Teachers’ Cost of Living Matters Entry #5

In the article “Teachers’ Cost of Living Matters More", the author addresses a really good point that teachers’ salaries cannot be compared nationally simply based on the number.  The salaries should be compared based on location and cost of living, or how much goods and services the teacher can buy with the salary.  It is also very interesting to me that when this factor is considered, the rank for a teacher’s pay in a certain location can significantly change.  For example, Los Angeles is ranked #4 among teacher pay at the rate of $54,738; however, when cost of living is considered, this city drops to #48 at the rate of $34,776 (Georgiou, Villarreal, & Moore, 2005).  In addition to making this interesting and significant assertion, I also noticed another perspective that the article seemed to be addressing with a teacher’s salary.  The article reflected how low the salaries are compared to other positions in our country with similar education requirements.

I have analyzed salaries for almost five years now.  It is my experience that the more demanding the position the higher the pay.  This seems simple enough, but for some strange reason this does not really seem to apply to the teaching profession.  The previously mentioned article seems to reiterate this claim.  I also found an article that addressed paying higher salaries to teachers.  According to the article, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan proposed that a teacher’s salary should begin at $60,000 attempting to lure the brightest college students into the profession.  The article further stated that this type of change has already been attempted in some areas of the U.S.  For example, a charter school in New York City decided to pay all of its middle school teachers $125,000 salaries because of certain research that indicates that a really good teacher can close achievement gaps and lift kids’ test scores.  These same teachers can earn up to $25,000 more in bonuses depending on how well their students perform.  In order to provide these salaries, the school had to make a few sacrifices such as larger class sizes, no assistant principals, and no substitute teachers.  The high-paid teachers assume administrative duties to cover for the lack of an assistant principal, and they cover for each other in an absence.  In addition, these teachers work longer days and they only have three weeks off during the summer.  The article reported that it is still too early to determine whether or not this system is working for the school (Goodwin, 2011).  In my opinion, it does seem like a very motivating initiative.

I would like to conclude with a brief article that I have seen circulate a couple of times via the Internet. I found the article posted online in The Atlanta Journal Constitution.  It really makes you think about whether or not teachers are getting paid fairly for all of the duties that they are expected to perform.  The article is written as follows:

Teachers’ hefty salaries are driving up taxes, and they only work 9 or 10 months a year. It’s time we put things in perspective and pay them for what they do – babysit.  We can get that for less than minimum wage.  That’s right. Let’s give them $3 an hour and only the hours they worked; not any of that silly planning time, or any time they spend before or after school. That would be $19.50 a day (7:45 to 3:00 PM with 45 min. off for lunch and plan– that equals 6 1/2 hours).  Each parent should pay $19.50 a day for these teachers to baby-sit their children. Now how many students do they teach in a day…maybe 30? So that’s $19.50 x 30 = $585.00 a day.  However, remember they only work 180 days a year. I am not going to pay them for any vacations.  LET’S SEE…That’s $585 X 180= $105,300 per year. (Hold on. My calculator needs new batteries.)  What about those special education teachers and the ones with master’s degrees? Well, we could pay them minimum wage ($7.75), and just to be fair, round it off to $8.00 an hour. That would be $8 X 6 1/2 hours X 30 children X 180 days = $280,800 per year.

Wait a minute — there’s something wrong here. There sure is.

The average teacher’s salary (nationwide) is $50,000. $50,000/180 days = $277.77/per day/30 students=$9.25/6.5 hours = $1.42 per hour per student– a very inexpensive baby-sitter and they even EDUCATE your kids!)  WHAT A DEAL!  (Downey, 2011).

References

Downey, M.  (2011, February 23).  If teachers are mere babysitters, pay them accordingly.  The Atlanta Journal Constitution.  Retrieved from http://blogs.ajc.com/get-schooled-blog/2011/02/23/if-teachers-are-mere-babysitters-pay-them-accordingly/

Georgiou, D., Villarreal, P. and Moore, M.  (2005, October 24).  Teachers’ cost of living matters more.  National Center for Policy Analysis.  Retrieved from http://www.ncpa.org/pub/ba535

Goodwin, L.  (2011, September 1).  Should the starting salary for a teacher be $60,000?  The Lookout.  Retrieved from http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/starting-salary-teacher-60-000-131728091.html

Multiculturalism in the Curriculum Entry #4

In my last posting, I defined multiculturalism as “the preservation of different cultures or cultural identities within a unified society, as a state or nation” (Multiculturalism, n.d.).   Multiculturalism is becoming extremely prevalent in the United States because the population is becoming more and more culturally diverse.  Therefore, the public schools in the U.S. are experiencing the same results.  The Staff at GreatSchools.org indicate that children can be better prepared for a multicultural democracy by attending a school with a diverse student body (GreatSchools Staff, n.d.).  How do we help the children learn to respect and appreciate the cultures of their fellow classmates?  As educators, should we try to integrate multiculturalism into the curriculum?  If integrating multiculturalism into the curriculum is the right answer, then the next question is how do we perform this task without appearing to show favoritism to a particular group.

In an article in Education World, a former professor of multicultural education feels that incorporating multiculturalism into the existing curriculum is in fact the best way to teach multiculturalism (Newquist, 1997).  As I consider this concept, I think about a recent discussion that I recently had with some of my fellow classmates on multiculturalism in the classroom.  One opinion that I vividly remember is a classmate describing how teachers would only address a particular culture on a holiday or a specific month.  For example, Martin Luther King Day, Cinco de Mayo, or Thanksgiving.  In his article entitled Multiculturalism in School Curriculum, Adam Waxler (n.d.) states the following: “Having separate months for different cultures is exactly the opposite of what a true multicultural education should be trying to achieve.” 

What is the best approach to incorporate multiculturalism into the curriculum?  As I ponder on and research this question, I came across a statement made by the GreatSchools Staff that I referenced earlier.  They indicate the following:  “Teachers are faced with the challenge of making instruction “culturally responsive” for all students while not favoring one group over another” (GreatSchools Staff, n.d.).  Personally, I agree with Adam Waxler’s idea of how to appropriately apply this concept into the curriculum.  In his opinion, the teacher should use the traditional curriculum and incorporate various perspectives and different cultures within the various units into the traditional curriculum.  This is the way that he teaches multiculturalism without totally forgetting about the traditional curriculum.  For example, when he teaches a traditional curriculum topic such as the Vietnam War, he has his students examine the opinions of the war from the perspective of various groups of Americans from different races and genders (Waxler, n.d.).

As I reflect back to my childhood, I hardly remember learning anything about other cultures within my curriculum.  I lived in a rural area of Southern Tennessee.  The school that I attended was not at all culturally diverse.  There were very few students of another race or nationality.  Now that I think back on this time, I wonder how my fellow classmates felt about this especially the few that were considered the minority. 

In closing, I think that it is important to quote a statement from E.D. Hirsch, Jr. from his article Toward a Centrist Curriculum.  He states, “Children will become adults who cooperate and sustain one another only if the school-based culture they gain makes them feel they truly belong to the larger society” (Hirsch, 1992).

References

GreatSchools Staff. (n.d.).  How important is cultural diversity at your school?  Retrieved from http://www.greatschools.org/find-a-school/defining-your-ideal/284-cultural-diversity-at-school.gs

Hirsch, Jr. E.D.  (1992).  Toward a centrist curriculum:  Two kinds of multiculturalism in elementary school.  Retrieved from http://teachingcontent.org/mimik/mimik_uploads/documents/4/CentCurr.pdf

Multiculturalism.  (n.d.)  Retrieved October 11, 2011 from http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/multiculturalism

Newquist, C.  (1997).  Multiculturalism…Preparing students for a diverse and global society.  Education World.  Retrieved from http://www.educationworld.com/a_books/books001.shtml

Waxler, A.  (n.d.).  Multiculturalism in school curriculum.  Retrieved from http://www.eslteachersboard.com/cgi-bin/articles/index.pl?page=7;read=1621

Multiculturalism and Diversity in the Classroom Entry #3

The dictionary defines multiculturalism as “the preservation of different cultures or cultural identities within a unified society, as a state or nation” (Multiculturalism, n.d.).  Initially, my thoughts regarding multiculturalism with regards to its dictionary meaning was that it is a great concept.  I think that it is important to identify and respect other cultures in our society.

Personally, I consider myself to be someone that respects all human beings no matter the gender, race, ethnicity, disability, age, etc.  I do not truly understand how anyone can discriminate against someone else on the basis of these factors.  Think about the following:  Do we really have a choice regarding our skin color?  No, we were born this way without being given a choice.  If we weren’t provided with the choice, how can we discriminate against this issue?

In the article entitled “Pithissippi Burning:  Race, White Nationalism and American Culture”, I found the comments regarding the cultural extremists quite disheartening.  It is hard to believe that anyone simply cannot accept someone for who they are on the inside instead of what they look like on the outside.  As the article indicates, individuals with these perceptions do still exist in our society (Tobia, 2009).

In the articles regarding why multiculturalism is wrong and the challenges multiculturalism imposes, the articles seemed to simply be stating that we should teach children only the context of their own particular culture (Taylor, n.d.; Why multiculturalism is wrong, n.d.).  At this point in my life, I simply do not agree with this ideology.  I may change my views later in life or once I am in the classroom; however, I currently simply do not agree.  I thought history was based on the facts of what occurred in the past whether those facts represent the African Americans, Chinese, Indians, etc.  The culture of the individuals simply should not matter.  The textbook should contain the important events that shaped our world if we are teaching world history, our nation if we are teaching US history, etc.  The books should not be defined based on the culture of the majority of the group.  I found an article written for PBS that contains a statement that helps reiterate the claim that we should be willing to learn and appreciate other cultures.  The following comments were made in the article: “We [should] also learn to collaborate across cultural lines as individuals and as a society.  Awareness of cultural differences doesn’t have to divide us from each other...Becoming more aware of our cultural differences, as well as exploring our similarities, can help us communicate with each other more effectively.  Recognizing where cultural differences are at work is the first step toward understanding and respecting each other” (DuPraw & Axner, n.d.).

Samuel Taylor makes an interesting comment in his article regarding the challenges of multiculturalism.  He compares multicultural history to Affirmative Action (Taylor, n.d.).  This may have been the original intent of Affirmative Action when the majority was simply having a hard time respecting the rights of the minority.  However, in 2011, the roles have somewhat reversed.  What was once considered the minority population in the US is now slowly increasing and catching up to the population numbers of the majority.  Now, some employers have to also be conscious of the possibilities of reverse discrimination.

Conversely, as a future teacher, I anticipate there will be several situations in which I will be faced with diversity issues in my classroom.  I hope that I am able to teach my students that no two people are exactly alike, and we should respect each others differences.  We may not agree with their opinions or actions, but we should at least respect them as human beings.

Why can’t we all just get along???

References

DuPraw, M.E. and Axner, M. (n.d.)  Working on common cross-cultural communication challenges.  Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/ampu/crosscult.html#WORKING

Multiculturalism.  (n.d.)  Retrieved October 11, 2011 from http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/multiculturalism

Taylor, S.  (n.d.)  The challenge of multiculturalism in how American view the past and the future.  The Journal of Historical Review.  Retrieved from http://www.ihr.org/jhr/v12/v12p159_Taylor.html

Tobia, P.J. (2009).  Pithissippi burning: Race, white nationalism and American culture.  Retrieved from http://www.nashvillescene.com/pitw/archives/2009/02/23/pithissippi-burning-race-white-nationalism-and-american-culture

Why multiculturalism is wrong.  (n.d.).  Retrieved from http://web.inter.nl.net/users/Paul.Treanor/multicult.html

Religion and Schools Entry #2

In the article Religion in Schools Debate Heats Up, the author focuses on what role religion can play in public schools in the United States.  The article stresses how different issues in public schools such as having a moment of silence and Darwin’s theory of evolution raises a debate within our society (Calefati 2009). 

Personally, I see nothing wrong with having a moment of silence in the classroom or reciting the pledge of allegiance.  However, this is based on my religious beliefs.  I feel that if the student does not want to participate in the moment of silence based on his belief that is fine; however, I do expect him to respect the opinion of others in the classroom and remain silent during the time. 

In addition to the idea of respecting others, I would like to note that I have always believed that the United States was founded on the premise of “one nation, under God”.  As we have started moving away from this concept as a nation, I can definitely see a big difference in our schools and society in general.  As I research the idea of our founding fathers, I find evidence to support the possibility that they believed in a definite separation of church and state.  Thomas Jefferson was actually responsible for coining the phrase.  In his letter to the Danbury Baptists, he stated the following:  "Make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, thus building a wall of separation between Church & State” (Library of Congress).  According to a writer for the examiner.com in Austin, TX, “It seems that the debate of separation of church and state has been going on since the creation of the state” (Curran 2011).

As I continue to reflect on the ideas of the Religion in Schools Debate Heats Up article, I focus on the idea of teaching Darwin’s theory of evolution in the classroom.  In the article, I was troubled to read that some parents said that “their children had been intimidated and ridiculed by biology teachers when they questioned evolution and that there is nothing wrong with debating a theory that is not proven fact” (Calefati 2009).  As a future educator, I think that it is wrong to ridicule a child for questioning any theory that is presented to them.  I believe that they have the right to ask questions.  While I am on the subject of what is taught in the classroom, I do not feel that any religion should be taught as part of the curriculum within a public school.  Religion is a matter that should be taught in the home.  If a parent chooses to incorporate religion into their child’s curriculum, there are private schools that can accommodate this decision.  The idea of someone teaching my children religious beliefs at a public school definitely bothers me.  I understand that not all teachers are going to have the same religious beliefs as my family and me, and I really feel that it is my job as a parent to teach my children these concepts.

In the end, I think that students, parents, administrators, and teachers should all learn to respect that we are all different.  We come from different cultures.  We speak different languages.  We are different heights and weights, and we have different opinions on religion.  I think that respecting one another is the key.  I would like to conclude my ideas on the topic of religion in public schools by recommending an interesting article that was written for The Tennesseean.  A very appealing comment caught my attention as I was reading the article.  Larry Crain, a Brentwood lawyer who is senior counsel for a Christian legal group called the American Center for Law and Justice, stated the following:  “The school is always going to be the battleground…That’s where the reality of these competing views occurs—between those who espouse an airtight, hermetically sealed separation of church and state and those who believe there should be some toleration or accommodation of students’ religious views” (The Tennesseean 2011).  (The article can be found at the following website:  http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2011/jun/13/religion-schools-debate-shows-no-sign-stopping/)

References

Calefati, J. (2009 January 22).  Religion in schools debate heats up.  US News.  Retrieved from http://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/on-education/2009/01/22/religion-in-schools-debate-heats-up

Curran, L. (2011, August 7).  Religion in Government—Argument 1.  Examiner.com-Austin, TX.  Retrieved from http://www.examiner.com/religious-theory-in-austin/religion-government-argument-1

Library of Congress.  Jefferson’s letter to the Danbury Baptists.  Retrieved from http://www.loc.gov/loc/lcib/9806/danpre.html

Religion in schools debate shows no sign of stopping.  (2011, June 13).  The Tennesseean.  Retrieved from http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2011/jun/13/religion-schools-debate-shows-no-sign-stopping/

Historical Perspectives Entry #1

Prior to exploring the PBS website regarding the innovators of American education and John Taylor Gatto's reflection of the real makers of public schools, I found myself wondering what is the difference between a maker and an innovator as the terms relate to public education.  Prior to viewing the two sites, my initial thoughts were an innovator is someone that is the first to do something; however, a maker is an individual who constructs something usually by changing it.  After fully investigating the two sites, I was able to relate these two terms to prominent individuals in the educational arena.  I was also able to determine what truly makes the public view these individuals as innovators and makers.

In my quest to find the differences between the two terms, I first viewed the PBS website.  PBS referred to innovators as men and women who have taken the lead and transformed the public education system for more than a century (PBS, 2001).  I enjoyed reading about the different contributions that each innovator made to education.  Some of the ones that I found interesting were Horace Mann, Catherine Beecher, Booker T. Washington, and Deborah Meirer; however, the innovator of the group that I found most interesting and most unique was Linda Brown Thompson.  It seemed to me that each of the other innovators discussed were personally responsible for their own innovations; however, in Ms. Brown Thompson’s situation, her innovation just happened by chance.    In my opinion, she was just “at the right place at the right time”.  Brown Thompson has been given credit for being the sole individual to end segregation in America’s public schools; however, she really was not.  She actually had no choice or decisions in any of the matters that unfolded.  Basically, the NAACP asked her family as well as several other families to try to enroll their children in a local all white school.  The schools rejected these children, and the NAACP filed a lawsuit against the Board of Education.  Since Brown’s last name began with a “B”, the entire case was called Brown vs. the Board of Education of Topeka (PBS, 2001).  A CBS News article states, “In the years since [the ruling], Brown vs. Topeka Board of Education has been a blessing and a burden for the Brown family: A blessing because the family helped change history; a burden at times because of media attention it brought” (2009).  I find Brown Thompson and her father as well as the other families involved in the case to be very inspiring.  If they had not been so bold and basically trusted the NAACP with this matter, how long would public schools have remained segregated?

After I reviewed the data regarding innovators, I next read John Taylor Gatto’s opinions regarding the makers.  Gatto gave me somewhat of a new outlook on the historical aspect of education.  I never really thought about some of the ideas that he proposed.  Honestly, I knew more of the individuals listed as a maker in Gatto’s data than I did from the innovators data on the PBS website.  I have never really thought about Henry Ford, Andrew Carnegie, or John D. Rockefeller having any influence whatsoever on education.  Gatto identifies these men as makers of modern schooling because they were the leaders of a new American Industrialist class, and they were dreaming big dreams (Gatto, 2000-2003, pp. 2&3).  Gatto’s opinion of a maker of modern schools seems to relate the maker to any individual that revolutionizes the corporate world and their idea is somehow forced upon the education system. 

Of all the makers identified by Gatto, I feel that Andrew Carnegie contributed the most to education.  Gatto identifies Carnegie as the steel baron.   Carnegie was the “leader of the American steel industry from 1873 to 1901.  He also donated large sums of his fortune to educational, cultural, and scientific institutions” (Andrew Carnegie Biography).  While reviewing Carnegie’s biographical information on the Encyclopedia of World Biographies website, I discovered that by 1878 his company was valued at $1.25 million.  This is a lot of money for the year 2011.  Can you imagine having this much money in 1878?  I am sure that other individuals that lived during this era viewed him as an industrial genius, and they tried to incorporate his ideas into the public school system.  In addition to actually being a maker as Gatto defines him, Carnegie did actually make great contributions to education. “In retirement, Carnegie began to set up trust funds "for the improvement of mankind." He built some three thousand public libraries all over the English-speaking world. In 1895 the Carnegie Institute of Pittsburgh was opened, housing an art gallery, a natural history museum, and a music hall. He also built a group of technical schools that make up the present-day Carnegie Mellon University. The Carnegie Institution of Washington was set up to encourage research in the natural and physical sciences. Carnegie Hall was built in New York City. The Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching was created to provide pensions for university professors” (Andrew Carnegie Biography).

Included in his discussion of the makers, Gatto pursues a very interesting topic.  He makes reference to past-president George W. Bush and other distinguished individuals.  Gatto claims that these individuals scored low to mediocre on their SAT’s yet they somehow managed to graduate from very distinguished institutions and become notable characters in our society. “Bush graduated from Yale, became governor of Texas, and president of the United States—with a mediocre 550”  (Gatto, 2000-2003, p.8).  I always find these types of discussions interesting.  I believe that Gatto’s point is that one test cannot determine how truly intelligent a human being is or what the future holds for this person.  I think that this idea can also be related to how much education a person receives.  For example, Andrew Carnegie was forced to educate himself due to his need to help take care of his family (Andrew Carnegie Biography).  Henry Ford, another maker and the inventor of the assembly line, was a poor student and had little interest in school (Henry Ford Biography).  Also, we have all heard about Bill Gates dropping out of college.  Does this mean that one can be a maker, or even an innovator, and not perform well academically?  I think so especially when the academic performance is based on a standard that is set by society such as a standardized test.

In summary, the PBS website and the Gatto review have changed my perception on innovators and makers as they relate to public education.  I now understand that the innovators revolutionized issues and perspectives with regards to public education; however, the makers have developed motivational ideas that have been incorporated into public school classrooms. 

References

Andrew Carnegie Biography.  (n.d)  In Encyclopedia of World Biographies online. Retrieved from http://www.notablebiographies.com/Ca-Ch/Carnegie-Andrew.html

CBS News. (2009, February 11).   The Legacy of Brown v. Board.  Retrieved from http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/05/16/national/main617697.shtml

Gatto, JT.  (2000-2003).  The makers of modern schooling.  The Odysseus Group.  Retrieved from http://www.johntaylorgatto.com/historytour/history1.htm

Henry Ford Biography.  (n.d.)  In Encyclopedia of World Biographies online.  Retrieved from  http://www.notablebiographies.com/Fi-Gi/Ford-Henry.html

PBS.  (2001)  Innovators.  Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/kcet/publicschool/innovators/index.html

 

Who Am I?

I am currently pursuing my Master's degree and license to teach grades 4-8.  I am very excited about the decision that I have made regarding my future.  A great teacher can make a huge difference in a young person's life.  That is my goal---become a great teacher!