Curriculum Project - Handout

Montclair State University
Department of Curriculum and Teaching
CURR 530: Principles of Curriculum Development

FINAL CURRICULUM PROJECT

Created by: Maria Debowska & Jill Friedman

Our project / presentation is a combined effort and therefore will be found in part on Maria’s blog and in part on Jill’s blog.

• This handout – appears on both blogs
• The memo, which discusses the need for change – Maria’s blog
• The video, which illustrates the improvement in the unit based on the original and the revised lessons – Jill’s blog
• The new lesson, based on the UbD template – Maria’s blog
• The old lesson, which had plenty of room for improvement – Maria’s blog

Works Cited

"Edutopia: Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi on Motivating People to Learn.” 2005. 18 Nov. 2008 < http://www.glef.org >.

Friedman, Thomas L.. The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century. New York: Picador, 2007.

Hammer, Bradley. "Why The Blog Beats The Essay in Writing Class." Star Ledger 2 Sept. 2007.

McTighe, Jay, and Grant Wiggins. Understanding by Design (Expanded 2nd Edition) (ASCD). Alexandria, VA: Prentice Hall, 2005.

Schmoker, Michael J.. Results Now: How We Can Achieve Unprecedented Improvements in Teaching And Learning. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision & Curriculum Development, 2006.

We hope you enjoy our presentation!

Curriculum Project - Memo

Lodi High School
99 Putnam Street, Lodi, NJ 07644
Phone: (973) 123-4567 Fax: (973) 987-6543

To: Barry A. Bachenheimer, Superintendent

From: Maria Debowska & Jill Friedman, Principals

Date: December 4, 2008

Re: Proposed Curriculum Changes

Animal Farm is a novel that is as relevant today as it has been in years past, which is why it has been studied on the freshman level for years and it should stay in the curriculum as such. However, many of the activities and assessments are not up to current standards; hence, the reason for this memo is to propose several curriculum changes that would steer away from the traditional lessons to ones that meet the demands of today’s society. By making the changes we propose – merging research based practices and a NJ Core Content Curriculum Standards driven curriculum – our students would highly benefit from the learning experience and the integration of technology, which would lead them to become better prepared critical thinkers and problem solvers.

It is essential that the following changes in activities and assessments take place:
• The lesson will be planned using Wiggins and McTighe’s UbD format, allowing teachers to be more goal-oriented as they use the backward design for planning. The lesson will include essential questions on both the overarching and topical levels and the related misconceptions. By having teachers create such a learning plan, they will be better prepared to help students with the big questions. Additionally, students will be able to reflect and rethink before moving on. Ultimately, the assessments will be varied to optimize the engagement and effectiveness of all students, without compromising the goals of the unit.
• Based on Schmoker’s research, all “crayola curriculum” activities will be removed, which take time away from the reading and writing that is essential in the English classroom.
• Team projects will be assigned, since Csikszentmihalyi’s “flow experience” most likely occurs during team work.
• Technology will be incorporated into numerous lessons in this unit.

There is absolutely no monetary cost involved in revising this curriculum. Additionally, if you approve it prior to the end of this year, the freshman English teachers can put it into effect immediately since the Animal Farm unit is usually taught in the spring.

Curriculum Project - New Unit

Understanding by Design Lesson Template

Title of Lesson Animal Farm
Grade Level 9th Grade
Curriculum Area Language Arts
Time Frame Three weeks
Developed By Maria Debowska & Jill Friedman

Identify Desired Results (Stage 1)

Content Standards

Language Arts Literacy
LAL 3.1 Reading – A, B, C, D, E, F, F, G, and H
LAL 3.2 Writing – A, B, C, and D
LAL 3.3 Speaking – A, B, C, and D
LAL 3.4 Listening – A and B
LAL 3.5 Viewing and Media Literacy – A, B, and C
Technological Literacy
TL 8.1
TL 8.2 A, B, and C

Understandings

Overarching Understanding

• Leadership is a necessary ingredient of political revolution and the social order that evolves from it.
• People’s ignorance contributes to their political and social oppression.
• In society individuals are not treated equally.

Related Misconceptions

• Power corrupts all those that possess it.
• Revolutuions are usually short-lived.
• All members of society would be willing to work harder if it would lead to a sense of equality among people.
• Equality is something every member of any society would desire.
  
  Essential Questions - Overarching
  
  • What is power?
  • What is leadership?
  • What are control techniques?
  • What are capitalism, communism, democracy, and totalitarianism?
  • What does Animal Farm have to say about oppression and the responsibility of those who rule?
  
  Essential Questions - Topical
  
  • How do the struggles between Animal Farm compare with those between rival nations?
  • How is propaganda used in Animal Farm?
  • How is propaganda used in our daily lives?
  • Why do the pigs enter into trade with humans?
  • What does this say about developing nations and their problems in dealing with the world’s economic order?
  
  Knowledge
  Students will know…
  
  • The plot of Animal Farm.
  • The way the actions and beliefs of the animals correspond to human actions and beliefs.
  • The allegorical symbols found in the novel.
  • The ways propaganda is used in the novel.
  
  Skills
  Students will be able to...
  
  • Identify the themes.
  • Discuss how Animal Farm, a seemingly unbelievable story, makes a political point about the real world.
  • Consider how Animal Farm closely parallels Soviet history.
  • Examine how Animal Farm is an excellent example of political satire.
  • Identify and explain the meanings of the animals’ names and why Orwell chose them.
  
  Assessment Evidence (Stage 2)
  Performance Task Description
  
  Goal
  Using the Internet, research the Russian Revolution and the individuals involved in it. Make sure you also research life immediately before and after the Revolution. Once you gather your information, figure out one aspect, event, or person that interests you the most and create a Mash Video to present your findings to the rest of the class. Use at least four direct quotes from your research. For your last slide, site the sources that you used in your video.
  
  Role You are to teach a mini-history lesson on the Russian Revolution to your peers.
  
  Audience All the members of the class.
  
  Situation You will have to teach a ten minute class.
  
  Product/Performance Mash Video
  
  Standards
  LAL 3.1 H 1. Select appropriate electronic media for research and evaluate the quality of the information received.
  LAL 3.1 H 3. Develop increased ability to critically select works to support a research topic. LAL 3.5 C 1. Use print and electronic media texts to explore human relationships, new ideas, and aspects of culture.
  LT 8.1 All students will use computer applications to gather and organize information and to solve problems.
  
  Other Evidence
  1. Since it’s an election year – analyze and critique the presidential candidatesʼ televised debates. Next, compare the candidatesʼ effective versus ineffective public speaking techniques, and use the effective techniques from the debates as a model for creating in-class debates between Snowball and Napoleon. Afterward, students will write a reflection paper stating which candidate should win and why.
  2. Before the class begins the novel, a class discussion will take place about the specific opinions the students have about many of the themes treated in the novel. The main objective of this activity is to have students formulate, discuss, listen to, and respect each other’s opinions about the issues. The themes that will be discussed are:
  • Power corrupts those who possess it.
  • People’s ignorance contributes to their political and social oppression.
  • Revolutions may result in a change of political power, but often the lives of the majority of people stay about the same.
  • In society individuals are not treated equal.
  3. As a listening activity – take notes on the lecture the teacher will give on the background of Orwell. Of course, pertinent topics will also be written on the board.
  4. In a journal, record your impressions, reactions, and questions about the assigned reading.
  5. Design a perfect society for a group that is currently oppressed. Describe five components of the oppressed society (such as education, government, economy, family life, and personal life) and how you would change them.
  6. Identify and explain in a short essay the meanings of the animals’ names. Why did Orwell choose them? Can animals be stereotyped?
  7. Graph conditions on Animal Farm over time. Choose at least three conditions (such as productivity, contentment, and equality) to measure. Graph these conditions at five different times, starting with before the rebellion and ending with the pigs’ party.
  8. Create a list of allegorical symbols found in the novel. Then briefly explain how the persons, objects, or events in the book and in Russian history are similar.
  9. In a short essay explain the use of propaganda in the novel. Additionally, discuss how people, specifically leaders, can use tactics to manipulate and control society.
  10. Write a composition on the conflicts found in the novel, including the opponents involved, with an explanation of their motivations.
  11. Animal Farm was published in August 1945. Make a timeline of important events that occurred worldwide during that year and in a short essay explain whether the publication date helped or hurt Orwell’s message.
  12. Create a three-page Newsletter covering the life and times of George Orwell. Be certain to use clipart and have several sections appear in the newsletter – not only editorials.
  
  Learning Plan (Stage 3)
  
  Where are your students headed? Where have they been? How will you make sure the students know where they are going?
  Many questions in relation to themes and the lessons of the day will be asked of the students and later discussed after they have had time to think about them. Each student will be involved in the class discussion – whether they will volunteer their answers or be called on randomly. They will know where they are going because the daily objectives will be listed on the board.
  
  How will you hook students at the beginning of the unit?
  Before beginning the reading of Animal Farm, we will show the students a few minutes of the animated version of Animal Farm. This will hook them in as they find the movie humorous, but then we’ll explain how there is a real and serious side to it. This will be followed by several pre-reading questions, such as: Do you think anyone will ever create a utopian society? Why do you think the author chose to use animal characters in a book which criticizes human politics? How do you think people should react when their rights are violated?
  
  What events will help students experience and explore the big idea and questions in the unit? How will you equip them with needed skills and knowledge?
  The class will tackle big questions about power, control, oppression, and propaganda. They will be equipped to answer these questions as they evaluate the actions of the characters and compare and contrast them to other individuals in society with similar characteristics, after we explore and discuss several examples as a class.
  
  How will you cause students to reflect and rethink? How will you guide them in rehearsing, revising, and refining their work?
  We will expect our students to reflect and rethink as they write their journal. Since the journal writing is an on-going assignment, as we read the novel, we will expect our students to have a reflection as a daily entry. We will model at least one example (early on in the novel) of how our own thought processes have changed, due to our rethinking; hence, as they read they should find something to reflect and rethink on their own as well.
  
  How will you help students to exhibit and self-evaluate their growing skills, knowledge, and understanding throughout the unit?
  As the novel is read daily, the students will have to keep a journal exhibiting their thoughts about that day’s reading. The entries will be reflections of their growing knowledge or question they may have that they should ask the next day, before we continue reading.
  
  How will you tailor and otherwise personalize the learning plan to optimize the engagement and effectiveness of ALL students, without compromising the goals of the unit?
  There will be many varied assignments to meet the needs of all the students, so it is not all about discussing, writing, or presenting. But instead, there will be a wider variety of tasks, so that each student’s style of learning will be addressed.
  
  How will you organize and sequence the learning activities to optimize the engagement and achievement of ALL students?
  Since the novel will be read daily, we can pace the class in such a way that no one feels overwhelmed or lost. Each chapter will be discussed and essential notes will be written on the board. All assignments will be given during the appropriate times. For example, we will start with a class discussion on specific opinions that students have about many of the themes treated in this play. Next, the Russian Revolution must be examined, so when the students read Animal Farm, they can compare the animals to Russian leaders. On the other hand, an essay discussing propaganda in the novel could be left towards the end because by then the students will have been exposed to all the tactics; whereas, if it was assigned earlier, they wouldn’t have gotten the full picture yet.
  
  From: Wiggins, Grant and J. Mc Tighe. (1998). Understanding by Design, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development
  ISBN # 0-87120-313-8 (ppk)

Curriculum Project - Old Unit

Unit: Utopia

Topic of Instruction: Animal Farm

Essential Questions for Unit

1. In what ways can people be politically oppressed? Socially oppressed?
2. What are control techniques?
3. What are capitalism, communism, democracy, and totalitarianism?
4. What is propaganda?
5. How is propaganda used in Animal Farm?

Assessment

1. Class preparation and participation
2. All writing assignments
3. Russian Revolution research
4. Vocabulary worksheet and quiz
5. Movie critique
6. Structured debate
7. Magazine cover
8. Objective test

Activities and Experience

1. Before the class begins the novel, Animal Farm, a class discussion will take place about the specific opinions the students have about many of the themes treated in the novel. The importance of this exercise is to have the students formulate, discuss, listen to, and respect each other’s opinions about the issues. The themes that will be discussed are:
a. Power corrupts those who possess it.
b. People’s ignorance contributes to their political and social oppression.
c. Revolutions may result in a change of political power, but often the lives of a majority of people stay about the same.
d. In society individuals are not treated equally.
2. Research information on George Orwell.
3. Complete a teacher created vocabulary sheet.
4. Keep a journal recording impressions, reactions, and questions about the assigned reading.
5. Identify and explain the meanings of the animals’ names. Why did Orwell choose them? Can animals be stereotyped? Explain your answer.
6. Create a list of allegorical symbols found in Animal Farm. Explain how the persons, objects, or events in the book and in Russian history are similar.
7. Identify and in a short essay, explain the use of propaganda.
8. Discuss how people, can use tactics to manipulate and control us.
9. Write and present a short play that shows what life on Manor Farm is like five years after the novel ends.
10. View the animated version of Animal Farm and critique it. How many “stars” would you rate this film?
11. George Orwell was featured on the cover of Time magazine’s November 28, 1983, issue. Design a magazine cover that shows Orwell’s relevance to today.
12. Create a chart or diagram, showing the parallels between characters in Animal Farm and figures in Soviet history. Students may want to include photos of Marx, Trotsky, Stalin, the Kremlin, and so on as well as pictures of a farm and farm animals.

Possible Changes

As I read Results Now by Mike Schmoker, I was astonished at the facts that point to teachers doing so little of what is essential in a classroom to further the education of the students that turn to us to gain the knowledge they need to be successful. It is time to put Schmoker's ideas to practice! I am taking on the role of the English supervisor in all of the following changes I'm hoping to implement.

Quote #1 (from Barry's list) “If we leave virtually every instructional choice up to individual teachers who work alone, then inferior practices will dominate in most schools." (Haycook, 2005)

In order to improve the above situation it is essential that teachers create professional learning communities that meet several times a month to collaborate on instructional plans and projects that will be assigned in the classes. I would propose that teachers of the same grade level would meet to ensure that they are all asking the proper essential questions and that they are all requiring similar assessments that are meaningful. Additionally, it is important that the teachers share rubrics and the requirements necessary to attain a certain grade, so that the same work is not scored differently based on the teachers' personal preferences. Also, I would ask them to work in collaboration with history since it would be fantastic to see interdisciplinary lessons. There are many ways to tie English and history together. In teaching certain novels, the history teacher could teach about the historical period, whereas the English teacher could teach about characterization and theme, etc.

Quote #2 "In most cases, neither teachers nor students can articulate what they are supposed to be learning that day. They can describe only the activity or assignment, which is often chosen because it keeps kids occupied. Irrelevant worksheets and activities often predominate." (Schmoker 16)

I can see it now, a parent asking a student what he/she learned that day and the student responding with a shrug of the shoulders. Such a response could be avoided if the teachers' goals would be more concrete. As a supervisor I would expect my teachers to have examined the big picture that they want the students to learn and from there to work backwards with expectations of what the students should learn from the lesson. In turn, the teachers should create assessments that would show that the lessons being taught are ones that will be meaningful and retained for years. It's not just a matter of listing the activities of the day, but the goals that are going to be taught. I would expect the learning objectives to be listed on the board as students walk into class, so they know what it is they will be learning. Of course no lesson would be complete if the teacher did not model what was expected and check for understanding, not only from the few who raise their hands, but also by questioning others at random.

Quote #3 "Even 15 extra minutes of reading per day can lead to three months of additional growth - enough for a considerable amount of students to catch up or exceed grade-level expectations." (Schmoker 97)

As a supervisor, I would look to revise the curriculum and implement a Reading Day. Since statistics show the above to be true - then I would hope the superintendent would approve my curriculum change of allowing one day a week to be simply a day of reading in the English classroom. Of course this wouldn't just be a sit, read, write activity. I would hope that by allowing students to pick their own novels (teacher approved, grade level appropriate) the students would be more interested in reading. I would instruct the teachers to read a book of their choosing as well, so as to model what is expected. In turn, halfway or so through the class, the teachers would call on several students to discuss something meaningful or thought-provoking and even ask other students (that have not discussed their novels that day) to ask questions and have some dialogue between the presenters and their peers. For homework that night students would have to write in a journal reflecting on their reading. The journal would be graded every other week, so the teachers would make sure that they are reflections of higher order thinking, not just summaries of chapters. This might be a difficult thing to get approved by the superintendent since so much needs to be taught during a school year, so obviously there isn't time for reading random novels. But if the statistics show that reading is so crucial, then why not try a method that might encourage reading and promote students to excel?

Reflection on my UbD Lesson

Creating this lesson took longer than I thought. However, I think it's all a matter of what one gets used to, so I had to switch gears to fill in the UbD template as opposed to how my district requires us to format our lessons.

The biggest difficulty I had was figuring out the overarching and topical questions. My district has us list essential questions, so it wasn't a completely new concept, but now it had to be categorized into overarching and topical. On the other hand, listing the misconceptions was new for me and a definite challenge.

As far as whether I liked the format - my answer would have to be yes, with one exception. I was confused as to why we would list one specific task under the "Performance Task Description" and our other assignments would go under "Other Evidence". That part leaves me a bit puzzled.

UbD Lesson - Antigone

Title of Lesson: Antigone
Grade Level: High School – English 2 Honors
Curriculum Area: Language Arts
Time Frame: Three weeks
Developed By: Maria Debowska


Identify Desired Results (Stage 1)
Content Standards

LAL 3.1. Reading – D, E, F, F, G, and H
LAL 3.2 Writing – A, B, C, and D
LAL 3.3 Speaking – A, B, C, and D
LAL 3.4 Listening – A and B

Understandings

Overarching Understanding

• A human being is a paradox – vulnerable yet great, free yet destined, virtuous yet guilty.
• All choices have consequences, persons need to acknowledge their limitations, the old can learn form the young, and the strong have no right to force their will on the weak.
• We must practice nonviolent civil disobedience to achieve reform of unjust laws.
• The world today has many Antigones and they do make a difference

Related Misconceptions

• We may break laws that we sit unfit.
• You can never get too much of a good thing.

Essential Question(s)

Overarching

• What is a conflict?
• What is a law?
• What is the difference between honor and pride?
• What is a tragic hero?
• What is a tragic flaw?
• What principles, if any, would you stand up for and perhaps die for?

Topical

• Why do all choices have consequences?
• Why is it important to have laws?
• Why did Antigone choose the law of the gods over the law of the land?
• How does Antionge arouse pity and fear in the reader?

Knowledge

Students will know…

• The plot and characters of Antigone.
• The background of Greek theater.
• The interrelationship of episodes and odes.
• The two types of irony: situational and dramatic.

Skills

Students will be able to...

• Identify the themes.
• Define tragedy and its components.
• Discuss the imagery found in the episodes.
• Consider the characters of Antigone and Creoon as tragic hero or heroine.
• Examine the roles of minor characters as foils, parallels, and catalysts.

Assessment Evidence (Stage 2)
Performance Task Description

Goal

You are a reporter that must write an article about the tragic hero; hence you must research and decide who you think it is. Is it Antigone or Creon? Also, you will have to sell your editor on your viewpoint before you write the article. On the other hand, another reporter feels the opposite as you, so a debate will occur.

Role

You will have to convince the opposing side why your choice of tragic hero is correct?

Audience

An editor (the teacher) and all members of the classroom.

Situation

You will be placed on a panel to debate who is the tragic hero in Antigone.

Product/Performance

Product – Notes listing the evidence or quoted phrases and/or passages depicting why your chosen character is the tragic hero or heroine?

Performance – A structured debate held in class.

Standards

LAL 3.2.D.3 Evaluate the impact of an author’s decisions regarding tone, word choice, style, content, point of view, literary merit, and produce an interpretation of overall effectiveness.

LAL 3.3.B.7 Participate actively in panel discussions, symposiums, and/or business meeting formats.

Other Evidence

1. Presentation / Handout - Work in teams to research material on the origin of tragedy, the structure of the Greek theater, actors and acting, the chorus, and theatrical conventions. Teams will present research to the class. Each team must create a handout for the class.

2. Journal Writing - Read the play in class. Discuss daily readings and write in a journal if time permits, if not then do it for homework.

3. Letter - View one scene of the movie Antigone. Write a letter to Sophocles discussing your reaction to the masks worn by the actors.

4. Newspaper Article - Imagine that you are Ismene, desperately in need of advice about your sister Antigone. Write a letter to the “Personal Problem” page of the Thebes Gazette. Tell your story without giving away who you are or revealing the names and positions of the other characters.

5. Characer Sketch - Write a character sketch of each personality in the play based on quotations by that character or about that character.

6. Essay - “The tyrant dies and his rule ends, the martyr dies and his rule begins.” (Kierkegaard) Write an essay discussing this quotation in relation to Antigone.

7. Discussion - “Civil disobedience is wrong.” In a class discussion, argue that validity of this statement. Remember to use logic and reason, not emotions.

8. Quizzes - Three quizzes on plot detaisl during the course of the reading of the play.

9. Test - A unit test after the play has been completely read.

Learning Plan (Stage 3)

Where are your students headed? Where have they been? How will you make sure the students know where they are going?

Several questions in relation to the themes of this play will be asked of the students and later discussed after they have had time to think about them. Each student will be involved in the class discussion.

How will you hook students at the beginning of the unit?

Before beginning the reading of Antigone, I will tell the story of Oedipus (which they must know in order to understand Antigone). With that said, by bringing up students and having the pretend they are the major characters and their relationship to each other will get them intrigued in the storyline. After all, how often do we hear about a son killing his father, marrying his mother, and having four children together?

What events will help students experience and explore the big idea and questions in the unit? How will you equip them with needed skills and knowledge?

The class will tackle big questions about loyalty, betrayal, pride, and values. They will be equipped to answer these questions as they evaluate the actions of the characters and compare and contrast them to other individuals in society with similar characteristics, after we explore and discuss several examples as a class.

How will you cause students to reflect and rethink? How will you guide them in rehearsing, revising, and refining their work?

After the debate will be the best time to reflect and rethink because they will have heard examples of Antigone and Creon’s actions which of course had consequences. As with any good debate, some individuals will possibly be stirred in joining the opposing side’s viewpoint. Whether or not their viewpoint will be changed – it certainly will allow for them to process the different opinions and therefore reflect.

How will you help students to exhibit and self-evaluate their growing skills, knowledge, and understanding throughout the unit?

As the play is read daily, the students will have to keep a journal exhibiting their thoughts about that day’s reading. The entries will be reflections of their growing knowledge or questions they may have that they should ask the next day, before we continue reading.

How will you tailor and otherwise personalize the learning plan to optimize the engagement and effectiveness of ALL students, without compromising the goals of the unit?

There will be many varied assignments to meet the needs of all the students, so it’s not all about discussing or writing or presenting. But instead, it’ll be a little of everything, so that each student’s style of learning will be addressed.

How will you organize and sequence the learning activities to optimize the engagement and achievement of ALL students?

Since the play will be read daily, I can pace the class in such a way that no one feels overwhelmed or lost in the play – all episodes and odes will be discussed. Also, each student will get a chance to read, so they feel part of the action. All assignments will be given during the appropriate times. For example, an introduction to the Greek theater has to be given at the beginning, so they can visual how the play would be performed, whereas the debate will be last, so that by then the students will have read the entire play and can make up their own minds, after evaluating all the evidence, who they feel is the tragic hero or heroine.


From: Wiggins, Grant and J. Mc Tighe. (1998). Understanding by Design, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development
ISBN # 0-87120-313-8 (ppk)

Video

"Did You Know?"

Wow! The "Did You Know?" video truly left me speechless. I found myself staring at the computer making sense of what I just witnessed. This video was very overwhelming and actually a bit scary.

To prepare students for the 21st century means to take initiatives to change our teaching methods to comply more so with technology and to tap into our students' creativity. It is unbelievable that "the top 10 jobs that will be in demand in 2010 didn't exist in 2004." And even more so to think that we are preparing students for jobs that don't YET exist. The bottom line when it comes to technology is that we are advancing every day to the point that "for students starting a four-year technical or college degree, this means half of what they learn their first year of study will be outdated by their third year of study." This is simply amazing!

Based on what really happens in a classroom and the many antiquated teaching methods that educators are using, our students will simply not be ready for the advancements that are occurring on a daily basis. We must take initiatives to enhance the teaching styles we use in order to be more effective. The skills that students need to survive and thrive in this era are ones that offer them versatility since according to the Department of Labor "today's learner will have 10 to 14 jobs by the age of 38". With that said, we need to illicit activities and projects from our students that demonstrate their understanding of the big picture.

For starters, educators need to be lifetime learners, so that we have the proper training to adequately teach our students. We need to move away from the old-fashioned teaching styles such as lecturing, holding question and answer sessions, or worse yet handing out a ditto and having them complete it without any higher level questioning. Instead, we need to be more engaging and we have to be certain our students are actively participating in our classrooms. Undoubtedly, we must also use technology to promote learning, whether it be an individual or group project there must be technology involved. In today's day and age, if a teacher is not using technology he or she is doing a great disservice to his or her students.

Actually, this course (CURR 530) is a perfect concrete example of an action that we are all taking in order to be better teachers. I have never blogged before this class, yet here I am blogging away (and to think by next week I'll create a mash-up movie). Once I return from maternity leave, instead of telling my students to write in a journal, I will have them blog. Last school year I found a program that I had my students use to create newsletters instead of just typing editorials, which allowed them to create a published product. It is initiatives like these that will further our students' education in the right direction. As teachers we must brace the challenge that we are being presented with, so that our students will be successful and our reward great. After all, isn't that why we became educators in the first place?

Symphony

I just finished reading Pink's chapter six "Symphony" and now I'm listening to Beethoven as I formulate my thoughts about what I just read. As I listen to the classical pieces I am very aware that it's not just one instrument, it's many coming together and that together is the "big picture." Of course it's essential for a composer to see the big picture or else the orchestra would not produce the end result that we expect of its many members.

As I read and underlined important or interesting facts found in chapter six, I realized how essential Symphony is to many facets of life. There are those that are good at one thing, but it's those of us that see the big picture that will gain more from it. It amazed me how Pink's self-portrait changed once he allowed Symphony to be a part of his life.

It's almost eerie how "specialized knowledge work can quickly become routinized work - and therefore be automated or outsourced away." But, of course if one notices relationships that are unrelated but can work together, that person has an advantage over the rest of us. Additionally, college students double major on account of being more marketable because the world is looking for connections that are unconnected, but can be. So, I guess I never thought about it before, but now that I'm made aware of it Symphony does make sense and in turn, as educators we should try to teach in a way that makes our students see the big picture.

To link Symphony directly to education and what we do on a daily basis, I think means to ask for creativity and novel concepts in the assignments we have students complete. We should require of our students to create projects that make them think on all levels and design work that depicts the big picture and not just a narrow-minded concept. Also, we can work with other colleagues so that our students get exposure to interdisciplinary lessons because that too integrates Symphony.

Getting back to some points I still want to mention dealing with chapter six, I happen to really enjoy Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and I chuckled as I read the bit about the commercial in which two individuals collide and that's how chocolate and peanut butter came to be as a Reese's. So, it's a given that powerful ideas can come from two existing notions, now it's just a matter of uniting them.

This leads me to the next point that resonated in my mind for a while. "The guy who invented the wheel was an idiot. The guy who invented the other three, he was a genius." And isn't that the truth? One wheel will give you a unicycle, but four wheels can give you a car. Obviously the latter is better.

The last point I want to make is to say as a poet at heart, maybe there's hope for me to be a systems thinker - but only when and if I get tired of the teaching profession (lol). How fascinating that Sidney Harman doesn't find it all that valuable t0 hire MBAs, but instead would like some poets as managers because they are the original system thinkers.

Oh, one more thing...I've now stared at the negative space in the picture of the Hershey's kiss and the only thing I can think of is what is found between the "K" and the "I" which is a mini Hershey's kiss - is that the negative space Pink is talking about?

E.D.Hirsch

Dear E.D. Hirsch,

Let me introduce myself. I'm a high school Language Arts teacher and have been for the past ten years. The first time I heard of you was in an Education course while pursuing my Bachelor of Science in Education. Now, ten years later, your name has come up in yet another course I'm taking dealing with Education. And the thing is, I didn't agree with you then and I don't agree with you now.

Yes, I realize you say that curriculum is important and I know no one will argue with that point. However, everything else you insinuate is ridiculous. In your book Cultural Literacy, you argue that the economic equality rests on uniformity of subject matter in schools. You say that poor people are at a disadvantage because they lack baseline content knowledge - however, you make no real recommendations how poverty-stricken communities are supposed to get their students to study. Many of those students go to a job after school or go home to take care of younger siblings, or worse those students are out doing illegal activities; So do you think those students will care about your "cultural literacy'? Do you think those students care about the "dead old white guys"?

Additionally, you harshly criticize "the project method" - you've got to be kidding? That is the best hands-on way that students learn and appreciate the subject matter! For example, in the past I've had students memorize the "Friends, Romans, Countrymen..." speech from Julius Caesar for a grade, and guess what, a week later, they would no longer remember it. However, when I assigned a visual project to be created based on the play, they brought in exceptional work because they said it was fun to do, but among the fun, they learned something that will not be forgotten.

The bottom line is this, as much as you're a big name in the world of Education, I think more people disagree with your opinions, than actually commend you for some innovative philosophy. Your philosophy is anything but novel. Your antiquated, rote memorization as a form of mastering content is not the way to go!

Sincerely,

Maria Debowska

I Believe - Role Models

I believe we all need positive role models in our lives. We need role models that find the good in us and guide us in channeling that good to make ourselves and our society a better place. In today’s day and age there is so much deceit, vulgarity, and disrespect. In turn, there is not enough patience, understanding, and tolerance. So you ask, where am I going with this?

Today before you I stand as a successful, accomplished, and strong woman. But it was not always the case. Back in my native Poland, my dad dropped me off in kindergarten one day and never returned. He tragically died in a car accident, that Friday, November 13, 1981. For the next year, my mother would drag me to his gravesite every day – whether it was day or night – we had to pay our daily visit. I was six at the time and the youngest of four; the eldest was my sister who was in her twenties and lived in the United States. My sister insisted we come for a visit – this was her way of pulling my mother away from the daily visits to the cemetery and the wasting away of her life; hence she and I immigrated to the US.

Here my mother worked two jobs; one in a factory and one as a cleaning lady. She was an educated woman, but since she did not know the English language, she had no choice but to take on menial work. Since she heard so many negative stories about public schools she worked day and night to make sure I attended a good private school. Eventually, however, it was time to move onto high school and the tuition for a private high school was too much for my mother to handle, thus for the first time I went into the public school system. At the time we lived in Passaic, an at-risk district. I was petrified of my first day at Passaic High, not knowing what to expect. But, I knew that my mother would want me to overcome my fears, make her proud by earning good grades, and pave the way for a better future for myself, and that is exactly what I did.

Many students around me could care less whether they completed their assignments or passed their tests. I, on the other hand, was not going to fall into that trap of failure because I had a great role model and I was not going to let her down. Additionally, I found that my teachers took an interest in me and when they complimented me on a job well done I also wanted to please them and so I would work even harder on the next assignment. Upon graduating high school, I attended Seton Hall and even did a study abroad in Oxford University. From there I went on to earn a Masters from Rutgers, and now I am at Montclair working towards a Supervisory Certificate. My journey is never ending. I manage to budget my time to be a good and caring fill in the blank – wife, mother of two, friend, colleague, teacher, professor, and student. Of course I could have fallen through the cracks, but I did not on account of the role models I had, especially of course my mother.

I became an educator because I believe my job affects the lives of my students. I have no shame in telling them my life story and including the part that I often helped my mom when she cleaned houses. When an ESL student says to me I think I will never master English, I say, if I could do it, so can you. Ironically today I am an English teacher and I use my position to be a role model for my students. I know I was lucky enough to have caring teachers and I want to give back what I have received. The bottom line is, whether you are a parent and/or a teacher, you are in a position that puts you in the spotlight for the youth of America to emulate; therefore you must be a positive role model, so many of our children and young adults need you!

Language Arts Literacy - NJ CCCS

Since I teach Language Arts, in my blog I will evaluate the NJ current standards in this area.  To begin with, below you will find the general description of the Language Arts Literacy CCCS as found on the State of NJ Standards website. 

 3. Language Arts Literacy

"The New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards for language arts literacy capture language experiences all children need in order to grow intellectually, socially, and emotionally in classrooms across the curriculum. The standards are intended to promote students' capacities to construct meaning in any arena, with others as well as on their own. If students learn to read, write, speak, listen, and view critically, strategically, and creatively, and if they learn to use these arts individually and with others, they will have the literacy skills they need to discover personal and shared meaning throughout their lives."

I find the above to be very true.  How can one teach English and not touch upon reading, writing, speaking, listening, and critically viewing media literacy?  In the past two years, I have revised two curriculums.  With that said, I did not run into any problems implementing the CCCS.  It is obvious that each and every point in the standards can not be touched upon during one academic year (because as we already know, we don't actually get 180 days to teach).  But, in all honesty I find the Language Arts Literacy Core Curriculum Content Standards very effective and I have used most of the strands in both the curriculums I have revised.  

My department head insists that we use all of the LAL CCCS, but of course there are some that just don't fit.  For example, 3.1.H.2 states "Develop materials for a portfolio that reflects a specific career choice."  At no time during the year do I have my students develop a portfolio reflecting a career choice - I just don't have the time to do that since it would take time away from the many lessons and goals I need to accomplish.  On the other hand, I shouldn't really have to worry about this strand since I teach sophomores and a career project/research paper is done on the freshman level; hence the strand does get touched upon during the student's high school career (just not in my class).  Is that okay?  I do not see why not.  There are strands like 3.2.C.4 "use transition words to reinforce a logical progression of ideas" that are essential in writing and that is a strand that would be used on all levels during.  The point I'm trying to make is that some CCCS will be used often and others won't, but the fact that they are in the NJ current standards means they will be used at some point in the child's academic career.

Knowing that I had to post my reflection about the standards, I decided to open it up to more Language Arts teachers, so I e-mailed five colleagues at Lodi High and asked for their comments about the standards.  Of the three that replied (I wanted to post this blog already, so I gave up on waiting for the other two), not one negative thing was said about having to use these standards.  The consensus is that we need standards! 

But, why do we need standards?  Well, for starters, as a new teacher, one might not know where to begin teaching, whereas the standards give that teacher a starting point.  On the other hand, some veteran teachers would like to teach the good old way they have always taught, so since the standards are mandated these veteran teachers must keep up with the times.

We certainly need standards, so the final question arises:  Where do we need standards - on the national, state, or local level?  My feeling is that what we have is appropriate.  In Language Arts there are 12 national standards (you may find them at:  http://www.ncte.org/about/over/standards/110846.htm).  In turn, I would presume the national standards are used towards creating the state standards, but of course NJ separates them into many strands.  I think it's best as is and local standards are not necessary.

My Introduction

Hi Guys & Gals,

My name's Maria Debowska and I have been a Language Arts teacher at Lodi High School for the past ten years.  This year, however, I am on maternity leave because I wanted to get a chance to spend more time with my three and a half year old daughter, Alexis and my two month old son, Justin.  Besides caring for the kids, I am an adjunct professor at Rockland Community College, where I teach Freshman Composition on Monday nights and of course on Thursdays you'll see me in our Principles of Curriculum Development course.  I'm taking this class because it's a requirement to earn the Supervisory Certificate.  After I attain the certificate, I am considering working on a doctorate in education, but my husband tells me I'm crazy - we'll see.

Something interesting about me is that I set a goal for myself to visit all the states in the US; this came about when I was studying in Oxford and heard many people commenting on the US and all these beautiful States (mind you, no one said anything about NJ) and I thought to myself, I'd like to visit them all.  So, how many have I seen thus far?  The answer is 36.  

Well, I think that's enough about me.

See you on Thursday.  ~ Maria D.