Teaching has been one of the most important professions in the world throughout history. Without teachers, most people would not acquire the necessary knowledge to function in society. From kindergarten to the end of high school, teachers are expected to educate students in various subjects to make them well-rounded, educated citizens that are ready for the workforce or higher education. However, the current problem and a deterrent for many people that are looking for a career is the pay. Some teachers complain that the pay simply isn't enough.
The article "Teacher's Cost of Living Matters More" makes the case that although some districts may pay higher than the national average to teachers, the pay does not always balance out when the cost of living of that particular area is factored in. Certain cities, such as Pittsburgh and Memphis, actually end up paying their teachers higher salaries than the national average due to the low cost of living in these cities. However, in cities such as San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Diego, the pay is much lower than the national average when the cost of living is adjusted. Despite this fact, these districts all pay well above the national average of $47,120. San Francisco's school district pays $59,284, which is the 2nd highest salary in the nation. Due to the current economic problems, these districts would have a hard time raising salaries. Increasing taxes in order to pay teachers more would be difficult to push across. This is a predicament because it makes recruiting teachers more difficult.
In regards to teacher salaries in the Nashville area, I don't think it has been much of an issue. Nashville does not have a high cost of living, and starts teachers out at approximately $33,000 a year. The salary increases yearly, and teachers are paid more money if they have post-secondary degrees. I have not heard too many complaints from teachers about their salaries in the Nashville area. I taught last year in Rutherford County, and the teachers seemed satisfied with their pay. Pay in Rutherford County is slightly lower than in Metro Nashville, but the cost of living is slightly lower as well. People would always like to make more money, but the salaries that districts pay around here is enough. However, in districts where the pay is not enough, it is a problem. The problems that stem from this are teacher motivation, teacher retention, and the quality of the teachers that are in the district. This can adversely affect the students.
Right now, the number one priority in the United States is to stabilize and revive the United States economy. Local governments and school districts across the United States are strapped for cash, and raising teacher salaries is currently not an option. However, when the economy recovers, districts that do not pay their teachers enough money should raise teacher pay. Although bringing teacher salaries up to meet the national average after the cost of living is factored in may be unfeasible, the districts should try to close the gap. If they do not manage to do so, they could run into a shortage of teachers in the future.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Monday, October 5, 2009
Multicultural Curriculum
The United States is the most diverse nation in the world. If one were to look in the Murfreesboro phone directory, he or she would find surnames of various origins. One would surely find the traditional English, Scottish, Irish, and German, Italian, and French surnames that belong to those whose ancestors arrived here from the 1600's all the way up to the 1920's. One would also find surnames of Hispanics and Asians. Hispanics and Asians are no strangers to U.S. History. In 1848, in the Treaty of Guadalupe, the United States obtained a large portion of Mexican territory. This is one of the moments that has and forever will define both United States and Mexican history. It is the moment that the United States achieved its "Manifest Destiny" and Mexico suffered a demoralizing territorial loss. In the middle of this territorial exchange were the many Mexicans that lived in those states. Shortly after the Treaty of Guadalupe, vast amounts of gold were found in California. After this, the first Asians began to come to the United States. The United States government, alarmed by the growing number of Asians, passed acts such as the Chinese Exclusion Act and the Asian Exclusion Act. After repealing these acts in 1965, the United States saw a spike in Asian immigration once again. Today, immigrants do not go to just California, New York City, and Chicago as in the past. Now, the South is seeing a large wave of immigration. The traditional White and Black mix now has Hispanics and Asians as well. A multicultural society such as this needs multicultural education. The article "New Immigration Stirs the Melting Pot" talks about the large immigration debate in 2006. Unfortunately, Congress could not reach an agreement on the Immigration Reform that this country so desperately needs. However, the Latinos showed their political muscle. In some states, such as Texas and California, at least 25% of the population is Latino. Immigrant rallies and marches demonstrated Latino political might. This issue has somewhat disappeared due to the current recession and the Health Care Reform debate. However, once those issues are resolved, Immigration Reform will surely take center stage once again. I remember these events from 2006 very clearly, and I hope that Congress can come to an agreement and pass a fair, compassionate Immigration Reform bill in 2010.
In the article "Multiculturalism in School Curriculum", the argument is made for a centrist curriculum that includes that of many cultures instead of dividing the cultures up. I strongly agree with the point made by the author. We must move beyond Black America and White America. We must advance towards the United States of America, and unite as one. If not, young Americans of all races will continue to see Black history and White history. I have made this argument in previous blogs. The significant contributions of all races should compose a united American History. The author of this article, Adam Waxler, divides his class up into groups that investigate the perspectives of different ethnic groups and genders in regards to significant events in U.S. History. The events that he mentioned were World War II and the Vietnam War. I believe that this is an effective way of utilizing multicultural education. It emphasizes the different perspectives of major events while teaching that all of the ethnicities and genders comprise one American body. The United States has a unique, diverse history. It is a history of many cultures connected by a nation.
In the article "Towards a Centrist Curriculum", the author suggest that any centralist curriculum must have the following characteristics:
1. It encourages knowledge of and sympathy towards the diverse cultures of the world.
2. It fosters respect for every child's home culture as well as the school's cosmopolitan-based culture.
3. It gives children competence in the current system of language and allusion that is dominant in the nation's economic and intellectual discourse.
The third characteristic basically states that the centralist curriculum not try to change the current, dominant culture in place. The author insists that with these elements in place, a centrist curriculum will evolve. I agree with the author. It is not the responsibility of the school system to drastically change the culture of the United States. However, with those three elements in place, a centrist system with various multicultural elements can flourish. The author also mentions that it does Black children little good to learn about their past if they are not well-educated in math and science. However, I believe that it does help the children to learn about the history of their race along with that of other races. I believe that the author makes good points here and sets some basic guidelines for a centrist education with multicultural elements.
In the classroom and in public schools, I have witnessed growing diversity over the years. I can recall a time when I was young when there were only Whites and Blacks in school. At that time, there were very few Blacks in school. I can recall only one per class (if even that) all the way up until when I was in the 6th grade. Around 1997, when I was in the 6th grade, I began to notice more diversity. I noticed more Blacks, and even a couple of Hispanics and Asians. By the time I graduated from high school in 2004, there was a considerable population of Blacks, Hispanics, and Asians in school. Nashville and the suburbs that surround it are becoming more and more multicultural every year. I did my student teaching at Hunter's Lane, and the majority of the student population there is Black. Hispanics compose 15% of the student population. There are almost as many Hispanics as there are Whites at that school. A diverse student body such as this needs a centrist education with elements from the multiple cultures that make it up. U.S. History does need to include the history of other races besides that of Whites. When I took Social Studies in school, the only contributions that we ever learned about were those of Whites. We did not learn much about the history of Blacks, Native Americans, Mexican-Americans, or Asians. I believe that in today's multicultural society, students must learn about the history of all races when discussing U.S. History.
In the public schools that I have been in in the past, as both a student and a teacher, the schools have strived to respect the cultures of all students. I believe that schools are used to cultivate productive citizens. Students are taught math, science, English, and social studies in order to grow up into productive adults that can contribute something to society. It is in the best interests of the future of the United States that this happen. I do not believe that the curriculum has been as diverse as it should be. In regards to math and science, I don't see how culture can have any effect on the curriculum. However, in literature and social studies, it can have a great effect. The changes do not need to be too drastic. Students should know some of the great works by American authors, such as F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway. Students should know all about George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, FDR, and JFK. Students should know what have long been considered the pillars of our culture and history. However, all students should also know of works by minorities. They should study them in school in order to gain insight into the historical perspective of minorities. They should know who Benjamin Banneker, Harriet Tubman, Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, and Cesar Chavez are. They should know who they are and what they meant for the advancement of minorities. I also believe that we also have a rich, interesting Native American culture that students should learn more about in schools. Students should also learn about the various countries and cultures that make up our world. They should be able to point out where Guatemala or Thailand is on a map. They should also be able to tell you a thing or two about those countries and many more. Students should acquire excellent reading, writing, math, and science skills in school. It will make them productive adults that can compete in tomorrow's job market. They should also receive a diverse education in social studies, in which they learn about the contributions of different cultures to U.S. history and the different countries that make up our world.
In the article "Multiculturalism in School Curriculum", the argument is made for a centrist curriculum that includes that of many cultures instead of dividing the cultures up. I strongly agree with the point made by the author. We must move beyond Black America and White America. We must advance towards the United States of America, and unite as one. If not, young Americans of all races will continue to see Black history and White history. I have made this argument in previous blogs. The significant contributions of all races should compose a united American History. The author of this article, Adam Waxler, divides his class up into groups that investigate the perspectives of different ethnic groups and genders in regards to significant events in U.S. History. The events that he mentioned were World War II and the Vietnam War. I believe that this is an effective way of utilizing multicultural education. It emphasizes the different perspectives of major events while teaching that all of the ethnicities and genders comprise one American body. The United States has a unique, diverse history. It is a history of many cultures connected by a nation.
In the article "Towards a Centrist Curriculum", the author suggest that any centralist curriculum must have the following characteristics:
1. It encourages knowledge of and sympathy towards the diverse cultures of the world.
2. It fosters respect for every child's home culture as well as the school's cosmopolitan-based culture.
3. It gives children competence in the current system of language and allusion that is dominant in the nation's economic and intellectual discourse.
The third characteristic basically states that the centralist curriculum not try to change the current, dominant culture in place. The author insists that with these elements in place, a centrist curriculum will evolve. I agree with the author. It is not the responsibility of the school system to drastically change the culture of the United States. However, with those three elements in place, a centrist system with various multicultural elements can flourish. The author also mentions that it does Black children little good to learn about their past if they are not well-educated in math and science. However, I believe that it does help the children to learn about the history of their race along with that of other races. I believe that the author makes good points here and sets some basic guidelines for a centrist education with multicultural elements.
In the classroom and in public schools, I have witnessed growing diversity over the years. I can recall a time when I was young when there were only Whites and Blacks in school. At that time, there were very few Blacks in school. I can recall only one per class (if even that) all the way up until when I was in the 6th grade. Around 1997, when I was in the 6th grade, I began to notice more diversity. I noticed more Blacks, and even a couple of Hispanics and Asians. By the time I graduated from high school in 2004, there was a considerable population of Blacks, Hispanics, and Asians in school. Nashville and the suburbs that surround it are becoming more and more multicultural every year. I did my student teaching at Hunter's Lane, and the majority of the student population there is Black. Hispanics compose 15% of the student population. There are almost as many Hispanics as there are Whites at that school. A diverse student body such as this needs a centrist education with elements from the multiple cultures that make it up. U.S. History does need to include the history of other races besides that of Whites. When I took Social Studies in school, the only contributions that we ever learned about were those of Whites. We did not learn much about the history of Blacks, Native Americans, Mexican-Americans, or Asians. I believe that in today's multicultural society, students must learn about the history of all races when discussing U.S. History.
In the public schools that I have been in in the past, as both a student and a teacher, the schools have strived to respect the cultures of all students. I believe that schools are used to cultivate productive citizens. Students are taught math, science, English, and social studies in order to grow up into productive adults that can contribute something to society. It is in the best interests of the future of the United States that this happen. I do not believe that the curriculum has been as diverse as it should be. In regards to math and science, I don't see how culture can have any effect on the curriculum. However, in literature and social studies, it can have a great effect. The changes do not need to be too drastic. Students should know some of the great works by American authors, such as F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway. Students should know all about George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, FDR, and JFK. Students should know what have long been considered the pillars of our culture and history. However, all students should also know of works by minorities. They should study them in school in order to gain insight into the historical perspective of minorities. They should know who Benjamin Banneker, Harriet Tubman, Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, and Cesar Chavez are. They should know who they are and what they meant for the advancement of minorities. I also believe that we also have a rich, interesting Native American culture that students should learn more about in schools. Students should also learn about the various countries and cultures that make up our world. They should be able to point out where Guatemala or Thailand is on a map. They should also be able to tell you a thing or two about those countries and many more. Students should acquire excellent reading, writing, math, and science skills in school. It will make them productive adults that can compete in tomorrow's job market. They should also receive a diverse education in social studies, in which they learn about the contributions of different cultures to U.S. history and the different countries that make up our world.
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