EDU 301: Challenges of Urban Teaching

1. EDU 301: Challenges of Urban Teaching Session 7

2. Housekeeping • Questions • Review class schedule • Review upcoming paper guidelines • Book discussion • 3 stories

3. Agenda Present/discuss. Watch/discuss video about the historical foundations of education. Write some mid-term feedback. Discuss Gardner. Watch/discuss charter schools. Book group meeting time.

4. Defining Curriculum • Definitions differ, wide vs. narrow. • Mostly used to define what we will teach, what we expect students to know. • Might be determined for you, might not be. • What to do if you don’t know what to teach.

5. Planning Curriculum • Start with outcomes. • Think about likely starting points – don’t over estimate. • Consider pre-testing / interest inventory. • Plan steps/lessons based on end goals. • Decide on what to do for strugglers/fast learners. • Everyday Math example.

9. Creating Laws A law is a rule that every citizen must follow. (If not, jail or fine). A community makes laws that helps make their life easier or safer. Sometimes, communities change laws. Why?

10. Some Reasons to Change Laws The old law did not make life easier. The old law did not make things fair. The old law did not make things safe.

11. Some Laws That Have Changed Laws from Long Ago Women cannot vote Segregation Smoking allowed in restaurants All garbage in one garbage pail Laws Now Men and women can vote Integration No smoking in restaurants Recycling laws Did this make life EASIER, SAFER, or FAIRER?

12. Now you try! Work with a partner. In a Powerpoint presentation, create 5 NEW LAWS for New York City. Make sure the new laws make life easier, safer, or fairer. Be ready to share!

13. No Smoking in Restaurants This is a good new law because smoking is dangerous, even to people not smoking. It also makes your food stink like smoke. Already a law!

14. Assessments • If teacher made . . . • Make sure you taught it. • Make sure the mode of assessment isn’t a barrier. • Be flexible • Make it ongoing. • If not teacher made, • Find out format. • Find out content. • Understand ramifications.

15. Motivations! • The most important part of the lesson! • Assumption: kids are hostile to learning. • The goal of education: • The clock is ticking! 60 seconds or less? What we want them to know What they already know Education!

16. Motivations! • Some ideas for motivations: • Pictures! (Look at this . . .) • Jokes • Stories • Topical issues

17. Lesson Planning • Mini-lesson, not maxi-lesson. • Popular structure: The “Workshop Method” • ~10 minute mini-lesson • ~25 minute independent work • ~10 minute share/review • Boredom = no learning. • Keep it simple.

18. Lesson Planning (cont.) • Important components: • Aim/objective – What do we want the students to learn? • Motivation – How will we *spark* interest for our lesson? (less than 1 minute) • Materials – What supplies do we need? • Procedure – numbered list – What steps will we take to teach our lesson? • Questions – What are some key questions we will ask during the lesson to check for understanding?

19. Lesson Planning (cont.) • Independent work – What will the class do to practice the new skill that you have taught them? • Student evaluation – How will you assess if the students learned the material? • Follow up – What will be your next lesson/homework assignment to build on this learning? • When should you alter a plan?

20. Chapter 5 – Relationships Other teachers Administrators Unions Urban Teaching

21. Midterm Feedback Anonymous, please! What do you want to learn more about? What do you want to learn less about? What class setups do you enjoy/dislike? Anything else . . . What do I need to know?

22. Video Discussion • School: The Story of American Public Education • Narrated by Meryl Streep. • Key: Relationship between history and today • Episode Three • Equality • 1950-1980

23. Points to Think About Do we see strong gender bias in education (and society) today? What issues are at play when bussing students in the name of integration? Should suburbs bare responsibility for conditions in urban schools? Dorothy Raffel Klotz Thurgood Marshall

24. Journal Article Discussion Reminders: About 15 minutes. No need for presentation of facts. A few prompts that we can discuss. Facilitation, press when needed. Being prepared with comments/questions. Allowing “space” for others.

25. Journal Discussion • Howard Gardner • Theory of Multiple intelligences

26. Geoffrey Canada, Harlem Children’s Zone • “Waiting for Superman” • Charter schools • Reactions? Charter Schools

27. Group Meeting Time • Journal Article Discussion Groups • Book Presentation Groups

28. For Next Time . . . • Read and be ready to discuss all readings. • Bring all readings to class. • Be thinking about your upcoming assignments (see syllabus).