Technology Teacher 07/30/2016

• Linekin Bay Resort, Jul 2016 (Boothbay Harbor, Maine) - Resort Reviews - TripAdvisor

  • Linekin Bay Resort

• Education World: Simulations Engage Students in Active Learning

  • simulation as a staged replication of an event or concept through the teacher's manipulation of the classroom setting in order to enhance students' understanding of the nature of the concept or event
  • It could be a deliberate ploy to draw students into a specific emotional response

• CAST UDL Lesson Builder: Learn About Universal Design for Learning (UDL)

  • Universal Design for Learning (UDL) recognizes that every learner is unique and processes information differently.  UDL is based on CAST's research related to three primary brain networks (recognition network, strategic network, and affective network) and the roles they play in understanding these differences.

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Technology Teacher 07/26/2016

• Critical Thinking: A Necessary Skill in the Age of Spin | Edutopia

  • Decisions about joining the military, becoming a parent or choosing a career have indelible effects on a person's life. An inability to think critically at an early age can have devastating consequences.
  • Every educator is in a position to teach students how to gather information, evaluate it, screen out distractions and think for themselves.
  • but also the obligation to incorporate critical thinking into his or her subject area

• What Should Be Taught About War in the Gulf? - NYTimes.com

  • Everyone is interested in getting as much information as possible
  • wanted to talk about the war he was told by several teachers that now was not the time
  • I just think that if the schools can teach the kids, then it would help out a lot in kids' emotional feelings

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Technology Teacher 07/19/2016

• Becoming Culturally Responsive Educators: Rethinking Teacher Education Pedagogy

  -Some schools of education have acknowledged the urgency for developing culturally competent teachers, while others grapple with ways to fit appropriate programs into their curriculum - s. A major part of the resistance comes from teacher educators’ discomfort, if not fear of, addressing issues such as race and racism in their courses, or even on their campuses - Research suggests that when teachers have had the benefit of multicultural teacher education preparation, they are less likely to embrace cultural deficit views - r, teachers who have learned culturally responsive pedagogy are more confident and believe they are effective in their instruction of diverse children - Teacher educators need to: • Develop cohesive and comprehensive multicultural curricula in general and special education TEPs • Infuse multicultural principles throughout to prepare teachers to respond to the needs of diverse learners and their families • Identify critical teaching behaviors and essential best practices for diverse students Below is a brief description of the six characteristics. • Sociocultural consciousness means understanding that one’s way of thinking, behaving, and being is influenced by race, ethnicity, social class, and language. Therefore, prospective teachers must critically examine their own sociocultural identitiesand the inequalities between schools and society that support institutionalized discrimination to maintain a privileged society based on social class and skin color. Teacher candidates must inspect and confront any negative attitudes they might have toward cultural groups. • An affirming attitude toward students from culturally diverse backgrounds significantly impacts their learning, belief in self, and overall academic performance. By respecting cultural differences and adding education related to the culture of the students, programs become inclusive. • Commitment and skills to act as agents of change enable the prospective teacher to confront barriers/obstacles to change, and develop skills for collaboration and dealing with chaos. As agents of change, teachers assist schools in becoming more equitable over time. • Constructivist views of learning contend that all students are capable of learning, and teachers must provide scaffolds between what students already know through their experiences and what they need to learn. Constructivist teaching promotes critical thinking, problem solving, collaboration, and the recognition of multiple perspectives. • Learning about students’ past experiences, home and community culture, and world both in and outside of school helps build relationships and increase the prospective teachers’ use of these experiences in the context of teaching and learning. • Culturally responsive teaching strategies support the constructivist view of knowledge, teaching, and learning. As teachers assist students to construct knowledge, build on their personal and cultural strengths, and examine the curriculum from multiple perspectives, an i Exclusive, the lowest level, represents traditional mainstream perspectives of diversity. Inclusive, the next level, represents a mixture of normative and nontraditional diversity perspectives. The highest level, the Transformed curriculum, represents a structural transformation. Guidelines for a Culturally Responsive Curriculum (Schmitz, 1999) (1) Define Learning Goals - What do students in your field need to know about: - the history of diverse groups: their writings, theories, and patterns of participation? - the social dynamics of identity formation and change? - structures of power and privilege in society, prejudice, discrimination, and stereotyping? - patterns of communication and interaction within and among different cultural groups? - theories of personal, institutional, and societal change? (2) Question Traditional Concepts - Have traditional ways of organizing content in this course obscured, distorted, or excluded certain ideas or groups? - What new research is available that addresses past distortions and exclusions? - How will the course change if I include this new research? - How might a change in this syllabus affect its relationship to the rest of the curriculum? (3) Understand Student Diversity - What kinds of diverse perspectives and experiences will students bring to the class? - How can I assess students’ prior knowledge of race, class, gender, etc.? - How can I incorporate diverse voices without relying on students to speak for different groups? - How will my own characteristics and background affect the learning environment? - Will some students see me as a role model more readily than others? - How can I teach to all students? (4) Select Materials and Activities - If the course topics remain the same, what new research, examples, and writings can illustrate these topics? - Is there a new thematic approach to this material that will help to put cultural diversity in the foreground? - How do I integrate new material so that it is not simply an “add-on”? - What teaching strategies will facilitate student learning of this new material? (5) Evaluate Effectiveness - What are my strengths and limitations relative to the new content and teaching techniques? - How will I assess student learning? -culturally responsive teachers in preservice courses: • Creating classroom communities of learners— learners construct meaning individually through cognitive processes and socially through a collective participatory process involving interactions with others. • Developing dispositions, knowledge, and skills of culturally responsive teachers by engaging students -Cultivate and require early field experiences, practica, and internship sites in culturally diverse classrooms and communities - Place preservice teachers with cooperating teachers who have a thorough knowledge of and extensive experience with culturally responsive education - Implementing curricula and field experiences that are committed to diversity enables future practitioners to engage in pedagogy with insight and view all communities as resources for learning and social justice.

• Culturally Responsive Teaching

  -The notion of culturally responsive education is premised on the idea that culture is central to student learning - It is an approach that empowers students intellectually, socially, emotionally, and politically by using cultural referents to impart knowledge, skills and attitudes. - This link between culture and classroom instruction is derived from evidence that cultural practices shape thinking processes, which serve as tools for learning within and outside of school - Each practice includes an explanation, a summary of each story that exemplifies the practice, a research summary - Communication of High Expectations − There are consistent messages, from both the teacher and the whole school, that students will succeed, based upon genuine respect for students and belief in student capability - Active Teaching Methods − Instruction is designed to promote student engagement by requiring that students play an active role in crafting curriculum and developing learning activities - Teacher as Facilitator − Within an active teaching environment, the teacher's role is one of guide, mediator, and knowledgeable consultant, as well as instructor. - Positive Perspectives on Parents and Families of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students − There is an ongoing participation in dialogue with students, parents, and community members on issues important to them, along with the inclusion of these individuals and issues in classroom curriculum and activities - Cultural Sensitivity − To maximize learning opportunities, teachers gain knowledge of the cultures represented in their classrooms and translate this knowledge into instructional practice - Reshaping the Curriculum − A reshaped curriculum is culturally responsive to the background of students - Culturally Mediated Instruction − Instruction is characterized by the use of culturally mediated cognition, culturally appropriate social situations for learning, and culturally valued knowledge in curriculum content - Student−Controlled Classroom Discourse − Students are given the opportunity to control some portion of the lesson, providing teachers with insight into the ways that speech and negotiation are used in the home and community. - Small Group Instruction and Academically−Related Discourse Instruction is organized around low−pressure, student−controlled learning groups that can assist in the development of academic language. -Teachers have at their command a repertoire of teaching approaches to reach students in a range of culturally appropriate ways - Teachers scan continually for feedback from students, looking for indications of understanding or confusion -Cultural sensitivity is not equated with a focus on easily stereotyped artifacts of the culture, such as food and art. - Cultural sensitivity requires that teachers interpret their students' behaviors within the cultural context of the student -Children who experience discontinuity in the use of language at home and at school are often misunderstood in classrooms - Once teachers understand home and community norms, they can help students expand their discourse repertoire. -

• ​8 Proven Ways to Help Close the Achievement Gap | EdSurge News

  • Ample evidence shows that almost all students can achieve at high levels if they are taught at high levels.
  • The curriculum should feature balanced instruction, emphasizing basic skills for increasing comprehension
  • Struggling students often need more instructional time coupled with an increased intensity of instruction in small groups and more repetitions or doses of instruction.
  • Supplemental instruction is intended to fill in students’ learning gaps as quickly as possible and return them to core instruction.
  • Using formative assessments, teachers can pinpoint where students have gaps and intervene accordingly.
  • When tasks are not matched to students and they are asked to perform skills they do not have, their motivation and engagement decrease.

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Technology Teacher 07/17/2016

• 3 Ways to Help Rural Schools | US News Opinion

  • Tax bases in many rural communities are small, which makes it difficult to provide adequate funding for good schools.
  • States and the federal government should increase funding for rural students, to help offset the disadvantage that currently exists.
  • Cutting down on long and arduous journeys from a rural student’s home to her school; virtually attending classes taught by a subject matter expert in another city; linking students who share similar interests but attend schools great distances apart – online learning can make all this and more possible.

• Education World: Rural Children, Real Challenges

  • More rural children (18 percent) than urban children (15.5 percent) live in poverty.
  • A single parent heads 24 percent of all rural families.
  • One in 12 rural children is born to a mother under 20.
  • One rural child in six is born to a mother who has less than a high school education.
  • Though fewer rural high school students drop out of school than the state average, only 18 percent of these dropouts plan to get a GED.
  • One rural infant in five is born to a mother who used tobacco during pregnancy.
  • There is one primary care doctor for every 358 rural children.
  • Benso believes that effects of the poverty, poor health, and detrimental family situations that appear to be common in rural communities land squarely in the classroom

• Urban School Challenges | RTI Action Network

  • Unlike suburban and rural school districts, urban school districts operate in densely populated areas serving significantly more students.
  • urban school districts are frequently marked by higher concentrations of poverty, greater racial and ethnic diversity, larger concentrations of immigrant populations and linguistic diversity, and more frequent rates of student mobility
  • broader social and economic inequities facing such populations that invariably frame the work of urban schools
  • Alternatively, cultural challenges are those policies, practices, and sets of beliefs that contribute to dysfunctional perceptions of students’ intellectual abilities—particularly those students who are culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD)—due to limiting predictors of school achievement (Noguera, 2003).
  • Given the sociodemographic backgrounds of the urban school population, students attending urban schools enter at varied levels of academic readiness and oftentimes with particular stressors that challenge students’ ability to perform at high levels.
  • Moreover, negative stereotypes about families often misinform educators and lead to negative views about students (Harry & Klingner, 2006; Harry, Klingner, & Hart, 2005).
  • Urban schools are bombarded with so many instructional initiatives and approaches that they can become fragmented, or indeed contradict one another.
  • Given the diversity of their student populations’ needs, urban school districts require a variety of initiatives, but these need to target specific and identified needs that are aligned within a broader vision of student success and academic standards.
  • issue of teacher quality is considered central to growing efforts to understand and reduce performance gaps in achievement between students of color and their White and Asian peers
  • Experienced teachers, however, are not equally distributed across low- and high-poverty schools
  • demonstrated that teachers are drawn to schools with low concentrations of poverty, low minority populations, and high levels of student achievement, thus framing the problem of teacher quality as one related to professional mobility.
  • Urban schools often fail to provide environments of high academic expectations
  • While also a persistent cultural challenge, urban school districts have structural challenges that either produce or perpetuate low expectations of students.
  • Low-income and racial/ethnic minority students are often viewed by school practitioners as not “ready” for school

• The challenges facing struggling rural schools | The Thomas B. Fordham Institute

  • The report focuses on two of the most challenging issues: recruiting and retaining teachers and increasing parental involvement.
  • Long commutes dissuaded teachers willing to teach in a rural school but wanting to live in a town or a city
  • The geographic isolation of many rural communities can mean limited housing options and even more limited job opportunities for teachers’ spouses
  • As for parental involvement, work schedules were the largest barrier to engagement and attendance at events such as parent-teacher conferences, report card pickups, and volunteer activities.
  • more than half of the schools also believed that “parents don’t value education.”
  • public and private transportation in rural areas and the distance between home, work, and school also prevented parents from becoming more involved.

• Dropout Nation » The Myth of Differences Between Urban and Rural Schools

  • most-enduring myths in the debate over the reform of American public education is the idea that urban school districts and the kids who attend them are somehow different than those in suburban and rural communities.
  • While big-city districts are home to half of the nation’s dropout factories — high schools with graduation rates of 60 percent or lower as defined by Johns Hopkins researcher Robert Balfanz —  one out of every five persistently failing high schools are located in the nation’s rural communities.
  • Just 54 percent of black ninth-graders attending rural high schools graduated during the 2005-2006 school year, according to the Alliance for Excellent Education, just 8 points higher than the graduation rates for their counterparts in big-city schools.
  • The low quality of math instruction endemic in many urban districts are also problematic in rural schools: Twenty-six percent of rural fourth-grade girls performing Below Basic proficiency in math on the 2009 NAEP, just seven points below the percentage of urban fourth-grade peers struggling with low math literacy.
  • We have to stop looking at children through the location of the schools they attend and just look at them for who they are: Young men and women who deserve a high-quality education no matter where they live.

•  - The Future of Children -

  • each face particular challenges in attracting, retaining, and making the most of their teacher workforce.
  • Most of the lowest-performing schools and students in the United States are in urban districts, where poverty is highly concentrated and large shares of students have limited
  • English proficiency and perform poorly on achievement tests
  • Higher wages in other occupations make it more costly for schools and districts to hire workers; space is often expensive; and high crime rates increase facilities requirements and tend to make upkeep more expensive.
  • manage their many schools, large urban districts often institute unwieldy bureaucratic systems that slow the pace of operations.
  • Urban districts thus face challenges both in attracting teachers to their schools and in optimizing their hiring, transfer, and retention policies so that they are able to bring the best available teachers into their classrooms and retain them.
  • small size, sparse settlement, distance from population concentrations, and an economic reliance on agricultural industries that are increasingly using seasonal and immigrant workers to minimize labor costs.
  • Classes in rural schools tend to be small, and teachers often report good working conditions and relatively few discipline problems.
  • Moreover, rural areas often have a smaller pool of college-educated workers from which to recruit teachers.
  • Relatively large shares of students with special needs and of highly mobile children of low-income migrant farm workers can also complicate recruiting and retaining teachers.

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Technology Teacher 07/16/2016

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  -Human geography examines economic and sociocultural factors to discover the interaction between humans and their environments. - National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) data demonstrate that test scores vary by region; however the causality of these differences is difficult to capture - The number of children entering school from families below the poverty level was notably higher in both the South and West regions - The South had the highest percentage of black, non-Hispanic students while the West had the largest percentage of Hispanic students - States in the South and West often fell far below the national average. Is this the result of regional sociocultural differences or the result of concentrations of poverty? -School districts in different geographic regions must deal with differing economic costs in acquiring and retaining highly qualified teachers. The average Teacher Cost Index (TCI) is inclined to be lowest in the South (Chambers, 1995). -Teachers in Connecticut earn, on average, close to $60,000, while teachers in Mississippi earn between $35,000-40,000 (Gollnick & Chinn, 2009). NAEP 2005 science scores showed a 20-point achievement gap at both the fourth and eighth grade levels between Mississippi and Connecticut students. - Close to half (43 percent) of U.S. students are concentrated in the largest 500 school districts (Gollnick & Chinn, 2009) - Many children in urban areas reside in the inner city, usually an older section of a city characterized by dense low-income, high-crime neighborhoods - Urban schools, attended by mostly low-income minority students, continue to lag behind suburban schools. -Geoffrey Canada, President and Chief Executive Officer, has stated that inner-city children need to be surrounded by an enriching environment of goal-oriented peers and supportive adults, as a counterweight to the “toxic culture of the street” - Many believe it will require comprehensive school reform (CSR) to improve student achievement, which is a total school reorganizing and revitalizing rather than a single school improvement initiative - Rural communities as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau (n.d.) have a population of fewer than 2,500 people. These communities are home to 21 percent of the nation’s population. - However, the last few decades have seen increasing school consolidation in rural areas as populations and tax revenues have declined - On the positive side, rural schools offer unique opportunities to personalize education for students due to small class sizes and community connectedness -On the negative side, rural schools may find it difficult to offer the array of curriculum courses and electives available in larger schools; attract and maintain teachers in critical shortage areas - Recruiting and retaining highly qualified teachers  Increasing student achievement and decreasing student dropout  Providing access to curricula, including Advanced Placement courses  Creating access to professional development to improve teacher quality -

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Technology Teacher 07/10/2016

• The World’s Muslims: Unity and Diversity | Pew Research Center

  • And in the United States, a 2011 Pew Research Center survey found that nearly seven-in-ten Muslims (69%) say religion is very important to them.
  • higher levels of religious commitment than do Muslims between the ages of 18 and 34. In all seven countries surveyed in the region, older Muslims are more likely to report that they attend mosque, read the Quran (also spelled Koran) on a daily basis and pray multiple times each day

• Americans' Dim Views Of Islam Have Gotten A Little Worse

  • Since the Paris terror attacks in November, at least 52 anti-Islamic incidents have been recorded in Canada and the U.S. — including a severed pig’s being head thrown outside a Philadelphia mosque, a brutal attack against a Muslim store owner in New York and passengers of “Middle Eastern descent” being removed from more than one flight after fellow travelers claimed they looked suspicious.
  • The recent terrorist attack in San Bernardino, California — and Republican front-runner Donald Trump’s subsequent call for a “total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States” — further stoked worries about rising Islamophobia. 
  • “It’s our responsibility to reject proposals that Muslim Americans should somehow be treated differently,” President Barack Obama said Sunday in a national address, before Trump released his statement. “Because when we travel down that road, we lose.”
  • Just 17 percent of Americans hold a favorable view of Islam, according to the poll, which was also conducted after the San Bernardino shooting but prior to Trump’s comments.
  • If there’s any countermeasure to such antipathy, it may simply be getting to know Muslim Americans. People who have Muslim co-workers are 21 points more likely than those who don’t to hold a positive view of Islam, while those with Muslim friends are 18 points more likely.
  • Some Americans, at least, would be open to that dialogue. Thirty-six percent say they’d be interested in learning more about Islam, including 27 percent of those who currently hold a negative view of the religion.

• Non-LDS faith wants high school land for its.. | The Salt Lake Tribune

  • 83,634 of Utah's 150,572 high school students were enrolled in LDS seminary classes, which are commonly offered at LDS Church-owned buildings near public high schools.
  • Utah law allows students to be released from school, with their parents' permission, for religious instruction.
  • They do not receive any credits toward graduation for those classes

• Why High School in Utah can be Difficult for Non-Mormons

  • The Mormon culture dominates most schools in Utah. Mormon kids develop friendships with other Mormons well before they end up in school
  • Some Mormon kids apply a stereotype to the non-Mormon kids. They believe that the non-Mormons don’t share the same values and morals unless those non-Mormons prove otherwise.
  • It was as if they assumed that anyone who had good morals and values had no reason not to be Mormon.
  • It made no sense in their minds that a good person could be a non-Mormon and still be a good person.
  • He was a Catholic. But he got asked why he wasn’t Mormon probably a thousand times. And each time someone asked that question, he felt judged and he felt more and more like an outsider living in Utah.
  • but it’s the main reason my friend fled Utah at his first opportunity and why he now despises Utah. He gets anxiety when he enters the state and cringes when he hears the name.

• Module 8 Overview

  - Religious pluralism includes the predominant religions found in the U.S. (i.e. Protestantism, Catholicism, Judaism, Islam) and the various denominations and sects contained within them -Teachers should strive to understand the basic tenets of the religions of students in their class - Understanding religious beliefs and cultures can make the school environment safe and welcoming for students. - In today’s American society, many Muslims are treated with suspicion. Islamic principles not only guide beliefs but daily actions. Muslims believe in one God (the same God of Judaism and Christianity) with Muhammad as his last messenger; facing Mecca and praying five times daily; contributing to the poor; fasting during Ramadan; and making a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in their lifetime (Gollnick & Chinn, 2009). How do these practices affect a school community? The requirement to pray five times a day may impact the school routine. At the University of Michigan at Dearborn, foot baths were installed in school lavatories to allow Muslim students to perform the prescribed washing required for daily prayer (Feldman, 2007). - Under federal law, the school may allow students to voluntarily pray at non-academic times. The school might seek guidance from members of the Muslim community to understand what a reasonable accommodation might be to support students’ daily prayer needs. - Additionally schools might need to do a bias review of curricula for misrepresentations of the Muslim culture. Sensoy and Marshall (2010) reviewed five current well-recognized books about Muslim girls in the Middle East and discovered the following stereotypes about Islam:  Muslim girls are oppressed, nameless, and silent; the cover of each book presented veiled, sad Muslim girls.  Being veiled equals oppression. In several books, girls disguise themselves as boys to escape wearing the veil; this is a simplistic representation. Hijāb, the head covering traditionally worn by Muslim women, plays a more complex role in the identity of a Muslim girl.  Muslim girls want to be saved by the West; Middle Eastern women’s organizations have been fighting oppression for decades. - Jihad is a word that describes a religious duty of practicing Muslims. Its literal meaning is to struggle and is commonly used to represent a striving to eliminate obstacles to doing the work of God. This struggle could involve making more time to pray or study. -Curriculum: The teaching of evolution cannot be banned by a school board; the requirement to teach evolution and creationism equally cannot be mandated by states; the Bible can only be used as a literature text and must include critical reflection of the content; the music at holiday programs should be predominantly secular and no student can be required to participate. -Students’ rights: Students of their own accord may engage in religious activities and discussions; students may offer a personal prayer or blessing before meals; and the religious identity of a student may not be the basis for preferential or non-preferential treatment -Equal access to public facilities: Religious organizations must have equal access to public facilities for after school activities. -Teaching about religions and beliefs should be sensitive, balanced, inclusive, nondoctrinal, impartial, and based on human rights principles relating to freedom of religion or belief. This implies that considerations relating to the freedom of religion or belief should pervade any curricula developed for teaching about religions and beliefs -

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  Text Book Reading Chapter 8 The religious pluralism of the school in which one teachers will be different determined in great part by the school's geographic region of the US in Utah on other communities in Idaho a visitor to the public schools may find the most the students are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints also known as Mormons the many Mormon communities students in secondary schools are given release time from the schools to attend seminaries which are adjacent or in close proximity to their Public Schools the seminary's provide religious training instructors employed by the LDs Church many of the male and a few female students will serve two years As Church missionaries First Amendment Congress is prohibited from making laws Establishing a religion or prohibiting religious worship Community resistance to cultural pluralism in Multicultural education has at times been led by individuals associated with conservative religious groups Multicultural education however provides a basis for understanding and appreciating diversity and minimize the problems related to the people being different from one another many religions are particularistic in their members believe that their own religion is uniquely true and legitimate and all others are invalid religion is clearly an important aspect of the lives of many people 54% indicate that religion is very important in their lives 81% of Americans Claim their religious beliefs are very important or fairly important to them in their daily lives approximately one-third of the world has restrictive policies on religion Mormons have extended their influence far beyond the borders of Utah Idaho and Nevada their presence is felt in every state as well as many other countries 2% of us are Mormon Anti-semitic anti-muslim and anti-catholic sentiment are still Perpetuated in some households and institutions Americans are possibly becoming less religious with nearly twice as many choosing no religion identification in 2008 Islamic Culture Islam means to surrender to the will or law of God the basic tenets of Islam include faith belief in one God and Muhammad is his last messenger Kama prayer five times a day facing Mecca, Charities contributing to the poor, fasting no food or water from sunrise to sunset during Ramadan,pilgrimage a visit to Mecca once in one's lifetime Is clear the United States of the parts the Western World many individuals are uncomfortable with and suspicious of Muslims since 9/11 49% of Americans indicate that they of unfavorable opinions of Islam and 31% believe that mainstream Islam encourages violence it is important however that these individuals and their behavior to be recognized as the exception rather than the rule so if the entire religion and its adherents are not victimized u.s. black Muslims are primarily align themselves with this Sunni form of Islam they form a unique identity of Their Own Muslim Students in US schools I have concerns for their personal safety and concerns of wearing the traditional attire Muslim high school students and the majority reported that Muslims have had labeled in stereotypical ways and we're particularly concerned with the media's portrayal of their culture and religion US models may be better educated than the average American 25% of 10 college degrees compared to 19% for the general population and another 10% of American Muslims go on to Graduate Studies Mormon The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a rapidly growing group that is neither Catholic nor Protestant in the early 1830s Joseph Smith found of the LDS church in Western New York State Smith was instructed to translate a history of ancient inhabitants of North America written on tablets of gold which have been stored in a nearby Hillside The Book of Mormon put together with the Old and New Testaments and some of his later Revelations became the sacred script of Mormonism the more I practice of polygamy the church discontinue the practice of plural marriage in 1890 excavated their unacceptability to other groups Utah's now the religious center for the Mormons the members aggressively proselytize and as a result have grown to a membership of 3,158,000 in the United States and 11.7 million worldwide Laws The law forbids public group prayer what does allowed for private prayer before things such as new meals are praying alone between classes or before and after school the law provided for voluntary prayer will be considerable social pressure to participate but you make it difficult for some to refuse participation The school might sponsor the study of Religion but may not sponsor the practice of religion the school makes both doing this to all religious views but may not impose any particular View the school's approach to religion is one of instruction not one of indoctrination the function of the school to educate about all religions not to convert students to any one religion the school should strive for student wearing his of all religions but you're not press for student acceptance of any one religion the school should seek to inform the students about berries police put your not seem to conform him or her to anyone believe Educators like many of their students come from different religious backgrounds and many have different values in relation to the importance of religion or what they believe

• Toledo Guiding Principles on Teaching about Religions and Beliefs in Public Schools | OSCE

  Modern-day Europe is the result of the interweaving of migrations of disparate peoples, interactions of religions within a cradle moulded by Christianity and by other religious and cultural forces for more than twenty-five centuries, through borrowing, copying, transforming, transmitting, and absorbing. One was Cordoba, in the tenth through mid-eleventh centuries, when the city was under enlightened Muslim rule—the Umayyad Caliphate—and where Muslim, Christian, and Jewish scholars and artists engaged in inquiry and passed on enduring legacies to the world, before the disintegration of the Caliphate and the arrival of more religiously intolerant invaders from Northern Africa, such as the Berber Almoravids in the eleventh century and the Almohads in the twelfth. Muslims and Jews were given the alternative of conversion or exile, and later Protestants were persecuted. The very country that had provided significant and progressive models of tolerance turned towards religious intolerance, as many other European countries in those times. It is important for young people to acquire a better understanding of the role that religions play in today’s pluralistic world. The need for such education will continue to grow as diff erent cultures and identities interact with each other through travel, commerce, media or migration Although a deeper understanding of religions will not automatically lead to greater tolerance and respect, ignorance increases the likelihood of misunderstanding, stereotyping, and confl ict. , that there is positive value in teaching that emphasizes respect for everyone’s right to freedom of religion and belief, and second, that teaching about religions and beliefs can reduce harmful misunderstandings and stereotypes. The chapter discusses the need for curricula to respect several principles: to adhere to recognized professional standards; to be inclusive and to pay particular attention to key historical and contemporary developments pertaining to religion and belief issues; to be sensitive to different interpretations of reality and the principle of multi-perspectivity; and to be responsive to different local manifestations of religious and secular plurality found in schools and the communities they serve Teaching about religions and beliefs may be adapted to take into account the needs of different national and local school systems and traditions. Pros for Teaching Religion Knowledge about religions and beliefs can reinforce appreciation of the importance of respect for everyone’s right to freedom of religion or belief, foster democratic citizenship, promote understanding of societal diversity and, at the same time, enhance social cohesion. Knowledge about religions and beliefs has the valuable potential of reducing con- fl icts that are based on lack of understanding for others’ beliefs and of encouraging respect for their rights. Knowledge about religions and beliefs is an essential part of a quality education. It is required to understand much of history, literature, and art, and can be helpful in broadening one’s cultural horizons and in deepening one’s insight into the complexities of past and present. Teaching about religions and beliefs is most effective when combined with efforts to instil respect for the rights of others, even when there is disagreement about religions or beliefs. The right to freedom of religion or belief is a universal right and carries with it an obligation to protect the rights of others, including respect for the dignity of all human beings. An individual’s personal religious (or non-religious) beliefs do not provide suffi - cient reason to exclude that person from teaching about religions and beliefs. The most important considerations in this regard relate to professional expertise, as well as to basic attitudes towards or commitment to human rights in general and freedom of religion or belief in particular Reasonable adaptations of policies in response to distinctive religious needs may be required to avoid violation of rights to freedom of religion or belief. Even when not strictly required as a matter of law, such adaptations and fl exibility contribute to the building of a climate of tolerance and mutual respect. Where compulsory courses involving teaching about religions and beliefs are suf- fi ciently neutral and objective, requiring participation in such courses as such does not violate the freedom of religion and belief (although states are free to allow partial or total opt-outs in these settings). Guiding Principles Teaching about religions and beliefs must be provided in ways that are fair, accurate and based on sound scholarship. Those who teach about religions and beliefs should have a commitment to religious freedom that contributes to a school environment and practices that foster protection of the rights of others in a spirit of mutual respect and understanding among members of the school community. Teaching about religions and beliefs is a major responsibility of schools, but the manner in which this teaching takes place should not undermine or ignore the role of families and religious or belief organizations in transmitting values to successive generations. Eff orts should be made to establish advisory bodies at diff erent levels that take an inclusive approach to involving diff erent stakeholders in the preparation and implementation of curricula and in the training of teachers. Where a compulsory programme involving teaching about religions and beliefs is not suffi ciently objective, eff orts should be made to revise it to make it more balanced and impartial, but where this is not possible, or cannot be accomplished immediately, recognizing opt-out rights may be a satisfactory solution for parents and pupils, provided that the opt-out arrangements are structured in a sensitive and non-discriminatory way. Such teachers need to have the knowledge, attitude and skills to teach about religions and beliefs in a fair and balanced way. Teachers need not only subject-matter competence but pedagogical skills so that they can interact with students and help students interact with each other in sensitive and respectful ways. Preparation of curricula, textbooks and educational materials for teaching about religions and beliefs should take into account religious and non-religious views in a way that is inclusive, fair, and respectful. Curricula should be developed in accordance with recognized professional standards in order to ensure a balanced approach to study about religions and beliefs Any basic teacher preparation should be framed and developed according to democratic and human rights principles and include insight into cultural and religious diversity in society. Curricula focusing on teaching about religions and beliefs should give attention to key historical and contemporary developments pertaining to religion and belief, and refl ect global and local issues. Reasons for Teaching about Religions and Beliefs Religions and beliefs are important forces in the lives of individuals and communities and therefore have great significance for society as a whole. Understanding these convictions is necessary if people are to understand one another in our diverse societies, and also if they are to appreciate the significance of the rights that protect them. Learning about religions and beliefs contributes to forming and developing self understanding, including a deeper appreciation of one’s own religion or belief. Studying about religions and beliefs opens students’ minds to questions of meaning and purpose and exposes students to critical ethical issues addressed by humankind throughout history. Much history, literature and culture is unintelligible without knowledge of religions and beliefs. Therefore study about religions and beliefs is an essential part of a well-rounded education. Learning about religions and beliefs forms part of one’s own stock of education, broadens one’s horizon and deepens one’s insight into the complexities of both past and present. Knowledge of religions and beliefs can help promote respectful behaviour and enhance social cohesion. In this sense, all members of society, irrespective of their own convictions, benefit from knowledge about the religious and belief systems of others. It may prove helpful to include in curricula reference to sources drawn from various religious and belief traditions that reinforce the signifi cance of tolerance, respect and caring for others Curricula should be sensitive to diff erent local manifestations of religious and secular plurality found in schools and the communities they serve. Parents who feel that their (religious) beliefs are not respected in the school and school curriculum are also less likely to feel a sense of engagement with the learning that takes place in the schools their children attend. Reasons for including discussion of a particular religion or belief in the national or local curricula include: • historical importance of religions and beliefs in a certain nation or region or globally; • presence of particular religions or beliefs in a nation or the local community; • media attention devoted to a particular religion or belief; • existing misconceptions of a particular religion or belief; • present or future likelihood of contact with adherents to a particular religion or belief. It is recommended that when learning about religions and beliefs an empathetic attitude among learners should be encouraged. Empathetic education refers to attempts to genuinely understand what another person is feeling and the ability to respectfully communicate the essence of another person’s experience. Cons Maria attended segments of the tutoring under the partial exemption arrangement. The authors state that Maria on several cases came home from school and said that she had been teased because her family did not believe in God. In connection with the end of year term celebrations for Christmas, Maria was picked out to learn by heart and perform a Christian text. The school was unable to provide her parents with a local timetable including an overview of the themes to be treated by Maria’s class. Instead, they were referred to the main curriculum and the weekly timetable. Maria’s parents did exempt her from some lessons during her fi rst year at school. On these occasions she was placed in the kitchen where she was told to draw, sometimes alone, and sometimes under supervision. When her parents became aware that banishment to the kitchen was used as a punishment for pupils who behaved badly in class, they stopped exempting her from lessons The children were also required to learn a number of psalms and Bible texts by heart, a fact that is confi rmed by their workbooks. As a result of the religious instruction, Pia often experienced confl icts of loyalty between her home and her school. Her parents decided to move to another part of the country where they could enrol Pia in a private school In the Committee’s view, the diffi culties encountered by the authors, in particular the fact that Maria Jansen and Pia Suzanne Orning had to recite religious texts in the context of a Christmas celebration although they were enrolled in the exemption scheme, as well as the loyalty confl icts experienced by the children, amply illustrate these diffi culties. Furthermore, the requirement to give reasons for exempting children from lessons focusing on imparting religious knowledge and the absence of clear indications as to what kind of reasons would be accepted creates a further obstacle for parents who seek to ensure that their children are not exposed to certain religious ideas. In the Committee’s view, the present framework of CKREE, including the current regime of exemptions, as it has been implemented in respect of the authors, constitutes a violation of article , paragraph , of the Covenant in their respect.

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Technology Teacher 07/09/2016

• Successful Sheltered Instruction Strategy

  - Text Mapping -Analyze the Structure of the Selection ˆ Pre-read the text and determine the underlying organization and structure of the material. Prepare the Students to Read ˆ Lead a pre-reading discussion, focusing on prior knowledge and the structure of the text. Highlight vocabulary that will assist in reading comprehension and understanding of story structure Read and Map Story ˆ Read the text and engage the students in a discussion about the main ideas found in the selection. ˆ Model how ideas might be expressed in a visual format on a “text map”. ˆ Once students are comfortable with the strategy, students can become active participants and create own text maps, either individually or in groups. Discuss and Compare Maps ˆ Facilitate the discussion to compare and contrast maps. This can prompt further discussion about the story itself and the strategies the students used to identify and analyze story elements.

• Text Map Sample (490×636)

  - Text Map to use

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Technology Teacher 07/07/2016

• Culturally Responsive Instruction

  • The CREATE model asks teachers to provide culturally responsive instruction for their students. Culturally responsive (or relevant) teaching has been described as "a pedagogy that empowers students intellectually, socially, emotionally, and politically by using cultural referents to impart knowledge, skills, and attitudes" (Ladson-Billings, 1994, p. 382).
  • teachers must incorporate relatable aspects of students' daily lives into the curriculum.
  • People often get intimidated by the words culturally responsive because of the incredible number of cultures and mixes of cultures in today's classrooms.
  • I teach the entire class in a way that all of my students can relate to and understand, using aspects of their cultures with which I am comfortable
  • I try to capture their attention and find interests that are common to as many kids as possible. I don't teach by race. I teach to their collective culture
  • Any teacher of any race or gender has something in common with or can find something that relates to most of his or her students. Remember, though: Put it in their language, but don't come off as fake.
  • "culture determines how children perceive life and their relationship to the world. Because culture also influences how and what children learn, educators can use culture to improve self-image and achievement.
  • Not only must teachers show an appreciation of cultural diversity, they must also incorporate teaching strategies that are congruent with the learning styles of their students"
  • who concludes that, in order to engage urban students, teachers must adapt their teaching to the way in which those students learn rather than the reverse (expecting students to adapt their learning to the way in which they are taught).
  • teachers need to know how to make ideas and knowledge meaningful to urban students and how to use students' culture and interests as tools to teach them
  • The CREATE model requires that teachers make a concerted effort to learn about their students' individual cultures and interests: language, sports, music, and so on. To achieve this, consider using surveys and questionnaires, or build relationships by informally talking to students and asking about their interests.
  • We must teach the way students learn, rather than expecting them to learn the way we teach
  • I begin building relationships with my students by using surveys and questionnaires to learn about some of their interests, I make time to talk with each of them, and I encourage them to share information about themselves.
  • As a result of talking to students and learning about their individual needs, I successfully convince them that I am an ally and willing to listen to them on their own level.
  • During the first few weeks, I strive to learn about all of my students, but I focus on the most challenging students so I can develop positive relationships with them and adapt the curriculum and my instruction to their way of learning
  • Instead, it asks the teacher to integrate the traditional curriculum with material that is relevant to students' lives
  • In his book The School and Society, educational philosopher John Dewey argued that the development of curricula should be based on students' own interests (Dewey, 1889).
  • Dewey believed strongly in connecting curriculum to the interests and activities of students.
  • I am culturally responsive because I teach in a way that every student can understand. I use student-centered stories, vocabulary, and language.
  • I constantly try to find ways to infuse hip hop, sports, and other student interests without seeming fake. I
  • Students have an innate ability to know when you're not being yourself.
  • I use "street language" to explain the concept of isolating the variable in algebra. I say to students, "X is like a dog that wants his own block or neighborhood.
  • Student-centered vocabulary and language are keys to hooking students' attention and ensuring that they will be receptive enough to learn the curriculum and textbook vocabulary.
  • The students are more prepared and willing to learn because they already have a sense of confidence that comes from an increased level of comfort with the material.
  • Be creative! Teach in a way that relates familiar experiences to your students, and make the learning process as easy for them as possible.
  • Research has shown that students typically retain the most information during the first 10 minutes of a lecture, so it is important to put limits on the amount of class time consumed by lectures.
  • In urban settings, culturally responsive delivery of instruction requires continual interaction with students and frequent feedback.
  • It has long been understood that questions are effective educational tools when asked before, during, and after a learning experience.
  • Dialogues that comprise question-and-answer exchanges allow for frequent academic interaction and provide numerous opportunities for students to be actively involved and receive immediate feedback.
  • It is important that teachers use interaction that is more personal than general. I especially call on the target population (students who struggle and act out loudly and students who stay "under the radar") because I am aware that they will be the first ones to drift off or get lost.
  • I make sure to ask three or four questions every step or two of the way
  • Therefore, if I ask 10 questions, 7 will be directed toward students in the target population.

  • Key Points

     

     

    Relationships

     
     
    • Learn about your students' individual cultures.
     
    • Adapt your teaching to the way your students learn.
     
    • Develop a connection with the most challenging students.
     
     
     

     

    Curriculum

     
     
    • Teach in a way students can understand.
     
    • Use student-centered stories, vocabulary, and examples.
     
    • Incorporate relatable aspects of students' lives.
     
     
     

     

    Delivery

     
     
    • Establish an interactive dialogue to engage all students.
     
    • Stay within your comfort zone and don't come off as "fake."
     
    • Continually interact with students and provide frequent feedback.
     
    • Use frequent questioning as a vehicle to keep students involved.

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Technology Teacher 07/06/2016

• African-American English in North Carolina - YouTube

  - there are really different sounds through out the country - there is a love of language - every clique has their own language - the "be" form. - marker for the in group or the out group. Consciously deciding not to. - Relaxed black speech in some places and standard English in other places. - expectations of people can lead to changes in conversation

• Linda Christensen: Social Justice, Teaching Writing, and Teaching Teachers - National Writing Project

  • "We teach our students not only by what we say in the classroom but also by what we do in the world,"
  • "Social justice is at the core of my work because it is a belief in people's potential,"
  • "It is this commitment to social equality that undergirds the idea of public education."
  • she advocates that students write from a personal stance, and models that expectation in her own writing, thereby empowering her students to take risks with and ownership of their writing and their lives.
  • She creates assignments such as "Where I'm from" poems, praise poems, forgiveness poems, age poems, and childhood narratives, that allow students to share significant moments of their lives.  "Students write more authentically and powerfully when they write pieces about what they care about," she says.
  • Her focus on personal stance writing facilitates the emergence of an authentic community of learners and develops empathy within and among her students in the process.
  • In class "read-arounds," students share their work, and, as Christensen says, "We celebrate their brilliance, commenting on what's working, instead of editing. We talk about writing, but we also talk about our lives.
  • Writing from a personal stance includes a commitment to honoring learners' "home languages" while instilling in them the relevance of learning and using society's "cash language"—a term Christensen credits Jesse Jackson with coining to describe Standard English.
  • she examines The Color Purple with students to discuss if it would be as powerful if it had been written in Standard English instead of African American vernacular English.
  • "I want students to see that 'standard' doesn't mean best; it means the most widely accepted version of a language," she says. "I also want them to understand how the loss of variations of languages leads to a loss of music and rhythm, and in many cases, the loss of indigenous knowledge."
  • This spirit is visible in her responses to the work of other educators. Christensen not only provides a thoughtful critique of the teaching approach or strategy presented but also offers practical suggestions for making the approach/strategy more effective.
  • "Secondary language arts teachers can play a key role in fighting for equity in schools by rejecting programs that continue the tracking of students—that create a dual education system within a school or school district,
  • "Teachers can fight for access to the benefits of small classes, a rigorous curriculum, field trips, and college credit courses for all students, regardless of their background."
  • Teachers across the country—not all in urban classrooms—have found her work to be pivotal to developing a critical pedagogy that works. Below you will find a list of articles and books by and about Christensen

• Module 7

  - Language is a complex system that includes the phonology (speech sounds, pronunciationpatterns), lexicon (vocabulary, terms), grammar (syntax, rules), and non-verbalcommunication specific to a group.- Take the example of people speaking an indigenous language(language developed in an isolated geographic location e.g., Africans, American Indians,Pre-Columbian societies). Upon making contact with another group, they develop a"simplified speech used for communication"- All languages are of equal value from alinguistic perspective; however, from a sociocultural perspective, American culture valuesStandard English (accepted as a model for speaking and writing)- The dialect of alanguage can be of a regional or social variety; it varies by pronunciation, grammar, orvocabulary. - Successful students arebidialectical functioning, using more than one dialect. In fact, many students are codeswitching(moving between dialects based on the social context of a situation), speakingone way to the teacher and another with their peers (Nilep, 2006).- Children who are at risk ofacademic failure may not be bidialectal or have not developed the ability to code-switch- Black English (BE)(also known as African-American Vernacular English or Ebonics) has received muchattention in the media. Is it a language? Yes, it contains all of the essential elements oflanguage with specific and consistent differences. Phonology identifies a number ofdifferences in BE.- Teachers must learn to first accept that the dialect of their students as real and having value- The following aresuggestions for teachers to use (Martinez, 2003): Do not be afraid to correct non-standard English in a non-judgmental, caringmanner. Show respect for the child's home language. Remember that this is the languageof their loved ones. Teach children to understand the need for learning Standard English. Explain that Standard English is a different (not better) way of speaking when atwork or in school. Use children's literature written in Standard English, but also include books writtenby and about African-Americans that may use BE. Use video recorders to encourage children to read Standard English. Use all available technologies to reinforce language. Require the use of complete sentences when asking a question, answering aquestion, and talking in groups. Use instruction strategies that encourage the use of Standard English in aninteractive, non-threatening atmosphere. Increase vocabulary and continue to teach the rules of grammar andpronunciation for Standard English. Above all be encouraging, accepting, and inventive. - Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency (CALP) isrequired to meet the demands of academic learning.The following informationdescribes the ELL population in U.S. schools (Payán & Nettles, 2006): ELL students are roughly ten percent (five million) of the US student population. Students from Spanish-language backgrounds make up close to 80 percent of theELL population.4 EDU 582 Module Seven Arizona, California, Texas, New York, Florida, and Illinois have concentratedpopulations of ELLs (61 percent), although ELLs appear in every state. The majority of ELL students in both elementary and secondary schools are born inthe U.S- Limited accommodations are available to ELLs; themost common accommodation is the use of a word-to-word translation dictionary (withoutdefinitions) that can be used in the mathematics, science, and writing sections of the test(New Hampshire Department of Education, 2009). - Teachers may use an instructional strategy called ShelteredEnglish. A Sheltered English approach engages ELLs above the BICS level to developknowledge and skills, as well as increase students' level of Standard English proficiency. - Sheltered English activities connect new content tostudents' prior knowledge, require active collaboration, and spiral skills throughoutcurriculum material.-

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