1. CHAPTER 10
Schools

2. Using the Venn Diagram, compare and contrast direct instruction, cognitive constructivist and social constructivist approaches.

4. Instruction Direct/Teacher-centered approach (passive)
Teacher controlled, mastery of academic skills, high exceptions for students and maximum time spent on learning tasks

5. Instruction
Learner-centered approach (active, construction of knowledge and understanding)
Cognitive constructivist approach (Piaget)
Teachers role to assist, support students in exploring/learning from engagement with world to develop understanding
Social constructivists approach (Vygotsky)
Collaboration with peers in order to co-construct understanding through language/negotiation
Opportunities to learn with teacher and peers

6. Question
Which do you think should be used most often: the direct or constructivist approach to instruction?

7. Accountability
Effectiveness of school-based, state-mandated standardized tests
Using the second handout, create a lists for pros and cons of
NCLB

8. + -

9. Accountability Positive effects (?) Improved student performance
More time teaching the subjects’ tests
High expectations for all students
Identification of poorly performing schools, teachers, administrators
More closely aligned with direct instructional approach.

10. NCLB Federal Legislation (2002)
Effort to hold schools accountable for success or failure of their students

11. NCLB

12. NCLB Criticism What might be better? Single score from single test
Doesn’t measure creativity, motivation, persistence, flexible thinking or social skills
Teachers spend all their time teaching to the test
Promotes teacher-centered instruction
Not funded
Federal government overstepping boundaries (History Majors?)
What might be better?
A number of measures: tests, quizzes, projects, portfolios, classroom observations, etc.

13. Middle School When did middle schools emerge? Why did they emerge?
What is one criticism of middle schools?
What recommendations do critics have for restructuring the curriculums of middle schools?
Critics identify what problem with high school and suggestion for change?
What are the pros and cons of middle school?
What problems have been identified and what solutions have been offered?

14. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

15. Middle School
1920s-1930s
Because of physical, cognitive and social changes in early adolescents---onset of early puberty
Water downed versions of high schools
Curriculum needs to reflect biological and psychological needs of students
High schools are too passive and don’t support autonomy or provide multiple pathways for student to achieve identity.
Tough time for students to be making transition cognitively and biologically, big schools, many teachers, large peer group----Top dog, feeling grown up, find friends, more independence

16. Carnegie Council on Adolescent Development
7. Study concluded that most young adolescents:
attend massive, impersonal schools;
learn form seemingly irrelevant curricula;
trust few adults in school;
and lack access to health care and counseling.

17. Carnegie Council on Adolescent Development
7. continued
Recommendations
Develop smaller “communities” to lessen the impersonal nature of large schools
Lower student to counselor ratios
Involve parents and community leaders in school
Develop curricular that produce students who are literature in a variety of areas
Have teachers team teach in more flexibly designed curriculum blocks that integrate several disciplines
Boost students’ health and fitness

18. Question
What was your middle/high school like in regards to the Carnegie recommendations?

19. High Schools
What are the recommendations for high schools’ mission for the 21st century and getting students engage in learning?

21. High Schools
Better instruction to enable all students to graduate from high school an succeed in postsecondary education and careers
High schools need to have higher expectations for student achievement
Students spend too much time working in low-level service jobs
Too little coordination and communication across the different levels of K-12 schools as well as between K-12 and post secondary

22. High School
Best way to get students engaged in learning is to focus on the psychological factors involved in motivation.
Promote sense of belonging by
personalizing instruction
Showing interest in students’ lives
and creating a supportive caring social environment.

23. Dropping Out 1940s half of students dropped out---2003 9.9%
Males 12.2 to females 9.3
Reasons: economic, family, peers, personal
Reduction: early reading programs, tutoring, counseling, and mentoring
Need to create caring environments/relationships, block scheduling and community service opportunities.

24. Size and Climate of Schools
Why did we go to bigger?
What are the pros and cons?

25. + -

26. Size and Climate of Schools
Why did we go to bigger?
Increasing urban enrollments
Decreasing budgets
Belief in increasing academic stimulation in consolidated schools

27. Size and Climate of Schools
Small versus Large
Large schools (500+)
Not as personalized
Not as much social control
Students feel alienated,
Impersonal, group think, don’t’ take responsibility for their conduct (especially unsuccessful students)
Large class size (average 30-35)
Students do better in class sizes of 20 or fewer

28. Classroom Management Authoritative Encourages independent thinking
Still involves effective monitoring
Verbal give and take
Show caring attitude
Need clearly stated rules, regulation (can be established with help of students)

29. Classroom Management Authoritarian Restrictive Punitive
Focused on keeping order---not instruction
Firm limits and controls on students
Tend to be passive, teacher-centered learning

30. Classroom Management Permissive
Student autonomy but with little support for developing learning skills or behavior management.
Poor academic and self-control

31. Classroom Management KEYS Keep the class working together,
oriented toward classroom tasks
Establishing and maintain learning
environment
Need repertoire of strategies for:
establish rules and procedures
Organizing groups
Monitoring and pacing activates
Handling misbehavior

32. Profile of a Good Teacher?
Enthusiasm
Ability to plan
Poise
Adaptability
Warmth
Flexibility
Awareness of individual
differences
Positive expectations

33. Family Surprise…family plays a role is school success. Structured
Organized
Routines for homework, chores, bedtime and so on

34. Parents
Teachers listed parental involvement as the number one priority in improving education.

35. Peers Popular/acceptance= academic success
Having friends (even just one)= academic success
Sports/clubs= better academic success

36. Question
What are three characteristics of the best teachers you have had?
What are three characteristics of the worst teachers you have ever had?

37. Bullying
To reduce bullying, schools can…

38. Bullying Get older peers to serve as monitors and intervene
Develop school-wide rules and sanctions against bullying and post them is school
Form friendship groups for adolescents who are regularly bullied by peers
Incorporate the message of the antibullying program into places of worship, school and other community sites
Indentify bullies and victims early and use social skills training to improve their behavior
Encourage parents to contact the school’s psychologies, counselor and ask for help with their adolescent’s bullying or victimization concerns.
Become involved in school programs to counteract bullying
Reinforce adolescents’ positive behaviors and model interactions that do not include bullying or aggression.

39. Learning Disabilities
Students with learning disabilities are of normal intelligence or above and have difficulties in at least one academic area and usually several and their difficulty cannot be attributed to any other diagnosed problem or disorder, such as mental retardation.
For example: listening, concentration, speaking and thinking.

40. Learning Disabilities
8 percent of U.S. children and adolescents have a learning disability.
Three times as many boys as girls
5 percent of school-age children receive special education services
Most common: Reading

41. ADHD Inattention, hyperactivity, impulsivity 7 percent of all children
Almost half of all special education children
Four to nine times more in boys
85-90 percent of children with ADHD are on medication
This does improve but still not the same as children without ADHD
Curable?

42. ADHD Causes Low levels of certain neurotransmitters
Prenatal and postnatal abnormalities
Environmental toxins such as lead
Heredity (30-59 percent of adolescents with ADHD have a sibling or parent who has the disorder)

43. IDEA
amended in 1997, 2004-Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act
Services for all children with disabilities
Evaluation
Eligibility determination
Appropriate education
IEP
Least restrictive environment (mainstreaming/inclusion)
NCLB?

44. Gifted What constitutes gifted?
130+
What are three characteristics of gifted students?
Precocity
Marching to their own drummer
A passion to master