Using the “N” Word As a Teachable Moment?

                Is using the “N” word in the context of an academic lesson in an urban public school appropriate?  A teacher in the Chicago Public School District has sued the district in federal court after he was suspended for five days without pay for using the “N” word in what the teacher described as a “teachable moment[i].”  The teacher who is a white male in his late forties, claims during a lesson on Huckleberry Finn and the perils of racism, two of his students were passing a note that had rap lyrics with the “N” word in the lyrics.  The teacher further claims that at the point of intercepting the note with the lyrics, he used the “N” word to as a point of discussion concerning hurtful language.  Unfortunately, the teacher said the “N” word just as the Principal walked into the classroom.

                While the results of the court proceedings have not been decided, arguments of freedom of speech and counter arguments of verbally abusive, inappropriate language in front of student, and cruel, immoral, negligent, or communication to a student that causes psychological or physical harm are being raised by both parties[ii].  Additionally, from the teacher’s perspective: fear of a ruined reputation.

                Unlike the number of racially and culturally insensitive incidents that have occurred in schools over the past couple of years, the significance of this case could alter the landscape of teaching and learning.  For decades, culturally sensitive issues such as slavery, racism, sexism, and gender identity are considered “third rail” subjects.  These subjects are taught in a generalized manner and the complexities of the subjects are rarely discussed in a manner that allows students to learn through a critical lens.  The students are therefore cheated, their learning is stunted, and their un-informed biased is allowed to continue unchallenged.

This case also challenges the freedom of speech of teachers, and the ability of a district to protect students from speech the district considers inappropriate, offensive, or volatile by its staff.  The incident in question challenges two controversial beliefs: 1) using the “N” word is never appropriate and 2) non African-Americans, especially White-Americans should never use the “N” word in any context. 

If the Chicago Public School District loses their case, a precedent will be set that will take away the two beliefs previously mentioned.  School Districts across the country may find themselves having to defend the right to freedom of speech of teachers who have been empowered by the case and believe the use of the “N” word is acceptable to use during a lesson.  With a racial imbalance among the teaching staff in a majority of urban school districts, having non African-American teachers using the “N” word could cause a backlash from students, parents and cultural organizations.

                In this era where an African-American was elected President of the United States, many people feel racial equality has been achieved and the stigma of slavery has been overcome.  Unfortunately, there is still work to be done to achieve equality and it starts with ending the achievement gap in our public schools.  While the teacher in Chicago is worried about his reputation, a lot more is at stake for students in urban school districts if the teacher wins.

---

[i]http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/17/lincoln-brown-chicago-tea_n_1285750.html

[ii] ibid

The Digital Challenge Part 2

                Last week I discussed the Digital Challenge and the difficulties some school districts may face in trying to implement the transfer to a digital textbook curriculum.  This week, the digital challenge will be discussed from the perspective of the students the school districts serve.

                If a school district is able to successfully implement a digital textbook curriculum with teacher buy in and affordable costs, the final challenge will be addressing the digital gap among students who live and attend school in economically distressed communities.  The problem for economically distressed school districts is the ability of its students to obtain access to the digital world outside of the school building.

In many economically distressed school districts, access to the digital world is a barrier for many students.  While students may have access to some digital items, such as a computer, cell phones (mainly pre-paid) and ipods, many are still lacking access to the internet in the home.  In order for school districts to be able to successfully implement a digital textbook curriculum, it will have to assists students with opportunities to obtain access to the internet in their homes. 

School districts will have to lobby local internet providers to embrace the Whitehouse initiative to make the internet affordable.  Currently, Comcast, the largest internet provider in the US has been advertising affordable internet for households that meet certain income requirements.  Unfortunately, not every internet provider has embraced the Whitehouse initiative to provide affordable internet.  Without access to internet in the home, students will not be able fully participate in the digital learning experience.  The lack of access will prohibit students from accessing the materials needed to research assignments, complete assignments, and submit assignments online to the teacher. 

The inability of students to fully participate in the digital learning experience will hamper a school districts ability to provide them with the skills to be successful in a global economy.  The inability to fully participate may also lead to the same academic and social deficits that plague public education.  The digital learning experience is supposed to end the ineffective Socratic method of teaching that dominates public education.  Digital learning is supposed to make the learning experience engaging and interactive by allowing students to explore, expand, and enrich their knowledge of subject matter beyond the academic content of the lesson plan.  Digital learning also provides students with a wealth of tutorials, explanations, and other resources to aid students with subject matter they may have additional questions about or they may not understand. 

Digital learning should be able to significantly close the digital gap and break down barriers to learning only if students are able to fully participate.  It is time for schools and parents to renew their commitment to the education of youth.  By working closely together to ensure students have all the tools and resources to fully participate at school and in the home, students should be able to succeed in school. 

An added bonus to digital learning is the ability for parents and teachers to video conference at times that are convenient to both parties.  Parents will also have the ability to monitor academic progress online which allows them to request academic assistance earlier for their child.  Lastly, students who are sick could participate in school via video conference and work on their assignments while at home or in the hospital.

The success of the Digital Challenge can only occur if students in economically distressed communities are able to fully participate in the digital textbook curriculum.  Full participation requires access to the digital world in the home at an affordable price.

The Digital Challenge

                Last week, Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan and Federal Communications Chairman, Julius Genachowski challenged companies and school districts to get digital textbooks in the hands of students within five years[i].  The Challenge stems from Apple’s announcement that it will begin selling digital versions of high school textbooks for the Ipad.  Secretary Duncan believes that digital textbooks can provide the interactive learning students are asking for and provides cost effectiveness that schools need as they manage smaller budgets.

To aid school districts with developing a transfer plan, the Department of Education released a “playbook” that provides guidance to school districts on how to change from print textbooks to digital textbooks. Currently Florida, Idaho, Utah, and California and some smaller districts have converted to digital textbooks with mixed results.

                The change to digital textbooks is a necessity that can no longer be ignored.  However, the initial costs to convert will be expensive.  First, school districts will have to expand and upgrade the limited broadband capabilities of their buildings.  Since many school buildings are at least 70-80 years old, the wiring that has been done in many buildings was to support a limited number of computers in the schools.  The wiring, routers, and serves needed to support the number of electronic devices (desktop computers, laptops, tablets, etc) per teacher, student, and administrative staff will be expensive to upgrade and maintain.  Additionally, the costs to repair or replace broken, defects, or lost devices and the software upgrades, and licenses are costs that will be an ongoing expense to school budgets.  Finally, the costs to train teachers to become more tech savvy and modify their pedagogy by using digital textbooks, may be a difficult challenge.

                Asking teachers to trust and follow a new pedagogy that places technology as the main conduit to teaching and learning will require teachers to embrace major ideological shift in the nature of their job.  As leaders of instruction, teachers will have to defer some of their authority as content specialist and consider the ideas of students of students who will have content outside of the prescribed curriculum from the web.

                If teachers buy into a new way of teaching and learning, our educational system will get back on track to competing on a global level.  Students will benefit from digital learning because their learning will be interactive and geared towards their learning strengths which should translate into engaged learning.

                The final challenge is for businesses to make the costs of transition to digital books affordable for school districts.  Businesses will have to be willing to be a true partner with districts by providing a product that will be both engaging for teachers and students and costs effective.  Here is hoping we can meet the Digital Challenge in five years!

---

[i] www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/01/challenge-to schools-embr_n_1248196

Raising The High School Dropout Age?

                In his State of the Union Address, President Obama called on states to increase the age a student can drop out of high school to 18.  In his address, President Obama stated that increasing the high school graduation rate is positively linked to higher earning potential, stronger economies and lower crime rates[i]  One state, Illinois has taken the lead by proposing legislation to raise the age of school attendance to 18.  Illinois is one of 29 states that allow students to drop out of high school when they turn 17. 

                The call by President Obama to raise the high school dropout age a is a good idea, if there is an innovative and sustainable plan to address the causes for dropping out.  There is a plethora of research on factors relating to high school dropouts.  While a majority of the research focuses on factors such as economic isolation, unemployment and poverty, very little attention is given to the concerns that matter to students’ when they consider dropping out.

                One concern that matters to high school students is the lack of relevancy and connection of the curriculum to the real world.  Students have expressed frustration over the failure to understand what they are taught and its usefulness to their immediate and post high school lives.  Our educational system can no longer continue the belief that young adults will blindly follow the academic directives of teachers even when they feel those directives do not make sense.  The failure to address the students’ concern for relevancy in the academic curriculum is one of the leading causes of high school dropouts.  For decades students’ have complained that school is “boring” and they aren’t learning “anything.” Yet, their concerns continue to fall on deaf ears.

                Another concern that matters to high school students are the mixed messages they receive about the importance of obtaining a high school diploma.  Students are constantly told they have to finish high school in order to get a good job.  Yet daily they are confronted with high school graduates (relatives, neighbors, older friends etc) who are unemployed/underemployed, overworked or financially struggling.  At the same time they see peers who have dropped out and are making money (legally or illegally) and they see their favorite entertainers (some who are dropouts or pretend to be dropouts) being paraded in the media and earning large sums of money without having a diploma. 

                A final concern that matters to high school students is the ability to balance work and their education.  This has been a problem for many students who need to work in order to contribute to the family expenses or to take care of their own expenses.  Unfortunately our high schools are not equipped to provide a flexible schedule to assists students with balancing school and work.  High schools can provide work rosters, but work rosters are primarily for seniors.  Underclassmen are not eligible for work rosters due to state mandates that require that amount of “seat” time a student must spend in school.  The inability to be flexible forces some students out of balance and causes them to choose work over school.  We should consider work rosters for all students and consider how students can earn credit towards graduation for working.

                Before we consider increasing the age of school enrollment, we must first address the concerns that matter to high school students.  For too long, the concerns of high school have been ignored and the result of being ignored is disengagement and dropping out.  How much longer will we ignore their concerns?

---

[i] www.huffingtonpost/2012/01/27/illnois-dropout-age-quin_n_1236799