online post 1

[Khari]

Dear Class:

For my first post, I thought I would respond in a more or less general
way to two of the four prompts/questions that we were given-(1 & 4).
In future posts and responses, I will address all four of the required
questions.

One of the key emphases of our readings thus far has to do with the
basic idea of what is education. It is question that I have been
grappling with not only throughout my time in this program but also
throughout my time with the Department of Education. Does my job as a
teacher in the DOE really make me an educator? Or am I a glorified
babysitter? An implementer of societal rules? A gate keeper who helps
maintain the staus quo? So much of what we do as teachers is
dictated by silly state guidelines and mandates that are more about
politcs than educational theory or genuine concern for children.

In My Pedagogic Creed, Dewey says (Pg 17 of our packet) that “the only
true education comes through the stimulation of the child’s powers by
the demands of the social situations in which he finds himself.” In
thinking about the typical classroom, what genuine and real social
situations do students generally find themselves? Because of the
focus on things like testing and bulletin boards, much of what we do
creates artificial settings for our students that don’t really
stimulate the child’s powers but foster resentment and disengagement.
As Dewey later states, “the child is thrown into a passive, receptive,
or absorbing attitude. The conditions are such that he is not
permitted to follow the law of his nature; the result is friction an
waste.”

I know that this class is about negotiating curriculum and trying to
negotiate some of the demands and unrealistic expectations placed on
us, but as I read Dewy and Freire, and think about what education
could be and how change and action should be aspects of true
education, I wonder if negotiating is enough.

The most enjoyable, authentic, rewarding and I think successful
teaching job I ever had was when I taught adult literacy for the
Brooklyn Library System. Part of this was because the students were
all adults who were motivated by the very real purpose of learning to
read in order to change their lives. Their social situations demanded
that they know how to communicate beyond their current capacity and
they were stimulated to learn. But beyond that, as teachers we had
the freedom to use their lives-their stories-their concerns as the
core of our work with them. In fact, our first assignment was for
them to begin telling us their life story, and this story could and
often did become the core for the rest of the class. There were no
state testing requirements or administrators dictating the kinds of
materials we could use-the students themselves were all the material
we needed. This is what education should be about-much like the story
of Boudin’s prison classes. Her classes did not move beyond an
“emphasis on obedience” until she introduced the real issues of Aids
to her class. That real life issue, not only sparked enthusiasm, but
also sparked interest in learning, self esteem ad self-confidence.

I hope I don’t sound too negative, but the reading and my current
experiences in teaching have made me think that maybe, true education
cannot come from within the current educational dynamic. Perhaps my
job as a real educator is to find a way to create my own school, my
own ancillary educational program or even (maybe too radical?) to find
a way to revamp the entire educational system. At this point, I’m
not sure what my final goal will be, but hopefully this class and
discussions with my colleagues will help me figure it out.

Khari

[Jessica Lipschultz]

I understand that many of you had trouble posting. I tried to
troubleshoot Goohle Group in many ways but am not sure why this is
happening.

I know it is frustrating for all of us. Instead of emailing me with
your post, please send it to a classmate who has successfully posted.

We will discuss this situation as an example of the hidden curriculum
(but believe me, I did not plan these frustrations as a teaching
point!).

Please be an interdependent as possible in solving this dilemma with
one another.

Thank you.

Jessica

Sent from my iPhone

[jasmijn quon]

Dear Kharai and Class,

I just read your post/Kharai's post and I think you/Khari bring(s) up a valuable point regarding what our job is with the DOE and one that underlies our teacher conscience. We all know that we are educators who are supposed to teach a particular curriculum, help develop capable and educated individuals, and help propel a successful society full of enabled and productive people (and in some cases, progressive as well), but it does sometimes feel stifling that we are boggled down with so many state/national mandates or social issues or a super-scripted curriculum that feels as if it wants stifle progressiveness and thinking. So, we might feel powerless and confused about where the real teaching and thinking can take place as well as where is the room for mypersonal pedagogical beliefs? I think here is the oppression upon us, although I find relief in the fact that I know that each teacher has a way of negotiating the curriculum and perhaps even teaching a "hidden curriculum" (in reference to the first article of the Hidden Curriculum packet) that is a positive one (instead of the negative ones mentioned in the first article). I think this helps keep perspective and hope for us.

I do know what you mean, and I understand you completely. As of this year, I have felt like a babysitter in my class, unable to really teach in the way I had previously, and finding that each subject is becoming more and more scripted with less allowance for the thinking and growth development that we read about in Wilson's text on rubric with the Harvard and Yale curriculum pre-standardization (when the focus was on thinking development, not standards and scripted curriculum). I guess this class will help us feel more empowered to negotiate a space for what we feel is important, for our personal pedagogy, and maybe in a way, help us unleash a positive hidden curriculum or tap into what we feel is a null curriculum and help carve a space for this knowledge as well. Or, maybe not- maybe we will just go on like this- but I think not, since we are so aware and fighting this on our own levels.

And yes, perhaps the current education system does not help propel many of our ideas about true education. This is why I think also it is important, in addition to the above, that we help children realize the importance of the home and their culutral education, and help empower them to be seekers of the gaps they find in their lives and education.

---

From: Khari <kfre...@yahoo.com>
To: 1301: Negotiating Curriculum <1301-negotiat...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Fri, March 5, 2010 9:01:07 PM
Subject: online post 1

[suzette cross]

Good morning Jessica,   I am in the process of responding to a few of my colleages, but I am still ignorant of what your prompts are (I texted you same last night after calming down a bit) for the discussion.  I've asked Khari for them since he mentioned them, prior to his actual discussion/response.  However, as security in receiving them, if it is not a bother, could you also please forward them to me so that I am aware of what I should be doing.   As a result, I will be endeavoring to address them during the ensuing discussions up to 03/10/10  as per your requirements.   I trust that in light of the many obstacles with using our class Google Group for myself and my colleagues, we won't be penalized for lateness as well as not responding to your prompts since many of us were in discussion with each other trying to grapple our way through in order to get our assignment done.  As you mentioned, you will be discussing this in class.  I only hope all will be pleased with the direction and results of the "discussion."   Thank you   Suzette     --- On Fri, 3/5/10, Jessica Lipschultz <jlips...@gmail.com> wrote:

[Leandro Olivares]

Since the assignment reads that the due day was 3/10/10, I thought
the due day was sometimes before 3/10/10. You mentioned on
Wednesday that we could start posting the assignment this last Friday.
I never thought that the due day was this last Friday.
Should I complete my assignment anyway and give to you on Tuesday?

--- On Fri, 3/5/10, Jessica Lipschultz <jlips...@gmail.com> wrote:

> From: Jessica Lipschultz <jlips...@gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: online post 1
> To: "1301-negotiat...@googlegroups.com" <1301-negotiat...@googlegroups.com>
> Cc: "1301: Negotiating Curriculum" <1301-negotiat...@googlegroups.com>
> Date: Friday, March 5, 2010, 11:07 PM

[Peanut]

Khari,
You bring about a point that always sits in back of my mind and that
is, why it seems sometimes that we are doing everything else but
educating. We have to wear so many hats that by the time it comes to
teaching we are drained, preoccupied and frustrated. Most, but not all
of my teaching is incidental. The formal structured lessons that I am
forced to teach are usually disengaging to my students. They follow
the lesson either out of respect or fear. I have to bribe them many
times to get the engage. Above it all, I realize that it is not their
faults contrary to popular opinion within every school that its the
children or their parents that are responsible for their failures in
school. Every day in the classroom we have to suppress of convictions
because we so that teaching has almost become a factory job with
perks. You mentioned an important point about the adult literacy class
you taught in the public library. You said that the adults knew they
needed to read in order to be more successful in the outside world. It
is the same thing with our students, in spite the fact that most them
either don’t know or don’t care. We must continue to hold ourselves
accountable to this purpose of convincing children that they need
certain of these literacy skills to even achieve an ounce of success
in the outside world. I know this is challenging especially with the
mixed message that the world sends through the media that they really
don’t need any formal education to be successful. All they need is a
talent or a skill.

[Pauline Hunter]

Hey all

I revised my entry and am resubmitting it. I have to do it as a new
post because I don't know how to edit from google. Its not very user
friendly. If anyone knows how please inform

Thanks

Pauline. Awhodat

--
Sent from my mobile device