Rethinking+Schools+Jigsaw+with+Articles

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Superhero School Reform Heading our Way (Kim)
1. This article talks about reforming New Jersey’s schools. The focus has become getting rid of lousy teachers and unions. The idea for New Jersey is to “burst the dam”, do away with what has historically protected public education. Other buzzwords have been charter, merit pay, choice, and accountability. Oprah, Facebook creator Mark Zuckerberg, Governor Chris Christie, and celebrity mayor Cory Booker, came up with a business model education reform for New Jersey. The Superman idea had now made its way there. (Waiting For Superman, movie)Zuckerberg gave Booker a $100 million donation to takeover Newark Public Schools. Booker and Christie teamed up together. Christie cut $1.2 billion in state school aide. He also called teachers and the unions greedy, overpaid public employees and to blame for the state’s money problems. At that time there was no legal basis for mayoral control in New Jersey. Because of a takeover law, power policy and spending decisions for the school district was up to the state commissioner of education and the local advisory board. There was also a method started to reinstate control to a locally elected school board. (Until Zuckerberg arrived) New Jersey’s public schools have been the most successful in the nation. They are also near the top with educational investments. An Abbott case won them the highest funding levels in the country for poor urban districts. They received extra funding for high quality preschool, early literacy programs, school construction, and health and service supports. Because of these programs test score gaps have narrowed and they have high graduation rates. In response to the growing state budget, Christie did away with these Abbott programs. Christie called the pre-K programs babysitting! Christie’s education plan is to reduce spending, cut teacher pay and benefits, alter state aid from urban to suburban districts, and privatize public services. Christie’s assistant education commissioner suggested that schools that do not meet the test score targets of No Child Left Behind, should be closed! They want to get rid of public education and switch over to charter schools. “They are the masters at doing more with less.” They will get their money from hedge fund managers and national and local foundations. The reform is likely to do for education what market reform has done for health care, housing, and employment. The profits go to only a few. 2./4. I don’t get where that stereotype comes in that teachers are greedy and overpaid? What are people basing this off of? It doesn’t make sense to me that groups of people that know nothing about education would be the best fit to reform schools. It seems as though they didn’t know about any of the programs in New Jersey that were positive and making a difference for the districts. I definitely got annoyed when I read that their governor called pre-K programs babysitting! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard that from people. Kids at that age aren’t given enough credit. My kids maybe play a half hour to an hour a day. To meet licensing regulations my kids should be playing two hours a day. Most don’t understand that playing is important to their learning. While they are in different centers they are expanding and improving all of their developmental areas. After looking at our school’s WKCE test scores this year, if we stay on the path we are on, we will not meet No Child Left Behind’s test score benchmark. I don’t remember exactly what the percentile was, but it was pretty high. We have made huge gains every year, especially if you look at language arts, because most of our kids are bilingual. 3. How does what is/has gone on in New Jersey compare to what is going on in Wisconsin?

I think that this is exactly where Wisconsin is headed! It is sad to think that these people to do not value education. What has happened to theory that "everyone deserves an equal education". . . including those in pre-K! Most of them either came from money or went to private school so they do not value public education because they don't know much about it. There are plenty of people with mis-information about teacher salary and benefits. My dad's friends were talking about how they don't think that teachers should make $100,000. . . I am not sure what salarty scale they are looking at but my district certainly does not got past 70,000 and that is with all of the extra schooling, credits, and the most years! They want to keep the money and power and that is going to be the downfall to public education and the middle class in general. ~Katie

Katie, you responded so eloquently! It's just been heart-breaking, these past months especially, to hear all the teacher-bashing going on in our country. In Wisconsin, I think we're only seeing the beginning of what's going to be an ugly, painful downfall of our school system. Then, when politicians take all the money away, raise class sizes to unmanageable numbers, and make more laws about things they have no clue about, again we will be blamed for the failings of the public school system. Teachers just can't seem to catch a break, here in Wisconsin or out east in New Jersey. But I guess kind of been that way for many many years, hasn't it? It's just all coming to a boil now. ~Michelle

I see what you both are saying. The article really annoyed me reading it. I'm so sick of hearing that teachers are overpaid and greedy. Out of most professions I truely think teachers should be paid well. I don't think anyone can judge until they've spent a day in the classroom and see really what all goes into teaching. At least my families are always appreciative :) Kim

I completed agree, Kim. That is one of the biggest differences I notice between teaching at BGCS and teaching in Oconomowoc. The families at BGCS were so appreciative of their children's teachers; they truly respected the profession. Now that I teach in Oconomowoc, of course there are many families that appreciate us teachers and have the utmost respect for each of us. However, I notice that teachers in our district do much more explaining, justifying and reasoning with parents that I ever experienced at BGCS. It's always interesting when you contact a parent regarding a behavior issue and the parent acts as if you are making it up, there child would // never // do such a think---it must have been so and so. I always wonder if they think I am lying...like I am just making it up for fun. I think this is more telling of society today than anything...but yes, I agree, the families you work with are so supportive and almost hold the profession of teaching up on a pedestal :) -Linds

I purposely didn't pick this article because I knew it would anger me. I really don't know of any other profession where people from the outside think they know better than the people "in the trenches". It really upsets me how teachers are viewed by the public. Somehow the general public forgets that teachers put years into their education and ongoing education. That we put in many many many hours beyond our required time. For most teachers, this is the only profession we can see ourselves doing, but yet we aren't given the credit to know what is right? Laura

Well it's amazing what these charter schools can do with 100 million dollars from celebrities. Oh and the charter/private schools do not have to accept or let students in that they do not want to and they can kick any student out who is not making the grade or has discipline problems. So when the governor increases the amount of vouchers to private schools, I wonder what type of student they will let in? -Matt

If There Is No Struggle (Matt)
1. "If there is no struggle, there is no progress." -Frederick Douglass

A high school history teacher wrote this article reviewing some of the major themes and points of the abolitionist movement. -Most students only equate the anti-slavery movement to individuals such as Abraham Lincoln -Abraham Lincoln was not an abolitionist, in fact, he began his presidency by making it a point to not interfere with the institution of slavery. -The abolition movement was the foundation of virtually all social justice movements in the United States. -Abolitionists invented the concept of equality of all races well before the Civil War.

This history teacher wanted his students to learn not only the facts but how it felt to be a member of the American Anti-Slavery Society. -He set up a role play for his students. -As a member of this society, living in 1833, how are you going to end slavery in the United States? -Each student wrote an autobiography about who they were during this time. -Students chose to write as someone whose father owned slaves, as a slave who had escaped, as a white woman living in the north, etc.

The teacher then posed real historical dilemmas to the society and let them hold meetings to discuss how they would handle these challenges. The students, taking on the role of the autobiography they had chosen, would debate what actions to take in order to get rid of slavery. -Should they support John Brown with guns or money? -Should they only focus efforts to end slavery in the South or to end discrimination in the North? -Should they support greater equality for women? -At what point do they use violence to get their message across?

His students really got into their roles and had some heated debates. They learned that everyday citizens, not only famous historical figures were critical in the abolitionist movement.

2. This was a very interesting way to involve students in U.S. history. I enjoyed the fact that the teacher got the students not only to know historical figures and dates but to also get a feel for society during the era in which these abolitionists lived. The students' writings and debating led to the surfacing of their own stereotypes and generalizations about race. To have students become aware of their own prejudices and opinions about race relations is very powerful. It was interesting for me to learn new facts about the movement. For example, how Abraham Lincoln's feelings on slavery changed throughout his presidency. When he first took office, he was perfectly content with letting slave owners keep their slaves forever. I would like to hear more stories like that. The textbooks we learned from do not dive into that history. It is similar to how students never really learn about how ruthless and violent Christopher Columbus was.

3. Question: How would you compare this article's debate on race relations with the debate on illegal immigrants in the U.S. right now? Do you agree with the current law? Or with how U.S. citizens have created their own "border patrol?" Play the role of an immigrant who is working to provide a better life for his/her family.

4. As a teacher, an article about equality and tolerance is something I live everyday. I teach every kid in the school and see all different types of ability, skill, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic background, culture, etc. Granted, there is a definite majority of students as far as race, but the diversity is growing. I need to ensure that the tolerance and respect of others is growing as well.

Matt-Your article was interesting to learn about. I feel that I learned a bit by what you have written about. I really like how the teacher involved the students in role playing. I feel that role playing can really give them a sense of how that era lived. I think that you can compare this article with a debate on immigration by just asking and stating how people feel about immigrants moving into the country. Also, how people have lived in that time and compare how immigrnats are living now! I watched a movie last night on how immigrants were moving/fleeing into Texas. Some were being shot and killed. This I don't agree with. This was sad. I think about the life they were living and then trying to flee from this to better themselves. This is a great debate question! Jessica

My Teacher is a Lesbian (Laura)
1. Article overview: This article is written by a lesbian woman who works for the Rethinking Schools publication. She is a former teacher at both the middle school and high school levels. The article begins with a narrative explanation of how she came out at her first teaching job. The article describes her actions, student comments, parent comments, and administration response.

The article gives advice to other lesbian and gay teachers on how and when to come out to their students. The main points were:
 * Don't come out to your students before you are ready.
 * Don't come out to your students until you've been out in other areas of your life.
 * Line up support from gay/lesbian people and straight people before coming out.
 * Check if your union will support you. (what union?)
 * You can come out in a relevant situation or you can create a situation to come out in.
 * It can be better to make being a gay/lesbian teacher part of who you are from the beginning of the class, instead of having to adapt to it at a later time.
 * Coming out early in the school year can save the gay/lesbian teacher from having to live in fear of when the moment will happen.
 * If the teacher doesn't make a big deal out of being a gay/lesbian, then the students won't either.
 * Base your decisions of when and how to come out on your specific school, parents, administrators, and school board.
 * The author felt that it was important to come out (especially at the high school and middle school levels) in order to make school a safer place for students who know, think, or fear they are lesbian, gay, or bisexual.

2. My ideas, thoughts, opinions, questions. I chose this article partly because Katie took the one I wanted to pick and also because I recently read an article in a Parenting magazine about same-sex parents. Reading this article made me think about the dimensions of diversity chart from a few weeks ago. That chart was about the diversity with our students and their parents, but a chart could be filled out about the diversity of a teaching staff.

I do wonder, though, about when it may be appropriate for a teacher to reveal this type of information to his/her students. I wonder what administrators and school boards would do, especially when there is no union for back-up. I wonder what age students this would be appropriate for. I wonder how empowering students would find this teacher if they were gay/lesbian.

3. Question: Do you think gay/lesbian teachers should come out to their students at school? If so, at what level is it appropriate?

4. This article made me realize that every teacher, no matter who they are, need to feel support from their co-workers. This support might be of a personal matter or a professional matter. Especially right now, I think people need to feel they are part of something bigger than themselves and that others care about their well-being. As teachers we should make enough time to care about each other like we care for our students.

I think that this was an interesting article! Why did that teacher feel that she needed to come out to her students? Teachers are allowed to have a life outside of school. If it came out when she saw someone in public I would handle it from there and not before hand. Kids are pretty perceptive these days and could probably figure it out as long as she was acting like herself. People don't announce that they are black, hispanic, latino,. . . so why announce that you are gay/lesbian. I think it would just make the spotlight that much larger on that teacher and cause more attention than needed. To me, she is a person and she can do whatever she wants as long as it does not harm anyone else. Gay/lesbian is a common theme on television shows now so I think upper elementary would be able to handle it if needed but I would not be one to advertise it. ~ Katie

As a parent, I have to say (perhaps some of you will roll your eyes at this) that I would be furious if my elementary-aged son came home informing me that his teacher had talked about him/her being gay. I dont' go around (nor am I allowed to) announcing that I believe in God to my students, etc.. It's a personal thing, outside of the elementary school day. What's next, are we going to have teachers announce open marriages, being in love with their pet cow (that was a Boston Legal episode, sorry, couldn't resist!), etc?? If students saw this teacher in a setting outside of school, then it could be addressed at the PARENTS' discretion. ~Michelle

﻿Oh, Michelle, you know me so well :)

Anyway, I suppose I can understand if a parent does not want their child's teacher flat out stating "I am gay" or "I am a lesbian" at the young grade levels. However, I can specifically remember seeing pictures of my teacher's families and children displayed in their classrooms (on their desks, filing cabinets, etc). I can also remember hearing stories about teachers husbands, children, etc. Teachers use personal stories to relate to students...or in simple everyday conversation. For example:

"What did you do this weekend, Mrs. So-and-so?" -student "Well, my husband and I took the kids to the __." -teacher

Should a gay/lesbian teacher not be able to talk about their family? Should they not be allowed to answer questions truthfully about their weekends or breaks? Should specific teachers have a different set of rules based on their sexuality? Should those teachers feel they have to hide photos of loved ones and not proudly display their partners photo like many heterosexual teachers do? Something to think about. I really liked how Laura mentioned that teachers should be respected for their differences and diversities in the same way their students should be. ::Lindsey::

﻿ ﻿I would have no problem with my child's teacher telling stories about their families or having pictures in the classroom of their family. Like I've said before, the relationship you build with your students is very important. I don't think it would be appropriate flat out saying I'm gay or I'm a lesbian. But if kids ask, "oh were's the daddy" then all you simply have to say is our family is different, there are two mommies. (obviously I'm gearing this towards my age group, for the older kids you'd change your word selection) It would be a teachable moment to discuss the different dynamics of families. (adopted, single parent, foster, step, ect..) kim 

Neither Fair Nor Accurate (Katie)
This article is arguing that teachers should not be evaluated using student’s high stakes standardized test scores. They go on to explain their specific, study based reasons as to why this should not happen:
 * 1. Article Overview **
 * Statistical Error Rates: according to studies done, teachers would have a 1 in 4 chance of being rated “below average” from year to year according to students test scores.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Year to Year Test Score Instability: in theory, effective teachers should stay highly ranked from year to year using this method but study results show teachers rating all over the board. One year a teacher will be highly ranked and the next year they can be at the bottom.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Day to Day Score Instability: 50-80% of change in student scores is attributed to randomly occurring factors out of teachers control (students eating breakfast, having an argument or emotional issue the morning of the test, other peers in attendance, feelings about test administrator, or even disruptive noises to name a few)
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Nonrandom Student Assignments: a student’s prior achievement or school demographic has a large impact on student test scores. ELL students, special education students, and students who have shown poor test taking skills could lower test score gains for any teacher.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Imprecise Measurements: standardized tests are unable to account for complexities of learning. Making mistakes is part of student learning and development. Plus, middle/high school students have multiple teachers that have content that overlaps . . . who gets the credit/merit for their achievement? (physics – math, history essays – English class).
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Out of School Factors: housing, food, and safety issues at home greatly affect student performance and learning ability. Teachers are powerful but cannot overcome anything outside of the school climate.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Politics Not Reality: education research shows that standardized testing is an unreliable way to evaluate/rank teachers. Studies show that 90% of the variation in student gain scores is due to the variation in student level factors that are not within a teacher’s control. Government/Politicians have overlooked this data and even claimed that it does not matter.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Rising poverty, racial re-segregation of schools, increasing unemployment, lack of health care and steady defunding of the public sector has great impact on student achievement in general but it gets swept under the rug. Teachers and teaching unions have become the convenient scapegoats used by politicians. This article states that teacher performance/effectiveness should be evaluated to ensure that good teachers for our youth but it must be done in an accurate and effective way.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**2.** I believe that the premise of this article is correct. On the other hand, I do understand that there are 2 sides to every story so I am interested in hearing the other side. I want to hear the real reasons that the government/politicians feel it necessary to rank and evaluate teachers in this way. Do they really think that by cutting education budgets every year they can expect more learning to take place? Teachers are resourceful people. We find every free or inexpensive experience that will benefit our students but there are limits. I think that if national, state, and local politicians quit trying to take control of education/school districts and let educators do what they are trained to do then students will become more successful. There is so much pressure to cover all of the national/state standards in not enough time, pressure from parents and community to do more and give more homework, and not to mention the pressure that educators put upon themselves to make themselves better each and every year. As with any profession, there are workers that do not pull their own weight and there should be a method in place to fix that. An evaluation system, better than the ones in place now, does need to be created, but as stated in the article, it needs to be accurate and effective. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">What should teachers be evaluated on to show their effectiveness and performance level? <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**4.**This article easily applies to me in my profession and all teachers. I can’t think of anyone that I know that isn’t doing what they believe is right as a teacher. So, in order to create an accurate and effective way to evaluate teachers there is going to have to be a lot work done to make that happen. Time is also a factor. The government/politicians are always in a rush to push bills/laws through before they know all of the information. . . before they ever walk in a teacher’s shoes. I don’t think anyone can pass judgment on an educator unless they have experienced what it is like to do that job (as with any job).
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">3. Question: **

<span style="color: #800080; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">WOW! What an article. It really scares me that this may be the direction that Wisconsin is headed in. I think that standardized tests should be given and the data should be analyzed, but I think this is just a piece of the puzzle for each kid. What about the kid that doesn't test well?(That's me) What about the kid who is getting over the flu? What about the kid who just had her grandma pass away? Our students are children, not robots. Therefore, they will perform like children. Some will excel at testing, some will make steady gains, some will do very poorly. And since our students are children that means we can't really compare one class to another. I know that we continually do, but not every class is created equal. If teachers are to become evaluated on student test scores then... teachers will fight to get the "smart" kids in their classes, teachers will "teach to the test" - trying to cram as much test knowledge in as possible, and the children will no longer be thought of as students. the students will become MAP scores, WKCE scores, etc. Many teachers got into the profession of teaching because it is a way to make a difference in the lives of others. This will only turn our students into robots and test scores, not real people who have real life experiences. Laura

<span style="color: #800000; font-family: Impact,Charcoal,sans-serif;">The only objective way that I can think of (and I don't even know if this would work) to rate teachers is to test the students at the beginning of the year in every subject that the teacher teaches. At the end of the year, test the students again and see where they are at. At least that way it is not based on standardized tests and you could see where students are at different points throughout the year and see their growth as well. Which tests you use for each subject are of course where the debate happens but you would also run through the list of interventions or modifications that you used for each student throughout the year. "This student was here in math in September, so I did this and this and this. Here is where he was at the end of the quarter in math so I did this and this." Currently, we are doing this for the most part for every kid anyways, we would just have to present it to an administrator every year. Or they would need to come observe multiple times a year (which isn't always practical). -Matt

I am not sure how students' standardized test scores can be remotely related to how a teacher should be paid. I feel that same as Laura. What about those stuednts that are not great test takers, or they are not feeling well, or a family member passed away. I did however, like what the article stated about standardized test scores being an unreliable way to evaluate and rank teachers. I too am struggling with the best way to evaluate a teacher. If we assess them in the beginning, middle and end of the year like Matt had thought, sometimes this could be dependent on the class you have. If your class is "stacked" as some may say, then your scores may be lower than the other classrooms. Assessing multiple times a year may be an option, but I know that some days are just bad or off days. This is a tought question to really answer, I think! Jessica

I can't imagine that there are people that really think this is a good idea! I scored really awful several times for the ACT's, if my future depended on that, I don't know where I'd be. The first thing you realize being a teacher is that every child's strengths are different and they sometimes need several different approaches to succeed. In the article I read for class it stated that in New Jersey, they wanted schools to close that didn't make the No Child Left Behind Requirements. There is no second thought to whether the expectations are realistic or not? The school I'm at right now could possibly not meet those requirements next year. However, we got Charter school of the year for Wisconsin. It just doesn't make sense! Kim

Teaching is a Fight (Lindsey)
A bit frustrated. I wrote this on Friday morning and when I just logged in I received on of those "Auto Recovery" messages which told me that my post hadn't been made yet. Sorry to seem "last minute," it really wasn't :) -Lindsey

<span style="color: #2a6aac; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">1. The article I read, entitled “Teaching is a Fight”, was an interview with a teacher named Sal Castro. The article began with a bit of background information about the educational system in Los Angeles in 1968. At this time Sal Castro was a high school teacher who helped organize “The 1968 Chicano/a Blowouts”, when 40,000 Chicano/a students marched out of their schools to protest against the unfair treatment of Mexican American students. <span style="color: #2a6aac; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">The article then backed up a bit and began with Sal Castro’s childhood. Sal Castro’s parents had both came to California during the Mexican Revolution. They met in Los Angeles and later Sal was born. His parents were legal residents and, having been born in California, Sal was an American citizen. When Sal was 3 years old, America was in the midst of the Great Depression and his father was deported back to Mexico—even though he was a legal resident. Because of all this, Sal’s childhood would bounce between California and Mexico. He began school in Los Angeles where he went to Belvedere Elementary for kindergarten. That summer, however, his family traveled back to Mexico to get papers. It was in Mexico Sal received his first grade education. In first grade he learned about Cuauhtémoc, the last Aztec emperor, and the Niños Heroes of Chapultepec. He was immersed in his culture and learned history from the Mexican point of view. His family then traveled back to California for good and Sal began his second grade year. Suddenly his teacher was making him sit in the back because he did not speak English as well as the other students. But, Sal did not take this laying down, even as a 7 year old. Sal questioned and challenged his teacher asking why he was sitting in the back. Sal was certainly not passive and it was this characteristic that has carried him through life. <span style="color: #2a6aac; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Fast forward to post high school graduation. Sal was not sure what he wanted to do after high school. He began working with the L.A. School District’s youth services. He states in the article that, “These kids are crazy. They keep me crazy. I like kids and they respond to me too.” In 1962 Sal began teaching and, after teaching at a few different high schools, ended up at Belmont High School in Los Angeles. For day one of high teaching career he stood up for what he felt was right and did not mind “making waves.” For instance, he noticed early on that while 67% of the schools students were of Latino descent, not a single one of them were involved in Student Council, the college credit programs, or in a single leadership position. This angered Sal and he rallied the Latino students to do something about it. The students formed a committee and wrote speeches to present at a school assembly. The auditorium was packed and the students were excited. One student spoke a bit of their speech in Spanish, to connect with the foreign students. That was the end of the assembly. There was a rule at Belmont High School that there was to be no foreign language spoken on stage. While his students’ voices may not have been heard that day, Sal had started a movement that could not be stopped. By next semester, administration transferred Sal to a different school within the district. Sal now found himself at Lincoln High School in L.A. <span style="color: #2a6aac; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Sal noticed the same things at Lincoln and began organizing youth committees. He made sure he followed the rules this time and many of his students began advocating for positive change. They demands were not outlandish; they were simply seeking the fair treatment of bilingual and bicultural students. They asked for smaller class sizes and more college counselors. They had witnessed Latino students being tracked into vocational classes and they wanted the opportunity at college educations. However, the last straw came in 1967. An article was published in Time magazine called “Poncho’s Progress”. In that article the author described East L.A. as the following: “Rollicking cantinas with the reek of cheap red wine and greasy taco stands and the rat-tat-tat of low-riding cars down the avenue.” This was how the majority of Americans were viewing Americans of Latino descent! Sal started taking kids from Lincoln High School to other places for meetings. They also kept in contact with kids from other surrounding high schools. At first, Sal did not think the students would ever actually march out of the buildings. He assumed they would make their plan known and the school board would hear their demands. Not the case. During the year of 1968, as many as 40,000 Chicano/a students walked out of their schools in order to stand up for their rights. <span style="color: #2a6aac; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">The article concludes by discussing the effectiveness of these walk-outs and how minority students are treated today. In the 1990’s, Sal Castro was invited to the White House and met with President Clinton. He told him, “My President, we’re in a crisis. We [L.A.] lead the nation in high school dropouts. We lead the nation in college dropouts, and we also lead the nation in the dubious distinction of teen pregnancies.” Sal shared this story in the article and then went on to share what he would say to President Obama if he was given the opportunity to meet with him today: “President Obama, you know what I told President Clinton 13 years ago? We still lead the nation in high school dropouts, college dropouts, and teen pregnancy.” Sal Castro feels that nothing has really changed but this does not deter him from what he loves to do—teach. In a school district that, 40 years earlier, wanted to fire him, Sal Castro now has a Middle School named after him. The article’s last sentence is a perfect summary of Sal Castro as an educator. It is a quote directly from Sal, “I started as a teacher, and they may have to drag me feet first out of the classroom as a teacher.”

<span style="color: #2a6aac; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">2. I enjoyed reading this article because I was reading about something I was unaware of. I have never learned about the Chicano/a Blowouts and I’m always fascinated by new information. I, like Michelle, immediately compared this to the Birmingham, Alabama Children’s March during the Civil Rights Movement. Once again, students standing up for their rights and, most importantly, students really affecting change. So often our students feel that their voices don’t matter and it is these stories that we should be teaching. There are countless examples of students making their voices heard and making a difference. <span style="color: #2a6aac; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">This article was also very interesting to read because it really caused me to reflect upon my first year teaching at Bruce Guadalupe Community School (where Kim currently teaches). I learned SO much about the Latino culture and community in the year of teaching. My students and their families fully embraced me and each of those families was beyond proud of who they were and where they came form. I would have never been exposed to any of this had I not taught there. I related to the article more than I would’ve had a never worked at BGCS. <span style="color: #2a6aac; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">I also enjoyed reading about Sal Castro and his non-passive attitude (I wouldn’t really call it aggressive). I agree with Sal’s perspective on “ruffling feathers” and I liked that he was willing to put himself on the line for his students. He is certainly very opinionated and there were a few statements he made that I would have to argue with him about. For instance, while discussing the issue of money and budget in today’s educational system Sal made the following statement, “One of the reasons why there is a lot of resistance to allotting more money into education today is because white folks think that money is only going to be spent on minorities in schools, and they don’t want to spend their tax money on minorities.” Well, first of all that’s a pretty all-encompassing statement. Perhaps some white people feel this way but his comment does not clarify and indicates that he believes this is how all white people feel. Also, as a teacher in 99% white district, the tax payers are still very reluctant to spend money on education. I don’t feel they fear their money will be spent on minorities. I feel that many people in Wisconsin, and the United States as a whole, don’t want to spend their tax dollars on education because they do not value education or do not realize the true implications of letting our nation’s educational system go to the wayside.

<span style="color: #2a6aac; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">3. Possible discussion questions: <span style="color: #2a6aac; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">- How are the needs of bilingual/bicultural students met in your school? <span style="color: #2a6aac; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">- From what you know about the education of bilingual/bicultural students and Mexican American students (how much or how little) do you feel that the “Chicano/a Blowouts of 1968” were successful?

<span style="color: #2a6aac; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">4. After reading this article there are a few things I would tweak in my classroom. When teaching history, I often like to share the “untold stories” with my students. Like Michelle discussed earlier about the Children’s March. She stated that she never knew about this event until recently. I don’t remember learning about this event while learning about the Civil Right Movement either. These are the stories our children need to hear. Our students need to hear the stories of children being effective, the stories of children standing up for what they believe in and making a difference. We teach to a generation of students that don’t need to be taught facts, they can google those faster than I can read them out of a book. And, let’s be honest, if I need an exact year or statistic I am certainly going to google it. What we can teach our students is that their voices matter. We can teach them to stand up and fight for what they believe in. We can teach our students to be innovative and to share their thoughtful ideas. We can teach our students that it is their education that will open doors. We can teach them to value education more than many adults currently do and it is within them that we will see positive changes in education.

<span style="color: #008080; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">The History All Around Us (Michelle)
<span style="color: #008080; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">__**Overview**__**:** This article was written by a high school history teacher who taught in East Los Angeles. The name of the school is Roosevelt High, and is located in a tough part of town, with a primarily Hispanic population, but other minorites attend too. This high school has a very prominent place in that area of the city (5,000 students), but also a prominent place in the civil rights issues of the 1960's. <span style="color: #008080; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;"> <span style="color: #008080; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">The author noticed that his students were oblivious, bored, and unaffected during a lesson about monuments and the important things they represent/keep alive in our memories. To wake them up, he spontaneously "field-tripped" the class around the school, encouraging them to be observers of their environment. Their eyes were opened, ever so slightly, that day.

<span style="color: #008080; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">As a follow-up, to build on the seed that had been planted, he planned a lesson around a 1968 political occurrence that had taken place in their actual school. It had been an uprising of the Hispanic high schoolers at that time, protesting the blatant racism that was so evident throughout the LA school system then. His teaching unit focused around the actual events of these protests, but also included interviews of faculty and former students, newspaper articles, books, and an essential question: "How do we create change?" <span style="color: #008080; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">From there, he posed controversial questions to them, and heated discussions resulted!

<span style="color: #008080; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">The next day he directed his students to head to the epicenter of where all the protesting had started: the wide stairwell in the heart of the school's original building. Here, he told the story of the students' brave predecessors: <span style="color: #008080; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">*at 9am on March 3, 1968, students walked out of 2 other city high schools <span style="color: #008080; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">*the next day they walked out again, but were also joined by Roosevelt HS, as well as another HS <span style="color: #008080; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">*the third day, the students walked out of class and staged a sit-in, right on the very steps that they were sitting on! <span style="color: #008080; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">*police were called <span style="color: #008080; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">*police started swinging nightsticks because they considered the students to be "radicals". They were never formally asked <span style="color: #008080; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">to move, the police basically just started swinging. <span style="color: #008080; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">*some students tried to hang on to the wooden railings for leverage against the police, but the railings broke <span style="color: #008080; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">*students ran up the stairs (away from the police) and outside <span style="color: #008080; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">*the police chased them, and basically trapped them against a fence, where the beatings continued <span style="color: #008080; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">*eventually, some students were arrested, but word of their cause was out

<span style="color: #008080; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">The teacher went on to show film footage, discuss whether the students made the right choice or not, and finished with, "What would you be willing to do? It became the cornerstone of all their discussions that year. The lesson made these students sit up and take notice of their world, and that even high school students can make a difference. The author summarizes with the point that "difficult, distant, and powerful ideas became clearer and closer to home" when they compared the choices of those 1968 Roosevelt HS kids to other ethical/historical/political situations.

<span style="color: #008080; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">__**My ideas, opinions, and questions**__: <span style="color: #008080; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">As I read this article, I wanted to know more about the specifics of this 1968 walk-out. I found myself wondering what the immediate outcome was from the situation. Was change immediate? Was it within a "reasonable" length of time? Was anyone seriously injured? <span style="color: #008080; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">I found myself comparing this to the Children's March that occurred in Alabama in the 1960's. I, by no means, am an expert on the subject, but I only recently became aware that this had ever occurred. The treatment that these children endured is shocking. They were so brave. They had such long-range vision to be able to face their oppressors head-on! The other thought that I had as I read this article was how important it is to make what I'm teaching relevant to my students. It has to, on some level, make a personal connection to them. It has to spark something deep inside, or it will go in one ear, and out the other.

<span style="color: #008080; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">**__Questions to spur discussion__**: <span style="color: #008080; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">1. I loved the quote that the author included from Martin Luther King, Jr. He said, "A man who will not die for something is not fit to live." Would you agree with that? Explain, using a personal connection if you are comfortable. <span style="color: #008080; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">2. Aldous Huxley (he was also quoted in the article) said, " Liberties are not given; they are taken." The author goes on to elaborate: "In other words, all the rights we have today, others before us organized, fought, and struggled for them." Discuss. How does this apply, perhaps, to the current situation in WI with education?

<span style="color: #008080; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">As I briefly spoke about above, I found that this article reconfirmed my deep belief that everything I teach to my students needs to have a personal connection/spark of some sort. Students want to know the relevancy of any given learning, whether it's multiplication of fractions or reading non-fiction. They need to have that small connection made before they will truly buy in, or at least that's my experience.
 * __<span style="color: #008080; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Personal application: __**

<span style="color: #008080; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Years ago, when I was in New Berlin teaching 5th grade, I took a class called 4MAT. It basically taught how to lay out each lesson in a 4 quadrant layout. The first quadrant was engaging the learner, establishing purpose and connection. I loved how the author strived to do this with his class of East LA high schoolers.

<span style="color: #2a6aac; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">I was thinking the exact same thing in regards to the Children's March, Michelle. My article caused the same types of connections. I kept thinking to myself, "Where were all these interesting stories of student action when I was a kid?!!?" I try to begin all my lessons with something that my students can relate to. I have really been working on making my classroom more and more democratic as well. We recently began out Science unit on Light and I began the unit by asking my students what they wanted to know about light and what their questions were about light. This led my instruction for the unit and I still stayed within our required curriculum. It was also beneficial to begin the unit this way because I realize my students already knew a great deal about light, more than they even thought they did. Once the discussion began it started coming back to them. This helped me realize that some of our beginning lessons were unnecessary and allowed me more time to answer there own questions about light. We need to connect with our students and we need to make them aware that they are the reason we teach.-Linds

The Whitening of Arizona (Jessica)
"This cleansing of all things non-white has lead to the current situation in Arizona. Our children are suffereing the consequences." This quote was really powerful after reading this, so I decided to begin with it.

1. Article Overview:

Children of color and communities of color are targets. A school in Prescott, Arizona, was a target. The school received a grant to complete a mural showing children bicycling to school and enjoying the outdoors. Through a school vote, a groupd of students were elected to be painted on the mural. One student happened to be latino. He was the most prominent character in the mural. Upon completion of the mural the community began to voice their opinions and a city council member used his radio show to disapprove of the mural. He stated that a black child does not represent the Prescott he grew up in. The student in the mural was Latino, not black. The council members radio show started a "war of words." Articles in the newspaper, and online responses occured.

After this, the school principal directed the students to "lighten" the faces of the students in the mural. The supporters of the mural were outraged and demanded an appology from the school district and wanted the council member fired.

A rally was organized and the council member was fired from his radio show and the school district did apologize. But, what was noticed at the expense or victory of this, was that manhy people of color were absent during this rally. The political protests are often "missing the voices of those most affected" by the injustice. These people were silenced, which has become an epidemic in Arizona.

-people are fleeing in fear of racial profiling -teachers that speak with an accent are being removed from English classes -denying birth certificates to the children of undocumented immigrants -head start students are required to provide proof of citizenship to enroll in the earlychildhood program This is to name a few. -prepare future citizens to reconstruct society -equip teachers with knowledge and skills to be warriors -learn to understand and protect students' dignity and humanity -more ethnic studies -maintain hope
 * The climate of Arizona
 * New paradigm for Teacher Education

2. Ideas and opinions and questions:

I know that this goes on, but I was very surprised what I read about. I can't believe people actually treat people this way. I have seen movies and read about the way people have been treated, but I never thought it could happen around me. We always tend to think, oh that will never happen to me, but it can and it does. I am glad things have changed over the years. As I read the article there were many questions going through my head. What would I have done if I was in the situation? How could I have helped? I wonder what the students and parents of the community that were absent during the rally would have said?

3.Question:

How has this incident affected teaching? and How can we, as teachers, prepare for this reality of environment?

4.Applying to own life:

I guess as a teacher, I would want to make all my students feel comfortable in the classroom environment. I want them to be able to speak freely and not worry about what others may think. I know how hard this maybe. I was always very shy and never wanted to speak in front of large groups.