3800 Syllabus

FDN 3800, Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education

A. The Educational Process: Theory and History
Holidays	Class Meeting Dates	Class Topics, Assigned Readings, and Related Links
		Key questions: Why do we have public schools? What kind of power do teachers have in public schools? Where does curriculum come from? What is the difference between the hidden and the overt curriculum?
	Jan. 15	Introduction. (New instructions for forum registration here.)
		Download PDF syllabus here, when available. Remember, the online version is the official syllabus. You are required to consult it for readings and other class assignments.
	Jan. 17	John Taylor Gatto, “Bitter Lessons: What’s Wrong with American Teachers,” p. 3. PDF
		Philip Jackson, “The Daily Grind,” p. 9. PDF
		Negative and positive freedom; Bloom's Taxonomy.
	Jan. 22	Sarah J. McCarthy, “Why Johnny Can’t Disobey,” p. 35. PDF
		Video: Remember Mai Lai.
		"Without Sanctuary: Photographs and Postcards of Lynching in America." Click here. (The "official" site has been removed, but the photos and text from the exhibit are still available. Please browse, and be sure to click on the link that will tell you more about any postcard you view. Glance now, peruse thoroughly later. See below.)
	Jan. 24	January 22, continued.
	Jan. 29	Plato, “The Allegory of the Cave,” Click here.
	Jan. 31	No class. Work on discussion board.
	Feb. 5	John Dewey, “My Pedagogic Creed,” p. 243.
		David Purpel, “Moral Outrage and Education,” p. 251.
		Herbert M. Kliebard, “Three Currents of American Curriculum Thought,” p. 75 .
		Svi Shapiro, “Public School Reform: The Mismeasure of Education,” p. 27.
		Philosophies of education and learning theories: Click here.
B. Education, Social Class, and Equality
		Key questions: How does social class impact educational outcomes? Can negative impacts be avoided? How?
Ash Wednesday	Feb. 6	No class. Christian. First day of Lent signified by the placing of an ash cross on the forehead. It is a day of fast and abstinence from meat.
	Feb. 7	Video: People Like Us: Social Class in America. Click here.
Chinese New Year (4706). China		Year 4706 - Year of the Rat. The first day of the new year in China, population 1.3 billion.
	Feb. 12	Video: People Like Us: Social Class in America, continued.
	Feb. 14	Dorothy Allison, “A Question of Class,” p. 141.
		Video: People Like Us: Social Class in America, continued.
	Feb. 19	Jean Anyon, “Social Class and the Hidden Curriculum of Work,” p.127.
		Dorothy Allison, “A Question of Class,” p. 141.
		JoMills Braddock II, et al, “Ollie Taylor’s Story: How Tracking and Ability Grouping Affects Our Children,” p. 121.
		"Growing Good Principals" (from The Charlotte Observer), . Click here.
	Feb. 21	Adam Gamoran, "Is Ability Grouping Equitable?" Click here.
		Clotfelter, et al., "Segregation and Resegregation in North Carolina’s Public School Classrooms." Resegregation through tracking. Click here.
		North Carolina Middle School Association Research Bulletin on tracking and ability grouping. Click here.
		North Carolina Dept. of Public Instruction, "Grouping Practices Research Brief." Click here.
		Video: Inner City Debate Team.
	Feb. 26	Bill Bigelow, “The Human Lives Behind the Labels: The Global Sweatshop, Nike, and the Race to the Bottom.” From Rethinking Schools: An Urban Education Resource. Click here.
		An interview with history teacher Bill Bigelow. Click here.
	Feb. 28	Stephan Jay Gould on IQ. Click here.
		Nicholas Lemann, "Behind the SAT," p. 99
	March 4	Video: The American Dream at Groton.
	March 6	Lisa Delpit, Ebonics and Culturally Responsive Instruction. Click Here
		Lisa Delpit, “The Silenced Dialogue: Power and Pedagogy in Educating Other People's Children," p. 149.
Maha Shivaratri (Hindu)		Day of fasting followed by a night ceremony in honor of Lord Shiva.
Spring Break	March 10-14	No class.
C. Education and Race
Palm Sunday (Christian)	March 16	No class. Sunday before Easter. Remembers Christ's entry into Jerusalem where Palm branches were laid in his path.
	March 18	Key questions: How does race impact educational outcomes? Can negative impacts be avoided? What connections are there between race and social class?
		Video: Eyes on the Prize. [VC6675]
		Martin Luther King, “Letter From Birmingham Jail,” p. 397. Additional information from Human Rights Watch.
		Without Sanctuary: Lynching in America. Click here. (The "official" site has been removed, but the photos and text from the exhibit are still available. Please browse, and be sure to click on the link that will tell you more about any postcard you view.)
	March 20	Peggy McIntosh, “White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack,” p.165.
		Robert Lake, “An Indian Father’s Plea,” p.191.
		Indian Boarding Schools: "I felt as if I were dead and traveling to the Spirit Land". A teacher resource from the Library of Congress. Click here.
		Indian Boarding Schools: "The Challenges and Limitations of Assimilation." Click here.
		"Appropriate Methods For Teaching About Native American Peoples." Click here.
		Teaching Thanksgiving Links: (From the forum discussion).
Mawlid an Nabi (Muslim)		Prophet Muhammad's Birthday.
Easter (Christian)	March 23	No class. Commemorates the Resurrection of Jesus from the dead.
Easter Holiday	March 25	No class. ASU commemorates Easter. (See March 23.)
	March 27	Cornel West, “Race and Social Justice in America,” p. 409.
		A short excerpt from a new book, Slavery By Another Name: Link to NPR Additional photos from the book: Photos
		Martha A. Bireda, "The Mythical African American Male," p. 187.
		Video: A Class Divided.
D. Education and Sexual Identity
		Key questions: What is "sexual identity"? How does schooling affect identity in general, and sexual identity in particular? Can one's sexual identification affect school performance? Why and how?
	April 1	Angela Phillips, "In the Beginning There are Babies," p. 203.
		Michael Kimmel, "What About the Boys?" p. 221.
		"Bravehearts: Men in Skirts." November 4, 2003–February 8, 2004. The Costume Institute, Metropolitan Museum of Art, NYC. What did Jesus wear?
		A closer look at men in skirts, from CNN.
	April 3	No class.
	April 8	Video: Slim Hopes [VC 7575].
		Bring at least one advertisement to class. It will be used to help us discuss the social construction of gender.
	April 10	Doug Risner "What Mathew Shepard Would Tell Us," p. 209.
	April 15	Video: The Transgender Revolution.
E. The Educational Process: Theory and History, Revisited
	April 17	Jonathan Kozol, “Great Men and Women,” p. 325.
		"Put to the Test," No Child Left Behind: Pro and Con, Click Here
		Helen Keller; Rosa Parks, an editorial perspective
	April 22	Cuadros, A Home on the Field: How One Championship Soccer Team Inspires Hope for the Revival of Small Town America. Read the complete book.
		Final exam study guide: Word doc. PDF.
		Final exam available here: Word doc. PDF.
	April 24	No class.
	April 29	No class.
	May 1	Due: Forum posts will receive final tally.
	May 2	Due: "Hope" assignment.
	May 4	Final Exam due at 10 pm. Please submit it to me as an email attachment. You can copy and paste it into an email, or attach it to your email as a Microsoft Word document (preferred).