Standerized Testing in the Curriculum

Standardized testing is leads to a very controlled curriculum because it dictates what students must learn. I agree there are essential skills that students should learn, however, I do think some stuff is pushing it. In social studies, for instance, I think it is important to know about the make up the government or World War II, but standardized testing force schools to teach certain content because it will be on the exam. This creates a teacher centered learning environment that does not provide for a lot of time for students to explore things not covered in the textbook. Rather then a teacher centered approach, I think the students should have a voice in what they learn. If students learn about something that is interesting to them, it is easier to get more excited about it. For instance, my 7th grade students love studying ancient Egypt. If they love studying ancient Egypt, it would be a great time to do a PBL unit and let students explore. However, due to time constraints, there is not time to spend more then two weeks on Ancient Egypt because the curriculum demands they get through Medieval Europe this year. They get more of an overview, more then anything else and are forced to form generalizations. I would spend a little more time on the unit and design a way to put the learning in the student’s hands!

Standardization

As a future educator, I feel standardization is one of the inappropriate things in a public school. I have always found fault in standardized tests at instruments of intelligence because they are biased, reduce the scope and quantity course work, diminish the role of teachers and do not make students active learners.

Over the summer, in my class, we discussed how biased standardized tests are. They are culturally biased towards the dominate class, as evident in scores. Suburban schools do much better then inner city schools, generally, but you can not hold students to the same standards. Students have different experiences they bring the test, that affects performance. I do not like standardized tests because they are high stakes tests. The funding a school district gets is dependent on how well students do. This means teachers try to drill information into the students. This does not make students active learners, but rather passive learners. I think active learning is essential because it teaches students to solve problems. I think memorization servers a purpose, but how many of actually remember what we memorized in a high school class? I think problem solving solving and analysis is more important and it prepares students for the real world / college.

The other problem I have with standardization is that the state has a lot to do with it. State legislators write the standards and make the tests high stakes test. What does the politicians have to do with schools? They are not teachers, they do not know how to measure student performance. Most of they probably could not eve describe what scope and sequence is. Yet, buraracteric reforms are imposed on schools in the name of objectivity and and equality. I think educate should be authentic to the student, meaning to their experiences. Learning should be something the students should know and they get excited about.

PBL in Middle School

After watching the video and reading some information about Problem Based Learning, I have become a strong advocate of PBL because I think it teaches students to be Proactive Learners. Students become Proactive learners because rather then reading a textbook become in charge of their own learning. In the Virginia Lake School District in Palatine, IL Paula Bullis sixth grade class had the opportunity to participate in a PBL designed to improve scores on the Illinois Goal Assessment Program. Normally, when students hear about the IGAP they think it’s another boring test. However, students took more control of their learning.

The students divided themselves into five groups. One group figured out when and where students could practice for the IGAP. Two groups looked for resources and found math/reading books to help prepare. Another group designed questions to people familiar with the test. The same group interviewed the principal about regarding the scoring of the IGAP. The principal explained how the state decided who meets, does not meet and exceed state standards. The last group set up a tutoring program which focus was to help understand more about the test subjects on the IGAP. In the end, Paula Bullis sixth grade class spent 45 minutes preparing for the IGAP four times a week.

The method described above benefited the students in many ways. First, it helped make them proactive learners because they sought out information. This added to the maturity level of students because they felt as if they were in control of their own learning. Because students felt in control of their learning, they put a lot of effort into it. There was less goofing around and more ethical behavior. I think the PBL also taught the students to be good problem solvers, which is essential in today's world.

Model Minority Syndrome

As a future educator, I have begun to take note of of Social inequalities that exist in the school. Stereotypes foster false perceptions about students in schools. One of the most common stereotypes are based on race. For instance, many teachers many teachers view minority groups such as African Americans or Latinos as lazy and not working hard. They lower expectations. I think we have all talked about these stereotypes after going here at UW-Milwaukee. There are other types of stereotypes.

The Model Minority Stereotype is one that claims Asians are the model for how other minorities should act. Asians are viewed as highly educated hard working people who do not live in poverty. This is true of some Asians, but it is not true of all Asians. Lumping Asian Americans together is not fair because it silences the multiple voices of Asian Americans. This labels Asians as a homogeneous groups and deletes their culture, social class, ethnicity,religion, language, sexual and gender differences.

All of this leads to stereotypes that are not fact. For instance, Chinese Americans were viewed in a 1966 article as good citizens because the status quo viewed them as quiet people who did not challenge the system. After riots following the Rodney King trail, Korean Americans were viewed as "stand-ins" for white middle class Americans. There are plenty of other examples the books.

I think it is important for teacher to know about model minority syndrome because education can be used as a tool to eliminate stereotypes. The only way people will learn is through education. True multicultural educators hold the role of fighting stereotypes in an effort to promote equality. When teachers promote equality, it strives to create equal opportunities in the world.

Two High Schools

Chapter 18’s reading this week was quiet disturbing. It was about two schools, Groundview Technical High School and Mountainview Township High School. Groundview and Mountainview are both located near Chicago; however they are vastly different schools. Mountainview High caters to the needs of upper class. The surrounding community near Mountainview is surrounded by homes ranging from $500,000 to $1,000,000. Students in the school have a variety of freedom. They are allowed to non-descript jeans and designer clothes, while walking free and comfortably through the hallway. There are various wings in each the school and students may designate a “major.” If students are running late to class, they are told in hurry along and do not receive a detention slip. There is advanced technology including state of the art technology and audiovisual equipment. An entire wing is dedicated to fine arts and there are multiple gyms, swimming pools and an expensive library.

Groundview Technical High is vastly different. Upon entry into Groundview, there are metal detectors and security, which students must past through. Students are required to wear uniforms and carry pictures ideas with schedules. Students are not permitted to leave for lunch. The building is deteriorating due to a lack of funds. Security guards are present and assign detentions to late students. There is not a well equipped place for study of the humanities and the social sciences. There is a room full of woodshop and carpentry equipment that is kept locked because staff is not allowed to operate the equipment. There is not theater, pool, music area, exercise equipment and a few books which must be shared during class.

The most important thing I took from the descriptions was that schools are vastly different. Schools should provide equal access to all students, regardless of social status. It is not fair for a school, such as Groundview to suffer while students at Mountainview have the best opportunities possible. A country that is supposed to provide equal access to all is really alienating those who are not part of the dominant culture. Groundview is full students who come from the working class, who are not valued in mainstream society. As a result, they get a second class education. That is disgusting as a future educator!!

Emotions during Adolescence

For my portion of the group presentation, I have been researching the affects adolescence has on emotions. Thus far, I have broken my research in to four categories: individual emotions, dating, relationship with parents and the affect of peers. What I have found in regards to emotions is that they are fluctuation due to hormones. The hormones can cause students to have emotional outbursts. They are susceptible to be jealous, sad, angry, happy in a relatively short time. Self-Esteem is the lowest when students enter high middle school but increases throughout the Middle School experience. In addition, relationships with peers become very important. Adolescents have a need to be accepted by their peers. Having friends becomes as important as having friends. Dating also becomes very important. Adolescents begin to socially construct what dating and a relationship is. Relationships with parents become distant, as adolescents strive to achieve more independence.

This is some of the main points that I will touch on during my presentation, not all. However, the reason why these issues are important because they affect Middle School Teachers. Teachers must understand these changes in order to be sensitive and cater to the learning styles of students. There are specific strategies and methods which can be used to teacher Middle School Students, which other members in my group will touch on.

Middle School is different than Elementry and High School

The configuration of schooling has changed dramatically over the course of the United States. Traditionally, a K-8 school elementary school and a 9-12 high school was considered the norm. As time went on, teachers and members of the science community noted that around between fifth and seventh grade, students began to change. Students were going through something completely normal known as early adolescence in which behavioral changes began to change. For example, adolescents were subject to mood swings and experience a pattern of highs and lows. Many other adolescents tend to experience depression. Adding to these behavior changes are learning how to interact, socialize and date the opposite sex. Educators also noted the physical changes that occurred during this time period. Males and females experience growth spurts, genital regions growing and pubic hair begins to form. Male’s voices tend to get deeper and they experience wet dreams or ejaculation. Females begin to have enlarged breast and experience menstruation.

What is interesting is that Americans realized that adolescence is a normal process in life that everyone experiences; however, most states do not represent teaching middle school as a distinctive license. Elementary School Teachers are licensed through 8th grade and high school teachers are licensed to teach grades 6-12. This is an injustice because the techniques used to teach middle school students are different from high school and middle school. Teachers have to be sensitive and understand the need for middle school students to develop social skills, managing hygiene, rebellious nature, changing individual perceptions, redefining what is wrong and right and the development of intellectual operations. This transitional period starts and ends at different times. Children are at varying levels during this period, so it takes special training to teach middle school children. As a result, I think those who teach middle school should have to obtain a separate license or degree to learn how to teach early adolescents and not elementary or high school students.