guy (didn't know he is a former superintendent) but I still wonder what the next big thing is going to turn out to be and how/if it's going to help.
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    The Duncan speech we were talking about in class
James Leslie

Ideas about becoming a social studies teacher - 0 views

  • Sadly, much too often, social studies courses are regarded as relatively unimportant subject matter, whether in elementary school, middle school, or high school. This perception leads to diminished attention paid to social studies as a serious subject area, yet in the overall development of the intellect of students, no other subject matter content holds as much promise.
    • James Leslie
       
      Social studies is more importan than many people think.
  • "I think we include social studies in the curriculum for the wrong reasons. It doesn't help us avoid the mistakes of the past, and if voting turnout is an indicator of good citizenship, it doesn't have much to do with that either. Social studies is probably best understood as an organized way of helping students develop understandings and appreciations that have long-term staying power, and that will influence them in positive ways to do the right thing when doing the right thing is hard to do."
    • James Leslie
       
      Can we find ways to enhance the use of what we may teach to students.
  • First, you must understand the content of the social studies at a level appropriate to that which you intend to teach. To understand content means more than mere memorization of facts. To understand content for a teacher means that you can explain it in more than one way to others, whether the content concerns facts, generalizations, principles, themes, and so on.
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  • Second, you must be able to translate the content you so understand to make it learnable, interesting, and challenging for students at the age and grade level you are teaching. It requires rearranging what you know. This applies to social studies more than any other content area simply because social studies as a discipline lacks any widely agreed-upon structure.
    • James Leslie
       
      Interesting to note that teaching the same subject at different levels can look different.
  • Third, you must consider pedagogy. This means that you not only understand the content in more than one way, can translate it into a form understandable, learnable, challenging, and interesting to your students, but that you also have the skills to actually teach the content. Pedagogy without subject matter content isn't worth very much. Simply "knowing about" teaching methods won't do.
  • There is probably no more important skill required in teaching social studies than the ability to explain events, ideas, principles, and social interrelationships. In some ways, good social studies teaching rests on the ability to tell stories well. For social studies, this story telling ability is grounded in the depth and awareness of the connective possibilities of the content. Helping students make new connections, to find challenge and meaning in social studies content is what excellent social studies teachers do every day.
    • James Leslie
       
      There is a great need to make teaching history reletive to students today.
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    This is an interesting site that shares reasons why social studies is important and how a person can effectively teach it. It also has a link to the role of values that should be expressed in social studies.
Lindsay Andreas

Comedian urges Hispanic students to stay in school - washingtonpost.com - 0 views

  • One in five Hispanic teens drops out of high school, according to U.S. Education Department statistics. That's about twice the rate for black students and more than three times the rate among white students.
    • Lindsay Andreas
       
      I found this statistic about hispanic drop-out rates really alarming. Considering that the Hispanic population is quickly growing, education policy makers should be moving this to the forefront of their concerns.
  • . "A lot of Latino students look at the sticker price and think, if my family makes $18-20,000 a year, I can't afford it," said Deborah Santiago, vice president of policy and research for Excelencia in Education, a Washington-based advocacy organization.
    • Lindsay Andreas
       
      This was something that I personally ran into in my practicum. Better information needs to be distributed regarding college financing. There is a stigma in lower-income areas about taking out college loans and a lot of misinformation. When I taught a lesson on saving and investment for an Economics class, I spent the majority of the lesson answering questions regarding this and reminding students that college is an investment and that it will pay-off in the end. An example that worked really well was the game of Life, since many students have played it. In the board game if you go to college in the beginning, you will end up in the better retirement home in the end.
  • He told Wheaton students about a guidance counselor who encouraged him to go to college, and about his time at Loyola Marymount in Los Angeles, where he became disillusioned, started partying and stopped studying. "I went from being the first in my family to go to college to becoming another Latino statistic: a dropout," he said.
    • Lindsay Andreas
       
      Both parts struck me. Encouragement is so important, because if your teacher doesn't encourage you, who will after all? Second, a problem we have at McKinley is that students that go to college get distracted and overwhelmed by college and dropout the first year. This is important on two fronts, we need better college prep programs in high school and also the colleges and universities need better support systems for first generation college students.
Nate Merrill

Worldology - 1 views

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    Worldology.com was conceived with the objective of making history and geopolitics (the relationship and dynamic between geography and politics) more easily digestible and understandable. As one who has long been interested in this topic, I have been intrigued by the possibility of more imaginative ways to bring this field of understanding to life. This led to the idea of graphical and interactive maps to enable myself and others to more acutely visualize the evolution of nations and cultures. As the creator of Worldology.com, I have found that maps have been very useful in simplifying and deepening my understanding of historical events, along with long-standing and on-going dynamics between various nations. However, most published content about important events throughout history are not accompanied by an event-specific map. With this in mind, I envisioned an application that provided an event-specific map for key developments throughout history, along with an expanded geographical view, in order to comprehend the region-wide context. For interactivity, mouseovers were imbedded so the visitor could access more detailed information of key events, along with added graphics for further illumination. Then, you can toggle back and forth between time frames, to gain a feel of the evolution of the geopolitical landscape over time. For example, in the Europe History Interactive Map, you can click back and forth through major time periods, gaining an overview of how tribes, kingdoms, empires and nation-states fluctuated throughout time. During the Middle Ages for instance, you can simultaneously see how the Frankish Empire (Western/Central Europe), Byzantine Empire (Greece) and Rus Principalities (Russia) evolved concurrently with one another. Then, you can mouseover the information buttons to learn more. You can even switch to the "Show Borders" view in order to see modern European borders overlayed upon long-ago political entities. I hope to eventually cover the entire
jbdrury

The History Place - Irish Potato Famine - 0 views

    • jbdrury
       
      As this is a privately-owned website, I thought it important to provide a little info on its managers. This is taken from the Home Page information: " The History Place contains many examples of man's inhumanity to man as well as notable examples of humans rising to the occasion to fight tyranny and preserve freedom, and overall, reaffirms, in the words of the American Declaration of Independence, that all human beings have "certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness."
    • jbdrury
       
      Although I don't doubt the veracity of much of the information on this site, I think it is important to keep in mind who is providing the information. Also from the home page: " The History Place is a private, independent, Internet-only publication based in the Boston area that is not affiliated with any political group or organization. The Web site presents a fact-based, common sense approach in the presentation of the history of humanity, with great care given to accuracy....The site was founded and is owned and published by Philip Gavin"
    • jbdrury
       
      This account of the Potato Famine has multiple pages to flip through; I have started here as this is the page detailing the Irish flight to America.
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  • Coffin Ships
  • The first coffin ships headed for Quebec, Canad
  • Up to half of the men that survived the journey to Canada walked across the border to begin their new lives in America. They had no desire to live under the Union Jack flag in sparsely populated British North America
  • They viewed the United States with its anti-British tradition and its bustling young cities as the true land of opportunity
  • American ships were held to higher standards than British ships by the U.S. Passenger Acts, a set of laws passed by Congress regulating the number of passengers ships coming to America could carry as well as their minimal accommodations. Congress reacted to the surge of Irish immigration by tightening the laws, reducing the number of passengers allowed per ship, thereby increasing fares. America, congressmen had complained, was becoming Europe's "poor house."
  • During the trans-Atlantic voyage, British ships were only required to supply 7 lbs. of food per week per passenger
    • jbdrury
       
      Each page has a few of these contemporary images that could be used in the classroom.
  • Before boarding, they had been given the once-over by doctors on shore who usually rejected no one for the trip, even those seemingly on the verge of death
  • The poorest of the poor never made it to North Americ
  • Despite the dangers, the Irish knew that once they landed on Britain's shores they would not starve to death. Unlike Ireland, food handouts were freely available throughout the country
  • The cheap lodging houses were also used by scores of Irish waiting to embark on ships heading for North America. Three out of four Irish sailing for North America departed from the seaport at Liverpool. Normally they had to sleep over for a night or two until their ship was ready to sail. Many of these emigrants contracted typhus in the rundown, lice-infested lodging houses, then boarded ships, only to spend weeks suffering from burning fever out at sea.
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    The History Place is a privately-run website that provides content to educators on a wide variety of historical subject. I have included this section on the Irish Potato Famine, as it was one of the more compelling narratives I found on the internet.
kkasargodstaub

Rethinking Schools - 1 views

  • Proving Grounds: School “Rheeform” in Washington, D.C.
  • Michelle Rhee is the exemplar for Duncan's school “reform.” What's really happening to children and teachers in D.C.?
    • kkasargodstaub
       
      An interesting and not often heard take on Michelle Rhee's reforms in Washington D.C.
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    While this is not directly a lesson planning website. I think it's really important for social studies educators to understand the issues that students, teachers and schools are facing. In order to be informed and powerful in our work, we must understand the entire context.
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.
Julian Hipkins, III

Washington Post Magazine: D.C. 1791 to Today (washingtonpost.com) - 1 views

  •  
    Washington Post Magazine: D.C. 1791 to Today - Working with the Washington Post and washingtonpost.com, a team of students at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill developed a series of images to digitally illustrate the myriad changes to the architecture and landscape of Washington, D.C. since the city's inception in 1791. Working from maps, plans, drawings, and photographs, the UNC students have represented the physical history of Washington in a set of time slices, showing side-by-side views of familiar landscapes, then and now, and modeling significant changes to important buildings and monuments.">
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    Wow- this a perfect map for my 5th grade class on the history of DC! Thanks Julian- JB
Joellen Kriss

Classroom Resources for Teachers - 3 views

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    This web site is pretty old, but as of at least 2004 it was still being updated. The creators have been traveling the country since 1997 and at every place they go, they post a unique "postcard" and information about the site. They make "stamps" out of important wildlife, people and others. This could be a fantastic and fun teaching tool for younger grades to provide an interesting way to learn about the country.
Lindsay Andreas

Downloadable Media @ your library: District of Columbia - 0 views

  • Now Playing - OverDrive MP3 Audiobooks!
    • Lindsay Andreas
       
      Some notable audio/mp3/ipod selections from the DC Public Library that I feel would be great for Social Studies, specifically. The Civil War (Shelby Foote) He is considered a top scholar, along with James Mcphereson. If there are two names you should be familiar with for Civil War scholarship, they are it! My Brother Sam is Dead. You may have read this when studying the American Revolution, a great way to incorporate literature into the study of history. Thomas Jefferson & His Time (Multiple Volumes) TJ, enough said!
  • Newest Video Additions
    • Lindsay Andreas
       
      For the visual learners of your class. Some PBS Home video selections, a very reputable education source.
  • Learning a Language:
    • Lindsay Andreas
       
      This doesn't relate to Social Studies directly but I think it is a pretty cool feature, language tapes can be really expensive, why not utilize a free library membership?
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  • Audiobooks
    • Lindsay Andreas
       
      Why fight it? It is well accepted in the education field that students learn in multiple ways. Specifically, students with learning disabilities should also be kept in mind. I know we are studying to be general educators but you will be dealing with IEPs and a working knowledge of special education must not be overlooked.
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    I was at the National Book Festival yesterday, it was wonderful, great resources overall. They were really pushing eBooks and audiobook downloads and I think it is an important education trend we need to be aware of. The kids are becoming so tech-oriented, why fight it? We need to use it to our advantage.
Lindsay Andreas

Oxfam Education: - 3 views

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    Defining citizenship eduction in a global society is an increasingly relevant and important education issue today. This site has really great resources for exploring global citizenship. In particular, I liked the global citizenship chart, it is easy to read and it defines key elements by age level. There is also an entire page of related links that could provide further explanation.
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    Dude this is rad. I hadn't seen this before but just searched for citizenship and it came up. Thanks for posting!
Lindsay Andreas

BBC NEWS | Africa | Trail-blazing for Morocco's Berber speakers - 1 views

  • We studied the older texts that were passed down orally, but we are also writing new literature to reflect the current situation for Berbers in Morocco. It's really ground-breaking."
  • Although Berbers were Morocco's first inhabitants and account for some 60% of Morocco's population, they faced widespread discrimination and it is only now that the language is required to be taught in public school.
  • Their academic qualifications may not help them much on the jobs market, but the availability of a further degree in a subject that was once virtually outlawed in their North African country underscores Berber success in gaining official acceptance of the language.
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  • Although many Amazigh are illiterate, the government has put in place measures to assist schools to teach the written form of the language.
  • This written form is expected to have a unifying effect.
  • "My parents couldn't read a newspaper or understand the television because they were in Arabic," he says. "Now we have our own television channel and magazines in Berber. We feel much closer now to people in the Rif and Atlas Mountains."
  • "Most Moroccans grow up speaking Berber - why should they be at a disadvantage in having to use classical Arabic which is a foreign language whenever they brush up against bureaucracy?"
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    First, I love the Berbers. Second, this article serves as a great example of the issues that arise with language instruction. I think it is important to study comparative education, in order to help us see our own education system more clearly.
Lindsay Andreas

The Urban Institute | Teachers - 0 views

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    This is a list of articles surrounding current teacher policy issues compiled by the Urban Institute. There is also a tab on the left side of the page that lists other education policy issues of interest. Since, many of us will be doing our practicums and/or student teaching in DC, an urban schooling environment, it is important to keep on top of the current debates.
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.
Lindsay Andreas

American Slave Narratives - 2 views

  • From 1936 to 1938, over 2,300 former slaves from across the American South were interviewed by writers and journalists under the aegis of the Works Progress Administration. These former slaves, most born in the last years of the slave regime or during the Civil War, provided first-hand accounts of their experiences on plantations, in cities, and on small farms.
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    The slave narrative project of the WPA in the 1930s is one of our greatest historical preservation efforts. Today, historians are scrambling around to preserve the narratives of Holocaust survivors and WWII vets, as they are rapidly leaving us. This is a good way to introduce the importance of oral histories. It would also be a good piece to start a lesson on evaluating primary sources.
Maria Mahon

N.B.A. Players Return to Where They Once Hastened to Leave - College - NYTimes.com - 1 views

  • “I have a younger brother, and it sets an example for him and how important it is,” said Westbrook, who declared for the N.B.A. after his sophomore season at U.C.L.A.
  • People who criticize me for that have something to think about, I think, because that’s an important time in anybody’s life,” Carter said at the time. “There’s not one person who could sit there and say that they would miss their graduation for nothing.”
    • Maria Mahon
       
      Role models who pursue education should be made available to the students, I think. Rather than not wanting to discuss sports stars or entertainers, I think it would be great to hold up the ones who do prize education.
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    This article caught my attention because my practicum placement cooperating teacher has a bulletin board and he encourages students to bring in newspaper articles that catch their attention. However, he has said that he hopes that they will not all be about sports stars and entertainers. Yet, the students are constantly talking about entertainers (especially Lil Wayne - he's all the rage in middle schools apparently!) and sports starts. I feel like a story like this could be used to help inspire the students to stay in school - seeing people they admire commit to their education could be very valuable.
Laura Wood

First In the Family - 2 views

    • Laura Wood
       
      There are videos to watch so that students can know that they are not alone and learn from the experiences of others.
    • Laura Wood
       
      There are many resources collected on this site, from financial aid and scholarship options to programs that might give students an admissions boost to checklists on what to do before you go.
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    A spin off cite of the What Kids Can Do site, this site offers advice for teens through college age students who are the first in their families to go to college. There is also a publication that you can print. There is also a portion of the site for college aged students.
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    Again, the Diigo isn't working so . . . There is a "planning checklist" on the site that has printable checklists of things students can do every year starting in 9th grade to prepared themselves for college. Teachers should explain to students that these are not absolutely necessary so that kids don't hyperventilate, but for kids needing to see progress towards a goal, these might be useful
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    There is a "hard facts" tab that has some of the facts about parental income, race, and expected income. If students don't think it's important to go to college, some of these facts might shake them up and make them realize how important and how difficult it may be for them to go. This might inspire a school project where students determine how many of their classmates plan to go to college and where they want to go and why or some such thing.
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    The "inspiration" tab has great quotes that teachers might consider putting up around the room and great books that teachers might consider assigning to their students.
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    Thanks for posting this article, it came at just the right time for me because my students need so much help and now that their counselors were fired, they are screwed. I've been thinking of ways I can help with guiding them through the college acceptance process and this website looks like a great start.
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