A few months ago I read a newspaper article about the death of Harvard statistician Charles Frederick Mosteller, and found out he had co-authored a book on educational opportunity with Patrick Moynihan in 1972. I have ordered the book and am awaiting its arrival. I felt this and related articles would be a good starting point leading into more specific articles on science instruction for Native Americans and in rural and poorer schools in general. It also gives me a historical perspective on education in the U.S. and some important societal and cultural milestones as well. I have also been reading my NSTA Reports (I am a member) for September 2006, and there some interesting articles on grant writing, No Child Left Behind, and science literacy.
So far I would say the overwhelming point I am taking from these readings is that a student's home, family, and socioeconomic situation may not be the only factors that determine their academic success, they are collectively by far the most important, far outweighing anything that has or can be done at school.
Bibliographic Note:
James S. Coleman et al. "Equality of Educational Opportunity Study (EEOS)" U.S. Office of Education (1966).
Charles Frederick Mosteller and Patrick Moynihan, On Equality of Educational Opportunity, (New York, Random House, 1972).
John F. Kain, "Equality of Educational Opportunity Revisited", New England Economic Review, 1996.
2 comments:
Overall I would have to say that current policies such as NCLB are hurting more than they are helping, for two main reasons. Since science literacy is determined by standardized tests, teachers and schools are pressured to "teach to the test", including memorization of scientific facts and ideas. This is obviously not what science is, how it is done, or how knwledge construction and true understanding take place. Secondly, these federal mandates ate under-funded, if they are funded at all. I feel policy makers know less now than ever about education, and their constituent's needs in general. Implementing the proper approach is like pulling teeth, in my experience, from the government level all the way down to the classroom itself. This is especially true in the smaller, rural districts where there is such an emphasis an athletics and other activities, and education is not necessarily valued or pushed in the student's home environments.
Dr. Pedersen-I have ordered the Lakoff policy piece and will add it to my blog when it arrives. I am having trouble finding a copy of the Indigenous Curriculum book at this point. I am doing quite a bit of reading currently.
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