I am so excited to be reading about equity in schools. I have always had a heart for this type of work. As a college student at UC Davis in the 90s, my major was sociology, with an emphasis on gender and family. I spent 3 years as a research assistant and literacy program volunteer for young inmates (ages up to 25 yrs) at the California Youth Authority prison system. After my time there, I decided I'd rather focus my attention on an earlier stage, in hopes of making a difference. So I became a case manager and health educator for low-income pregnant women in Napa. I helped women learn about nutrition during pregnancy, breastfeeding, and Lamaze. I asked them questions about their quality of life and helped them make plans for their futures. After 6 years, I found myself wanting to help children in need more directly. I decided to go back to UC Davis and earn a teaching credential. Since then, the majority of work I have done in classrooms has been trying to help close the achievement gap. I taught reading intervention classes for years part time, while raising my daughter and son. Several years ago, I was offered a position teaching Read 180 to struggling 4th and 5th graders at my school. That opportunity led me to another wonderful opportunity. For the past 4 years, I have been the "Academic Specialist" and Read 180 teacher at my school. I am so grateful to be in a position of leadership, where one of my main goals is to look at our students who struggle and find ways to help. This book, "The Flat World and Education", is right up my alley. In fact, when I first inquired about Touro, I was initially interested in the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusive Education program. Equity and diversity in education (and life) has always been my strongest interest. In reading the first three chapters, there were many moments where my thoughts were something like, "Yes! Of course! Isn't it obvious?" I continue to wonder why this information is not at the top of policy makers' agendas. However, Ms. Darling-Hammond makes many new points about hidden motives and sneaky practices that hide evidence of wrongdoing that were shocking. One example she gave was the "Texas Miracle" (sudden score increases in Texas schools in response to high-stakes testing), which wasn't a miracle at all. Schools were caught manipulating scores by preventing their lowest students from taking the tests. The author quoted one of her interviewees, "'...It's not a miracle to manipulate things. A miracle is saving kids actually in reality... It's not to manipulate things so that it appears {to be something it's not}. It's a facade.'" Reading through, I also began to develop questions about my school, and where I see the "achievement gap" very clearly, even in Kindergarten and first grades, within a single classroom. I was reminded by the author that unequal experiences before students ever set foot into a Kindergarten classroom start them off behind. I felt sad and helpless from my position, eager to make a difference for the students at my school. What can I do when students arrive standing in the gap? How can I help? Just asking this question pulls my attention to our upcoming research project. There must be something. And I'm in the right place to figure it out.
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Jona SandauI'm a student in the Innovative Learning Master's Program at Touro University. I'm really excited to make a difference for my students! Archives
March 2019
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