• Course Expectations

• Lesson Plans

• Course Materials

• Student Bios

• Student Digital Portfolios

• Ms. Mafi's Digital Portfolio

• 7th Annual Student Achievement Leadership Conference in Green Bay, Wisconsin

• MSAN-Crocker Farm Mentoring Pilot Program

• Anti-Defamation League's Anti-Bias Peer Training Program

MSAN Leadership Seminar
 Digital Portfolio

Amherst Regional High School
2006-2007
Closing the Achievement Gap through Scholarship, Leadership and Action...

2005-06 MSAN Curriculum

2007-2008 MSAN Sociology Curriculum

1. Course Introduction—Setting the Scene

   • Course Expectations and Course History

   • MSAN background

   • KWL—What do you already know about the Achievement Gap?  What would you LIKE to know? (Assessing previous student knowledge)

   • Identifying the problem

Ø   Amherst statistics vs. National statistics on the Achievement Gap

Ø   Achievement Gap 101

• Advisory Constitution (ground rules)

• Assignments:

Ø   Parent Signature on Course Expectations/Letter.

Ø   “Tell Me Letter”

Ø   Achievement Gap Survey

• Resources:

Ø   “Why Does the Achievement Gap Persist?” by Paul Barton in Educational Leadership.  2004.

Ø   “What is the Relationship Between Race and Achievement in Our Schools?”  Minority Student Achievement Network Statement of Purpose.  Adopted June 2003.

Ø   “Lessons Learned about the Achievement Gap” by Rossi Ray-Taylor.  American Association of School Administrators.  January 2005.

Ø   “Causes of the Racial Achievement Gap all Derive from Unequal Treatment—Disparities Demystified” by Pedro Noguera and Antiwi Akom

• Guest Speakers:

Ø   Assistant Principal, Marta Guevara

2. Exploring Personal Dimensions—Development of student’s awareness of their own ethnic identity in the context of a racialized society.

   • “I am _______” Brainstorm (from Tatum's article)

   • ADL 9/11 Activity on identity

   • Small and full group discussions

   • Journal Writing

   • “Where I am From” and “I Live in” poem activity

   • Begin vocabulary list.

   • Assignments:

Ø   Beverly Tatum and Bobbie Harro reading/discussion questions.

Ø   Essay #1- Race Awareness Essay

Ø   Zora Neale Hurton article, “How is Feels to be Colored Me”

• Resources:

Ø   “The Complexity of Who am I?” (chapter from Why are all the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?) by Beverly Tatum.

Ø   “The Cycle of Socialization” by Bobbie Harro and “The Cycle of Liberation” (articles from Reading for Diversity and Social Justice).

Ø   Reading, Writing and Rising Up by Linda Christensen. Rethinking Schools, 2000.

• Guest Speakers:

Ø   Bobbie Harro, Professor of Sociology at Springfield College.

3. Social Constructions of Race

   • Journal Writing

   • Socratic Seminar

   • Race Timeline Activity (from PBS “Race the Power of an Illusion” website an video series)

   • Student presentations

   • Resources:

Ø   “Race the Power of an Illusions” PBS video series (3 segments)

Ø   “American Anthropological Association Statement on Race” May 1998.

Ø   “Ten Things that Everyone Should Know about Race” article.

Ø   “Interview with Robin D.G. Kelley” article.

Ø   Socratic Seminar Reading Packet

4. Culture, Values and Behavior—a close examination of culture (as distinguished from race), including an increased understanding of cultural differences and the development of strategies for working with culturally diverse people.

   • Race vs. Ethnicity vs. Nationality (Jaime Almanzan powerpoint)

   • Current Census statistics

   • Cultural Anthropology activity Social Studies Department

   •  "ACIREMA" article

   • Cultural Questionnaire and Discussion (Derman-Sparks and Phillips, 1997).

   • Pierre Bourdieu's notion of Cultural, Economic, Political Capital.

   • Resources:

Ø   Excerpts from A Difference Mirror by Ronald Takaki, 1993

Ø   "Six Degrees of Separation" video and discussion questions.

Ø   Excerpts from Lies My Teacher Told Me, by James Loewen 1996

Ø   Current Census Data.

Ø   Activities from ADL “A World of Difference” Peer Leadership Training.

5. Uncovering Attitudes and Experiences—An exploration of personal knowledge, attitudes, and experiences with interracial encounters, with preparation for connecting experience to societal institutions (media, education, and economic institutions).

   • Media Literacy

   • Stereotyping activities

   • Journal Writing

   • Socratic Seminar #2

   • Assignments:

Ø   Essay #2 Race and the Media

Ø   "Bamboozeld" and Crash video questions.

Ø   Ethnic Notions video questions

• Resources:

Ø   “Bamboozled” and “Ethnic Notions” video clips

Ø   “The Threat of Stereotypes” by Joshua Aronson in Educational Leadership.

Ø   “Stereotype Threat and African American Student Achievement” by Claude Steele in Young, Gifted and Black.

Ø   “Black in the Media” article by The Entman-Rojecki Index of Race and the Media

Ø   “Children say T.V. distorts its Portrayal of Minorities” by Marilyn Gardner.  Christian Science Monitor article, 1998.

6. Institutional Racism— Concepts of individual, institutional, overt and covert racism, connection of personal experience to systemic racism; exploration of the relationship between individual and institutional racism.

   • Defining of Terminology

   • Stereotyping and Victim Blaming- exploration of victim-blaming as a racist rationalization

   • White Privilege

   • Resources:

Ø   Elliot, Jane. “Blue Eye, Brown Eye” video and discussion guide

Ø   MEF video of Tim Wise talk OR Tim Wise local presentation (10/22 or 11/8)

Ø   Wise, Tim.  White Like Me: Reflections on Race from a Privileged Son.

Ø   Peggy McIntosh, Peggy.  Unpacking the Knapsack.

7. Sexism, Classism and Racism—examination of gender, class and other factors in the context of racism (examination of the other institutionalized inequities and interrelationships between sexism, classism and racism).

·        Social construction of gender

·        Poverty and Distribution of Wealth in U.S. (see work from Consumer Economics)

·        Resources:

Ø   "Beyond Beats and Rhymes" video from Byron Hurt

Ø   Readings on gender gap in education (math and sciences)

Ø   This Bridge Called My Back: Writings by Radical Women of Color -- by Cherrie Moraga (Editor), Gloria Anzaldua (Editor); Paperback (excerpts)

Ø   This bridge we call home: radical visions for transformation -- by Gloria E. Anzaldua (Editor), Analouise Keating (excerpts)

8. Cultural Diversity, Racism and Education—Deepening understanding of “culturally relevant” approaches to education and the barriers to their implementation.

·        Current state of education (No Child Left Behind education policy and Standardized tests)

·        History of education system in the United States (Brown v. Board, Plessy v. Ferguson, etc.)

·        Ability Grouping vs. Tracking in Education

·        Connection to experience at Amherst

·        Examination of different learning styles

·        CULTURAL COMPETENCY

·        Resources:

Ø   “Off Track:  Classroom Privilege for All” video

Ø   “The Road to Brown” video

Ø   Perry, Theresa et. al.  Young Gifted and Black.

Ø   Delpit, Lisa.  Other People’s Children; Cultural Conflict in the Classroom.

Ø   Kozol, Jonathan.  Savage Inequalities: Children in America's Schools.

9. Alternative Education Models—an exploration of models that can empower people who have been disenfranchised by institutional racism and other forms of oppression.

10. Action Projects—students will design a year-long, action project that addresses the essential question, Why does the Achievement Gap persists?  This action project should work towards closing the Achievement Gap at ARHS.  Students will have one day per week to work on their projects.  End of the trimester exhibitions serve as a chance for students to share their progress with the Amherst Community.  Students will also hold “workshops” at an end of the year MSAN Regional Youth Summit where they share their projects with other students.

11. Digital Portfolios—student will demonstrate how they have met the 6 Facets of Knowledge about the Achievement Gap (from Understanding by Design, Wiggins and McTighe) through the creation of a digital portfolio with artifacts and reflection on each facet.

• Overview of Standard

• Student Reflection

• Overview of Standard

• Student Reflection

• Overview of Standard

• Student Reflection