from The Premises of our Premises
XVI. Rather than assume that individual differences (gender or race based, for example) and/or teaching biases (preferential calling on males, for example) serve as the root cause for a lack of learning opportunities and therefore create learning deficits in certain individuals, it would be more applicable and inclusive to view these groups as ones who have different learning needs which are not being met within traditional classrooms as a function of learning style, not gender, race, color, creed or even individual learning deficits. This would serve as a better, more unifying solution then promoting than segregation of students by gender and race, two approaches currently advocated to promote better learning, and perhaps even open up a dialogue to better understand how individual needs are not being met within traditional classrooms....
So guys.....
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Thoughts from Harvy Melnick....
Here is the Message that I sent to Mr. Melnick:
have recently started to work on my Kauffman Entreprenurial Year project more aggressively, as we talked about before Mr. Melnick. We are hoping to gather information from local universities and community foundations to see what type of tutoring work they are doing. In some form we plan on compiling all of this information along with some information/research on tutoring theory. The group and I have been thinking of developing some type of web site which may include other multimedia sources, devoted to bringing to light some of the accomplishments of K -12 students from the Rochester area in order to counter the mass of negative attention that they more regularly receive. I was wondering if you happened to know of any recourses that would be useful for me to read in order to increase my repertoire of education/tutoring/ alternative learning works with value and substance. Since I have been to your home, I know that you have hundreds of sources- so when you have some time I would love to hear about some of your favorites.
This is his first in a series of responses:
Tutoring (for your project): Please do not confuse the need for content explanation (tutoring) with needing to be taught in a different manner/using a different process. One is "content" (the 1st), the other is "process" (i.e. how one learns vs. what one learns...). My bias is that many groups who are under served under perform due to a failed "process," often pointed to (and over-politicized), such as girls, minority groups, etc.) is NOT about the content...see what you think!
Please ask me for any clarification you might desire. And BY THE WAY, check out an article I wrote (on my website, entitled "The Politics of Ability," which can be found on: www.InYourRightMind.com
Regarding "learning styles," there are MANY, MANY ways to describe this...my article focuses on right brain/left brain -right handed/left-handed learners, but this encompasses visual vs. auditory learners, written vs. aural expression, experiential vs. passive learning...and there are more ways of describing this same phenomena, which I will try to reference for you soon.
--
I have spent some time looking around on his site- and have read the posts. I have no yet read the essays but I am hoping to do so in the coming week. ...These are just some things to keep in mind as we narrow our focus. Comments encouraged.....
have recently started to work on my Kauffman Entreprenurial Year project more aggressively, as we talked about before Mr. Melnick. We are hoping to gather information from local universities and community foundations to see what type of tutoring work they are doing. In some form we plan on compiling all of this information along with some information/research on tutoring theory. The group and I have been thinking of developing some type of web site which may include other multimedia sources, devoted to bringing to light some of the accomplishments of K -12 students from the Rochester area in order to counter the mass of negative attention that they more regularly receive. I was wondering if you happened to know of any recourses that would be useful for me to read in order to increase my repertoire of education/tutoring/ alternative learning works with value and substance. Since I have been to your home, I know that you have hundreds of sources- so when you have some time I would love to hear about some of your favorites.
This is his first in a series of responses:
Tutoring (for your project): Please do not confuse the need for content explanation (tutoring) with needing to be taught in a different manner/using a different process. One is "content" (the 1st), the other is "process" (i.e. how one learns vs. what one learns...). My bias is that many groups who are under served under perform due to a failed "process," often pointed to (and over-politicized), such as girls, minority groups, etc.) is NOT about the content...see what you think!
Please ask me for any clarification you might desire. And BY THE WAY, check out an article I wrote (on my website, entitled "The Politics of Ability," which can be found on: www.InYourRightMind.com
Regarding "learning styles," there are MANY, MANY ways to describe this...my article focuses on right brain/left brain -right handed/left-handed learners, but this encompasses visual vs. auditory learners, written vs. aural expression, experiential vs. passive learning...and there are more ways of describing this same phenomena, which I will try to reference for you soon.
--
I have spent some time looking around on his site- and have read the posts. I have no yet read the essays but I am hoping to do so in the coming week. ...These are just some things to keep in mind as we narrow our focus. Comments encouraged.....
Resources a la Dana Lundquist
I became friends, or should I say associates, with Dana Lundquist who is an Eastman student and summer '09 Urban Fellow. She is the girl who set up the trip to the Rochester Zen Center last weekend. I got to speaking with her about my KEY project, or rather, Tamara told her a bunch about it...and here is some info that send sent me. Turns out her summer placement was with the Rochester Youth Bureau- and they have tons of resources for us. Her message to me is below
Youth Bureau Sthufff
Hey I just talked to the guy I'm working for and he'd love to meet with you to discuss what's going on here- he's really freakin cool and totally understands your concern about being pulled around by different organizations.
His name is Garth Freeman and you can give him an email at gfreeman@monroecounty.gov or call at 585-753-6456
also in terms of positive development you might want to check out this website http://www.facebook.com/l/;http://www.search-institute.org/content/what-kids-need ...the 40 developmental assets are used a lot here
good luck!
We need to follow up on this connections, Team!
Youth Bureau Sthufff
Hey I just talked to the guy I'm working for and he'd love to meet with you to discuss what's going on here- he's really freakin cool and totally understands your concern about being pulled around by different organizations.
His name is Garth Freeman and you can give him an email at gfreeman@monroecounty.gov or call at 585-753-6456
also in terms of positive development you might want to check out this website http://www.facebook.com/l/;
good luck!
We need to follow up on this connections, Team!
The Present and Future of RCCL
Hey all.
Here are the meeting notes and some comments from my meeting with Glenn from Friday July 24th. After speaking with Glenn and listening to his intentions I was floored with how closely that matched my ideas for RCCL and our group's goals. FYI, this is all confidential information...so I probably shouldn't even be blogging about it....
Jumpstart was eliminated as the result of a top down decision from the corporate office. The company reformed their strategic plan and decided to focus their literacy effort only in major metropolitan areas such as DC, LA, NYC, Phili, etc. Although Rochester was on the verge of becoming a super cite for Jumpstart and the UR division has surpassed most other schools with documented positive impact in the city, the decision was unarguable. This left two full time staff members of out of a job, not to mention about 65 undergraduate volunteers without a placement or promise of work study stipend.
The good news is UR and RCCL don't want to see it all end.....They see this as an opportunity to strengthen and restructure RCCL- OHH Thank goodness!
Glenn and the Dean's office has put together some funds to hire one full time and one half time employee for the upcoming year. The Full-time position would coordinate the new RCCL initiative mimicking Jumpstart- logically dubbed UR Reading. The group will function based on a coaching model including tutoring and mentoring, utilizing the connections we have built with School 19, etc. The potential full-time staff person would coordinate UR Reading as well as Project Care.
The half-time position will cover many areas of RCCL left fairly unsupported at this time. UR Potential/Hillside Children's Center, Community Service Network (Partners in Reading also falls under CSN), and Alternative Spring Break will be overseen by this newbie.
Finally, the RCCL applied for a Learn and Serve America Grant. The purpose of this proposal was to obtain funding to coordinate the revival and expansion of the UR Education Alliance :) The grant required the coordination of educational outreach opportunities, as well as leadership and developmental training for students. The UR Ed alliance would be directed by the new fulltime employee in RCCL and would provide structure and unification to the UR tutoring and volunteering initiatives. At this point Glenn illuded to having a class for volunteerism and holding about two workshops per semester dealing with tutoring and education issues. THEN I chimed in and told him about Mollie's idea for a class AND our potential idea for Local Edcuation social networking. OMG he loved it. .... Lets hope that they get the grant. (There is another grant available surrounding education and regional social networking....sooo...)
Tamara and I also planted the seed for Glenn to hire some part time undergraduates to help put from ummmpf behind the programs coming out of RCCL. I think he liked that idea too. :)
In the end Glenn had to run to another engagement and he didnt have too much time to tie up the loose ends of the conversation. IN short, I am going to go my independent study/internship with him in the fall to help organize the effort in RCCL in a more direct way. Glenn would like to meet with all of us in late August. If we decide to go through with things about this web site....I could be preliminarily in charge of getting all of the info UR tutoring invitiatives up on the web site with info for each...if this doesnt fit with our mission..i will find another plan.
I am going to post again soon about info from Mr. Melnick. We really really REALLY need to get serious about this now. Are you with me? Please post a new blog post and lay out your ideas. Also, looks like we have a meeting to schedule. I can plan around the RA training schedule for Alicia and I ...but i need to know the UR foot schedule..email that to me when you can. Love you all.
Here are the meeting notes and some comments from my meeting with Glenn from Friday July 24th. After speaking with Glenn and listening to his intentions I was floored with how closely that matched my ideas for RCCL and our group's goals. FYI, this is all confidential information...so I probably shouldn't even be blogging about it....
Jumpstart was eliminated as the result of a top down decision from the corporate office. The company reformed their strategic plan and decided to focus their literacy effort only in major metropolitan areas such as DC, LA, NYC, Phili, etc. Although Rochester was on the verge of becoming a super cite for Jumpstart and the UR division has surpassed most other schools with documented positive impact in the city, the decision was unarguable. This left two full time staff members of out of a job, not to mention about 65 undergraduate volunteers without a placement or promise of work study stipend.
The good news is UR and RCCL don't want to see it all end.....They see this as an opportunity to strengthen and restructure RCCL- OHH Thank goodness!
Glenn and the Dean's office has put together some funds to hire one full time and one half time employee for the upcoming year. The Full-time position would coordinate the new RCCL initiative mimicking Jumpstart- logically dubbed UR Reading. The group will function based on a coaching model including tutoring and mentoring, utilizing the connections we have built with School 19, etc. The potential full-time staff person would coordinate UR Reading as well as Project Care.
The half-time position will cover many areas of RCCL left fairly unsupported at this time. UR Potential/Hillside Children's Center, Community Service Network (Partners in Reading also falls under CSN), and Alternative Spring Break will be overseen by this newbie.
Finally, the RCCL applied for a Learn and Serve America Grant. The purpose of this proposal was to obtain funding to coordinate the revival and expansion of the UR Education Alliance :) The grant required the coordination of educational outreach opportunities, as well as leadership and developmental training for students. The UR Ed alliance would be directed by the new fulltime employee in RCCL and would provide structure and unification to the UR tutoring and volunteering initiatives. At this point Glenn illuded to having a class for volunteerism and holding about two workshops per semester dealing with tutoring and education issues. THEN I chimed in and told him about Mollie's idea for a class AND our potential idea for Local Edcuation social networking. OMG he loved it. .... Lets hope that they get the grant. (There is another grant available surrounding education and regional social networking....sooo...)
Tamara and I also planted the seed for Glenn to hire some part time undergraduates to help put from ummmpf behind the programs coming out of RCCL. I think he liked that idea too. :)
In the end Glenn had to run to another engagement and he didnt have too much time to tie up the loose ends of the conversation. IN short, I am going to go my independent study/internship with him in the fall to help organize the effort in RCCL in a more direct way. Glenn would like to meet with all of us in late August. If we decide to go through with things about this web site....I could be preliminarily in charge of getting all of the info UR tutoring invitiatives up on the web site with info for each...if this doesnt fit with our mission..i will find another plan.
I am going to post again soon about info from Mr. Melnick. We really really REALLY need to get serious about this now. Are you with me? Please post a new blog post and lay out your ideas. Also, looks like we have a meeting to schedule. I can plan around the RA training schedule for Alicia and I ...but i need to know the UR foot schedule..email that to me when you can. Love you all.
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