Action Plan

JJ Jansky

EFRT 308

Wysocki

12/1/2009

Website

"Utah Education Network." Utah Education Network. 21 Sep. 2009

http://www.uen.org

The Utah Education Network website is a group of many educational

institutions throughout Utah that have networked together to create

educational opportunities, connect citizens, and collaborate with partners to

serve the networks communities. It is a storage place of lesson plans from

teachers all over integrating technology with the core content areas.

The site allows each and every content area to access a large amount

of lesson plans that any teacher can use. The lesson plans tend to

incorporate the use of technology by utilizing online videos as well as other

Internet sources to aid in the student’s learning. By getting the students to

relate their learning to everyday life with the use of the Internet this site

follows the first standard of the Minneapolis Standards of Effective Instruction

(MSEI) – connecting knowledge to everyday life (MSEI – 1).

Looking through the lesson plans directed toward business education, I

see many lessons that can incorporate diversity with the education process.

One lesson, for example, takes an entire week and devotes it to the ethics of

the business world. Throughout this unit, racial and gender social constructs

are addressed as sources of ethical dilemmas business leaders constantly

have. By addressing these issues, I would be meeting standard two in the

MSEI standards because my students will now understand the common

problems as well as the possible solutions in many workplace situations.

In the third lesson of the ethics unit, students divide into groups and

are considered “departments” in a made up business. Each department has

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its own issues that need to be resolved and at the end of the class each

group discusses their solutions to each problem at the “company meeting”.

These issues include problems such as a suspicious Asian customer lingering

around the cell phones, a female co-worker that is expecting a baby, and

another co-worker that has been forced to use a wheelchair. All three of

these issues focuses on a different social construct that it is important each

and every young learner understands. By using the small groups as well as a

class discussion I will be able to meet MSEI standard 4H – “using multiple

teaching and learning strategies to engage students in active learning

opportunities that promote the development of critical thinking, and problem

solving” (4H).

The Utah Education Network website is not just a list of lesson plans,

however. It also works as a networking tool, with contact information of all

the teachers that have added material to the site in case I may have any

questions. It also offers classes for me to take as a teacher to advance

myself in any number of areas of my professional development such as

online education. These two resources can be of great value to me as an

educator since I will need to continue to advance my knowledge and

strategies as the world evolves around me.

Schooling is slowly turning into an online institute, and although not

everything can be taught over the computer, many things can be and for

school districts it can be quite a load off of their budgets. Being able to use

technology to my advantage and still reach the students is a great attribute

to have as a teacher.

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Journal Article

Hernandez, N. (2008, January 22). Minority Students Become the Majority. The

Washington Post.

The article Minority Students Become the Majority focuses mainly on the fact

that the white population in schools no longer makes up more than half of the entire

population. Blacks, Hispanics, and Asians have quietly taken over the majority of

the students in schools and there is no end to their immigration in sight. Schools on

the east coast are now just beginning to accept this as reality and there are several

examples of how schools are dealing with the several cultures clashing.

As Genaro C. Armas writes in his passage from the Rothenberg text,

“minorities are going to make up half of the entire population by 2050 (Armas, p

203).” Although our population is not quite to the point that minorities are the new

majority, it is happening in the schools already and as a teacher I need to handle the

situation properly. Rhonda Pitts states in the article that some teachers have

actually had to create slideshows that are in both English and Spanish to ensure all

the kids are able to understand the material. Anything that is sent home is also

written in both English and Spanish. (Hernandez, p 2) Although this takes a great

amount of time, I feel this is a very good way for me to meet standard three in the

Minnesota Standards of Effective Instruction (MSEI). Standard 3C states: “knows

about the process of second language acquisition and about strategies to support

the learning of the students whose first language is not English.” (3C) It would also

meet standard 6 and the communication requirements since I would be offering a

second option for students as well as parents to get involved with the school. (6A) It

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may depend on the makeup of the class – whether it be made up of mainly

Hispanics, Asians, or African Americans – but supplementing materials for all of

them to succeed with their schoolwork and also with extra curricular activities is a

very important part of my job description.

Along with the students achieving more in school, parents are also going to

be able to be a part of the learning process. According to Pitts, since the fliers being

sent home are in a language the parents are more comfortable with, the family’s

attitudes are changing and parents want to help their children succeed in school

more than ever. (Hernandez, p 2) Using fliers like this would allow me to meet

standard 10 by including parents in the learning process. Benchmark B states: a

teacher “understands how factors in a student’s environment outside of school,

including family circumstances, community environments, health and economic

conditions, may influence student life and learning” (10B).

By changing my teaching technique and adding in extra slides that make

learning easier for minority students I am creating a much more culturally

competent atmosphere. Since every student is able to understand fully what each

lesson is about, participation in class will not be held back like it would when

students struggle to comprehend exactly what it is they are supposed to be learning.

This would also help the cultural incongruence that occurs in the classroom since I

would be bringing all the languages together into one lesson and each student

would be able to follow along at the same pace.

Along with the increase in minorities comes an increase in students coming

from poverty. As a teacher it will be very important for me to stay away from the

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buzzwords and labels that Gans talks about in Rothenberg’s book. (Gans, p 104)

Each student needs to be treated equally no matter where they come from,

especially in the eyes of peers. It is important to know which students are coming

from the low class because they may need the extra help; however, it is even more

important to not put them in a position to fail by labeling them or treating them

different in class. On the other hand, it is up to me to make sure they have the

resources necessary to succeed as well. Allowing lower-class students to use the

computer lab after school because they do not have a computer at home to finish

their homework is a great way to meet standard 5Q which states that a teacher

“analyzes the classroom environment and makes decisions and adjustments to

enhance social relationships, student motivation and engagement, and productive

work.” (5Q)

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Book

McEwen, B. C. (2008). Providing differentiated instruction for diverse student

needs. In M. Rader (ed), NBEA 2008 yearbook: Effective methods of teaching

business education (pp. 53-66). Virginia: National Business Education

Association.

The chapter of this book is about differentiated instruction. Every classroom

is going to have many different learners: gifted, special needs, and many other

learning style preferences. This chapter sheds some light on some strategies a

future teacher can use to be able to accommodate for each and ever student. It lists

the four main areas for differentiation: content, process, products, and learning

environment. Each of these areas are great opportunities to reach out to different

types of learners and be able to teach the entire class.

As a teacher it is very important that I realize not every student is going to

understand what I am teaching when I only use one strategy. Although I may like it

personally, and I may see that most students understand the material as well, there

are bound to be a few students that are struggling with the content I am teaching.

When this happens it would be irresponsible of me as a teacher, and also unfair to

the students that are struggling if I did not add in extra learning strategies to help

the struggling students along. By doing this in the classroom, I am meeting standard

4 in the MSEI standards, specifically benchmark B which states: a teacher

“understand the cognitive processes associated with various kinds of learning and

how these processes can be stimulated.” (MSEI 4B) The NBEA handbook explains

that there are three types of learners, auditory, visual, and kinesthetic. Visual

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learners excel at just hearing information and retaining it; visual learners need to

see graphs and charts or other graphic representations of data to fully understand

the material, and kinesthetic learners learn best by actually being hands on and

toughing or getting a feel for what they are learning. (NBEA pg. 54)

Differentiated instruction does not just stop at types of learners, though. It

also has to do with the culture the students were raised in. In class we have been

discussing the different minority groups that have been migrating to the USA in the

recent past. Minority students as a whole are struggling in school, and often times

are dropping out before they even have a chance to graduate. For example, in a

book by Ruben G. Rumbault and Alejandro Portes: “Ethnicities,” statistics show that

as of the 1990’s about 40% of all Vietnamese students are not finishing high school.

Also, only about 15% of Vietnamese students are graduating college. Although this

was done about ten years ago, the numbers have no changed too dramatically and

Vietnamese students are still struggling. (Zhou pg. 193) Just knowing these facts

can help me as a teacher because when I see that I have minority students in the

classroom I can somewhat relate or understand the troubles they may be having

and act accordingly for that student. By knowing facts like these I am meeting

another MSEP standard: standard 9: Reflection and Professional Development.

Standard 9 benchmark D states that a teacher “knows major areas of research on

teaching and of resources available for professional development.” (MSEP 9D)

Some strategies that I have learned and could use as a professional teacher

are: Think-Pair-Share – a strategy that incorporates learning individually, as a pair,

and then as a whole group; Think Aloud – a strategy that shows students what a

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metacognative advanced person does when reading through a passage of text; or

using projects to allow students to work with their hands and create what it is they

need to be learning. All these strategies plus many more are great ways to

differentiate instruction and get the class to learn as a whole. Concentrating on one

learning style, or on culture ultimately is going to hinder classmates and keep

students from reaching their full potential. But if I am able to differentiate my

teaching style, I will be able to meet standards required of me as a teacher, and my

students will meet standards required of them.

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Movie

Antwone Fisher. Dir. Denzel Washington. Perf. Joy Bryant, Kevin Connolly.

20th Century Fox, 2002. DVD.

The film Antwone Fisher is based on a true story about a sailor in the

United States Navy who has severe anger issues. Throughout the movie he

meets with the base psychiatrist and his personal life is slowly revealed as

the movie wears on. He was brought up in a foster home because his father

died before he was even born and his mother was in prison. Antwone’s foster

mother abused him throughout his younger years both physically and

psychologically while the foster mother’s daughter is also sexually abusing

him. Throughout his counseling he is able to cope with his haunting past and

move on until in the end he goes back and addresses each of them.

The main thing I feel I can take from this movie is the interactions

between Antwone and his psychiatrist, Mr. Davenport. Mr. Davenport needs

to be his authoritative self because of his position as Antwone’s superior, but

he also needs to create a close relationship in order to truly understand

where Antwone is coming from. The only way to get Antwone to open up is

to make him feel as comfortable as possible in the environment he is in. This

situation happens quite often in the class setting and that is why it is

important for me as a teacher to excel at standard 6 of the Minnesota

Standards of Effective Instruction (MSEI) – communication. Standard 6

benchmark G states a teacher “fosters sensitive communication by and

among all students in the class.” (6G) By doing this, the environment is safe

for students to speak out both during class or after if they would like to speak

quietly.

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As a teacher it is also important to know that each student is going to

come from a different background. It can be easy to lump the “students” into

one category, but in order to be effective I need to look at each student

individually. From our classroom discussions I know that each student is

going to come with their own personal knowledge – knowledge they bring to

the class from their past experiences. If a student grows up being abused by

his father, perhaps the only male figure in his/her life, that student is going to

have a very hard time feeling comfortable around other adult males.

By creating a safe, comfortable environment that every student can

learn in, I am meeting MSEI standard 5, creating a positive learning

environment. Within this standard, benchmark C, “creates a learning

environment that contributes to the self-esteem of all students and to

interpersonal relations,” and H, “establishes a positive climate in the

classroom and participates in creating a positive climate in the school as a

whole” (5 C&H) can be addressed by me working to make sure all students

are comfortable when sitting in my classroom. If I notice a student having a

hard time in class it is up to me to try my best to get him/her into a position

to be productive again. It would not be possible to have a serious

conversation about issues outside of class without having an existing

relationship with the student and that is why it is important to create and

maintain relationships with all students throughout the entire school year. In

the end it is up to me as the teacher to make sure that each student is

comfortable with the learning environment; and if they aren’t, find a way to

fix it. In order to do this, I need to try and see where each student is coming

from and adapt to how they learn best. Taking into account their personal

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knowledge of both school subjects and the world as a whole is a very

important part of creating close relationships with students.

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Article

Brooks, David. "The Harlem Miracle." NY Times 7 May 2009: A31. Web. 21 Oct. 2009

<http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/08/opinion/08brooks.html>

The article “The Harlem Miracle” talks about the difference charter schools have

made on the achievement gaps with low-income families. It shows that students entered

the schools in the 6th grade in the 39th percentile of all New York students, and by 8th

grade they were scoring in the 74th. These students also jumped from the 39th to the 54th

percentile in English during this same time frame. If those statistics are not enough, these

charter schools also erased the achievement gaps between the black and white students.

By creating a much more disciplined, and orderly culture within the schools, students

were expected to do more than students in the regular schools. If a student was

performing at his/her grade level, he/she was still working on schoolwork 50 percent

more of the time than an average New York Student.

Although this example is used in a setting not often found in our region, except

for the Minneapolis/St. Paul area, each school district has its own gaps of achievement

that can be improved. My philosophy as a teacher was always going to be to tow the line

with students between friend and superior. I like being able to be comfortable with

students, but I understand that there needs to be expectations of both student and teacher

that structure the relationship. After reading this article and seeing what expecting more

out of a student can do for the class as a whole, some of my assumptions have changed a

little.

Although it is still a goal of mine to be close with the students in my class,

demanding more from them and not just being their “friend” in class is very important.

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Creating a learning environment that is friendly is important, but the environment also

needs to be demanding in order for students to get everything they can out of it. By

doing this I am meeting standard 5 of the Minnesota Standards of Effective Instruction: A

positive learning environment. Standard 5 benchmark H states that an effective teacher

“establishes a positive climate in the classroom and participates in maintaining a positive

climate in the school as a whole.” (5H)

I can picture an example of this happening in a classroom, too, after reading

Brandt Williams’ article “Roots of gap based in race, class, culture differences” when

Bill Cosby defines the stereotypical black student as baggy pants, IPod listening,

Ebonics speaking person. (Williams) I have seen this in my time spent both at

Holmen High School for my field experience as well as when I am tutoring at Winona

High School. These actions would not be allowed in my class. Pants will be pulled

up and offensive language will be banned at all times and once class starts

electronics will be put away with no exceptions. These attributes of the black

student just further progress the thought that these students are lazy and just don’t

care about school. As an instructor it is my duty to get kids engaged and productive

as well as to get them ready for a life beyond high school.

This strategy is not working in just the New York area, though. All over the

country, school districts are attempting this “no excuse culture” and are achieving

positive dividends. The thought is that low-income students come into middle and

high school with a preconceived perception that they are not expected to achieve

what other middle class students can. The no excuse culture gets rid of these

perceptions and replaces them with a high standard for everyone. Low-income

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students are expected to achieve just as much as the middle and upper class

students. With these expectations, the achievement gaps, hopefully, will soon begin

to close and all students will be on an even playing field.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

Antwone Fisher. Dir. Denzel Washington. Perf. Joy Bryant, Kevin Connolly. 20th

Century Fox, 2002. DVD.

Armas A. C. (2007) Census bureau predicts diverse U.S. future. In P. Rothenberg

(ed), Race, class, and gender in the united states. Pg. 203. New York: Worth

Publishers.

Brooks, David. "The Harlem Miracle." NY Times 7 May 2009: A31. Web. 21 Oct. 2009

<http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/08/opinion/08brooks.html>

Gans H. (2007). Decunstrucing the underclass. In P. Rothernberg (ed), Race, class,

and gender in the united states. Pg. 104, New Your: Worth Publishers.

Hernandez, N. (2008, January 22). Minority Students Become the Majority. The

Washington Post.

McEwen, B. C. (2008). Providing differentiated instruction for diverse student

needs. In M. Rader (ed), NBEA 2008 yearbook: Effective methods of teaching

business education (pp. 53-66). Virginia: National Business Education

Association.

Minneapolis Standards ofEffective Instruction. (2002, April 15). Retrieved June

8,2009, from <www3.mp1s.k12.mn.us/departments/CIT2/down1oads/

Minneapo1is%20Standards%20of%20.doc.

"Utah Education Network." Utah Education Network. 21 Sep. 2009

http://www.uen.org

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Williams, B (2004, September 27). Roots of gap based in race, class,

    culture differences. Minnesota Public Radie, . Retrieved from

https://winona.ims.mnscu.edu/d2l/orgTools/ouHome/ouHome.asp?

ou=812571

Wysocki, Nicholas. "Classroom Discussion." Human Relations and Student Diversity.

Winona State University. Fall Course, Winona. August-December 2009

Zhou M. (2001). Straddling different worlds: The acculturation of vietnamese

refugee children. In R. Rumbaugh and A. Portes (ed), Ethnicities: Children of

immigrants in america. Pg. 193. Los Angeles: University of California Press

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