Here are some interesting articles we received and discovered this past week…

ENJOY!

 

Women’s History Neglected in State Standards and Textbooks

Quote from Article:

When students learn about women’s contributions to U.S. history, domestic roles are often over emphasized and only a minority of individuals are addressed, and according to new research, the issue begins at the state-level.

The nonprofit National Women’s History Museum found that as recently as 2016, women and minorities were vastly underrepresented in U.S. history textbooks, including illustrations and sidebars, and when they are included, texts often fail to address the breadth and depth of women’s history.

Researchers noted, however, that such an issue is unlikely to be rectified by publishers alone.

“Before blaming textbook publishers for the lack of diversity, one must look further afield . . . to the publishers markets,” authors of the report wrote. “Publishers choose history topics to match state learning standards. They most closely follow the standards written by the states with the largest school populations–not coincidentally, these states represent the largest markets for textbook purchases.”

and

In California, for instance, it has been about three decades since the state’s history and social studies standards have been updated. Officials decided in 2008 that the best way to save money during the recession while also bringing the curriculum up-to-date would be to take on new history frameworks, not standards. The new history frameworks adopted in 2016 were delayed more than a year largely because of the number of public comments from scores of political, racial and ethnic advocacy groups that raised questions of fact and fairness.

District Deeds Synopsis:

As we read this article we were struck with the inequity and unfairness to every single student in currently using textbooks where “women and minorities were vastly underrepresented in U.S. history textbooks, including illustrations and sidebars, and when they are included, texts often fail to address the breadth and depth of women’s history.”

How do we expect our San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD) Students to fully understand the huge contributions by, and abilities of, women and minorities if those contributions and abilities are grossly minimized through instructional material?

How can we ever achieve full equality and equity for all if those contributions and abilities are grossly minimized through instructional material?

The answer to both questions is “We Can’t!”

It is clear the innate underrepresentation harms the education of Students of all races creeds and colors.  Shocking!

Confessions of a Bad Teacher: Why I Left my Dream Job

Quote from Article:

In fifth grade, I told my parents I was going to be a teacher when I grew up. I loved school and toiled over homework in order to please. After parent-teacher conferences I would hound my parents to share, in detail, what my teachers had said about me. “They said you’re very bright, that you’re a delight in class. Ms. Wegner told me you set the curve for the last history test.” I hung on these words, treasuring them. I was considered a good kid.

Which is why I was so surprised to find myself, a dozen years and a master’s degree later, on the dark side: I am a bad kid. Except this time I am on the other side of the desk seat — I am a bad teacher.

Despite their kinder instincts, teachers can’t help but categorize students, consciously or otherwise, into camps of good and bad. When discussing students amongst ourselves, we often catch ourselves using such terminology too freely, at which point a bad kid becomes a “problem kid, troubled kid, kid with issues.”

“Good” kids: generally students who benefit from financially stable, supportive families, who are polite and motivated to do well in school.

“Bad” kids: how do I even begin? Where good kids must be uniform to fit our definition, bad kids come in so many shapes and sizes. These are the students who come to school high, gaze at their phones with no attempt at stealth, hate you, hate everyone, hate themselves, sneak out to smoke, who are sexually active at fourteen. They are the students who are hungry — for the breakfast they couldn’t get at home, for approval, for attention. Often they think they are stupid and likely have been told as much. Bad kids may embody one or all of these things.

District Deeds Synopsis:

A fascinating article by a Teacher who explains all the obvious cases for inaccurate biases that improperly label both Teachers and Students “BAD” of “GOOD”…and how that erroneous bias makes learning and teaching much, much more difficult.

The following “Top Highlight” from the article describes how many see the current classroom environment:

Imagine you have to host a party every day, I told them. As hostess, you must always be upbeat. The party has to be fun and interesting to everybody all the time. Also, lots of your party-goers hate you and each other and don’t want to be there. Fun, right?

Add to that perspective reports to District Deeds by numerous SDUSD Teachers, Principals and Administrators of NOT being able to resist “the urge to roll my eyes” while incompetent SDUSD Superintendent Cindy Marten starts crying during a professional development session while repeating her “Ruby Slipper” story over and over again.

Many of those highly skilled and dedicated employees have expressed to us the serious need to put someone else in the SDUSD Superintendent position that actually has the skills to carry out the following recommendation by the Teacher author:

Our classrooms need a complete makeover to provide all students a chance to succeed, and giving our teachers the time, trust, and resources they need is part of that equation.

District Deeds heartily agrees with the author’s recommendation to makeover classrooms…with a competent, NEW, Superintendent ASAP!!!

‘Boost Bags’ Help Students At Boston School Get Through Weekend

Quote from Article:

Often schools are on the front line of social issues impacting families, because those issues can affect how children learn. At Edison K-8 in Brighton, 40 children who struggle with food insecurity receive Boost Bags every Friday to help their families get through the weekend.

More than 3,000 children in the Boston Public Schools are dealing with homelessness. Every school gets a certain amount of money to support the students and their families.

“Fridays aren’t easy days – we see the anxiety start to build in students as we’re approaching dismissal, and so when we can walk down the hall and we can give them a Boost Bag and see that anxiety come down and see a smile cross their face and know ‘I have a little extra food in my house this weekend,’ ” Principal Sam Varano said.

District Deeds Synopsis:

We know of a number of Teachers, Principals and other school site staff that have fed hungry students in a number of ways throughout the school year and summer.  We were intrigued with this “Boost Bag” strategy that seems relatively simple to implement at SDUSD Schools that have funds available from a PTA, PTO or Foundation.

A simple, good idea from Massachusetts that hopefully some of our local schools in San Diego can implement for their neediest of Students!

Now for our Quote of the Week:

“A kid cannot learn with an empty stomach.” – Shakira

 

Have a great week!!!

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IF

• Your family has been injured by the San Diego Unified School District, go to the District Deeds Complaint Forms page to find instructions to fight for your Civil Rights!

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Please Click the Link Below and sign the Petition Today and READ the COMMENTS to Support the REMOVAL of Marten by SDUSD Stakeholders!

FIRE San Diego Unified School District Superintendent Cindy Marten Immediately!

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