EDU 640: Conflict and Controversy in Social Education , Fall 2006

S UNY Cortland Department of Childhood and Early Childhood Education

Class Time: 4:20-6:50pm Wednesdays Instructor: Dr. Lin Lin

Classroom: Van Hoesen B229 Office: Van Hoesen B224A Office phone: 607-753-4234 Office Hours: by appointment

Email: linlin@cortland.edu

Required Text

Nelson J. L., Palonsky, S. B. & McCarthy, M.R. (2004). Critical Issues in Education: Dialogues and Dialectics. 6 th Edition. McGraw-Hill.

ISBN0072931000

Course Description:

This course involves the systematic study of the theories and methods that deal with teaching social issues to diverse populations of elementary school students. The course will consider aspects of the history of social studies and theory and research in social education. The course will stress, among other things, the nature of controversial subject matter, the methods of teaching critical social-inquiry, and ways of constructing a learning community. Attention will also be directed at developing competencies in social studies-related learning strategies, such as problem solving, critical thinking and reading, awareness of current events, and participatory citizenship activities. Prerequisite which may be taken concurrently: EDU 524. (3 cr. hrs.). 

Course Goals

•  Define and discuss the role of democracy in social education.

•  Define and discuss issue-centered curriculum.

•  Discuss the purpose of public education in the role of developing interpersonal intelligence.

•  Define and discuss critical pedagogy in the foundation of education.

•  Define multicultural education and discuss the approaches to multicultural education.

•  Analyze state standards for issues connected with social analysis and critical self-reflection.

•  Construct issue-centered curriculum f or teaching controversial issues, developing age-appropriate self-reflection and social analysis skills , and integrating curricula.

•  Explore class management techniques, classroom activities , and technology that can be applied to the issue-centered curriculum .

Course Requirements

•  Attendance and Participation (10%)

Attendance, punctuality, and active participation in class are considered indicators of your professionalism and dedication.  Students who demonstrate professionalism by participating in class through asking questions, sharing experiences and viewpoints, arriving on time, and attending other class-related activities should expect to receive a higher course grade than those who do not. The following scale will be used to calculate your attendance points: 

0 -1 absences = 5 pts; 2 absence = 3 pts; 3 absences = 1 pts;

4 absences = 0 points for attendance and a letter grade deduction from the course grade. More than 4 absences will result in a grade of F for the course. 

Arriving more than 30 minutes late and/or leaving early will be counted as an absence.

All students are expected to read the weekly assigned chapters, supplementary materials and course projects. Your participation in class discussions is crucial. Participation, having 5 points, is defined as behaviors of all the following:

•  Highlight main points after finishing reading all the assigned weekly readings before the scheduled class time

•  Come to class with questions based on the issues to be discussed on the scheduled class time

•  Lead discussions and discuss with classmates issues or topics of the readings on the scheduled class time

•  Share classroom teaching experiences and learning experiences as related to the issues or topics on the scheduled class time

•  Facilitate peer small or big group interaction and make presentations.

•  3 Reading Response Papers (3 x 10 points = 30 points)

Each student is expected to write three two-page single-spaced reading response papers during the entire semester. Each paper has a value of 10 points. Students will be instructed to write summaries of readings with their critiques. (DUE respectively on September 20, October 11, and November 15). Please read detailed instruction and rubrics on WebCt.

•  Social Education Inquiry Mini-Project (20 points) DUE November 15

Each student is going to complete a social education inquiry mini-project on his or her own or with a partner. You can take the following four steps to complete the project. In the first step, you identify a topic or an issue in social education you would like to teach in your classroom or you think is worth investigating. Create a list of resources for the issue. Rank order them in importance to you. The list doesn't have to be long, but please include at least four resources. In the second step, take your list of resources and begin to abstract any information you feel is important for the investigation of the issue or the future instruction in an elementary classroom. Write a brief summary of each resource explaining any limitations each resource presents. In the third step, using the resources you have located, you construct a 2-3 page narrative describing the major findings of your research. Use your resources to provide support for your assertions (Use APA style for references when necessary). In the last step, you adapt the narrative you constructed in the above sequence for a classroom of elementary students.

A detailed description with examples for each step will be provided on course WebCT. Grading rubric will be provided as well before the assignment.

•  Controversial Issues Mini-Unit/ Lesson Plans – Final Exam

(30 points + 10 points presentation)

Written Unit Plan and Presentation DUE Dec. 6 and 13.

Each student is exp ected to plan and develop an elementary grade level (4 th, 5 th , and 6 th grade level strongly recommended) controversial issue unit of at least four connected lessons . You make your own choice of a controversial issue(s) and create an implementation plan that considers how you can teach the issue ( s ) to your students in an age appropriate manner. The unit will be judged on such factors as rationale, the quality of its content, its use of appropriate and engaging instructional strategies, and clarity of procedures. The written mini-unit plan with a poster and the PowerPoint presentation is due on Dec.8 as the final exam. Additional criteria for designing and evaluating unit plans will be provided on course WebCt.

Grading

Attendance/Participation 10 points

Social Education Inquiry Project 20 points

3 Reading Response Papers (3x10) 30 points

Mini-Unit/Lesson Plans (final exam) 40 points

Total 100 points

Grading will be based on participation and assignments. Numerical grade equivalents are as follows:
99-100 points = A+ 95 to 9 8 points = A 90 to 94 points =A-

80 to 83 points = B- 84 to 8 7 points = B 88 to 89 points = B+

78 to 79 points = C+ 74 to 77 points = C 70 to 73 points =C-

68 to 69 points = D + 64 to 67 points =D 60 to 63 points =D-

0 to 59 points = F

Course Schedule with Weekly Reading Assignments

Week 1, August 30 Course Overview and Community Building

First Reading Response Paper Assignment Starts.

Readings for Week 2

•  Rozycki, Edward G. Gallery of educational theorists. (7 November 2003) http://www.newfoundations.com/GALLERY/Gallery.html

•  ALFIE KOHN . CARING KIDS: The Role of the Schools at http://www.alfiekohn.org/teaching/cktrots.htm

Week 2 , September 6, Overview of history of U.S. Public Education

Overview of Educational Philosophies

Current Education Reform Trends

Should schooling be based on social experiences?

Should the curriculum be standardized for all?

Should behaviorism shape educational practices?

Is Constructivist the best philosophy of education?

Week 3 , September 13 No Class ( Raquette Lake with Block I)

Please work on your first reading response paper.

Week 4 , September 20 Issue-centered Curriculum: Definition and Rationale

Issue-Centered Curriculum: Reflective Teaching Strategies

Can charter schools revitalize public education?

Is home schooling a danger to American society?

First Reading Response Paper DUE Today

Second Reading Response Paper Assignment Starts

.

Shared Readings for Week 5   Textbook: Nelson's pp.55-78 Chapter 2: School Choice: Family or Public Funding,   Textbook: Nelson's pp.81-103 Chapter 3: Financing Schools: Equity or Disparity,   Textbook: Nelson's pp.170-198 Chapter 7: Privatization of Schools: Boon or Bane,  

Textbook: Nelson's pp.199-226

Chapter 8: Corporation, Commerce, and Schools: Complementing or Competing Interests

Week 5 , September 27 Whose Interests? Who Controls the Schools?

Should parents get involved in school management?

How much is too much parental involvement? How much is adequate?

Can merit pay accelerate school improvement?

Are teachers paid too much or too little? Should they be paid for planning?

Tenured teachers?

Start thinking of your Unit/Lesson plan of teaching controversial issues.

Shared Readings for Week 6

Textbook: Nelson's pp.147-169

Chapter 6: Religion and Public Schools: Unification or Separatio n

Chapter 10: Values/Character Education: Traditional or Liberational

Week 6, October 4 Religion and Character Education

Have public schools adequately accommodated religion?

Can public schools produce good citizens?

Readings for Week 7

We will be using Lewis Hine primary source documents from Child Labor in America 1908-1912.

http://www.historyplace.com/unitedstates/childlabor/

http://www.historyplace.com/unitedstates/childlabor/empty.jpg

Fighting slavery today. (12 November 2003). Various articles on child labor. The anti-slavery society. http://www.anti-slaverysociety.addr.com/tocclab.htm

Week 7 , October 11 Current Issues, Public Issues, Social Issues

Second Reading Response Paper DUE Today

Start the Social Education Inquiry Project assignment.

Shared Reading for Week 8

•  Holmes, Casey. Students decry Columbus day. (11 November 2003). The Cornell Daily Sun. 10 October 2003 edition.

http://www.btfindustries.com/images/in_article/inclusion/columbus_day.htm

•  United Native America initiates a nation wide push to remove Columbus day as a tax paid federal holiday. (11 November 2003). Press release from United Native America.

http://www.unitednativeamerica.com/press/remove.html

•  Weatherford, Jack. Examining the reputation of Christopher Columbus. (11 November 2003). Baltimore Evening Sun

http://www.hartford-hwp.com/Taino/docs/columbus.html

•  NCSS Position on Columbian Quincentenary : An Educational Opportunity at

http://www.socialstudies.org/discuss/msgReader$161

Week 8 , October 18 Controversial Historical Issues

Readings for Week 9

Week 9 , October 25 Race, Class, and Gender

New and Old Myth in Education

Is full inclusion of disabled students desirable?

Readings for Week 10

Week 10 , November 1 Toward a Revolutionary Multicultural Education

Week 11 , November 8 Technology: A New Digital Divide?

Do computers negatively affect student growth?

Week 12 , November 15 Standardization vs. Diverse Learners

Achievement Gap

NCLB—No Child Left Behind – Can federal initiatives rescue failing schools?

Class Size and Learning -- Is size crucial to school improvement?

Social Education Inquiry Project DUE Today

No readings for next week, but please continue working on your unit plan.

In-Class Open-Book Third Reading Response Paper.

Please bring to class the course textbook for reference.

Week 13 , November 22 No Class – Happy Thanksgiving!

No readings, but please continue working on your unit plan.

Written Unit/Lesson Plans Draft Due Today for Peer Review

W eek 14 , November 29 Future Issues and Trends in Education

Written Unit/Lesson Plans (final version) Due Today

Week 15 , December 6 Challenges, Questions, and More Controversies

Unit/lesson Plans Presentations/ Course Reflections/Evaluation

Week 16, December 13 Practicing Teaching Controversial Issues

Unit/lesson Plans Presentations (if necessary)

*This syllabus is tentative and may be modified at the discretion of the instructor and at the reasonable requests of the students.

**Please submit the final unit plan in a hard copy besides submitting through email or

WebCt . Use font 12, use appropriate subheadings for each section, page-numbered.