Summary: Collaborations between Basic Writing Professionals and High School Instructors: The Shape of Things to Come
A report published by The Council for Adult and Experiential Learning in 2008 provided National and State to State data on the status and development of adult learning in the United States. This report showed that only a thirty seven percent of adults in the country (between the ages 25 to 64) has attained an Associates Degree or higher. An alarming twenty nine percent of adults in the country have only a high diploma and have never taken any college courses. These statistics create the basis for the growing movement in favor of higher education in the United States. In Gerry McNenny’s article, “Collaborations between Basic Writing Professionals and High School Instructors: The Shape of Things to Come”, an argument is set forth regarding the importance of building a strong connection between high school writing instruction and college level writing in preparation of students so that their transition into college is a smoother one.
In the past, programs who have worked with high schools and public universities achieved a significant amount of success. In 1998, CUNY as well as the FIPSE in Virginia participated in programs that worked in conjunction with high school teachers, curriculum developers and college professors to enhance the writing of high school graduates entering into college for the very first time. Special funds have been set aside by U.S. Department of Education to address this issue. It is seen as a truly imperative that the country focus on this matter as it plays a key role in the reduction of funds spent on remediation courses offered in many public colleges. These courses are taken by students who lack the proper skills to enroll in entry level college writing courses and therefore, must develop their basic writing skills.
The first step in creating this liaison is getting people to talk about issues that are going on and getting both sides to discuss them. Both Basic Writing professionals and high school teachers have a lot of knowledge to offer. Those involved in Basic Writing programs can provide information on the needed instruction, while high school teachers confer about the learning needs of their students. McNenny’s article offers a model that can be used by both parties who wish to collaborate together in hopes of building the aforementioned disparity.
The California State University was fortunate enough to receive funding from the legislature that that provided a nine million dollar yearly grant. This capital was to be used for creating a program that would establish the bridge needed involving high school teachers and college writing professionals. The grant proposal stated that the success of the students would be determined by a ninety minute exam, the English Placement Test (EPT) that included reading comprehension, multiple choice and an essay on a unknown topic that would be timed. Teachers would also be subject to evaluation through questionares and interviews to determine their awareness of the CSU/Diagnostic Writing Service. Two teachers would be chosen at random for follow-ups and discussion of curriculum. At the end of the school year, they would be asked to reflect on what they have learned about from working with the EPT.
Timed writing exams have been the target of much criticism by those who believe that these assessments do not provide accurate representation of a student’s writing skills. One of the people who has made this critique is Mina Shaughnessy, who declares that these timed exams place unnecessary stress on students and therefore hinder their ability to perform as well as they are capable of. In a case study performed by Barbara Gleason on second language learners, she found that these students were unable to pass the Writing Assessment Test because of general mistakes in their writing. These students were professional individuals with degrees from foreign countries and were forced to repeatedly take this exam because they could not pass it. They were prevented from taking CUNY undergraduate courses because of this. Marilyn Sternglass was the first to point out that these students were being penalized for not using “idiomatic expressions” that often take non-native speakers many years to learn.
Other problems with these assessments are that they often fail to take into account speakers of other dialects and vernaculars such as the African-American Vernacular English. Rubrics for these tests do not bear in mind this and have biases against these vernaculars. Despite the inequalities of timed testing, the reality is that this method proves to be the most efficient manner of evaluation if one takes into account economic factors.
CUNY institutionalized programs such as “book flood”, Sustained Silent Reading and Shared Book experience have provided ways in which students can become emerged in conversation, reading and activities that help develop various literacy skills. These programs have been successful as these students have surpassed others in standardized testing. Adele Gihooly examined the effect of reading 1,000 pages of literature and the reflection of these in journals. The outcome of her investigation showed that these students had a significantly higher passing rate of fifty six percent in their timed tests. Other skills were also improved upon.
The collaborators between the high school teachers and college instructors feel that they must work together from the very beginning to the very end in making sure that they build a curriculum that works hand in hand with each other. They adapted a Freireian philosophy, looking at the reality of the situation and working and focusing on how to find a solution.
High school teacher input was crucial as they worked closely with the students and could better interpret their literacy needs. The program was designed so that high school teachers could choose a new and specific teaching strategy to research, implement and reflect upon. However it was kept in mind all the obstacles that high school teachers face in their day to day lives. For example, they regularly teach up to five classes per day composed on 38-40 students, they are overwhelmed with papers to grade, they must write lesson plans and meet state standards. As if all this wasn’t enough, teachers are responsible to covering reading comprehension, writing, technology and public speaking skills. McNenny states that being able to accomplish this within a forty-five minute time frame is something to be marveled with.
Basic Writing Professionals have important positions in constructing the gap. They can provide teachers and students with appropriate feedback, assignments, questions and strategies to use during the teaching of writing. Writing Professionals also can also inform the students about what will be expected from their writing once they reach college and strategies and activities they can partake in to better help their writing. This can be very beneficial as many high school teachers have received very little instruction on teaching writing and surrender to very strict and unoriginal forms of instruction.
Teacher-researched projects helped bridge the gap by emphasizing the reflection of the research being conducted. A journal was given to each teacher to record and write notes on. It was a great way for teachers to communicate with each and offer insightful information that they otherwise would have not shared. It was especially good for first year teachers who could use this as a learning resource. It is also much more personal and credible to teachers than an educational textbook.
The influence of groups on student writing was researched by one of the teachers. Her results showed that when students were aware that their writing would be read by their peers, they paid more attention to their piece of work. They also enjoyed being able to participate in sharing their work with others because it offered them real-life experiences. Other researched projects included authentic assessments, free and creative writing.
Basic Writing professionals provided the link between participating schools. They were able to share results found by other teacher-research projects and found that they spread rapidly among the educational community. This allowed for discussions and meetings that were more rich and in-depth. Teachers were also able to swap ideas and learn from each other. They also used the chosen research projects to identify areas of need for students.
The collaboration with high school and college instructors has been a successful one. To date, they have participated in four semester and plan to enter into their fifth. As a result, high school students have demonstrated more interest in enrolling in universities after their graduation. They have maintained contact with peers already enrolled in college through email to talk about their new experiences. Additionally, teacher-research projects remain being one of the most valuable ways for teachers to share their work with each other.
The root of McNenny’s essay is her stance on how important it is for educators to build a bridge between high school and college writing instruction so that students are able to succeed once they enter college writing courses. Student’s lack of preparation results in the need to take required remediate courses that delay college entry, damper a student’s motivation and can lead to higher dropout rates. The collaboration between high schools and college can be the fundamental factor in changing of these statistics.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Friday, April 9, 2010
Braille Literacy
Mairenis Cruz
Professor Gleason
Spring 2010
Braille Literacy
Braille Literacy indicates having the skill to decipher and produce the Braille code, a technique usually used by people with extremely poor or no vision at all. Before one can go into deeply explaining what Braille literacy is, we must first define what each term means when it is separated from each other. Literacy, as many people understand it to be is the ability to read and to write. This description sounds very straight forward and very comprehensible but the truth is that literacy is in fact, much more complex than this. Reading and writing do make up a large fraction of what it is to be literate but there are other, more intricate factors such as communication, comprehension and even interpretation. These must be taken into account before labeling a person as literate in any language. On the other hand, Braille is a method for used by blind people in order to read and write. It is a form of code that uses six dots that can be positioned in multiple ways within two columns to represent letters in a writing system.
Braille was developed by Louis Braille in 1824 in response to a twelve dot code devised by an army captain so that soldiers could communicate silently during battle. Charles Barbier’s twelve dot code was too difficult for L.Braille to understand because it obliged those reading it to look at the each individual marking and it took too long for the reader to scan across the page. Braille created his own code using six dots instead of twelve but what was significantly important about it was that it could be used to write as well, unlike other types of codes that had been created for the blind. It wasn’t until two years after his death that Braille was officially recognized in France. Today, it is widely used in many parts of the world.
Contrary to the popular impression, Braille is not used by all blind people. In fact, in 2007 a report published by the American Printing House for the Blind stated that out of 57,696 United States children labeled legally blind, a measly ten percent was used Braille as their main reading and writing system. This number has seen a major decrease from the earlier years. Back in 1960, about fifty percent of children enrolled in school were literate in Braille. It is believed that the reason for this deterioration of Braille usage has been because of improvements in technology, problems with school budgets and reforming ideas about how to educate the blind.
The United States Congress passed the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 which called for the integration of blind students into conventional schools with children without disabilities. It also mandated that programs that d services to these students receive federal funding despite the disability in consideration. In all, a total of twenty-seven states have passed legislation that makes it a law to provide blind children with the prospect of learning Braille in schools.
For various reasons, Braille has been loosing popularity over the years. In the article, “The Braille Literacy Crisis for Children”, Louise Johnson, a teacher at the Utah School for the Death and Blind, addresses many of the issues revolving the idea that there is a dilemma within the Braille education system. Fewer children are being taught to read and write in this medium. His article criticizes three theories blamed for this setback. The first accusation is made at the huge developments in technology that have provided various sources from where children can acquire information. These sophisticated pieces of equipment (talking calculators, watches, recording devices, television, and computers) provide the blind with an easier access to information that does not require that they read or write. Johnson argues that if everyone were to receive information this way, we could make the same case for all readers and writers, visually impaired or not. “I believe the idea that visually impaired children do not need literacy comes in part from the idea that visually impaired people will always be helpless and dependent.” (Johnson) Being able to read in any situation provides a person with the independence they need to live a substantial adult life.
Johnson also points out the need to for an appropriate amount of Braille instructional time. Although many blind students are mainstreamed into regular schools, they aren’t taught in Braille the equal amount of time that other students are being taught reading and writing skills. It is unfortunate because it hinders not only they’re chance of being literate but also their ability to develop skills in other subjects such as math and science. Johnson’s final criticism is that the Braille code should not be simplified anymore than it already is. She claims that Grade 1 Braille is crucial because it establishes the fundamentals necessary to produces fluent readers and writers. She believes that what would be most beneficial to these students is indeed to be part of an inclusive classroom, but be given ample support within the school and home setting.
Braille literacy means that one is able to use Braille in various forms as well as other sources of information that can be used to extract knowledge. The rationale as to why being literate is so important is the same one behind “knowledge is power.” It is explained that reading and writing empowers those whose vision is impaired by stimulating their aptitude and allowing them to take control of their own studies. It is essential to their academics but also to other aspects of life because being literate enables a person to better communicate with others.
Phil Hatlen discusses his own experience teaching when other teachers believed that recorded materials were an acceptable form of teaching literacy. Teachers used this medium because they found that it was much more convenient to acquire books on tape rather than books written in Braille. It was also to a great extent, easier and more resourceful to get through material this way instead of through Braille.
Hatlen represents the other side of the spectrum. He believes that using recorded materials would incline the students to become dependent on these and encounter bigger difficulties trying to learn Braille later on in life, having lost crucial time. Hatlen is so passionate about his belief that having a good set of listening skills does not qualify one as being literate that he compares the notion to that of a visual person who would not be considered literate if he or she were not able to read and write, but did in fact had great listening skills. Although he makes this statement, he acknowledges that recorded materials are a great source for the blind and that when working with Braille, could really be the model circumstance for many people.
Another person making a case in favor of Braille is Penelope A. Zago, a consultant from the Michigan department of education. In her article, “Weaving the Cloth of Literacy: The Relationship between Braille and Reading”, she makes the claim that Braille is a very creative tool for students who are visually impaired. It makes it possible for students to make a connection between any prior knowledge they might have and writing. One example she gives is journal writing and how rewarding it could be for someone to read what they’ve written years before about their life. She uses a metaphor to explain the connection that goes on when reading Braille to that of weaving a cloth. In many instances, blind students have not been exposed to certain visual concepts. They are free of fallacies and stereotypes so when introduced to new concepts, in a sense they begin with clean slates. What Braille does is that is works to create the meaning that these readers need.
Demographics also play an important part in the marker for Braille literacy. S.J Spungin claims that it is often that these reports cannot be trusted. They don’t present accurate information because they don’t ask direct questions such as, “are you blind?”. They simply make general assumptions that often lead to contradicting data. One report made by the federal government affirmed the decrease of blind people while several states opposed this statistic and claimed that the number had risen in recent years. However, what these reports do show is that the number of students who learned Braille at an early age have excelled in school and been comparably successful to the students who have no recorded disabilities. This has also proven to affect the students long term success as a study conducted in Washington from 1998-1999 showed that only forty four percent of adults who were blind were unemployed in contrast to the seventy-seven percent who were unemployment and did not read Braille.
This same report also revealed that out of the 85,000 blind adults currently living in the United States, ninety percent were engaged in Braille literacy and had work. Visually impaired people that could not read and write Braille only had a 1 out 3 success rate of service with pay. Braille represents a key dynamic of the achievements made within the blind population.
Given all the positive grounds for Braille literacy, one would want know why statistics show such an increase in the number of illiterates in the blind community. Spungin thinks that several reasons are responsible. For one, there are people who choose not to learn how to read Braille. They believe that Braille serves as an acknowledgement to the outside world that this person is in fact blind. It has nothing to do with being well-read but with how one wants to be perceived by others. Another reason is the lack of competent instruction available to the blind, making it difficult to find the suitable supplies to teach this medium or limited ones that provide very light support. Individualized Education Plans are often limited to whatever the school can afford and lead to unrealistic views of the visually impaired children need. These impediments are part of some of the leading aspects of Braille literacy decline.
There are organizations that are working to working to overcome some of the aforementioned obstacles. One of these is the American Foundation for the Blind which aids people with vision loss by providing them with the right information and sources they need to lead healthy, independent lives. It also provides training to teachers in Braille under various concentrations. The National Braille Press is a non-profit organization that prints thousands of books yearly for blind children. They strongly believe that “Braille is the only true means of literacy for a person without sight” and very importantly, that those who are blind have the same access to information as those that do have their sight.
It is known that being literate is a door opener for all people because it can lead to profound knowledge. Braille as literacy is no different. It is the channel that grants this same access to those disabled because of their vision.
Bibliography
1. 200 Years: The Life and Legacy of Louis Braille.
American Foundation for the Blind, 2009. Web. 1
April 2010.
2. “Braille Literacy.” 22 Febraury 2010 at 18:30.
Wikipedia. Web. 30 March 2010.
3. Johnson, L. (1996). The Braille Literacy Crisis for
Children. Journal of visiaul impairment and
blindness; 90(3). Web. 27 March 2010.
4. Hatlen, P. “Comprehensive Literacy”. Literacy: Issues
for People Who Are Blind, Parents and Professionals
(2002). Web. 1 April 2010.
5. Zago. P. “Weaving the Cloth of Literacy: The
Relationship between Braille and Reading” Issues
for People Who Are Blind, Parents and Professionals
(2002). Web 1 April 2010.
6. Spungin, S.J. (1996). Braile and beyong: Braille
literacy in a larger context. Journal of visual
impairment
and blindness; 90(3), 271-274. Web. 30 March 2010.
7. “ Who We Are”. nbp.org, n.d. Web. 30 March. 2010.
Professor Gleason
Spring 2010
Braille Literacy
Braille Literacy indicates having the skill to decipher and produce the Braille code, a technique usually used by people with extremely poor or no vision at all. Before one can go into deeply explaining what Braille literacy is, we must first define what each term means when it is separated from each other. Literacy, as many people understand it to be is the ability to read and to write. This description sounds very straight forward and very comprehensible but the truth is that literacy is in fact, much more complex than this. Reading and writing do make up a large fraction of what it is to be literate but there are other, more intricate factors such as communication, comprehension and even interpretation. These must be taken into account before labeling a person as literate in any language. On the other hand, Braille is a method for used by blind people in order to read and write. It is a form of code that uses six dots that can be positioned in multiple ways within two columns to represent letters in a writing system.
Braille was developed by Louis Braille in 1824 in response to a twelve dot code devised by an army captain so that soldiers could communicate silently during battle. Charles Barbier’s twelve dot code was too difficult for L.Braille to understand because it obliged those reading it to look at the each individual marking and it took too long for the reader to scan across the page. Braille created his own code using six dots instead of twelve but what was significantly important about it was that it could be used to write as well, unlike other types of codes that had been created for the blind. It wasn’t until two years after his death that Braille was officially recognized in France. Today, it is widely used in many parts of the world.
Contrary to the popular impression, Braille is not used by all blind people. In fact, in 2007 a report published by the American Printing House for the Blind stated that out of 57,696 United States children labeled legally blind, a measly ten percent was used Braille as their main reading and writing system. This number has seen a major decrease from the earlier years. Back in 1960, about fifty percent of children enrolled in school were literate in Braille. It is believed that the reason for this deterioration of Braille usage has been because of improvements in technology, problems with school budgets and reforming ideas about how to educate the blind.
The United States Congress passed the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 which called for the integration of blind students into conventional schools with children without disabilities. It also mandated that programs that d services to these students receive federal funding despite the disability in consideration. In all, a total of twenty-seven states have passed legislation that makes it a law to provide blind children with the prospect of learning Braille in schools.
For various reasons, Braille has been loosing popularity over the years. In the article, “The Braille Literacy Crisis for Children”, Louise Johnson, a teacher at the Utah School for the Death and Blind, addresses many of the issues revolving the idea that there is a dilemma within the Braille education system. Fewer children are being taught to read and write in this medium. His article criticizes three theories blamed for this setback. The first accusation is made at the huge developments in technology that have provided various sources from where children can acquire information. These sophisticated pieces of equipment (talking calculators, watches, recording devices, television, and computers) provide the blind with an easier access to information that does not require that they read or write. Johnson argues that if everyone were to receive information this way, we could make the same case for all readers and writers, visually impaired or not. “I believe the idea that visually impaired children do not need literacy comes in part from the idea that visually impaired people will always be helpless and dependent.” (Johnson) Being able to read in any situation provides a person with the independence they need to live a substantial adult life.
Johnson also points out the need to for an appropriate amount of Braille instructional time. Although many blind students are mainstreamed into regular schools, they aren’t taught in Braille the equal amount of time that other students are being taught reading and writing skills. It is unfortunate because it hinders not only they’re chance of being literate but also their ability to develop skills in other subjects such as math and science. Johnson’s final criticism is that the Braille code should not be simplified anymore than it already is. She claims that Grade 1 Braille is crucial because it establishes the fundamentals necessary to produces fluent readers and writers. She believes that what would be most beneficial to these students is indeed to be part of an inclusive classroom, but be given ample support within the school and home setting.
Braille literacy means that one is able to use Braille in various forms as well as other sources of information that can be used to extract knowledge. The rationale as to why being literate is so important is the same one behind “knowledge is power.” It is explained that reading and writing empowers those whose vision is impaired by stimulating their aptitude and allowing them to take control of their own studies. It is essential to their academics but also to other aspects of life because being literate enables a person to better communicate with others.
Phil Hatlen discusses his own experience teaching when other teachers believed that recorded materials were an acceptable form of teaching literacy. Teachers used this medium because they found that it was much more convenient to acquire books on tape rather than books written in Braille. It was also to a great extent, easier and more resourceful to get through material this way instead of through Braille.
Hatlen represents the other side of the spectrum. He believes that using recorded materials would incline the students to become dependent on these and encounter bigger difficulties trying to learn Braille later on in life, having lost crucial time. Hatlen is so passionate about his belief that having a good set of listening skills does not qualify one as being literate that he compares the notion to that of a visual person who would not be considered literate if he or she were not able to read and write, but did in fact had great listening skills. Although he makes this statement, he acknowledges that recorded materials are a great source for the blind and that when working with Braille, could really be the model circumstance for many people.
Another person making a case in favor of Braille is Penelope A. Zago, a consultant from the Michigan department of education. In her article, “Weaving the Cloth of Literacy: The Relationship between Braille and Reading”, she makes the claim that Braille is a very creative tool for students who are visually impaired. It makes it possible for students to make a connection between any prior knowledge they might have and writing. One example she gives is journal writing and how rewarding it could be for someone to read what they’ve written years before about their life. She uses a metaphor to explain the connection that goes on when reading Braille to that of weaving a cloth. In many instances, blind students have not been exposed to certain visual concepts. They are free of fallacies and stereotypes so when introduced to new concepts, in a sense they begin with clean slates. What Braille does is that is works to create the meaning that these readers need.
Demographics also play an important part in the marker for Braille literacy. S.J Spungin claims that it is often that these reports cannot be trusted. They don’t present accurate information because they don’t ask direct questions such as, “are you blind?”. They simply make general assumptions that often lead to contradicting data. One report made by the federal government affirmed the decrease of blind people while several states opposed this statistic and claimed that the number had risen in recent years. However, what these reports do show is that the number of students who learned Braille at an early age have excelled in school and been comparably successful to the students who have no recorded disabilities. This has also proven to affect the students long term success as a study conducted in Washington from 1998-1999 showed that only forty four percent of adults who were blind were unemployed in contrast to the seventy-seven percent who were unemployment and did not read Braille.
This same report also revealed that out of the 85,000 blind adults currently living in the United States, ninety percent were engaged in Braille literacy and had work. Visually impaired people that could not read and write Braille only had a 1 out 3 success rate of service with pay. Braille represents a key dynamic of the achievements made within the blind population.
Given all the positive grounds for Braille literacy, one would want know why statistics show such an increase in the number of illiterates in the blind community. Spungin thinks that several reasons are responsible. For one, there are people who choose not to learn how to read Braille. They believe that Braille serves as an acknowledgement to the outside world that this person is in fact blind. It has nothing to do with being well-read but with how one wants to be perceived by others. Another reason is the lack of competent instruction available to the blind, making it difficult to find the suitable supplies to teach this medium or limited ones that provide very light support. Individualized Education Plans are often limited to whatever the school can afford and lead to unrealistic views of the visually impaired children need. These impediments are part of some of the leading aspects of Braille literacy decline.
There are organizations that are working to working to overcome some of the aforementioned obstacles. One of these is the American Foundation for the Blind which aids people with vision loss by providing them with the right information and sources they need to lead healthy, independent lives. It also provides training to teachers in Braille under various concentrations. The National Braille Press is a non-profit organization that prints thousands of books yearly for blind children. They strongly believe that “Braille is the only true means of literacy for a person without sight” and very importantly, that those who are blind have the same access to information as those that do have their sight.
It is known that being literate is a door opener for all people because it can lead to profound knowledge. Braille as literacy is no different. It is the channel that grants this same access to those disabled because of their vision.
Bibliography
1. 200 Years: The Life and Legacy of Louis Braille.
American Foundation for the Blind, 2009. Web. 1
April 2010.
2. “Braille Literacy.” 22 Febraury 2010 at 18:30.
Wikipedia. Web. 30 March 2010.
3. Johnson, L. (1996). The Braille Literacy Crisis for
Children. Journal of visiaul impairment and
blindness; 90(3). Web. 27 March 2010.
4. Hatlen, P. “Comprehensive Literacy”. Literacy: Issues
for People Who Are Blind, Parents and Professionals
(2002). Web. 1 April 2010.
5. Zago. P. “Weaving the Cloth of Literacy: The
Relationship between Braille and Reading” Issues
for People Who Are Blind, Parents and Professionals
(2002). Web 1 April 2010.
6. Spungin, S.J. (1996). Braile and beyong: Braille
literacy in a larger context. Journal of visual
impairment
and blindness; 90(3), 271-274. Web. 30 March 2010.
7. “ Who We Are”. nbp.org, n.d. Web. 30 March. 2010.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Response to Preparing for Success
Quote: "Some learners are unable to go beyond, "I want to learn English." when learners lack the basic functional skills or knowledge necessary to articulate specific goals, the effectiveness of learner-centered instruction is reduced because learners are not self-directed. Instructors need to provide intensive support that will help learners first recognize and describe their needs so that they can then develop specific goals." (p.24)
Response: This quote was significant to me because it speaks of the lack of motivation that students have and the fact that they don't have direct and clear goals which to strive for. Wanting to simply learn English is a goal that is much too simple and fails to look at the bigger picture...that learning English could potentially lead to a better job, greater communication skills, etc. This is a problem that is reoccurring in adult education. Students need to have intrinsic motivation. As teachers we need to be able to work with them by outlining the areas in which they need help and how creating goals that will help make things better.
Response: This quote was significant to me because it speaks of the lack of motivation that students have and the fact that they don't have direct and clear goals which to strive for. Wanting to simply learn English is a goal that is much too simple and fails to look at the bigger picture...that learning English could potentially lead to a better job, greater communication skills, etc. This is a problem that is reoccurring in adult education. Students need to have intrinsic motivation. As teachers we need to be able to work with them by outlining the areas in which they need help and how creating goals that will help make things better.
Monday, April 5, 2010
online braille games
Hey class,
The AFB has this really cool website online where you can play braille games. They're pretty fun and can be helpful for those of you interested in learning to read braille. It's mainly geared towards children but I think that you will still enjoy it.
Mighty
www.afb.org/braillebug/Games.asp
The AFB has this really cool website online where you can play braille games. They're pretty fun and can be helpful for those of you interested in learning to read braille. It's mainly geared towards children but I think that you will still enjoy it.
Mighty
www.afb.org/braillebug/Games.asp
Sunday, March 21, 2010
High School Graduation Rates Rise
Hey! I found this article on the DOE website and I thought the class might find it interesting. If you can, please post your thoughts.
-Mighty
Mayor Bloomberg and Chancellor Klein Announce That High School Graduation Rate Rises to All-Time High of 63 Percent, Marking the Eighth Consecutive Year of Gains
03/09/2010
More Students Earning Regents Diplomas than Ever Before
Drop-Out Rate Cut Nearly In Half Since 2005
Hispanic Graduation Rate Above 50 Percent for the First Time
Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Schools Chancellor Joel I. Klein today announced that New York City’s four-year high school graduation rate rose to an all-time high of 63 percent in 2009, according to the State Education Department, which released the data today. Between 2008 and 2009, the June graduation rate rose nearly three percentage points, extending its continuous rise since the Mayor won control of the school system in 2002. Including August graduates, as the State and City both now do, the 2009 graduation rate is 62.7 percent. The increase was accompanied by an even larger rise in the proportion of students earning Regents diplomas, which will become the State’s standard diploma in two years. Additionally, students of all ethnicities continued to make progress, with graduation rates increasing for white, Asian, black, and Hispanic students. For the first time, more than half of the City’s Hispanic students—56 percent, including August graduates —graduated in four years. The Mayor and Chancellor were joined for the announcement at Tweed Courthouse by Ernie Logan, President of the Council of School Supervisors and Administrators (CSA) and Leo Casey, Vice President of Academic High Schools of the United Federation of Teachers of the United Federation of Teachers, as well as principals of high schools from all five boroughs including Evelyn Collins, principal of the Manhattan Theatre Lab High School; Vincent A. Maniscalco, principal of Staten Island Technical High School; Michael Athy principal of Bayside High School in Queens; Charles Osewalt, principal of the Morris Academy of Collaborative Studies High School in the Bronx; and David Cohen, principal of Brooklyn’s Midwood High School.
“After a decade of stagnation, New York City’s graduation rate has increased for eight consecutive years,” said Mayor Bloomberg. “And not only are more students graduating than ever before, but the number of students dropping out has been cut nearly in half in just the past four years alone. We won’t be satisfied until every student graduates from high school, but our City’s principals and teachers deserve enormous credit for the significant progress we’ve made.”
“More than ever, graduating from high school is a prerequisite for success later in life, so it’s encouraging that increasing numbers of our students are reaching this significant milestone,” said Chancellor Klein. “The fact that more are also earning Regents diplomas is an especially promising sign that students are graduating prepared to meet the rigorous challenges in college and in their careers.”
Since 2005, when the State began calculating graduation rates using its current methodology, the City’s June graduation rate has risen by 12.5 points. The dropout rate has been cut nearly in half during the same period, falling to a new low of 11.8 percent—a decline of 10.2 points since 2005. In all, 3,300 additional students in New York City graduated in June 2009 compared to June 2008, with that number rising to almost 6,200 additional students when August graduates are counted.
New York City’s four-year graduation rate of 62.7 percent includes students who graduated in August after completing remaining requirements over the summer. Because the State only began including August graduates in its calculation last year, however, comparisons to previous years exclude August graduates. Exempting these graduates, the City’s four-year graduation rate rose to 59 percent in 2009 from 56.4 percent in 2008 and 46.5 percent in 2005. Moreover, the five-year June graduation rate rose to 66.1 percent in 2009 from 62.6 percent in 2008 and 55.7 percent in 2006. The six-year June graduation rate rose to 65.6 percent in 2009 from 61.8 percent in 2008 and 58.5 percent in 2007.
A larger percentage of graduates than ever before—44.6 percent—earned a Regents or Advanced Regents diploma in June 2009, compared to 40.9 percent in 2008 and 30 percent in 2005—a 14.6 point increase over four years. To earn Regents diplomas, students must meet more stringent graduation requirements, including passing Regents exams. The percentage of students earning less rigorous local diplomas fell to 14.4 percent in June 2009 from 15.5 percent in 2008 and 16.6 percent in 2005—even while the overall graduation rate has increased and the requirements for local diplomas became more rigorous.
Additionally, the percentage of English language learners who graduated in four years rose 3.9 points between June 2008 and June 2009. The graduation rate among these students was 39.7 percent in June 2009, and 44.4 percent including August graduates, up from 35.8 percent in June 2008 and 25.1 percent in June 2007. This increase is particularly significant given that English language learners are often recent immigrants and must master English while working to meet all other graduation requirements simultaneously.
The graduation rate among special education students was 24.7 percent in June 2009, up from 22.5 percent in June 2008 and 17.1 percent in June 2005. Including August graduates, 26.6 percent of special education students graduated in four years.
Students of all ethnic groups continue to achieve higher June graduation rates. For the first time, the percentage of Hispanic students graduating in four years rose above 50 percent, with 51.8 percent of Hispanic students in the class of 2009 graduating in four years, compared to 48.7 percent in 2008 and 37.4 percent in 2005. This 14.4 point increase over four years compares to a 9.9 point increase among white students and a 10.5 point increase among Asian students during the same period. Overall, 53.9 percent of percent of black students in the class of 2009 graduated in four years, compared to 51.4 percent in 2008 and 40.1 percent in 2005, an increase of 13.8 points since 2005. Including August graduates, 55.9 percent and 57.8 percent of Hispanic and black students, respectively, graduated in four years in 2009.
These gains come as the Department of Education strengthens its focus on preparing students for postsecondary work and success. The Department is providing all eleventh-grade students in the City with a free online SAT preparation and college planning tool in advance of the spring and fall 2010 SATs. Also, the DOE has launched a college readiness initiative focused on expanding and strengthening AP course offerings through AP teacher training workshops in up to 40 schools. The program seeks to improve access to courses, raise student scores on AP exams, and increase the supply of AP materials available to teachers and students.
In recent years, the City and State have used a shared methodology to calculate graduation rates. Before the State began calculating graduation rates, the City adopted its own methodology in 1986, which remains the only basis for historical comparisons. Using the City’s old formula, the graduation rate rose from 58 percent to 68 percent between 2005 and 2009, an increase that tracks closely to the State’s calculation. Since 2002, using the City’s old methodology, the graduation rate has increased by 33 percent, or 17.2 points—from 50.8 percent to 68 percent. Before the start of the Bloomberg Administration, the graduation rate had been essentially stagnant for a decade, hovering around 50 percent.
-Mighty
Mayor Bloomberg and Chancellor Klein Announce That High School Graduation Rate Rises to All-Time High of 63 Percent, Marking the Eighth Consecutive Year of Gains
03/09/2010
More Students Earning Regents Diplomas than Ever Before
Drop-Out Rate Cut Nearly In Half Since 2005
Hispanic Graduation Rate Above 50 Percent for the First Time
Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Schools Chancellor Joel I. Klein today announced that New York City’s four-year high school graduation rate rose to an all-time high of 63 percent in 2009, according to the State Education Department, which released the data today. Between 2008 and 2009, the June graduation rate rose nearly three percentage points, extending its continuous rise since the Mayor won control of the school system in 2002. Including August graduates, as the State and City both now do, the 2009 graduation rate is 62.7 percent. The increase was accompanied by an even larger rise in the proportion of students earning Regents diplomas, which will become the State’s standard diploma in two years. Additionally, students of all ethnicities continued to make progress, with graduation rates increasing for white, Asian, black, and Hispanic students. For the first time, more than half of the City’s Hispanic students—56 percent, including August graduates —graduated in four years. The Mayor and Chancellor were joined for the announcement at Tweed Courthouse by Ernie Logan, President of the Council of School Supervisors and Administrators (CSA) and Leo Casey, Vice President of Academic High Schools of the United Federation of Teachers of the United Federation of Teachers, as well as principals of high schools from all five boroughs including Evelyn Collins, principal of the Manhattan Theatre Lab High School; Vincent A. Maniscalco, principal of Staten Island Technical High School; Michael Athy principal of Bayside High School in Queens; Charles Osewalt, principal of the Morris Academy of Collaborative Studies High School in the Bronx; and David Cohen, principal of Brooklyn’s Midwood High School.
“After a decade of stagnation, New York City’s graduation rate has increased for eight consecutive years,” said Mayor Bloomberg. “And not only are more students graduating than ever before, but the number of students dropping out has been cut nearly in half in just the past four years alone. We won’t be satisfied until every student graduates from high school, but our City’s principals and teachers deserve enormous credit for the significant progress we’ve made.”
“More than ever, graduating from high school is a prerequisite for success later in life, so it’s encouraging that increasing numbers of our students are reaching this significant milestone,” said Chancellor Klein. “The fact that more are also earning Regents diplomas is an especially promising sign that students are graduating prepared to meet the rigorous challenges in college and in their careers.”
Since 2005, when the State began calculating graduation rates using its current methodology, the City’s June graduation rate has risen by 12.5 points. The dropout rate has been cut nearly in half during the same period, falling to a new low of 11.8 percent—a decline of 10.2 points since 2005. In all, 3,300 additional students in New York City graduated in June 2009 compared to June 2008, with that number rising to almost 6,200 additional students when August graduates are counted.
New York City’s four-year graduation rate of 62.7 percent includes students who graduated in August after completing remaining requirements over the summer. Because the State only began including August graduates in its calculation last year, however, comparisons to previous years exclude August graduates. Exempting these graduates, the City’s four-year graduation rate rose to 59 percent in 2009 from 56.4 percent in 2008 and 46.5 percent in 2005. Moreover, the five-year June graduation rate rose to 66.1 percent in 2009 from 62.6 percent in 2008 and 55.7 percent in 2006. The six-year June graduation rate rose to 65.6 percent in 2009 from 61.8 percent in 2008 and 58.5 percent in 2007.
A larger percentage of graduates than ever before—44.6 percent—earned a Regents or Advanced Regents diploma in June 2009, compared to 40.9 percent in 2008 and 30 percent in 2005—a 14.6 point increase over four years. To earn Regents diplomas, students must meet more stringent graduation requirements, including passing Regents exams. The percentage of students earning less rigorous local diplomas fell to 14.4 percent in June 2009 from 15.5 percent in 2008 and 16.6 percent in 2005—even while the overall graduation rate has increased and the requirements for local diplomas became more rigorous.
Additionally, the percentage of English language learners who graduated in four years rose 3.9 points between June 2008 and June 2009. The graduation rate among these students was 39.7 percent in June 2009, and 44.4 percent including August graduates, up from 35.8 percent in June 2008 and 25.1 percent in June 2007. This increase is particularly significant given that English language learners are often recent immigrants and must master English while working to meet all other graduation requirements simultaneously.
The graduation rate among special education students was 24.7 percent in June 2009, up from 22.5 percent in June 2008 and 17.1 percent in June 2005. Including August graduates, 26.6 percent of special education students graduated in four years.
Students of all ethnic groups continue to achieve higher June graduation rates. For the first time, the percentage of Hispanic students graduating in four years rose above 50 percent, with 51.8 percent of Hispanic students in the class of 2009 graduating in four years, compared to 48.7 percent in 2008 and 37.4 percent in 2005. This 14.4 point increase over four years compares to a 9.9 point increase among white students and a 10.5 point increase among Asian students during the same period. Overall, 53.9 percent of percent of black students in the class of 2009 graduated in four years, compared to 51.4 percent in 2008 and 40.1 percent in 2005, an increase of 13.8 points since 2005. Including August graduates, 55.9 percent and 57.8 percent of Hispanic and black students, respectively, graduated in four years in 2009.
These gains come as the Department of Education strengthens its focus on preparing students for postsecondary work and success. The Department is providing all eleventh-grade students in the City with a free online SAT preparation and college planning tool in advance of the spring and fall 2010 SATs. Also, the DOE has launched a college readiness initiative focused on expanding and strengthening AP course offerings through AP teacher training workshops in up to 40 schools. The program seeks to improve access to courses, raise student scores on AP exams, and increase the supply of AP materials available to teachers and students.
In recent years, the City and State have used a shared methodology to calculate graduation rates. Before the State began calculating graduation rates, the City adopted its own methodology in 1986, which remains the only basis for historical comparisons. Using the City’s old formula, the graduation rate rose from 58 percent to 68 percent between 2005 and 2009, an increase that tracks closely to the State’s calculation. Since 2002, using the City’s old methodology, the graduation rate has increased by 33 percent, or 17.2 points—from 50.8 percent to 68 percent. Before the start of the Bloomberg Administration, the graduation rate had been essentially stagnant for a decade, hovering around 50 percent.
Professor Rangel's Workshop
Thank you Professor Ruben Rangel for coming in and sharing your insights on Paul Freire. I found that the class was very theraputic and that we were all able to connect and learn a little more about each other. I really liked the true word activity because it made me think and evaluate my life. It's strange that the words we chose, although relate to conflict in our lives, also relate closely to the things/people we love. Professor Rangel said that these are the things we should make a priority. I would've loved to have done all the other acrivities he had planned.
Monday, March 8, 2010
i-Best Program
I'd like to thank Amy and Wynne for their presentation last week. I thought it was informative and very engaging. What I liked the most was the "gallery walk" because we were able to read the views of our peers in a non-threatning way. Also, we didn't just sit and discussed the articles we read, we were able to move around. It was very effective for me to know what the other students in my class were thinking about the reading. I will implement this method in my own classroom.
As far as the I-Best program at LaGuardia Community College, I feel that it is providing the adequate help to those who are trying to advance themselves. Amy and Wynne are very dedicated to the work that they are doing, and those are the kinds of people needed to run programs like these. The I-BEST program provides alot of support, more than what the usual GED/Job training programs usually do. It has a higher success rate because it incorporates these two so that their students are preparing themselves in more ways than one. Although I am still a bit skeptical about vocational training because I feel that most of these lead to low paying jobs that they could've acquired even without the training, I guess it is a stepping tool. I would just like to see a program that while it does offer some immediate results, also follows through with its students in the long run, making sure that they get the proper help for some long term success.
As far as the I-Best program at LaGuardia Community College, I feel that it is providing the adequate help to those who are trying to advance themselves. Amy and Wynne are very dedicated to the work that they are doing, and those are the kinds of people needed to run programs like these. The I-BEST program provides alot of support, more than what the usual GED/Job training programs usually do. It has a higher success rate because it incorporates these two so that their students are preparing themselves in more ways than one. Although I am still a bit skeptical about vocational training because I feel that most of these lead to low paying jobs that they could've acquired even without the training, I guess it is a stepping tool. I would just like to see a program that while it does offer some immediate results, also follows through with its students in the long run, making sure that they get the proper help for some long term success.
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