Educating Urban Students
Spring 2001
Dr. Jacque Ensign Class meetings: Monday 5-7:25pm
Office: Davis 210H Room: DA 222
Phone: 392-6442 Fax: 392-5927
E-mail: ensign@southernct.edu (preferable way to reach me and get a response) When you e-mail me, on subject line put your name, SED 518, and subject of message.
http://www.southernct.edu/~ensign/ has course information
Office Hours: (best to make appointment as sometimes I meet outside my office due to space problems)
COURSE DESCRIPTION: Addresses complex issues concerning school practices in urban education. Challenges educators to find ways to provide excellent education for all students regardless of being identified for special services or not. Addresses complex issues concerning school practices in urban education. Challenges educators to find ways to provide excellent education for all students. Highlights school initiatives that effectively educate urban students.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
The purpose of the course is to help teachers, administrators, and school psychologists/counselors to understand educational challenges in urban settings and some of the ways in which those challenges can be effectively addressed by schools. Many examples and applications come from Connecticut urban schools as a springboard for understanding national urban education. Students will be able to:
READINGS
Required Readings:
California Consortium for Teacher Development and Center for Research on Education, Diversity, and Excellence, Teaching Alive! CD-ROM
Comer, James, Michael Ben-Avie, Norris Haynes, Edward Joyner. Child by Child: The Comer Process for Change in Education. New York: Teachers College Press, 1999.
Finnegan, William. Cold New World: Growing Up in a Harder Country. New York: Modern Library Press, 1998.
Meier, Deborah, The Power of their Ideas: Lessons for America from a Small School in Harlem
Recommended Reading:
Kozol, Jonathan. Savage Inequalities: Children in America’s Schools. New York: HarperCollins, 1992.
Ladson-Billings, Gloria. The Dreamkeepers: Successful Teachers of African American Children. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1994.
MacLeod, Jay. Ain’t No Makin’ It: Aspirations and Attainment in a Low-Income Neighborhood. Boulder: Westview, 1995.
Sharff, Jagna Wojcicka. King Kong on 4th Street: Families and the Violence of Poverty on the Lower East Side. Boulder: Westview, 1998.
Tyack, David. The One Best System: A History of American Urban Education. Cambridge,MA: Harvard University Press, 1974.
Woodson, Carter G. The Miseducation of the Negro. Washington, D.C.: Washington, D.C. Association Press, 1933.
REQUIREMENTS AND EVALUATION CRITERIA
Assessment will be an integral part of weekly course work. Students will be evaluated on the basis of:
1) Team analysis of one book related to urban education (33.3%)
2) Review of a book on urban education, for publication on a website, as well as to possibly submit to a journal on urban education. (33.3%)
3) Final project on an observation and analysis of youth experiences in an urban program. (33.3%) Volunteer in an urban community program (such as community center, library program, sports, after-school program, homeless shelter). Observation: Pick two youth and note all the strengths you see in them. Then discuss how those strengths might be considered weaknesses in a school setting and what a teacher could do to keep them as strengths. List characteristics of the program that youth enjoy. How do those compare to what schools do? How could you incorporate these characteristics into school? Reflect on your experiences in the program and your dispositions in the urban setting.
Note: to accommodate those with differing schedules and interests, 2 and 3 can be done in different combinations. For those unable to do at least 5 hours of volunteering for #3, another book review can be substituted for #3. For those who prefer to spend substantial time on #3, they may volunteer for at least 8 hours and omit #2.
Another option for spring 2001: Instead of 2 and 3, you may choose to do a history of some facet of New Haven’s or Connecticut’s urban education history (you may include your students in this). This may involve research in archives and/or through interviews and will be submitted for a paper or panel presentation for the History of Education annual meeting to be held at Yale in late October 2001.
Criteria for Assignments: see handout
Evaluation Criteria
I expect quality. Don't mistake my flexibility as meaning I accept half-done work. Papers written outside of class are to be thoughtful, well-organized, and polished mechanically. Working hard is expected- it is not grounds for a higher grade. I use the following guides for final grades:
A = Exemplary completion of all assignments. Excellent class participation. For an A, I especially look for a student's synthesis and critical thinking of topics in the course, which tend to show especially in the papers, in class discussions, and in leading a discussion. Approximately 90-100 pts.
B = All assignments completed but not as thoughtful and thorough as for A. Good class participation. Approximately 80-89 pts.
C = Most assignments completed or all completed but notable problems. More than two absences except extenuating circumstances. Minimal class participation. Approximately 70-79 pts.
D = Partial assignments completed or all completed but major problems.
Alive but not kicking much. Approximately 60-69 pts.
F= Unsatisfactory
MODES OF INSTRUCTION
Course activities include discussion of readings, films, field work, and invited speakers. Course participants are expected to substantially participate in class activities.
ATTENDANCE AND SUBMISSION OF ASSIGNMENTS POLICY
Unless there are extenuating circumstances, students are expected to be at every class for the entire two and a half hours. Not being present for the entire class counts as an absence. Being late or missing more than one class may seriously affect your grade. Assignments are to be typed and be turned in on the day due. Late assignments are unacceptable . If you have to miss a class, you may mail, fax, or e-mail the assignment so that it is in my hands by the beginning of class.
If class is canceled for any reason, please come to the next class prepared for both that class and the canceled one.
JOURNALS AND WWW ADDRESSES RELEVANT TO THIS COURSE
Not a required portion of this course but for those interested, here is a partial list of journals and URLs relevant to this course: One source of on-line journal articles is EbscoHost. To reach this, use http://csulib.ctstateu.edu, then go into Databases, then into EbscoHost, then limit the search to Peer Reviewed and Full Text. (If you are doing this from off-campus, you must configure your browser to get access to this site. See site instructions.)
Education
Education and Urban Society
Educational Forum
Educational Leadership
Families in Society
Family and Community Health
Family Law Quarterly
Harvard Educational Review
Journal of Conflict Resolution
Journal of Negro Education
Phi Delta Kappan
Preventing School Failure
Review of Educational Research
Urban Review
Youth and Society
http://data.ed.asu.edu/cr/links.html links to scholarly electronic education journals
http://www.edweek.org for the magazines Ed Week and Teacher
http://www.ed.govUS Govt. publications, click on Topics A-Z
http://eric-web.tc.columbia.edu/monographs/ti20 Trends & Issues in Urban Education
http://www.ed.gov/pubs/Faultline/ Nation on the Faultline: Hispanic American Education
http://www.edc.org/urban/ National Institute for Urban School Improvement
http://www.crede.ucsc.edu/ Center for Research on Education, Diversity, and Excellence
http://www.ncbe.gwu.eduNational Clearinghouse for Bilingual Education
http://liszt.bluemarble.net/select/Education lists on-line discussion groups
http://www.csd4.k12.ny.us/cpess.index.html.index.html or http://www.STE2000.org/ Central Park East
http://www.cehn.org Children’s Environmental Health
http://www2.edc.org/urban/links/list.asp links to Urban Ed sites
http://www.edc.org/urban/ National Institute for Urban School Improvement
http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/ce/strat-splash.html Strategies for Empowering Students
http://www.newhorizons.org/multicultural.html effectively educating all children
Jan. 22 Introduction to course
Jan. 29 Effective Approaches to Urban Education: The Comer Process
assignment due: reading from Child by Child, pp. xix-62
Feb. 5 Wrestling with Tradition: History of urban schools and of support services in schools
assignment due: team report on Tyack. The One Best System: A History of American Urban Education Pt. 2, 5, epilogue
Feb. 12 Intersection of Historical and Contemporary Urban Schools
assignment due: reading from Cold New World, pp. 1-36
team report on Woodson. The Miseducation of the Negro
Feb. 26 Contemporary Urban Schools: Students, families, and teachers in urban schools — the disconnect
assignment due: reading from Cold New World pp. 37-92
team report on Sharff. King Kong on 4th Street
March 5 Contemporary Urban Schools: Students, families, and teachers in urban schools — the disconnect
assignment due: team report on MacLeod. Ain’t No Makin’ It
March 12 Contemporary Urban Schools: Socially Just Classrooms
assignment due: team report on Kozol. Savage Inequalities
March 26 Contemporary Urban Schools: School Climate
assignment due: team report on Ladson-Billings. The Dreamkeepers
April 2 Effective Approaches to Urban Education: The Comer Process
assignment due: reading from Child by Child, chapters 17, 19, 20, 21, epilogue
April 9 virtual class
assignment due: for those doing the book review(s): post your book review and comment on one other review. For electronic submission go to http://www.nicenet.org. Click "join a class," enter your key for the class and the screen should say SED 518. Use your full name and make up a password. Enter your e-mail so you get a copy of instructions and your password. In optional: ***enter your full name so you are credited with this assignment. Click on the assignment for book review and submit. You may cut and paste your review into the box provided.
April 16 Effective Approaches to Urban Education: Culturally-mediated instruction in content areas
possible virtual class
assignment due: Teaching Alive!
April 23 Effective Approaches to Urban Education: The Coalition for Essential Schools
assignment due: reading from The Power of Their Ideas, ix-89
April 30 Effective Approaches to Urban Education: The Coalition for Essential Schools
assignment due: reading from The Power of Their Ideas, 91-185
May 7 Other Effective Approaches to Urban Education
May 14 wrap up course
assignment due: Final project reports due.
Selected Bibliography
Bensman, David. Central Park East and Its Graduates: Learning by Heart.
Bigelow, Bill. Rethinking Our Classrooms: Teaching for Equity and Justice . Milwaukee, WI: Rethinking Schools, 1994.
Comer, James, Norris Haynes, Edward Joyner, Michael Ben-Avie. Rallying the Whole Village: The Comer Process for Reforming Education. New York: Teachers College Press, 1996.
Comer, James, Michael Ben-Avie, Norris Haynes, Edward Joyner. Child by Child: The Comer Process for Change in Education. New York: Teachers College Press, 1999.
Corwin, Miles. And Still We Rise: The Trials and Triumphs of Twelve Gifted Inner-City High School Students.
Dalton, Stephanie Stoll. Pedagogy Matters: Standards for Effective Teaching Practice. Santa Cruz, CA: Center for Research on Education, Diversity, and Excellence, 1998. (available online)
Datnow, Amanda. Educational Reform Implementation: A Co-Constructed Process. Santa Cruz, CA: Center for Research on Education, Diversity, and Excellence, 1998. (available online)
Goodwin, A. Lin. Assessment for Equity and Inclusion: Embracing All Our Children. New York: Routledge, 1997.
Grossman, Herbert. Ending Discrimination in Special Education. Springfield, IL: Charles Thomas Publisher, 1998.
Hilliard, Asa. "Do We Have the Will to Educate All Children?" Educational Leadership, 49, 1, 31-36.
Hollins, Etta. Transforming Curriculum for a Culturally Diverse Society. Mahwah, N.J.: Lawrence Erlbaum, 1996.
Hollins, Etta & Eileen Oliver. Pathways to Success in School: Culturally Responsive Teaching. Mahwah, N.J.: Lawrence Erlbaum, 1999.
Jones-Wilson, Faustine C. "Urban Schools that Work." Journal of Negro Education, 57, 1991, 3.
Keefe, Charlotte Hendrick. Label-Free Learning: Supporting Learners with Disabilities. York, ME: Stenhouse, 1996.
Kozol, Jonathan. Savage Inequalities: Children in America’s Schools. New York: HarperCollins, 1992.
Ladson-Billings, Gloria. The Dreamkeepers: Successful Teachers of African American Children. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1994.
Ladson-Billings, Gloria. "Fighting for Our Lives: Preparing Teachers to Teach African-American Students," Journal of Teacher Education. 51 (3) 2000, 206-214.
Levinson, Bradley, Douglas Foley, Dorothy Holland. The Cultural Production of the Educated Person: Critical Ethnographies of Schooling and Local Practice. Albany: State University of New York, 1996.
Malloy, Carol and Laura Brader-Araje (editors). Challenges in the Mathematics Education of African American Children. Reston, VA: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, 1998.
MacLeod, Jay. Ain’t No Makin’ It: Aspirations and Attainment in a Low-Income Neighborhood. Boulder: Westview, 1995.
McDonald, Joseph, Thomas Hatch, Edward Kirby, Nancy Ames, Norris Haynes, Edward Joyner. School Reform Behind the Scenes: How ATLAS is Shaping the Future of Education. New York: Teachers College Press, 1999.
Meier, Deborah. The Power of their Ideas: Lessons for America from a Small School in Harlem. Boston: Beacon, 1995.
Oakes, Jeannie. Keeping Track: How Schools Structure Inequality. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1985.
Oakes, Jeannie & Martin Lipton. Teaching to Change the World. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 1999.
Ortiz-Franco, Luis, Norma Hernandez & Yolanda De La Cruz. Changing the Faces of Mathematics: Perspectives on Latinos. Reston, VA: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, 1999.
Ravich, Diane & Joseph Viteritti (ed). City Schools: Lessons Learned from New York. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins Press, 2000.
Sharff, Jagna Wojcicka. King Kong on 4th Street: Families and the Violence of Poverty on the Lower East Side. Boulder: Westview, 1998.
Sizer, Theodore R. Horace’s Compromise: The Dilemma of the American High School. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1985.
Sizer, Theodore R. Horace’s Hope: What Works for the American High School. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1997.
Taylor, Denny & Catherine Dorsey-Gaines. Growing Up Literate: Learning from Inner-City Families. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 1988.
Tyack, David. The One Best System: A History of American Urban Education. Cambridge,MA: Harvard University Press, 1974.
Tharp, Roland G. From At-Risk to Excellence: Research, Theory, and Principles for Practice. Santa Cruz, CA: Center for Research on Education, Diversity, and Excellence, 1997. (available online)
Valdes, Guadalupe. Con Respecto: Bridging the Distance Between Culturally Diverse Families and Schools. New York: Teachers College, 1996.
Varenne, Herve & Ray McDermott. Successful Failure: The School America Builds. Boulder: Westview, 1999.
Weiner, Lois. Urban Teaching: The Essentials. New York: Teachers College Press, 1999.
Woodson, Carter G. The Miseducation of the Negro. Washington, D.C.: Washington, D.C. Association Press, 1933.