Issues in Education

1. Issues in Education Access and Equity

2. Some Historical Factors that Led to Access and Equity in education • Thomas Jefferson’s Vision “Everyone had the same capacity to acquire knowledge” Questions arise: • Who are to be citizens? • What is the criteria for choosing the selected few who would receive higher education?

3. Some of Jefferson’s Vision Remained • His ideals for education established for state and local funding of public schools

4. Horace Mann’s Vision • 1. Common-school movement • 2. Institutionalize equal educational opportunity for all. • 3. African American have access to education

5. Immigration Factor in Public Education • Aims of American schooling system in the 1800’s: 1. Banking curriculum which aimed to transform immigrant children from their deviant lives styles into children with moral standing 2. It was a form of Social Control.

6. What’s Access and Equity? Equity in Education It refers to the ideal that guarantees all students regardless of race, national origin, gender or special needs to have equal opportunities in education. ~ Dr. Terry Bergeson

7. English Language Learning ELL Historical View Americanize=Assimilation 1800’s Present Day Groups from Latin America, Africa, Asia European immigrants Southern and Eastern ELL Americanize • Hope for: • Equal opportunity • Higher education • Well paying jobs • Hope for: • Inclusion into the mainstream culture.

8. Three Kinds of ELL Programs • Deficit Model Programs • Sheltered English Programs • Dual-Language or Two-way bilingual program

9. Factors that Influence the quality of the programs • Lack of funding • Lack of sufficient numbers of well-trained bilingual teachers. • Small population of ELL students in less common languages. • Policies that prohibit such programs. -Grace C. Huerta

10. Questions • 1. How do you think the issue of access and equity plays out in your school? • 2. Have you ever had the opportunity to work with ELL students? • 3. Do you know of any adults who were ELL students as children?

11. What is Inclusion? • Inclusion is the process in which student services come to the room instead of the student being pulled out from the room. • Learning usually happens in small groups with support. • A community of students is created in which all are equal and differences are not noticed.

12. The Law • The law amended in 1997 states that children with disabilities be educated in regular education classrooms unless the nature and severity of the disability is such that education in the regular classes with the use of supplementary aids and services cannot be achieved satisfactorily.

13. Nine Types of Adaptations

14. “Inclusion without resources, without support, without teacher preparation time, without commitment, without a vision statement, without restructuring, without staff development, won’t work” - Mara Sapon Shevin

15. Response to Intervention (RTI) • A multi-tier approach to allow for early identification and support of students with learning and behavior needs. • Scientifically based instruction • On going assessment • Parent Involvement

16. Gender “Gender bias is defined as the underlying belief that males and females differ in non-physical ways such as talents and interests.” -Janice Streitmatter

17. Gender Equity • What are some of the stereotypes when considering boys and girls as students? • Do we perpetuate the stereotypes? • Can you think of any ways in which we might subconsciously perpetuate stereotypes?

18. Educational Inequalities Uncovered Gender inequality in the classroom is gradually declining but is still a prevalent problem. • Schoolwork • Behavior • Competition vs. cooperation • Individual vs. group

19. The challenges Educators need to treat all students equally and recognize and accommodate different learning styles. “We must strive to assist female as, well as male students by providing a broad thorough education.” -A.L. Davidson

20. Students as Individuals • Children are natural problem solvers no matter what their gender or ethnicity. • Boys and girls achieve to similar levels. • We must design experiences and curriculum that meet the needs of both boys and girls. • Students as learners are all unique.

21. The Educators Role • Teachers can make an effort to not avoid gender inequities but actively encourage the reverse of such inequalities. • We may not be able to change all traditional gender roles, but we can try to make sure that students take an active in their own education.

22. Possible implications for the future Could this issue have an impact on career students make? • Elementary school teachers are mostly female.

23. In considering access and equity as a central theme that connects our three issues we see that with proper modifications all students do have the potential to learn as individuals.We as teachers must have an awareness of the differences among all of our students. The Common Thread

24. Sources • Dave, H. (2004). Gender Differences, Values, and Occupational Choice. • Davidson, A.L. (2002). Gender Equity in the Classroom. Retrieved July 15, 2008 from http://www.essortment.com/all/genderequityin_rmnj.htm. • Geist, E. & King, M. (2008). Journal of Instructional Psychology Vol. 32, No. 1.Different, No Better: Gender Differences in Mathematics Learning and Achievement. • Steenhuysen, J. (2008). Girls match boys on tests in math: study. Retrieved July 15, 2008 from http://reuters.com/articlePrint?aritcleId=USN24304220080724