Core Course: A study of the historical and sociological development of the American system of education and an exploration of current issues in educational theory and practice. Offered fall and spring semesters. IDEA/ADA/504 legal aspects will be addressed. Prerequisites: None
REQUIRED TEXTS:
TOTAL ESTIMATED COURSE COST: $0
These terms may be helpful as you explore topics for your course assignments:
Encyclopedias, handbooks, dictionaries and other reference books can be a great place to start your research. They will
Assessing Student Competence in Accredited Disciplines by 
Common Core: National Education Standards and the Threat to Democracy by
"The Common Core State Standards Initiative is one of the most controversial pieces of education policy to emerge in decades. Detailing what and when K–12 students should be taught, it has led to expensive reforms and displaced other valuable ways to educate children. In this nuanced and provocative book, Nicholas Tampio argues that, though national standards can raise the education bar for some students, the democratic costs outweigh the benefits.To make his case, Tampio describes the history, philosophy, content, and controversy surrounding the Common Core standards for English language arts and math. He also explains and critiques the Next Generation Science Standards, the Advanced Placement US History curriculum framework, and the National Sexuality Education Standards. Though each set of standards has admirable elements, Tampio asserts that democracies should disperse education authority rather than entrust one political or pedagogical faction to decide the country's entire philosophy of education. Ultimately, this lively and accessible book presents a compelling case that the greater threat to democratic education comes from centralized government control rather than from local education authorities."
Disrupting Poverty: Five Powerful Classroom Practices by
"Drawing upon decades of research and myriad authentic classroom experiences, Kathleen M. Budge and William H. Parrett dispel harmful myths, explain the facts, and urge educators to act against the debilitating effects of poverty on their students. They share the powerful voices of teachers—many of whom grew up in poverty—to amplify the five classroom practices that permeate the culture of successful high-poverty schools: (1) caring relationships and advocacy, (2) high expectations and support, (3) commitment to equity, (4) professional accountability for learning, and (5) the courage and will to act. Readers will explore classroom-tested strategies and practices, plus online templates and exercises that can be used for personal reflection or ongoing collaboration with colleagues. Disrupting Poverty provides teachers, administrators, coaches, and others with the background information and the practical tools needed to help students break free from the cycle of poverty."
Doing Poorly on Purpose: Strategies to Reverse Underachievement and Respect Student Dignity by
"With Doing Poorly on Purpose, veteran educator James R. Delisle dispels the negative associations and stereotypes connected to underachievement. By focusing on smart kids who get poor grades—not because they're unable to do better in school but because they don't want to—Delisle presents a snapshot of underachievement that may look far different from what you envision it to be. There is no such thing as a “classic underachiever.” Students (and their reasons for underachieving) are influenced by a wide range of factors, including self-image, self-concept, social-emotional relationships, and the amount of dignity teachers afford their students. Helping “smart” students achieve when they don't want to is not an easy task, but you can reengage and inspire students using Delisle's insights and practical advice on these topics: Autonomy Access Advocacy Alternatives Aspirations Approachable Educators Smart, underachieving students need the reassurance that they are capable, valuable, and worth listening to despite their low academic performance. If these students—who are otherwise academically capable—don't feel they are getting respect from those in charge of their learning, then the desire to conform and achieve is minimized. In a word, they want dignity. Don't we all?"
From Goals to Growth: Intervention & Support in Every Classroom by
"All students deserve research-based, systematic support and a team that is committed to their success. In this book, Lee Ann Jung lays out a growth planning process that integrates seamlessly with existing IEP and Response to Instruction and Intervention (RTI2) structures and is also suitable for any student who has individualized or personalized goals, whether or not that student qualifies for special education services.Here, general education teachers, special education teachers, educational leaders, and related service provides will find a practical approach to creating growth plans that are both meaningful and effective. Learn how toSelect the skills to target.Determine the settings for intervention and support.Develop growth attainment scales to ensure accurate and uniform monitoring.Write measurable goals.Select and develop interdisciplinary support strategies.Measure progress and use data to inform your next steps.Stories of students at different grade levels and with various academic and behavioral goals illustrate the process, and full-color interdisciplinary growth plans show how the elements combine to ensure consistent and targeted support in everyday settings, uniform data collection, and easy reporting. Jung's approach will simplify and unify your school's support and intervention efforts and help you build a truly inclusive culture, in which the success of all students is the responsibility of all staff."
Improving Educational Outcomes of Vulnerable Children by
"This book examines the plight of vulnerable students in America's educational system. Scholars and practitioners will benefit from this in-depth and unique resource for working with diverse populations of students. A few of the topics discussed include students with special needs, the scholar identity of black males, parent perspectives, teacher preparation, and using technology in the classroom."
Leading High-Performance School Systems: Lessons From the World’s Best by
"Did you know that close to half of today's jobs in the U.S. could be done by robots and that proportion is rapidly increasing? It is quite possible that about half of today's high school graduates will not have the knowledge or skills needed to get a decent job when they graduate. Tomorrow's high school graduates will be able to thrive in this environment, but only if school superintendents, central office executives, and principals use the strategies employed by the world's top-performing education systems to build the high-performance education systems today's students will need to succeed tomorrow. In Leading High-Performance School Systems: Lessons from the World's Best, Marc Tucker, a leading expert on top-performing school systems with more than 30 years of experience studying the global economy and education systems worldwide, details how top-performing school systems have met head-on the challenges facing school leaders today. You'll learn why our current system is obsolete, explore the knowledge and skills needed to design and build first-rate education systems, and gain a solid understanding of the key elements of high-performance school systems, including the following: A powerful, coherent instructional system with school-leaving certifications that mean much more than today's high school diploma. Partnerships with first-rate universities to ensure a steady supply of highly capable, well-educated, and well-trained teachers. Schools reorganized around highly qualified professional teachers with a career ladder they can climb. High expectations and personalized support to ensure that children arrive at each grade level ready to learn. An equitable system that closes the gaps in student performance. Vocational education for talented youth seeking an applied, academically rigorous education. Leading High-Performance School Systems is an invaluable resource for school leaders preparing today's students for tomorrow's world.
Let's Stop Calling It an Achievement Gap: How Public Education in the United States Maintains Disparate Educational Experiences for Students of Color by
"Between 1980 and 2005, 45 states were involved in lawsuits around equity of funding and adequacy of education provided to all students in the state. Indeed, this investigation could have included any cities in America, and the themes likely would have been the same: Lower funding and resources, disproportionate numbers of teachers and school leaders who do not look like the students they serve, debates over the public's responsibility to provide fair and equitable education for all students in the jurisdiction, implicit biases from the top to the bottom and a resegregation of schools in America. Integration for Black families was never about an idea that Black students were better off if they could be around White students, it was about the idea that Black students would be better off if they could have access to the same education that White students had — but residential segregation still enables de facto school segregation, when it isn't coded into policy. For the overwhelming majority of Black students, they're stuck in segregated, underperforming schools. Schools where the teachers are dedicated to the mission, but where the cities and districts and states have failed to uphold their basic responsibility to maintain the upkeep of the schools and provide enough desks for each child and current textbooks."
Power, Equity, and (Re)design: Bridging Learning and Critical Theories in Learning Ecologies for Youth by
"This volume brings together design thinking, critical social theory, and learning sciences to describe promising learning innovations that foster rights, dignity, and social justice for youth. The contributors are emerging scholars who are leading voices working at the intersections of theory and practice for educational equity. Chapters in this volume take up themes of power and equity in the design and redesign of learning opportunities for young people. The chapters show variation in the kinds of learning--from complex ecologies spanning multiple institutions and age groups to specific classroom or after-school spaces. Chapters also vary in the focal ages of participants. Although most discuss experiences of young people between the ages of 12-25, some also explore the learning of elementary age youth. All of the chapters include the authors--who were researchers, designers, teachers, and facilitators--part of the narrative and process of learning. We are especially thankful that the authors of these chapters invite the reader into their thinking process and the tensions and contradictions that emerged as they sought to catalyze transformative learning spaces."
Rethinking Homework: Best Practices That Support Diverse Needs by
"In this updated edition, Cathy Vatterott examines the role homework has played in the culture of schooling over the years; how such factors as family life, the media, and'homework gap'issues based on shifting demographics have affected the homework controversy; and what recent research as well as common sense tell us about the effects of homework on student learning. She also explores how the current homework debate has been reshaped by forces including the Common Core, a pervasive media and technology presence, the mass hysteria of'achievement culture,'and the increasing shift to standards-based and formative assessment.The best way to address the homework controversy is not to eliminate homework. Instead, the author urges educators to replace the old paradigm (characterized by long-standing cultural beliefs, moralistic views, and behaviorist philosophy) with a new paradigm based on the following elements:Designing high-quality homework tasks;Differentiating homework tasks;Deemphasizing grading of homework;Improving homework completion; andImplementing homework support programs.Numerous examples from teachers and schools illustrate the new paradigm in action, and readers will find useful new tools to start them on their own journey. The end product is homework that works—for all students, at all levels."
